Never thought I would be able to say that I like dolmades. This is the sort of dish one wonders about when it isn't great. I am sure we've all had moments when we've wondered , sometimes aloud, on the motives behind people who persist on making food that is not particularly appealing.  Why waste your life on a fruitless activity? Why waste precious resources? I firmly believe that life's too short for mediocre food.This is especially  true whenever it's obvious that whoever prepared the dish went through a great deal of effort ... bless their sweet hands. Well, I've had many, many such moments. Curiously, though, culinary karma knocked on my door last year. Actually, I went knocking on my friend Kiri's door and both she and her mum warmly welcomed me with the most delectable, moreish dolmades ever. It dawned on me then that there wasn't such a thing as bad food or a bad dish, but rather, that we might have had bad versions of them, and, if we are fortunate, we will one day encounter the good versions. These wonderful women managed to change my mind on the subject of dolmades, what a feat! Once I tasted these great dolmades I went on quite a dolmades bend but the taste and texture were not to be replicated elsewhere. I will try and get the recipe for the best dolmades in Australia for you someday but for now we have Claudia Roden to thank for this very good recipe. These ones are slightly spicy, herby and very delicious. Tomatoes are required in this recipe but I substituted with a really lovely organic tomato paste as I couldn't procure great tasting fresh tomatoes today.

Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas o Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.Thank you, Lori for organising this month's event.

Wara Einab or Dolmades/Cold Stuffed Grape Leaves
Adapted from Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, published by Alfred A. Knopf

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Preserved or fresh grape leaves: 24 – 30
Long grain rice:1¼ cups 
Tomatoes, peeled and chopped: 1- 3 (I used a couple of heaped teaspoons of organic tomato paste instead)
Onion: 1 large, finely chopped
Flat leaf parsley: 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Fresh mint: 4 tablespoons, finely chopped
Ground cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon
Ground allspice: ¼ teaspoon
Dill: 1 teaspoon
Salt and pepper

Extra grape leaves or 2 tomatoes, sliced
Garlic: 3 or 4 cloves
Extra-virgin olive oil: 2/3 cup
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Juice of 1 lemon or to taste

Notes:

If using grape leaves preserved in brine, to remove salt put them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Make sure that the water penetrates well between the layers, and leave them soaking for about twenty minutes, then change the water a time or two using fresh cold water.

If using fresh leaves, plunge a few at a time in boiling water for a few seconds only, until they become limp, and lift them out.

Directions:

1.Pour boiling water over the rice and stir well, then rinse with cold water and let drain.

2.Mix the rice with the chopped tomatoes, onion or scallion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, dill, salt and pepper to taste.

3.Place a grape leaf on a flat surface, vein side up.

4.Place about two teaspoons (10 ml) of the filling in the center of the leaf, near the stem edge.

5.Roll the leaf end to end, starting from the stem edge. As you roll, fold the sides of the leaf in toward the center. The leaf should resemble a small cigar, about 2 to 2 1/2 inches (50 mm to 65mm) long.

6.Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

a.(You can freeze the stuffed grape leaves at this point. Just line a baking sheet with wax paper. When firmly frozen, transfer to an airtight plastic bag place back in the freezer.)

7.Pack the stuffed leaves tightly in a large pan lined with tomato slices or imperfect grape leaves Place a whole garlic clove in between them for extra flavor. The tightness will help prevent the rolls from unraveling.

8.Mix together olive oil, 2/3 cup (160 ml) water, sugar and lemon juice and pour over the stuffed leaves. Put a small heat proof plate on top of the leaves to prevent them from unwinding, cover the pan and simmer very gently for about 1 hour, until the rolls are thoroughly cooked, adding water occasionally, a cup at a time, as the liquid in the pan becomes absorbed. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve cold.