American Idol-ma: The Search for Super Grapeleaves

Shh...this is the ultimate secret recipe. It's one of those recipes that's passed down to only those deemed worthy in the next generation. One of those recipes that everyone and their grandma claims to have the best recipe for. But here's the real secret....

Our recipe really is the best.

As an all-American kid, I hated a lot of the food I grew up eating. I would've preferred hot dogs over this dish any day. I'd see that greenish-brown leathery texture and gag at the thought of putting a dolma in my mouth. Only when I started to cook it myself did I gain an appreciation for it.

The first time I learned to make this was, of course, with my mom. We'd work to meticulously roll up each dolma and gently lay it into the pot, and she'd work even more meticulously to monitor that I wasn't messing up. There's nothing like a half-hearted "it's okay" followed by "just do it right next time" to motivate you to roll to such perfection that a newborn baby would be jealous of that swaddling. And yes, I did eventually get the "not bad" stamp of approval.

Actually, all of my culinary passions started in the kitchen with my mom and her cooking, and although she'd never believe me, I still think her dishes are far superior to any of mine. We argue back and forth about it constantly, but I am standing firm. Because of all people, she got me to like this dish. And not just like it, but absolutely love it and crave it constantly for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She'd never push me to eat it as a kid since it was typically made for big family meals where plenty of other "better" dishes were available. But cooking it with her in my teens actually pushed me to try it and realize what a heavenly mouth-bomb of flavor I've been missing out on.

Shortly after, I took this dish with me to college...figuratively. One of my first few Shabbat dinners in Boston, I made this for my best friend/ex-roommate/fellow foodie in our tiny apartment kitchen. Using an electric stove. With no counter space. And a cheap pot with no lid. And it still tasted just as nostalgic and delicious.

Dolma became one of my best friend's absolute favorite dishes from my culture. And when I say favorite, I mean favorite. She once raced to demolish it all right out of the pot before I could offer any leftovers for a friend to take home. Honestly, she is the one who made me gain more of an appreciation for my cultural dishes. She ate it with such enthusiasm and listened so attentively to every story of how each dish connected to my life, and so I grew to have this deep fondness for my roots and culinary traditions that I take with me to this day.

So Angela, this recipe is for you. I doubt you'll make it. You'll likely just ask me to make it for you. But either way, thank you for the inspiration.

And to my mom, I'm sorry. The secret is out.

Mom's Addictive Dolma

(They're grrrrrrape...leaves)

Ingredients

Serves 2-3 people

Filling

• 1 lb ground veal

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1/4 c short grain rice, half cooked

• 1 medium yellow onion (or 2 small), finely chopped or grinded

• Two bunches of mint leaves, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 4 black tea bags steeped in 1/2 c of hot water, cooled

• 1/4 c sparkling water

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 tbsp ground paprika

• 1 tsp vegeta or all purpose seasoning

• 1 tsp adobo seasoning

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Grape leaves

• 1 jar of grape leaves

• 1 zucchini, thickly sliced

• 1 bell pepper, thickly sliced

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 2 c water

• Whole cilantro, dill, and parsley

Steps

Make the Filling

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the filling.

2. Take a handful of the filling, lift it over the bowl, and slam it back into the bowl. Repeat this process around 10 times to incorporate air into the filling. Set aside.

3. If you want to test for salt: grab a teaspoon amount of the filling and cook it quickly in a frying pan. Taste and add salt if needed.

Prepare the Grapeleaves

1. Remove the Grapeleaves from the jar and place into a pot.

2. Pour boiling water over it and let it sit for a minute or so.

3. Strain the grape leaves in a colander, rinse under cold water, and then set it aside to keep draining any the excess water.

4. Grab a pot (something like this or this is fine) and line the bottom it with the zucchini and bell pepper to create a flat layer for the grape leaves.

Rolling Process

1. At this point, grab a cutting board and a paring knife. Keep the pot next to you.

2. Lay the grape leaf flat onto a cutting board so the rough side is facing up and the stem is close to you.

3. If the leaf has a small stem at the bottom, just cut it off.

4. Add a teaspoon of filling on the bottom of the leaf.

5. Roll it almost like you would a burrito--grab the right and left side of the leaf and bring it to the center. Then, begin to roll forward and make sure to keep it fairly tight to the filling. Add to the pot by laying it lengthwise along the wall and then moving towards the center (like a tight spiral).

6. If there are a few rips on the sides of the leaves, it's alright. If it looks completely ripped, set it aside on a plate and grab another one.

7. Continue until all leaves are done and the pot is filled.

8. Cover the top layer of grape leaves with all the discarded leaves that you couldn't use.

Cook the Grapeleaves

1. Add the whole cilantro, dill, and parsley on top.

2. Mix water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oil. Pour into the pot. If necessary, add more water to the pot until the liquid just touches the top layer.

3. Grab a small plate (or some kind of weight that fits the pot and covers the leaves) and cover the leaves. You want it just slightly smaller (definitely not like a bread plate).

4. Set on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower it to low/sim so that there are still a few bubbles coming up. Cover with a lid and cook for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

5. When cooked, remove the plate and and top leaves/herbs. Serve and enjoy (or eat it out of the pot like Angela does)!

You can definitely squeeze more fresh lemon on top. I do, but I know a lot of people don't like it too sour so just add to your preference. We also use chicken broth instead of water or add a piece of lamb shoulder or beef chuck when you put the zucchini/bell pepper layer. Get creative and most importantly, have fun!

Substitution Suggestions

Vegan: Can use your favorite vegan meat substitute, but I don't recommend that. Instead make it with 2 cups of rice or substitute the meat for ground mushrooms. If you're going to make it with rice only, you can add 1/4 c of golden raisins into the pot for a little sweetness!

Vegetarian: See above,

Gluten-Free: This dish is gluten-free.

Dairy-Free: This dish is dairy-free.

Kosher: This dish is kosher.

Halal: This dish is halal.

No Grapeleaves: Can use parboiled swiss chard or collard greens (same preparation as I did with the grape leaves).

No Veal: Even though it's not common, you can use ground pork or ground dark meat chicken. Lamb is also a great substitute that we have done many times.

No Beef: Any fatty meat works. Lamb works great as a substitute. If you have the veal, you can also use just 1/2 c of mushrooms.

No Rice: Try 1/4 c finely chopped mushrooms or 1/4 c cauliflower rice.

No Onions: Use 2-3 shallots, 4 green onions, or 1 leeks.

No Mint: Triple the amount of fresh parsley and cilantro in the recipe.

No Tea: Best to just omit it completely if you don't have any black tea.

No Sparkling Water: Add 1/4 tsp baking soda to the filling.

No Vegeta: Use 1/4 tsp of turmeric and a bouillon cube.

No Parsley, Cilantro, or Dill: For the filling, add the same portion of chopped arugula. Instead of adding anything on top of the leaves, you can just omit it entirely then.

No Zucchini or Bell Pepper: We've used eggplants, carrots, squash, celery root, and parsnip, and they all worked well. Zucchini and Bell Pepper is the best combination though.

Any other substitutions you'd like? What was your first grape leaves tasting experience like? Is it like Angela's or mine? Let me know below!