• 10 cabbage leaves, thick part of the vein removed
• 25 ml olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 500 g beef mince (you can sub pork mince)
• 2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 125 g cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 500 g cauliflower rice, cooked (I cook mine from frozen in the microwave for 15 minutes) or 500 g cooked, cooled white or basmati rice
• 75 g crumbled feta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ can chopped tomatoes mixed with 75 ml cream
• grated cheese

Blanch the cabbage leaves for 2 minutes in boiling salted water (I do 2 – 3 at a time). Drain well.
Heat the olive oil in a pan, and fry the onion and garlic for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Add the mince and fry until cooked through.
Stir through the seasonings, cream cheese and tomato paste and cook for 4 – 5 minutes until the cream cheese has melted.
Stir through the rice and feta cheese and correct the seasoning. Cool slightly.
Take a cabbage leaf, place a big spoonful or two of the meat filling on the wide part of the leaf and wrap it like a parcel.
Roll and place in an oiled casserole dish.
Pour the tomato and cream mixture over the top, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 35 – 40 minutes at 190°C.

Recipe and photo: Ilze Jacobs