← Nouns Cooking · Greek

Ingredients

• 1 large white cabbage (about 1.5 kg)
• 750 g beef mince (or half beef, half pork)
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 150 g medium-grain or risotto rice
• 4 tbsp Parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp Dill, chopped
• 80 ml Olive oil
• 1½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 l hot chicken stock or water
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Lemon, juiced (about 100 ml)
• 1 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)

Method

1. Cut out the cabbage core with a small knife. Lower the whole cabbage into a big pot of boiling salted water and peel off the outer leaves as they soften, 3–4 min per batch. Drain the leaves and shave down any thick central ribs.
2. Mix the mince, onion, rice, parsley, dill, half the oil, the salt and pepper in a bowl until well combined.
3. Cut large leaves in half along the rib. Put a heaped tablespoon of filling at the base of each piece, fold in the sides and roll up firmly, but not too tight, as the rice swells.
4. Line the base of a wide pot with torn or small leaves. Pack the rolls in snugly, seam-side down, in one or two layers. Drizzle with the rest of the oil and pour in enough hot stock to just cover.
5. Put a heatproof plate on top to stop the rolls unwrapping, cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, until the rice is soft and the cabbage tender.
6. For the sauce, whisk the eggs, then the lemon juice and cornflour, until frothy. Slowly whisk in 2 ladles of the hot cooking liquid, one at a time, to warm the eggs.
7. Take the pot off the heat, pour the egg mixture over the rolls and gently shake the pot to spread it. Leave covered for 5 min to thicken; do not boil it again or the eggs will curdle.

Tips

• Check your stock is gluten-free if you need it to be.
• Freezing the whole cabbage overnight and thawing it softens the leaves without any blanching.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

My Greek Dish Dimitra's Dishes