"Lahanodolmades" - Classic stuffed cabbage leaves in egg/lemon sauce

This is the classic version of the recipe where most people cook with egg/lemon sauce and others with a lemony béchamel sauce (my favourite). It is a very tasty and very popular Winter time dish and those who know well say that the best cabbage can be found after the first frost. In Northern Greece "lahano-dolmades" are called "yiaprakia", they are made with brined cabbage leaves and ground pork and they are considered a traditional Christmas dish. The recipe can also be made with large Romaine lettuce leaves or Chinese cabbage

Ingredients (for about 35 dolmades):
1 Kg of ground beef (ground once)
3/4 cups of short-grain rice (or risotto rice)
3 stalks of fresh dill, snipped
3 stalks of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp of olive oil
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3/4 cup of olive oil
1 onion, sliced in rings
2 medium carrots, sliced in thick rounds
2 stalks of celery (leaves only)
chicken stock, enough to cover the dolmades in the pot
2 large cabbages (total of 4 1/2Kg)

For the egg/lemon sauce:
5 egg yolks
1 tbsp of water
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of corn flour (corn starch)

Method:
In a large bowl put together the ground beef, the rice, the dill, the parsley, the onion, the oil, 1-2 tbsp of water, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands to blend the ingredients well. Add more water or oil if needed. Form the mixture into 34-35 long-ish pieces.

In a large pot, bring salted water to the boiling point. Remove the core of the cabbages and stick a large fork into the center. Immerse the cabbage (one at a time, unless your pot is quite wide and can fit both), leaving the fork in. When the outer leaves turn bright green, lift the cabbage using the fork and remove the softened leaves. Return the cabbages to the pot and repeat until all cabbage leaves have been removed.

Place a cabbage leaf with the stem side towards you on a flat surface. Place a tablespoon of the meat mixture in the bottom center of the leaf, just above the stem. Fold the bottom section up to cover the filling. Fold the sides in towards the center. Continue rolling the packet up towards the top point of the leaf.

In the pot you used earlier, line the bottom with the carrot slices, the onion rings, the celery leaves and the smaller cabbage leaves that were too small for rolling. Lay the dolmades on top, one next to the other tightly, with the seam side down. Continue in layers with the rest of the rolls. Place a heavy plate on top to hold them down when cooking.
Add enough chicken stock to cover, the oil, salt and pepper and bring to the boiling point. When it is boiling, turn down the heat to medium, cover with the lid, and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours.

A few minutes before the dolmades are done make the egg/lemon sauce:

Dissolve the corn flour into the lemon juice. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks along with a tablespoon of water. Stir in gradually, while you keep whisking the eggs vigorously, 1/2 cup of liquid from the pot and then the lemon juice mixture. You keep whisking until you have a smooth mixture. Take the dolmades off the heat, remove the plate, and slowly pour in the egg-lemon sauce. Hold the pot by the handles and shake gently in a circular mode to distribute.

Serve the dolmades warm with a few spoonfuls of the sauce on top along with feta cheese and fresh crusty bread.