Stuffed Grape Leaves With Egg-Lemon Sauce by Sy

Skipper/Sy's Note:

One of my all-time favorite Greek Dishes! The Egg-Lemon Sauce and squeezed lemon wedges really makes this dish delicious! If you can't find ground lamb you can just use ground beef. Further, I sometimes use ground turkey! However if you do, you need to make sure this dish is cooked throughly.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 15

• 2 onions , chopped finely
• ½ cup celery , chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ lb ground beef
• ½ lb ground lamb (option, a total of 1 lb ground beef)
• ½ cup rice
• 1 tablespoon dried mint (substitute, 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped)
• ¼ cup parsley , chopped finely (option, 3 tablespoons dried parsley)
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
• salt & fresh ground pepper (to your liking)
• 1 (8 ounce) jar grape leaves (Orlando California)
• 3 cups chicken broth (College Brand)
• 1 lemon, juice of
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ tablespoon oil (to grease dish or pan)

EGG-LEMON SAUCE Avgolemono Sauce

• 2 egg yolks (substitute, "Egg Beaters")
• 2 lemons, juice of
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (substitute tapioca powder)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup water , and
• ¾ cup water (or less)

Directions:

1. GRAPE LEAVES DIRECTIONS: Sauté onions and celery with 1 tablespoon butter, until wilted In a big bowl add ground meat, onion and celery, rice, mint, parsley, pine nuts (optional) and salt & pepper; mix well!
2. Remove grape leaves from the jar and open up onto a big plate.
3. Remove one leaf (the bigger the better) and place onto a flat surface; with the shiny side down.
4. Place a small amount of the filling toward the stem side of the leaf and then roll up (tuck in the left and right side as you roll) toward the top of the leaf.
5. Make sure you do not put to much filling in each one.
6. Then place them in a Corningware dish or sauce pan as noted below.
7. In a large Corningware dish (or saucepan) grease the bottom with a little oil and then line the bottom with some of the smaller grape leaves.
8. Place some of the smaller grape leaves in the dish/pan.
9. Put into the dish/pan the rolled grape leaves and arrange in layers with each grape leaf close together.
10. Add chicken stock, juice of 1 lemon, dry wine and remaining tablespoons of butter.
11. In order to prevent the grape leaves from opening up during cooking, place a small flat Corningware plate on top of the grape leaves.
12. Then place the Corningware glass cover upside down and onto the small flat plate.
13. Cook, simmer on a low heat for about 1 hour.
14. While cooling make the Egg-Lemon Sauce; See directions below.
15. Place several grape leaves on a dish and then pour some of the hot Egg-Lemon Sauce on top.
16. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
17. EGG-LEMON SAUCE DIRECTIONS: Lightly beat 2 egg yolks with 1/4 cup water.
18. Squeeze juice from 2 lemons and add water for a total of 3/4 cup liquid.
19. Add salt.
20. Heat oil in a small pan and then add the cornstarch stirring; add a little of the lemon juice/water to prevent it from becoming lumpy.
21. Next add a little of the lemon juice/water until smooth, then gradually add all the liquid and continue stirring until smooth.
22. Remove from the heat for about 1 minutes.
23. Then gradually add the beaten egg yolks stirring/whisk until smooth (Keep in mind that heating will cause the eggs to set, which you don't want to do).
24. NOTE: The next day the grape leaves will taste even better, when heated up in a frying pan and then served with the Egg-Lemon Sauce.
25. Or Microwave the grape leaves with some of the Egg-Lemon Sauces on top, prior to heating.

Reviews

[Chef #1227017]

Amazing recipe, every time.

[UmmBinat]

These dolmas were a good flavour but we did not like the sauce. Next time I will serve with Balkan (thick) yogurt thinned a little with freshly squeezed lemon juice and maybe some sea salt added. I used extra lean ground beef and added in some oil so it wouldn't be overly dry. I did not add the optional pine nuts though I would have liked to I had none on hand. I used sea salt, homemade chicken broth, no dry white wine as we eat only halal plus the rest of the ingredients not including the sauce. I would make these again the same way as stated without the sauce.

[Gabriella and Abby's Mom]

I am so excited to have found this recipe. It tasted exactly like the dolmadakia that we had on our honeymoon in Rhodos, Greece! I had been looking for a lamb recipe for some time and this was definitely the best one I have tried. My entire family, including 4 and 6 year old girls loved this dish. I added some fresh dill to this and omitted the pine nuts as I was all out of them. I used parsley stalks to line the bottom of the pan, instead of the additional grape leaves as I had doubled the recipe, and this worked out very well. I did not make the lemon sauce, but might try it next time. Thanks so much for a great recipe!!