Lenten cabbage rolls with Jerusalem artichoke, spelt and porcini mushrooms

Prepare the filling. Rinse the spelt well, cover with clean water, and let it soak for 2 hours.

Drain the water from the grains, then add three parts water to one part grain. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for about 35 minutes. The grains should not become too soft but should be cooked to a state that is easy to chew. Salt the grains a few minutes before cooking is done.

Soak the white mushrooms for 1 hour. Then drain the water, cover the mushrooms with clean water, bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Wash the Jerusalem artichoke well with a brush. Do not peel the skin - all the flavor is in it. Cut the Jerusalem artichoke into small cubes the size of a grain of barley. Blanch the Jerusalem artichoke in boiling water for 7-10 minutes, as soon as it becomes slightly softer - drain in a sieve.

Cut 200 grams of onion into the same cubes.

Cut the mushrooms slightly larger than the Jerusalem artichoke.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan, add the onion and fry, stirring, until it becomes soft, transparent, and straw-colored for 7-10 minutes.

Add mushrooms and fry them with the onion, stirring for another 2 minutes.

Remove the onions with mushrooms from the pan and transfer to a bowl.

Drain the bulgur in a colander, let the water drip off, then add it to the mushrooms and onions.

Add Jerusalem artichoke to the filling, mix well, taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cool the filling.

Prepare the cabbage. Remove the toughest outer leaves from the head and cut out the core.

Place the cabbage head whole in a large pot (so it’s not cramped) with boiling water and boil for 5-7 minutes.

Remove the cabbage from the pot, let it cool a bit, and separate the top leaves. Set the cabbage aside; it can be used later to make soup, for example.

Cut the thick, coarse veins at the base of the leaves, trying not to create holes. Then pound each leaf to an even thickness.

Place about 70-75 grams of filling in the center of each leaf, fold the cabbage rolls by tucking in the edges. Cook the cabbage rolls in a steamer, placing a cabbage leaf underneath to prevent sticking, for 7 minutes.