Dolma Vegetarian

FREE RECIPE PREVIEW

Ingredients — preview

• 2 cups of white basmati rice rinsed and soaked for at least 30 minutes
• 3 each roma tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch parsley coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation — preview

1. PREP: Soak the rice first so it'll be ready when you're done coring. Organization is key, so make sure you have a nice comfortable station whether on the counter or on a table. You'll need a big bowl for the stuffing mixture; a medium-large stock pot for cooking; and a bowl for usually discarded parts of the cored vegetables (you want to keep those).
2. ONIONS: Peel the onions. Make a slit length-wise less than halfway through — don't go through the center. Place the onions in a microwave safe bowl, then in the microwave for no more than 2 minutes. This is the fastest, most efficient way. You can also boil the onions until just a bit tender. Then immediately rush them to a cold water bath. Then carefully take the first 4 or 5 layers off each onion. Those will be for stuffing. Save the rest of the onion for the stuffing in a discard bowl.
   BELL PEPPERS: Slice the tops off. Save tops if you want to cover the stuffed pepper for visual appeal but not necessary. All you have to do is rinse the inside to make sure there are no seeds.
   TOMATOES: Slice the tops off, save, tomatoes need their hats. Remove the inside of the tomatoes carefully. Save the insides in the discard bowl, along with the remaining onion.
   EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI: Slice the tops off. [Only If you couldn't find small enough vegetables, cut them in half, too, so they are manageable.] Save the insides in the discard bowl, along with the remaining tomatoes and onions.
   GRAPE LEAVES: Delicately handle. Separate and keep in a cool water bath to rinse.
3. THE STUFFING: In a food processor, blend the Roma tomatoes, parsley, garlic, dried basil, 2 tablespoons water and the leftover vegetable scraps.
   Drain the rice well.
   Add the mixture from the food processor into the rice and mix.
   Add the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, pine nuts, currants, and olive oil to the rice. Mix.
   Add salt to taste. Mix.