Dolmades
Dolmades with edible nasturtium flower
Tender grape leaves are best harvested during grapevine pruning in the summer and make the best dolmas (meaning ‘stuffed thing’) or dolmades. Dolmades are often stuffed with short-grain (pudding) white rice, onions, pine nuts, dried currants, dill, parsley, and mint. White rice has essential vitamins and minerals removed. I have substituted brown basmati and whole red rice to make a healthier version. Dried blueberries are a Pacific Northwest healthy addition. Fresh young grape leaves are most desirable, but grape leaves from a jar will suffice.
50 dolmades
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup brown basmati or red rice or half and half of each
4 cups filtered water, divided
½ teaspoon sea salt
55 fresh grape leaves or 1 (16-ounce) jar of grape leaves (drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons kosher salt to 1 gallon water (only for fresh grape leaves)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups onions, finely chopped
2 cups fennel, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup fresh dill, minced
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ dried wild blueberries, or currants plumped in hot water, drained
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 small onion, sliced ¼ inch lengthwise
2 cups filtered water
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring rice, one cup of water, and one-half teaspoon sea salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about twenty-two to twenty-six minutes. Reserve.
2. If using fresh grape leaves, roll them in stacks of ten and tie with butcher’s twine. Bring the gallon of water and kosher salt to a boil. Add the fresh grape leaves and simmer for ten minutes before draining and cooling in an ice water bath. If using grape leaves in a jar, boil for two minutes, drain, and cool in an ice water bath. Gently squeeze the leaves dry. Reserve.
Bundles of ten fresh grape leaves simmering in salt water.
3. Heat the oil in a large non-reactive pan. Add the onions, fennel, garlic, and sauté until golden brown, stirring often. Stir in the cumin.
4. Add the reserved rice, lemon zest, dill, parsley, mint, pine nuts, blueberries, and one teaspoon of sea salt. Mix and heat thoroughly. Remove from the heat.
5. Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
6. Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a non-reactive Dutch oven to prevent scorching the dolmades.
7. Lay the shiny side of one grape leaf down on a cutting board. Place one tablespoon of the rice mixture in a cylindrical shape mid-way up the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf inward and over the rice. Roll the leaf and stuffing toward the tip of the leaf, packing fairly tight. Trim any excess leaf and reserve.
Shiny side of the leaf down, stuffing in center, then fold sides inward and roll from the bottom to the top.
8. Place each one tip-side down on the onions. Pack them close together in one or two layers. Cover with the excess leaves.
Stack dolmades tightly together on top of sliced onions in a non-reactive Dutch oven pot.
9. Weigh the dolmades down with an oven-proof plate. Pour two cups of water and lemon juice over the top.
10. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Wrap the top with foil but do not allow it to touch the dolmades.
11. Place in the oven for one-and-a-half hours. Remove from the oven and let stand for an hour before uncovering. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate the rest and serve within the next three days or freeze for up to three months. Always bring to room temperature before serving.
Single finished dolma.
Dolmades
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown basmati or red rice or half and half of each
- 4 cups filtered water, divided
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 55 fresh grape leaves or 1 (16-ounce) jar of grape leaves (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt to 1 gallon water (only for fresh grape leaves)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups onions, finely chopped
- 2 cups fennel, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh dill, minced
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ dried wild blueberries, or currants plumped in hot water, drained
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 small onion, sliced ¼ inch lengthwise
- 2 cups filtered water
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring rice, one cup of water, and one-half teaspoon sea salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about twenty-two to twenty-six minutes. Reserve.
- If using fresh grape leaves, roll them in stacks of ten and tie with butcher’s twine. Bring the gallon of water and kosher salt to a boil. Add the fresh grape leaves and simmer for ten minutes before draining and cooling in an ice water bath. If using grape leaves in a jar, boil for two minutes, drain, and cool in an ice water bath. Gently squeeze the leaves dry. Reserve.
- Heat the oil in a large non-reactive pan. Add the onions, fennel, garlic, and sauté until golden brown, stirring often. Stir in the cumin.
- Add the reserved rice, lemon zest, dill, parsley, mint, pine nuts, blueberries, and one teaspoon of sea salt. Mix and heat thoroughly. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
- Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a non-reactive Dutch oven to prevent scorching the dolmades.
- Lay the shiny side of one grape leaf down on a cutting board. Place one tablespoon of the rice mixture in a cylindrical shape mid-way up the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf inward and over the rice. Roll the leaf and stuffing toward the tip of the leaf, packing fairly tight. Trim any excess leaf and reserve.
- Place each one tip-side down on the onions. Pack them close together in one or two layers. Cover with the excess leaves.
- Weigh the dolmades down with an oven-proof plate. Pour two cups of water and lemon juice over the top.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Wrap the top with foil but do not allow it to touch the dolmades.
- Place in the oven for one-and-a-half hours. Remove from the oven and let stand for an hour before uncovering. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate the rest and serve within the next three days or freeze for up to three months. Always bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
28.73Fat (grams)
2.2 gSat. Fat (grams)
0.53 gCarbs (grams)
2.09 gFiber (grams)
0.66 gNet carbs
1.42 gSugar (grams)
0.94 gProtein (grams)
0.6 gSodium (milligrams)
77 mgCholesterol (grams)
1.69 mgThe information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.