Ingredients

• 2 Savoy cabbages
• 250g/9oz sliced bread
• crusts removed
• broken into breadcrumbs
• 100ml/3½fl oz milk
• 1 onion
• finely diced
• 1 carrot
• grated
• ½ tsp dried mixed herbs
• 400g/14oz sausages
• meat removed from skins
• salt and pepper
• 25g/1oz butter
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 litre/1¾ pints stock
• made from stock cubes

Directions

• Discard any damaged or yellowing outer leaves from the cabbage. Carefully remove 12-16 leaves (depending on size)
• keeping them whole. Heat a large pan of salted water until boiling and blanch the leaves for 1-2 minutes. Remove the cabbage with tongs or a slotted spoon
• rinse under cold running water and then refresh in iced water. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside. This will ensure the cabbage leaves stop cooking and stay vibrant green.
• In a large mixing bowl
• soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and leave to soften. Once softened
• add the onion
• carrot
• mixed herbs
• sausagemeat and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well to evenly distribute all the ingredients. Form into 12-16 balls using your hands (depending on how many leaves you have).
• Place the cooked cabbage leaves on a board and fill each leaf with a ball of stuffing. Fold the sides of the leaf over to enclose the filling and then roll into a small parcel. Place the rolls join-side down on a work surface while you repeat with the remaining leaves (if you have cocktail sticks to hand you can use these to ‘skewer’ the parcels which helps prevent them coming undone).
• Heat a large saucepan or casserole over a medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and
• once melted
• add the tomato purée. Stir over the heat for one minute to cook the tomato purée and then sprinkle in the flour. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the stock
• whisking to create a smooth sauce.
• Place the cabbage rolls
• join-side down
• into the saucepan. Bring the pan to a simmer
• cover and simmer for 40 minutes
• or until the filling inside the cabbage is cooked through.
• Serve the cabbage rolls hot or warm with the sauce spooned over.