A recipe for you.

We went exploring today up the Waikare Inlet, near Opua. We had the outboard on Fatima because it was quite a hike, about 3 NM. We have never explored up there, and had thought it would be good hidey hole in a blow. We were amazed at the size of the inlet, and we only went half way. We stopped at a sandy point for morning tea and a stomp around, and Lo and behold there was a good crop of grapes. So whilst having a feed of lovely grapes I gathered some vine leaves for dinner, Dolmades, yum. After a rest we got back into Fatima and rowed out into the main channel to take some soundings, as the depths on our a Navionics program was different to our Pickmere's Atlas. We had a quick trip home with the wind and tide in our favour, great morning exploring an amazing part of our beautiful country.

The beach where we found the grapes.

So hence, below there is my recipe for Dolmades, they are a pared down version that I have used for years. Normally you would use fresh herbs for this, but on a boat they are hard to come by.

Wendy's Vegetarian Boat Dolmades 

14 or so Grape Vine Leaves

3/4 cup brown rice

1 1/2 cups water

2-3 garlic cloves

1 tsp each of any dried green herbs, parsley,

Mint, basil, thyme, rosemary

6 dried tomatoes or 3 tbsp do diced

Good shake of Garlic Salt

1 can of diced tomatoes with herbs.

After rinsing your vine leaves, blanch them for 30 secs in boiling water, I then use the blanching water to boil the rice using the absorption method (water is a precious commodity on a boat). When the rice is done add your herbs, finely diced garlic and diced dried tomatoes, mix well with a sprinkle of garlic salt.

Rinse the leaves and blanch.

Take one of the leaves place shiny side down on a board with the pointed end away from you, place a spoonful of the rice mix on the leaf as shown. Roll over the edge towards the point, fold in the sides and then roll again.( see photos)

Place rice as above.

Roll towards point.

Fold in sides

Roll up tight

Place in a dish and smother with canned diced tomatoes, cover with tinfoil and bake in oven for about 1 hour. My gas ovens thermostat is a bit dodgy, so I just have it going full blast.

Nearly forgot the photo, Yumo.