Stuffed Grape Leaves With Rice Dolmades Recipes

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.

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.

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring until rice begins to color. Cover; lower heat to low. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in the water, dill, pine nuts, salt and pepper, simmer 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each grape leaf with the shiny surface down. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling; roll up loosely (the rice will swell when cooked). Place rolls in layers in a Dutch oven.
• Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 1/12 cups hot water. Place a heatproof plate over the rolls to prevent them from opening. Cover; simmer over low heat 1 hour. Let cool in the pan; refrigerate until ready to serve.

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.