Dolmathakia me Kima: Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat and Rice

Source

bob-the-cook: These bundles of meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves are a favorite dish in
Greece. The name comes from the Turkish word “dolma” meaning “stuffed;” “aki”
means “little one,” so a dolmathakia is literally a “little stuffed” wrap. You will find them
as part of a meze platter, alongside a Greek salad, and served as a side dish.
***
**Ingredients**
* 8 cups of water
* 3 lemons
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* One 16-ounce jar fresh small grape leaves in brine (about 70 leaves)
* 1 cup uncooked short-grain rice
* 2 medium-large onions, finely chopped
* 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 2 pounds lean ground beef or lamb (or a mixture of both)
* 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 cups of water
**Ingredients**
**Blanch the Grape Leaves**
1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, and add the juice of 1/2 lemon
and the salt. Carefully unroll the leaves (do not separate them). Turn off the
heat and place leaves in the hot water for 3 minutes.
2. Remove leaves and place them in a bowl and cover with cold water. When
cooled, drain in a colander. It is not unusual for many of the outer leaves in the
jar to be damaged or to tear while using. Set these aside to use later in the recipe.
**Prepare the Filling**
1. Soak the rice for 10 minutes in hot water and drain. (Alternatively, sauté the
rice with the onion.) Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent,
not browned.
2. In a bowl, combine the onions, ground beef, rice, remaining olive oil, dill, mint,
juice of 1 lemon, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
**Filling and Rolling the Leaves**
1. Gently separate one leaf and place it shiny-side down on a work surface. Place
a pinch (up to a teaspoon) of the filling on the leaf at the point where the stem joined
the leaf.
2. Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then each side inward in parallel folds,
and roll up the leaf. The roll should be firm, not tight, as the filling will expand during
cooking. Repeat until all the filling has been used.
**Cooking the Stuffed Grape Leaves**
1. Because the leaves on the bottom can burn while the filling cooks, put a plate or
wooden souvlaki skewers in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot (see tip below).
The plate should fit snugly in the pot.
2. If there are unused leaves or leaves that were torn and not used during the filling
process, put them on the plate or on top of the skewers. Place the dolmathakia on top,
packing them closely together (not squashed), seam side down, so they don’t unroll
during cooking. Layer them until all are in the pot (2 to 3 layers are best, but no more
than 4 layers). Place several unused leaves over the top.
3. Take another plate and place it upside down on top of the dolmathakia, using something
to weigh it down (a second plate works well). Add the 2 cups of water to the pot and cover.
Bring the water to a gentle boil, add the remaining juice from the 1 1/2 lemons, reduce heat
to low and simmer for approximately 50 to 70 minutes. Check to see if done–if the rice has
cooked, they are done. If not, continue cooking for another 10 minutes and check again.
Cooking time depends both on the type of pot used and the particular stovetop heating element.
4. If preferred, you can use a pressure cooker. No plates are needed but do use the skewers
in the bottom. Pack the dolmathakia into the pressure cooker, add the 2 cups of water, close
and cook for 15 to 20 minutes at the first pressure mark.
**Serving**
Individual servings of dolmathakia are 4 to 5 pieces on small plates as an appetizer; however,
they can also be eaten as a side or main dish (especially when larger leaves are used). Serve
dolmathakia warm or at room temperature with avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce), lemon wedges,
tzatziki or plain yogurt on the side.
***
This Recipe Is Published [__Here__] ( https://www.thespruce.com/stuffed-grape-leaves-1705227)
jelsomino: As a person who eats/makes dolmatha all my life I should say that first step is unnecessary. Pickled grape leaves can be carefully unwrapped straight from the jar and used right away. Blanching them just wash away the flavor