Recipe - Dolmadakia (Stuffed Grapeleaves With Rice)

16 ounce Grape leaves
Three fourths cup Extra virgin olive oil
3 Onions; more if desired
(shredded or minced finely)
1 Three fourths cup Rice
1 Lemon, juiced
or more, to taste
Dill; very finely chopped
1 Three fourths cup Hot water
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Pepper

Sautee the onion with half the oil. Add the rice and let cook for a few
minutes. Add the dill, the hot water and salt and pepper. Boil for about 5
minutes. Let it cool.

Steam the grape leaves and rinse with plenty of water in a collander.

Wrap the rice mixture with the grape leaves. This is the most difficult and
time consuming part, although after you are through it a couple of times
you enjoy it the most. It is better if two people work on it
simultaneously, talking, joking etc. You want to make them small in size
(about 12 inches.) Do not hesitate to cut big leaves in half. Discard the
central stem of these leaves and if you can reduce (with a sharp knife) any
other tough stems it would be good. You want to wrap the rice very tightly.
You place the rice in one end, fold from the short end and the two sides
and then roll while pushing the rice downwards to pack it really tight. You
have to do it a couple of times to understand. If they are not tightly
packed they will unroll later. Also be careful to wrap totally, do not
leave any holes.

You arrange the dolmadakia in a casserole, tightly. Make more than one
layers. Add the lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil and 1 One half cups of
hot water. Cover them with a plate or something to keep them in place. Let
them simmer for 35 minutes.

Serve then cold, with strained yogurt or taramosalata. Enjoy.

Georgios

Posted by: rika@informix.com (Rika Tsitsinia)

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini