Jim and Ellen Shelton lived in Greece for a time. When we all worked in Acadia National Park together, they made a Greek dinner for our division. It was great tasting fun! They also provided us with the recipes for the dishes they served.

The photo above was taken at a Greek Festival we attend every October. The side is couscous, and the whole is covered with a lemon sauce when served.

Greek Dolmades (Grape Leaf Rolls)

Filling:
3/4 c olive oil
3 c chopped onion
1 and 1/4 c raw rice
1/4 c dried currants or seedless raisins
1/4 c pine nuts
3/4 c chopped dill or parsley
salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 c boiling water

1. Sauté onions and rice in 1/2 c. oil over low heat 15 minutes, stirring very frequently.
2. Mix in the currants, dill, salt, pepper and allspice; cook 3 minutes. Add the remaining oil and water.
3. Cover and cook over very low heat 20 minutes, or until tender. Watch carefully that it doesn't burn.

Grape leaves and assembly:

1 can grape leaves
2 c vegetable broth
1/4 c lemon juice
1 T tomato paste

Buy grape leaves in jars. Use 30 leaves for stuffing, and the rest for lining the pan and between the layers. Drain the leaves and cover with hot water. Drain and spread out on a flat surface. Cut off the stems. Put a tablespoon of the filling on each leaf. Fold opposite ends toward the center, then roll up like a sausage. Cover the bottom of a heavy deep skillet with leaves and arrange the rolls in layers, separating each layer with leaves. Add a mixture of the broth, lemon juice and tomato paste. Put a plate on top to weight it down, and cover the skillet. Cook over low heat 1 and 1/4 hours, or until tender.