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1
Separate the grape leaves and place in a large bowl. (This will take a long time guessing 20 minutes.).
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2
Cover the leaves in boiling water and soak for 20 minutes.
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3
Drain the water and rinse leaves few times.
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4
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add onion, rice, and water.
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5
Cover and simmer until rice is HALF cooked, about 8 minutes.
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6
Drain off and discard any liquid.
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7
Add garlic to rice mixture.
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8
Mix the onion/rice mixture, ground meat, tomato puree, feta, lemon zest, green onions, dill, mint salt and pepper in a large bowl.
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9
PREHEAT OVEN to 375 degrees.
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10
Take one leaf, shiny side down, cut off the stem, and place 1 teaspoon of the mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. (If you want a bigger amount, put 1 tablespoon of filling in.).
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11
Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4 QUART POT.
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12
Repeat with all leaves, rolling tightly- leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Put onto tray.
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13
Repeat until all of the filling is used up.
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14
Put leftover leaves in bottom of baking dish.
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15
Place stuffed grape leaves into a baking dish in layers, squeeze them gently, pack tightly into container, and just cover with chicken stock-might be too much stock. WEIGH DOWN BY placing a heavy oven proof plate inside casserole directly on top of dolmades-weigh that down with another oven proof weight.
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16
Bake in a 375 degrees F oven for about 1 hour, check to see if rice is done. You do NOT want it to be a rolling boil or they will burst open.
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17
Whisk the eggs in bowl over a small pan of simmering water until frothy, about 3 minutes.
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18
Slowly pour in the lemon juice while whisking.
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19
Gradually add some of the hot but not boiling liquid from the baking dish-guessing about 5 tablespoons- and continue whisking until it thickens.
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20
Mix most of the avgolemeno sauce into the dish with the dolmades reserving some for garnish.
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21
Serve the dolmades garnished with the reserved avgolemeno sauce and some chopped dill and or mint.
