Dolmades With Yogurt Mint Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Place pepper directly on the trivet of a gas-stove burner over high heat. As each section turns puffy and black, turn pepper with tongs. (If you don't have a gas stove, place pepper on a baking pan, and broil, turning as each side chars.) Transfer pepper to a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let sweat until it is cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a work surface. Peel off and discard blackened skin. Cut pepper into 1/4-inch dice, discarding seeds and inner membranes; transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook until onion is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with red pepper. Add cooked brown rice, currants, parsley, zest, and all but 1 tablespoon lemon juice; stir to combine.
• Remove stem from a rinsed vine leaf; lay leaf on work surface. Place 1 tablespoon filling at stem end; roll leaf tightly, tucking in ends. Repeat until all filling is used.
• Line an 8-inch saucepan with remaining leaves; arrange stuffed leaves, seam side down, in pan. They may be stacked in 2 layers. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon olive oil and remaining tablespoon lemon juice. Add enough water to the pan to just cover stuffed leaves; weight leaves for cooking with a kitchen plate or a lid smaller than the diameter of the pan.
• Place saucepan over high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; allow to simmer gently until leaves are tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer stuffed leaves to a serving platter, and allow to cool. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Steps:

• FOR GRAPE LEAVES:
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute until very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add rice and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups broth and currants.
• Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer to bowl.
• Mix in nuts, parsley and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cool completely.
• (Can be made I day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Place grape leaves in bowl.
• Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes.
• Drain.
• (Cut off stems.
• Arrange 1 leaf veined side up on work surface. Place 1 rounded Tbsp of rice filling on stem end, leaving 1/2-inch border.
• Fold 2 short sides over rice, then roll up starting at stem end.
• Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
• Place seam in side down in 2 heavy 12-inch skillets.
• Divide remaining 3 Tbsp oil and 2 cups broth between skillets.
• Cover; simmer over medium-low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• Uncover and let rolls cool.
• Transfer to platter.
• Cover and chill.
• (Can be made 1 day ahead.) FOR SAUCE: Combine yogurt, mint, and garlic in small bowl.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place grape leaf rolls on platter and garnish with lemon.
• Serve with sauce. These rice-filled grape leaves are a classic Greek appetizer.

Steps:

• For grape leaves:
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add rice and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups broth and currants. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Mix in nuts, parsley and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Place grape leaves in bowl. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain. Cut off stems. Arrange 1 leaf veined side up on work surface. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of rice filling on stem end. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Place seam side down in 2 heavy 12-inch skillets. Divide remaining 3 tablespoons oil and 2 cups broth between skillets. Cover; simmer over medium-low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Uncover and let rolls cool. Transfer to platter. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
• For sauce:
• Combine yogurt, mint and garlic in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place grape leaf rolls on platter and garnish with lemon. Serve with sauce.

Steps:

• For pine nut dolmades:
• Place tomatoes with their juice in large bowl. Add next 7 ingredients and mix to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rinse grape leaves under cold water. Drain. Cover bottom of heavy large Dutch oven with grape leaves (about 6). Place 1 grape leaf on work surface, vein side up; cut off stem. Place about 1 tablespoon rice mixture in center of leaf toward stem end. Fold sides over filling. Starting at stem end of leaf, roll up tightly as for egg roll. Place in Dutch oven, seam side down. Repeat with more leaves and rice mixture, layering dolmades when bottom of pot is filled.
• Pour lemon juice over dolmades. Cover with grape leaves (about 6). Add enough water to pot so that dolmades are almost covered. Place heatproof plate atop dolmades to weigh down. Cover pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until rice is tender almost all liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
• Remove from heat; uncover. Allow dolmades to cool in pot. Drain any liquid remaining in pot. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead, Cover and chill.) Arrange dolmades on platter. Serve with Yogurt-Feta dip.
• Yogurt-Feta dip:
• Place all ingredients in processor and puree until almost smooth. Season with pepper. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
• Mix yogurt, crushed garlic, salt, and mint leaves together in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very creamy.
• Pour the warm sauce over the prepared pasta and toss.