Stuffed Grape Leaves With Egg-Lemon Sauce
After visiting the International Food Club, here in Orlando, I came away with a jar of grape leaves.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven 6-quart with a tight-fitting lid
- 2 mixing bowls 1 large and 1 medium-sized
- 1 saute pan sauté pan
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Grape Leaves and Stuffing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsps grapeseed oil (1 tablespoon for sautéeing the onions)
- 1/2 cup onions Diced
- 1/2 cup green onions Chopped fine
- 1 pound lean ground sirloin 90% lean (substitute ground lamb)
- 1/2 cup long grain rice (Jasmine), uncooked
- 3 cups chicken broth Unsalted
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)
- 2 tbsps pine nuts Toasted (optional)
- 2 tbsps fresh dill Roughly chopped (1/2 the amount if dried)
- 2 tbsps Italian flat-leaf parsley Roughly chopped (1/2 the amount if dried)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves Roughly chopped (1/2 the amount if dried))
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1 16-ounce jar grape leaves Drained and rinsed
Garnish:
- 2 whole Lemons Sliced
Ingredients for the Egg-Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono Sauce)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 10 3/4-ounce can chicken broth Low-sodium
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsps fresh lemon juice 2-4 lemons
- 2 tbps butter Unsalted
- 2 heaping tbsps all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Instructions for the Grape Leaves:The very first step is to rinse the long-grain rice of any excess starch. Place 1 cup of Jasmine rice in a large bowl and cover with 3 cups of water. Let the rice sit until the water turns cloudy. Drain the water and repeat this process four times until the water remains clear. Drain the rice into a large bowl, and set aside.Line a large plate with a paper towel. Remove the grape leaves from the jar, separating them carefully and removing the hard stem from each leaf. Rinse each one to remove any brine.Let the excess water drain onto the paper towel. Pat dry the top of each one before transferring them to a large bowl. The imperfect and/or smaller leaves are, used to line the bottom of the pot. This will prevent the grape leaves from having direct contact with the bottom of the pot and ensure they won't burn.Start with a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, and add the pine nuts. Occasionally, swish the pan around so the pine nuts toast evenly. The pine nuts are done as soon as you smell their nutty aroma, approximately. 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool before adding it to the filling.In the Dutch oven, on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil. Add diced onions and sliced green onions and sauté until just soft, 2-3 minutes.Next, add the ground sirloin to the pot. Using the back of a wooden spoon, break up the meat. Season with kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper.Continue cooking until the meat is brown and cooked through, 10 minutes. Add the uncooked rice and combine. Transfer to the bowl holding the uncooked rice.Next, for the pine nuts (optional) and herbs. Add chopped mint, dill, and flat-leaf Italian parsley to the meat and rice mixture, and stir to combine. Allow the filling to cool before stuffing the grape leaves.Tip: One important thing to remember is to stuff the leaves fairly tight. The rice will continue cooking in the next step; that said, the rice may expand a bit more, and you don't want the grape leaves to break or come apart while cooking.Lay a plastic baggie down on a cutting board. Place a leaf, shiny side down. Add a heaping teaspoon of filling to the bottom portion of each leaf. Next, bring the bottom of the leaf up over the filling, then fold in each side and continue to roll the rest of the leaf. Similar to rolling up a mini burrito.Grease the bottom of the Dutch oven with the remaining grapeseed oil. Line the bottom of the pot with the smaller, imperfect grape leaves. Place the stuffed grape leaves in a circular pattern in the pot. There will be two layers of stuffed grape leaves when finished.In a measuring cup, add fresh lemon juice, olive oil, dry white wine, and chicken broth, and mix. Pour this liquid over the grape leaves.Before placing the lid on the pot, place a heavy plate, upside down, on top of the stuffed grape leaves to prevent them from unrolling. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the covered pot from the heat and set aside. Start the Egg-Lemon sauce.Instructions for the Egg-Lemon Sauce, Avgolemono Sauce:In a medium-size bowl, lightly beat 4 egg yolks with 1/2 the can of chicken broth. In another bowl, add the juice of 4 lemons, the remaining chicken broth, and kosher salt, and stir.On medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter to a small saucepan. Add the 2 heaping tablespoons of all-purpose flour, whisking to form a *roux and light blond. Slowly add the lemon juice/chicken broth mixture, continuously whisking until thick and smooth.Remove from heat for around 2 minutes, or until the mixture has cooled enough to add the egg yolk mixture. You DO NOT want the eggs to scramble. You want a smooth, creamy sauce.Gradually add the beaten egg yolk mixture, continuously whisking until smooth.Arrange the Stuffed Grape Leaves on a large serving platter along with the Egg-Lemon Sauce. Garnish with lemon slices.There you have it, my Stuffed Grape Leaves with Egg-Lemon Sauce.
Notes
1)*Roux is a mixture of fat (especially butter) and flour used in making sauces.
2) The imperfect and/or smaller leaves are used to line the bottom of the greased pot. This will prevent the grape leaves from direct contact with the bottom of the pot and ensure they won't burn.
3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.