I saw a family picking grape leaves out near the interstate yesterday

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dawnnys

Well-known member
and it got my curiosity going. Has anyone ever made stuffed grape leaves? Odd thing was that 5 minutes before that, I had stopped into a Middle-Eastern grocery store, and a woman was asking the clerk about making them. I should've listened more!

I've had them in retaurants, and now that I have my mint...

By the way, they didn't sell tabbouleh... the clerk looked at me like I was nuts, as if I had asked if they sold tossed salad. She said she never heard of a grocery store selling it, which I thought was odd. Guess I'll have to plant parsley and give it a whirl in July.

 
Speaking of tabouleh- my bulgar will NOT soften. I soaked it in cold water for

30 min. Not a drop was absorbed. Called nephew the cook and e said to pour hot stock over it.
Still not working.

Suggestions?

 
I just picked up a book on canning/pickling and it had the process for grape leaves

It was at Costco. Great book but mainly pickling which is fine. Some very interesting items as well as both traditional and non-traditional or ethnic pickles and canning.

 
Here's one that Evelyn posted awhile back REC: Dolmathakia...

Dolmathakia

Serving Size : 50

1 1/2 cups olive oil -- divided
3 medium onions -- chopped
2 cups rice
1 cup water
1 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons dill -- chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup currants
Salt and pepper -- to taste
1 lemon -- juice of
50 grape leaves -- fresh or preserved in brine
salt
1 lemon -- juice of

Greek yoghurt -- (optional)

Sauté onions in ½ cup oil until golden. Wash rice and drain well. Add to onion mixture with water. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add parsley, dill, pine nuts, currants, salt and pepper and lemon juice. Set mixture aside to cool.

Rinse and drain grape leaves if preserved in brine. If fresh, pour hot water over them to prepare for stuffing. Cut stem close to leaf and separate each carefully. Place leaf in palm of hand, shiny side down, add 1 teaspoon of filling and roll loosely, as rice will expand. Place seam side down on bottom of large saucepan which has been covered with a layer of thicker grape leaves you don't want to eat (these protect the dolmathakia from scorching). Repeat each grape leaf in same manner until all are used, packing them in tight - one next to the other - seam side down. Add 3 cups water, dash salt, 1 cup olive oil and juice of 1 lemon. Cover with a heavy plate and simmer for 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Serve cold or at room temperature as a 'meze'. Nice served with a dollop of Greek yoghurt on top. Lacking that, you could go for sour cream. If you want to serve them as a meal, serve hot with an avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce on top.

NOTES : Pick the tenderest of grape leaves for the dolmathakia and to 'prep' them put them in some very hot water (but no longer boiling) for a few minutes to soften. How long depends on how tender the leaves are - you will have to test to see how 'pliable' the leaves are after a minute or two. Then cut a V around the stem end to remove the tough stem (if you leave it, you'll have many spitting) and you're all set to roll your dolma.

 
what I do...

is pour an equal amount of boiling water over it, stir in a bit of salt. It is usually all absorbed after about 20 minutes (which is more or less what it needs to cool down). It's actually never remained 'wet' for me after that amount of time, but I expect if it does, and the bulgur is ok to eat, you could just squeeze dry in a tea towel.

 
Oh :eek:( I was thinking this was about grape leaves. If you have time, can you maybe tell me if

you have ever made stuffed grape leaves? When I get them at restaurants they taste like they have lemon and oil in them. I found a nice, safe place to pick them from and I have access to lots of them. Thanks Evelyn.

 
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