Stuffed Grape Leaves

Larry's comment, "These are the best stuffed grape leaves I have ever had anywhere. The Arab speice and lamb make them really tasty. Don't leave out the pine nuts!"

Glad's comment, "This is a labor-intensive dish. To break up the work, you can cook the meat filling and take a break or wait overnight before dealing with the leaves. I usually make a double recipe and ask whoever is willing to help roll them!"

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 lb. lean ground lamb
• ¾ cup short grain rice (or sushi rice)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dry dill weed
• ½ teaspoon or more Arab spices (see Glady’s
• Arab Spice Mix
recipe)
• ¾ cup tomato juice
• Juice of ½ large lemon (1 ½ tablespoons)
• 15 oz. Jar of preserved grape leaves
• optional: ¼ cup toasted and chopped pine nuts
• 2 lemons to thinly slice and place over rolled grape leaves in the pot
• boiling water to soften grape leaves
• Boiling water to cover and cook

Instructions

1. Remove the leaves from the jar. Unroll them into flat stacks and place in a large bowl.
2. Cover with boiling water and leave to cool while you made the stuffing.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan.
4. Saute onion until tender.
5. Add meat and cook until not red.
6. Add rice, mint, dill, optional pine nuts and seasoning and cook until all liquid evaporates.
7. Taste to see if you want to add more salt, pepper or Arab spices.
8. Cool.
9. Select a heavy sauce pan that can hold 2 or more heatproof dessert-size plates to weight down the grape leaves while they cook.
10. Line the bottom of the pan with 3 or 4 grape leaves.

Stuffing/Rolling the Grape Leaves

1. Find a work space to sit down while you roll the grape leaves.
2. Drain the water from the ieaves in the bowl.
3. Find the largest leaves to begin with as they are easier to handle.
4. Cut any remaining stem from the bottom of the leaf.
5. Place the leaf shiny side down (veins side up) with the stem end toward you.
6. Place about a level tablespoon of the meat and rice mixture at the center of the leaf.
7. Fold the two leaf ends diagonally over the meat.
8. Press down on the meat filling as you roll the leaf to remove air space and make a firm, compact roll.
9. Pressing firmly as you go, roll the leaf up, tucking in sides to firmly cover the filling.
10. Small leaf rolls will be little-finger size, larger ones pointing finger size.
11. Begin filling the pan with leaves, seam side down, pushing each snuggly together until you have completely filled the bottom of the pan.
12. Place 3 or 4 lemon slices over the layer and begin another layer, working from the center out.
13. When you have used all the meat mixture, cover the second layer with a couple of lemon slices.
14. Place two heat proof plates upside down (or a heavy pan lid) over the grape leaves inside the cooking pan to weight them down while cooking.
15. Cover grape leaves and plates with water.
16. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently (so they don’t unroll while cooking) 1 hour or longer.
17. Taste one to make sure the leaves are not too chewy.
18. Serve hot or cold.
19. Good with yogurt sauce.