Meat and Cabbage

The meat-cabbage combination is widely used in Romanian cuisine. The most famous is stuffed cabbage, the so-called ‘sarmale’. You can find them everywhere, larger in Transylvania, smaller everywhere else. One other very popular dish is similar in ingredients, but without the effort of rolling the meat in the cabbage leaves. The Transylvanian version is known as Cluj cabbage, while in Banat and the south it is known as ‘cabbage moussaka’.

Ștefan Baciu, 01.01.1970, 02:00

The meat-cabbage combination is widely used in Romanian cuisine. The most famous is stuffed cabbage, the so-called ‘sarmale’. You can find them everywhere, larger in Transylvania, smaller everywhere else. One other very popular dish is similar in ingredients, but without the effort of rolling the meat in the cabbage leaves. The Transylvanian version is known as Cluj cabbage, while in Banat and the south it is known as ‘cabbage moussaka’.

You can make your own version with shredded fresh cabbage or sauerkraut, or preferably the two combined, pork and your choice of spices and herbs. For our proposal you need one cabbage, one kilogram of pork (butt or rib), one onion, one green pepper, tomato juice or paste, oil, a bay leaf, thyme, and black pepper.

Shred the cabbage, and if you are using fresh cabbage you have to rub it with some salt. If you are using sauerkraut, each leaf has to be washed under running water, then shredded. Start by frying the cubed pork, or, if using rib, cut in strips. Brown the meat in a larger vessel, large enough to fit the cabbage. Add the finely chopped onion and green or red pepper, fry a bit, then add a small quantity of water, cover and let simmer. Then put in the thyme and black pepper, the bay leaf, then the cabbage and tomato paste or juice. Also, add a bit of water, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is thoroughly cooked. Add salt to taste. You can also take the cover off and cook in the oven until the top browns. Serve with polenta and your choice of a semi-dry wine.