Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves

Step 1

Begin by rinsing the rice 3 times with cold water. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ground beef, washed rice, 7 spices, cinnamon, black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine.

Step 2

Unpack the jar of grape leaves and place in a colander. Rinse the brine using cold water and set aside to drain any water.

Step 3

Place a grape leaf vein-side up on a large plate or cutting board. Using a small paring knife, cut the small stem off. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the beef and rice filling and spread into a thin line leaving enough room on both sides of the leaf for rolling.

Step 4

Fold each side of the leaf over the filling beginning with the bottom side and roll tightly to prevent the leaf from opening up while cooking. Repeat until you have no more leaves left. *If the grape leaf is very large, cut in half, then stuff and roll.

Step 5

Using a paper towel, pat the lamb chops dry. Season with a half teaspoon of salt. In a deep pot, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sear the lamb chops on high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Step 6

Arrange the stuffed leaves side by side and on top of each other over the seared lamb chops. Place a plate about 1-2 inches smaller in diameter than the pot, over the stuffed leaves. Fill the pot with enough water to cover all the leaves and up to the plate. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with remaining half teaspoon of salt. Cook on medium to high heat until boiling. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 45min to 1 hour. To check if grape leaves are done, take a grape leaf out and try it!

Step 7

Once the grape leaves are done cooking, Flip the pot over onto a serving platter. There should very little lemon water left. Serve warm.