My aunty makes these using her own home-grown vine leaves but I by mine in jars. These are a little fiddly to make but are well worth the effort. This is perfect on a mezze platter or as a light meal. The stuffed vine leaves are excellent served with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or simply a squeeze of lemon. Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb) jar preserved vine leaves
1 small brown onion, peeled and finely diced
Olive oil
200 g (7 oz) medium-grain rice
3 large tomatoes, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
2 heaped tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons sultanas (golden raisins) (optional)
Method:
1. Prepare the vine leaves by placing them in some boiling water for approximately 2 minutes. Drain and remove stalks.
2. In a frying pan, saute the onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add the rice, grated tomatoes, salt and pepper and herbs. If you are using pine nuts and sultanas, add them also.
3. Pour in about 1 cup of water and stir, cook for 7-8 minutes or until water is absorbed.
4. To assemble, take a vine leaf and place, shiny side down, onto a plate. Place a tablespoon of mixture in the middle and fold over one end then fold the side inwards. Roll all the way to the end.
5. Place a few vine leaves in the bottom of a wide pot to cover the surface. After you’ve stuffed a vine leaf, place it in the pot, fitting them in snuggly. When finished, pour in 2 cups of water to cover the rolls and drizzle with some olive oil. Place a plate over them to hold them in place and simmer on the stove for about 1 hour or until cooked. Add more water if needed.
6. Serve warm with some Greek yoghurt or simply a squeeze of lemon.