Terre Pruitt's Blog

Since there are so many names and so many versions of stuffed grape leaves, and while I would like to think I am cooking a Greek version of them, I think that traditionally dolmades (or whatever) don’t have lamb in them. So . . . I am calling what I made Stuffed Grape Leaves.

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Stuffed Grape Leaves – How I Made Them

30 grape leaves for stuffing – prepped, see previous post
4 or 5 grape leaves for the bottom of the pot (enough to put at least one layer on the bottom)*
1 lb of ground lamb
1 3/4 cups of rice**
1/2 large onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
.66 ounces dill
six cups of broth
olive oil***

Chop the onion. Chop the dill. In a large bowl mix the lamb, rice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and dill.***

Place a grape leaf (or put a few out) on your work surface with the smooth side down (you will be placing the stuffing on the “ribbed” side).

Depending on the size of the leaves use about a tablespoon or so of the mixture and place it on a leaf at the bottom (stem area). It is easier to roll the leaf if the mixture is sort of cigar stub shape. Fold over the sides of the leaf then the bottom (where the stem was) then roll from the bottom. Remember not to roll too tight because the rice will expand during cooking. Place the rolled grape leaf seam side down.

Cover the bottom of the pot with grape leaves. Since they won’t fit perfectly you will end up with overlapping leaves, that is perfect as you want to insulate the stuffed grape leaves from the bottom of the pot.

When you are all done stuffing, place the rolled leaves in the bottom of the pot starting around the edge of the pot, not too close, but “friendly”. Continue to fill the bottom of the pot. Once the bottom is filled you can layer them. I would imagine that you might not want to go over four or five layers . . . but I don’t know.

After you have all the stuffed grape leaves in the pot, pour some olive oil on top of them splashing a little onto each roll, then you want to weight them down, not smoosh them, but weight them down. You can use a plate (or two, if need be) or a lid. Then pour in six cups of broth, I used chicken broth.

Bring the broth to a soft boil, then lower the heat and let cook for about 60 minutes. Depending on the size of the rolls, I would check them at 50 minutes. The rolls I made were HUGE so I waited to check them after 60 minutes, then I cooked them for 10 more.

Once they are thoroughly cooked serve them hot or cold.

*I used leaves straight off the vine for the bottom of the pot. I washed them, but I did not blanch them. The leaves I used were HUGE (one leaf pretty much covered the entire bottom) so I only used three or four to give it good insulation.

**I used more rice than this, but it was too much so I am going to try 1 3/4 cup

***I did not use any oil IN the mixture, but I am planning on putting a little in next time

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I see me making adjustments to this recipe as I go along. This was just my first time winging it. I kept saying as I was making the stuffing, “I think I used too many onions.” And my husband kept making comments about the recipe. I kept having to tell him, “There is no recipe. I am not following a recipe! The ones I saw had mint and/or cinnamon and/or pine nuts in them so I was just trying to figure something out.”

As I mentioned I did not put oil in them, but looking at a recipe after I made them I saw one person did. I think I might do that next time. I don’t know. My husband said they were fine. I never really know, though because he likes pretty much everything. I tried a tiny taste of the stuffing, but not the grape leaf.

This is part 3 of 4 – Stuffed Grape Leaves Part 3 – Stuffing And Cooking The Stuffed Grape Leaves

Next . . . the lemon sauce . . . kinda like the soup.

You can see the difference in the blanched leaves.

They were bigger than the ones my husband normally eats.  His eyes lit up when we saw how large they were.

He enjoyed them for days.  He said that he did not taste a difference between the leaves.  He could tell that some were barely blanched and some were “well” blanched.