Stuffed Grape Leaves Lebanese 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.

LAMB AND RICE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Place ground lamb, rice, 1/4 cups olive oil, mint, currants, pine nuts, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and egg in a bowl. Mix together thoroughly with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Gently unroll and separate grape leaves. Rinse in cold water to remove brine. Drain. Reserve broken or less-than-perfect leaves to line pot.
• Place grape leaves on work surface with smooth side down (ribs of leaves up). Place a rounded tablespoon of lamb-rice filling near bottom-center of grape leaf. Fold bottom sections of leaf over mixture, fold over sides, and roll toward the top of the leaf into a firm cylinder. Don't roll too tightly or leaves may burst when rice cooks.
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil into pot; line bottom of pot with 1 or 2 layers of reserved grape leaves. Place dolmas in pot by arranging them along the sides, then working toward the center to cover the bottom. Leave enough space between dolmas to allow for expansion, but close enough to hold their shapes when cooking. If necessary, stack another layer on top of the first so they all fit. Pour in lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Invert a small plate and then a larger plate over the dolmas to weigh them down while they cook and prevent them from shifting. Pour in hot chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat. As soon as liquid is heated through and starting to bubble (2 to 4 minutes), reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook 35 minutes. Remove plates and check for doneness. Dolmas should look a bit puffed up, and a fork should pierce them easily. If not quite done, continue cooking without the weights: cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
• Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with curls of lemon zest, if desired.

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!

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Wash& stem fresh grape leaves briefly to slightly wilt and drape over something.
• While drying make filling sauce.
• Mix lamb, rice, seasonings, lemon juice and butter.
• Stuff grape leaves with half of a tablespoon or more of the rice mixture.
• Put the mixture close to the bottom where the stem was at,fold and roll like you would a burrito.
• When done stuffing, line bottom of stock pot with torn or broken grape leaves then layer with stuffed grape leaves firmly packed with loose flap down in a 3 quart pot, in tight parallel rows, alternating each layer the opposite way (this will help to keep them from moving) when done line with more torn grape leaves on top, put flat plate on top of grape leave and a pitcher of water on top of the plate to help keep it down.
• fill pot with about 4 to 6 cups of boiled water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a 1/2 cup of lemon juice and salt so that it is just above the grape leaves.
• Bring to boil and simmer for about 20 to 25 till done (check one to see if done).
• Remove grape leaves with tongs.
• NOTES: Save some of the juice for reheating in the mirowave, and cover.