Method

• 1.
  Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil.
• 2.
  Trim the cabbage leaves into squares and then dunk them in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften. Drain, pat dry and leave them to cool.
• 3.
  Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• 4.
  Make a simple tomato sauce by frying off half an onion with the cumin seeds in half the oil. When the onion is golden throw in the crushed tomato, 1 tbs of the tomato purée and a long strip of lemon peel. Season. Cook slowly to thicken.

• 5.
  Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and throw in the remaining onion. Cook gently until translucent and then mix in the meats. Stir, breaking up the meat with 
a wooden spoon. Cook until they start to change colour (3-5 minutes).
• 6.
  Boil a kettle. You’ll find out why in a moment.
• 7.
  Now stir in the stuffing mix, 1⁄2 tbs of tomato purée, half the butter and half 
the parsley into the meat mixture. Pour in boiling water to bind the filling. You’ll need about a cup but start off slowly, stirring in a little at a time. Cook for a few minutes, adding boiling water as required – you want it to be malleable and not too dry.
• 8.
  Use the remaining butter to grease a baking dish that will hold the cabbage rolls snugly.
• 9.
  Spread out a cabbage leaf and fill with an eighth of the filling. Roll up the cabbage leaf and place in the baking tray join-side down, so the plump, filled face gazes up at you. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
• 10.
  Check the seasoning of the tomato sauce and adjust with lemon juice, salt flakes or a little sugar if required. Pour the hot tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
• 11.
  Remove the foil. Check with a metal skewer or meat thermometer that the rolls are cooked through. Return to the oven sprinkled with the breadcrumbs, cheese, remaining parsley and a few dots of butter. Bake until the topping is golden and bubbly in places. Serve with potatoes baked in their jackets.