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Not only are green pointed cabbage leaves the perfect shape for stuffing, they taste wonderful too. These may take a little time to prepare, but once they are in the oven you can chill out and take it easy for an hour or so. You can also try tossing in some dried fruits and any vegetables you have lying around.

SERVES 4

1 green pointed cabbage

1 glug of olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 mug of uncooked white long grain rice

450g (1lb) lamb mince

1/2 tsp dried mint

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 mug of toasted pine nuts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

2–3 mugs of chicken stock

Natural yogurt

Pinch of fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.

Blanch the entire cabbage so the leaves are just tender and peel away easily. Peel off about 16 leaves, taking care not to rip them. Cut out the thick stem and set the leaves aside while you prepare the filling.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and rice and cook, stirring, until the rice becomes translucent. Now add the lamb, herbs and spice, and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the lamb is browned. Finally, add the pine nuts, cook for a few minutes and remove from the heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Line a heavy baking dish with any ripped or extra cabbage leaves. This will prevent the stuffed cabbage from sticking. Stuff the cabbage by placing the leaves on a flat surface with the inner sides facing up. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each leaf. Fold the leaf over the filling, first from the bottom, then the sides, and finally bring the pointed tip of the cabbage down to form a parcel. Place the parcel seam side down in the baking dish. Continue until you’ve stuffed all the leaves, making sure that the parcels fit snugly against each other. If the pan is too large, simply add a few extra leaves around the side as a cushion.

Mix together the lemon juice and chicken stock, and pour enough over the stuffed cabbage parcels to just cover them. Cover the pan tightly and bake for 1–1¹/₂ hours. If the stock evaporates completely during cooking, add a drop of water to the pan. Serve with a dollop of natural yogurt and garnish with dill.