August 23, 2013
A Thought for Today
"I prefer characters without culture to a culture without characters..."
Rembrandt
A Piece of My Work
The idea of an image of two protective hands holding the body of a woman came to me spontaneously last year. I did not mean to give any religious meaning.
A Recipe for Today
Dolmades
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive
oil
3 Tbsp. fennel, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ medium red onion, minced
½ cup basmati rice
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
¼ cup fresh dill, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley,
minced
1 tsp. dried mint
34 grape leaves, drained
¼ cup lemon juice
Procedure:
Heat 2 Tbsp.
oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, red onion, and
garlic and cook until soft, 3-4 min. Add rice and toast for3 min. Add cumin and
1 ½ cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
to medium-low and simmer until the rice absorbed the water, 12-15 min. Stir 1
Tbsp. oil along with dill, parsley, and mint. Let cool.
Coat bottom
of a 3-qt. saucepan with the remaining oil and 3 Tbsp. water. Cover with 4
grape leaves. Set remaining leaves on a work surface vein side up. Flatten one
leaf, remove the base part (about 1”) of thickest part of the central vein,
cross the two halves of the leave, and place 1Tbsp. of the rice mixture in the
center. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the rice filling, fold in the sides
and roll the dolma into a tight cylinder. Tuck in the ends.
Place dolmas
seam side down into the pot. Add lemon juice and ¾ cup water. Cover dolmas with
a small plate and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15-20
min. Serve cold or warm with the yogurt. Makes about 30 dolmades.
Garnish: “Tsatsiki”
1 large cucumber, peeled,
seeded and grated
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp. black pepper
