Wednesday 17 November 2021

Cook With AGS: Chard Dolmadakia

Recipe for 6 adult servings:

175g.wild rice
565g. vegetable broth
30g. olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, chard stems finely diced
50g. tomato paste
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
a small bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Start by blanching the chard leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds and then transfer them to an ice bath. Keep the leaves and finely dice the stems to use in the rice.
In a large pot, combine the rice and vegetable broth and heat to boil. Lower the heat to a low simmer with the lid on until water is almost evaporated, this should take about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid on for another 15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
In a pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, oregano, pepper, smoked paprika and salt. Add the diced chard stems and tomato paste and continue to saute until the chard begins to soften.
Remove from the heat and add the cooked wild rice. Mix well and take half of this rice mixture, transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times until the rice is broken and you have a bound mix.
In a large bowl combine the rice with your processed mix and fold in the mint, lemon jest, add the lemon juice and check for salt and pepper.
On a flat surface, lay out the blanched chard leaves, fill with the wild rice stuffing and roll tightly.

For the lemon and mint yoghurt:

200g. Greek yoghurt
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
a few mint leaves, finally chopped
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Add all ingredients apart from the sesame seeds in the yoghurt and mix well.
Serve the dolmadakia with a scoop of the yoghurt, some mint leaves, toasted sesame seeds and a slice of lemon on the side.