Klara's Traditional Croatian Stuffed Cabbage
A traditional Croatian stuffed cabbage (sarma) recipe, originating from Klara Cvitanovich of Drago's Restaurant, offers a hearty, flavorful meal.
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Instructions
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Start boiling a very large pot of water with vinegar.
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Boil cabbages for 5 minutes until leaves release, then peel, drain, and cool them, reserving the hearts.
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Preheat oven to 500 F.
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Finely chop onions, bacon, and garlic, then sauté in a large Dutch oven.
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Process celery and parsley, then add to the sautéed mixture along with beef, pork, and veal; cook until browned. Remove from heat, drain excess fat if desired, and cool.
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Re-boil any stiff inner cabbage leaves for pliability, then trim the thick center vein of each leaf.
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Mix rice, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, salt, and eggs into the cooled meat mixture.
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Place a handful of filling on each cabbage leaf, then fold and roll tightly.
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Chop reserved cabbage hearts and mix with sauerkraut and tomato puree, seasoning with salt and pepper.
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Spread some sauerkraut mixture in the bottom of a deep roasting pan.
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Layer cabbage rolls, alternating with the sauerkraut mixture, packing tightly.
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Pour tomato juice over the top, then sprinkle with sugar and cloves.
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Cover the pan and bake at 500 F. Once boiling, reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue baking for 2.5 hours.
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Remove cloves before serving.