Whole stuffed cabbage (chou farci)

Cut deep around the cabbage core with a paring knife and remove it.

Immerse the whole cabbage in boiling salted water so the leaves fall away; cook about 4 minutes, transfer to ice water, drain and pat dry on paper towels.

Peel and dice a couple of carrots and chop an onion.

Saute the onion and carrots in a hot frying pan with some oil on high heat about 6 minutes.

Add crushed, chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes more on high; deglaze with water or wine and reduce to dry. Spread on a tray to cool.

Blend Italian parsley with prosciutto. Chop the cabbage heart and broken leaves.

In a large bowl combine the chopped cabbage, carrot-onion mixture, parsley-prosciutto mixture, gouda, parmigiano and manchego, ground pork and eggs; season with salt and pepper.

Line a 24 cm (9.5 inch) bowl with plastic wrap, layer the large leaves overlapping, then another layer, fill with the stuffing and cover with the remaining leaves.

Wrap tight and freeze 1 hour to set, then tie with butcher twine on all sides like a roast.

Set in a large pot or Dutch oven with hot stock, bring to a boil, cover and cook in the oven at 350F / 180C for 55 minutes.

Rest on the stove 15 minutes, then on a rack 30 minutes.

Remove the twine and brush with olive oil to serve.