Dolmas to loft the Winter Doldrums

One of my promises for 2013 is to cook more with my grand-daughter, to expand her taste further and instill her with a sense of confidence around trial, error, and creation. The kitchen is a great place to practice and today, in the cloudy, cold, rainy afternoon, we made dolmas.

Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) and Lentil Spinach Soup

In the previous post, I offered a recipe for Lentil Kale Soup. I just substituted spinach this afternoon. DA complained that the food was too spicy, so I served Greek yogurt on the side. This was a light and filling meal and fun to make.

Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

1 jar of grape leaves
2 cups of cooked rice (I choose brown short grain)
1/2 cup cooked yellow lentils
1/2 diced onion
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional, yet fantastic)

Remove the grape leaves from the jar and place in a dish of clear water to rinse off the brine. Save broken or damaged leaves to line the bottom of the baking pan.

Mix the remaining ingredients.

Place the grape leaf with the stem toward the you. Scoop a spoonful of filling near the stem end. Fold the right side over, then the left. Roll the leaf away from your body so that the point is at the finish. Place the roll (dolma) point side down and continue.

Place the broken leaves in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the dolmas in the dish as close together as possible. Stacking is fine. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

YUM!