Ingredients:

1.5 kg. lean boneless pork
2 lemons, salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 stalk celery; 2 carrots, cleaned ; chopped into chunks
250 ml. white wine
2 bay leaves
6 whole black peppercorns
3 cloves
125 ml. olive oil

Procedure:

Rub meat with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Shape into a neat roll and tie with string. Heat olive oil in heavy pan with lid and brown meat. Add onions and garlic and sauté few minutes. Add rest of vegetables, seasonings and wine. Cover and simmer very slowly until tender, topping up with little more wine to prevent scorching. Let cool slightly before removing string and serve.

Ingredients:

1 kg. skinless boneless pork shoulder
60 ml. port or sweet wine
5 ml. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
3 ml. freshly ground black pepper
12 ml. ground coriander seed
3 ml. ground cinnamon
3 ml. whole cumin seeds
10 ml. salt
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
grated rind of one orange
sausage casings

Procedure:

Mince pork in food processor. Mix with all other ingredients except casings and leave covered, in fridge over night. Fill sausage casings using a funnel with a long nozzle. Put sausage casing on the end of funnel nozzle and ease it off as it fills. Push meat through with handle of a wooden spoon. Knot end of skin as meat begins to come through nozzle. When casing is filled, twist into sausages about 15 cm. long and knot end. Sausages can be stored loosely covered in fridge until required. Can be fried in olive oil or grilled and served cut into chunks.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat couscous, uncooked
1 cup halved cucumber slices
1 large tomato, chopped
1 pkg. (4 oz.) Arthenos crumbled reduced fat feta cheese
1 tsp. dill weed (optional)
1/2 cup Kraft Light House Italian Reduced Fat Dressing

Procedure:

Cook couscous as directed on package, omitting the salt and butter. Fluff with fork. Place in a large bowl; cool 10 min. Add remaining ingredients; toss lightly. Cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small onion; chopped
8 scallions; chopped fine
2 large garlic cloves; chopped
1 cup raw long-grain rice
1 bunch fresh dill; chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley; chopped
1 1/2 lemons (or more), juice only
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 cup hot water
1 lb. jar grapevine leaves

Procedure:

Heat the 1/2 cup oil in a skillet. Add the onion and scallions and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft and transparent. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, then add the rice, dill, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir well, then add the hot water. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Meanwhile, carefully remove the grapevine leaves from the jar, leaving the brine in the jar. Wash grapevine leaves thoroughly and drain, then with a sharp knife cut the heavy stems from the leaves. (If using fresh grapevine leaves use the same procedure, parboiling leaves for 5 minutes when not tender, then drain.) Line an enameled pan with a few heavy grapevine leaves and set aside. To stuff a grapevine leaf, put it on your working surface rough side up and stem end near you, and place a teaspoonful of the rice mixture near the stem end. Using both hands, fold the part of the leaf near you up and over the filling. Then fold the right side of the leaf over the filling, then the left side, and roll tightly and back away from you and toward the pointed end of leaf. Place the “dolma”, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Continue stuffing grapevine leaves until the mixture has been used. (If any grapevine leaves remain, replace in the reserved brine for future use.) Place an inverted plate on the dolmades, then add enough water to cover the dolmades (about 1 to 1-1/2 cups). Bring to a boil, then cover the pan, lower the heat, and simmer as slowly as possible for 1-1/4 hours, then taste one to see if the rice is tender, and continue cooking slowly if necessary. Cool, then chill. Serve cold, as an appetizer or as an entree.

Note: An important variation, particularly in Macedonia and Thrace: add a few tablespoons of raisins and pine nuts to the filling when adding the rice. Also, you may vary the size of dolmades as you wish by adding 1-1/2 teaspoons of the filling. However, be consistent to allow them to cook at the same rate. They may be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so.