Meat and Cabbage Stew: Stew Secuiasca

I received an enormous head of cabbage with my farm share in early October. Confronted with this nearly soccer ball-sized sphere, I wondered what on earth I was going to do with it. I said something to this effect at work one day and my co-worker, who is from Romania, found for me this recipe for a meat and cabbage stew in the style of the Secui (Székely) people of Romania.

Pork steaks from our Back Forty Acres hog.

Mancare de varza cu carne (Stew with cabbage and meat):

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork chops or steak, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large head of cabbage (about 2 lbs) thinly sliced or shredded
• 2 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable or olive)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp fresh dill, minced

Heat the oil in a large braising pan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pork and cook for 6 minutes or until the pork is browned. Add the paprika and stir to combine. Add the sliced cabbage, bay leaf, thyme, dill, pepper, and water, and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the cabbage has wilted down and the pork is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve with sour cream if desired.