Filling Beef Stuffed Cabbage

In a large heated pan, add some olive oil and sauté the sliced eggplant on high heat. Stir frequently for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until eggplant is nice and soft/mushy consistency. Halfway through cooking the eggplant, add in your sliced mushrooms. Stir frequently.

Once your mushrooms have browned, and your eggplant has softened dramatically, add a tablespoon of olive oil and add the ground beef, salt and pepper, onion and garlic.

After the beef is cooked, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg and herbs. Add the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Add in beaten egg and stir until thoroughly mixed. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the beef is simmering, get a large pot of hot water and boil it on the stovetop. With your cabbage, remove about 15 large leaves from the cabbage (make sure to cut off the very thick part of each leaf closest to the centre of the cabbage – I find that part does not soften and will not be as tasty). Add your whole cabbage leaves in hot water for 3 to 4 minutes to wilt the leaves. You need them wilted so that they wrap around the meat mixture well.

Take your softened cabbage leave and spoon in your beef mixture. In a medium-sized cabbage leaf, I usually put about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the centre, fold the sides of the cabbage, and then start the roll from the bottom to the top. Roll as tightly as possible to keep the meat contained – but not too tight that you tear the cabbage leaf. In a large sauté pan, carefully place the stuffed cabbage so that the opening of the cabbage faces the bottom. I find this helps keep the cabbage shape together, and less stuffing falls out.

Repeat for your remaining cabbage leaves. You should have about a fair amount of the meat mixture leftover, which is perfect. Once all of your stuffed cabbage is placed in the sauté pan compactly next, pour the remaining sauce mixture on top of the stuffed cabbage.

Cover and cook on low for 15 more minutes. This is best served immediately.