For those of you who are looking for a new main dish, here is a recipe for a common Romanian dish that I enjoyed on multiple occasions while in Romania:
Sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls)
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound of ground pork
- 3/4 pound of ground beef
- 3/4 pound of uncooked rice
- 1 egg
- 1 large onion
- 1 large head of cabbage
- 1 bottle of tomato juice (like 48 ounces or so)
- 3 tablespoons of shortening or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Directions
1. Core the cabbage and place it in enough boiling, salted water to cover. With a knife and fork, keep cutting off the leaves as they become soft and wilted. Then drain. Trim off the thick, center vein of each leaf.
2. Brown the onion in shortening/oil. Pour into a bowl with meat, seasonings, and rice; mix well.
3. Place a tablespoon or so of filling onto each cabbage leaf and roll, tucking in the edges, and using toothpicks if necessary.
4. Place in a large pot and cover two-third full with water and add tomato juice until covered. Cover with lid and cook slowly for about 1 1/2 hours or until rice is tender. Once the sarmale is done, serve hot and enjoy a taste of Romania!
