Recipe: Romanian Sarmale and Ardei umplut (Stuffed Leaves and Peppers), Romanian Pilaf
Side Dishes - Rice, Grains Romanian Sarmale and Ardei umplut (Stuffed Leaves and Peppers)
About 6 servings
1/4 cup light vegetable oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.)
1 large white or yellow onion (or 6-7 bulb scallions, white part only) chopped finely
1 medium carrot, grated on largest holes (about 3/4 cup)
1 can sliced mushrooms, 8 ounces drained weight, chopped
1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) white, or white basmati, rice
3 ounces (one-half of a 6-ounce can) tomato paste
1 cup water, with additional as needed
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Leaves and/or vegetables to stuff (grape leaves, peppers, tomatoes, horseradish leaves, raspberry leaves [these are somewhat tart], fresh spinach, cabbage, pickled cabbage)
Water for boiling
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt lightly, and fry for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot to onion and stir-fry for another two or three minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the mushrooms. Mix the rice into the vegetables. Heat through until most of the oil is absorbed (add a little water if necessary so it doesn't burn). Stir in the tomato paste plus 1 cup water. Mix in the herbs, pepper, and salt to taste. Remove from heat. Allow to rest while the rice absorbs the water, maybe 10 minutes (about the amount of time it takes to prepare the vegetables for stuffing).
Grape, raspberry, or spinach leaves: If using freshly-picked leaves, look for rounder leaves with small separations between the lobes, as these will be easier to stuff. Rinse well, especially the spinach, to remove any dirt or grit. Blanch for one minute in salted boiling water. Rinse to cool, and cut off any stem end. If using bottled grape leaves (about 9 ounces drained weight), rinse well and remove any stem end. Separate and smooth each out carefully, and pat dry. Place about 1 to 1-1/2 Tablespoons of filling in the centre of the stem end of the shiny side of each large leaf; use less, perhaps two teaspoonsful, for smaller leaves. (After you stuff a few you'll get a feel for how much filling to use: not too much so it spills out, but enough so you will taste the filling and not just the leaves.) Fold in the side lobes, then the stem end, then roll into a packet. Be sure to fold tightly so it stays closed. Or make a cone roll by placing the filling at the stem end and tightly rolling in the sides to form a cone, then fold in the top lobes - sides, then front, then back - and poke closed with your finger until it looks almost heart-shaped. Use a heavy saucepan (at least 3 quarts/2.8 litres), and place a saucer or small dessert plate in the bottom. Stack the rolls/cones on the plate in rows or concentric circles, however they fit comfortably, with the open edge side down. Reserve two or three leaves, as needed, to spread over the top of the rolled packets. Fill the pan with water, cover, and place on a metal heat diffuser (available in housewares stores/departments) over medium heat. Watch the pot carefully; do not bring to a boil. Cook until rice is soft, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or chilled, with sauce (below), fresh lemon juice, Sour Supreme, or unflavoured White Wave Dairyless. (When freshly cooked, the rice will be loose, but as it chills in the refrigerator it will become more compact.)
Cabbage: Use fresh (blanched) or pickled cabbage, rinsed. Fill and cook as for grape leaves.
Peppers: Choose about fifteen to twenty small, thin-walled Italian-style "frying" peppers or Cubanelles. Cut off the top and core, removing as many seeds and membranes as possible (carefully so the pepper doesn't break). Place the cut-off top of each back into the pepper to keep them together while you prepare the other peppers. Remove the top from one prepared pepper, then stuff about three-quarters full, leaving room for the rice to expand, and replace the top. Place upright in a heavy saucepan large enough to accommodate them. Repeat until all peppers are filled. Cover the peppers with water; don't worry if some of the peppers float or if water gets into any of them. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over medium heat, covered, until peppers and rice are tender, about 30 minutes. Watch the pot carefully; do not bring to a second boil. Test for doneness by tasting a few grains of rice.
Make a simple sauce by using cooking liquid from the peppers. Take one cup of the liquid and add the unused tomato paste from the sarmale recipe in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add chopped parsley, saut ed onion, salt and pepper to taste, and any other herbs or seasonings desired. Serve with peppers or sarmale.
If you are not making any peppers, you can prepare a similar sauce by finely chopping a small onion and sauteing it in a bit of light oil until just beginning to brown. Lower the heat and stir in a cup of water and tomato paste as above. Add salt and pepper to taste and fresh chopped parsley; optionally add some vegetable bouillon or garlic powder. Cook, stirring to thicken, then simmer for about ten minutes and serve.
Tomatoes: Choose about two dozen medium-sized, round, ripe tomatoes. Cut off the top and scoop out all seeds and pulp, leaving only the walls. Stuff about 3/4 full, loosely, and replace the top. Cook as for peppers.
Horseradish leaves: cut into 4" lengths and blanch as above. Roll into eggroll-shaped packets using 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons filling: fold in the top, then the two sides, then roll up tightly. Cook as for grape leaves.
Note: A simpler-to-make version. Called Romanian pilaf. See the recipe below. Both of these are deee-lish!
Variation:
Add 4 ounces (1/4 pound) seitan to the filling. Mince by hand, or put through the shredding blade of your food processor. Add to the mixture at the same time as the mushrooms
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ROMANIAN PILAF
About 6 servings
1/2 cup sauerkraut, preferably fresh
2 Tablespoons sunflower or other light oil
1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced thinly
1 small carrot, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
1 eight-ounce can sliced or stems-and-pieces mushrooms
1-1/2 cups white or white basmati rice
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Rinse the sauerkraut well in a strainer or colander under cold water. Press out excess water, then let drain while you prepare the rest of the dish. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the onions, salt lightly if desired, and fry for about ten minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the carrot and stir-fry for another two or three minutes. Stir in the mushrooms. Mix the rice into the vegetables and stir-fry for about a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and water, mixing well to distribute the paste evenly. Mix in the herbs, pepper, salt, and reserved sauerkraut. Lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until all water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and stir the rice to distribute all ingredients evenly. Serve hot.
Variation:
This is especially good served with pan-fried tofu or with heated veggie dogs or veggie sausage.
About 6 servings
1/4 cup light vegetable oil (sunflower, peanut, etc.)
1 large white or yellow onion (or 6-7 bulb scallions, white part only) chopped finely
1 medium carrot, grated on largest holes (about 3/4 cup)
1 can sliced mushrooms, 8 ounces drained weight, chopped
1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) white, or white basmati, rice
3 ounces (one-half of a 6-ounce can) tomato paste
1 cup water, with additional as needed
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Leaves and/or vegetables to stuff (grape leaves, peppers, tomatoes, horseradish leaves, raspberry leaves [these are somewhat tart], fresh spinach, cabbage, pickled cabbage)
Water for boiling
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt lightly, and fry for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot to onion and stir-fry for another two or three minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the mushrooms. Mix the rice into the vegetables. Heat through until most of the oil is absorbed (add a little water if necessary so it doesn't burn). Stir in the tomato paste plus 1 cup water. Mix in the herbs, pepper, and salt to taste. Remove from heat. Allow to rest while the rice absorbs the water, maybe 10 minutes (about the amount of time it takes to prepare the vegetables for stuffing).
Grape, raspberry, or spinach leaves: If using freshly-picked leaves, look for rounder leaves with small separations between the lobes, as these will be easier to stuff. Rinse well, especially the spinach, to remove any dirt or grit. Blanch for one minute in salted boiling water. Rinse to cool, and cut off any stem end. If using bottled grape leaves (about 9 ounces drained weight), rinse well and remove any stem end. Separate and smooth each out carefully, and pat dry. Place about 1 to 1-1/2 Tablespoons of filling in the centre of the stem end of the shiny side of each large leaf; use less, perhaps two teaspoonsful, for smaller leaves. (After you stuff a few you'll get a feel for how much filling to use: not too much so it spills out, but enough so you will taste the filling and not just the leaves.) Fold in the side lobes, then the stem end, then roll into a packet. Be sure to fold tightly so it stays closed. Or make a cone roll by placing the filling at the stem end and tightly rolling in the sides to form a cone, then fold in the top lobes - sides, then front, then back - and poke closed with your finger until it looks almost heart-shaped. Use a heavy saucepan (at least 3 quarts/2.8 litres), and place a saucer or small dessert plate in the bottom. Stack the rolls/cones on the plate in rows or concentric circles, however they fit comfortably, with the open edge side down. Reserve two or three leaves, as needed, to spread over the top of the rolled packets. Fill the pan with water, cover, and place on a metal heat diffuser (available in housewares stores/departments) over medium heat. Watch the pot carefully; do not bring to a boil. Cook until rice is soft, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or chilled, with sauce (below), fresh lemon juice, Sour Supreme, or unflavoured White Wave Dairyless. (When freshly cooked, the rice will be loose, but as it chills in the refrigerator it will become more compact.)
Cabbage: Use fresh (blanched) or pickled cabbage, rinsed. Fill and cook as for grape leaves.
Peppers: Choose about fifteen to twenty small, thin-walled Italian-style "frying" peppers or Cubanelles. Cut off the top and core, removing as many seeds and membranes as possible (carefully so the pepper doesn't break). Place the cut-off top of each back into the pepper to keep them together while you prepare the other peppers. Remove the top from one prepared pepper, then stuff about three-quarters full, leaving room for the rice to expand, and replace the top. Place upright in a heavy saucepan large enough to accommodate them. Repeat until all peppers are filled. Cover the peppers with water; don't worry if some of the peppers float or if water gets into any of them. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook over medium heat, covered, until peppers and rice are tender, about 30 minutes. Watch the pot carefully; do not bring to a second boil. Test for doneness by tasting a few grains of rice.
Make a simple sauce by using cooking liquid from the peppers. Take one cup of the liquid and add the unused tomato paste from the sarmale recipe in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add chopped parsley, saut ed onion, salt and pepper to taste, and any other herbs or seasonings desired. Serve with peppers or sarmale.
If you are not making any peppers, you can prepare a similar sauce by finely chopping a small onion and sauteing it in a bit of light oil until just beginning to brown. Lower the heat and stir in a cup of water and tomato paste as above. Add salt and pepper to taste and fresh chopped parsley; optionally add some vegetable bouillon or garlic powder. Cook, stirring to thicken, then simmer for about ten minutes and serve.
Tomatoes: Choose about two dozen medium-sized, round, ripe tomatoes. Cut off the top and scoop out all seeds and pulp, leaving only the walls. Stuff about 3/4 full, loosely, and replace the top. Cook as for peppers.
Horseradish leaves: cut into 4" lengths and blanch as above. Roll into eggroll-shaped packets using 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons filling: fold in the top, then the two sides, then roll up tightly. Cook as for grape leaves.
Note: A simpler-to-make version. Called Romanian pilaf. See the recipe below. Both of these are deee-lish!
Variation:
Add 4 ounces (1/4 pound) seitan to the filling. Mince by hand, or put through the shredding blade of your food processor. Add to the mixture at the same time as the mushrooms
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ROMANIAN PILAF
About 6 servings
1/2 cup sauerkraut, preferably fresh
2 Tablespoons sunflower or other light oil
1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced thinly
1 small carrot, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
1 eight-ounce can sliced or stems-and-pieces mushrooms
1-1/2 cups white or white basmati rice
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Rinse the sauerkraut well in a strainer or colander under cold water. Press out excess water, then let drain while you prepare the rest of the dish. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the onions, salt lightly if desired, and fry for about ten minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the carrot and stir-fry for another two or three minutes. Stir in the mushrooms. Mix the rice into the vegetables and stir-fry for about a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and water, mixing well to distribute the paste evenly. Mix in the herbs, pepper, salt, and reserved sauerkraut. Lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until all water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and stir the rice to distribute all ingredients evenly. Serve hot.
Variation:
This is especially good served with pan-fried tofu or with heated veggie dogs or veggie sausage.
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