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from: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook<BR>

This is a hearty version of the ever-popular stuffed grape leaves, made slightly sweet by the addition of raisins. We like to serve it with tart plain yogurt for balance. Because these dolmas are made with raw meat and rice, they are not steamed but cooked in water to cover. <BR> YIELD: About 35 dolmas; serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer, 6 as a main dish

• 1 pound lean ground lamb
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves or 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves, crumbled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 jar (8 to 10 ounces) preserved grape Ieaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh mint (optional)

1. Make the filling: In a large bowl, gently blend the lamb, rice, onion, raisins, almonds, mint, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper. You can do this with your hands or with a fork or mixing spoon, but take care not to mash the meat.

1. Remove the grape leaves from the jar and carefully unroll the stack. Gently rinse the grape leaves with cool water and allow them to drain. Cover the bottom of the pot with 1 or 2 grape leaves. This is a good use for any leaves that tore as you removed them from the jar.

1. Make the dolmas: To stuff the grape leaves, put 1 leaf on a plate, vein side up, stem end nearest you. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on the center of the leaf and use your fingers to gently shape it into a little log, arranged horizontally across the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf in over the filling, then roll up the leaf. Place the rolled leaf, seam side down, in the bottom of the cooker. Continue to stuff and roll leaves until you run out of filling. Arrange the dolmas in neat layers in the pot. Top with the olive oil, garlic, and mint springs, if using.

1. If needed, cover the dolmas with a small, heavy, heatproof plate to keep them from unrolling during the cooking. Add water , pouring around the plate to cover. Add more water as necessary to keep the dolmas covered during the cooking time. Test for doneness, the dolmas should be tender; cook a bit longer if they are not.

1. When done, turn off the cooker and allow the leaves to cool somewhat in the liquid before removing them.

1. Serve the dolmas warm or at room temperature, with lemon juice or plain yogurt for dipping.

If you're using the regular stuffing with rice and meat, well you can stuff them with meat only (ground beef mixed with parsley and onions or you can use a meatloaf mixture). When your dolmas are ready you arrange them tightly on an oven proof-dish and lay on top some slices of tomatoes and onions + 1/2 cup of lemon juice + 1/2 cup of Olive oil and cover well. Cook in a moderate high oven for a 1/2 hour to 1 hr depending on the quantity.

• 1 jar grape leaves or 25-30 fresh grape leaves
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 c. rice
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. broad leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. lemon juice

Rinse grape leaves well in clear water. Mix, meat, tomato sauce, rice, onion, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper together. Roll 1 1/2 tablespoons of meat mixture in each leaf folding sides in as you roll. Pour lemon juice over dolmas and add water to almost cover. (Weigh down dolmas) Cover pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer about 1 hour.

• try seasoned couscous (prepared) with minced red pepper and a handful of

pignoli nuts, with or without a few currants – simmer rolled dolmas in a covered pot in fresh or canned tomato sauce (dilute if you prefer) for about an hour

• If you are using just rice, parboil the rice for 10 minutes or so, that way the dolmas won't pop.

• For a really savory Syrian taste, layer dolmas with dried apricots (sounds

strange, but it's delicious) and simmer for a while in a sauce made of prune butter (I'm not kidding) and about half as much lemon juice. this is good with rice fillings, outrageous with beef or lamb.

• 4 Large Onions (one in broth with lamb bones) chopped fine.
• 2 bunches of Parsley chopped fine.
• 4 tomatoes (Large (one in pot)) 3 chopped fine.
• 3 green peppers (one in pot) don't overpower) chopped fine.
• 3 1/2 pounds leg of lamb (Keep bone for broth) NO FAT, ground fine.2 \226 3 pounds of neck bones
• 3 - 4 large jars of grape leaves
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups rice

• Lamb bones
• Onion
• Tomato
• 1/2 green pepper
• Parsley
• Salt/pepper

1. Combine in huge pot.
2. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, drain broth through a colander into another pot and allow to cool.
3. Pick the lamb off the neck bones (that are now in the colander) once cool
4. and eat - Yummy!
5. Soak grape leaves in large pot simmer - DON'T BOIL - for 5 minutes to rinse out the brine and tenderize.
6. Pour out through colander, fill pot with COLD water and put leaves back into cool down.
7. Once cool, drain and set aside.

1. Combine meat and vegetables together and season to taste; add rice - taste for consistency.
2. Clean anything that stuck to the bottom of the first pot (Lamb parts, veggies, etc) and line bottom with five or six layers of grape leaves to prevent the good stuff from sticking.
3. Layer rolled leaves in grid pattern - packed tightly - 3/4 of the way up the pan.
4. Press them down and cover with heavy object to prevent floating while they're cooking (We use a Pyrex glass lid - it just fits).
5. Pour broth over; bring to a boil. Continue on LOW boil for 15 minutes.
6. Try one every few minutes to determine the doneness of the rice (yeah, right!).

• 2/3 cup cooked white rice
• 2 cups minced onions (about 2 medium)
• 1 tsp finely chopped mint
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tsp finely shopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1 7-oz jar brined grape leaves
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, combine rice, onions, herbs, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Put a generous tsp of filling in each leaf and roll. Place rolled leaves in a 9×13 baking dish, seam side down, a lay a few of the leftover leaves on top to keep them from unrolling. Cover with the stock to submerge, and bake for 45 minutes until the leaves are tender. Check after 30 mins and add more stock if needed.
4. Shortly before the dolmas are finished, whisk together the eggs and the lemon juice.
5. When the dolmas are done, remove from the pan and mix the hot stock into the egg/lemon mixture. Temper the eggs to make sure they don't curdle! Put the dolmas back into the pan and cover with the sauce. Let them sit for 10 minutes while the sauce thickens.

Tags: Middle Eastern, vegetarian