Bosnia's national dish: beef, lamb and big pieces of cabbage, potato, carrot and pepper layered raw into one pot and left under a lid for three hours. No browning, no stock, and no stirring — the layers are the recipe.
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 160°C (325°F). If you are using a clay pot, soak the pot and its lid in cold water for 30 minutes and do not preheat — a clay pot has to start in a cold oven and heat with it, or it cracks.
Put the beef and lamb in one layer in the bottom of a 6 L (6-quart) Dutch oven, deep pot or clay pot. This is the hottest part of the pot, and the fat and juices the meat releases rise through everything stacked above it.
Scatter half the salt, all the peppercorns, the paprika and the whole garlic cloves over the meat. Seasoning goes between the layers — there is no stirring later to spread it around.
Layer the onions over the meat, then the potatoes, then the carrots, keeping each layer level rather than piled to one side.
Add the green beans and the pepper strips, then the cabbage wedges cut side up, and finally the tomatoes. Tuck in the bay leaves, lay the parsley bundle on top and scatter over the rest of the salt.
Pour the wine, if using, and the water down the side of the pot. It should come about halfway up the contents, not cover them — the vegetables release a great deal of their own. Sprinkle the stock powder over the top if you are using it.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook at 160°C (325°F) for 3 to 3½ hours, until a knife slides into the beef with no resistance. If your lid is loose, lay a sheet of parchment over the pot first. Add 30 minutes if you started a clay pot in a cold oven.
Every time the lid comes off you lose the steam the top layers are cooking in, and stirring breaks the potatoes and cabbage down into the broth. On the stovetop, one look at the two-hour mark is enough: if the bottom is dry, pour 120 ml (½ cup) of hot water down the side and re-cover.
Take the pot out and let it stand, covered, for 15 minutes. The broth settles and the meat firms up just enough to lift out in one piece.
Lift out the parsley bundle and the bay leaves. Taste the broth and add salt if it needs it — this is the only seasoning adjustment the dish gets. Skim the fat from the surface with a spoon if you want a lighter bowl.
Spoon into wide bowls, giving each one a piece of each meat, some of every vegetable and plenty of broth. Serve with crusty bread and something pickled alongside.
Servings 8
Serving Size 1 of 8 bowls
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.