Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

Step 1

For this recipe, you can use either fresh grape leaves or preserved vine leaves. If using fresh vine leaves, wash very well, and blanch with boiling water for 1-3 minutes to soften, then rinse and allow to cool completely.

Step 2

Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water is clear. Usually, it takes 3-4 rinses. This will remove the starch and keep it from becoming 'gummy'.

Step 3

Next, finely chop all the veggies and add them to a large bowl. You can do this by hand or use a food processor for a finer chop.

Step 4

Add all of the stuffing ingredients to a large bowl and mix well to thoroughly combine.

Step 5

lay your leaves out with the leaf 'bottom' side up (where you can feel all the leaf veins), with the shiny side down. And spoon one teaspoon of the rice mixture onto each leaf. Be careful not to overfill, as the rice will need space to expand while cooking.

Step 6

Mine may look quite 'full'- but it's important to remember that the herbs will wilt as the rice grows too.

Step 7

To roll the leaves is fairly simple. Bring the two sides in and then roll to close- similarly to rolling spring rolls. Roll tightly, while still allowing space for the rice to expand as it cooks (Watch my video to see how I did it).

Step 8

If you can manage to get your family in on the task, then it'll go by quickly. And it only takes a few leaves to build your method and get in the groove.

Step 9

Once rolled, you can freeze any leftovers that you know you don't want to cook immediately (the cooked leaves can also be frozen if there are any leftovers).

Step 10

Place the potato slices at the bottom of a large or medium pan (depending on how many stuffed grape leaves you are cooking). Alternatively, you can use any broken and un-used leaves to lay on the bottom of the pan.

Step 11

Place the stuffed vine leaves in the pan, seam side down. Make sure they are tightly packed into the pan. This will stop them from moving and falling apart while cooking.

Step 12

Mix the water, olive oil, and lemon juice and pour on top of the stuffed vine leaves (there should be enough to cover them).

Step 13

Place an inverted plate or pan on top of the vine leaves to hold them in place and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, with the lid on.

Step 14

You can remove the plate once the vine leaves have soaked up the majority of the water, and then continue to cook or leave it on for the entirety of the cooking.

Step 15

Remove from the heat, once cooked. You can leave them to 'rest' for 20-30 minutes, for best results. But, if you can't wait, then they are ready to eat immediately.

Step 16

These vegetarian stuffed grape leaves will last for between 5-7 days in the fridge, in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to four months.To freeze, you can lay them out in a single layer on a pan to flash-freeze before moving to another freezer-safe container. That way, they won't stick together while freezing.You can also freeze the prepared uncooked dolma. These will last even longer in the freezer, though I've never had any left past three months.If thawing the cooked dolma then you can eat them cold or hot. Just note that cooked dolma may be slightly more 'soggy' once thawed.

Step 17

Reheating the dolma is super simple. Either heat in the microwave until piping hot or place them in a saucepan with a little amount of water (just a few spoonfuls).It's easy to freeze dolmas. Place them in a freezer bag in one layer and freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, simply heat them in the microwave or place them in a saucepan with just a few tablespoons of water.