Pado & Lee’s Armenian Collard Rolls
Cascading Kitchen notes:
These collard rolls have been adapted from a family recipe which used grape leaves for dolmades.
They are great hot for the main dish at home or eat cold for a picnic. The nice little packets travel well. Throw in some flatbread and a nice bottle of red wine…ok, and a piece of dark chocolate.
Pado & Lee’s Armenian Collard Rolls
Here’s what you need:
- 12-16 collard leaves –We call them paddles. You can use cabbage leaves too.
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/3 cup currant-minced
- ¾ cup brown basmati rice-rinsed
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes-fresh or canned
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1/3 cup minced fresh dill
- ¼ cup minced mint leaves
- ½ lb ground lamb-optional
- ½ lb ground beef-optional
- 1 qt stock to cover stuffed rolls
In a large enameled pot sauté until onions smell sweet (slowly for at least 10 min)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion-chopped finely
- 1 tsp sea salt
Add:
- 4 cloves garlic-minced
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
Cook for another 5 min. while the spices bloom in flavor.
Add:
- 1/3 cup currants-minced
- ¾ cup brown basmati rice-rinsed well
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes-fresh or canned
- 1 ¾ cup water
Cover and bring to boil. Turn down to simmer and cook rice for 20-25 min. Once the rice mixture is cooked, turn it out in a big bowl to cool.
After it has cooled add:
- 1/3 cup minced fresh dill
- ¼ cup minced mint leaves
- ½ lb ground lamb
- ½ lb ground beef
*if you don’t eat meat skip it and fill leaves with rice mixture
Steam collard leaves for 4 min in a steamer, 5-6 leaves at a time. (a pot with a colander and lid works well)
Lay the leaves out to cool individually as they come out of the steamer.
When they’re cool enough to handle, without cutting the leaf in half, cut out the stem. When you fill the rolls you will lap the two halves back together.
How to fill the leaves:
- Lay a steamed leaf on the counter, stem end toward you. (yes the stem is removed)
- Place ¼ cup of rice/meat mixture in the bottom 1/3 of the leaf
- Fold the bottom over the rice and fold the side flaps in as you continue to roll.
- Place the roll, seam side down in the bottom of the enamel lined cast iron pot. (or other heavy, non reactive pot)
- Continue to pack the rolls in tightly. You can make two layers if you need to.
- Place lemon slices over the rolls, using a whole lemon
- Pour some stock (chicken, beef or veggie) over the rolls making sure to cover them completely.Bring to a simmer (not a rolling boil) and cook for 45 min.Let cool for 10 min. and gently remove rolls to a serving platter.