Spiced Lamb Dolmas

By kallen2302

Stuffed grape leaves, called dolmas, are one of our favorite appetizers, and we love them cold, packed for lunch boxes or picnics. We often see them featured on cold assorted salad plates in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants, and they are also sold in many delicatessens, as well as canned. But once you have made your own, you will not want to buy ready-made! If you are lucky enough to have your own grapevine, just blanch the leaves for a minute or two in salted water before using them. Most of us though, have to buy our grape leaves for stuffing - they are sold in jars, packed in brine. This recipe makes enough filling for about half a jar of grape leaves; if you have a large slow cooker and want to make more, just double the filling recipe. (You can put the unused leaves back into the jar and fill it with salt water. They will keep for several weeks.) The slow cooker makes dolmas perfectly. We find the cleanup is easier than on the stove, and it is easy to monitor them while they are cooking because of the slow cooker's glass lid.

0 Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main dish
COOKER: Medium or large round or oval
SETTING AND COOK TIME: HIGH for 2 to 3 hours

Ingredients

• One 1-pound jar grape leaves, or about 30 fresh grape leaves blanched in salt water and drained
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium-large onion)
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1/2 pound lean ground lamb
• 3/4 cup grated carrot (1 large carrot)
• 3/4 cup converted rice
• 3 tablespoons dried currants
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 1 cup plain yogurt, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Drain the jarred grape leaves, carefully remove them from the jar, and rinse under cold running water. Set aside in a colander to drain.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the almonds and continue to cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the lamb, carrot, rice, cur- runta, mint, paraloy, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and pepper to the bowl and mix gently with a fork to combine without mashing the meat .
3. Before you begin stuffing the grape leaves, line the bottom of the slow cooker with a few of the torn leaves.
4. To stuff the leaves, place a perfect leaf, shiny side down, rib side up, on your work surface. Trim off the stem, if there is one. Depending on the size of the leaf, place 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of the leaf. Shape it into a little log, running side to side across the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf in, as you would to make an envelope, and roll up the leaf jellyroll fashion to make a small, plump cylinder. Don't roll it too tightly; the rice will expand as it cooks. If you have any tears, snip off a lobe and patch it from the inside. Place the stuffed leaf in the slow cooker, making sure the loose end is tucked firmly underneath the roll. Continue to stuff leaves until you run out of filling, stacking them in the crock as you go. Stack them close, side by side, but don't jam them in. Make as many layers as necessary.
5. Gently pour the water over the dolmas. When you press gently on the top layer, the water should almost cover the top layer of dolmas. If it doesn't, add more water. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dolmas. Place a small, heatproof plate over them to keep them in place and put the lid on the cooker. Cook on HIGH until the rice is cooked through but not mushy, 2 to 3 hours. You will have to cut into a dolma in the center of the cooker to check.
6. Let the dolmas cool, uncovered, in their liquid. Remove them from the liquid and serve just slightly warm or at room temperature. If not serving right away, refrigerate them. Serve with yogurt for dipping, if desired. They will keep, tightly covered, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.