Armenian Dolmas - Meat Version

[Zana]

Here is the recipe for the Meat and Rice Dolma Stuffing that can be used with grape leaves, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage leaves and onions.

Zana

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Meat and Rice Dolma Stuffing

Preparation Time: 1.5 Plus hours (lol...depends on how fast you roll 'em and how many interruptions you have)
Cooking Time: 1 hour

1 jar (16oz) grape leaves

Filling:
1 lb ground lamb shoulder or beef (not too lean), or both mixed (I've even used ground turkey for a leaner meal, but you'll have to add more spices), browned and drained of excess fat
3 cups short-grain rice (I prefer to use arborio rice)
3 1/2 cups chopped onions (I carmelise mine before adding to the filling mixture - adds a sweet taste to it)
2 Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped (generally people add green or sweet peppers, I like to add red or other colours for some variety...and have been known to add some less sweet varieties to add some "heat" to the mix)
2 cups freshly chopped parsley, stems reserved
1 cup freshly chopped mint or 2 1/2 tablespoons dried crushed mint
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste (I like a bit of a bite to it, so add more)
1 tablespoon allspice
4 large dill seed heads, cook with the meat filling, remove and place in roast pan with veggies when baking, or in saucepan when cooking the grape leaves.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 to 1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup dried black currants (optional)

Directions:

For stuffed meat grape leaves or cabbage leaves, follow rolling and cooking instructions in the Vegetarian Dolma recipe.

For stuffed veggies, hollow out zucchinis, tomatoes, peppers, onions (reserve tops as lids), and fill. Place upright side by side, in a roast pan, deep enough to fill with a "broth" without bubbling over in the oven.

Variations:
- You can bake the stuffed veggies in a broth/water in a roast pan at 350degrees F for about 90 minutes (check to see if rice is cooked to tell if done)

- You can stuff a cantaloupe or honeydew melon with the above mixture. Wash melon, do not peel. Cut a large enough piece from the top to use as a cover. Clean out the inside seeds. Put the filling mixture inside the melon, cover with melon top and secure in place with toothpicks. Place in a pan of the same size and back in moderate oven until cooked. When serving, cut as you would cut a melon and leave a portion of meat on top of each piece.

- You can also stuff a medium sized pumpkin with the above method and filling.

- Some Armenians will substitute bulghour for the rice, when stuffing onions or some of the veggies, for different texture.