Stuffed Vine Leaves (Vegetarian)

Makes about 40 vine leaves- Serves 6

Calories (Per serving): 257 kcal

Carbs: 43g

Fat: 8g

Protein: 6g

A delicious staple on the Mediterranean table & a real crowd pleaser... Great for small get together's & for Entertaining.

INGREDIENTS

250g fresh vine leaves or 1 jar of leaves in brine. Washed, soaked in hot water & drained.
1/2 bunch fresh parsley washed and finely chopped.
4-5 ripe tomatoes finely chopped.
1 medium brown onion finely chopped.
6-7 fresh mint leaves finely chopped.
125g pudding rice (Egyptian rice).
1/4 Tsp allspice
1/4 Tsp dried mint
1 Tsp salt
1-2 lemons squeezed
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tsp tomato puree

GARNISH

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the vine leaves thoroughly & flash soak in hot water to allow the leaves to wilt ever so slightly. This makes them easier to roll.
To a large, heavy base saucepan, add 1 Tbsp olive oil & lay the cut potato & carrots.
For the filling, wash and strain the rice in a fine colander.
To a large bowl, add all of the fresh ingredients & the spices.
Add the lemon, olive oil & tomato puree and mix well.
Place a colander inside a large bowl & strain the filling mixture. Reserve the sauce for later.
Roll the vine leaves (see video) and stack them tightly on top of the potatoes and carrots.
Pour on the reserved sauce.
Now you need to 'plate and weight'. Cover the vine leaves with a heatproof plate & add a small bowl filled with water to weigh the plate down.
Top off with the saucepan lid and gently simmer gently for about one hour.
Gently remove the weight bowl & the heatproof plate and allow the vine leaves to sit for about 15 minutes. This allows them to soak up any remaining sauce.
Gently flip the saucepan into a serving bowl (or if you're not used to flipping it- use tongs to plate the fine leaves).
Serve with fresh white onions, fresh mint & lemon.

RECIPE NOTES

These vegetarian vine leaves last for about a week in the fridge- just keep them in an air-tight container.

Dedicated to my grandmothers.