Middle Eastern stuffed grape leaves, also known as dolma, is a delicious and versatile dish enjoyed across the region. These tender grape leaves are filled with a flavorful combination of seasoned rice, ground meat, vegetables, and herbs, creating a delightful appetizer or main course. The fillings can vary depending on the region or family tradition, offering a range of taste experiences. Whether served hot or cold, stuffed grape leaves are a culinary gem that showcases the diverse flavors of the Middle East.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES-SORT OF
These are not made in tomato sauce, but in chicken broth and lemon juice, and I think the flavor combination is really good. This is from the middle eastern cookbook by Tess Mallos. My husband is Palestinian, but this recipe came from the Cyprus section of the book. I'm not a big fan of grape leaf rolls as normally prepared in the Middle East with tomato sauce but these I can actually enjoy, especially with the sauce. I have modified it slightly but not much, and have tried to emphasize the places I have gone wrong with this recipe in the past to help you get it right the first time.
Provided by loverania
Categories Vegetable
Time 2h30m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Rinse grape leaves in cold water and blanch in boiling water for three minutes in three or four lots. Remove to basin of cold water with slotted spoon then into colander to drain. (This is the hard part for me, as the leaves tend to want to come apart).
- Gently fry onion in oil until soft. Lightly mix meat, rice, onion, oil, herbs, salt and pepper until will combined.
- Place a grape leaf, shiny side down on a work surface. Snip of stem if necessary. Place about a tablespoon of mixture near stem end, fold end and sides over stuffing and roll up firmly. Stuffing will make about 4 dozen rolls (you will be an expert roller when you are finished!).
- Line base of a heavy pan with six leaves(use the ones that fell apart during the blanching) pack the rolls on top in layers close together to keep them from falling apart during cooking (I have discovered the hard way this is VERY important). Sprinkle lemon juice over every layer.
- Cover top of rolls with remaining grape leaves. Add butter, chicken stock and remaining lemon juice. Invert a heavy plate on top to keep rolls in shape during cooking (also VERY important).
- Cover pan with lid and place over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer, then simmer gently over LOW heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
- To make sauce: melt butter in a small sauce pan and stir in flour. Cook 2 minutes with out browning and stir in the stock stir constantly until sauce thickens and bubbles.
- Beat eggs in a bowl until frothy and beat in one tablespoon of lemon juice. Pour hot sauce into eggs gradually, beating constantly (you really can do this with two hands) Return sauce to pan and stir over gentle heat for two minutes to cook the egg. Care must be taken as sauce could curdle. If this happens, sprinkle a little cold water into sauce and beat with egg whisk.
- Drain cooked rolls (CAREFULLY) and arrange on a serving dish, garnish with parsley and lemon slices, serve egg and lemon sauce in a separate sauce boat.
- You can also serve these cold without the sauce.
STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
Steps:
- Put the onions and oil in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. While the onions cook, peel the garlic cloves and mash them to a paste in a mortar and pestle. Add this to the pan along with the tomato, lemon juice, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the rice. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dill. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
- While this is cooling, drain the grape leaves and carefully pull them apart. Put them into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak until you are ready to roll.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a grape leaf on your work surface, shiny side down. Add 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture to the middle of the grape leaf. Fold the sides over the rice and roll the leaf into a small log shape, about the size of George's thumb. Repeat with the remaining rice, placing the stuffed leaves into a 9 by 9-inch baking dish. When the dish is full, cover the stuffed leaves with several layers of flat grape leaves and pour in 1 cup of water. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Serve cool.
LEBANESE STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 2h45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, garlic powder, allspice, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and set aside.
- Rinse grape leaves several times. If the leaves are small, leave them intact, but cut out the large center vein. If the leaves are large, cut them in half vertically, cutting out the large vein in the process. Place a small amount of the ground meat mixture at the end of each leaf. Roll up egg-roll style.
- Pour the oil into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay the chops over the oil. Lay the tomato slices over the chops.
- Place the stuffed grape leaves seam-side down on top of the chops. Pack the leaves tightly and begin a second layer when necessary. Place whole garlic cloves randomly between the rolled leaves; plenty of garlic on each layer.
- When you are done stacking, pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and add water to the pot to about 2-inches above the rolled leaves. To prevent the leaves from unrolling during cooking, place a plate on top of the stack of leaves and place a heavy object on top of the plate.
- Simmer the leaves over low heat for about 2 hours.
- Invert the entire Dutch oven into a large platter with high sides (i.e. a 12-inch round cake pan). Or, remove the leaves from the pot with tongs. Serve rustic style, with plenty of Arabic bread on which to spread the garlic!
MY OWN FAMOUS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
These are grape leaves, stuffed with a tantalizing mixture of rice, fresh dill, mint and lemon. 'Yum' is the only one word to describe these. These can either be a main dish or an appetizer, depending on your appetite. Serve with good crusty bread and a Greek salad, if desired.
Provided by Patti Moschonas
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Fruit
Time 1h40m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 9
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.6 calories, Carbohydrate 30.9 g, Fat 18.7 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 573.2 mg, Sugar 1.2 g
STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES
I didn't mark a "cuisine" for these, because they're a real Heinz 57! Dolmades are Middle Eastern/Greek, but these are my strange variation. Most people don't know, that you can pick your own grape leaves early in the spring, while they're tender, and just pickle them in water and vinegar - there's nothing special about the grape leaves you buy in the store. They reheat just fine in the microwave.
Provided by NoName12345
Categories Brown Rice
Time 40m
Yield 10-15 rolls, 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Filling:.
- Cook the rice. While it's cooking, mince the garlic, and chop the onions. Fry them in about two tablespoons of the olive oil, at a low temperature, in a large pan. Cook until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Chop the cranberries and the sunflower seeds finely. Mix the cranberries, sunflower seeds, and dried mint into the onion mixture and cook for about one more minute. When the rice is done, add it to the onion and garlic mixture. Mix it all together to ensure it's evenly blended, then remove it from the heat.
- To roll the grape leaves:.
- Lay a leaf out flat, with the protruded veins upwards. Scoop about one heaping tablespoon of filling into the centre of the leaf, and begin by folding the bottom two "flaps" over the filling (the flaps are on either side of the stem, at the base) Fold the sides in, and then firmly (but not too tightly, so as to avoid ripping the leaves) roll up the "top" flap of the leaf. Continue this process until all of the filling is gone. The amount of leaves you use, and amount of filling per leaf will depend largely on the size of the leaf. If you have some leaves with holes in them, or that are just too small to roll, you can overlap them so as to still make use of them.
- Lay the stuffed leaves into a large, flat skillet with a lid. Pour the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil over them, and leave, with the lid on and the temperature very low, for about ten minutes, or until very warm. At no point should the leaves be cooking, we're just heating them up.
- Eat!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 768.8, Fat 36.1, SaturatedFat 5, Sodium 22.6, Carbohydrate 103.2, Fiber 10.6, Sugar 20.1, Protein 13.1
DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)
The spices may seem like a strange combination, but this is a wonderful, delicate traditional Turkish dish with a twist. Serve chilled, as is traditional, or warm, as desired. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over dolmas before serving.
Provided by WhirledPeas
Categories Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 207.4 calories, Carbohydrate 39.1 g, Fat 3.8 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 846.7 mg, Sugar 3.9 g
Tips:
- Choose the right grape leaves. Fresh grape leaves are best, but you can also use jarred or canned leaves. If using fresh leaves, blanch them for a few minutes to soften them.
- Make sure your filling is flavorful. The filling is what really makes these grape leaves special, so make sure it's packed with flavor. You can use a variety of ingredients, such as rice, meat, vegetables, and herbs.
- Roll the grape leaves tightly. This will help to keep the filling from falling out. You can use a toothpick to secure the leaves if necessary.
- Cook the grape leaves gently. Overcooking will make the leaves tough. Simmer the grape leaves in a covered pot for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through.
- Serve the grape leaves warm or at room temperature. They can be served as an appetizer or main course.
Conclusion:
Middle Eastern stuffed grape leaves are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little planning and effort, you can make this dish at home and impress your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting recipe to try, give stuffed grape leaves a try. You won't be disappointed!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #preparation #appetizers #vegetables #easy #dietary #low-carb #low-in-something #meat #4-hours-or-less
You'll also love