Rice Stuffed Vine Leaves Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Wash the vine leaves thoroughly, then put in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 mins, then drain.
• Put the oil in a medium, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 6-7 mins until translucent. Increase the heat and add the beef, frying for about 5 mins or until browned. Add the stock, tomatoes, purée and rice. Stir together, then add the cinnamon, mint, lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Check the seasoning, stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
• To stuff the vine leaves, lay a leaf on a chopping board, shiny-side down. Cut off and discard any stems. At the point where the stem was, add 1 heaped tsp of the mixture. Fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, then fold the sides inwards and the top down, and continue to roll up. Repeat with the remaining filling and leaves.
• Line the base of a deep, ovenproof dish with any remaining vine leaves, then tightly pack the stuffed leaves into the dish. Pour over 140ml water and cover with foil. Cook for 1 hr, until the rice is cooked. You can also freeze the filled vine leaves. Cook these from frozen for 90 mins until piping hot and the rice is thoroughly cooked.

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.

Steps:

• Vine leaves in jars are available at many specialty shops. As they are packed in brine, be certain to wash them well before using. Remove the stem. If you use fresh vine leaves, soak them in olive oil to cover for 24 hours. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water.
• Combine the cooked rice, raw meat, nuts, raisins and salt and pepper. Bind with the egg. Form into tiny balls and place one on each vine leaf. Fold and roll so that the stuffing is firmly enveloped. (If you place the ball in the center, and fold in the side points and then roll, the envelope will stay intact.)
• Place the stuffed leaves in a skillet with olive oil, a little lemon juice and water to half cover. Cook gently for 15-20 minutes, turning carefully two or three times during the cooking. Remove to a rack covered with absorbent paper, or cool in the pan.
• Serve cold with a little of the cooking liquid and a dusting of thyme, or serve with yoghurt and a sprinkling of thyme and parsley.

Steps:

• In a bowl mix the raw ground beef, onion, oregano, parsley, mint, rice, salt, and pepper together.
• Carefully, separate the vine leaves. Place each leaf on a wooden board shiny side down, with its stem toward you. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing near the bottom of the leaf, fold the bottom and 2 sides to cover the filling, and roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf.
• Place them in a casserole dish or pan and cover with several of the remaining grape leaves. Cover completely with stock or water and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven to bake for 1 hour, or until the rice and the leaves are tender and the juice absorbed.
• Once the grape leaves are done, uncover them. Carefully pour any remaining liquid out of the pan into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon into the eggs and beat until frothy. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth from the grape leaves into the egg/lemon mixture. If it is done too fast, the eggs will curdle. Pour the entire egg mixture over the grape leaves and let sit to warm. Serve cold as a meze (appetizer) or warm as an entree.

Steps:

• Combine Yogurt, 2 tsps mint and lemon rind in small bowl; stir well.
• Cover and chill.
• Remove stems from Grape leaves.
• Rinse Grape Leaves, drain well, pat dry with paper towel.
• Heat Olive Oil in large non stick skillet over medium heat.
• Saute' onions for 10 minutes.
• Add Garlic and cook for additional minute. Remove from heat.
• Stir in remaining mint, 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, Rice, Pine Nuts, Salt Substitute, Lamb and Chick Peas.
• Spoon even amounts of mixture onto each grape leaf and roll.
• Place stuffed grape leaves, seam side down, in a 13"x9" baking dish coated with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Serve warm with yougurt mixture.

Steps:

• Cook the rice in a large pan of boiling water according to the packet instructions, or until tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
• While the rice is cooking, peel and crush the garlic, trim and slice the spring onions and shred the ham.
• Heat half of the oil in a pan, preferably non-stick, (you will probably need more oil if you are not using a non-stick pan) and sauté the mushrooms and garlic for 3 minutes, or until they have softened; add the spring onions and ham and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and toss the mixture with the cooked rice, season to taste, stir in the oregano, crumble in the cheese and mix until all the ingredients are well-combined.
• Lay the vine leaves on a work space and spoon a little of the rice mixture onto the centre of each leaf, then fold over the edges and roll up tightly.
• Heat the remaining oil in the cleaned pan, add the stuffed vine leaves and sauté over a gentle heat for 5 minutes, turning once.
• The vine leaves may be served hot or at room temperature.
• Note: Vine leaves are sold in gourmet delicatessens and in some supermarkets. If you are unable to get vine leaves, you can make this recipe using 8 green cabbage leaves. To prepare the cabbage leaves, add them to simmering water for 1 minute, or until wilted, and drain thoroughly.