Hungarian Kolozsvari Layered Cabbage Recipes

HUNGARIAN KOLOZSVARI LAYERED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Mix sour cream and milk together.
• Squeeze sauerkraut well and wash it in cold water if it is too sour. Add 1 cup water and cook sauerkraut for 15 minutes. (I usually skip this step and just rinse the sauerkraut in cold water. Then I squeeze as much of the liquid out as I can).
• Cook rice in the meat broth for 10 minutes. (I like using Better Than Bullion ham or beef flavor for the meat broth).
• In a separate frying pan fry onion in hot lard for about 5 minutes. (I usually use olive oil).
• Add ground pork, stir it well, and cook for another 15 minutes, breaking up the pork well. Remove from heat and mix in the paprika and garlic.
• Cook bacon dice for a few minutes. Add sliced sausage just to shake it together. Remove both with a slotted spoon.
• In the bottom of a baking-serving casserole dish, put fat from bacon and spread it all over the inside. Put one third of the sauerkraut in the bottom. On top of the sauerkraut place half of the ground pork, then half of the rice and all of the sausage and bacon. Sprinkle with half of the sour cream/milk mixture. Cover with second third of sauerkraut, remaining meat and rice, and finally the third part of the sauerkraut. Pour rest of the sour cream/milk mixture over and spread it on top.
• Bake the casserole, without cover, in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

KOLOZSVARI RAKOTT KAPOSZTA

Steps:

• In a large pot melt 1 tbl. of the butter over medium heat. Add the cabbage, some salt and pepper, and 1 tbls. paprika. Saute for about 15 minutes, or until it softens a bit.
• Set aside when finished.
• While the cabbage is cooking,in a saucepan cook the 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of salted water. Set aside when finished.
• Combine the meat with onion, garlic, half the dill, salt and pepper, and 1 tbl. paprika. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375.
• In a large baking dish or casserole, melt the other 1 tbl. of butter. Put down 1 third of the sauteed cabbage.
• Over the cabbage layer half of the rice, then half of the meat, then half of the sour cream. Put down another third of the cabbage then layer the other half of the rice and meat. Over the meat sprinkle the remaining paprika, the caraway, and some salt and pepper. Cover this layer with the remaining cabbage.
• Spread the remaining sour cream over the cabbage and pour 1 cup of water into the casserole. Let this seep to the bottom.
• Combine the tomato paste with 1/2 cup of water, to make a relatively thick sauce. Cover the whole casserole with this.
• Bake the cabbage at 350 for about 90 minutes. The top should be a bit crusty and browned and there should be some bubbling.
• Serve this with bread, pickles, and sour cream on top.