Stuffing:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups barley, cooked in beef stock according to package instructions
1 large onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 large egg

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cups strong beef stock
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoons sweet paprika


If the leaves don't peel off, blanch the whole head in boiling water until each layer strips off. You need 16 big leaves. Return the leaves to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until pliable. Drain and cut out the thick, tough part of the stem.

Mix the stuffing ingredients together and form a 1/4 cup of it into an oval. Place it in the center of a leaf. From the stem end, roll it up once. Tuck in the sides and roll up the rest of the way.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the oil, saute the onions to golden, then saute the garlic for one more minute. Add the tomato sauce and beef stock. Whisk in the paprika. Shred the remaining cabbage and spread it on the bottom of a large baking dish. Arrange the stuffed cabbages seam side down, on top of the shredded cabbage. Cover with the sauce. Bake covered for 1 hour, adding more liquid as necessary to keep cabbage moist. Uncover and bake for another hour.