Kavarma
Каварма: Rhodope clay-pot pork with onions, peppers and mushrooms
Up in Bulgaria's Rhodope mountains, around Smolyan and Chepelare, kavarma is cooked in individual glazed clay pots and brought to the table still bubbling, often with an egg baked on top. This one is made with pork shoulder (chicken thighs work too), browned and then stewed slowly with a mountain of onion, peppers, mushrooms, paprika and savory. It traditionally includes a splash of dry white wine; the ingredient list gives an alcohol-free swap. Eat it with crusty bread and a shopska-style tomato and cucumber salad. A common slip is cutting the pork too small, so it dries out before the sauce is ready; keep the pieces bite-size but chunky. Chef's tip: let the onions cook down with the meat until almost jammy before the peppers go in; that is where kavarma gets its sweetness.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Pat 1 ¾ lb pork shoulder (boneless) dry with kitchen paper and season with 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the pork in two batches, 4–5 minutes each, until golden on several sides. Lift it out.
10 minStep 2: Lower the heat to medium, add 3 onions and 1 leek and cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and golden.
15 minStep 3: Return the pork with its juices, stir in 2 tsp sweet paprika off the heat for 30 seconds (paprika scorches quickly), then add ¾ cup dry white wine (or the alcohol-free swap) and bubble for 2 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Add ¾ cup hot water or stock, 2 tsp dried savory (chubritsa) or thyme and 2 bay leaves. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice.
45 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Stir 2 red peppers, 9 oz mushrooms, 2 tomatoes and 3 garlic cloves into the stew and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes until the peppers soften.
10 minStep 6: Spoon into 4 small clay pots or one baking dish. If using, make a hollow in each and crack in 4 eggs. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the egg whites are fully set.
20 minStep 7: Check the pork: it should be fork-tender and well above 160°F. Rest 5 minutes (the pots stay very hot), scatter 2 tbsp fresh parsley over and serve with bread. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kavarma take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 95 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of leek?
- 1 onion per leek.
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