All Easy Recipes. Cook all that you can cook. Transylvanian Layered Cabbage
(Erdelyi Rakott Kaposzta)
 
What You Need:            (To Serve: 8)
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  • 2 pounds sauerkraut, fresh, canned or packaged
  • A 1-pound solid piece of bacon, with rind
  • 1 cup rice
  • 2 pounds boneless pork, cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ cups finely chopped onions
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 pound Polish, Italian or Hungarian sausage, cut into 1/8-inch slices
  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned
  • 1½ cups sour cream
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

    • How To Cook:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash the sauerkraut thoroughly under cold running water, then let it stand in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to reduce its sourness. Squeeze it dry by the handful and set it aside.

    2. With a sharp knife, cut the bacon off the rind, leaving ¼ inch of the fat attached to the rind. Dice the bacon into ¼-inch chunks. In a heavy 10-inch skillet, cook the bacon until it is slightly crisp, then transfer it with a slotted spoon to a large mixing bowl. Pour off from the skillet all but a thin film of the fat and reserve it.

    3. Drop the rice into 2 quarts of slightly salted boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again and cook the rice for 3 minutes. Pour it into a colander or strainer, rinse it with cold water and set it aside to drain.

    4. Sprinkle the pork cubes with salt and a few grindings of pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet until a light haze forms over it, then add the pork cubes.

    5. Over medium heat, toss them about for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to the mixing bowl with the bacon and add the onions and garlic to the fat remaining in the skillet.

    6. Stirring occasionally, cook them for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are lightly colored. Off the heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons of paprika, continuing to stir until the onions are well coated, then scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl with the bacon and pork.

    7. Return the skillet to the heat and add the sausage and, using more of the bacon fat if necessary, cook it until it is lightly browned. Transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl and add 1 cup of the stock to the skillet.

    8. Bring it to a boil, stirring in any brown bits clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan. Then pour the stock over all the ingredients and, with a fork, toss them together gently but thoroughly.

    9. Line a heavy 6-quart casserole with the sauerkraut, after pulling it apart with your fingers. Spread the meat-onion mixture over the sauerkraut.

    10. Spread the rice on top of that. Combine the sour cream and milk and pour the mixture evenly over the rice. Score the bacon rind and cut it into 5 or 6 equal strips.

    11. Distribute these over the top of the casserole and sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon of salt, a few grindings of pepper and paprika. Over medium heat on the top of the stove, heat the casserole until it boils or sizzles.

    12. Cook uncovered in the middle of the oven for 1¼ hours, adding the other cup of stock after 1 hour. Serve directly from the casserole.
    		 
    		 
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