Grape Leaves Stuffed With Rice Dill And Walnuts Recipes

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.

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.

PINE NUT, CURRANT & RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES (DOLMADES)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the currants in the wine for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Heat the oil in a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, onion, pine nuts, scallions, lemon zest, garlic, and 3/4 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the currants with their liquid and 1/2 cup of water. Cook over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chopped dill and mint. Wipe the pan clean and line the bottom and sides with about 15 of the extra grape leaves-choose leaves that are large, torn, or have many holes. Top with half of the reserved dill and mint stems. On a large cutting board or clean counter, lay out as many grape leaves as you have room for, veined side up. Remove any long stems. Drop a scant tablespoon of the rice mixture onto the bottom center of each leaf and with your fingers, shape the filling into a mound about 2 inches wide and 1 inch tall. Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the filling and then fold in the sides of the leaf to enclose the filling. Using the side of your finger, gently press the filling down toward the bottom fold of the grape leaf, and then tightly roll the filling up in the rest of the leaf, forming a stubby, compact cylinder. As you fill and roll the leaves, tightly pack them in the pan, seam side down, forming concentric circles. Keep the layer of stuffed leaves as even and flat as you can. Continue stuffing and packing the leaves until all the stuffing is used. Scatter the remaining dill and mint stems over the stuffed leaves and then cover with the remaining extra grape leaves. Fold over the grape leaves from the sides to completely cover the stuffed grape leaves. Fill the pan with enough water to barely cover the leaves. Sprinkle the lemon juice on top. Weight down the stuffed leaves with a heavy heatproof plate or a pan partially filled with water. If you're using a plate that's not very heavy, put a 15-oz. can on the plate. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 50 minutes. Carefully remove and taste one stuffed leaf to see if the rice is soft. If not, continue cooking, checking every 10 minutes, until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool at room temperature until warm, about 1 hour. Remove the plate or pan from the top of the dolmades and carefully pour off the liquid, gently pressing down on the dolmades with a slotted spatula. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve cool or at room temperature.

DOLMATHAKIA ME KIMA: STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH MEAT AND RICE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, and add the juice of 1/2 lemon and the salt. Carefully unroll the leaves (do not separate them). Turn off the heat and place the leaves in the hot water for 3 minutes.
• Remove the leaves and place them in a bowl and cover with cold water. When cooled, drain in a colander. It is not unusual for many of the outer leaves in the jar to be damaged or to tear while using. Set these aside to use later in the recipe.
• To prepare the filling, start by soaking the rice for 10 minutes in hot water and drain. (Alternatively, sauté the rice with the onion.)
• Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, not browned.
• In a bowl, combine the onion, ground beef, rice, remaining olive oil, dill, mint, juice of 1 lemon, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
• To fill and roll the leaves, gently separate one leaf and place it shiny-side down on a work surface. Place a heaping teaspoon (or more depending on the size of the leaf) of the filling on the leaf at the point where the stem joins the leaf.
• Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then each side inward in parallel folds, and roll up the leaf. The roll should be firm, not tight, as the filling will expand during cooking. Repeat until all the filling has been used.
• Because the leaves on the bottom can burn while the filling cooks, put a plate or wooden souvlaki skewers in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot (see tip below). The plate should fit snugly in the pot.
• If there are unused leaves or leaves that were torn and not used during the filling process, put them on the plate or on top of the skewers. Place the dolmathakia on top, packing them closely together (not squashed), seam side down, so they don't unroll during cooking. Layer them until all are in the pot (two to three layers are best, but no more than four layers). Place several unused leaves over the top.
• Take another plate and place it upside down on top of the dolmathakia, using something to weigh it down (a second plate works well). Add the 2 cups of water to the pot and cover. Bring the water to a gentle boil, add the remaining juice from the 1 1/2 lemons, reduce heat to low, and simmer for approximately 50 to 70 minutes. Check to see if done-if the rice has cooked, they are done. If not, continue cooking for another 10 minutes and check again. Cooking time depends both on the type of pot used and the particular stovetop heating element.
• If preferred, you can use a pressure cooker. No plates are needed but do use the skewers in the bottom. Pack the dolmathakia into the pressure cooker, add the 2 cups of water, close and cook for 15 to 20 minutes at the first pressure mark.

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.

MEAT & RICE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat 2Tbsp of the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and let them sweat for a couple more minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the meat, the rice, the onion mixture and the parsley. Mix everything together with your hands until everything is incorporated. Reserve.
• Drain and rinse the grape leaves.
• Take the stems of every grape leaf and blanch them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• To roll the grape leaves, place a leaf with the vein side up on your work surface. Add one tablespoon of the filling mixture to the center of the leaf. Fold the edges in and up and roll the grape leaf until it looks like a cigar, tucking the edges under the roll. Proceed with the other leaves until you've run out of filling or leaves. (See blog post for step-by-step pictures!)
• Line a heavy bottomed pot with (unrolled) grape leaves. On top of that, add the onion rings.
• Proceed to arrange the stuffed grape leaves in rows, alternating the direction of each layer of rows.
• Fill the pot with the chicken broth (enough to cover the rolls) and the remaining olive oil.
• Place a plate on the top to prevent the rolls from floating.
• Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
• When it boils, lower the heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, until meat is cooked and rice is tender.
• Remove the rolls from the broth and serve warm or at room temperature.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH RICE (DOLMADES)

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring until rice begins to color. Cover; lower heat to low. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in the water, dill, pine nuts, salt and pepper, simmer 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each grape leaf with the shiny surface down. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling; roll up loosely (the rice will swell when cooked). Place rolls in layers in a Dutch oven.
• Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 1/12 cups hot water. Place a heatproof plate over the rolls to prevent them from opening. Cover; simmer over low heat 1 hour. Let cool in the pan; refrigerate until ready to serve.

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH DILL-SCENTED RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice, lemon juice, parsley, dill and 1 cup hot water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer until rice is partially cooked and no liquid remains, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cover bottom of heavy large wide saucepan with some grape leaves. Place 1 large grape leaf on work surface. Spoon scant 1/4 cup rice mixture in center at widest part of leaf. Fold bottom of leaf over. Fold sides in. Roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Repeat filling and rolling with remaining rice filling and grape leaves, stacking filled leaves atop one another in pan if necessary. Pour enough hot water over just to cover. Place heavy large heatproof plate over stuffed grape leaves. Cover.
• Simmer over medium-low heat until leaves are tender and rice is cooked through, about 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer stuffed grape leaves to platter. Serve warm or cold with yogurt and lemon wedges.

GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH RICE, DILL AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Place grape leaves in large bowl. Cover with water. Let soak while preparing rice filling, separating leaves occasionally. Bring 4 cups water, rice and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Uncover; set aside. Heat 1/2 cup oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until beginning to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, walnuts, dill, pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cool slightly. Mix in cheese, then rice. Cool completely. Preheat oven to 375F. Place 1 large grape leaf, vein side up, on work surface. Cut off stem. Patch or overlap with pieces of other leaves if necessary to form about 5- to 6-inch surface area. Spoon scant 1/4 cup rice filling in center of leaf. Fold bottom of leaf over filling. Fold in sides. Roll up to enclose filling in leaf. Arrange seam side down on baking sheet. Repeat with enough grape leaves to use up remaining rice filling. Line bottom of two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes with any remaining grape leaves. Divide stuffed grape leaves between prepared dishes, arranging seam side down in rows in single layer. Mix remaining 4 cups water, 1/2 cup oil and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Pour enough lemon-oil mixture over stuffed grape leaves in each dish to cover. Cover dishes with foil. Bake until lemon-oil mixture is absorbed and flavors blend, about 1 hour. Uncover; cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.) Arrange stuffed grape leaves on platter. Garnish with lemon wedges.

DOLMATHAKIA (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH RICE AND HERBS)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Rinse the leaves well to remove brine.
• Place the leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them and make them more pliable. Remove from water and set aside.
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, parsley, dill, pine nuts, mint, salt, and pepper. Taste test and adjust the seasoning as desired.
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Allow the filling to cool about 10 minutes.​
• Line the bottom of a heavy saucepan with 2 or 3 grape leaves (use the broken or torn ones for this).
• Roll the dolmathakia by placing a leaf with the stem toward you on a flat surface. The underside of the leaf should be face up. (The veins of the leaf are raised on the underside.) Using the point of a sharp paring knife, cut out the stem of the leaf. Overlap the bottom two sections of the leaf toward the center.
• Place a tablespoon of filling in the bottom center of the leaf, just above the stem.
• Fold the bottom section up to cover the filling.
• Fold the sides in toward the center.
• Continue rolling the packet up toward the top point of the leaf.
• Place the rolls in layers, seam-side down, in the saucepan.
• Pour remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over the dolmathakia and enough water to cover them by about 1 inch.
• Place an inverted heatproof plate on top of the rolls to keep them submerged in the water.
• Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the leaves are tender and the rice filling is cooked through.
• Serve and enjoy!

ROASTED CABBAGE WITH PARMESAN, WALNUTS AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the cabbage in quarters lengthwise through the core, then cut out the cores and stem. Slice the quarters lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch-thick wedges.
• Place wedges on a rimmed sheet pan, flat sides down. It's OK if the pan seems a bit crowded; the wedges will shrink as they roast, but try not to overlap them if possible. Lightly drizzle them with oil and season with salt.
• In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, thyme and black pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup oil to make a loose paste. Massage paste into each cabbage wedge, stuffing the mixture in between the leaves.
• Lightly drizzle cabbage with a little more oil. Roast until cabbage is lightly browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and sprinkle walnuts all over the top of the cabbage. Roast for another 5 minutes or so, until cabbage is tender and caramelized and the walnuts are golden and toasted.
• Sprinkle cabbage with dill and more Parmesan and black pepper, if you'd like. Serve immediately.