05/11/2010

Vegan MoFo IV Day 5: Dolmades

I had these kicking round the cupboard since last October and even though I knew what I was gonna do with them I still had to spend months hours researching recipes. There's a few recipes kicking round the interwebs and I took bits and pieces from a few of them and then just ended up doing my own thing anyway.
I've never used vine leaves before and they're right fiddly little blighters let me tell you. I would love to try this recipe using fresh vine leaves but the type I used are packed in brine and require soaking in hot water for 20 minutes first.

Dolmades

Ingredients
makes 18
2 oz long grain rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tomato, skinned, seeded and chopped
Few sprigs of parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 Tablespoon snipped chives
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of cinnamon
1 Tablespoon pine nuts
1 Tablespoon sultanas, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of salt
8 twists of freshly ground black pepper
250 grams vine leaves (if fresh boil for 4 mins then drain, if pickled soak in hot water for 20 mins then pat dry)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
150 ml vegetable stock
Juice from half a lime
2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Method
Boil the rice for 6 mins then drain. Place into a mixing bowl then add the onion, tomato, parsley, mint, chives, cumin, cinnamon, pine nuts, chopped sultans, salt and pepper. Mix all together.
Spread out a vine leaf with the veiny underside facing upwards and place a teaspoon and a half of the mixture in the centre of each leaf. Fold both the sides over into the middle then roll up roll up!
Place each rolled up vine leaf in a heavy bottomed saucepan squishing them in tightly. Tuck the garlic slices in between dolmades.
Mix the olive oil, vegetable stock and lime juice together in a jug and pour over the dolmades. Place the lid on top and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour.
Leave to cool before removing gently from the pan and SCOFF!
You'll be glad you did - these are yummalicious and I can't wait to make them again.






28 comments:

Kreeli said...

mmm, i'm super in-love with dolmades. my mom makes them with chickpeas and lotsa mint - but i like the looks of this version too. thanks for posting!

Felicity said...

mmm, dolmades, mmm. I haven't made them in years, but now you've inspired me.

Sophia said...

I've always wanted to try dolmades! These look delicious, what a great idea.

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Epicurean Vegan said...

Yum! I've always wanted to make something like these, now I have no excuse! Thanks for the recipe!

Vic Robinson said...

super cool!

miss v said...

i love the unique rice mixture! i usually make mine with pine nuts, but i'd love to mix it up...
and i've never seen the leaves packaged like this -i can only ever find them in a jar.

kmouse said...

Yes! I want to make these one day.

Anonymous said...

Those look beautiful!

Andrea said...

Every time I make stuffed grape leaves I swear I'll never make them again because I usually make so many and it takes soooooooooo long. But, I always do because they are so delicious. Your version looks yummy.

panda with cookie said...

I'm pretty sure I will never make these but they sure look good.

Vegan Animal said...

Wow Jeni, you make it look so easy. It looks wonderful - I want to give these a try.

Rose said...

I love dolmades. Yours look awesome. the filling is so colorful. Yum, I wish I could pick one up and eat one right now.

River said...

Very impressive! Dolmades intimidate me because I know my leaves wouldn't cooperate. I'm lucky like that! :P

Yours look absolutely perfectly wrapped!

Vegan Epicurean said...

I haven't made stuffed grape leaves in years. However since I even have the grape leaves on hand I should make some soon. Thanks for the gentle nudge.

Ali

Elisabeth said...

I love dolmades and yours look much better than what I usually buy.

jodye @ 'scend food said...

My boyfriend has been super into dolmades lately, I'll have to use your recipe to make him some!

Anonymous said...

I have to admit, I've never made dolmades before. I have eaten enough of them to know that yours must have been delicious!

Anonymous said...

What I had planned to comment is so similar to Shellyfish, that I might as well just say "Ditto"!

Jessica said...

These look good - and thanks for showing how the roll-up process works. I like dolmades, but I'm always a little worried about their contents. It never occurred to me that I could make my own. I'll have to look for those leaves and follow your recipe.

Eve Love said...

I wish you would be my neighbor, then I'ld invite you over for a potluck supper just so you can bring some of those... often.

Monique a.k.a. Mo said...

I haven't had dolmades in a while. Those looks so delicious!

Zoa said...

My favorite food...and you have the method DOWN. The secret, of course, that you hit on on the first try, is to cook them in the magical mixture of olive oil, lemon (or lime) juice, and garlic. If you do that you could probably fill them with shredded cardboard and they would still taste--and smell--fantastic. But your filling looks a lot better than shredded cardboard. I wish I had some now...

GiGi said...

I've always wanted to make dolmas. Thanx for the great recipe.

Anonymous said...

I'm really impressed. I love dolmades, but I'm so scared to make them myself because handling the grape leaves makes me squeamish. That's totally irrational, I know.

Fantastic job on these!

Bonnie said...

Homemade dolmades, that's awesome! They look so tasty.

Amanda said...

That filling looks and sounds sooo good. I made these once and it took me forever. Now I just enjoy them at restaurants! I say that, but I have jarred grape leaves in my pantry.

Claryn said...

Awesome work!! I looooove stuffed grape leaves and had never even considered making them from scratch. Yours look awesome!

Anonymous said...

I think I've got grape vine envy! You're leaves look so nice and big! That makes them much easier to work with! And they look yummy yummy!