Dolmades me Avgolemono (pr. dol-MAH-thes mé Avgolémono) , are vine leaves stuffed with ground meat and rice which are then served with an egg lemon sauce, called avgolemono (avgo = egg and lemoni = lemon).
There are a few different kind of dolmades depending on the region. The most common in Greece is that with the Avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce. In other regions, including Cyprus, they are called Koupepia and are cooked with tomato and use cinnamon in the fillig.
You can make them with pork, lamb, beef, veal, chicken or turkey mince or a mixture of both.
During Lent we make them vegan, only with rice or rice with vegetables and they are called Dolmades Gialantzi. You can also find tinned dolmades gialantzi in supermarkets but they taste, nothing like the homemade ones.
Instead of adding water to cook them, if you have homemade vegetable, chicken or turkey stock it’s a great addition as it adds lots of flavour to the dolmades.
I always use fresh vine leaves which I buy during Spring when they are very tender and preserve them. See How to Preserve Vine Leaves and have them all year round.
However, you can also make them with jarred vine leaves.
How to make Dolmades
Wash the vine leaves thoroughly and then blanch them for 2 – 3 minutes. Set aside to cool in a colander. If the vine leaves are brined, wash them to remove salt and then blanch them.
In a bowl put the ground meat, the rice, the onion, parsley, mint, salt and pepper, as well as the oil and mix well to combine.
Put a leafon a plate, vein side facing up, and put about a tablespoon of the mixture near the stem. Make sure to remove the stem. (The amount of the filling will depend on the size of the leaf).
Neatly fold left edge and then right edge and then roll all the way. Wrap up into a cigar shape. Just before the end fold the edges towards the center. You must not fold them too tight as the rice will expand during cooking. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling.
Place neatly in the saucepan starting from the edge to the centre. Second and third layers may be placed on top, then cover with the plate (which must be exactly the size of the pan). This is done so that when the dolmades are boiling they will not open.
Add enough water to cover the plate and cover with the lid. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook for 30 minutes.
Beat the eggswith a fork or a hand mixerand add the lemon juice.
Take some broth with a ladle and while still beating the eggs, start pouring it, a little at a time, (about a cup) to temper the eggs.
Then pour all mixture back in the pan and holding the saucepan, toss it around, so that the sauce reaches the bottom.
See how to make avgolemono sauce in the video.
Let it rest for 15 minutes for the sauce to bind and then serve.
Dolmades me Avgolemono (Lemon Sauce)
Yield: 70
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Dolmades me avgolemono refer to a Greek dish made with fresh vine grape leaves, stuffed with a delicious meat and rice mixture, shaped into little rolls and an egg lemon sauce on top.
Ingredients
- 70 fresh vine leaves
- 1 kilo ground pork or veal (I prefer pork)
- 1/2 cup of Carolina rice or other short grain, starchy rice such as arborio
- 1 big onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup of parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil (only if the meat is very lean)
- 3 tablespoons dried mint, crumbled
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- Freshly grated black pepper
- Enough water or stock to cover them
- 1For the avgolemono (egg and lemon) sauce
- 3 eggs
- The juice of one juicy lemon (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 cup hot broth
Instructions
- Wash the vine leaves thoroughly and then blanch them for 2 - 3 minutes. Set aside to cool in a colander If the vine leaves are
brined, wash them to remove the saltiness and then blanch them. - In a bowl put the ground meat, the rice, the onion, parsley, mint, salt and pepper, as well as well as the olive oil and mix well to combine.
- Put a leaf on a plate, vein side facing up, and put about a tablespoon of the mixture near the stem. Make sure to remove the stem. (The amount of the filling will depend on the size of the leaf).
- Neatly fold left edge and then right edge and then roll all the way. Wrap up into a cigar shape Just before the end fold the edges towards
the center You must not fold them too tight as the rice will expand during cooking. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling. - Place neatly in the saucepan starting from the edge to the centre. Second and third layers may be placed on top, then cover with the plate (which must be exactly the size of the pan). This is done so that when the dolmades are boiling they will not open.
- Add enough water to cover the plate and cover with the lidBring to a boil, lower heat and cook for 30 minutes.
- Beat the eggs with a fork or a hand mixer and add the lemon juice.
- Take some hot broth with a ladle and while still beating the eggs, start
pouring it, a little at a time, (about a cup) to temper the eggs. - Then pour all mixture back in the pan and holding the saucepan, toss it
around, so that the sauce reaches the bottom. - Let it rest for 15 minutes for the sauce to bind and then serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield 70Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 65Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 23mgSodium 127mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 5g
"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."
You can find my Greek recipes in my cookbooks «More Than A Greek Salad», and«Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!» both available on all Amazon stores. Read more here.
Other related Recipes:
How to preserve vine leaves
Kremmydia Gemista (Stuffed Onions)
Koupepia me Lahana and not Lahanodolmades
Dolmades with Sardines and Black Couscous
Dolmades with Cod
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
