October Daring Cooks - Dolmades!

Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.

    A dolma by any other name…

töltött káposzta        Hungarian

       σαρμάδες           Greek

         يبرق                   Aleppo

сармa/sarmam        South Slavic

        sarmale           Romanian

   محشي ورق عنب           Arabic            

 kələm dolması      Azerbaijani

     gołąbki                   Polish

      голубцы               Russian 

        japrak              Albanian

This month's Daring Cooks challenge was to make stuffed grape leaves. This dish has truly survived the test of time. Originating in Turkey while the Ottoman Empire still had power over most of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, the idea of the dolma has travelled far and wide. 

As there are many different names for these tasty morsels, there are also many varieties of fillings and wrappers. Fillings are only limited to the imagination of the person preparing the dolmades (the plural of dolma). However, generally speaking, fillings tend to include rice, onion, parsley, herbs, spices and minced meat (or not!). Wrappers can also be widely variable. While grape leaves are traditional wrappers, chard, kale and cabbage may also be used.

It's so satisfying rolling each of the little dolmades, tucking them snuggly into the gentle embrace of my favorite pan, savoring the aroma while they cook and finally feeling connected to that far off land, over a hundred years ago when the adventures of the dolma had just begun. 

Additional Resources: Wiki-Dolma, Wiki-Sarma, Wiki-Ottoman

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice with Apricot Tamarind Sauce/ Yebra

Adapted from Aromas of Aleppo by Poopa Dweck and Michael J. Cohen. Published by Harper Collins, 2007

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients for hashu/filling:

1 pound (455 gm) ground (minced) beef

1/3 cup (80 ml) (2 1/3 oz) (65 gm) short grain rice

1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) all spice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) cinnamon

1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher (coarse) salt **if using regular table salt only use ½ tsp.**

¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1½ gm) white pepper

1 onion, chopped **optional**

1 cup (5½ oz) (150 gm) pine nuts **optional**

Directions:

1.Soak rice in water, enough to cover, for 30 minutes. Combine meat, rice, allspice, vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt, white pepper, and if desired, onion and pine nuts, in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Ingredients for assembly:

1 pound (455 gm) hashu/filling (see recipe above)

36 preserved grape leaves, stems trimmed, drained, rinsed and patted dry

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

6 dried apricots – or more if you desire

3 tablespoons (45 ml) tamarind concentrate **if you can’t find it, you can omit it**

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) (9 gm) kosher (coarse) salt **if using regular table salt only use 1.5 tsp.**

Notes:

If using grape leaves preserved in brine, to remove salt put them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Make sure that the water penetrates well between the layers, and leave them soaking for about twenty minutes, then change the water a time or two using fresh cold water.

If using fresh leaves, plunge a few at a time in boiling water for a few seconds only, until they become limp, and lift them out.

Tamarind is actually fairly easy to find.  There is a paste that is in package already made up.  You can find it at Asian, Mexican or Indian grocers.  You can also find the pods (a little more difficult) and make it yourself.  It is akin to a sweet/tangy tea flavor. If you can’t find it, you can skip the sauce all togheter. The grape leaves will be just as delicious without the sauce. But we hope that those that can find it will use it.

Directions:

1.Place a grape leaf on a flat surface, vein side up. You can trim the little stem if you would like.

2.Place about two teaspoons (10 ml) of the filling in the center of the leaf, near the stem edge.

3.Roll the leaf end to end, starting from the stem edge. As you roll, fold the sides of the leaf in toward the center. The leaf should resemble a small cigar, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches (50 mm to 65mm) long.

4.Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

a.(You can freeze the stuffed grape leaves at this point. Just line a baking sheet with wax paper. When firmly frozen, transfer to an airtight plastic bag place back in the freezer.)

5.In a medium saucepan put in the vegetable oil and then place the filled grape leaves in the pot.

6.Place apricots in between the stuffed grape leaves. Cover and cook over low heat for 5- 8 minutes or until the grape leaves begin to sweat.

7.Using all three tablespoons, place a little of the tamarind concentrate, if using, over the rolls.

8.Combine lemon juice, salt, and water then add to pan, filling it ¾ full.

9.Weigh down the grape leaves with a heat proof plate or board to prevent them from unraveling. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes.

a.Alternatively, place the saucepan in an oven preheated to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 and cook for an hour.

10.Spoon cooking liquid over the grape leaves occasionally. You will know they are done, when the grape leaves are neither soupy nor dry.

11.Tilt pan sideways over serving platter, allowing the grape leaves to tumble out. Try not to handle them individually to reduce unraveling.

a.Alternately you can try spooning them out very gently.