Croatian Cabbage Stew (Prisiljeno Zelje)
This recipe is at least 200 years old. My grand-grandmother prepared cabbage this way, my grandmother prepared it this way, my mother prepared it this way, so I prepare it this way. This is a very healthy meal, although it is prepared with lard.
This recipe is at least 200 years old. My grand-grandmother prepared cabbage this way, my grandmother prepared it this way, my mother prepared it this way, so I prepare it this way. This is a very healthy meal, although it is prepared with lard.
- Carbohydrate 10.5443175 g
- Cholesterol 18 mg
- Fat 15.9813125 g
- Fiber 4.32862502384186 g
- Protein 3.76078 g
- Saturated Fat 5.868825 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (203g)
- Sodium 129.95975 mg
- Sugar 6.21569247615814 g
- Trans Fat 1.16064325 g
- Calories 194 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the cabbage to narrow strips approximately 5mm wide and 2-5 cm long.
- Heat water with vinegar and when it boils put cabbage in it.
- Cook for 3 minutes.
- During this put sliced bacon (in small cubes) on lard until transparent, add flour and brown it.
- Add cold water, tomato juice.
- Take out cabbage with hollow spoon, and throw the water out.
- Add caraway seeds, season with salt and pepper.
- Cook about 30 minutes.
- Serve as a side dish to sausages, pork chops, and similar meat and mashed potato.
Boiling shredded cabbage in acidified water for precisely three minutes leaches out excess bitter glucosinolates before the vegetable ever meets the fat. This foundational parboiling step ensures the final texture remains tender without turning excessively mushy during the subsequent simmering phase. When modifying this dish for vegetarian diets, substitute the rendered smoked bacon with unrefined cold-pressed camelina oil or smoked paprika combined with neutral vegetable oil at a strict one-to-one volume ratio. Lard provides a distinctive savory depth due to its high smoke point and fatty acid profile, but plant-based alternatives deliver comparable mouthfeel when heated gently.
Rendering smoked bacon over moderate heat requires patience until the fat completely liquefies and the protein solids turn translucent. Cooking flour directly in this rendered animal fat creates a traditional roux that thickens the tomato-based liquid naturally as starches gelatinize. Stir continuously to prevent scorching the flour particles on the bottom of the vessel. Maintaining a steady medium-low flame prevents the delicate tomato juice from separating or scorching during the half-hour simmer.
Evaluating doneness in braised cabbage relies entirely on visual and tactile cues rather than internal temperature readings. Piercing a thick leaf vein with the tip of a paring knife should yield virtually zero mechanical resistance when the vegetables are fully cooked. Additionally, the bright green strips will dull to a muted olive-green tone, absorbing the crimson tomato and caraway flavors fully. Pull the pot from the heat source immediately once this soft texture is achieved.
Caraway seeds release essential oils rich in carvone slowly over heat, imparting an earthy aroma that balances the sulfurous compounds inherent in brassicas. Adding these dried seeds alongside the strained tomato juice allows adequate extraction time without overpowering the smoked meat. Properly cooled leftovers store safely in an airtight glass container inside a refrigerator maintained at or below 4 degrees Celsius for up to three days.
