# Greek Dolmades - Grape Leaves Filled With Pinenuts & Rice



## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

DOLMADES.jpeg




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margcata


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Aug 27, 2012








Greek Dolmades stuffed with herbed rice & pinenuts, & served with Avgolemono.

Photo Courtesy: Hellenic Foreign Trade Ministry of Tourism

Photographer: Vassilis Stenos - For Serving on Skewers with lemon and the Avgolemono on side.

Our lunch on Monday August 27th, 2012 ...

Greek Dolmades served with Avgolemono - Yield: 5 dozen approx.

1 Jar 460 grams or 16 ounces of Grape Leaves in Brine or one half pound or 225 grams of Fresh Grape Leaves

120 Ml. plus 2 tablespoons Evoo

6 onions of choice or shallot minced very finely

3 scallions minced finely

2 chive herb snipped very finely

2 garlic cloves minced finely

1 cup or 200 grams Long grain Greek Rice

1 1/2 cups of : herbs dill, fennel, mint, a handful of pinenuts and parsley herb fresh minced very finely

salt and black pepper freshly ground

water

2 juiced lemons in a bowl

Strained Greek Yogurt Served On Side - optional

1. rinse the grape leaves well and blanch in salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and shock in ice water and drain thoroughly

2. sauté the onions, scallions, or shallot over low heat in Evoo until tender and very lightly caramelized.

3. Mix in the garlic cloves minced and let sauté a few mins. until tender, and add rice and stir 5 mins. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper groundand add 500 Ml. water and cover and simmer until rice is softened however, not cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed.

4. remove from stove, and let cool. When the rice is completely cooled, add the fennel, dill, pinenuts, parsley, chives snipped, mint and 2 tbslps of Evoo, salt and pepper to taste.

5. sort the grape leaves and place wripped or unusables on bottom of the Dutch Oven or Casserole with enough to cover the bottom surface.

6. Snip any hard stems from leaves prior to using.

7. place the leaves vein side up, in rows on a work surface

8. take about 1 tsp. at a time of the rice filling and place it in centre bottom of each leaf

9. Firstly, fold up the bottom portion of each leaf and then tuck in the sides, and roll upwards to close them

10. put each dolma at a time, seam side down on the bottom of a very wide pot

11. they should fit snuggly - one next to the other in one or two layers

12. carefully cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the circumference of the pot and place it snuggly over the dolmades in the pot, and place a plate over the parchment to keep the rolled leaves in place

13. cover the pot, and bring to simmer on low to medium heat and reduce to low heat in 1/2 hour and simmer until leaves are tender and the rice is cooked.

SERVE WITH: Pita, Avgolemono or Greek Yogurt or Tzatziki and a nice Sparkling white wine, Beer or Rosé ...

Recipe for Avgolemono

2 or 3 eggs at room temperature

2 large lemons juiced and strained

1 1/2 cups of hot pan juices of broth from the Dolmades

1. whisk eggs until pale in color and foamy - 3 minutes

2. whisking steadily without a stop, gradually drizzle in the Lemon Juice

3. using a large spoon, very slowly spoon in the pan juices from the Dolmades or broth and beat all the time doing this & combine with the egg mixture

4. pour the avgolemono into a pot, and simmer so that the sauce shall thicken

5. take off stove and serve on side of the dolmades

Enjoy, Ciao.

Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

margcata said:


> DOLMADES.jpeg
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Is there a difference between Long Grain Greek Rice and Basmati?
Dill, fennel, mint, pinenuts and parsley: I assume that it's 1.5C TOTAL for that combination of herbs?
Greek yogurt: I've made my own high fat yogurt using 3C half-and-half mixed with 2C cows' milk. Fat content is high and the product is thick. Okay with this recipe?
Best,

-T


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Kokopuffs,

1st Question:

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/basmati

Basmati is a long thin aromatic rice, which originally has been cultivated in India and Pakistan.

Personally, I am more veered toward the classic recipes of Greece and thus employ, Greek long grain imported to Italia and Spain.

Best regards.

Margaux.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Kokopuffs,

Question 2: Yes, 1 1/2 cups of the herbs listed in recipe and pinenuts.

Question 3: Since the Greek Yogurt is optional, I believe a Tzatziki would work with your thick homemade Yogurt.

Tzatziki Recipe:

450 ml. Greek yogurt

1 peeled cucumber

3 cloves of garlic minced

fresh dill or mint 1 1/2 tablesp.

Evoo 3 tblsps.

red wine vinegar or lemon juice 1 1/2 tblsp.

salt to taste

Deseed cucumber and grate coarsely.

Squeeze out the excess moisture.

Mix with Yogurt and add the garlic, dill, Evoo lemon or vinegar and salt.

Combine well and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Yield - 2 cups

Hope this assists.

Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Uncertain if I've ever seen Greek rice for sale here in America.  Is it a short, thick grained rice like arborio from Italy?  And the stuff of Spain??


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

It is best to use a Long Grain regular North American grown rice. I believe there is a manufacturer called Carolina. They produce a long grain rice which is suitable for dolmades. 

I have never employed Valencian or Italian short round grain rice in my dolmades.  

*** Short Grain Rice Types & Best Uses for Classic Rice Dishes:

Italian Arborio is for Risottos.

Valencian Arborio is for Paella.

Arborio is a short and round grain  rice.

Arroz Abanda ( signifies Served in two parts ) is a Castellón Province, north of Valencia, short grain rice used in Arroces, shellfish and seafood rices.

Ciao.

Margaux Cintrano.


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## souvlaki (Aug 23, 2012)

A very good recipe on dolmades and I am crazy about the way they served it. 

Homemade yogurt is fine to be served with this dish, as I almost never buy yogurt from the market, I always make it at home. 

If you want to make it thicker add 3 tablespoons Creme Fresh tin the milk together with the yogurt that you kept from the previus yogurt you made.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Souvlaki, Buonasera,

Thanks for the excellent tip on the Yogurt. Normally we enjoy my dolmades with Avgolemono.

Kindest regards, Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

So the Tzatziki is served as a side to the dolmas?  (I'm a really focused person btw!!!)


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Kokopuffs,

Yes Tzatziki is a side dip ... and / or you can prepare a classic Greek Lemon Sauce Avgloemono as in thread number 1 ...

May I ask, where is Waycross near the Okefenokee ? 

Have lovely evening.

Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Southeast Georgia, USA, just north of the Florida border at the very east side, near north of what I call the squiggle.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Koko,

My older daughter resides in Saint Augustine, Florida, and I have been in Europe since 1992, and my younger daughter as well.

I am very fond of Savannah ... Lovely enchanting and picturesque small town.

Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Here we run dawgs and hawgs with the finest ham coming from the male (oxymoron????) boar.   Otherwise it's a sow that's to be taken.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Koko,

Boar:  Very popular in the interiors of Spain and utilised in Charcuterie and Sausage making or winter Stews. Delicious and considered a delicacy here.

Are the hogs from your specific region, acorn fed like in Huelva, Andalusia, Spain ?  and is the Ham that they produce, air dried ?

Interesting exchange.

Margaux.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Aw hell.  They're wild and hunted.  Over here it's the Mangalitsa Pig that I'd like to get for its fat.  But somewhere I read that it's in Spain that the best ham cometh.  I'd really like to get a Mangalitsa for the fat for I'm into pates and tartes and fish(cod) and chips.  Its fat seems to rule.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Koko,

The finest air dried ham is from the Designation of Origin, Jabugo, Huelva in southwest Spain in Andalusia. It is nick named Pata Negra which is Black Foot.

It is carved on a special wooden Ham Slicer, and  these black Hogs eat naturally, and about 50 kilos a day of Bellotas, or acorns.

Boars are wild and hunting season begins in early autumn or October.

Then, there is a more mass market  Spanish Ham called Serrano Ham and one lesser known however, lovely semi sweet, called Teruel ...

Thanks for all the information.

Margaux.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Koko,

To get back on track, have you ever prepared dolmades before ?

Best regards.

Marge.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Never!


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Koko,

Dolmades are an ancient Greek Meze or Appetiser / Antipasti, and are absolutely lovely for an appetiser or starter. I do not know anyone who dislikes Domades.

The grape leaves can be purchased in most major cities and online.

They would pair lovely with your home made Yogurt / Tzatziki ( recipe posted a few posts above ).

Have lovely labor day.

Marge.


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