Dolmathes (stuffed Grape Leaves)
Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb) jar grape leaves, packed in brine
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups long-grained converted rice
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh spearmint (or 1 tblsp dried, crumbled)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (don't use dried no matter what)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup currants
- 1 1/2-2 cups water (enough to just cover dolmathes along with olive oil)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice of
- lemon juice, for serving at table
- greek yogurt, for serving at table
Recipe
- 1 saute onions in ½ cup olive oil until translucent.
- 2 wash and drain rice well and add to onion along with 1 cup of water.
- 3 cook for 10 minutes.
- 4 add herbs, pine nuts, currants and salt and pepper to taste.
- 5 set aside to cool.
- 6 prep leaves by rinsing well under running water and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- 7 cut off any tough stems by cutting a v around the stem, and discarding stem.
- 8 place 1 leaf on flat surface, shiny side down, add 1 teaspoon of filling and roll loosely (as for a tiny eggroll, tucking in sides first and then rolling up), as rice will expand during cooking.
- 9 place seam side down on bottom of large saucepan which has been covered with a layer of thicker grape leaves (rejects from your jar – they may be very thick, therefore, not tender or torn and not suitable for being used as a wrapper- these protect the dolmathes from scorching).
- 10 repeat each grape leaf in same manner until all are used, packing them in tight- one next to the other- seam side down.
- 11 add 1 1/2- 2 cups water, dash salt, 3/4 cup olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon (enough liquid to just cover the dolmathes).
- 12 cover with a heavy plate to keep dolmathes immersed in liquid, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
- 13 serve cold or at room temperature as a'meze'.
- 14 nice served with a squeeze of lemon and/or a dollop of greek yogurt on top.
- 15 for vegan option omit the yogurt.
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