Nicolette's "Yiayia's Cabbage Rolls"

YIAYIAS CABBAGE ROLLS (Laxanodomaldes)

Ingredients

1 cabbage

1kg mince

1 large courgette grated

1 onion grated

2 tomatoes chopped

1 cup parsley chopped

1 coffee cup of rice

1 tbs olive oil

Greek food is renowned for being rather heavy on the waist line. Rich bechamel sauces, copious amounts of oil and piles of cheese dominate the cuisine, but as we have all become more conscious of our health, we look towards lighter options. My granny, Yiayia Penny, makes a healthy dish straight out of the Isle of Crete. It can be served with an egg lemon sauce, but I love it on its own, with a side of salad —or better yet, cold and between baguette the next day!

Method

1. Choose your cabbage wisely- you need a cabbage that is not too tightly packed so you can easily remove the outside leaves.

2. For a more stubborn cabbage, boil it quickly (above 4-5 mins), after removing the core, and the leaves will slip right off.

3. Once the leaves have been removed, return them to the boil until they are soft and malleable. Keep a cup full of the water of the boiled ‘cabbage’ water to be added to the mince later.

To create the mince mixture:

4. In a bowl add the mince, courgette, onion, tomatoes, parsley, rice and olive oil. Yiayia Penny’s trick is to create a loose mixture, so add a little of the ‘cabbage’ water to ensure the mixture doesn’t stick together too much.

5. Season the mixture with salt and pepper- this is very important!

6. Lay your cabbage leaf, stalk side own and facing away from you.

7. Place your mixture at the bottom of the cabbage leaf. fold the leaf in on either side and begin to tightly roll your cabbage leaf around the mince.

8. Place a layer of foil at the bottom of your pot, fill your pot up a quarter of the way.

9. Place your cabbage rolls in the pot and boil for 30 minutes on low.