6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 30 Cabbage leaves (preferably savoy)
• 2 cups Short-grain white rice, presoaked, drained
• ¼ cup Clarified butter
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Allspice
• 2 Tbsp Dried mint
• Salt and pepper
• 10 oz Ground lamb
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 20 Cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• Salt
• 4 cups Chicken stock
• ½ cup Lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To prepare the cabbage leaves for stuffing, separate each leaf from the core.
2. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
3. Take 5 leaves and plunge into the water to blanch for 2 minutes to soften. Remove and drain in a colander. Continue until all are done.
4. When cool, take one leaf and carefully slice off the protruding middle rib to achieve a flat-looking leaf. Be careful not to cut through the cabbage leaves. Set aside to make the filling.
5. In a bowl combine the rice, butter, cinnamon, allspice, 1 Tbsp of the dried mint, salt and pepper, mixing well.
6. Add the ground lamb and combine well.
7. Lay one leaf on your working surface shiny side down and place about 2 Tbsp of filling on it.
8. Start to roll away from you, folding over the sides to the middle to completely encase the filling. It’s like making spring rolls. You will have a cigar shape in the end. (You may also wish to leave the sides open.)
9. Continue using all the cabbage leaves and set aside.
10. In a 5-quart pot heat 2 heat 2 Tbsp of butter and sauté half the sliced garlic for 2 minutes.
11. Remove from the heat and start placing the filled cabbage leaves seam side down on top of the garlic.
12. Keep them close together and layer one on top of the other.
13. Sprinkle some salt, 1 Tbsp dried mint and a scatter of uncooked sliced garlic.
14. Keep layering in the same way.
15. Pour in the chicken stock to cover the cabbage rolls.
16. Place a heatproof plate on top to keep everything in place.
17. Return to the heat and bring to a boil.
18. Cover, lower the heat and leave to cook gently for about 40 minutes.
19. About 10 minutes before they are done, remove the plate and pour in the lemon juice and a sprinkle of dried mint.
20. Carefully lift the cabbage rolls out and drizzle on the lemony sauce left in the pot.
21. Serve hot with a cool bowl of yogurt and mint with a wedge of lemon.