30 June 2007

Royal Foodie Joust




















Jenn from Leftover Queen  has such great ideas. She has started a Foodie Event "The Royal Foodie Joust". Look under the Food Blog Roll to the right you can find her site, where you will find her forum and enter. I decided to rise to the challenge and enter the joust with my "Dolmas Salad". The 3 ingredients this month were nuts, dried fruit and cheese. There are some other really great entries in the forum. Let the games begin!!!

Photo was taken from a walk along the caldera a few short steps from our hotel on the island of Santorini in the town of Firostefani.

**Dolmas Salad**
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and pale parts only)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-1/2 cups long grain rice
  • 2-1/2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup sliced preserved grape leaves (reserve 1/4 cup brine)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 cup grated feta cheese
  • 1 lemon, rinsed and quartered
1. In a 4 - 6 quart pan over medium heat, stir pine nuts and 1/4 cup green onions in oil until nuts brown and onions are limp, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in rice, chicken broth, grape leaves and reserved 1/4 cup brine, lemon juice, raisins, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender to bite, 30 - 35 minutes.
3. Fluff rice mixture with a fork, stir in parsley, dill, and remaining 1/4 cup green onions. Allow to cool a little, Mix in feta cheese.
4. Mound salad on a platter and garnish with lemon quarters if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 - 6 servings
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2 comments:

  1. Sounds good!
    But here I go asking questions again and showing my ignorance!
    What are grape leaves?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Holler,

    Here in the valley we can get fresh grape leaves from the grape vines in the vineyards. We are a prime Canadian wine producing district. At the grocers you can buy grape leaves in jars that have been brined. You have to soak them for a few hours to get rid of the really salty flavour, but they are good too. I suppose it is a Greek thing, so, if you have a Meditteranean market or anything like that you would be able to find them. I use them to make dolmades which are grape leaves stuffed with rice and other flavourings.

    ReplyDelete

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