Sarmi. Well, almost...

Stuffed cabbage is perhaps one of the most well-known and popular dishes from this region of Europe. Oddly, I've never had it! In a way, I was flying blind on this one, despite a plethora of recipes for every imaginable version of this dish. Why is that? Because I tried to find the most authentic, specifically-identified-as-Bulgarian recipe in cyberspace, and I got this one.

The measurements are vague, the ingredients aren't clearly described, there isn't even a temperature at which they should be baked! But I decided to give it a go, regardless. I've improvised enough throughout my years with the stove, that I was confident I'd figure it out.

Well, I won't even bother to share my method, because it absolutely did not work. The filling tastes decent, but the rice didn't cook and the cabbage is practically flavorless. But, no worries! That's how we learn, right?! And, thankfully, this dish wasn't nearly as expensive as the lamb one was.

But, let's not go back there... Looking forward, I'm not able to prepare my next dish till Saturday. But, THAT recipe is crystal clear and sounds fantastic! It's the Bulgarian version of another widely known dish. I have no doubt it'll be worth the wait.

Onward and upward!