Greek Dolmates Rolled in Grape Vine Leaves
Ingredients
- 1 kilo know-your-farmer ground beef (or pork, or lamb), not too lean
- 4-6 large , plump cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ medium onion , minced (½ cup)
- 2 generous tablespoons of fresh dill , minced
- ¾ cup rice
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt (leaves are salty)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- large jar of preserved grapevine leaves
Instructions
- Unwrap grapevine leaves and rinse under cold water; place in colander and drain
- Place all, except leaves, in large bowl; knead gently to incorporate
- Wrap meat in leaves as per the instructions accompanying above photos, OR
- Place leaf, inside up and stem down on board; place meatball size portion of filling on leaf
- Fold leaf around filling; tuck ends in with thumb and middle finger while holding roll with other hand
- Cover bottom of heavy pan with grape vine leaves (hopefully damaged ones)
- Place rolled dolmates seam-side down on leaves on bottom of pan, close together; layer
- Fill pot with water to just cover dolmate layers; bring the water to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer
- Simmer with lid ajar for two hours, or until cooked; cool completely
- Serve immediately on tray with Tzitziki, or
- Layer into serving dish, cover with cooking liquid, place extra leaves on top for reheating, or freezing
Notes
I sometimes freeze rolls separately on parchment covered cookie sheet overnight, then transfer to labelled and dated ziplock bags, depending upon what I am making them for. Usually I load them into casserole dishes and freeze them until needed for buffets or potlucks. I always serve some immediately, with tzitziki, of course!