Lebanese Grape Leaves Recipes

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES LEBANESE

Steps:

• If using fresh grape leaves for rolling, dip in boiling water with some lemon for about 30 seconds.
• Mix ground meat with rice,pine nuts, dried currants season with salt, pepper, allspice, sugar and cinnamon.
• Remove stem from each grape leaf, if using fresh leaves.
• Spread each leaf on flat surface.
• Place about 1 teaspoon of meat stuffing across the leaf about 1/2" from stem point.
• Fold leave forward toward stuffing.
• Then fold right side over and roll leaf forward very tightly.
• When fully rolled, squeeze it to secure.
• Repeat for each leaf.
• Place a couple of loose leaves on the bottom of pan Then place each stuffed roll in the pot in layers.
• Pound the garlic with mint and salt to taste,.
• add 1 cup water and lemon juice and pour over grape leaves in the pot.
• Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Then simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Add more water if needed.
• Steam until grape leaves are soft and are pierced and cut easily with a fork.
• Do not over cook.
• The leaves should not fall apart.

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.

LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• Put the rice in a colander and rinse three times with cold water. Combine the salt, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the rice, stirring to mix well. Add the parsley and mint, and mix. Add the butter and uncooked lamb to the rice, and mix well. Place the grape leaves in a large bowl and cover with boiling water to soften. Let soak for at least 3 minutes. Remove and drain in colander. Cool, then trim off stems. (Note: save any torn leaves to use to patch others when rolling them up.) To stuff leaves, place a Tablespoon of the rice and lamb mixture on each leaf. Beginning with the stem end, roll the leaf up over the filling, then fold in each side halfway to the center, and then finish rolling from the bottom upward so you have a nice cigar-shaped package by the time you reach the top. Keep them snug, but do not roll too tightly, since the filling will expand while cooking. Cover the bottom of a dutch oven with a few of the torn grape leaves. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves in neat, tight rows, one layer on top of the other. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth over the grape leaves and add enough water to almost cover. Insert a heavy dish on top of the grape leaves to hold them in place, so the bottom of the dish is pressing down on them. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for about 1 hour, or until the grape leaves are tender. Serve warm with plain yoghurt.

LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

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!

LEBANESE GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Place rice in a medium sized bowl and cover with 3 cups of cold water.
• Let stand for 30-60 minutes.
• Drain and rinse grape leaves in a colander.
• Cut leaves in half removing the thick center stem.
• Save five or six large leaves for bottom of pan- discard any extremely tough or ragged leaves.
• Drain all water from rice.
• Add lamb, salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
• Mix by hand thoroughly.
• Line bottom of large kettle or dutch oven with five or six large leaves to prevent scorching.
• Lay a leaf flat on a plate, shiny side down.
• Put approximately 1 heaping teaspoon of meat mixture towards bottom of leaf.
• Roll in one edge to seal, then roll leaf up firmly but not too tight (you need to leave a little room for the rice to expand while cooking).
• Place leaves in kettle in circular fashion leaving a small circle in the center for water to circulate.
• When you have one full row on bottom of pan, slice two cloves of garlic over the top of the leaves.
• Sprinkle with a little of the mint.
• Continue rolling the leaves and layering them with the garlic/ mint.
• You should have approximately five rows of leaves when you are done.
• Place a heatproof plate over the top of the leaves- large enough to hold them in place, but with a little room on the edges.
• Put a bowl on top of the plate filled with water to hold the plate down while cooking.
• Fill kettle with water over the top of the plate.
• Cook on top of stove on high heat until it begins to boil.
• Lower heat to medium so that water does not boil over and continue cooking.
• Total cooking time after it starts to boil is 16-19 minutes.
• Remove bowl.
• Carefully drain water from kettle.
• Remove plate.
• Arrange leaves on a platter.
• Serve with lemon wedges.