Stuffed Vine Leaves Recipes

STUFFED VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Wash the vine leaves thoroughly, then put in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 mins, then drain.
• Put the oil in a medium, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 6-7 mins until translucent. Increase the heat and add the beef, frying for about 5 mins or until browned. Add the stock, tomatoes, purée and rice. Stir together, then add the cinnamon, mint, lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Check the seasoning, stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
• To stuff the vine leaves, lay a leaf on a chopping board, shiny-side down. Cut off and discard any stems. At the point where the stem was, add 1 heaped tsp of the mixture. Fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, then fold the sides inwards and the top down, and continue to roll up. Repeat with the remaining filling and leaves.
• Line the base of a deep, ovenproof dish with any remaining vine leaves, then tightly pack the stuffed leaves into the dish. Pour over 140ml water and cover with foil. Cook for 1 hr, until the rice is cooked. You can also freeze the filled vine leaves. Cook these from frozen for 90 mins until piping hot and the rice is thoroughly cooked.

GREEK DOLMADES RECIPE (STUFFED VINE/ GRAPE LEAVES DOLMATHES)

Steps:

• To make this traditional Greek dolmades recipe (stuffed vine/ grape leaves), start by preparing the vine leaves. For this dolmades recipe, you can either use vine leaves sold in jars or fresh (if you are lucky enough to find them). If you use the ones in jar, rinse the vine leaves, remove the stems and leave them in a colander to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, wash them thoroughly, remove the stems and blanch them in boiling hot water. Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to cool down completely.
• Prepare the filling for the stuffed vine/ grape leaves (dolmades). Place the rice in a colander and rinse with running water. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/3 of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté the onions, until translucent (but not coloured). Add the rice and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in 2 cups of warm water and half lemon juice and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the rice absorbs all the water and is parboiled. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the herbs, remove from the stove and set aside to cool down for a while. This will be the filling for the dolmades.
• Layer the bottom of a large pot with some vine leaves (use the ones that are little bit torn) and start rolling the dolmadakia. (This is probably the most difficult part of the traditional dolmades recipe). Place one vine leaf (shiny side down) on a flat surface and add 1 tsp of the filling at the bottom end (stem). Be careful not to overfill the dolmades, as the rice will expand during cooking. Fold the lower section of the leaf over the filling towards the center; bring the two sides in towards the center and roll them up tightly. Place the stuffed vine leaves (fold side down) on the bottom of the pot and top in snugly layers. Be careful not to leave any gaps between the dolmades to prevent them from cracking open when cooking.
• Drizzle the stuffed vine leaves (dolmathes) with the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place an inverted plate on top to hold them down when cooking and pour in enough water just to cover them. Place the lid on and simmer the dolmades for about 30-40 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the dolmades remain only with the oil.
• Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid and plate and let the dolmades cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Serve this delicious Greek appetizer cold or at room temperature with a squeeze of a lemon. Give this traditional dolmades recipe a try and enjoy your own fresh homemade stuffed grape leaves (dolmades)!

DOLMADES: STUFFED VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a bowl mix the raw ground beef, onion, oregano, parsley, mint, rice, salt, and pepper together.
• Carefully, separate the vine leaves. Place each leaf on a wooden board shiny side down, with its stem toward you. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing near the bottom of the leaf, fold the bottom and 2 sides to cover the filling, and roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf.
• Place them in a casserole dish or pan and cover with several of the remaining grape leaves. Cover completely with stock or water and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven to bake for 1 hour, or until the rice and the leaves are tender and the juice absorbed.
• Once the grape leaves are done, uncover them. Carefully pour any remaining liquid out of the pan into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon into the eggs and beat until frothy. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth from the grape leaves into the egg/lemon mixture. If it is done too fast, the eggs will curdle. Pour the entire egg mixture over the grape leaves and let sit to warm. Serve cold as a meze (appetizer) or warm as an entree.

STUFFED VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• Vine leaves in jars are available at many specialty shops. As they are packed in brine, be certain to wash them well before using. Remove the stem. If you use fresh vine leaves, soak them in olive oil to cover for 24 hours. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water.
• Combine the cooked rice, raw meat, nuts, raisins and salt and pepper. Bind with the egg. Form into tiny balls and place one on each vine leaf. Fold and roll so that the stuffing is firmly enveloped. (If you place the ball in the center, and fold in the side points and then roll, the envelope will stay intact.)
• Place the stuffed leaves in a skillet with olive oil, a little lemon juice and water to half cover. Cook gently for 15-20 minutes, turning carefully two or three times during the cooking. Remove to a rack covered with absorbent paper, or cool in the pan.
• Serve cold with a little of the cooking liquid and a dusting of thyme, or serve with yoghurt and a sprinkling of thyme and parsley.