Friday, May 08, 2009

More Food and Blogging

Another episode of this blog's nod to blogs and good food.

I asked several bloggers, to send me recipes; preferably easy to prepare, common ingredients, ethnic etc. In addition if I print the recipe, I'll plug your blog. Send recipes to me at the email address at my profile. I was going to print them all in one post, but I acquired too many. Political agreement doesn't matter. Atleast every month I'll continue this series. Leave comments about food, the blog, restaraunts etc. Everyone who sent recipes, will eventually have them published. I'm going in random order.

Who'd expect this revolutionary socialist to plug a recipe and blog of a Christian conservative? Nanc has two blogs, one is It's Curtains For You..., and the apolitical OH BOO" moments.... During a certain bitter political clash I was involved in, where I was attacked personally, Nanc stood up for me. Nanc is a good cook, except for anything involving tea bags.

Now The Main Event

Poor People's Dolma (vegetarian)



1. prepare and set aside one-two cups cooked brown rice (be sure to salt water)
2. chop one small onion and set aside
3. chop one cup of whatever type mushrooms you'd like

in a skillet, saute in two tablespoons of olive oil #2 and #3 ingredients - just before they turn brown, add a quarter cup of raisins and a quarter cup of craisins (cranberry raisins) - as they're about to plump, add your prepared rice and you may now add some garlic powder and cayenne to taste - mix well, turn off heat and cover.

ahhhhhhh, the grape leaves - you can buy them prepared in a jar - take about 20 of them and layer them out flat on paper towels to soak up the liquid on them. in the middle of each leaf place approximately one quarter cup of the cooked mixture or less depending upon the size of each leaf. fold two sides toward the middle and then roll one end over and continue to roll up until it looks like a short green eggroll.

make as many as you have grape leaves and mixture.

place these fold side down into a shallow baking dish and drizzle with a mixture of a half cup of your favorite vinaigrette and a quarter cup fresh lemon juice. place into 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. remove from oven and eat warm or place into sealed container in the refrigerator and have as a cool appetizer - me, if i eat all 20 - i call it a meal!

if you're wondering why i call this "poor people's dolma" it's because true dolma is made with bulghur, lamb and currant filling
.

RENEGADE EYE

17 comments:

nanc said...

now why would this anger me? i only know two ways to prepare tea - sweet and unsweet! i've never claimed to be sweet...oh boo...

thankx 4 the compliments, i think...

SecondComingOfBast said...

Looks like a great recipe. I've never eaten grape leaves, thus anything made with them, but I've been seeing things calling for that pop up here and there and would like to try it. I don't know where I could find them though in south central Kentucky, probably have to go to Lexington.

This looks like something that would go over good in a Greek or similar ethnic type, Mediterranean restaurant.

nanc said...

you can purchase them in a jar at almost any grocery store. dolma are greek. my dolma are hick.

SecondComingOfBast said...

Thanks, I'll check into that. They might even have them in Berea, which is considerably closer to where I live.

About the tea and sweet versus not sweet, I find that about one-third cup of sugar to the gallon makes it just about perfect. Not at all too sweet, just enough to add something extra. Sugar is funny, once you get used to less of it, it goes further.

The best tea I ever drunk in my life was at a little place called the Fox and The Pheasant. It had no sugar at all. I never imagined iced tea could taste so good without sugar. I've been trying to replicate it ever since. The key I think is how long you let it boil and how much time after you let it steep on low heat, preferably while covered.

jams o donnell said...

That looks very tasty Nanc. I think the not-wife and I will be tryign that. it's been a while since we made Dolmas

Thanks for posting this one Ren

nanc said...

when i was young and would be home from school with my mother, we'd play canasta and drink straight iced tea - the best moments i remember with my mother. sugar ruins tea.

SecondComingOfBast said...

Most people here in America are just used to tea, I guess. Most people that use it tend to really overdo it. Most people put a half cup or even a whole cup of sugar to the gallon, or even to less than that. When somebody tells me I don't put enough sugar in my tea, I ask them what do you want, tea or syrup? Too much is sickening.

You're right though, if you know how to make it, unsweetened tea can be great.

Frank Partisan said...

Nanc: I have a funny sense of humor.

That sure is a good recipe. It gets good reviews I'm sure.

Pagan: Tea issues have to be directed to UK bloggers. You need to go there for tea.

Jams: Dolma is real cooking. It sure beats the scrambled eggs I had for supper.

Nevin said...

It sounds wonderful and quite tasty.... Thank you for this interesting receipe...

But nothing can be as good as my mothers mince meat rapped in grape leafs... Her dolma is to die for.... :)

nanc said...

my great aunt used to make minced meat the old fashioned way and i loved it until i found out it was made with venison!

tony said...

MY SUNDAY LUNCH IN YORKSHIRE is now Sorted!
Have A Fine Weekend Sir.

Frank Partisan said...

Nevin: Your recipe will be posted soon.

Minced meat sounds great.

Nanc: I never ate venison on my life.

Tony: Sir is my father.

All the best.

SecondComingOfBast said...

I only ate mincemeat once in my life, and it was crap, so that kind of ruined any desire for it. It was canned mincemeat from a store, and it was awful. I think the liquor flavor might have been artificial. Too strong and sickening sweet.

Frank Partisan said...

I would buy it in a bakery or deli.

nanc said...

o.t. - roxana to be freed. thought you might like to know.

Anonymous said...

http://snurl.com/hspgs

Frank Partisan said...

Anonymous: Good blog. Really clever.

Nanc: There is still much to do. Not every political prisoner is high profile like Roxana.