Dolmades: Stuffed Vine Leaves
- Yield: 12 meze servings, 2 entree ser
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, minced
Dried oregano
Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
Mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
2/3 cup rice, uncooked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce jar) brined grape leaves
4 small eggs, beaten*
3 lemons, juiced
1 cup water
Directions
- In a bowl mix the raw ground beef, onion, oregano, parsley, mint, rice, salt, and pepper together.
- Carefully, separate the vine leaves. Place each leaf on a wooden board shiny side down, with its stem toward you. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing near the bottom of the leaf, fold the bottom and 2 sides to cover the filling, and roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf.
- Place them in a casserole dish or pan and cover with several of the remaining grape leaves. Cover completely with stock or water and place in a preheated 350 degree F oven to bake for 1 hour, or until the rice and the leaves are tender and the juice absorbed.
- Once the grape leaves are done, uncover them. Carefully pour any remaining liquid out of the pan into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon into the eggs and beat until frothy. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth from the grape leaves into the egg/lemon mixture. If it is done too fast, the eggs will curdle. Pour the entire egg mixture over the grape leaves and let sit to warm. Serve cold as a meze (appetizer) or warm as an entree.