Recipe - Byzantine Dolmathes (Stuffed Grapeleaves)

Karen Mintzias
1 Jar grapeleaves (or fresh)

FILLING
2 tablespoon Oil
1 pound Ground beef or lamb
2 Onions; chopped
1 Garlic clove; pressed
2 cup Water
One half cup Tomato sauce
1 cup Rice
2 tablespoon Chopped mint
2 tablespoon Chopped parsley
One half teaspoon Salt
Pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
One half cup Currants
One fourth cup Port wine (optional)
One fourth cup Pine nuts or walnuts
2 cup Water
1 Lemon (juice only)

SAUCE
3 Eggs
2 Lemons (stained juice only)
1 cup Hot broth

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.

From: "The Complete Greek Cookbook" by Theresa Karas Yianilos. Avenel
Books, New York.

Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini