Jamee Moltini’s Stove-Top Dolma
I was taught to bake dolma, but Jamee makes hers on the stove-top in this marvelously rich tomato broth. See for yourself, and vive la difference!
Cory Anderson’s Killer Kheyma
Growing up, I would get super excited when we attended a function where kheyma was served. I would load the perfect bites onto my crackers, take my plate off to a quiet corner, and go straight to hog heaven, as my mother would say. This recipe was developed by a beloved friend of Jamee’s family, the late Laura Dedekian, and tweaked to perfection by Jamee’s first cousin, Cory. As Jamee’s dad, James Ashjian, said: “Kheyma is like Armenian steak tartare.” It’s a true delicacy, and I urge you try it with the Italian dressing in the Ashjian family fashion, at the brilliant suggestion of Jamee’s grandma Florence.
Cory Anderson’s Killer Kheyma
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Yield:
6-8 servings
Prep time:
30 minutes
Cook time:
Set up for 6 hours
Total time:
6 hours and 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
| 1lb. | prime beef, ground twice by a butcher |
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| 1 | cup fine bulghur, rinsed |
| 1/4 | cup cold water, plus a few ice cubes |
| 4 | oz. spicy vegetable juice (such as Spicy V8) |
| 1 | medium red onion, chopped small |
| 2 | green onions, chopped |
| 1 | large handful of parsley, chopped |
| Italian dressing and moistened lahvosh, for serving | |
| 1 | tsp salt |
| 1/2 | tsp white pepper |
| 1 | dash of cayenne Pepper |
EQUIPMENT
- Your hands – or gloves if handling raw meat grosses you out.
Meanwhile, chop the red and green onions and parsley and set aside.INSTRUCTIONS
| 1. | Rinse and drain the bulghur until it runs clear, to remove any dust. |
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| 2. | Soak the bulger in the ice-cold water and ice cubes and mix with your hands. |
| 3. | Wait 10-15 minutes to allow the bulghur to bloom. |
| 4. | Meanwhile, chop the red and green onions and parsley and set aside. |
| 5. | Add the spicy vegetable juice to the bulger mixture and mix. |
| 6. | Add the meat and spices and mix well with your hands. |
| 7. | (The meat should be moist but not wet.) |
| 8. | Form the kheyma into a dome shape on your serving dish, cover, and let it set up in the fridge for 6 hours. |
| 9. | Before serving, top with the parsley and green onion. |
| 10. | Serve on with Italian dressing to enjoy your kheyma in traditional Ashjian family fashion! |
NOTES
| 1. | They kheyma must be cold while you are working with, so always keep an ice cube in the bowl. |
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