Recipe#6702

Title: DOLMAS (GREEK STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

  Source: Rice by James McNair Posted by Linda Davis

   1       c            Long-grain white rice
   1       c            Plus 3 Tbsp olive oil
   1       c            Finely chopped yellow onion
   3                    Green onions, including
                        -green tops, finely chopped
     1/4   c            Minced fresh parsley
   2       tb           Minced fresh mint
     1/2   c            Pine nuts
   1       t            Ground cinnamon
     1/2   ts           Ground allspice
     1/2   ts           Salt
     1/4   ts           Freshly ground black pepper
  16       oz           Jar grape leaves
  Servings: makes about 50 dolmas
  
  Several stems of fresh parsley About 3/4 cup freshly
  squeezed lemon juice About 1 cup homemade chicken
  stock, canned chicken broth, or water, heated
  Additional freshly squeezed lemon juice Grated or
  minced lemon zest for garnish
  
  Wash and drain rice.  Heat 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in
  a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the yellow onion
  and saute until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
  Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the drained rice,
  1/2 cup of the remaining olive oil, green onions,
  parsley, pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and
  pepper.  Set aside.
  
  Rinse the grape leaves under running cold water to
  removes as much brine as possible, pat dry, and stack
  on a plate.  Place 1 leaf at a time, shiny side down,
  on a flat work surface.  Cut off and discard the tough
  stem end. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the rice mixture in
  the center near the base of the leaf.  Fold the stem
  end over to cover the filling, fold both side inward
  lengthwise and then tightly roll leaf toward pointed
  tip end to form a compact packet.  Repeat with the
  remaining leaves and filling.
  
  Pour about 2 Tbsp. of the remaining olive oil in the
  bottom of a large pot and strew with a layer of
  parsley stems to prevent grape leaves from sticking.
  Arrange the stuffed leaves, seam side down and almost
  touching, on top of the parsley, making as many layers
  as necessary.  Drizzle the remaining 5 Tbsp olive oil,
  the lemon juice, and 1/2 cup stock, broth, or water
  over the leaves.  Top with a heat-resistant plate and
  weight with a heavy can to keep leaves from unwinding
  during cooking.  Cover the pot, bring to a gentle
  boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until rice is
  tender, about 1 hour.  During cooking, add a little
  heated liquid as needed to keep dolmas moist.  Remove
  from the heat and cool in the pot.
  
  Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste, garnish with lemon
  zest, and serve at room temperature.