Mondays are for Suckers!

I recently found out that my paternal great-grandmother was a full blood Native American.  It explains my olive complexion and, perhaps, why certain American colloquialisms have always rubbed me the wrong way.  Many from my short youth have fallen out of favor--rightly:  Indian-giver and even gypped.  But Indian Summer is still around because, linguistically, tying the word Indian to a soft pastoral word like summer seems to make it more round a term.  And it is 40 degrees and raining in Pittsburgh, so I find it only fitting that I find myself begging for one more tall glass of summer.

We attended the monthly Pittsburgh Veggie Foodies this weekend and for the first time they accepted my submission for an Idea.  Arab Spring.   It was a great time with many drinks and exceptional veggie cuisine.  If you're in Pittsburgh, check them out here: PVC.

What you Need:
16 oz jar Grape Leaves
1 C lentils cooked in 3 C H2o
1/2 C Bulgar set in 1 C Hot H2o
1/2 C Vegetable oil
1/4 C pine Nuts
1/4 C onions, diced finely
1/4 Mint. diced finely
1/3 C Lemon juice
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 lemon, for juicing

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Cook Lentils for 30 minutes.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer.  Place Bulgar in hot water and set aside. 
Heat oil in skillet, add pine nuts, saute until lightly browned.  Add onions and saute until transparent.  Remove skillet from heat and add mint, lemon juice, seasonings, lentils and Bulgar.  Mix well.
Rinse grape leaves, drain and remove stems.

Assembly:
Lay an assembly line for leaves.  Set leaves shiny side down.

Place 2 tsp. of mixture in a line across the middle of leaves.

Fold the outside of the leaves in 1/2 inch towards the center. Then, roll into a firm--not too firm, finger.  Place each roll, seam side down, side by side in a large sauce pan.  Stack them atop one another (We had 3 rows).  Then fill with water and juice from a lemon all the way up to the bottom of the last row.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for one hour.



* Squeeze a little lemon juice over them while serving.  

Total time:  1 1/2 hours
Drink:  Great Lakes 
Music:  Damien Rice