DOLMADAKIA WITH MINCED MEAT

 

My beloved grandson Christophoros’ friend, whose name I do not know, asked me on the 27^th of January of this year for a recipe for dolmadakia.  Sorry for the delay, but I just saw it!

 

                                      DOLMADAKIA WITH MINCED MEAT

 

One of my favourite dishes, best prepared in late spring when the vine leaves are tender.  I use soaked bread instead of rice because it helps the filling to become tender.

 

60 vine leaves, blanched and patted dry

Filling:

500 g (1 lb) minced meat

2 thick slices two-day bread, crusts discarded and soaked in water and squeezed dry

3 onions, peeled, grated, simmered in water and a little olive oil until tender and strained

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup chopped parsley

1 ½ tbsp chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

1 ½ tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

4 mint leaves

500 ml (2 cups) chicken tasty stock

 

Sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp corn flour

750 ml (3 cups) tasty chicken stock

Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Lemon juice to taste

125 ml ( ½ cup) light cream

 

Mix the first seven ingredients for the filling well together, taste, and add more seasoning if necessary.  Line a large saucepan with the most disfigured vine leaves.  Then start filling the vine leaves in the following way:

 

Place each vine leaf on a plate, the shiny side touching the plate, and place a spoonful of filling in the middle of the base of the vine leaf and fold the sides evenly over.  Then roll up into a small packet.  Repeat the same process with all the vine leaves and arrange them side by side, cylindrically in a saucepan.  When the first layer is completed dot with half the butter and place 2 mint leaves over.

 

Continue placing the second layer of dolmadakia over the bottom layer and dot with the remaining butter and mint leaves.  Place a piece of baking parchment and a plate on top.  Pour the cooking stock over and bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes making sure that they are well covered with stock during the cooking period.

 

You could cool the saucepan and place it in the fridge overnight.  The next day, transfer the dolmadakia to a flat saucepan, discard the mint leaves, strain a little cooking liquid over, and simmer to heat.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce that tastes like avgolemono without eggs. Melt the butter add the bay leaf and sift the cornflour over, stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Pour in the hot stock in 3 portions, beating well after each addition until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and add lemon juice to taste and the cream.  Taste once more and add more salt, pepper, and lemon if necessary.  Discard the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the hot dolmadakia and enjoy.   

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