Indulge in the culinary masterpiece known as Stuffed Grape Leaves, a delightful dish that tantalizes taste buds and transports you to the heart of Mediterranean cuisine. These delicate parcels of tender grape leaves are meticulously filled with a savory mixture of seasoned rice, aromatic herbs, and succulent minced meat, creating a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more. As you bite into these delectable morsels, the tangy sauce envelops your palate, leaving a trail of delightful memories. This comprehensive guide presents a collection of diverse recipes, each offering a unique twist on this classic dish. Discover the traditional Greek version, where the grape leaves are stuffed with a flavorful combination of rice, ground beef, and a medley of herbs. Embark on a culinary adventure with the Turkish interpretation, which boasts a tantalizing filling of rice, minced lamb, and a harmonious blend of spices. For a vegetarian delight, explore the Armenian recipe, where aromatic rice, lentils, and an array of herbs come together in perfect harmony. Prepare to be captivated by the vibrant flavors of the Lebanese version, featuring a captivating filling of rice, minced meat, and a zesty blend of spices. Unleash your inner chef and embark on a culinary journey with Stuffed Grape Leaves, a versatile dish that promises to satisfy even the most discerning palate.
Let's cook with our recipes!
DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)
The spices may seem like a strange combination, but this is a wonderful, delicate traditional Turkish dish with a twist. Serve chilled, as is traditional, or warm, as desired. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over dolmas before serving.
Provided by WhirledPeas
Categories Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Stir in rice and hot water to cover. Cover and simmer until rice is half cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in tomato paste, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, mint leaves, dill weed, allspice and cumin. Let mixture cool.
- Prepare a large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom; this protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming.
- Rinse grape leaves in warm water; drain and cut off any stems. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cooled rice mixture in the center of a leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll into a cigar shape. Place in prepared pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Pour in just enough warm water to reach the bottom of the first layer of dolmas. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until rice is totally cooked. Check the water level often and add more as necessary.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 207.4 calories, Carbohydrate 39.1 g, Fat 3.8 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 846.7 mg, Sugar 3.9 g
MY OWN FAMOUS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
These are grape leaves, stuffed with a tantalizing mixture of rice, fresh dill, mint and lemon. 'Yum' is the only one word to describe these. These can either be a main dish or an appetizer, depending on your appetite. Serve with good crusty bread and a Greek salad, if desired.
Provided by Patti Moschonas
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Fruit
Time 1h40m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the rice, onion, dill, and mint for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Pour in 1 quart of broth, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked. Stir in 1/2 of lemon juice and remove from heat.
- Take one leaf, shiny side down, and place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4-quart pot. Repeat with all leaves, leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and with olive oil.
- Pour chicken broth over all to cover grape leaves. Cover pot and simmer for about 1 hour (do not boil, because this will make the stuffing burst out of the leaves). Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to serving dish and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.6 calories, Carbohydrate 30.9 g, Fat 18.7 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 573.2 mg, Sugar 1.2 g
LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 2h45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, garlic powder, allspice, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and set aside.
- Rinse grape leaves several times. If the leaves are small, leave them intact, but cut out the large center vein. If the leaves are large, cut them in half vertically, cutting out the large vein in the process. Place a small amount of the ground meat mixture at the end of each leaf. Roll up egg-roll style.
- Pour the oil into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay the chops over the oil. Lay the tomato slices over the chops.
- Place the stuffed grape leaves seam-side down on top of the chops. Pack the leaves tightly and begin a second layer when necessary. Place whole garlic cloves randomly between the rolled leaves; plenty of garlic on each layer.
- When you are done stacking, pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and add water to the pot to about 2-inches above the rolled leaves. To prevent the leaves from unrolling during cooking, place a plate on top of the stack of leaves and place a heavy object on top of the plate.
- Simmer the leaves over low heat for about 2 hours.
- Invert the entire Dutch oven into a large platter with high sides (i.e. a 12-inch round cake pan). Or, remove the leaves from the pot with tongs. Serve rustic style, with plenty of Arabic bread on which to spread the garlic!
DOLMATHAKIA (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH RICE AND HERBS)
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Rinse the leaves well to remove brine.
- Place the leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them and make them more pliable. Remove from water and set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice, parsley, dill, pine nuts, mint, salt, and pepper. Taste test and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Allow the filling to cool about 10 minutes.
- Line the bottom of a heavy saucepan with 2 or 3 grape leaves (use the broken or torn ones for this).
- Roll the dolmathakia by placing a leaf with the stem toward you on a flat surface. The underside of the leaf should be face up. (The veins of the leaf are raised on the underside.) Using the point of a sharp paring knife, cut out the stem of the leaf. Overlap the bottom two sections of the leaf toward the center.
- Place a tablespoon of filling in the bottom center of the leaf, just above the stem.
- Fold the bottom section up to cover the filling.
- Fold the sides in toward the center.
- Continue rolling the packet up toward the top point of the leaf.
- Place the rolls in layers, seam-side down, in the saucepan.
- Pour remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over the dolmathakia and enough water to cover them by about 1 inch.
- Place an inverted heatproof plate on top of the rolls to keep them submerged in the water.
- Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the leaves are tender and the rice filling is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 62 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 270 mg, Sugar 1 g, Fat 5 g, ServingSize About 50 Pieces (50 Servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
ROLLED STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
This is the Lebanese version of Rolled Stuffed Grape Leaves, also called "Yabrak Arish". When we were kids we used to call them Cigars. Not very PC these days. The main difference between these and the Greek version is we don't use any olive oil. Sometimes the ones you buy in the store are packed in it too.
Provided by Fred Alam
Categories Other Side Dishes
Time 2h45m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- 1. If you're using fresh grape leaves, prepare them for use by dipping them in boiling water for about 30 seconds.
- 2. If you're grinding your own lamb do it with the course blade on your grinder.
- 3. Mix the ground lamb and rice, and season with salt & pepper, and cinnamon
- 4. Cut the stem away from each grape leaf and spread them out on a flat work surface.
- 5. Place about a teaspoon of the meat and rice stuffing across each leaf about 1/2 inch up from the stem point.
- 6. Roll the leaf toward the stuffing and then fold the edges over the top. Continue rolling until tight. Repeat for all the grape leaves and stuffing. Don't worry if it looks like there isn't enough stuffing. Remember, the rice is raw and will expand as it cooks.
- 7. Put enough plain grape leaves and or scraps in the bottom of a large pot (5 Qt.).
- 8. Place the rolled grape leaves neatly in a layer on top of the leaves lining the bottom of the pot. Repeat this until all the rolls are in the pot. Make sure you save enough leaves to cover the top layer
- 9. Crush and pound the garlic with the mint until well combined and salt to taste. Mix with water and lemon juice and pour over the rolls in the pot. Cover with grape leaves and pieces. I like to thinly slice a fresh lemon and put the slices on top.
- 10. Invert a plate that is a little smaller than the diameter of the pot on top of the rolls to keep them down in the pot. Cover the pot.
- 11. Bring to a boil, then cook for 1 hour on LOW heat. You can add more water if needed. Continue to steam until grape leaves are soft and can be pierced easily with a fork. Don't let them overcook or they will fall apart.
- 12. You can serve hot or they can be eaten cold. You can use more or less of the lemon, mint, and garlic to suit your own taste.
Tips:
- Choose the right grape leaves: For the best results, use fresh, young grape leaves. If using preserved grape leaves, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes before using to soften them.
- Prepare the grape leaves properly: Trim the stems from the grape leaves and remove any tough veins. If the leaves are large, cut them in half.
- Use a flavorful filling: The filling is what makes stuffed grape leaves so delicious, so be sure to use a flavorful combination of ingredients. Some popular options include rice, ground meat, vegetables, and herbs.
- Roll the grape leaves tightly: To prevent the filling from falling out, roll the grape leaves tightly. You can use a toothpick or skewer to secure the rolls.
- Cook the grape leaves slowly: Stuffed grape leaves are best cooked slowly over low heat. This will allow the flavors to meld and the leaves to become tender.
Conclusion:
Stuffed grape leaves are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. They are also a great way to use up leftover rice and meat. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make stuffed grape leaves at home. So next time you are looking for a unique and flavorful dish to try, give stuffed grape leaves a try!
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