KCB 9.7: Stuffed Vine Leaves (Dolmades)
Stuffed Vine Leaves (Dolmades)
There are many versions of this stuffed appetizer, found in Armenia, Turkey, Greece, and the Middle East. A dolma is actually any dish prepared by stuffing a vine, fig, cabbage, or other edible leaf with a savoury filling. Here is a Greek version of vine leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and currants and flavoured with dill and oregano. They can be served cold as an appetizer with salad, bread, and dips or heated in the oven with tomato sauce.
• PREPARATION TIME: 45 minutes
• COOKING TIME: 1-1 1/2 hours
• YIELD: 30 or 40 dolmades
• COOKING TIME: 1-1 1/2 hours
• YIELD: 30 or 40 dolmades
• 2 cups (500 ml) boiling water
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
• 1/3 cup (85 ml) pine nuts
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
• 1 cup (250 nl) long-grain rice
• 1/3 cup (85 ml) currants
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried dill
• 1 teaspoon (5 nl) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) tomato paste
• two 250 g (9-ounce) packets of vine leaves
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
• 1/3 cup (85 ml) pine nuts
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
• 1 cup (250 nl) long-grain rice
• 1/3 cup (85 ml) currants
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried dill
• 1 teaspoon (5 nl) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) tomato paste
• two 250 g (9-ounce) packets of vine leaves
• juice of 2 lemons
1. Boil the water in a small pan over moderate heat.
2. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick 2-litre/quart pot over moderate heat. Stir-fry the pine nuts in the hot oil until they turn golden. Saute the asafoetida; then add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water, the currants, oregano, dill, salt, and pepper. Boil, stir, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the rice covered without stirring for 20 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Empty the rice into a bowl and allow to cool.
3. Place the vine leaves in a bowl and scald them with boiling water. Leave them to soak for 10 minutes; then drain and rinse under cold water.
4. Open up each leaf, placing between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon of the filling (depending on the size of the leaf), rolled into a short tubular shape, into the centre of each leaf. Roll up the leaf, tucking in the sides as you go.
5. Place some damaged or unused leaves on the bottom of a large, heavy pot and layer the stuffed leaves on top. If you have more than one layer, place some leaves in between.
6. Place an inverted plate or saucer on top of the stuffed leaves, add enough hot water just to cover them, add the lemon juice, and cover the pot. Simmer for one hour over low heat. After they are cooked, allow them to cool in the pot and carefully remove them.
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