Sarma Croatian Sauerkraut Rolls Food

SARMA (CROATIAN SAUERKRAUT ROLLS)

Steps:

• Take the whole sauerkraut head and remove leaves carefully avoiding damaging them. 1500 g should give about 20 to 25 sarmas. Cut the thick part at the bottom of each leaf (cut it triangularly).
• Mix grounded beef, pork and bacon. Add two eggs and very finely minced onion. Cook rice until half done and add into meat. Add salt, pepper and mix hard.
• Take leaf of sauerkraut and put meat in it and make a small package making sure to close ends. I don't know how to explain it but you have to press leaf end into. Do it until you have enough meat or leaves.
• Take a really large pot and start to put sarmas in it. At the bottom put smoked bacon skins if you have any, than one layer of sarmas, one layer bacon or pork ribs. Also add sliced sauerkraut in between. After you lay all sarmas and bacon, ribs and sliced sauerkraut, pour 2 cups of brine over everything (this is optional, my family like really sour sauerkraut that's why I've put it).
• Cook for about 1 hour on mild fire. Some people, and I'm among them like to add this: take small pan, melt lard and fry flour until brownish - add paprika and some cold water and make creamy stuff (we call this "ajmbren"). Add this into sarma and cook 2 to 3 hours.
• The best sarma in the next day, not the day you've cooked it. You can eat sarma up to whole week; you can also freeze portions. We eat cooked potato on lard and onion with it called "restani krumpir".

SARMA (CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Remove bruised leaves from cabbage and cut out center core.
• Pour boiling water over cabbages to soften.
• Meanwhile, sauté bacon and onion until bacon is done.
• Add half the tomato soup.
• Beat eggs and add salt, pepper, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, ground beef, pork and ham.
• Add bacon mixture and rice and mix thoroughly.
• Separate cabbage leaves and drain.
• Place heaping tablespoon of stuffing at core end of each cabbage leaf and roll carefully, tucking in ends.
• Place rolls in layers in Dutch oven or heavy kettle.
• Chop small unused leaves and place over to.
• Pour remaining soup and add enough water to cover rolls.
• Cover and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

SAUERKRAUT, CROATIAN WAY

Steps:

• Put fat and sugar in a pot and melt sugar until it becomes brown.
• Add sauerkraut, wine, bay leaf, juniper berries, caraway seeds, finely sliced bacon and pepper.
• Cook at first covered 10 minutes and than uncovered another 15 minutes.Sauerkraut must be transparent and soft. Do not overcook it.
• Excellent with sausages, pork chops, pork legs, etc.

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.

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.