Place the onions, ½ cup butter and 1½ teaspoons of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned.
While the onions cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Prepare the cabbage: Remove the very dark green outer leaves and save them for another use. Use a small knife to cut around the stem of the cabbage to release the base of the leaves; discard the core. Carefully peel off 12 leaves, taking care not to rip them. Set aside the remaining cabbage for later. Place the 12 leaves into the pot of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Using tongs, remove the cabbage leaves and transfer to a large colander. Place in the sink under cold running water to cool down, then leave to strain.
Once the onions are cooked, add the spices, walnuts and pine nuts and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted. Place a heatproof sieve over a small saucepan and strain the mixture, reserving the spiced butter. Transfer the strained onion mixture to a medium bowl; combine with the parsley and dill, then set aside.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Finely slice about 4 cups of the remaining unblanched cabbage and place it in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. To fill the cabbage rolls, place the blanched leaves on a chopping board, stem side up. Use a peeler or a small sharp knife to shave the stem along its length so that it’s no longer raised and is level with the leaf. Divide the onion mixture into 12 portions (about 2 tablespoons each). With the stem side of a cabbage leaf facing you, place one portion of filling in the center of each leaf so it’s perpendicular to the stem. Bring the base and then the sides into the center, then roll the cabbage leaves all the way up to seal. Place each roll into the baking dish, seam side down, then pour over the lemon juice, dot with the remaining ¼ cup plain butter and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake the cabbage rolls for 1 hour. Remove the foil then return to the oven for about 20 minutes more, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
While the cabbage is cooling, add the sour cream to a small saucepan and heat over medium for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, to loosen and warm through. Don’t let it bubble at all; you don’t want it to split. At the same time, gently reheat the spiced butter in its saucepan until melted. Next, pour the sour cream into the cabbage roll dish; avoid pouring it directly on top of the rolls. Shake the dish gently to mix the sour cream in, then pour the spiced butter over the cabbage rolls. Sprinkle with the extra dill, season with a good grind of black pepper and serve directly from the baking dish.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the condensed milk and water on low speed until blended, then increase the speed to medium and whisk until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the instant pudding mix and beat until there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Using the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on medium speed for about 1 minute, until the cream starts to thicken, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip.
With the mixer running on low speed, add the pudding mixture a spoonful at a time. Mix until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.
To assemble, set aside 4 to 5 cookies, whole or crumbled, for garnish. In a 4- to 5-quart trifle bowl or a wide glass bowl (or in 12 8-ounce bowls or ramekins), spread one-quarter of the pudding over the bottom and layer with one-third of the cookies and one-third of the sliced bananas (enough to cover the layer). Repeat the layering twice more. End with a final layer of pudding.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Cookies should be tender when poked with a knife. This dessert is best served within 12 hours of assembling. To serve, garnish the top with the reserved cookies or cookie crumbs.
Lay the chicken thighs in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. With fingers, a fine-mesh sieve or sifter, dust the thighs very lightly with flour, then shake off any excess.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep, wide skillet or, preferably, a Dutch oven over medium. When oil is wavy, add 3 or 4 thighs to the pan, making sure not to crowd them. Cook thighs gently for about 5 to 8 minutes, turning with tongs about halfway through, just until faintly browned, then transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining thighs. Set thighs aside and wipe out the pan.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. When it sizzles, add onion, and season with salt and pepper, stirring to coat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until completely softened but not browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary.
Raise heat to medium-high. Add wine, tomato paste, bay leaf, nutmeg and cayenne. Stir to combine and continue cooking until wine has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the mixture and stir well. When the mixture begins to dry out, add 2 cups broth, whisking rapidly as the mixture begins to thicken. When it begins to simmer, whisk in 2 more cups, then repeat with the final 2 cups.
Add the thighs and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cover, leaving lid ajar. Cook until thighs are tender when probed with a fork, about 40 minutes. Remove chicken. Reduce broth over medium-high heat to a gravylike consistency, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Skim any rising surface fat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add carrots and simmer for 6 to 9 minutes, until tender. Remove and set aside. Now cook the turnips for about 5 minutes, until tender, then remove and add to carrots. Drain the pot, wipe out and set aside vegetables.
When ready to serve the vegetables, in the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and leek, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes without browning. Add peas, limas, artichokes, carrots and turnips. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, and stir gently to combine. Add 1 cup water and put on the lid. They should all be heated through in 5 to 6 minutes.
To serve the chicken, return thighs to sauce and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche. Prepare the herb topping: Mix herbs and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Transfer chicken and sauce to a serving bowl or individual shallow bowls. Sprinkle with herb mixture. Garnish with some of the vegetables; pass the rest in a separate dish, leaving the liquid behind.
