Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage)
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 18
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 large head green cabbage, cored
- 1⁄2 cup long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 white onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 1⁄2 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
- 12 ounces ground beef
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 slices bacon (optional)
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 (28 ounce) canned whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed
- 1⁄2 cup chicken stock
directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook, pulling off each outer leaf with tongs as it becomes tender, about 2 minutes per leaf.
- Transfer cabbage leaves to a baking sheet; set aside and continue boiling cabbage until you have 20 leaves.
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt saucepan. Add rice and boil for 10 minutes. Drain rice; set aside.
- Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl along with the rice and let cool slightly.
- Add 1 tbsp dill, bread crumbs, paprika, and chile flakes. Stir to combine. Using your hands, fold in beef and season with salt and pepper; set filling aside.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F
- Set aside 4 whole cabbage leaves. Working with remaining cabbage leaves one at a time, stem each leaf and cut leaf into 4" square pieces. Repeat to make twenty-eight 4" square pieces.
- Spoon 1 tablespoons of reserved filling onto center of a square. Bring up 1 edge of square and roll into a cylinder, tucking in sides. Transfer stuffed cabbage to a 6-qt Dutch oven.
- Repeat with remaining leaves and filling, arranging stuffed cabbage in a circular pattern in pot as you go. Finely chop any remaining cabbage; set aside.
- Top stuffed cabbage with remaining dill, along with sauerkraut, thyme, bacon, and bay leaves. Top with minced cabbage leaves and tomatoes and pour in stock and 1/2 cup water.
- Cover with the reserved whole cabbage leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cover, transfer to oven, and bake until stuffed cabbage is tender and flavors meld, about 2 hours. Let cool slightly before serving.
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