Lahanodolmades (Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Avgolemono)

• 1 medium White cabbage
• 120 g Short-grain rice
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 15 g Fresh dill
• 15 g Fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 500 g Minced beef
• 900 ml Chicken stock
• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 2 medium Lemon
• 2 Egg

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it well. Core the cabbage, then lower it into the water and boil for 8 to 12 minutes, peeling off leaves as they soften. Drain and cool until you can handle the leaves, then trim the thick rib from each leaf so it rolls easily.
2. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. Finely chop the onion and roughly chop the dill and parsley. Cut one lemon in half and set it aside for later; juice the other lemon.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the minced beef, rice, onion, dill, parsley, olive oil, black pepper and 1 tsp of the fine sea salt. Mix with your hands until evenly combined, but do not overwork it. If the cabbage leaves are small, overlap two leaves to make one wrapper.
4. Lay a cabbage leaf flat and place a small handful of filling near the base. Roll up snugly, folding in the sides as you go, to make a neat parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
5. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in a snug single layer in a large pot, then add the chicken stock and the remaining 1 tsp fine sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 55 minutes until the rice is tender and the rolls feel plump and set. Keep the heat low so the rolls do not burst.
6. Carefully lift the rolls to a warm dish, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot. Keep the liquid at a bare simmer and whisk in the butter until melted. Taste and adjust with a little more black pepper if you like.
7. Make the avgolemono: in a bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, then whisk in the lemon juice. Slowly whisk in 200 ml of the hot cooking liquid, a little at a time, to temper the eggs. Take the pot off the heat and whisk the egg mixture back into the pot until the sauce turns lightly creamy; do not boil.
8. Return the rolls to the pot and spoon the sauce over them. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the rolls are heated through and the sauce is silky. Serve warm with the reserved lemon halves for squeezing at the table.

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