Dolmameatfilled Recipes

GREEK DOLMADES RECIPE (STUFFED VINE/ GRAPE LEAVES DOLMATHES)

Steps:

• To make this traditional Greek dolmades recipe (stuffed vine/ grape leaves), start by preparing the vine leaves. For this dolmades recipe, you can either use vine leaves sold in jars or fresh (if you are lucky enough to find them). If you use the ones in jar, rinse the vine leaves, remove the stems and leave them in a colander to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, wash them thoroughly, remove the stems and blanch them in boiling hot water. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to cool down completely.
• Prepare the filling for the stuffed vine/ grape leaves (dolmades). Place the rice in a colander and rinse with running water. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/3 of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté the onions, until translucent (but not coloured). Add the rice and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 2 cups of warm water and half lemon juice and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the rice absorbs all the water and is parboiled. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the herbs, remove from the stove and set aside to cool down for a while. This will be the filling for the dolmades.
• Layer the bottom of a large pot with some vine leaves (use the ones that are little bit torn) and start rolling the dolmadakia. (This is probably the most difficult part of the traditional dolmades recipe). Place one vine leaf (shiny side down) on a flat surface and add 1 tsp of the filling at the bottom end (stem). Be careful not to overfill the dolmades, as the rice will expand during cooking. Fold the lower section of the leaf over the filling towards the center; bring the two sides in towards the center and roll them up tightly. Place the stuffed vine leaves (fold side down) on the bottom of the pot and top in snugly layers. Be careful not to leave any gaps between the dolmades to prevent them from cracking open when cooking.
• Drizzle the stuffed vine leaves (dolmathes) with the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place an inverted plate on top to hold them down when cooking and pour in enough water just to cover them. Place the lid on and simmer the dolmades for about 30-40 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the dolmades remain only with the oil.
• Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid and plate and let the dolmades cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Serve this delicious Greek appetizer cold or at room temperature with a squeeze of a lemon. Give this traditional dolmades recipe a try and enjoy your own fresh homemade stuffed grape leaves (dolmades)!

DOLMA (MEAT-FILLED)

Steps:

• Combine meat with olive oil, onion, herbs, rice and season generously.
• Line the pot you will be cooking your dolma in with a couple of layers of torn grape leaves (to prevent the dolma from being scorched while cooking).
• Place a grape leaf, shiny side down, on surface in front of you.
• If the stem is quite thick, cut it out with a knife, making a V.
• Pinch off about a teaspoon of the meat filling and place in the centre of the leaf.
• Fold in sides of leaf and roll up, not too loose and not too tight (allowing a bit for the expansion of the rice as it cooks), into neat little packets.
• Place neatly in pot and continue making dolma until you've used up all your meat mixture.
• Pour lemon juice over and cover dolma with boiling water, covering dolma with about 1/2 inch of water.
• Weight down with a plate and put lid on pot.
• Cook at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until rice is tender.
• Carefully remove dolma, and place in a heatproof platter.
• Make Egg-Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono).
• Beat the eggs with the lemon juice and corn flour.
• Slowly dribble in hot stock left from cooking dolma, whisking egg mixture constantly.
• Keep adding hot liquid slowly, whisking, to temper the eggs.
• Pour the egg mixture into the pot with the remaining stock and whisk over a medium-low heat until sauce has thickened.
• Pour sauce over your dolma and enjoy!

DOLMADES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• To make the filling, coat a large saute pan with 1/4 cup of the oil and place over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel and lemon zest and stir until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the pine nuts and rice, saute for 2 minutes, stirring to coat. Pour in just 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and lower the heat. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 10 minutes. Scrape the parboiled rice mixture into a bowl and add the dill and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. Now on to the grape leaves.
• Bring a big pot of water to a simmer. Blanch the grape leaves in the hot water for 5 minutes until pliable. Drain then trim the stems and any hard veins from the leaves. Pat dry with paper towels.
• To assemble the dolmades, lay a grape leaf on a work surface, shiny-side down. Put 2 tablespoons of the rice filling near the stem end of the leaf. Fold the stem end over the filling, then fold both sides toward the middle, and roll up into a cigar ¿ it should be snug but not overly tight because the rice will swell once it is fully cooked. Squeeze lightly in the palm of your hand to secure the roll. Repeat with remaining grape leaves and filling.
• Place the dolmades in a large Dutch oven or wide deep skillet, seam-side down in a single layer. Pour the remaining cup of broth, remaining olive oil, and the lemon juice over the dolmades, the liquid should reach halfway up the rolls, add some water if necessary. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the dolmades are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm, at room temperature or cool.

DOLMADES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH CURRANTS AND PISTACHIO)

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the grape leaves and gently mix to separate them. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well, plunge into the ice bath and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain well again, separate and lay out on baking sheets lined with paper towels in a single layer. Remove 5 or so of the small or torn leaves and reserve for the bottom of the pan.
• Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a medium high-sided saute pan over high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion is very soft, about 5 minutes; do not allow it to color. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until opaque, about 2 minutes.
• Add the stock, currants and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered and stirring a few times, until the rice absorbs the liquid, about 7 minutes. (The rice will only be par-cooked; it will continue to cook in the leaves.) Spread the rice out on a baking sheet to cool.
• When the rice is cooled, stir in the dill, parsley, green onion, pistachios and lemon zest; taste for seasoning.
• Lay a grape leaf on a work surface shiny-side down. Scoop 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling (depending on the size of the leaf) in your hand and lightly mold it into a log. Put the rice filling near the stem end of the leaf, fold the stem end over the filling, then fold both sides toward the middle and roll up into a cigar. Continue with the remaining leaves and filling.
• Lay the reserved grape leaves on the bottom of a small Dutch oven (this will keep the dolmades from sticking). Tightly fit the dolmades in the pan in a concentric circle, making several layers if needed. Drizzle some of the remaining lemon juice over each layer. Add enough water or stock to just come halfway up the side of the rolls (do not cover them) and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt.
• Cut out a round of parchment to fit over the dolmades. Place a plate on top of the parchment and a bowl on top of the plate (to hold the rolls down while cooking). Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and cook (making sure it is simmering and not boiling), until the rice is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes longer.
• Carefully remove the rolls to a serving dish. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

DOLMAS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Score stem end of tomato with an X. Add to water, and cook for 5 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomato to ice-water bath. Using your fingers, peel tomato, then cut in half. Discard seeds, and chop finely.
• Rinse the stack of grape leaves under cold water, and transfer to a bowl. Cover the leaves with cold water by 2 inches, and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain.
• In a bowl, combine beef, rice, onion, garlic, herbs, oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and chopped tomato.
• Carefully separate grape leaves. Place 1 on a work surface, vein side up and stem end close to you. Cut off stem. Place 1 heaping tablespoon meat mixture on center of bottom half of leaf. Fold up stem end of leaf to cover mixture, and fold in sides. Roll tightly using rest of leaf. Repeat for a total of 36 dolmas.
• Place rolls, seam side down, in a large saucepan in a single snug layer. Add stock to cover, and arrange remaining 9 grape leaves over the top. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place a heatproof plate directly on dolmas to keep them submerged. Cover saucepan with a lid, and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer dolmas to a plate, and let cool 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).
• Serve cold or at room temperature with a drizzle of oil, and place lemon wedges on the side.

DOLMADES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine onion, rice, lamb, beef, garlic, parsley, carrot, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon oil, chopped mint, salt, and pepper.
• Place a leaf, vein side up, on a work surface; place about 1 tablespoon filling just below center. Fold bottom of leaf over filling and sides in toward center; roll up. Do not overfill or roll too tightly. Repeat, making 35.
• Lay dolmades, seam side down, in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan; do not pack tightly.
• Combine stock and remaining 3 tablespoons oil; pour over dolmades. Squeeze lemon over dolmades, and place lemon slices and mint sprigs on top. Place another 9-by-13-inch baking pan, half full of water, on top to weigh down dolmades.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Let dolmades cool in cooking liquid, still weighted, for 2 hours. Serve drizzled with olive oil, or refrigerate for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Stir in rice and hot water to cover. Cover and simmer until rice is half cooked, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in tomato paste, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, mint leaves, dill weed, allspice and cumin. Let mixture cool.
• Prepare a large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom; this protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming.
• Rinse grape leaves in warm water; drain and cut off any stems. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cooled rice mixture in the center of a leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll into a cigar shape. Place in prepared pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Pour in just enough warm water to reach the bottom of the first layer of dolmas. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until rice is totally cooked. Check the water level often and add more as necessary.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the pork, beef, onion, parsley, coriander, mint, rice and black pepper.
• Separate the grape leaves and rinse in warm water. Cut off the stems.
• Arrange 10 leaves in a heavy-bottomed pot to keep the dolmas from burning.
• Place each of the remaining leaves, shiny side down, on the counter. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each leaf and roll up. Fold the stem end over the filling. Then fold in the sides and continue rolling up. Stack the rolls, seam side down, on the grape leaves in the pot. When all the filling has been used up, pour the beef broth over the dolmas. Place a plate on top of the dolmas and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Drain well.
• Serve at room temperature or cold with yogurt on the side.

DOLMA (ALGERIAN STUFFED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Peel the zucchini and potatoes.
• Chop the stem off the zucchinis.
• Chop the potatoes and zucchini in half short ways so now you have 4 zucchini pieces, each about 3 inches long and 4 potato pieces, each about 2 inches long.
• Carefully scoop out the inside of each zucchini piece, leaving a wall about 1/4 inch thick around. Discard the scooped out part.
• Carefully scoop out each potato in the same manner but save the scooped out portion.
• Mix together the ground meat, 1 tablespoon of parsley, rice, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Stuff the meat mixture into the potatoes and zucchini, loosely.
• Heat oil in large pan and saute onion and lamb together.
• Add the water and bring to boil over medium high heat.
• Add the chick peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
• Put the stuffed vegetables in the sauce along with the reserved potato pieces. Cook covered for 1/2 hour.
• Remove from heat and add lemon juice and 1 tbsp parsley.