Braised Fresh Cabbage with Pork Leg
(0)
90 min
Under an hour
Sezamo
O mâncare tradițională românească de toamnă, reconfortantă și plină de savoare. Bucățile fragede de pulpă de porc sunt gătite lent la cratiță împreună cu varză albă dulce, legume aromatice, cimbru și mărar proaspăt, apoi scăzute la cuptor până la caramelizare deplină. Perfectă alături de mămăliguță caldă și ardei iute.
Preparation method
Preparing the meat and vegetables
Cut the pork leg into bite-sized cubes (about 3-4 cm). Remove any wilted outer leaves from the cabbage, discard the core, and shred it finely. Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl, sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt, and gently knead it with your hands for 2-3 minutes to soften it and release some liquid.
Peel and finely chop the yellow onions. Peel the carrots and grate them on the large holes of a box grater or dice them finely. Dice the red kapia pepper, and crush and finely mince the garlic cloves.
Browning the meat and the aromatic base
In a large cast-iron pot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the sunflower oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork cubes and brown them nicely on all sides for 8-10 minutes, until they develop a golden crust.
Chef's tip
Kneading the cabbage with a little salt before cooking helps break down the plant fibres, ensuring even cooking and a tender, silky texture without any toughness.
Finishing the dish uncovered in the oven is the traditional culinary secret: the juices lightly caramelize on the surface, giving the food that authentic, rich braised cabbage flavour.
If you prefer a slightly tart note typical of southern Romanian cuisine, you can stir in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice or scalded borș during the last 15 minutes of oven baking.
27 min
Under an hour
