Dolmades (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Name: Dolmades (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: Serves 10 servings
Ingredients: 1.1 lbs ground pork (500 grams); 1.1 lbs ground beef (500 grams); 2 medium yellow onions, pureed; 1 medium carrot; 2 cloves garlic, grated; 1 ripe tomato, grated; 14 oz bacon slices (400 grams); 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped; 1 bunch dill, finely chopped; 2 medium white cabbages; 2 1/4 cups short-grain rice (about 500 grams); 2/3 cup olive oil (150 grams); Salt and pepper

Spiros Georgadakis @cook_28737432

ΑΘΗΝΑ

Dolmades, also known as lahanodolmades, yaprakia, or sarmades, are among the most flavorful dishes from Byzantine and Persian cuisine that have made their way to the present day, with many additions and interpretations. To clarify the names: dolmades refers to stuffed cabbage leaves (sometimes called 'karpolachano' or 'mapa' in Cypriot dialect). In northern Greece, they're also known as 'yaprakia' and are usually smaller in size. 'Sarmades' refers to stuffed grape leaves, which were made from spring to early fall, after which cabbage leaves were used. The word 'dolma' comes from Turkish and means 'stuffed.' In any case, this is a beloved dish throughout almost the entire eastern Mediterranean, and I would say it's a cultural element that unites and enriches the region's culinary heritage.

Spiros Georgadakis @cook_28737432

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Ingredients

About 2 hours

Serves 10 servings

1.1 lbsground pork (500 grams)
1.1 lbsground beef (500 grams)
2medium yellow onions, pureed
1medium carrot
2 clovesgarlic, grated
1ripe tomato, grated
14 ozbacon slices (400 grams)
1 bunchparsley, finely chopped
1 bunchdill, finely chopped
2medium white cabbages
2 1/4 cupsshort-grain rice (about 500 grams)
2/3 cupolive oil (150 grams)
Salt and pepper

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Steps

About 2 hours

1

Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage, rinse, and use a knife to cut a hole at the stem end. Place the cabbage in a large pot, cover with water and add salt. Blanch the cabbage until the leaves soften and you can separate them one by one.
2

Use a fork to lift the cabbage and remove the softened outer leaves for rolling. Continue this process until you reach the core. In a blender, combine the onion, carrot, garlic, most of the dill (reserve some for the avgolemono sauce), parsley, and tomato. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl for mixing the filling, then add the ground meats, salt, and pepper.
3

Cut the bacon into small pieces and add to the bowl (reserve some bacon strips to line the bottom of the pot). Add the rice as well.
4

Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. If the cabbage leaves are large, cut them lengthwise and remove the tough stem at the base.
5

Line the bottom of your pot with the reserved bacon slices to prevent the cabbage from sticking and to add extra flavor to the broth for the avgolemono sauce. Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls in the pot in a circular pattern, stacking them up to the top.
6

Once all the rolls are in the pot, add enough water to cover them by about 1 inch. Place over medium heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Use the cooking broth to prepare avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce for serving.
7

Serve the dolmades warm with avgolemono sauce, or simply with lemon juice, or with a fresh tomato sauce. The last option is based on an old recipe from Bursa.