tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 / 3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice or basmati rice
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons pignoli (pine nuts), toasted
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges
1. Rinse the grape leaves under cold water; drain. Blot dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to cut the stems from the leaves. Reserve any torn or small leaves separately.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the rice, allspice, and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 2 / 3 cup water and the salt; heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove the rice from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the pignoli, currants, mint, dill, and parsley. Add a grinding of black pepper.
4. Place one grape leaf smooth side down on a work surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold in the sides of the leafand firmly roll up the leaf to make an oval package. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have 24 stuffed grape leaves.
5. Line a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid with the remaining grape leaves (including the reserved torn or small ones). Place the stuffed grape leaves in a single layer, seam side down, in the skillet, lining them up side by side. Combine 2 tablespoons water, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the grape leaves. Heat over medium-high heat until the liquid is simmering. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes; check occasionally to make sure the grape leaves are moist, and add more water, a few tablespoons at a time if needed. Let cool.
6. Serve at room temperature or cold, with lemon wedges.
Rice Balls Sushi-Style
These small balls of sushi rice are great party fare. I serve them to groups of friends and let them shape and stuff their own as we stand at the counter or sit and talk. First give everyone a hot towel to wipe their hands. Supply small bowls of cold water for rinsing and dampening hands as the sushi balls are formed. The rice can be made ahead and kept at room temperature until ready to shape. All of the stuffings and condiments can be measured out and placed in small bowls. It is difficult to give exact amounts since people will pick and choose their own combinations, but donât worry, leftovers will never go to waste. I took my leftovers and mixed them together with the leftover rice to make a luscious rice salad. Forming the balls takes a little practice. Have fun and enjoy. Serve cold beer, dry white wine, or sake with these.
Â
Makes about 36 rice balls: 6 to 8 servings
Â
2 cups uncooked medium-grain Japanese-style rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, Nishiki, Tamaki, or Mogami)
½ cup unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
Fish fillings (2 or 3 of the following)
3-ounce piece of sushi-quality fresh tuna, minced
3-ounce piece sushi-quality fresh salmon, minced
3 ounces cooked shrimp, minced
2 ounces smoked salmon, minced
Vegetable fillings (2 or 3 of the following)
¼ cup minced seedless cucumber
¼ cup minced scallion (white and green parts)
¼ cup diced ( 1 / 8 -inch) avocado
2 tablespoons minced shiso leaf, optional
Condiments (2 or 3 of the following: see Note)
2 tablespoons minced pickled ginger
1 tablespoon wasabi paste
1 tablespoon red plum paste
Seasonings
¼ cup brown sesame seeds (see Note)
Soy sauce, preferably Japanese
1. Place the rice in a large bowl; cover with cold water and stir; drain. Repeat three or more times until
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 / 3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice or basmati rice
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons pignoli (pine nuts), toasted
2 tablespoons dried currants
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges
1. Rinse the grape leaves under cold water; drain. Blot dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to cut the stems from the leaves. Reserve any torn or small leaves separately.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the rice, allspice, and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 2 / 3 cup water and the salt; heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove the rice from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the pignoli, currants, mint, dill, and parsley. Add a grinding of black pepper.
4. Place one grape leaf smooth side down on a work surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold in the sides of the leafand firmly roll up the leaf to make an oval package. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have 24 stuffed grape leaves.
5. Line a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid with the remaining grape leaves (including the reserved torn or small ones). Place the stuffed grape leaves in a single layer, seam side down, in the skillet, lining them up side by side. Combine 2 tablespoons water, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the grape leaves. Heat over medium-high heat until the liquid is simmering. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes; check occasionally to make sure the grape leaves are moist, and add more water, a few tablespoons at a time if needed. Let cool.
6. Serve at room temperature or cold, with lemon wedges.
Rice Balls Sushi-Style
These small balls of sushi rice are great party fare. I serve them to groups of friends and let them shape and stuff their own as we stand at the counter or sit and talk. First give everyone a hot towel to wipe their hands. Supply small bowls of cold water for rinsing and dampening hands as the sushi balls are formed. The rice can be made ahead and kept at room temperature until ready to shape. All of the stuffings and condiments can be measured out and placed in small bowls. It is difficult to give exact amounts since people will pick and choose their own combinations, but donât worry, leftovers will never go to waste. I took my leftovers and mixed them together with the leftover rice to make a luscious rice salad. Forming the balls takes a little practice. Have fun and enjoy. Serve cold beer, dry white wine, or sake with these.
Â
Makes about 36 rice balls: 6 to 8 servings
Â
2 cups uncooked medium-grain Japanese-style rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, Nishiki, Tamaki, or Mogami)
½ cup unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
Fish fillings (2 or 3 of the following)
3-ounce piece of sushi-quality fresh tuna, minced
3-ounce piece sushi-quality fresh salmon, minced
3 ounces cooked shrimp, minced
2 ounces smoked salmon, minced
Vegetable fillings (2 or 3 of the following)
¼ cup minced seedless cucumber
¼ cup minced scallion (white and green parts)
¼ cup diced ( 1 / 8 -inch) avocado
2 tablespoons minced shiso leaf, optional
Condiments (2 or 3 of the following: see Note)
2 tablespoons minced pickled ginger
1 tablespoon wasabi paste
1 tablespoon red plum paste
Seasonings
¼ cup brown sesame seeds (see Note)
Soy sauce, preferably Japanese
1. Place the rice in a large bowl; cover with cold water and stir; drain. Repeat three or more times until
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