Recipe testing is the most exciting time of year at Parties That Cook. We’ll spend many days and nights in our kitchen laboratory hovering over stock pots, carefully slivering vegetables, and arguing amongst ourselves over a “pinch” versus “dash” of every spice. We proudly compile an entire library for the season, each recipe having been perfected for our customers to enjoy!

Our Spring 2008 Chef’s Table Menu Collection will take you on a global journey from Trattoria Italiano, which stars Crispy Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Fontina and Basil, to French Cut, which starts with Miniature Smoked Salmon Croque Monsieur Sandwich hor d’oeuvres, and back home to the Farmer’s Market in SF, featuring Seasonal Fruit Potpies with Homemade Spice Ice Cream.

In testing the Greek on the Grill menu, we developed our recipe for dolma, a stuffed vegetable dish with many variations throughout the Mediterranean. Our take on dolma: Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice, Pine Nuts and Apricots. While the wrapping process is tedious, it is well worth the effort, once you bite into these juicy, tangy, and (surprisingly flavorful) vegetarian bundles! How’d we do it? Check out the photo “how-to” below and the perfected recipe.

~ Parties That Cook will be releasing all Spring 2008 menus by the end of March. ~

HOW-TO: Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice, Pine Nuts and Apricots

Step 1: Prepare the grape leaves.

Step 2: Trim tough stems out.

Step 3: In a saucepan, bring salt and water to a boil. Add the grape leaves and simmer for 3 minutes.

Step 4: Prepare ingredients for filling. Chop yellow onion, fennel, green onions, apricots, parsley, mint and dill.

Step 5: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook yellow onions and fennel until soft. Add the pine nuts, green onions, and rice and stir until the pine nuts are toasted and the green onions are soft. Stir in apricots, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and 1 1/4 cups of water. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley, mint and dill. Let mixture cool.

Step 6: Assemble the grape leaves. To shape the rolls, place a leaf, smooth side down, on a work surface and put a heaping Tablespoon of the filling near the base of the leaf at the stem end.

Step 7: Fold the stem end and sides over the filling and roll up toward the point of the leaf, making a little bundle that resembles a small cigar.

Step 8: Cook the dolma. Line a heavy large saucepan with a few leaves and place the fennel stalks and dill sprigs on the bottom. Sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Step 9: Pack the rolls close together, seam side down. Sprinkle each layer with the remaining 2 Tablespoons oil and lemon juice. Add 1/4 cup of water and cover the tops with the rolls with leaves. Invert a small heatproof plate or pot lid directly on top to help the rolls maintain their shape. Cover tightly and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer slowly for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Step 10: Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with lemon wedges.