Cabbage Lasagna

     I devised this recipe some time ago. At the time my motive was not health, but laziness. I have fond memories of cabbage rolls with their taste of tomato, cabbage, beef, and lemon, topped with sour cream. As I browse the Web, I see that some other people have the same fondness. I made cabbage rolls a couple of times, but did not enjoy the cooking experience. Even though I followed instructions and tried to wilt the cabbage leaves with boiling water, they did not flatten, but retained a life of their own. My efforts to fold the rebellious leaves neatly around little bits of elusive meat were disquieting and confidence-eroding. I felt that the leaves were being called on to play a role that they did not really want to play.
     None of these difficulties exist if you forget rolls, and think lasagna. Just use the cabbage leaves instead of lasagna sheets.
      The recipe below stays true to its cabbage roll roots. It is obvious that the concept can be extended to various lasagna fillings, so long as these are compatible with cabbage. Try this with any favorite lasagna filling that you think might be congenial with cabbage.  

Cabbage Lasagna
GIANT CABBAGE ROLL
     This recipe provides the marvelous flavors of the classic cabbage roll at minimum effort. 
     Do not use a spicy tomato sauce, as this will interfere with the balance of tomato, beef, cabbage, and lemon.

Serves 3, full meal

Meat Filling:
Beef, ground, 1/2 pound
Onion, chopped, 1 1/2 ounces, [1/3 cup]
Olive oil
Dry white wine, or stock, or water

Rice, 1/4 cup

Canned peeled and diced tomatoes, 14 ounce can, or bland tomato sauce
Raisins, 2 tablespoons
Lemon juice

Cabbage, half medium head, 1 pound
Lasagna pan, 8 in. x 8 in.

Thickened yogurt cream, or sour cream if diet permits

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.        
     Place raisins in a small cup. Cover with lemon juice to soften.     
     For the meat filling, fry onions in oil 5 minutes until slightly soft. Stir in ground beef and cook until browned.  Moisten with wine and cook a few minutes more. 
     Cook any kind of rice in your own inimitable manner. Leave it barely cooked, not overcooked. Drain. Stir rice into the beef filling. 
     When raisins are soft, stir them into the tomatoes. 
      Peel leaves from cabbage, removing the biggest stems as you do so. Leaves need not be whole. 

(May be prepared ahead of time to this point)

     To assemble, oil the bottom of the casserole. Spread about one third of the tomatoes on the bottom. (The rest will form the topping for the casserole.
     Place a double layer of cabbage leaves on top of the tomatoes. 
     Add all the meat filling on top of the cabbage.
     Spread another double layer of cabbage leaves on top of the filling. Spread remaining tomato sauce on the cabbage.
     Cover with aluminum foil.

( May be prepared ahead of time to this point)

     Bake covered until cabbage is soft, perhaps 1 hour. 
     Serve thickened yogurt cream in a bowl for guests to help themselves.