Core the cabbage, leaving it whole. You will need to soften and separate the cabbage leaves, being careful not to tear them. Choose the method that works best for you. There are several choices:
Separate leaves and boil them. With this method it can be easy to tear the leaves when separating.
Place the whole cabbage in a pot of boiling water until the leaves separate easily. Drain and cool. DO NOT over cook or the leaves will get too soft and fall apart and you will have to start over with a new head of cabbage.
Place the whole cabbage in the microwave, cook for a few minutes and then separate the leaves as they soften. Continue to cook until each leaf is loosened and pulled away. If you need to soften individual leaves a little more, place the leaves in the microwave, cooking until you get the texture you are looking for.