Mushroom and Sauerkraut Kapustnyky with Garlic-Dill Smetana

Method

1. Finely chop the onion. Melt part of the butter in a wide 26 cm frying pan on medium heat and cook the onion for 5 min, until soft and translucent.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 15 gOnion 1

   medium heat

2. Finely chop the mushrooms, add them, turn up to medium-high heat and cook for 6 min. Keep going until the liquid they release has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned; that browning is the flavour.

   Add in this stepButton mushrooms 120 g

   medium-high heat

3. Shred the cabbage into 3 mm strips, chop across into 1 cm pieces and add it with part of the salt. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 14 min, stirring now and then, and take the lid off for the last 3 minutes to drive off the moisture. When the cabbage is pale golden and sweet, turn off the heat and stir in the sauerkraut, squeezed and finely chopped. Spread on a tray and cool for 15 min; if it is hot, the egg will cook when you add it.

   Add in this stepWhite cabbage 440 gSalt 0.6 tspSauerkraut 80 g

   medium-low heat

4. Mix the cooled cabbage with the egg, semolina, flour, part of the chopped dill, the pepper and part of the salt, then leave for 15 min. The semolina swells and firms the mixture, which gives a tender, slightly chewy centre.

   Add in this stepEggs 1Fine semolina 40 gPlain flour 30 gFresh dill 8.4 gBlack pepper 1 pinchSalt 0.4 tsp

5. Meanwhile make the smetana sauce: stir the finely grated garlic, the rest of the dill (chopped) and the rest of the salt into the sour cream and keep it in the fridge.

   Add in this stepSour cream (smetana) 140 gGarlic cloves 1Fresh dill 5.6 gSalt ¼ tsp

6. Heat the oil and the rest of the butter in a 26 cm frying pan on medium heat. It is ready (about 170 °C) when the butter foam has settled and a little mixture sizzles at once. With wet hands, shape the mixture into patties 7 cm across and 1.5 cm thick and fry them in batches, 2 cm apart. Cook for 4 min until deep golden underneath, turn carefully with a spatula and cook for 3 min more. Lay the patties in away from you so the oil does not splash towards you.

   Add in this stepSunflower oil (or other neutral oil) 3 tbspUnsalted butter 10 g

   medium heat

7. Rest the patties on a wire rack for 2 min, so the bottoms stay crisp and the centres settle. Serve warm with the smetana sauce.