Recipe | Dolmadakia Yalantzi (stuffed grape leaves with rice and raisins)

Ingredients:

250 g grape leaves (fresh or canned)

1 cup olive oil

1 big onion, chopped

100 g spring onions (chives), chopped

1 cup uncooked rice (Arborio rice, for risotto)

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

1 bunch of dill, chopped

2 tbsp fresh mint

2 tbsp small black raisins (currants)

2 tbsp pine nuts

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

Method:

Mix rice, chopped onions, chive, parsley, dill, mint, 1/2 cup of olive oil, currants, pine cone seeds, salt, pepper, a little sugar and half of the lemon juice.

Rinse the grape leaves in cold water. If fresh, drop them in boiling water and boil for three minutes. Strain and rinse in cold water. In the center of each leaf (shiny surface of leaf downward) place a heaped teaspoonful of the filling. Fold ends of leaf over the filling and roll up leaf.

Place Dolmadakia side by side in layers. Sprinkle with the rest of the lemon juice, 1/2 cup of olive oil and 2 cups of hot water.

Place a plate over Dolmadakia to prevent them from opening, cover and boil over simmering heat for about 40 minutes.

Allow to cool in the saucepan. Serve them as a cold entree with yoghurt or as an appetizer.

Recipe | Melomakarona (traditional cookies with honey and walnuts)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg flour

250 g olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 glass orange juice

2 tbsp cognac (brandy)

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

100 g walnuts, chopped, and a little more cinnamon to sprinkle at the end

For syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey

1 cup water

Method:

Beat together olive oil, sugar, orange juice and cognac. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and soda. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the oil mixture and knead gently.

Pinch off small portions of dough the size of a chicken egg and form them into little patties. Roll them to make oblong rolls. Place on the baking tray and bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes.

Boil honey, sugar and water for five minutes. Pour syrup over Melomakarona. Allow them to soak for 2-3 hours, then take them out of the syrup and place on large plate.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Make about 25 pieces. You can preserve them in a storage box for a very long time, up to a month.

By Ye Jun (China Daily)