Sarma is the name given to cabbage rolls that are common in countries that were once under Ottoman influence. The Croatian version sounded pretty tasty and different from anything I have made so far.
To get the cabbage ready for assembly, I cored a small head and placed it in a bowl. I boiled water with a little bit of vinegar, and then poured the hot water over the cabbage and let it sit for about thirty minutes. In the meantime, I mixed ground beef and pork, bacon, onion, eggs, cooked rice, and spices. I separated and dried the cabbage leaves and stuffed the meat mixture into each, and rolled them up like a burrito. Once fit tightly into a casserole dish, I poured a combination of tomato soup and water to cover the rolls, then baked them for a little more than an hour.
Not being huge fans of cabbage, we were a little skeptical. But the leaves were surprisingly subtle in taste and had a sour bite that contrasted nicely with the spicy meat filling. I served additional white rice on the side, which was great for soaking up the tomato sauce. Sarma probably won't reappear on our dinner table, but was still a pleasant surprise. Croatia scores a 2.5.
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