Kharpertzie Yalanche

Description

2 C. olive oil
2 ½ lbs. yellow onion, diced medium
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. red pepper (cayenne)
1 C. lemon juice (fresh is best)
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 C. Mahatma long grain rice
½ bunch parsley, chopped
1 jar grape leaves
1 lemon, sliced

COOK THE FILLING: Heat the oil in a large pot on medium high. Onions should sizzle when added. Add the onions. Stir until all the onions are coated with oil. If you need more oil, go ahead and add it. Cook the onions until they have turned from white to almost transparent. Add the salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir well and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice and tomato sauce. Keep stirring to make sure all ingredients are mixed in. Add the rice and stir to mix well. Keep cooking and stirring until the rice turns white and expands slightly. Do not let the rice fully expand. This should not take more than 5 minutes. Take the pot off the burner. Add the parsley and mix well. Cover and let sit overnight or at least 4 hours.

MAKE AND COOK THE YALANCHE: Take the grape leaves out of the jar. Untie the strings and unroll the bundles. Rinse them lightly in cold water. With kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife, cut off the stem that sticks out from each leaf. Set aside any small or torn leaves. Line the bottom of the pan with those leaves. This will keep the yalanche from sticking or burning. Check the filling. If there are not small pools of oil on top, add a little more oil and mix well. Lay a grape leaf on a large dinner place with the stem end toward you and the underside of the leaf on top. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in a short row just about the stem. Fold each side of the leaf toward the center. Then roll up the yalanche, rolling away from you as you would a cigar or hand-rolled cigarette. Place the yalanche in a roaster pan that has a good lid. Line the yalanche in rows, close, but not crowded. Try not to leave any large gaps in the rows. Place the second row on top, but in rows that are perpendicular to the bottom rows. Try not to place more than three layers in the roaster. Cover the last layer with any remaining leaves that were too small or torn. Place 5 or 6 slices of lemon on top of the grape leaves. Cover with boiling water just barely enough to cover. Cover the pan with a lid. Place in oven preheated to 375° and cook for 2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit at least 4 hours until it is cool. To serve, arrange the yalanche on a plate and garnish with parsley and more lemon slices.

Jim "Dolma King" Tashjian