Cabbage filled with Beef, Rice and Prunes

Serves 6 - 8

This is a Guest Recipe from Honey & Co.

Ingredients

2 large Pointy (Sweetheart) cabbages

For the Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced (about 200g)

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons whole caraway seeds

400g minced beef

2 teaspoons salt

50g prunes (stones removed)

50 g dried sour plums (soaked in boiling water) or use extra prunes

1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

200g risotto rice or other shot grain rice

For the cooking

100g whole prunes (stones removed)

1 lemon sliced

450ml water (use the water from soaking the sour plums, topped up with extra water if needed)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO....

1. Heat the oil in  a large frying pan on a high heat.
   
   
2. Add the chopped onions, garlic and caraway seeds and sauté for five minutes.
   
   
3. Then add the beef and one teaspoon of the salt and mix well, breaking up the meat and browning it all over.   This will take 10 - 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Meanwhile, soak the sour plums in 450ml of boiling water and remove any stones.
   
   
5. Then chop the plums and prunes and add the to the meat.
   
   
6. Add the spices and mix well to combine.
   
   
7. Finally, add the rest of salt and the rice and mix well to coat.
   
   
8. Remove and set aside until you are ready to fill the cabbage leaves.
   
   
9. Boil a large ot of salted water.   Cut the bottom off the cabbages and very carefully peel off as many of the leaves as you can, trying to keep them whole.
   
   
10. Pop four or five of them at a time into the boiling water for about three minutes.   Strain and repeat with all the leaves.
    
    
11. Lay the leaves flat on a table, cut on both sides of the thick stem and put the stems into an oven-proof pot (they will form a base to protect from burning).
    
    
12. Dollop a spoonful of the meat and rice mixture on each leaf, fold inthe sides, then roll into thick logs.
    
    
13. Heat your oven to 180C.
    
    
14. Layer the logs tightly on top of the stems, alternating with prunes and lemon slices.
    
    
15. Boiling the soaking liquid with the tomato paste and pour over the stuffed cabbage leaves.
    
    
16. Cover the leaves with a sheet of baking paper and place a heavy plate ontop of the paper to form pressure (so the leaves don't open up).
    
    
17. Cover the pot and place in the oven for one hour.
    
    
18. Remove and cool a little before serving.