Baked Cabbage Rolls in Mushroom Sauce

 Ingredients: For the sarmale: -500 g minced meat (beef or mixed - pork and beef) -1 egg -2-3 tomatoes grated / finely chopped (added to the meat) -2 medium onions, finely chopped -1 bunch of greens, finely chopped (parsley / dill or a combination) -salt -pepper, freshly ground -1-2 medium carrots, sliced -2-3 tablespoons oil (for vegetables) -500 g cabbage, finely chopped or cubed -¾ cup of rice -breadcrumbs -oil, for frying For the mushroom sauce: -500 g mushrooms, sliced -oil -2-3 tomatoes, peeled and diced -½ glass of water -400 g sour cream -salt -pepper, freshly ground Optional: sour cream for serving

Sarmale are a traditional Romanian dish that not only delights the taste buds but also brings a touch of warmth and familiarity to any meal. We start by preparing the delicious filling, carefully mixing ground meat (you can use pork, beef, or a combination of the two), egg, finely chopped tomatoes, sautéed onion, and fresh herbs like parsley or dill. It is important to mix the ingredients well until we achieve a homogeneous composition. The taste is adjusted with salt and pepper, according to preferences, and the mixture is left to rest to allow the flavors to meld.

In a pan, we heat the oil and add finely chopped carrots, sautéing them until they become almost soft. This step will add both sweetness and a pleasant texture to the sarmale. Once the carrots are ready, we include finely chopped cabbage, stirring frequently. The cabbage should soften a little but not be completely wilted, so it retains its crunchy texture. After a few minutes, we let the mixture cool down.

Meanwhile, we boil the rice in salted water, being careful to cook it al dente so that it does not fall apart completely. Once ready, we drain the rice and let it cool, so it can be added to our filling. Once all the ingredients have cooled, we combine them: we add the sautéed vegetables to the meat mixture, along with the rice, mixing well to ensure an even distribution of flavors. We taste the mixture again and adjust the spices if necessary.

Now, we take a tablespoon of the mixture and form oval balls, mimicking the shape of sarmale. Each piece is then rolled in breadcrumbs to achieve a crispy crust when cooked. We heat the oil in a pan and fry the sarmale until they become golden and appetizing, carefully turning them to brown evenly on all sides. Once fried, we remove them onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil, then arrange them in a single layer in a heat-resistant dish.

For the mushroom sauce, we sauté the chopped mushrooms in a little oil until they become tender and the juice they release evaporates. We add the chopped tomatoes, a glass of water, and sour cream, continuing to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce should simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a pleasant consistency. Finally, we season with salt and pepper, adjusting the taste to preference.

We pour the mushroom sauce over the sarmale in the heat-resistant dish, covering everything with aluminum foil to retain moisture. We place the dish in a preheated oven at 180-190 degrees and let it bake for 25-30 minutes. The sarmale are ready when they are well cooked and the flavors have blended perfectly. We serve the sarmale hot, plating them on dishes with the mushroom sauce on top, for a perfect culinary experience. These sarmale are ideal for any occasion and will always bring smiles to the faces of loved ones.

 Tags:  eggs onion greenness meat carrots cabbage rice tomatoes oil sour cream life mushrooms pig cabbage rolls