Recipe

Stuffed Grape Leaves No Meat Dolma Recipe

	Colleencups / All my dishes 2 years, 2 months ago A wonderful recipe I picked up from a nice Greek man at a restaurant I once worked at! He assured me that this is “as authentic as it gets!” Healthy, light, and refreshing with a bit of a sour bite--you can get these in a tin from Mediterranean g... More Prep:40m Cook:4570m Servings:24	Colleencups
	rice grape leaves stuffed greek turkish beginner

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Ingredients

2 C minced white onion

1 TEASPOON salt

2/3 C basmati or white rice

3/4 C Olive Oil

2 MED SIZED Lemons for Juice

1/2 C Chopped FRESH parsley, ONLY FRESH (save the stems!)

1/2 C Chopped FRESH dill, ONLY FRESH (Save those stems too)

12 OUNCE jar grape leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 good sized frying/sauce pan for filling

1 good sized boiling pot for the actual cooking

1 heavy plate that fits into the boiling pot

Just so you know, this recipe may look easy, but it took me about 4 tries to master. It's a beginners recipe BUUUUUT different stoves and pans need drastically different times for full cooking. Fortunately, I had stuffed grape leaves about 974938 times before I tried making them at home, so I knew what they SHOULD look/taste like. However, it’s hard to tell what’s done if you’ve never experience it and If you REALLY want to try these as an inexperienced first timer, I would suggest going to any Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant in your area to grab a little sample. Whether they make them by hand, or pull them out of a can (you should ask which they do, by the way, just to know!) you will get a great idea of what you are looking for. Plus it’s good to taste it before pouring your heart into something that you may end up hating. Not everyone loves them like I do.

Directions

Filling--

Sweat onion over very low heat in pan with 1 Teaspoon of salt until translucent. 5-10 mins.

Increase heat to med-low, add rice, little over half the olive oil, and lemon juice from one lemon. (NO SEEDS, pre juice if you have to) Saute for 2 minutes.

Now add your fresh dill, fresh parsley, and pepper (you can add more salt if you need/would like to now). saute for 4 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Packaged grape leaves--

drain them, pull them out of the jar (be carefully forceful) and then soak them in some cold water for about 5 mins.

Now, separate them and cut off their little stems. Discard.

Any leaves that are badly damaged or really small, save, you can use them I the cooking process still!

Oh and cut really BIG ones in half.

Stuffing--

Place the grape leave shiny side down.

Add about a teaspoon on filling (the amount really depends on the leave's size) then fold up, right side, left side and roll TIGHTLY!!

It's best not to just rely on me telling you how to fill a grape leave. You REALLY need to be shown! This link below is the PERFECT photo step by step. http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekcookinglessons/ss/foldleaves.htm

Cooking--

Line the bottom of your boiling pan with your left over dill and parsley stems.

arrange the stuffed leaves in layers, pack those bad boys in!

Cover them in remaining Olive oil

Place the heavy plate on top to weight them down.

Cover them with BOILING water to a little above the level of the plate.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for as long as it takes the rice to cook.

Check inside one in 45 mins, if not done, continue to check every 5-10 minutes. You are going to have to use your better judgment on this one.

Once the rice inside is done, remove plate, top off with the juice from one lemon and let them cool really well while still in the pot. Why? Because if you try to take them out while they are warm, you will brake them! Oh no!

Eat them cool ooor I actually love them warmed up! (they seem to stay together after one time cooling) just 15-20 secs in the microwave to make the outside slightly tender.

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Comments

jo_jo_ba 2 years, 2 months ago said:
Mmm this looks tasty!

bobbie91302 2 years ago said:
I'm going to try this, I love grape leaves, thanks for your extra tips and advice and website.

trigger 1 year, 10 months ago said:
I grew grape leaves and froze them for the first time.I would like to try this recipe with them, would I have to adjust the salt to compensate for the salt in the brine?
I could try this recipe with a jar of brined leaves first to test out the recipe.

colleencups 1 year, 9 months ago said:

colleencups 1 year, 9 months ago said:
Thanks for all the comments! Haven't been on in a while! I actually just made these with a can of diced tomatos added to the rice stuffing and cooked it a bit more than usual. Let me say YUM! Turned out better than ever!! I think I'll have to revamp this only recipe of mine on here!

colleencups 9 months, 1 week ago said:
Yes and no on the salt.
Add some to the water as if you were cooking noodles.
But The brine isn't very salty, so you will only need some for taste :-)

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