Lebanese stuffed grape leaves with lamb Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 jar grape leaves, brined (about 50; look for them in the pickle section)
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 16-ounce can tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 bunches green onions, chopped
- 2 large bunches fresh mint, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 lemons, juice only
Instructions
Remove the grape leaves from the jar and rinse in cold water. With a scissor, snip the tough stem off the bottom of each leaf. Set aside.In a large bowl, mix the lamb, tomatoes, rice, olive oil, green onions, mint, and salt.Lay one grape leaf, vein-side up, on a cutting board. Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the leaf. Now this is the tricky part. Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling. Fold down the top of the leaf over the filling. Now tuck one side under the filling and roll sideways into a little cigar shape, just as you would roll a burrito. Don't be too rough, or you'll split the grape leaf and the filling will squirt out.When you've rolled all the grape leaves, pack them into a pot with a steamer insert. Put them snugly next to each other; this will help the grape leaves hold their shape as they're cooking. Pour the lemon juice over, fill the pot up to the level of the steamer, and place over high heat until the water boils. Turn down the heat and steam the grape leaves about one hour, or until the rice is cooked (test after 50 minutes by cutting open one of the rolls).Serve warm with plain yogurt.
Details
Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 45 mins Yield: about 45 pieces