Goat Cheese Grape Leaf Bundles With Melissa Recipes

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onions and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic and tomato, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the rice.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dill.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
• Meanwhile drain the grape leaves and carefully pull them apart. Put them into a bowl of cold water. Let them soak until you are ready to roll.
• Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Place a grape leaves on your work surface, shiny side down. Add 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture to the middle of the grape leaf. Along with a thin slice of goat cheese.
• Fold the sides over the rice and roll the leaf into a small log shape, about the size of a cigar.
• Repeat with the remaining rice mixture.
• Place the rolled grape leaves into a casserole dish.
• When all the mixture or cheese is used, cover rolled leaves with several layers of flat grape leaves and pour in 1 cup of chicken stock.
• Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
• Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
• Serve well chilled.

GRILLED GRAPE LEAF-WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Wrap the grape leaves around the cheese to cover it completely; tie with kitchen twine.
• Brush the wrapped cheese with olive oil and grill, turning once, until the leaves begin to char and the cheese is soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, the rosemary, red pepper flakes and salt to taste in a bowl. Transfer the warm cheese to a serving plate, pour the oil on top and remove the twine. Serve with bread.

GOAT CHEESE WRAPPED IN VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Overlap 3 grape leaves, vein side facing up, to form a solid circle (see Cook's Note*). Place the goat cheese round in the center of the circle. Use 2 roasted pepper strips to wrap around the cheese. Carefully wrap the leaves snugly around the cheese. Repeat with remaining leaves, cheese and pepper strips.
• Over high heat, cook the leaf bundles in olive oil for 1 minute on 1 side in an oven-safe skillet. Turn the bundles and cook for 1 minute more. Place the pan in the oven for approximately 3 minutes.
• To serve, place vine leaf bundle in the center of a large plate. Open up the leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crackers or bread.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the red peppers on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven on the top rack for 35 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the skin is blistered and charred. Immediately transfer the hot peppers to a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and remove the stem and seeds. Cut into 1-inch wide strips.

GOAT CHEESE FILLED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Mix the goat cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
• Spread out the grape leaves, in sets of 2 overlapping pairs. Scoop 2 ounces (ice cream scoop works best) of goat cheese mixture, and place in the middle of the pair of grape leaves. Starting with 1 end, fold each side until goat cheese is covered, making a rectangular packet. Repeat with remaining leaves. Place stuffed leaves in a container and cover with extra virgin olive oil.
• Heat a grill.
• Using tongs, place the packets onto the hot grill. When marked, turn over, and mark on the other side. Grill until cheese is soft. When soft, remove from grill.
• Place on a bed of arugula, and tear open the grape leaf. Brush 8 pieces of bread with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill both sides. Cut in half on a bias and serve with the goat cheese with the grilled bread and marinated olives.

GOAT CHEESE IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Soak 8 wooden cocktail sticks in cold water for 1/2 hours Rinse the vine leaves under cold running water, then soak in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Rinse again under running water and then repeat one more time. (The repeated rinsing, removes the saltiness of the brine).Pat dry with kitchen paper towel.
• To make the filling: dry-fry the pinenuts over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until they release their aroma and are a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
• Lay the vine leaves out on a flat surface and place a slice of chevre in the centre of one. Spread a little of the pesto on the top of the cheese then sprinkle with a few pine kernels.
• Fold the edges of the vine leaf over the filling and place another leaf on top. Turn the parcel over and fold the ends into the centre in the same way. Secure the outer flaps by threading a cocktail stick through the corners then brush the wraps with olive oil.
• Grill the parcels over the barbecue for 4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt and the leaves become a dark brown colour turning the parcels once halfway through grilling.
• Meanwhile, wrap the baguette in foil (or brush it with oil and place it directly on the cooking grate) and warm over direct high heat for 3 minutes, turning every minute.
• To serve: open the parcels, discard the leaves and spread the melted cheese onto crusty baguettes, adding seasoning to taste.

GOAT CHEESE BAKED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat your broiler.
• Remove any stems from the leaves.
• Place one leaf on your workspace, vein side up with the stem end toward you.
• Roll 1/8 of the goat cheese into a log shape, and place it on the end of the leaf nearest you.
• Drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil, and sprinkle with mint and pepper.
• Roll the leaf around the cheese until it is covered, fold in the sides, and continue to roll the rest of the leaf and place it on a broiler pan, seam side down.
• Continue with the remaining ingredients.
• Brush the rolls with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil, then put under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes until the leaves start to color and the cheese is very hot.
• Remove from the broiler and serve immediately with lemon wedges for garnish (and to drizzle the juice over the cheese).

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Cream together cheese, chives, egg and pepper to taste.
• Wash grape leaves and pat dry.
• Remove stems.
• Working with one leaf at a time, place 1 rounded T of the cheese mixture at stem end of each leaf.
• Roll up tightly, tucking ends in to form a cigar shape.
• Place rolls, open end down, on a greased baking sheet.
• Brush generously with olive oil.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot or tepid.