Sarmale

Romanian Cabbage Rolls. My grandmother was Romanian and she made the best cabbage rolls. This is her recipe. I translated it from Romanian to English.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb ground pork
• 1⁄2 lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 lb  ground bacon
• 15  ounces sauerkraut
• 1⁄2 cup rice
• 2  cups  diced onions
• 1  teaspoon paprika
• 2  cups tomato juice, depending on taste (or more)
• 10 -20  peppercorns
• 2 -4  bay leaves
• 1  cup  oil
• 1  sprig fresh dill

Directions

1. Fry onions in oil with paprika. Add washed rice. Then add meat but don’t cook it just mix it with the hot onions and rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let rest while preparing the cabbage.
2. In the meantime boil the cabbage. Do not overcook. Then rinse with cold water.
3. For larger sheets remove ribs. Place first layer of sauerkraut in pot then form the cabbage rolls like so:
4. Cabbage leaf sits in the palm, place a teaspoon (or more depending on how big your leaf is) of.
5. cabbage mixture and tuck the ends then roll like a tortilla. After you.
6. wrap stuffed cabbage arrange in pan, side by side. Over the first.
7. layer of rolls sprinkle more sauerkraut, sprinkle a few peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and a sprig of fresh dill. Then arrange another layer, and repeat. Add tomato juice over all the rolls and make sure it is well covered.
8. I make them in the crock pot. You can make them in a roman clay dish in the oven too. Or you can make in a stockpot on the stove. All of these at low heat for 4-6 hours.