Filled Cabbage Leaves and Bell Peppers

Ingredients

• 350 ml milk
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 125 g round‑grain rice
• 2 carrots
• Salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 kg medium white cabbage (1 medium head)
• 4 small yellow bell peppers
• 500 g Lamb mince
• 1 egg
• breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml Vegetable broth
• 4 tbsp beet syrup
• 0.5 bunch parsley (coarsely chopped)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and finely grate the carrots. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot, sauté the rice until translucent, pour in milk, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, add the grated carrots, cover and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until thickened, then let cool. If needed, remove outer cabbage leaves, then cut out eight large leaves and slice off thick leaf strips. Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes, remove and shock in cold water.

2. 2.

   Quarter the remaining cabbage lengthwise, trim the core and finely chop it.

3. 3.

   Mix rice, lamb mince, chopped cabbage, and tomato paste; season with salt and pepper. Beat in the egg and enough breadcrumbs to form a pliable dough. Wash the bell peppers, cut off stems and seeds, remove white membranes. Distribute the rice‑mince mixture onto the cabbage leaves and into the bell peppers. For the cabbage rolls fold in the sides, roll up, and tie with kitchen twine if necessary. Heat remaining oil in a roasting pan. Brown the rolls all around. Add broth and drizzle beet syrup over them. Place the bell peppers on top. Roast in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 1 hour. Serve by arranging the rolls and peppers on a plate, sprinkled with chopped parsley.