Latvian Cabbage Rolls

Cut out the core of the cabbage, place the head in a pot of boiling water, and heat for 10–15 minutes. As the leaves soften, carefully peel them off; you'll need 12 whole leaves. Lightly flatten the thick part of the rib with a meat mallet.

Rinse the rice, cover with 250 ml water, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes until half-done; let cool. Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot.

Heat 1 tbsp oil, sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until translucent, add the carrot, and cook for another 3 minutes. Combine the cooled rice, pork-and-beef mince, and half of the sautéed vegetables, then season with salt and black pepper.

Place about 2 tbsp of filling on the thick edge of each cabbage leaf, fold the sides inward, and roll up tightly into a neat parcel.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and brown the cabbage rolls for 1–2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a heatproof baking dish, seam-side down.

Add tomato paste to the remaining sautéed vegetables, heat for 2 minutes, then stir in the sour cream and 150 ml water. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth.

Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, cover the dish, and braise in the oven at 200°C for 30–35 minutes. Serve hot with the sour cream sauce from the dish.