Ingredients
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50 -60 grape leaves (fresh or packaged, blanched)
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1/2 cup olive oil
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4 green onions, finely chopped
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1 cup long grain rice
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2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
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2 tablespoons dill (finely chopped fresh)
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2 tablespoons mint (finely chopped fresh)
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2 tablespoons parsley (finely chopped fresh)
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1 -2 teaspoon sea salt
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1/2 cup water
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1/3 cup olive oil
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3 -4 cups water
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1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- the grape leaves have already been blanched, simply rinse and set in a colander to drain. If they are fresh, wash well and soak in hot salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the onion until soft.
- Add rice, half the lemon juice, herbs, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of water, increase heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and turn off heat.
- Allow the filling to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Place one teaspoon of filling at the stem end of a grape leaf and roll. Continue until filling has been used. (If any of the leaves are very small, use two for each roll.)
- Line the bottom of a pot with unused or broken grape leaves and place the rolls, seam side down, in the pot in layers. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and the 3-4 cups of water (enough to reach the top of the rolls). Place a plate on top of the rolls to hold them securely while cooking and bring to a full boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until only the sauce remains.