Lamb dolmades

Name: Lamb dolmades
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 20
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 350 gm minced lamb; 120 gm long-grain rice; 1 tbsp finely chopped mint; Pinch each of ground cloves and ground cinnamon; 20 large vine leaves preserved in brine, rinsed, plus extra for lining pan; 4 egg yolks; 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice; 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

Australian Gourmet Traveller Greek recipe for lamb dolmades.

Mar 02, 2010 11:46pm

By Rodney Dunn

Serves 20
40 mins preparation
1 hr 5 mins cooking

Lamb dolmades

These tasty little numbers can be prepared in advance but are best served warm.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
350 gm minced lamb
120 gm long-grain rice
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
Pinch each of ground cloves and ground cinnamon
20 large vine leaves preserved in brine, rinsed, plus extra for lining pan

Avgolemono sauce

4 egg yolks
60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

Method

Main

1
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add onion, sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Add lamb, increase heat to high, sauté until browned (4-5 minutes). Add rice, mint and spices, sauté for 2 minutes, season to taste and set aside.
2
Place vine leaves on a work surface, place a tablespoon of lamb mixture in the centre of each, fold in sides and roll firmly. Line the base of a large saucepan with extra vine leaves and tightly pack dolmades into saucepan in a single layer. Add enough cold water to just cover, then weight down with a heatproof plate. Bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat until rice is cooked (40-45 minutes). Transfer dolmades to a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil and cool slightly.
3
For avgolemono sauce, whisk egg yolks in a bowl until pale and frothy, whisk in lemon juice. Meanwhile, heat stock in a saucepan until simmering, then slowly whisk into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and whisk over low heat until mixture coats the back of a spoon thickly (4-5 minutes). Season to taste.
4
Serve lamb dolmades drizzled with avgolemono sauce.