1 handful dried and smoked Porcini or fresh morel mushrooms
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 free-range egg
1 free-range egg yolk
pinch ground all spice
pinch ground coriander
pinch ground nutmeg
1 onion
roughly chopped
1 carrot
peeled and roughly chopped
1 head celery
2–3 cloves
2–3 sprigs tarragon
2 bay leaves
200g/7oz smoked bacon skin
1 garlic bulb
cut in half horizontally
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4–5 tbsp olive oil
to serve
Directions
Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes.
Meanwhile
melt the butter in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
Transfer the cooked cabbage to a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. When the cabbage is cool
cut six of the leaves into large circles. Cut out six slightly smaller circles and another six smaller again.
Mix the fried onions with all the remaining ingredients to make the stuffing. Season with salt and pepper.
To stuff the cabbage
lay one of the largest cabbage circles on a board and spread with some of the stuffing mixture. Place the next size on top and repeat with the stuffing. Finally add a small circle and more stuffing. Gather the leaves into a ball and wrap in muslin securing the ball with string. Repeat with the remaining circles of cabbage.
Add all the stock ingredients to a stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cabbage. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the cabbage balls from the muslin and serve with the stock and a good
