Hungarian Transylvanian Cabbage Stew Lucskos Kaposzta

by olga

Servings:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds fatty pork stew meat or spare ribs (if spare ribs are used, have the butcher saw the piece in half)

1 1/2 pounds fresh brisket of beef (not corned beef)

Salt

1 large (about 3 pounds) cabbage

1/4 pound smoked bacon (optional)

3 tablespoons lard or cooking oil

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions (Bermuda)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill or tarragon

3 or 4 springs fresh or dried summer savory, tied together in a bouquet (optional)

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1 Tablespoon flour

1/4 cup sour cream at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the pork and beef in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 1 tablespoon salt. Slowly bring to a simmer, and continue simmering until the meat is half cooked, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat, saving the broth, and when it is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1 to 1 1/4 inch cubes.

Meanwhile, cut the cabbage in wedges, place them on a rack in the sink, salt them, and pour boiling water over them. If that is not feasible, cook the wedges for 1 or 2 minutes in boiling salted water and drain them in a colander. If you wish to use bacon, cut it into pieces 1 inch squares and 1/4 inch thick.

In a heavy-bottomed pot large enough to hold all the cabbage and meat, heat the lard and sauté the onions until they are translucent.

Off the heat, place a third of the cabbage in a layer on top of the onions, salt it, and spread all the pieces of beef and half the bacon on it. Spread half the remaining cabbage on top, salt that layer, and sprinkle it with dill or tarragon. Make another layer with the pork and the rest of the bacon pieces and lay the bunch of summer savory on top. Cover with the last wedges of cabbage.

Degrease the meat broth and pour on enough to cover the pork layer (about 6 cups). Cover and slowly bring to a simmer; simmer until the cabbage and meat are barely done (about 30 minutes). Add the vinegar and set the pot aside to cool.

Blend the flour thoroughly into the sour cream, add a couple of tablespoons of lukewarm sauce to it, and then slowly pour the mixture into the stew.

Just before serving, let the stew simmer again for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove the bunch of savory and serve immediately, preferably from the cooking pot.

CHEF COMMENTS

Lucskos Kaposzta (luch-kohsh kah-poh-sta)

Lucskos Kaposzta has two kinds of meat cooked with the cabbage, it makes a substantial meal. It can be served with smoked loin pork chops that have been steamed on top of the stew in the last 15 minutes of cooking. All that is really needed, however, in plain boiled potatoes and a chilled bottle of white wine to drink, perhaps a Hungarian Rizling. A good dessert to accompany this meal is almas pite (apple cake) or almas retes (apple strudel).

The Hungarian Cookbook

Tagged: hungarian, stews add tags

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