Hellenika’s Veal & Rice Dolmades
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
On a recent trip to the Gold Coast, I discovered Hellenika, a fabulous Greek restaurant on the highway at Nobby’s Beach. Smart, warm, inviting restaurants are few and far between on the glittering strip and this one is a real find. Regional Greek food is featured on the menu, with a number of the dishes requiring long slow cooking (don’t miss the arni sto fourno – slow-baked Junee lamb – best to order ahead); there’s an impressive wine list, and service is excellent. Owner Simon Gloftis knows his market – after opening three coffee shops (Three Beans, Little Beans & Piccolo), he took the plunge. As he says, “When the timing was right and I’d sold my last coffee shop, it all came together. It worked.”
Ingredients
- onion diced
- speck 50g, diced (or you can use pancetta)
- long grain rice 200g
- dill ½ bunch
- parsley ½ bunch
- water 1 litre
- veal mince 500g
- smoked paprika 2 teaspoons
- salt 3 teaspoons
- pepper 1 teaspoon
- smoked pork ribs 100g
- chicken stock 1.5 litres
- silverbeet 3 bunches, leaves blanched
- olive oil 200ml
- lemon juice 200ml
- Tzatziki to serve (see below)
Serves 8 In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and speck until soft in a little olive oil, add rice, dill and parsley and water. Cover with a lid and cook until rice has been absorbed. Set aside to cool. Add the veal mince, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly then portion into 50g balls. Wrap each ball in 1 x blanched leaf of silverbeet to make a tight oval shaped parcel. Place all parcels side by side in a large pot on top of smoked pork ribs and silverbeet trimmings. Ensure no gaps are left between the parcels to prevent them from opening while cooking. Pour lemon juice, olive oil and chicken stock into the pot. Place a plate on top to weigh the parcels down so they do not surface during cooking. Bring this to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Serve the dolmades with tzatziki, lemon juice and olive oil. Time to prepare: 30 minutes Time to cook: 1 hour To make Tzatziki: peel one Lebanese cucumber, slice in half lengthways and remove seeds with a teaspoon. Grate the cucumber, add a pinch or two of salt and place in a sieve over the sink for 10 – 15 minutes to drain. Squeeze the cucumber firmly to remove as much of its juice as possible. Combine with 1 small tub natural greek-style yoghurt, 2 – 3 cloves crushed garlic, juice of ½ lemon, 12 finely chopped mint leaves (or 1 – 2 tablespoons chopped dill) and 1 – 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.