Lahanodolmades (Greek Stuffed Cabbage)

Translucent cabbage leaves enclosing a juicy meat and rice filling. The egg-lemon sauce adds a tangy creaminess that binds everything together without being heavy.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 50 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 650
• Protein: 37 g
• Carbs: 29 g
• Fat: 40 g

Ingredients

• 1 piece White cabbage ( whole )
• 300 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 200 g Ground pork ( fresh )
• 100 g White rice ( raw )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely minced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( chopped )
• 2 tbsp Dill ( chopped )
• 2 tbsp Parsley ( chopped )
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil ( for cooking )
• 2 piece Egg ( for the sauce )
• 2 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt ( seasoning )
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground ( seasoning )
• 500 ml Chicken broth ( warm )

Instructions

1. Blanching the cabbage

   Remove the hard core of the cabbage. Submerge the whole head in boiling salted water. Peel off the leaves one by one as they become soft and translucent. Cool immediately.

2. Preparing the filling

   Mix the beef, pork, raw rice, minced onion, chopped garlic, and herbs. Knead until the texture is homogeneous. The filling should be moist.

3. Rolling the cabbage

   Place a spoonful of filling at the base of each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll loosely to allow the rice to expand. Pack the rolls tightly into a pot.

4. Braising

   Add chicken broth and olive oil halfway up the rolls. Cover with an inverted plate to keep the cabbage in place. Simmer until the cabbage is tender.

5. Avgolemono sauce

   Whisk the eggs with the lemon juice. Slowly pour a ladle of hot broth into the mixture while whisking to temper. Pour back into the pot and shake to coat the rolls.

Chef's tips

• Line the bottom of the pot with leftover small cabbage leaves to prevent the rolls from sticking.
• Do not roll too tightly: the rice needs space to expand without tearing the leaf.
• The avgolemono should never boil once added, otherwise the egg will curdle and the sauce will split.

Storage

Keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. When reheating, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce that will have set.