Silverbeet Dolmades

Dolmades are traditionally made using vine leaves but they can also be made using silverbeet or chard leaves. They are easy to make and the silverbeet gives a sweet taste to the dolmades. Each silverbeet leaf makes one dolmades. Choose tender medium sized leaves to give a uniform result but even a mixture of different sized leaves can be made up successfully and fitted together in the cooking pot.

Silverbeet Dolmades

For the rice stuffing:

1 onion chopped
2 tblsp oil
I can chopped tomatoes
1 tblsp tomato paste
25 mint leaves
small bunch of parsley finely chopped
1 cup medium grain rice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

(you can use any other seasonings that you may like to to flavour the rice)

Fry the onion in the oil until soft, about 5 mins
Add the chopped tomatoes, and 1 tblsp of tomato paste stirring it in well
Add the mint leaves, salt and pepper
Add a cup of chicken or vegetable stock
Cook for about 15 minutes on a medium heat
Stir in a cup of rice adding a little water if too dry.
Cook for 10 mins, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking. Mixture should be just dry.
Take off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

To make the Silverbeet Dolmades:

Wash the silverbeet or chard leaves well and remove the stalks up to the leaf
Blanch a leaf at a time in boiling water
Place a tablespoon of the rice stuffing at about 2cm from the bottom of the leaf
Cover the rice by rolling the bottom portion of the leaf up over the rice
Then fold the outer edges of the leaf over the rice and roll up fully
Place the roll around the edge of a large pot in concentric circles to fully cover the bottom of the pan tightly (as shown in the picture below). A second row can be placed on top of this if you have enough ingredients.
Place a flat ceramic plate inverted over the top in a size that will cover the bed of dolmades to stop them moving while cooking.
Make a sauce out of 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, the juice of about 2 lemons, 1 cup hot water and 1 tsp oil, salt and pepper. This will make a thin sauce that is well coloured. If you have 2 layers add another cup of water and an extra 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Check for seasoning.
Pour over the dolmades. The liquid should just come to the top layer of dolmades.
Bring the pot to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 35 mins.
When cooked take the pot off the heat and set aside for a while. Most of the liquid should be absorbed by the dolmades any remaining will be absorbed after standing.