Dolma is usually made with wine leaves. Wine leaves can be eaten raw and I wish I could get them at a local grocer or farmers market. You know the saying, If you cannot have what you like, like what you have. I've got a few nasturtium plants with impressive foliage. The leaves are a little smaller than the wine leaves, so my dolmas will be smaller than the ones made with wine leaves. The folding is a bit challenging, but not impossible. Anyone can make them.
Ingredients:
- 12 large, freshly harvested nasturtium leaves
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 3 soft medjool dates, pits removed
- 6 sun dried tomato halves (soaked in water)
- 1 tsp of mixed spices (ground cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/3 tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp virgin olive oil
- 1/3 tsp of Celtic salt
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
Method:
- In a food processor pulse blend cauliflower florets to create "rice." Set aside.
- Blend dates, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and lemon juice into a smooth mass. Add spices and oregano, and blend again. Transfer the mixture into a bowl with the cauliflower "rice" and mix gently. Add pine nuts, chopped parsley, olive oil and salt. Mix again.
- Place about one teaspoon of mixture in the center of a large nasturtium leaf. Fold the leaf into a small parcel and place it the folded part dawn on a platter. Continue with the remaining leaves.
- Place the platter in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Serve chilled and enjoy in good company!
Tip: To make the "rice" you can use parsnips instead of cauliflower. I made my dolmas rather mild and sweet, and served them with a spicy dip made of raw tahini, jalapeño pepper, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic.
Twelve small dolmas make a very nice appetizer
for two people. Multiply the amount of ingredients if you are
entertaining more guests. Keep in mind that you are working with raw ingredients. You might want to use more or less spices, make it more or less sweet, and so on. Use your imagination to create a dish that suits your gustatory preferences.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2020
