Armenian Stuffed Vegetables (Dolma) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

FILLING
1 1/2 1 1/2 lbs ground round or 1 1/2 lbs lamb and lean ground top round beef
1/2 cup rice (preferably a combination of the two) or 1/2 cup cracked bulgur wheat (preferably a combination of the two)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped fine
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
8 ounces crushed tomatoes or 8 ounces tomato sauce
cayenne pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth or (14 ounce) can beef broth, enough to cover the vegetables

Preparation

PREPARATION OF VEGETABLES:
A variety of vegetables can and should be used including red, gold, and or green bell peppers. Also used are large sized zucchini squash, tomatoes, and onions.
Scoop out the vegetables leaving an opening for the filling of about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and about 2-3 inches deep. Fill the scooped out vegetables with the filling mixture and place upright in a large covered casserole.
Pour over the crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce with broth or 1 cup of water. Cover and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 1-1 1/2 hours.
Try this dish served with a dollop of Mahdzoon (YOGURT) over the filled vegetables.
See my Mahdzoon recipe -- ENJOY!