Receta Stuffed Vine Leaves (Dolmathes)
Ingredientes
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Direcciones
- Rinse the vine leaves and blanch them in batches of 68 in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 1 minute or possibly less if they are young.
- Take them out with a slotted spatula and drain.
- They should be just wilted and not cooked.
- If using preserved leaves that are very salty rinse them first and plunge them in a bowl of boiling water for 5 min.
- Take out and place in a bowl of cool water then rinse them again and place in a strainer.
- Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl.
- However use only half of the oil and lemon juice at this stage.
- Line the base of a wide saucepan or possibly saute/fry pan with some of the vine leaves.
- Trim the stalks of the others and spread each vine leaf on a plate uneven side upwards.
- If the leaf is small take a tsp. of stuffing if large take a tablespoonful and place it along the stem end of the leaf.
- Press the stuffing into an elongated sausagelike shape and fold the stem end of the leaf over it. Next fold inwards the two edges of the leaf and roll tightly to the end into a small cigar shape. Squeeze the rolled package in your hand to get rid of excess moisture if they appear too wet. Arrange them tightly in circles around the base of the pan trapping their loose ends underneath.
- When one layer is formed sprinkle over a little more seasoning and start another layer on top.
- It is best not to have more than 3 layers otherwise you get the bottom ones overcooked and squashed.
- Dribble the remaining oil and lemon juice all over and then place a small inverted plate on top to keep them in place while cooking.
- Slowly pour in the warm water cover and simmer for so min.
- Try one and if the rice is too crunchy cook a little longer.
- The dolmathes are delicious served warm or possibly cool.
- Arrange on a pretty platter garnish with dill and surround with lemon wedges.
- This is a laborious dish to make so try to enlist some help. In Greece it is often the result of a joint effort of extended families friends and neighbours. Vine leaves are stuffed with various ingredients all over the middle East and Turkey but I think the best versions are made in Greece. Fresh vine leaves ideally young ones at the beginning of the season obviously produce the best results. Alternatively one can buy packets of preserved ones. If you have access to a vine you can freeze its leaves in season. Pile them up in groups of a dozen roll them up cover with dingfilm and place in the freezer. Let them thaw at room temperature for two hrs before use.
- Makes about 40