Appetizers

Pickled Cabbage
Turshi me laker

-Cabbage for 1 quart of jar
-3 cups of water
-1 cup of vinegar
-3 cloves of fresh garlic
-4 teaspoons of salt (pickling)

Cut cabbage into small pieces or shred. Place cabbage in a jar. Fill the jar to the top with all the above liquid mixture. Boil rubber bands and seal the jar quickly. Do not shake the first day. After the first day, shake once a day for 5 consecutive days. Do not open the jar for at least two weeks.

Chicken Livers
Melci Pule

-1 pound chicken livers
-4 tablespoons of flour
-½ cup of unsalted butter
-Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the livers and place them in a pan, cover with water and boil gently for 7 minutes. Drain in colander, In baggier place flour, salt and pepper. Shake until coated. Melt butter in the pan on low heat. Fry livers until golden brown. Serve in hors d’oeuvres dish speared with toothpicks.

Eggplant appetizer
Patlixhan Meze

-1 eggplant (washed and sliced thin)
-½ cup of olive oil (more will be needed)
-Salt to taste
-garlic and salt maybe added if desired

Fry the eggplant in oil until tender. Add more oil as needed. Remove from pan when ready nand sprinkle with vinegar.

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat and Rice
Dolma with Meat

-1 pound ground beef
-3/4 cup of rice (uncooked)
-2 large eggs
-1/4 cup of lemon juice
-1 medium onion (chopped)
-1 ½ cups of water
-1 lemon
-1 jar of grape leaves
-1 teaspoon of mint and parsley
-Salt and pepper to taste

Cook grapes leaves until water comes to a boiling point. Drain in colander and place them aside. Put all ingredients except the eggs, lemon juice, and the lemon in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Take 1 teaspoon filling and place in center of the dull side of two grape leaves and roll. Continue until all the filling is used. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with additional grape leaves and place stuffed leaves in a row, filling pan completely. Pour enough water to cover layered grape leaves. Squeeze the lemon over this, then slice the lemon and place it on top. Press with a heavy dish and cook on top of the stove over medium heat for one hour.

SAUCE
Separate eggs. Beat whites until stiff; add yolks and continue eating; add lemon juice and beat well. Pour in some of the juice from the cooked gape leaves and beat well again. Pour the sauce over cool dolmas when it is ready to serve.

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice
Dolma

-1 package of rice (uncooked)
-4 medium chopped onions
-50 grape leaves, fresh or canned
-1 cup of olive oil
-2 lemons
-1/4 cup of fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill 2 tablespoons of parsley
-1 tablespoon of mint
-Salt and pepper to taste

If canned leaves are used, first scald for a few minutes in boiling water. Boil 2 quarts of salted water. Add well washed rice when water is boiling briskly and boil for about 10 minutes or until rice is nearly cooked. Strain and add chopped onions, parsley, mint, dill, salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil until hot. Pour over mixture and cover tightly for 5 minutes. In the meantime, rinse and drain the grape leaves. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each leaf. (Shiny surface of the leaf should be on the outside) Use 2 grape leaves if the leaf is not large enough. Fold like an envelope and roll lightly to allow for the puffing of the rice. Place 2-3 coarse grape leaves at the bottom of a pot. Arrange the rolled leaves on the top, side by side, and in layers. Add the juice of the lemons and sprinkle with salt. Add 3 cups of water. Place some coarse leaves on the top. Press with a plate and cover the pan. Let water to come to a boiling point then simmer for about 45 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Uncover and let it cool. Remove carefully, one at a time so the grape leaves do not unfold. Serve on a platter and garnish with sliced lemon. Eat cold.