Mushroom Sarmale
Local name : Sarmale de post
Cabbage leaves rolled around rice, mushrooms and dill, then simmered slowly in a gentle tomato broth until meltingly tender.
Photo : Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Method
- Cut out the cabbage core and lower the whole head into a large pan of boiling salted water. Peel off the leaves as they soften, then shave down the thick rib on each one.
- Fry the onions in the oil for 8 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes, until all their liquid has cooked away.
- Off the heat, mix this base with the raw rice, half the dill, the paprika, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper. The rice swells as it cooks, so keep the filling loose.
- Place a spoonful of filling at the base of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll firmly into a small, well-sealed cylinder.
- Line a casserole with any torn leaves, pack the rolls in snug layers, then pour over the tomatoes, the purée slaked in 500 ml water, and the bay leaf.
- Weigh the rolls down with an upturned plate, bring to a bare simmer and cook for 1½ hours on the lowest heat, topping up with water if it looks dry.
- Rest for 20 minutes off the heat, scatter with the remaining dill and serve with mămăligă.
Sarmale de post are the meatless fasting version made all over Romania in the run-up to Christmas. They taste even better reheated the next day, once the flavours have settled together.
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