So delicious and healthy on a wintry day. Also when cabbages are at their peak.

Ingredients:

Makes about 12 rolls

• 1 large cabbage
• 1 large brown onion
• 1/2 kg minced beef
• 1/3 cup short grain rice
• 1 tomato, peeled and chopped
• Chopped parsley and mint
• Cinnamon, salt & freshly ground pepper

Cut the core from the cabbage and plunge whole into boiling water for about 15 minutes – until soft enough to peel off leaves one by one. Cut out any thick stems on leaves so they are easy to roll.

Fry onion in oil until soft and add to a large bowl with the mince, rice, tomato, herbs, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Mix well together and divide into 12 portions.

Place a portion of the mixture on the base of a leaf, fold up from bottom, bringing in the sides and making a firm roll.

Place into a saucepan lined with one of the cabbage leaves one by one until they are all firmly packed in. Just cover with water, a small piece of butter, lots of pepper and a little salt.  Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for about 1 hour. Place an inverted plate on top to hold them in place whilst cooking. When cooked, drain stock through a sieve into a small saucepan. This is to make the egg & lemon sauce (αυγολέμονο).

Egg & Lemon Sauce

Bring strained stock to boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of cornflour mixed to a paste until thickened. In a separate bowl beat the whites of 2 eggs, add the yolks and beat well together. Then add juice of one large lemon. Gradually add boiling stock to the egg mixture whisking constantly, then return sauce to the saucepan and stir until glossy and thick. Don’t let it boil at this point or it is likely to curdle.

Serve cabbage rolls with the αυγολέμονο sauce.

Or with plain yoghurt instead of the sauce.