Cabbage rolls with minced meat in a steamer

Ingredients:

Cabbage rolls

• 2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
• 0.5 cups of milk
• 350 g of minced pork
• 350 g of ground beef
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. cognac or brandy
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 head of Savoy cabbage

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp. cognac or brandy + more if needed
• 1 can (800 g) of canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 0.5 tsp chopped fresh oregano
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Cabbage rolls:
   
   In a small bowl, soak the bread in milk for 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess milk and transfer the bread to a larger bowl.
2. Add the pork, beef, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, cognac, oregano, garlic, nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until tomorrow.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Pour ice water into a large bowl. Carefully separate the cabbage leaves (you'll need 12 large leaves, or you can use 2 small leaves per cabbage roll).
4. Working in batches, blanch the leaves until they are tender, about 45 seconds, then transfer them to ice water with tongs. Remove the cabbage from the ice water, shake dry, and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the tough central stem from the bottom of each leaf.
5. Form the meat mixture into twelve 10-cm-long sausages. Place a cabbage leaf on the table and lay a sausage lengthwise on top. Fold the short ends of the leaf over, then roll it tightly. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling. Transfer the cabbage rolls to a plate and refrigerate until ready to cook.
6. Place a steamer insert in a large, wide saucepan and add 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Place the cabbage rolls in the steamer, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Steam the cabbage rolls until the filling is tender, about 45 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.:
   
   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the cognac and cook until almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.
8. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, then return the sauce to the pan; thin it, if desired, by adding up to 0.5 cups of hot water. Season with salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil and add a splash of cognac. Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan and parsley.