So how did I never have dolma before?

[creekland]

There is definitely a perk to subbing outside of the home-ec cooking rooms the day before Easter break... and being friends with the students/teacher.

 

Dolma - stuffed grape leaves.  I'm told they have burger, rice, sea salt, and dill in them...

 

I'm not quite sure how I missed them before in my life, but we have grape vines at home, so I think I know what is going to happen to some of their leaves later this year.

 

Does anyone have a good recipe?  I'm told they are supposed to be made with lamb... but that was too expensive for the school to buy.  I suspect I'd really like it with lamb.

[umsami]

You can make them with lamb, ground beef, or vegetarian.  I seem to remember that the meatless ones are served room temp, but don't hold me to it.

 

If you have grape vines at home, you are very lucky.

 

Best recipe book IMHO is Claudia Roden's.

 

Here's a vegetarian version: http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/cold-stuffed-grape-leaves

 

http://mypantryshelf.com/2011/05/29/stuffed-grape-leaves-dolmas/

 

 

In Egyptian cooking, mashi is any stuffed vegetable, and it's usually a mixture of ground beef cooked with onion, soaked rice, salt, pepper, and chopped herbs of choice.   This looks similar:

 

http://greekfood.about.com/od/appetizerssalads/r/leavesmeatrice.htm

[creekland]

Those look great!  We have both wild grape and cultivated grape vines... any idea if there is a difference to the taste/nutrition?  And I suppose I need to figure out how to go from fresh rather than jarred.  I'd think blanching would be all that is needed.

 

There was no mint in those I ate, but otherwise it sounded a bit like the last recipe you linked...

 

Thanks!

[Spryte]

Yum. No recipe help for you but just ... Yum!

[Um_2_4]

Just never try the ones from a can.. that will ruin it for you.

 

I prefer those in oil (homemade). Just rice(the short type, like calrose, if you use the long grain they will bust the leaves open while cooking) and parsley, finely chopped tomatoes, mint (must be fresh, not dried, dried will make it bitter), green onions, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. 

 

For using fresh leaves (we have grapevines on the side of our house), pick the light color medium sized leaves. Skip the big dark green leaves they will be bitter and too tough. Then you will have to boil them for about 30-40 minutes. Just blanching will not suffice. (trust me I tried , I was in a hurry :lol: )

 

I like to line the bottom of the pot with slices of tomatoes and potatoes (thick ones). Then stack them in and top with a stoneware plate to keep flat. Then pour on top about 2c water, 3/4 c lemon juice (100%) and 1/2 c olive oil and let cook on very low till done.

 

So when am I invited over???? :laugh: Cuz now I'm hungry, even though I can't eat any of those things now :glare:.

[creekland]

Just never try the ones from a can.. that will ruin it for you.

 

I prefer those in oil (homemade). Just rice(the short type, like calrose, if you use the long grain they will bust the leaves open while cooking) and parsley, finely chopped tomatoes, mint (must be fresh, not dried, dried will make it bitter), green onions, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. 

 

For using fresh leaves (we have grapevines on the side of our house), pick the light color medium sized leaves. Skip the big dark green leaves they will be bitter and too tough. Then you will have to boil them for about 30-40 minutes. Just blanching will not suffice. (trust me I tried , I was in a hurry :lol: )

 

I like to line the bottom of the pot with slices of tomatoes and potatoes (thick ones). Then stack them in and top with a stoneware plate to keep flat. Then pour on top about 2c water, 3/4 c lemon juice (100%) and 1/2 c olive oil and let cook on very low till done.

 

So when am I invited over???? :laugh: Cuz now I'm hungry, even though I can't eat any of those things now :glare:.

 

Thanks - esp for the advice on actually boiling the fresh leaves, but the rest is quite useful and sounds tasty too.

 

As to when?  We're just starting spring here... we have to let the leaves grow just a little bit first, so maybe the middle of May?

[FaithManor]

Okay, I'm completely clueless. Do you eat the grape leaves? I've never heard of dolma either, but I am quite intrigued!

[cjzimmer1]

I love fresh dolma although I don't like the kind with mint (I think anything mint tastes yucky).  I've never tried making it but I always got it at my favorite mediterranian restaurant until it went out of business.  Recently when I was at Costco their were demoing some.  While not as good as the restaurant's, it wasn't too bad.  And a previous poster was right, don't try the stuff in a can.

[creekland]

Okay, I'm completely clueless. Do you eat the grape leaves? I've never heard of dolma either, but I am quite intrigued!

 

Yes, the whole thing is eaten and is quite tasty, but as a pp mentioned, I'll be leaving out the mint when I make mine.  I envision lamb, rice, dill, salt, and I'll check to see what else they put in those they made at school.

 

Cooked over potatoes sounds good, and there was a lemon sauce...

 

[unsinkable]

I've had them. One time, at a friend's house, they just tasted off. Then my friend's grandma said she uses grapes leaves that she's had in the freezer FOR YEARS.

 

Blech.

[poiema]

I love them! I've only had the vegetarian kind. I've never tried the ones in a can. Something about that just doesn't seem appealing.

[alisoncooks]

Wow, I've only ever had vegetarian ones... but now my eyes have been opened to a whole new world.... :D

[eternalsummer]

I love the vegan ones in a can :)

[creekland]

I've had them. One time, at a friend's house, they just tasted off. Then my friend's grandma said she uses grapes leaves that she's had in the freezer FOR YEARS.

 

Blech.

 

Note to self:  Do not freeze grape leaves for years... ;)

 

I am looking forward to trying to make some myself later this spring and summer, but it will be with fresh, young leaves...

 

[jenn-]

Now I am curious about these.  Does anyone know if muscadine grape leaves would work?  They are a wild southern grape.

[Um_2_4]

Note to self:  Do not freeze grape leaves for years... ;)

 

I am looking forward to trying to make some myself later this spring and summer, but it will be with fresh, young leaves...

 

 

My understanding is you can freeze the leaves (maybe not for a year :laugh: ) IF you boil them first. If you don't then the leaves will become bitter over time. Also many just boil then can the leaves in a pressure canner with some water.

 

Really the mint is not much. Like if I made about 100 rolls, I might use 1/2 a bunch of mint. It is really mild, but it offsets the parsley beautifully. It is really similar to tabbouleh but with rice instead of bulgar. But I never used dried mint. If I don't have fresh (I grow it) then I skip the mint in the salad or rolls.

 

The meat version is really easy. I mix rice with ground lamb (raw) and add salt, white pepper and "7 spices" (NOT the asian mix, find it in the middle eastern stores or you can use this recipe: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/23018/baharat+middle+eastern+spice+mix). Be generous with the spices, do not skimp. I line the bottom with some extra leaves and pieces of lamb meat (not ground, but like shanks). But the mixture to cover would be the same.

[KrissiK]

I think I've had that before. We have a Persian friend and she made us a Persian dinner once and we had something yummy stuffed in grape leaves. It was tangy, though.

[creekland]

My understanding is you can freeze the leaves (maybe not for a year :laugh: ) IF you boil them first. If you don't then the leaves will become bitter over time. Also many just boil then can the leaves in a pressure canner with some water.

 

Really the mint is not much. Like if I made about 100 rolls, I might use 1/2 a bunch of mint. It is really mild, but it offsets the parsley beautifully. It is really similar to tabbouleh but with rice instead of bulgar. But I never used dried mint. If I don't have fresh (I grow it) then I skip the mint in the salad or rolls.

 

The meat version is really easy. I mix rice with ground lamb (raw) and add salt, white pepper and "7 spices" (NOT the asian mix, find it in the middle eastern stores or you can use this recipe: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/23018/baharat+middle+eastern+spice+mix). Be generous with the spices, do not skimp. I line the bottom with some extra leaves and pieces of lamb meat (not ground, but like shanks). But the mixture to cover would be the same.

 

I'm going to have to play around with the stuffing I suspect.  Cinnamon and nutmeg are two I don't particularly care for either, so will likely be left out in my "home" version.  I know they weren't in those I ate.  I can sense ground lamb, rice (do you cook the rice first?), salt, pepper, and dill as a base, then will try some of the other spices in the various recipes to see which fit our tastes the best.  We do have fresh mint growing around too, so I might try a little to see how it goes.

 

Thanks for the recipe/suggestions!

 

I think I've had that before. We have a Persian friend and she made us a Persian dinner once and we had something yummy stuffed in grape leaves. It was tangy, though.

 

I suspect the "filling" on these can totally change the taste.  To me, tangy could sound good... sweet does not.  I never had a sweet tooth, nor does my youngest son (the one still at home until fall).

[stripe]

Those look great!  We have both wild grape and cultivated grape vines... any idea if there is a difference to the taste/nutrition?  And I suppose I need to figure out how to go from fresh rather than jarred.  I'd think blanching would be all that is needed.

I think so. My grandma made me stuffed cabbage leaves once or twice, and also used the swiss chard that grew behind her house. Any old green will work, I think. Cooking them helps them be pliable, especially if they're thick like cabbage is. I think stuffed vegetables of any sort are just the cutest things.  I think I ate stuffed grape leaves once as a kid and disliked them -- maybe it is the jarred leaves that's the issue. I have access to them regularly but always avoid. Hmm.

[creekland]

Ok, back at school now and I have the recipe they used that tasted really good (to me).  It's here:

 

http://www.greekinternetmarket.com/recipes/dolmades.php

 

Apparently these are called dolmades - always good to learn new words...

 

The filling had ground beef, rice, onion (sauteed in olive oil), sea salt, pepper, parsley, dill, & chicken broth.

 

The sauce had eggs, lemon juice, and corn starch.

 

The Home Ec teacher told me she usually makes them with lamb, but it was too pricey this year and many kids balk at eating lamb.

 

I plan to try them with lamb - and try a few others from this thread too.  I'll probably end up with our own "house" version, but the original from school was quite tasty.  It won't be too long before we have enough grape leaves.