• Using a large stock pot (large enough to submerge the whole cabbage) boil water and add salt like you would for pasta water.  Remove the cabbage core and discard the first 2 or 3 outer leaves at the base of the stem. They are usually not so clean and bruised.
• Carefully immerse the cabbage in boiling water and blanch them in the salted water and let them boil for a few minutes until the stem of the leaves is tender.  When leaves have wilted, remove and immerse them in ice cold water immediately to stop the cooking process.  Lay them on kitchen towels to dry.
• In a Pot (the Chef used a Staub Dutch Oven) heat the olive oil; when hot add the onion, when onion is light brown add the sausage and sauté until golden brown (this may take 10 minutes).  Add the celery, carrot, bell pepper, garlic and when the garlic is fragrant add the tomatoes with their juice, add the thyme and ½ of the parsley and SLOWLY cook for about 30 minutes.  Add the rice and mix well.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Preheat Oven to 325°F / 162°C

• Fill the leaves using an 8-ounce ladle, place the center of one leaf in the center of the ladle.  Be sure to pack them the filling. Top each one with the cheese and close the leave and flip them into a lasagna pan. 
• Pour a little chicken stock on the bottom of the pan and bake for about 45 minutes until rice a hot.  The internal temperature should be around 155 to 160F