Reshkef-Stuffed Ilist Leaves, with Fruit and Flower

Makes about 20 appetizers.

Ingredients

1 jar seawater-cured ilist leaves.
1 large onion
½ hand fresh sevet herb-mixture, adjusted seasonally
1 hand golden sun-dried Veilyns grapes
½ hand petals, flowers of pencail
1 hand mixed sweet nut paste
2 breasts of reshkef
reshkef broth
table spices and citrus juice to taste

Preparation

Rinse mature ilist leaves in several changes of cold water, then blanch leaves in boiling water until their initial blue-black color has paled to mid-blue (around four minutes).  Note that undercooked ilist leaves contain toxic alkaloids; check carefully to ensure that the leaves have reached an internal temperature above 190 degrees and/or that all traces of class C27 toxins are eliminated with thermograph or chemsniffer, respectively.  Drain leaves well.

Chop separately onion, fresh sevet herbs, and Veilyns grapes.  Mix together with pencail and nut paste, moisten with reshkef broth and mix until a thick paste is formed.  Dice the reshkef breast, and sauté until lightly cooked.  Mix the sautéed reshkef into the paste until even.  Set aside.

Individually, separate layers of ilist leaves to form pockets.  Score the fleshy inside of the leaves in a cross-hatch pattern, taking care not to penetrate the outer layer of the leaves.  (Great care should be taken since the leaves are delicate.)  Having done this, pack the ilist leaves with the reshkef-paste mixture, squeezing the edges closed again.

Place the prepared leaves in a large saucepan, with the seams at the base, covering each layer with salt.  Add reshkef broth until the uppermost layer of leaves is just covered, cover pan, and simmer for two-thirds of an hour.  Drain the liquid and remove the stuffed leaves to another plate, then cover and chill.  Before serving, drizzle the leaves with table spices and citrus juice to taste, and as appropriate.

Serve with sweet wine, preferably unspiced.

– Epicurean Follies, pub. 3169, Cileädrin Domestic Press