Sarma Bosnian Stuffed Cabbage Leaves Food

SARMA (STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Place cabbage in the freezer for a few days. The night before making the rolls, take it out to thaw.
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, ham, rice, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form meat mixture into oblong balls, using 1/2 cup of the mixture at a time. Then, wrap a cabbage leaf around each ball.
• Spread the sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot, then layer cabbage rolls on top, placing them seam-side down. Pour tomato juice over rolls, then add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours, adding more water as necessary.

SARMA, STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES FROM DALMATIA

Steps:

• Remove any wilted or bruised leaves from the cabbage and cut out the center core.
• Pour boiling water over the cabbages to soften.
• Meanwhile, in the oil, sauté the bacon and onion until the bacon is cooked.
• Add minced garlic.
• Beat the egg and add the salt, pepper, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, ground beef, pork or ham and half the tomatoes.
• Add the bacon mixture and rice and combine thoroughly.
• Separate the cabbage leaves and drain.
• Place a heaping tablespoon of stuffing at the core end of each cabbage leaf and roll up carefully, tucking in the ends.
• Layer the rolls in a Dutch oven or heavy kettle.
• Chop up the small unused leaves and place on top.
• Pour the remaining tomatoes and juice over top and add enough water to cover the rolls.
• Cover and simmer for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

SARMA - BOSNIAN STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Separate the cabbage leaves, being careful not to tear them.
• Mix meat, rice, onion, salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Place about a tablespoon or more (use your own judgment based on the size of the leaves) of the meat mixture into each cabbage leaf, near its base.
• Begin rolling the leaf from the base into a thick cylinder, tucking in the sides after the first "roll."
• Layer the cylinders tightly into a medium-sized or large pot.
• Cover the sarma with beef stock or water (I find that if you use water, it makes its own broth anyways with the meat as it cooks).
• Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for at least three hours.
• Serve with butter and sour cream, with or without some of the cooking liquids according to your preference.
• *Boiled potatoes are often eaten with sarma, and they go quite well together.

SERBIAN STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a skillet, brown beef and onion; drain and set aside. In a Dutch oven or large kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add cabbage; simmer 6-8 minutes. Remove wilted cabbage leaves with a fork; drain and cool. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, add rice to 2 cups boiling water; when water comes to a boil again, remove from the heat. Drain and rinse. Add rice to beef; season with salt and pepper. Remove the large vein from 12 large cabbage leaves. , Line bottom of another large kettle with half of the remaining small cabbage leaves; cover with half of the sauerkraut. Place 1 tablespoon of meat mixture on each large cabbage leaf. Fold sides over and roll leaf up tightly lengthwise; tuck loose ends under and place seam side down on top of sauerkraut. Repeat with remaining large leaves and meat mixture. Cover with remaining sauerkraut and small cabbage leaves. , For gravy, combine the oil and flour in a small saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened; pour over cabbage leaves. Simmer gently over low heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, shaking kettle occasionally to prevent sticking.

CABBAGE ROLLS-SARMA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cut the top of the core out of the head of cabbage. Stick a fork into the core. Set head of cabbage in a large pan of water and boil for a few minutes until the leaves become loose.
• While the cabbage is boiling, prepare the meat mixture in a large bowl. Combine the beef, pork, rice, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well (I usually use my hands to knead it all together).
• Remove leaves of cabbage as they loosen from the head with tongs to a colander. You may wish to rinse the leaves with some cold water so it's easier to work with them.
• Next, fill each leaf to make rolls:.
• Cut the bacon down the middle using kitchen shears. Place 1-2 half strips of bacon into the bottom of the cabbage leaf near the core end. Next, put 3 or so tablespoons or sauerkraut on top of the bacon. After that, put a handful of meat mixture on top of the sauerkraut. How much meat mixture you use depends on how large your cabbage leaves are. You can adjust the amount of meat mixture according to how easy or difficult it is to roll up the leaf. Wrap the core side up and over the mixture ingredients, tuck it under tightly, fold the sides in, and roll the rest. This may take a few tries to get, but fairly easy to get the hang of.
• As you fill your cabbage leaves, set them in a row in a large roasting pan. Repeat the rolling process until you have run out of meat mixture or cabbage leaves, whichever comes sooner. I have found that with this recipe I usually have enough for 12 large rolls with some filling left over depending on how big the cabbage leaves are.
• After you have filled your roasting pan with rolls, put the remaining bacon strips on top of the rolls and top with whatever sauerkraut you have left. Fill the pan with sauerkraut juice until it comes at least half-way up the sides of the pan.
• Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 2-3 hours.
• Serve with crusty bread.