Dolmades

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Vine leaves (fresh or vacuum-sealed packet)

1 x can of tomatoes

1 x onion

1 bunch parsley 

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch mint 

½ chilli

2 x garlic cloves 

300g rice arborio 

½ cup olive oil 

1L chicken stock

Avgolemono Sauce

1 x lemon

1 x egg

1 x cup of stock

Method

For the dolmades, chop onion, garlic, chilli, mint, thyme and parsley in a food processor, and fry off.

Add rice to a medium-hot pan and toast off, then transfer to a bowl and add chopped herbs and onion mixture.

Add approx 1 cup of stock and the remaining olive oil and 1/2 can of tomatoes.

Blanch each fresh vine leaf in hot water for 30 seconds and pat dry, or blanch for 5 minutes if using the salted vacuum packed vine leaves.

Take a tablespoon of the rice and herb mixture and place it in the middle of the vine leaf. Take each side and fold to the centre then take the bottom of the vine leaf and roll up tightly.

In a pot, add a layer of vine leaves to line the bottom of the pot, then dolmades then add remaining tomatoes and stock just to cover. Place the lid on the pot and cook for 45 minutes in a pot on low heat, or for 25 minutes in a pressure cooker.

For the avgolemono sauce, in a small saucepan heat the stock. Then mix egg and whisk in lemon juice, then slowly add warm stock.

Pour the avgolemono sauce over the cooked dolmades and shake.