Bulgur

Armenian Dolma With Lemony Labneh From Pierce Abernathy

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April 26, 2023
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Armenian Dolma With Lemony Labneh From Pierce Abernathy
Photo by Julia Gartland. Prop Stylist: John Lingenfelter. Food Stylist: Lauren LaPenna.
  • Prep time 1 hour
  • Cook time 1 hour 20 minutes
  • makes about 36 dolmas
Author Notes

Dating back to the Ottoman Empire, Yalanchi Sarma or Armenian Dolma are essentially stuffed grape leaves, but there are many variations in terms of ingredients. My great-aunt, Elizabeth Tootelian, wrote an Armenian cookbook in the '70s titled “Please Pass the Pilaf” that was dedicated to the foods of our family’s heritage, and it’s something I cherish deeply. Inspired by my Auntie Lala’s original recipe, this version swaps in bulgur for the typical rice and I like to add a variety of fresh herbs before wrapping my grape leaves, like mint, dill, and parsley. To serve, I make a lemony labneh dip that amplifies the fresh herbs in the dolma. This dish pairs perfectly with a spice-forward sip, like the Manhattan 46 made with Maker’s Mark 46®. —Pierce Abernathy
—Food52

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is shared in partnership with Maker’s Mark 46®. To find out our favorite dish to serve with this cocktail, check out our digital cookbook, A Toast to Family Ties.

WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY. PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY.

MAKER’S MARK 46® KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKY BARREL FINISHED WITH 10 VIRGIN FRENCH OAK STAVES. 47% Alc./Vol. ©2023 MAKER’S MARK DISTILLERY, INC. LORETTO, KY. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Armenian Dolma With Lemony Labneh From Pierce Abernathy
Ingredients
  • For the Armenian dolma
  • 4 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup coarse bulgur
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped dill, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup currants
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 jar grape leaves
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups neutral frying oil (like peanut or canola)
  • For the lemony labneh:
  • 1 cup labneh
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
Directions
  1. In a large pan on medium-low heat add the olive oil and onion and sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add all but the last 4 ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat.
  2. Remove grape leaves from the jar and rinse. Squeeze excess water out and separate.
  3. To prepare, place grape leaf vein side up and scoop roughly 1 tablespoon of the bulgur mixture in the center of the leaf at the stem side (more or less depending on the leaf size). Fold the sides of the leaf over the bulgur mixture then roll up. Transfer to a large pan. Repeat until all the bulgur mixture is used.
  4. Cover the stuffed grape leaves with a heat-safe plate and add 2 cups of water. Transfer to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until all the water has evaporated and bulgur is cooked.
  5. While the bulgur cooks, fry the shallots. Prepare a sheet-pan or plate by lining it with paper towels. Heat neutral frying oil to 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you’ll know the oil is ready when a single piece of shallot dropped in the pot immediately bubbles and rises to the surface.
  6. Gently place your shallots in the oil using a spider or a slotted spoon, being careful not to burn yourself with splattering oil. Using the spider, a pair of chopsticks, or tweezers, gently stir the shallots frequently, if not constantly, until they have turned a light golden brown. These will continue cooking when you remove, so be sure to remove before they get too browned.
  7. Using the spider or a strainer, remove the shallots from oil and quickly spread them out on the paper towel-lined sheet-pan or plate. Season with salt and transfer to a new, dry paper towel if the first stack becomes soggy. The drying process will help the shallots continue to crisp up, so they should not sit on a greasy surface.
  8. For the labneh dip, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to evenly incorporate. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Garnish labneh with fried shallots.
  9. Transfer dolmas to a plate or serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with lemony labneh on the side for dipping.
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