1 karen mintzias
1 jar grapeleaves (or fresh)
FILLING
2 tbsp oil
1 lb ground beef or lamb
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup rice
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1 pepper to taste
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup port wine (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 cup water
1 lemon (juice only)
SAUCE
3 eggs
2 lemons (stained juice only)
1 cup hot broth
Directions
If using canned grape leaves, rinse off brine by floating leaves in a
basin of cold water. Prepare fresh vine leaves by pouring a cup of
boiling water over them in a bowl. Drain. Spread 5 or 6 leaves out
at a time on a flat surface. Lay leaf stem side up. Snip off stem
with kitchen shears.
MAKE FILLING: Heat oil in large frying pan. Fry meat, onions and
garlic on medium heat for 5 minutes, mixing it as it cooks. Add water
and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to
simmer and cook 10 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside until
cool enough to handle. Put 1 teaspoon of filling near stem. Bring
left side of leaf towards center, then bring right side towards
center. They will not always meet. Pick up stem end of leaf, tucking
in the filling. Roll away from you. It will be an oblong roll like a
sausage.
Line the bottom of a large skillet with 4 leaves. Place each roll so
that the tucked under end is on the bottom. Arrange each roll snugly,
one next to the other, until all the leaves (except 3), and filling
are gone. Place these leaves flat on top of rolls. Place a flat dish
on top of rolls also to prevent their unravelling during cooking.
Add water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to
simmer and cook 45 minutes. When done, remove pot from fire. Make
Egg and Lemon Sauce and add to broth immediately or serve without
sauce either cold as an appetizer or as a hot entree.
EGG AND LEMON SAUCE: Beat eggs until thick and light yellow, at least
5 minutes, with an electric beater or 10 to 15 minutes by hand. Add
juice slowly, beating all the while. Mix 1 cup hot broth into beaten
eggs, stirring it in quickly with spoon (or wire whisk) so heat will
not curdle the eggs. Cook over very low heat until thickened.
From: "The Complete Greek Cookbook" by Theresa Karas Yianilos. Avenel
Books, New York.
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
Servings: 60 servings
Byzantine Dolmathes (Stuffed Grapeleaves) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Fruit
The History of Recipes
We are able to trace the history of meal recipes back into distant history, certainly as far as pharonic Egypt, and maybe even further. However, mostly, these early records were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for preparing meals.
The truth of the matter is, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to academics is a collection of tablets in Sumerian which recount the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making those who drank it feel `exhilarated, wonderful and blissful`. As we move into Roman times 25BC a Roman scholar, called Apicius, assembled some scrolls detailing recipes prepared by wealthy Romans. In his works, Apicius recounts how the meals of wealthy Romans were divided into hors d`oeuvre, main course and desserts, known in latin as `Gustatio, Primae Mensae and Secundae Mensae`. Aspicius also tells us how the cooks of Roman times made use of a good variety of aromatic flavours, including a few that are still present in modern kitchens for example basil, rue and parsley. Later, in the fifteenth century, knights returning from the crusades brought us a variety of foods and spices from middle-east cuisine, including spices such as basil and rosemary. These new herbs and spices prompted an increase in cookery books, some of which still exist in academic collections. During the next few centuries, the wealthy families of Europe competed to lay on the most extravagent meals, and because of this chefs and their collection of recipes were at a premium. Even so, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century the formal cooking and recipe publications really came of age. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and Fannie Farmer in the US, dedicated the best years of their lives to collecting, trying out, and recording recipes of the day. By the advent of the 20th century, recipe publications are highly popular as a result of higher levels of literacy, leisure time and having more disposable income. |
We hope you enjoy this Byzantine Dolmathes (Stuffed Grapeleaves) recipe.
