The cabbage is washed well under a stream of cold water, ensuring that we remove any impurities or insects hidden among its leaves. After cleaning the cabbage, we cut it into suitable pieces and set it aside. The next step is preparing the meat. The meat is washed well and cut into medium-sized pieces, which we will chop. It is important to grind it twice to achieve a fine and even consistency. The same procedure applies to the smoked bacon, which will add a distinctive flavor to our sarmale. After obtaining the minced meat, we mix the two types of meat and add salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme to taste, then we set the mixture aside to let the flavors blend.
In a smaller pot, we heat the oil and add the finely chopped onion. We cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until it becomes slightly transparent, then we add the washed rice. It is recommended to add about 50-60 ml of water to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. We stir constantly and, after about four minutes, we add the finely chopped dill, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Meanwhile, we prepare the pot in which we will boil the sarmale. At the bottom, we place the chopped cabbage and, optionally, a few pieces of pork rind or smoked bacon. These components will add extra flavor to our sarmale. After the rice mixture has cooled, we combine it with the minced meat, homogenizing the ingredients well.
Now we move on to forming the sarmale. We take a cabbage leaf, put a teaspoon of the meat mixture in the middle, then bring the side edges of the leaf towards the center and start rolling the sarmale towards us. We place the sarmale in the pot, one next to the other, completely covering the bottom of the pot. On top, we add bay leaves, a few sprigs of rosemary (for those who wish, pieces of meat can also be added), and, if preferred, a little pork rind.
We continue forming a second layer of sarmale, repeating the process until we finish all the ingredients. Finally, we cover the sarmale with cabbage leaves and a whole cabbage leaf on top. We add enough water to cover the sarmale by about three fingers. The pot is placed in the oven at high heat, making sure to check the water level from time to time, adding warm water to not stop the boiling process.
The sarmale are served with plenty of sour cream and polenta, a delicious combination! Sometimes, among the layers of sarmale, I add sprigs of dill and thyme, mixed with a little tarragon, which I wrap in cabbage leaves to keep the concentrated flavor. Later, when serving, I throw away the aromatic leaves so we can enjoy the authentic taste of the sarmale. Enjoy your meal!
In a smaller pot, we heat the oil and add the finely chopped onion. We cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until it becomes slightly transparent, then we add the washed rice. It is recommended to add about 50-60 ml of water to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. We stir constantly and, after about four minutes, we add the finely chopped dill, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Meanwhile, we prepare the pot in which we will boil the sarmale. At the bottom, we place the chopped cabbage and, optionally, a few pieces of pork rind or smoked bacon. These components will add extra flavor to our sarmale. After the rice mixture has cooled, we combine it with the minced meat, homogenizing the ingredients well.
Now we move on to forming the sarmale. We take a cabbage leaf, put a teaspoon of the meat mixture in the middle, then bring the side edges of the leaf towards the center and start rolling the sarmale towards us. We place the sarmale in the pot, one next to the other, completely covering the bottom of the pot. On top, we add bay leaves, a few sprigs of rosemary (for those who wish, pieces of meat can also be added), and, if preferred, a little pork rind.
We continue forming a second layer of sarmale, repeating the process until we finish all the ingredients. Finally, we cover the sarmale with cabbage leaves and a whole cabbage leaf on top. We add enough water to cover the sarmale by about three fingers. The pot is placed in the oven at high heat, making sure to check the water level from time to time, adding warm water to not stop the boiling process.
The sarmale are served with plenty of sour cream and polenta, a delicious combination! Sometimes, among the layers of sarmale, I add sprigs of dill and thyme, mixed with a little tarragon, which I wrap in cabbage leaves to keep the concentrated flavor. Later, when serving, I throw away the aromatic leaves so we can enjoy the authentic taste of the sarmale. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients
1 large piece of pickled cabbage, 300g pork meat, 150g smoked bacon (with some meat on it), 1 large onion, 10 tablespoons of rice (or more if you like), 3-4 tablespoons of oil, half a bunch of fresh dill, 2-3 bay leaves (more if desired), rosemary (the tip of a twig with 4-5 leaves), salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, to taste.