Family Style

Three Generations: 

Jonathan Luther, Tiffany Bowers (Luther), Sharon Luther and Mary Dickman. 

Juno Beach, Florida. 12.27.2010

Sarma, Family Style.

Some of my earliest memories are from inside of a kitchen in Depew, New York, looking up at a sea of thick-legged Balkan women cooking up a storm. At the eye of the hurricane was my great grandmother Milka (Millie, we called her) meticulously cutting dough into thin ribbons for her chicken noodle soup and calling out instructions to her daughters (Kay, Louise and Dorothy) and my great grandmother Mary for the final hectic push to turn out yet another massive Serbian Christmas dinner. Each serving plate is laid out on my aunt Dorothy’s large kitchen table, which serves as a staging area for soup - traditionally the first course - then a barrage of dishes. Too many, really. There was spit roasted pig, tended to by my Uncle Joe Dragich and the men of the family, who guarded the swine, drank beer and told stories in the garage. Plates of roasted root vegetables, simmered greens and buttery mashed potatoes would flood the table. And at the center, always Sarma – little rolls of sweet simmered cabbage, ground beef and rice. It is humble peasant cooking in one big pot - simple, deeply flavorful and traditional. A common but uniquely Serbian dish that not only presages modern comfort food, it defines it.

Simple yes, but not easy. Making Sarma involves several very particular stages. A lengthy process that typically allows for the women to gossip in the kitchen for a few hours while the men get loaded in the garage. This works out beautifully for all involved - especially for a little kid like me who could usually bounce from the kitchen to the garage unfettered, pilfering morsels from the table and nasty swigs of warm Genesee beer from Uncle William’s bottle to wash it down.

Making Sarma is something that is handed down from generation to generation. There is no known recipe. Because it does not exist, the only way to learn to make it is to make it with someone who knows. And so, after some years, when I developed a passion for food and cooking, I began to pay more attention to these traditional dishes and decided to document these recipes (There are many more to come, I hope) for the ages. Thankfully, my sister Tiffany and I got the chance this past Christmas to learn how to make Sarma and mashed potatoes first hand from my grandmother Mary Dickman and my mom, Sharon Luther. 

Mary is an amazing woman in her own right and at ninety-two is still sharp. She and her sister Dorothy are the only ones left of their generation and each look out for one another, even though they are a thousand miles apart. Dorothy still lives in Buffalo, where my family settled in the early 1900’s, and Mary lives in South Florida. It was a great afternoon. Just elbow deep in cabbage and raw meat. We even called Dorothy for a quick consult. Every family should spend some time together like this now and then.

 And although the memories of my Aunt Dorothy’s kitchen have some faded edges to them, this time with my family was vivid and beautiful. It was a tacit passing of the flame. For many reasons, I have learned to appreciate these moments tremendously.  Make no mistake, in the end it’s your family who will show up.

After a long and wonderful life, my great grandma Millie passed away peacefully in her sleep in 1992 at the age of 98.  It was my 25th birthday. And although sad, I felt fortunate to have so much time with her on this planet. She and I shared a special bond, and I really felt her presence in the room, sitting quietly in her little corner chair in the kitchen, watching us cook. And I know she was happy.  I just know it. It was her kind of scene.

SARMA

2 heads fresh green cabbage, cored

1 1/2 LBS. ground beef

1 1/2 LBS. ground pork

1 ½ cups long grain rice

1 onion, small dice

2 ribs celery, small dice

2 28 oz cans of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed

2 cans of diced tomatoes

6 pork chops

1 can tomato juice, another ½ can cold water or chicken stock.

Olive Oil

1 TBL. Butter

Recipe:

1. Mix beef and pork, season with salt and pepper

2. In a skillet, over medium high heat, sauté the onion, celery in butter and rendered bacon fat.

3. Add rice and sauté about 3 minutes until rice is fragrant. Add to beef mixture, mix well and reserve.

4. Core cabbage, removing any damaged outer leaves. 


5. In a large pot, cover the cored cabbage with cold salted water and bring to a gentle boil.

6. As cabbage boils, remove outer leaves gently, keeping leaves as intact as possible, shaving off the large outer pieces of the ribs. Reserve any small or torn pieces.

7. Spoon about 1 T beef mixture into each cabbage leaf and roll, carefully tucking edges in and place on a baking sheet. (Should yield about 30 rolls)

8. Line the bottom of a large Dutch oven with small and torn cabbage pieces. Add bottom layer of cabbage rolls, top with sauerkraut and tomatoes; layer another layer of cabbage rolls, top with remaining sauerkraut and tomatoes.

9. Place pork chops on top of sauerkraut; pour tomato juice and water over cabbage mix until just covered. Shake the pan a little to settle the liquid

10. Partially cover and gently bring to a boil over medium high heat, then turn heat to medium and simmer for ninety minutes or until rice is cooked. (To be sure, liberate one of the rolls and test for doneness and seasoning) Adjust accordingly. When done, remove from heat and let cool for 15 min.

11. Serve cabbage rolls with lots of the loose cabbage and tomato gravy over creamy mashed potatoes.