The blend of mint, dill and parsley- the Turkish spice trilogy-gives the ground lamb and rice wonderful flavor. Finger food, knife and fork, anyway you eat these, you will be happy.
Grape Leaves Stuffed with Herbed Lamb and Rice
By Published: February 7, 2014
- Cuisine: Mediterrarean
- Course: Side Dish
- Skill Level: Moderate
Yield:
- 36
Ingredients
- 1 8-Ounce Bottle Preserved Grape Leaves Drained
- 1 Pound Ground Lamb
- 1 Large Onion minced
- 3/4 Cup Long Grain Rice
- 1 Cup- Each Flat Leaf Parsley, Mint, Dill Chopped
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Large Lemons
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Equipment
- 3 Mixing Bowls Small, Medium, Large
- Electric Food Processor
- Dutch Oven More Shallow and Wide than Deep and Tall
- Baking Parchment
- Baking Pellets Wrapped in Foil To Form a Flat Package That Will Fit in Dutch Oven
Directions
- Shake grape leaves out of jar into mixing bowl. You might have to pull on the top ones gently to ease them out. Cover leaves with boiling water and let them soak 20-25 minutes. Separate leaves carefully with a fork. They will probably be bunched together in groups of five or six and connected through their stems. Separate leaves, trim stems, and rinse each leaf separately in cold water. Drain and set aside.
- Mix onion with ground lamb, rice and chopped herbs. Season with black pepper. Add one tablespoon olive oil and mix thoroughly.
- Lay one grape leaf down on a flat surface with the tip of the stem facing you. Pinch off about two tablespoons of lamb mixture and gently form a log. Place the log toward the top of grape leaf. Keep folding leaf over meat until you reach the side leaves. Fold in each side and continue rolling until you have a tight neat roll. Repeat this process until you have rolled up all the meat.
- Arrange stuffed grape leaves in tight concentric circles in Dutch oven. You will have at least two layers and maybe a little bit more.
- Mix remaining three tablespoons olive oil with juice of 1 large lemon and 2/3 cup water. Pour this mixture over stuffed grape leaves. Add more water if the liquid doesn’t come up at least half way up the top layer. Bring liquid to boil over medium heat. Cover with a piece of parchment and lay baking pellets wrapped in foil on top. Cover pot. Lower heat and steam Stuffed Grape Leaves for 45 minutes. Test one. The mixture should be soft-no crunchy rice. Serve hot with wedges of lemon.
