STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

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You can use any kind of cabbage, if it is too firm, however, you will

have difficulty getting the leaves off in one piece. Do not worry too

much though if they tear a bit - the recipe will work out okay.

 

Ingredients

 

1 cabbage

1 mug of dry rice

2 tomatoes

A bunch of parsley

A bunch of dill

4 or 5 spring onions

2 or 3 sprigs of mint

1 small onion

A little olive oil

Salt

 

 

Take your cabbage, sever the outermost leaf at the base, and try to

peel it off without tearing it. Do the same with the next one.

Make three bundles of leaves nested one inside the other.

This is the only way you will get them in the pot and even then, you

will need a big pot.

Put about 6 centimetres of water in a pot, add the leaves, cover

tightly and bring to the boil.

Steam the leaves for 7 or 8 minutes.

Drain and save the cooking water and rinse the leaves in cold water.

 

For the filling, chop the tomato and the herbs finely and mix them

with the rice and a pinch of salt. To stuff the leaves, take a leaf

and lay it flat on a chopping board. Cut along either side of the mid-

rib so that you have two pieces with no thick bit. (Use the ribs for

a salad).

If the leaf is too big, half the pieces again.

 

Place one teaspoon of filling on a piece of leaf and roll it up,

tucking the ends in if you can, to make a cigar shape.

Do not use more than a teaspoon of filling.

Layer the stuffed leaves in a heavy pan. A big deep frying pan is

ideal.

Do not squeeze them too close side-by-side, as they need some room to

expand and the cooking liquid should have room to circulate.

Cover the leaves with the cooking liquid that you saved earlier. It

should cover the leaves by about 2 cm - add more water if necessary.

Bring the pan to the boil and in the meantime, chop the onion and fry

it in olive oil until it is brown.

Pour the oil and onions onto the leaves and add a pinch of salt.

Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pan.

Cook until all the water has been absorbed.

This should take about 40 minutes.

Serve the leaves hot or cold.