Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice and Currants

Here's the recipe I used for the meatless version (although I believe I cooked mine in a crock pot.)

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice and Currants

1 jar (1 lb.) grape leaves (about 72)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
12 green onions, including tender green portions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried currants
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3/4 tsp plus a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices for garnish

Rinse the grape leaves under cold running water. Have ready a bowl filled with ice water. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the grape leaves, a few at a time, and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to cool. When all of the leaves have been blanched, drain and cut off the stems. Set aside.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the rice, green onions and pine nuts and stir until the green onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the currants, parsley, mint, dill, the 3/4 tsp. salt, the pepper and 1 cup of the water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.

Line the bottom of a heavy 4-quart saucepan with a few grape leaves. Sprinkle with the pinch of salt.

To shape the rolled grape leaves, place a leaf, smooth side down, on a work surface. Put a heaping teaspoonful of the rice mixture near the base of the leaf at the stem end. Fold the stem end and sides over the filling and roll up toward the point of the leaf, forming a little bundle. Place, seam side down, in the prepared saucepan.

Continue stuffing the grape leaves and adding them to the pan, packing them close together. When the bottom is completely covered, drizzle the layer with some of the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice.

Continue layering the stuffed grape leaves, drizzling each layer with olive oil and lemon juice, until all the filling is used. Add the remaining 1 cup water and cover the top layer with a few leaves. Invert a small heatproof plate, smaller than the circumference of the pan, directly on top of the stuffed leaves.

Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 1-1/2 hours. Check the liquid in the bottom of the pan occasionally and add water as needed so the pan doesn't dry out.

Remove from the heat and let the stuffed leaves stand in the pan to cool for about 2 hours.

Transfer the stuffed grape leaves to a platter and garnish with lemon slices. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 60 stuffed grape leaves.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, *Small Plates,* by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998).

MoP they were tasty, but never again QQQ
(12/4/06)

Read More

Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat recipe:
1 pound of anjou pears, peeled cored and chopped finely (can use apples here)
1/2 cup of dried sour cherries (dried blueberries are good too)
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup brandy or Grand Marnier
2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup of walnuts or pecans toasted and finely chopped

Put all ingredients in an airtight container and chill stirring once a day for at least 3 days. If you do a double recipe you can bake two pies staggered up to 2 weeks. I always grate the fruit zest over the bowl to get the essential oils they release.

Double crust pastry dough:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 sticks butter cold: cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup of cold shortening ( I use lard)
1/2 tsp of salt
7 to 9 tsp of ice water

Blend fats, salt and flour with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse corn meal. this can be done in a food processor in short bursts. Add ice water and stir with a fork until it just holds together in your hand, depending on the humidity you will use more or less to get to this point. Divide dough in half and on a lightly floured board, smear with the heel of your hand a few times to distribute the fats. Chill at this point if it is warming up.

Roll out half the chilled dough on a floured board and place in a 9" pan. Add filling and spread out evenly. Roll out second piece of dough and cut into 1" strips and make a lattice top for the pie. Brush with cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Place baking sheet in the oven and heat to 425°F. Place pie pan onto hot sheet, bake for 20 minutes and then lower temp to 375°F and bake for an hour. (you might want to line the baking sheet with foil, this pie tends to bubble over). When center bubbles and the crust is brown, remove and cool.

Great with a rich french vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream with a dab of vanilla paste and a tablespoon of powdered sugar or 3 in it. (Get vanilla paste at Trader Joe's.)

ZW
(12/02/06)

Read More

Asian Noodle and Vegetable Salad

This is absolutely delicious! It was taken from OrganicStyle.com magazine, which Ramona used to get.

Asian Noodle and Vegetable Salad

Sauce
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp brown sugar

Noodles: 6 ounces rice vermicelli (The kind with the black band around them.)
Note: The recipe calls for 6 bundles but 2 was plenty.

1 bunch spinach, rinsed and drained, stems trimmed
      (One bag pre-washed works well, even with the stems.)
7 tsp light olive oil
1 large egg, separated and beaten
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
8 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1-1/2 lg carrot, cut into matchsticks

Salt and pepper

Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.

Soak noodles in hot water 10 minutes; drain. Cook in a large pot of boiling water, uncovered, for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well and pat dry.

Put spinach in salted boiling water; cover and immediately remove from heat. Let sit 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze into a large ball to remove excess water. Chop into 4 thick chunks. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Tilt pan to cover with oil. Pour egg whites on one side of skillet, as for an omelet. Cook 1 minute without stirring. Remove, cover and let sit for a minute. Slice into thin strips. Repeat with yolk. Set aside.

Get a large bowl ready near the stove. Coat bottom of large nonstick skillet or wok with 1 tsp oil and heat over medium heat. Stir-fry each vegetable separately until just soft, adding 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt for each. Add a little water if it gets too dry. Transfer to bowl.

Add last tsp of oil and stir-fry noodles until just heated. Put noodles in with veggies, add sauce and lightly toss. Top with egg and serve.

J. Gayle
(12/2/06)

Read More

Burrito Meat

Burrito Meat

1 whole Chicken or large Round Steak or 1 small Beef or Pork roast
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4+ cloves of Garlic, minced or 2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Cumin
1 lb fresh or canned Tomatoes, chopped and undrained
1/2 to 1 tsp Red Pepper
2 to 4 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 large Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 large Onions, chopped
Flour

Best method: Boil the meat with salt, pepper and one of the onions, quartered, in a covered pan with enough water to just cover the meat, for 2 hours, or until it falls apart. Drain or fish out the meat, saving the broth-like water, and shred.

(My friend's "quick and dirty" method: Cube meat in small pieces. Coat in flour and brown. Add spices and enough water to cover. (You can use the water you boiled the meat in if you go that route.) Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add water as necessary.)

Add veggies, including juice from canned tomatoes if you use them. Add more water if necessary to cover. Cover and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes to an hour.

This is good in burritos, chimichungas, etc.

For chimichungas, put the meat and whatever else you like in a chimi, in a flour tortilla, roll partially, fold the ends over and finish rolling up tightly. Grease a baking pan in manteca/lard. Lay the chimis with the "flap" down in the pan. Brush lard over the chimis. Bake at 350° F until crisp. This is more flavorful than fried chimis and less mess.

Manteca/lard (pork fat) is what gives Mexican food the best flavor.

Debbi
(12/1/06)

Read More

Anita's Pear Butter

Anita's Pear Butter

I un-vented this year before last when a friend gave me 2 big boxes of pears from her tree, ready to eat *now!*

Quarter and core washed pears.

Place in crock pot on low setting, go away for a day or two, stir occasionally.

Once it is cooked down to a sauce, add what ever spices you might want. I added cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to taste. You can add cloves, too.

Place in hot jars and pressure can for 20 minutes (using the instructions your pressure canner states for canning pears).  It just doesn't get any easier than this.

Anita
(12/1/06)

Read More

Anita's Persimmon Pudding

Anita's Persimmon Pudding

Preheat oven to 350°.

2-1/4 cups Persimmon pulp 
3 eggs
3 cups sweet (whole) milk
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 cups Flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp Baking soda
1/3 tsp Nutmeg

Mix all together, it makes a thin batter. Pour into 2 loaf pans or one 9" x 9" baking pan.

Bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, 1/2 to 1 hour depending on size of pan used.  Freezes well.

Anita
(12/1/06)

Read More