Stuffed vine leaves
These tasty little morsels are great finger food for a party or as part of a mezze platter to graze on over a lazy afternoon or evening. For a dairy-free option serve with a fresh tomato sauce instead of yoghurt.
Ingredients
Makes 35
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- 35 vine leaves in brine
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- Olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 red onion, diced
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 large green pepper
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
- 2 stalks spring onion, diced
- ¼ pine nuts, toasted
- Handful each of fresh parsley and mint, roughly chopped
- Zest of half a lemon
- Juice of one lemon
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- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 ¼ cups boiling water
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- Greek yoghurt to serve
Method
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- 1. Fill sink with fresh water and wash vine leaves. Drain water, refill with more fresh water and leave vine leaves to soak while preparing the filling.
- 2. In a large saucepan, fry off the garlic and onion in a little olive oil over a medium heat until fragrant.
- 3. Add chilli, coriander, cinnamon and allspice.
- 4. Add rice and stir to coat with the oil mixture. Fry for a couple of minutes.
- 5. Add wine and turn up heat. Cook for a few minutes until you can no longer smell the alcohol in the wine.
- 6. Add stock, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for approx 40 minutes, until rice is tender.
- 7. While the rice is cooking, blacken peppers either under grill or over a gas flame.
- 8. Once fully blackened on all sides, place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside until cool enough to handle. (Steaming the skins makes them easier to remove).
- 9. Once cool, peel the skins from the peppers and discard. Roughly chop the flesh.
- 10. To the cooked rice add the chopped peppers, olives, spring onions, pine nuts, fresh herbs, lemon zest and juice. Stir to combine.
- 11. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC on Bake.
- 12. One at a time, take vine leaves and pat dry on clean tea towel or paper towel.
- 13. Lay flat and place 1 tbsp rice filling in the centre. Fold in sides, tuck under and roll to form a small parcel. Place in a wide, shallow oven-proof dish.
- 14. Once all the vine-leaves are stuffed, combine olive oil, lemon juice and boiling water and pour over. Cover with a plate or something heavy to prevent the leaves floating and unrolling as they cook.
- 15. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until leaves are tender and liquid has been absorbed.
- Serve warm or at room temperature alongside a generous bowl of Greek yoghurt for dipping.
COMMENTS
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Yum! These are one of my favourites! I’ve only ever had them in restaurants before, but I’d love to try making them myself. Do you have to use the vine leaves in brine? Or can you use leaves off your own grape vine?
I love them! Had so many of them on our trip to Greece and loved it!
Hi Anonymous lawyer, these are super delicious! You don’t have to use vine leaves in brine, you can use fresh leaves if you have access to a grape vine. Simply pick the brighter, more tender leaves rather than the older, darker ones. Thoroughly rinse and then blanch them before filling as per the recipe.
Enjoy! Lauren.
Thanks
I love them too – Hopefully one day I will make it up to that part of the world and try some real Greek ones!
Hi,
Well – I used to make stuffed vine leaves frequently before the anonymous lawyer was born! I used the vine leaves from the back garden and used to cook them in a rich tomato sauce (just like cabbage rolls)in a pot on top of the stove. I used to place several layers of vine leaves in the bottom of the pot, place these little gems on top, cover with the tomato sauce and weigh down (so they keep their shape) with an entree size plate. Cook until tender. However the Urban Foragers website has mentioned the location of a perfect grape vine near the Coptic Church in St Albans. Apparently people can be seen gathering vine leaves after the service on Sundays.
Hi Mother of anonymous lawyer – thanks for the tips. Next time I’m in Christchurch I might just have to pay a visit to that grape vine near the Coptic Church and get some fresh vine leaves to have a go with. I made some the other day with a tomato sauce and they were super yum
- Lauren.
Hi actually the reall greek ones are less adventurous! The basic seasoning is dill-spearmint-lemon-loads of spring onions. The wrapping uses the slick part of leaf out but yours look more fun! A green unripe damson (small variety close to french mirabeille) is used between the sarmadakia to add acidity. I will try your richer recipe and let you know!
Thanks Nasia! Do let us know what you think if you give them a try. I am growing a vine at home from a cutting – not sure of the exact variety but it is from the Coptic Church in Christchurch, NZ. I am just waiting fot it to get big enough to pinch some leaves! Happy 2012