Stuffed Grape Leaves with Tzatziki
Stuffed Grape Leaves with Tzatziki
Have you ever tried stuffed grape leaves, aka "dolmas"? See the easy recipe below!
Ingredients
Grape leaves: 16oz jar rinsed & blanched
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium onions minced finely
1 cup long-grain rice
1 Tbsp tomato paste with 2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp minced fresh dill (1 tea dried)
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (1 tea dried)
1 to 1-1/2 cups boiling water to par-boil rice*
1 tsp sugar
¼ tea allspice
½ tea Aleppo pepper
Salt to taste
Juice of a lemon
Directions
- Heat EVOO in a medium pot and add onions, cook until soft and translucent. Stir in rice, diluted tomato paste, seasonings and 1 cup of boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is par-cooked. Cover pot and set aside for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, adjust seasonings and allow to cool.
- Line bottom of a medium heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid with 10 to 12 grape leaves. Lay 1 grape leaf, smooth side down on a flat surface with the stem facing you (pinch off stem). Put 1 heaping Tbsp of cooled rice filling close to stem of leaf. Fold over the left/right sides of the leaf to hold in filling. Start with the end closest to you, roll leaf, encasing the filling. Repeat process.
- Arrange stuffed grape leaves seam side down in prepared pot, arranging in a layer. Add 1 cup of water and cover stuffed leaves with any remaining grape leaves and place a small, inverted plate to weigh down the stuffed rolls. Cover pot and bring to a boil and reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour.
- Set aside to cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. Serve with Tzatziki dip.
