Greek Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Lahanodolmades)

These are really delicious, especially if you use nice soft cabbage leaves. If you are vegetarian or don't like mincemeat, then it can also be eaten without the mincemeat. These are cabbage (lahano) dolmades, if you want to check out simple dolmades - which are stuffed vine leaves - then you can see the recipe here.

Ingredients

1 Cabbage with soft leaves
2 Red Onions
¼ kg Pork Mincemeat
¼ kg Beef Mincemeat
¼ kg Risotto Rice
Bunch of Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Avgolemono (Egg and Lemon) Sauce:
2 eggs
1 lemon
3 spoonfuls Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste


Preparation of Cabbage

Cutting to the centre of the cabbage with a sharp knife, remove the heart and discard it.

Boil the cabbage in salted water for 5 minutes in a large, heavy pot.

After removing the cabbage, remove the leaves one at a time and place them flat on a large dish. If you have difficulty separating the leaves, dip the cabbage into the boiling water again until you have removed them all individually. Please note, the leaves need to be soaked but still quite firm.

Allow the leaves to cool.

Do not throw away the water – you will need it later.

Preparation of the Mincemeat and Rice Mixture

Fry the grated onions lightly in 3 spoonfuls of olive oil in a large pan.

Add the mincemeat and the rice and continue frying for 3-4 minutes.

Add the chopped parsley and then salt and pepper.

Allow the mixture to cool.

Making the stuffed cabbage leaves (Lahanodolmades)

Cutting the larger cabbage leaves in half, remove the stem. Place 1 teaspoonful of the mincemeat & rice mixture in the middle of each half leaf and fold the leaf around it to form a small rectangular “package”. With the smaller cabbage leaves you don’t need to cut them in a half, but just use the whole leaf.

Place enough whole boiled cabbage leaves in a shallow pan to cover the bottom.

Place the prepared lahanodolmades next to each other on top of the cabbage leaves in the pan. Make sure that the folded side is underneath.

Once you have completed one layer, start a second layer. Try to place the lahanodolmades in the second layer on top of the gaps between those in the bottom layer. If necessary, add a third layer.

Finally, cover them with some more whole boiled cabbage leaves.

Add enough of the water you used to boil the cabbage to cover all of the lahanodolmades.

Placing a heavy dish on top of the pan, bring them to the boil and then simmer for 45 minutes.

Preparing the Avgolemono (Egg and Lemon) Sauce

Beat the whites of the eggs into a meringue first and then add the yolks and beat them together.

Put the lemon juice into a cup and fill the rest of the cup with some warm juice from the lahanodolmades you have cooked earlier. Stir the mixture in with the beaten eggs.

Pour the resulting mixture into the pan with the lahanodolmades and bring to the boil with the cover off.

As soon as it has come to the boil, remove from the heat immediately.

If you've tried this recipe, please rate it!

Eat and Enjoy!!