November 27, 2009 Southwest News-Herald - City & Suburban
Celebrate An American Thanksgiving Again
Since everyone is consumed with events in the Middle East, Arabs, Muslims and the politics there that is costing us a small fortune in taxes that could otherwise go to help this country, I thought I’d offer something that might help you at least enjoy this unending tragedy, and “consume” something worth consuming.
Here is my Thanksgiving recipe for stuffed grape leaves. It is included in the book The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History available at most bookstores.
Grape leaves make a great side entrée with the Turkey and I hope you try it an enjoy it.
Ingredients:
3 lbs of lamb (diced)
2 lbs of ox tails
1 onion
2 tomatoes or one can of diced tomatoes)
2 jars of Ziyad brand grape leaves (90 leaves)
1 cup of rice
Virgin Olive oil
Spices including pepper, cumin, oregano
1 mixing bowl
1 large cooking pot
2 lbs of ox tails
1 onion
2 tomatoes or one can of diced tomatoes)
2 jars of Ziyad brand grape leaves (90 leaves)
1 cup of rice
Virgin Olive oil
Spices including pepper, cumin, oregano
1 mixing bowl
1 large cooking pot
Dice the lamb into small chunks empty into a bowl with two tablespoons of olive oil. Simmer until brown. Add rice. Dice the tomatoes and put half in the mixing bowl and half in the cooking pot. Dice the onions and put 1/3 in the mixing bowl and remainder in cooking pot.
Place ox tail (you can replace this with Italian sausage, or large chunks of lamb) in the cooking pot. Add water to cover the meat in the pot, forming a “foundation.” Simmer on low heat while you prepare the grape leaves and stuffing.
Open the Ziyad grape leaves jar (which you can find in any Jewel or Dominicks) and rinse off the leaves. Or, you can drive around and pick the leaves off of a grape vine. Boil fresh cut leaves for 10 minutes.
Mix the lamb and rice, and spice with pepper, cumin, oregano (about one teaspoon each). Add 1/5 cup of olive oil into mix. Add other spices to suit.
Open one leaf at a time (stem up) or dark side down and lay flat on board or table. Place a small amount of the lamb and rice mix in the center near the stem. The idea is to “roll a cigar.”
Pull the sides over the mix, then “roll the leaf.” It will take some time to gauge how much mix to put in each leaf, but don’t overdo it. Small portions expand when cooked. Each jar has about 90 leaves. You can open the second jar if you have a lot of mix remaining.
It takes about one hour of back-breaking rolling (your back will fell the pain when this is done). I watched my mother do this every day of her life not just for holidays but for regular meals, too.
Place the wrapped leaves into the cooking pot slowly arranging them to point to the center. (You have to remove them when you are done and it’s easier and they remain intact if they are not just thrown in.)
Make sure that there is at least three inches of water in the pot. Cover the pot, raise the flame slightly to more than simmer and boil for one hour.
The rice will steam to perfection.
Now go check on the turkey, which has been cooking at least four hours or more, depending on its size.
After one hour, remove the stuffed grape leaves from the pot one at a time (flat spoon). And place in a serving dish. Remove the meat and place in a separate serving dish.
Serve hot with the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Ray Hanania can be reached at rayhanania@comcast.net. Listen to Mornings with Ray Hanania on WJJG AM 1530, Mon. thru Thurs. 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and Fri. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Check to see the schedule of guests and listen to podcasts on www.radiochicagoland.com. Call in your comments at (708) 493-1530.
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