Moravský Vrabec (Moravian Sparrow)
Literally translated as Moravian Sparrow, this dish is another common main course you can order in almost every traditional Czech restaurant. It originated in the Moravia region (as you can guess by the name), but fortunately does not contain any sparrow whatsoever.
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 ⅓ lb pork thigh
- 6 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 pinch of ground cumin
- 1 pinch of salt
- 10.5 oz onion
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp pork lard
For the cabbage:
- 10 ½ oz onion
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp sauerkraut juice or vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1.1 lb sauerkraut finely chopped
For the potato dumplings:
- 1 ⅓ lb potatoes
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 2 tbsp starch
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- water
Instructions
- Cut up the meat into chunks and season it with salt and cumin and crushed garlic mixing them well in a bowl. Place it in the fridge to marinate for 4 hours at minimum. This will help infuse the meat with more flavor.
- Meanwhile cook the potatoes whole (in their skins) in a pot of salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
- Peel the skin off the potatoes and grate them. Add an egg to the potatoes and combine until homogenous. In a separate bowl combine the semolina flour, starch, salt and add the potatoes, kneading everything together until you get a thick dough (use a few drops of water if necessary to bind all the ingredients together). Shape it into 2 cylinders and boil them in a pot of salted water for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the baking dish with you'll use for cooking the pork. Chop the onion coarsely and place at the bottom of the baking dish after spreading the lard, then add the meat on top and a good splash of water (3/4 cup).
- Next, place the pork in a preheated oven at 480°F (250°C), and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to 355°F (180°C), cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover during the last 15 minutes to brown the meat.
- Prepare the cabbage while the pork is cooking.
- Drain the sauerkraut in a container and retain the liquid (you can also give it a rinse if you like it less sour).
- Take the finely chopped onion and sauté it in 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan until softened. Then add the chopped sauerkraut along with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin and braise it for 30 minutes until soft.
- When the cabbage is almost done, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of the sauerkraut juice or vinegar (or to your liking), stir well and take off the heat.
- Serve the Moravian Sparrow warm with slices of dumplings. Enjoy!
Notes
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