Dolmades me Avgolemono (stuffed grape leaves)

Combine meat, onions, rice, salt, pepper and dill. Add water and mix well. Using your hands works very well. Drain the brine from the jar of grape leaves. Use a 9" by 13" baking pan and line the bottom of the pan with about 4 to 6 of the grape leaves. Put 1 heaping tablespoon of meat and rice mixture in center of the leaf. Starting at the stem roll once then tuck the sides in and finish rolling the grape leaf, then set in pan. Lay a couple grape leaves in bottom of the pan and when you filled the pan with the stuffed leaves start one more layer on top. When all the meat is used up and final leaves are placed on top Poor the hot chicken stock gently over the top. The rice will soak up most of the liquid while cooking. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven at 350 for 2 1/2 hours.

The sauce is a key ingredient to this yummy recipe. Avgolemono (meaning egg-lemon) is the favorite sauce of Greek cookery. It is used in soups and stews and over meats and vegetables.

Avgolemono Sauce:

In a sauce pan beat eggs until frothy. Gradually add lemon juice and hot chicken stock, stirring constantly. Simmer over low heat stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened. Do not allow to come to a boil. I've found that if you take a 1/4 cup of the hot liquid and add a tsp. of corn starch, mix until all the lumps are gone and pour slowly back into the cooking egg mixture it thickens much better and quicker.

Blender or Food Processor method: (this way is quite a bit faster)

Add eggs to food processor and blend on high for about 2 minutes until frothy. Add salt and lemon juice and blend 1 minute longer. With motor running slowly add the hot chicken stock. When all liquid is blended return to pot a simmer on med heat until thickened.