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1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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2
Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem end of the cabbage.
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3
Cut out the core of the cabbage.
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4
Bring a large quantity of water to the boil in a kettle.
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5
Add the cabbage and cover.
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6
Let it boil, turning the cabbage so that it cooks evenly all over.
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7
As the cabbage cooks, separate the leaves at intervals and cook from 10 to 15 minutes.
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8
Drain thoroughly.
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9
Heat the butter in a skillet and add the mushrooms and finely chopped onion.
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10
Cook, stirring, until onion is wilted and mushrooms have given up their liquid.
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11
Continue cooking until liquid evaporates.
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12
Add the finely minced garlic, half a bay leaf and half of the thyme and stir.
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13
Finely chop the livers or puree them in an electric blender or food processor.
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14
Add the livers and pork to the mushroom-and-onion mixture.
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15
Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
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16
Add salt and pepper to taste.
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17
Spoon and scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.
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18
Let cool briefly.
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19
Add the eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, nutmeg and allspice.
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20
Add salt and pepper to taste and blend well.
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21
Lay out a large square of cheesecloth on a flat surface.
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22
Arrange six or seven of the large cabbage leaves in the center of the cheesecloth, the edges of the leaves slightly overlapping in a circular fan shape.
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23
The stem ends of the leaves should point outward and not to the center.
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24
Cover the middle of the circle of leaves with another large leaf.
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25
Spoon about one-third of the pork mixture into the center of the round layer of cabbage leaves.
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26
Spoon it almost but not quite to the outer edges of the leaves.
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27
Add another layer of slightly smaller leaves.
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28
Spread this with another third of the filling.
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29
Add another layer of leaves and a final third of the filling.
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30
Put the smallest leaves in the center of the final layer of filling.
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31
Bring up the edges of the cheesecloth so that the leaves and filling are returned to a whole cabbage shape.
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32
Press the large cabbage together compactly and tighten the cheesecloth all around.
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33
Tie the cheesecloth into a tight bag and cut off the excess cheesecloth at the ends.
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34
Select a heavy casserole large enough to hold the stuffed cabbage.
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35
Add the chicken wings and pork bones and cook, stirring, until nicely browned.
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36
Add the coarsely chopped onion, carrots, celery, whole clove of garlic, peppercorns and the remaining bay leaf and thyme.
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37
Cook, stirring, about one minute.
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38
Pour off most of the fat.
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39
Add the wine, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste.
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40
Add the tomato paste and stir.
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41
Add the tomatoes.
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42
Arrange the cabbage tied side down and cover closely.
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43
Place in the oven and bake two hours.
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44
Remove the cabbage from the sauce.
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45
Untie and discard the cheesecloth.
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46
Arrange the cabbage on a baking dish.
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47
Return it to the oven and bake 10 minutes.
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48
Meanwhile, cook down the sauce remaining in the casserole over moderately high heat five minutes.
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49
Strain the sauce, pressing the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
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50
Put the sauce in a saucepan.
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51
Blend the arrowroot or cornstarch and wine and add it to the sauce, stirring.
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52
As the cabbage bakes for 10 minutes, baste it occasionally with the sauce.
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53
Serve with parsleyed potatoes.
