Stuffed Vine Leaves
A vegetarian twist on a classic Mediterranean dish – stuffed grape vine leaves! Also called dolmas, this bite-sized food is a delicacy. Stuffed with rice and vegetables, it is packed with flavor, herbs, and spices, and cooked in a citrus-y broth. This is a traditional recipe that is passed down through the generations, and here i will show you step-by-step instructions on how to make it.Bon Appétit!
Ingredients
- 1 jar grape leaves (about 50 leaves or 16 oz)
- 3 potatoes
Stuffing Ingredients
- 2 cups short or medium grain rice
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 medium onions
- 1 bunch fresh parsley (or 1 cup)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp mint flakes
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
Vine Leaves
- 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove the vine leaves from the jar and place in a large bowl with hot water for 2-3 minutes. Place in a colander to strain and set aside.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice them in even 1/2 inch thick circles and arrange them at the bottom of a medium-sized pot.
Stuffing
- Rinse the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes.
- Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, and fresh parsley.
- Drain the rice and place in a large bowl. Add all the stuffing ingredients: chopped tomatoes, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, mint flakes, paprika, cayenne, 3/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup olive oil, and combine well.
- On a flat surface, lay open one vine leaf with stem side up (make sure to cut and discard the thick small stem that sticks out of the leave) and place a heaping teaspoon of stuffing by the stem end in a straight line. Fold the sides inward and roll up by making sure not to roll them extra tight since the rice needs room to expand. Continue with the same procedure until all the leaves are filled.
- Arrange the filled vine leaves tightly on top of the potatoes next to each other. Add a second layer on top as needed.
- In a small bowl, mix the 4 cups of water, tomato paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Add the mixture on top of the stuffed vine leaves.
- Place a plate (face inwards) on top of the leaves to keep them tightly together. Cook on medium to high heat for several minutes until the sauce starts to boil, then lower the heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Once cooked, turn off heat, remove the cover and let them cool for one hour. Remove the stuffed vine leaves from the pot. Serve and enjoy!
