After years and years in Greece, today for the first time I got introduced to the idea of making dolmades with something other than grape leaves -- specifically, either with swiss chard or lettuce.
I was at my local street market buying greens to make a spanakopita when the woman next to me out of the blue asked me if I'd ever made dolmades out of what we call "seskulo" (which after a Google search I found to be either swiss chard in the U.S. or "leaf's beet" in the U.K.). Then the woman selling the greens chimed in and they both began to give me instructions on how to work the leaves. It was the vendor who added that she also frequently made them using lettuce (presumably romain which is our most ubiquitous lettuce), both of these presumably being just winter options for those who don't want to use jarred grape leaves but can't wait until spring to get their fresh grape leaves!
Anyhow, now I'm curious and thinking I'll give it a try. I do love seskulo just sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic -- very nice green.
Anyone else ever tried any variations? (cabbage leaves excluded!)
I was at my local street market buying greens to make a spanakopita when the woman next to me out of the blue asked me if I'd ever made dolmades out of what we call "seskulo" (which after a Google search I found to be either swiss chard in the U.S. or "leaf's beet" in the U.K.). Then the woman selling the greens chimed in and they both began to give me instructions on how to work the leaves. It was the vendor who added that she also frequently made them using lettuce (presumably romain which is our most ubiquitous lettuce), both of these presumably being just winter options for those who don't want to use jarred grape leaves but can't wait until spring to get their fresh grape leaves!
Anyhow, now I'm curious and thinking I'll give it a try. I do love seskulo just sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic -- very nice green.
Anyone else ever tried any variations? (cabbage leaves excluded!)