Grape Leaves Stuffed With Rice Raisins And Pine Nuts Recipes

RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine raisins and wine. Leave to soak 30 minutes or until plump. In a large saucepan of boiling water scald 36 grape leaves in batches. Using a slotted spoon, remove leaves, then plunge them into a bowl of ice-water. When cool enough to handle, cut off stems. Pat leaves dry and place shiny-side down on paper towels while you prepare filling.
• In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add scallions and parsley; saute 5 minutes, stirring until very tender. Stir in rice, dill, pine nuts, and soaked raisins and their liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• In center of grape leaf place 1 teaspoon of rice mixture and fold sides over; roll up into a tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining leaves. In bottom of a large casserole, arrange a single layer of stuffed leaves; sprinkle with the juice of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Arrange a second layer of stuffed leaves on top and sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of oil. Pour chicken broth, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and enough cold water to cover, over stuffed leaves. Top with a weighted heat-proof plate to submerge stuffed leaves. Bring casserole to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 50 minutes. Cool stuffed leaves to room temperature in liquid. Drain and serve or refrigerate and serve cold.

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH RICE, RAISINS, AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• If using grape leaves preserved in brine, remove the salt by putting them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Make sure that the water penetrates well between the layers. Leave them to soak for 20 minutes, then rinse in fresh, cold water and drain. If using fresh leaves, plunge a few at a time in boiling water for a couple of seconds only, until they become limp, then lift them out. Cut off and discard the stalks.
• For the filling, fry the onions in 3 tablespoons of the oil until soft. Add the pine nuts and stir until they are golden. Stir in the tomato paste, then add all the rest of the ingredients down to and including the chopped dill. Mix well.
• On a plate, place the first leaf, vein side up, with the stem end facing you. Put one heaped teaspoonful of filling in the center of the leaf near the stem end. Fold that end up over the filling, then fold both sides toward the middle and roll up like a small cigar. Squeeze the filled roll lightly in the palm of your hand. Fill the rest of the leaves in the same way. This process will become very easy after you have rolled a few.
• Line the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed pan with tomato slices and any leftover, torn, or imperfect grape leaves, then pack the stuffed grape leaves tightly on top.
• Mix the remaining olive oil with 2/3 cup water, add the sugar and lemon juice, and pour over the stuffed leaves. Put a small plate on top of the leaves to prevent them from unrolling, cover the pan, and simmer very gently for about 1 hour, until the rolls are thoroughly cooked, adding more water occasionally, a small coffee cupful at a time, as the liquid in the pan becomes absorbed. Let the stuffed grape leaves cool in the pan before turning them out.

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH RICE AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Mix in raisins, ground coffee, oregano, pepper and cumin. Add rice and 1 cup water; stir to blend. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is partially cooked and no liquid remains, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Cool to lukewarm.
• Place 1 grape leaf, vein side up, on work surface. Spoon 2 tablespoons rice mixture in center of leaf at widest part. Fold bottom of leaf over. Fold sides in. Roll up. Place seam side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and rice mixture, arranging in single layer in dish. Pour 1 cup water over rolled grape leaves. Cover with foil; bake until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; refrigerate.) Serve warm or cold with yogurt and lemon wedges.

STUFFED GRAPEVINE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over low heat, heat 1/4 cup oil. Add onions, scallions and salt, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes more. Add rice and another 1/4 cup olive oil and stir to combine. Add raisins, pine nuts, mint, dill and parsley. Add 1 cup boiling water and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add juice of 1 lemon.
• Separate grapevine leaves and rinse under water to remove brine. Drain. Remove thick stems with a sharp knife. Place 1 tablespoon filling on underside of leaf, which should be facing up on your work surface. Starting at the base, roll over, fold in sides and continue to roll tightly toward the leaf point.
• Line a medium saucepan with a few heavy grapevine leaves. Place bed of parsley stalks over leaves. Arrange stuffed grape leaves, seam side down, in layers. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and remaining lemon juice. Weigh grape leaves down with heavy plate. Add boiling water so that it covers stuffed leaves. Bring water back to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover saucepan. Simmer slowly for about an hour, until rice is tender. Simmer longer if necessary. Allow to cool to room temperature, remove from water mixture and chill. Serve cold with additional lemon wedges for sprinkling on at service.

DOLMAS-GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH FRAGRANT RICE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add 1 teaspoons salt, then stir in the rice, cinnamon, sugar, butter, and lemon zest. Allow pot to return to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat until the rice is just tender, 15-20 minutes(a littlemore for brown rice). The rice should be slightly undercooked at this point, since it will cook a little more when the dolmas steam.
• Move the rice to a bowl and, while it is still hot, toss with the currants(or raisins), pine nuts, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Rinse and drain the grape leaves, pat them dry, and snip off the stems; spread them out on a work surface. Pack 1 tbls. rice in your hands to compress it and place in the center of each grape leaf. Fold in the bottom and the two sides, then roll toward the top until the entire grape leaf has been rolled.
• Brush the dolmas lightly with a little olive oil and set in a steamer basket. Place the steamer over boiling water, cover, and steam for 3-5 minutes, until heated through.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

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.

GRAPE LEAVES WITH RICE AND PINE NUT FILLING

Steps:

• Separate the grape leaves, and rinse them under cold running water.
• Soak the leaves in cold water while the rice cooks and cools.
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• When the oil is hot, add in the onion and saute until it is soft.
• Add in pine nuts, raw rice, and currants; cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
• Add in parsley, chives, tarragon, fennel greens, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and 2 cups of chicken stock and bring to a simmer; do not stir.
• Cover, decrease heat, and let the rice cook until it is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the heat, fluff it with a fork, and transfer it to a large bowl to cool.
• Drain the grape leaves and lay them out on a towel to dry.
• Working with one leaf at a time, place a rounded teaspoonful (don't overstuff) of the rice filling at the base of the leaf where it connects to the stem.
• Cover the filling with the tail end of the leaf and roll it.
• Fold the sides of the leaf to the center to enclose the filling, and roll up the package.
• Finish with the seam on the bottom; repeat to roll the remaining grape leaves.
• Line the bottom of a 3-quart saucepan with the grape leaves that have ripped or torn.
• Place a layer of rolls in the pan, drizzle a little of the lemon juice on top, and lay a few grape leaves over them to cover.
• Continue to layer the rolls in the pan.
• Top with more ripped or torn grape leaves to cover.
• Pour the olive oil, remaining 3/4 cup chicken stock, and remaining lemon juice into pan, cover, and place the pan over medium heat.
• Braise for about 45 minutes at a bare simmer.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let cool until the rolls are easily handled.
• Arrange the grape leaves on a tray and garnish with sliced lemon.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Make ahead: the stuffed grape leaves can be kept, covered and refrigerated for 3 days.