Bosnian Stuffed Pickled Cabbage Leaves
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)
- 1 cup rice
- 1/2 cup grated onion
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- salt/pepper/vegeta/smoked paprika
- 1.5 head pickled cabbage
- smoked
Thoughts:
One of the staples of my childhood growing up has been Sarma. In Bosnia, we make it two ways, either stuffed grape leaves or stuffed pickled cabbage leaves. The second version has always been my favorite, as the pickled cabbage imparts its own unique and wonderful flavor. Recipe below lets go!
Instructions:
Prepare the cabbage: Lay all the leaves you’re gonna be using on a cutting board near the sink. Each leaf can be cut into two pieces, discarding the
The cabbage leaves are very salty after the pickling, and washing them in warm water is important but don’t over do it. A quick rinse and then set aside on a side plate.
Prepare the stuffing: Season the beef with vegeta and smoked paprika. Vegeta has some salt in it, but it’s not enough to properly season the beef so add in your own but don’t overdo it. Add the rice, onions, carrot, garlic and parsley and mix well.
Folding the Sarma:
Once the meat has been seasoned, remove from pot and add the onions and carrots. Sauté together for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes. Add the chicken stock or stock of choice. Add back in the seared meat.
Bring to boil and then lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 1-2 hours. The longer the better, especially depending on the type of meat you selected and how tough it is.
Once 2 hours has gone by, check the tenderness of the meat and if it’s satisfactory, turn the heat off. Add in the entire bag of frozen peas and stir the peas into the stew.
Serve in a bowl with some bread (or not) and enjoy!