Byzantine Dolmathes (Stuffed Grapeleaves)
Submitted by frogman
Hand-rolled Greek stuffed grape leaves filled with seasoned beef or lamb, rice, currants, pine nuts, and mint. Simmered until tender and served with a classic avgolemono egg-lemon sauce. Makes 60.
YIELD
60 servingsPREP
50 minCOOK
45 minREADY
2 hrsRolling dolmathes is a labor of love, and every single one is worth it.
These Byzantine-style stuffed grape leaves are filled with a fragrant mix of ground beef or lamb, rice, onions, garlic, mint, parsley, currants, pine nuts, and a whisper of cinnamon.
A splash of port wine in the filling adds a rich sweetness you won’t find in most versions.
They simmer snugly in a skillet until tender, and if you’re feeling traditional, you finish them with avgolemono: a silky egg-and-lemon sauce whisked from the cooking broth.
Serve them cold as appetizers or warm as a main course. Either way, they’re a showpiece.
Variations
- Use all lamb for the most traditional Greek flavor
- Skip the meat entirely and double the rice with extra herbs for a vegetarian version
- Serve cold without the sauce as part of a Mediterranean mezze spread
Chef Tips
- Rinse jarred grape leaves well to remove the briny taste before rolling
- Place the seam side down in the pan and pack the rolls snugly so they hold their shape during cooking
- Weight the rolls with an inverted plate while simmering so they don’t unravel
- For the avgolemono, temper the eggs by adding hot broth slowly while whisking constantly. Dumping it in all at once will give you scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
Directions
If using canned grape leaves, rinse off brine by floating leaves in a basin of cold water.
Prepare fresh vine leaves by pouring a cup of boiling water over them in a bowl. Drain.
Spread 5 or 6 leaves out at a time on a flat surface.
Lay leaf stem side up. Snip off stem with kitchen shears.
MAKE FILLING: Heat oil in large frying pan.
Fry meat, onions and garlic on medium heat for 5 minutes, mixing it as it cooks.
Add water and remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 10 minutes, until water is absorbed.
Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Put 1 teaspoon of filling near stem.
Bring left side of leaf towards center, then bring right side towards center.
They will not always meet.
Pick up stem end of leaf, tucking in the filling. Roll away from you.
It will be an oblong roll like a sausage.
Line the bottom of a large skillet with 4 leaves.
Place each roll so that the tucked under end is on the bottom.
Arrange each roll snugly, one next to the other, until all the leaves (except 3), and filling are gone.
Place these leaves flat on top of rolls.
Place a flat dish on top of rolls also to prevent their unravelling during cooking.
Add water and lemon juice.
Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 45 minutes.
When done, remove pot from fire.
Make egg and lemon sauce and add to broth immediately or serve without sauce either cold as an appetizer or as a hot entree.
EGG AND LEMON SAUCE: Beat eggs until thick and light yellow, at least 5 minutes, with an electric beater or 10 to 15 minutes by hand.
Add juice slowly, beating all the while.
Mix 1 cup hot broth into beaten eggs, stirring it in quickly with spoon (or wire whisk) so heat will not curdle the eggs.
Cook over very low heat until thickened.
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