Brown Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipes

MY OWN FAMOUS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

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.

BROWN RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add mixture to a large bowl, along with cooked rice, parsley, mint, lemon zest, currants, and pine nuts; stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl; stir to combine and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place one grape leaf on work surface, vein-side up. Place 1 heaping tablespoon rice mixture in the center of grape leaf. Roll leaf from bottom up, folding in sides to form a 2-inch log. Place seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat process with remaining grape leaves and rice mixture.
• In a large bowl, mix together chicken broth, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; pour over grape leaves. Top grape leaves with lemon slices. Place a second 9-by-13-inch baking dish on top of grape leaves and lemon slices and fill halfway with water to weight down. Carefully transfer to oven and bake until grape leaves are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Put the onions and oil in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. While the onions cook, peel the garlic cloves and mash them to a paste in a mortar and pestle. Add this to the pan along with the tomato, lemon juice, tomato paste, 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.
• While this is cooling, drain the grape leaves and carefully pull them apart. Put them into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak until you are ready to roll.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a grape leaf on your work surface, shiny side down. Add 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture to the middle of the grape leaf. Fold the sides over the rice and roll the leaf into a small log shape, about the size of George's thumb. Repeat with the remaining rice, placing the stuffed leaves into a 9 by 9-inch baking dish. When the dish is full, cover the stuffed leaves with several layers of flat grape leaves and pour in 1 cup of water. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Serve cool.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

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.

WILD RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and allspice and stir 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups water and currants and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Mix nut mixture into rice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring large pot of water to boil. Add grape leaves and stir to separate. Turn off heat; let stand 1 minute. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well.
• Cover bottom of heavy large skillet or Dutch oven with about 10 grape leaves, pressing about 1 inch up sides of skillet. Arrange 1 leaf, vein side up, on work surface. Place 1 rounded tablespoon rice filling near stem. Fold in sides, then roll up jelly roll fashion. Repeat with remaining filling and leaves. Arrange stuffed leaves, seam side down, close together in leaf-lined skillet. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over. Add 1/4 cup water and fresh lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 50 minutes. Cool completely. (Grape leaves can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Arrange stuffed grape leaves on platter. Garnish with lemon and parsley.

CHICKEN-AND-RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 2-quart nonstick saucepan and place over moderate heat.
• Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and allspice and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the rice, toss, and cook until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in 1 cup of the broth and the white wine and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until the broth is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Uncover, turn out into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature.
• When the rice is cool, crumble in the ground chicken.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the scallions, mint, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper.
• Mix thoroughly with your hands to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly oil 2 shallow casseroles or baking dishes (approximately 12x18 inches.) Separate the grape leaves and arrange them in a stack.
• Working with 1 leaf at a time, place a leaf, shiny side down, in front of you.
• Shape 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling into a log and place it across the lower third of the leaf.
• Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and firmly roll up.
• As they are assembled, place the stuffed leaves, seam side down, close together in a single layer in the prepared casseroles.
• Continue stuffing the grape leaves.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups chicken stock over each casserole to almost cover the leaves.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the remaining lemon juice over each pan; cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, until heated through and tender.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• When cool, arrange the stuffed grape leaves in a deeper pan (a bread pan or some other deep container), making several layers.
• As you build up the layers, drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Cover and chill for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days.
• Serve cold with more lemon, if desired.

VEGETARIAN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the grape leaves in the boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside.
• In the same pot, place the brown rice, olive oil, sea salt, onion and garlic over medium heat. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes, stirring intermittently, or until the rice is browned and the onions are soft.
• Mix the parsley, mint and tomato paste into the pot, followed by the vegetable broth, and lemon juice. Allow rice mixture to cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not fully cooked. If not enough liquid add some boiled water while still cooking.
• Add the chopped chickpeas and diced tomatoes to the rice mixture. Season with the cumin and salt to taste.
• Place a grape leaf flat on a plate. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the leaf and roll into a bundle. Repeat until you are out of leaves and filling.
• Place all the stuffed grape leaves into a pot and pour vinegar and enough fresh water in to cover the bundles.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice filling is fully cooked.