[Sca-cooks] dolmas

[Elaine Koogler]

This is not a period recipe, but comes from a lovely Greek cookbook produced by
the Women's group of a Greek Orthodox church...don't have the book down here
right now, so can't remember the name of the church.  I have made these numerous
times and they've been well-received:

Stuffed Grapevine Leaves with Avgolemono Sauce (Dolmades me Avgolemono)
Yield--6 - 8 servings

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or lamb
1 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 C raw converted rice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried mint leaves or 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint.
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup water
1 lb. jar grape leaves
3 cups hot chicken stock
1 Tbsp. butter
Avgolemono Sauce (recipe below)

Combine meat, onions, rice, salt, pepper, mint and dill.  Add water and mix
well.

Drain brine from jar of grape leaves and wash leaves well.  Put one heaping
tablespoon of meat and rice mixture in center of leaf's dull side and roll leafe
tightly, folding edges over and rolling toward point of leaf.

Cover bottom of an ungreased Dutch oven or casserole with torn leaves.  Arrange
rolls in layers.  Pour hot chicken stock over rolls and dot with butter.  Cover
with a heavy plate to keep rolls from opening as rice puffs.  Cover casserole
and cook over low heat for 1 hour.

There should be some liquid left in casserole for Avgolemono Sauce.  If dry when
cooking time is up, add 1 cup water and simmer for a few minutes longer.  Remove
from heat and keep covered.  Measure liquid and prepare the sauce.  To serve,
remove to plate and pour sauce over dolmades.

Avgolemono Sauce (Saltsa Avgolemono)

Yield--2 cups

3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup boiling chicken stock (from cooking dolmades)

In a saucepan, beat eggs until frothy.  Gradually add lemon juice and hot
liquid, stirring constantly.  Add salt and simmer over very low heat, stirring
constantly, until mixture has thickened.  Do not allow mixture to come to a
boil.

Blender or Food processor method:  Add eggs to container and blend on high speed
until frothy, at least 2 minutes.  Add salt and lemon juice, and blend 1 minute
longer.  With motor running, slowly add hot liquid. When all liquid is blended,
return to pot and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Enjoy!!

Kiri

Jennifer Thompson wrote:

> > Other Chanukah treats are ...  "Yebra"-stuffed grape leaves.
>
> Like the greek dolmas? Does anyone have a recipe for this? I *love* dolma,
> but haven't found a home recipe that measures up to our favorite restaurant
> (which doesn't call them dolmas, either, but I can't remember their name for
> meat-and-rice-and-seasoning-squished-together-and-rolled-in-a-grape-leaf) so
> I'm on the lookout for variants to help me duplicate theirs.
>
> Lann
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--
Elaine Koogler

     "A stroke of the brush does not guarantee Art from the bristles"

                                                     --  Kosh