Vine Leaves With Herb Stuffing
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. onions
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Italian medium grain rice
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons pine nuts (try looking in your local health food store)
2 Tablespoons seedless raisins
Sea salt and black pepper
Juice of one lemon
3 Tablespoons chopped mixed herbs: Dill, Tarragon and Parsley
1/2 lb. preserved vine leaves or 24 fresh vine/grape leaves
Peel and chop the onions. Heat half the oil in a frying pan (skillet) and cook the onion until softened and pale golden. Wash and drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir around for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour on 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Add the pine nuts and the raisins, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and the chopped herbs.
Turn out on to a plate to cool while you prepare the vine leaves. (These can be bought in packets or cans from Greek and Cypriot shops.) Soak them in a sink full of cold water for a minute or two, then gently separate them and lay on a wire rack to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling water, then drain. When the stuffing has cooled, place a heaping tablespoon in the center of each leaf, then roll them up loosely into a cigar shape leaving room for the rice to swell. Put a layer of un-used leaves in the bottom of a broad pan and lay the filled leaves on them.
Pour over the remaining olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/4 cups hot water. Lay a flat plate on top of the vine leaves to press them down lightly, and cover the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan. To serve, lay the little rolls on a flat dish and sprinkle with a little more lemon juice. Serve as a first course, or with cocktails.
1/2 lb. onions
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Italian medium grain rice
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons pine nuts (try looking in your local health food store)
2 Tablespoons seedless raisins
Sea salt and black pepper
Juice of one lemon
3 Tablespoons chopped mixed herbs: Dill, Tarragon and Parsley
1/2 lb. preserved vine leaves or 24 fresh vine/grape leaves
Peel and chop the onions. Heat half the oil in a frying pan (skillet) and cook the onion until softened and pale golden. Wash and drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir around for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour on 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Add the pine nuts and the raisins, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and the chopped herbs.
Turn out on to a plate to cool while you prepare the vine leaves. (These can be bought in packets or cans from Greek and Cypriot shops.) Soak them in a sink full of cold water for a minute or two, then gently separate them and lay on a wire rack to drain. If using fresh vine leaves, blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling water, then drain. When the stuffing has cooled, place a heaping tablespoon in the center of each leaf, then roll them up loosely into a cigar shape leaving room for the rice to swell. Put a layer of un-used leaves in the bottom of a broad pan and lay the filled leaves on them.
Pour over the remaining olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 1/4 cups hot water. Lay a flat plate on top of the vine leaves to press them down lightly, and cover the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan. To serve, lay the little rolls on a flat dish and sprinkle with a little more lemon juice. Serve as a first course, or with cocktails.
