Recipe - Stuffed Melon (Missov Sekhi Dolma)

1 lg Cantaloupe
2 tablespoon Butter
One half pound Ground lean lamb or
One half pound Ground lean beef
1 md Onion; finely chopped
One half cup Longgrain white rice
uncooked
One fourth cup Pine nuts
One fourth cup Dried currants
1 One half tablespoon Sugar; or to taste (opt'l.)
One fourth teaspoon Cinnamon
Salt; to taste
1 cup ;Water

Cut about one inch off the top of the melon; reserve. This will later serve
as a lid. Clean out the inside of the melon and discard seeds. With a long
handled spoon, scoop out 1 cup of the center pulp and chop.

In a heavy skillet, heat butter over moderate heat. Add the meat and onion;
saute until browned, stirring frequently. Add the rice, pine nuts,
currants, 1 tb. sugar, cinnamon, salt, chopped melon pulp and water; mix
well. Cook until liquid in the pan is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Sprinkle the inside of the melon with the remaining One half tb. of sugar and
spoon the meat stuffing into it. Cover with the reserved top; secure with
wooden picks. Place in an oiled baking pan just large enough to hold the
melon comfortably. Bake at 350 F. for one hour, or until tender.

Uvezian writes: "The exquisitely delicate flavor and aroma of this unique
dish will linger in your memory."

From _The Cuisine of Armenia_ by Sonia Uvezian. New York: Harper & Row,
1985. ISBN 0060912294. Pg. 207. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.

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