Lamb Meatballs and Collard Dolmades
- 1/4 cup medium-grind bulgur
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- Salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
- 16 to 20 untorn collard leaves
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Soak bulgur in hot water to cover until tender, 15 to 30 minutes.
- Drain bulgur, then squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Combine bulgur with lamb, onion, garlic, cumin, mint, salt and pepper.
- Shape into 1-inch meatballs, handling mixture as little as possible.
- Put olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat; when hot, add meatballs and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes.
- Serve immediately or cool and proceed with recipe.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it.
- Trim stem ends of collard leaves and discard.
- Put half the leaves in the boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are just pliable.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove leaves from water and transfer to a colander; run leaves under cool water; drain and gently squeeze to remove most of the excess water, leaving them just damp enough so they will stick together when rolled.
- Repeat with other leaves.
- Cut leaves in half by running a sharp knife along each side of stem, removing stem in process; trim top and bottom, making a large, rectangular-shaped leaf.
- Lay one leaf down with widest part facing you.
- Put a meatball in middle of leaf, bring two sides of leaves together and roll like a burrito to seal it.
- Put each stuffed leaf, seam side down, on a serving plate.
- Repeat, cooking and stuffing remaining leaves.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
ground lamb, onion, garlic, ground cumin, fresh mint, salt, ground black pepper, olive oil, collard, lemon wedges
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012851 (may not work)