Baked Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

First bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and place the cabbage in the water, stalk end up.

Next bring the water back to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes; then remove the cabbage and leave it to cool. Working with the cabbage still stalk end up, take a sharp knife and cut the large outer leaves from the main stalk and peel them off one by one. Drain the leaves on kitchen paper – you’ll need about 15 leaves altogether. Then centre can be used for something else.

Now heat the oil and butter together and fry the chopped onion with the garlic gently until the onion is soft and golden. Then add the minced beef and brown it, turning the heat up a bit.

Then mix in the rice, parsley, cinnamon, Herbes de Provence and tomato puree, seasoning well. Remove the pan and let the mixture cool. Now make a V-shaped cut to remove the thickest part of the stalk from the base of each leaf, place about a tablespoon of stuffing in the centre of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll the leaf up tightly.

Then pack the rolled leaves closely together in a casserole and pour the can of tomatoes over; cover and cook in the oven for 11/2-2 hours.