Gluten-Free Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves with Lemon Sauce Recipe

By Gillian:  June 2, 2011

This is a gluten-free recipe for Greek “Dolmades Avgolemono”. Ground beef and rice plus other flavorings are combined and formed into small parcels wrapped in grape vine leaves and then baked in chicken stock. They are served with a piquant lemon sauce. If grape vine leaves are not available, you can use cabbage leaves instead (see recipe variation note).

1 jar grape vine leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup rice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 spring onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (or 2Tbs dried mint)
2 Tbs dried dill weed
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cups gluten-free chicken stock, reduced salt
2 eggs
Juice of 1 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Separate the grape vine leaves and place in a colander; rinse with cold water. Cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion and garlic with the ground beef, rice, tomato paste, feta, spring onions, mint, dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper. On a clean, flat surface, place a grape vine leaf with the vein side up. Place a tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of the leaf; fold the sides over the filling and roll up into a parcel. Place folded side down in a large glass baking dish. Continue with the rest of the leaves and the mixture. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water until frothy, about 3 minutes, and then pour in the lemon juice slowly while whisking. Add a little of the liquid from the baking dish and whisk until it thickens. Pour most of the lemon sauce over the cooked dish but save some for garnish when serving.

4 servings

Variation:  Cabbage leaves can be substituted for grape vine leaves. Cut out the core of a white cabbage. Place whole cabbage in boiling salted water and separate the leaves with 2 forks. Cook for 3-5 minutes; drain and chill in cold water. Cut each leaf in half, if large, and remove the large center vein. Follow the same preparation and cooking method above.