Middle Eastern Stuffed Grape Leaves Sort Of Food

DOLMATHAKIA (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH RICE AND HERBS)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Rinse the leaves well to remove brine.
• Place the leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them and make them more pliable. Remove from water and set aside.
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, parsley, dill, pine nuts, mint, salt, and pepper. Taste test and adjust the seasoning as desired.
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Allow the filling to cool about 10 minutes.​
• Line the bottom of a heavy saucepan with 2 or 3 grape leaves (use the broken or torn ones for this).
• Roll the dolmathakia by placing a leaf with the stem toward you on a flat surface. The underside of the leaf should be face up. (The veins of the leaf are raised on the underside.) Using the point of a sharp paring knife, cut out the stem of the leaf. Overlap the bottom two sections of the leaf toward the center.
• Place a tablespoon of filling in the bottom center of the leaf, just above the stem.
• Fold the bottom section up to cover the filling.
• Fold the sides in toward the center.
• Continue rolling the packet up toward the top point of the leaf.
• Place the rolls in layers, seam-side down, in the saucepan.
• Pour remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over the dolmathakia and enough water to cover them by about 1 inch.
• Place an inverted heatproof plate on top of the rolls to keep them submerged in the water.
• Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the leaves are tender and the rice filling is cooked through.
• Serve and enjoy!

MY OWN FAMOUS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the rice, onion, dill, and mint for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Pour in 1 quart of broth, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked. Stir in 1/2 of lemon juice and remove from heat.
• Take one leaf, shiny side down, and place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4-quart pot. Repeat with all leaves, leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and with olive oil.
• Pour chicken broth over all to cover grape leaves. Cover pot and simmer for about 1 hour (do not boil, because this will make the stuffing burst out of the leaves). Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to serving dish and serve.

MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES-SORT OF

Steps:

• Rinse grape leaves in cold water and blanch in boiling water for three minutes in three or four lots. Remove to basin of cold water with slotted spoon then into colander to drain. (This is the hard part for me, as the leaves tend to want to come apart).
• Gently fry onion in oil until soft. Lightly mix meat, rice, onion, oil, herbs, salt and pepper until will combined.
• Place a grape leaf, shiny side down on a work surface. Snip of stem if necessary. Place about a tablespoon of mixture near stem end, fold end and sides over stuffing and roll up firmly. Stuffing will make about 4 dozen rolls (you will be an expert roller when you are finished!).
• Line base of a heavy pan with six leaves(use the ones that fell apart during the blanching) pack the rolls on top in layers close together to keep them from falling apart during cooking (I have discovered the hard way this is VERY important). Sprinkle lemon juice over every layer.
• Cover top of rolls with remaining grape leaves. Add butter, chicken stock and remaining lemon juice. Invert a heavy plate on top to keep rolls in shape during cooking (also VERY important).
• Cover pan with lid and place over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer, then simmer gently over LOW heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
• To make sauce: melt butter in a small sauce pan and stir in flour. Cook 2 minutes with out browning and stir in the stock stir constantly until sauce thickens and bubbles.
• Beat eggs in a bowl until frothy and beat in one tablespoon of lemon juice. Pour hot sauce into eggs gradually, beating constantly (you really can do this with two hands) Return sauce to pan and stir over gentle heat for two minutes to cook the egg. Care must be taken as sauce could curdle. If this happens, sprinkle a little cold water into sauce and beat with egg whisk.
• Drain cooked rolls (CAREFULLY) and arrange on a serving dish, garnish with parsley and lemon slices, serve egg and lemon sauce in a separate sauce boat.
• You can also serve these cold without the sauce.

LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, garlic powder, allspice, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and set aside.
• Rinse grape leaves several times. If the leaves are small, leave them intact, but cut out the large center vein. If the leaves are large, cut them in half vertically, cutting out the large vein in the process. Place a small amount of the ground meat mixture at the end of each leaf. Roll up egg-roll style.
• Pour the oil into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay the chops over the oil. Lay the tomato slices over the chops.
• Place the stuffed grape leaves seam-side down on top of the chops. Pack the leaves tightly and begin a second layer when necessary. Place whole garlic cloves randomly between the rolled leaves; plenty of garlic on each layer.
• When you are done stacking, pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and add water to the pot to about 2-inches above the rolled leaves. To prevent the leaves from unrolling during cooking, place a plate on top of the stack of leaves and place a heavy object on top of the plate.
• Simmer the leaves over low heat for about 2 hours.
• Invert the entire Dutch oven into a large platter with high sides (i.e. a 12-inch round cake pan). Or, remove the leaves from the pot with tongs. Serve rustic style, with plenty of Arabic bread on which to spread the garlic!

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE DOLMA (STUFFED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Combine ground beef, 2 1/2 cans of tomato paste, parsley, green onion, butter, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
• Before adding uncooked rice, rinse until water runs clear; this keeps the rice from becoming sticky. Add rice after rinsing and mix contents until blended well.
• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add cabbage. Boil until just tender enough to fold, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, hollow out bell peppers, eggplants, and zucchini.
• Stuff hollowed vegetables with meat mixture. Set in a large pot (pack vegetables together so there isn't much room in between them). Fill cabbage leaves with 3 to 4 tablespoons of leftover meat mixture and set in the pot with the other vegetables. Pour water in the pot on top of the vegetables until almost covered. Stir in remaining tomato paste. Weigh down the food by placing a heavy, heat-proof plate on top.
• Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cover the pot. Let cook for 1 hour. Drain half of the water in the pot (leave heavy plate until done cooking) and recover, reducing heat to a simmer, and allow to slow cook for 1 hour more. Serve warm and enjoy!

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Cook the rice. While it's cooking, mince the garlic, and chop the onions. Fry them in about two tablespoons of the olive oil, at a low temperature, in a large pan. Cook until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Chop the cranberries and the sunflower seeds finely. Mix the cranberries, sunflower seeds, and dried mint into the onion mixture and cook for about one more minute. When the rice is done, add it to the onion and garlic mixture. Mix it all together to ensure it's evenly blended, then remove it from the heat.
• To roll the grape leaves:.
• Lay a leaf out flat, with the protruded veins upwards. Scoop about one heaping tablespoon of filling into the centre of the leaf, and begin by folding the bottom two "flaps" over the filling (the flaps are on either side of the stem, at the base) Fold the sides in, and then firmly (but not too tightly, so as to avoid ripping the leaves) roll up the "top" flap of the leaf. Continue this process until all of the filling is gone. The amount of leaves you use, and amount of filling per leaf will depend largely on the size of the leaf. If you have some leaves with holes in them, or that are just too small to roll, you can overlap them so as to still make use of them.
• Lay the stuffed leaves into a large, flat skillet with a lid. Pour the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil over them, and leave, with the lid on and the temperature very low, for about ten minutes, or until very warm. At no point should the leaves be cooking, we're just heating them up.
• Eat!

DOLMA (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES), IRAQI-STYLE

Steps:

• Soak grape leaves in water for 20 minutes. Drain.
• Peel and slice carrots lengthwise and line bottom of pot with them. This helps keep the grape leaves from sticking to the pot.
• Soak rice in hot water for 10 minutes and drain. In a large bowl, combine rice, beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and all spices.
• Place each grape leaf shiny side down with stem end toward you on a flat surface. Cut off stem. Place 1 tbsp of rice mixture on leaf near the stem end. Roll top over once, fold ends in, and continue to roll completely (rolling away from you). Repeat with remaining leaves.
• Arrange rolled grape leaves in pot seam side down, tightly packed. Place each layer in opposite direction of previous layer, in a criss-cross fashion. For even cooking, try to have no more than 4 layers.
• Combine lemon juice and oil and pour over grape leaves. Top with water until approximately 1" below top layer.
• Place large plate on top, and place a heavy weight on plate (a foil-wrapped brick works great).
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until rice is thoroughly cooked. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Serve with lemon wedges or Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

COLD STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Notes you may add more lemon juice, the cinnamon and the allspice must be a level teaspoon.
• If using vine leaves in brine, first drain them then put them in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Make sure the water penetrates well between the layers and let the leaves soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Soak in fresh cold water then drain again and repeat the process once more. This will remove the excess salt.
• Soak and stir the rice in boiling water, and then rinse it under cold tap. Drain thoroughly. In a bowl mix the rice with the tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stuff the leaves with this mixture:.
• Place 1 leaf vein side up. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on the center near the stem edge. Fold the stem up over the filling, then fold both sides toward the middle and roll up like a small cigar. Squeeze lightly in the palm of your hand. This process will become easier after you have rolled a few. Fill the rest. Continue until the filling is used up.
• Pack them tightly in a pan lined with tomato slices or leftover grape leaves and occasionally slip in a whole clove of garlic if you choose.
• Mix the olive oil with 1/2 cup water and the saffron if used. Add the sugar and the lemon juice, pour the mix over the stuffed leaves. Put a small plate on top fot he leaves to prevent unwinding, cover the pan and simmer for at least 2 hours or until the rolls are cooked thoroughly. Add water occasionally, a cup at a time as the liquid in the pan becomes absorbed. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve Cold.
• Persian: Add 2 tbsp chopped dill and 2/4 cup seedless raisins or currants to the filling. You may also use hummus or chickpeas: Soak about 1/2 cup in water overnight. Crush in mortar and add to filling. Reduce rice by 1/3 cup. You may also add 1/3 cup pine nuts for variation.

DOLMADES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients for the filling (onions through salt & pepper). Pick out the smallest leaves in the jar for lining the pot with.
• Cut off the stems from the grape leaves. Put a leaf on the counter, shiny side down. Roll the filling into a ¾ inch ball, and place near the broad end of the leaf. Fold over left and right segments, then roll the ball up in the leaf toward the tip. Don't wrap too tightly, as the rice needs to expand. Place the packet loose side down in a 2 quart heavy lidded kettle (lined with some of the smaller leaves). Place the dolmades close to one another so they will not come undone while cooking. Cover the first layer with another layer of small leaves, and continue to layer until all dolmades are used.
• Place a heavy plate on top of the dolmades to act as a weight during cooking. Mix the chicken stock and lemon juice for the broth, and add to leaves in pot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for one hour, remove from heat and allow to cool for another hour. Don't remove the lid, or the leaves will oxidize and darken.
• Serve with Tzaziki sauce.
• http://www.recipezaar.com/rz.143524.