Meat and Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves

Deep green parcels tightly packed together. Upon cutting, the rice is tender and infused with lemon juice and olive oil. The aroma of fresh dill and mint escapes as soon as the lid is lifted.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 963
• Protein: 37 g
• Carbs: 67 g
• Fat: 56 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 200 g White rice ( raw )
• 2 piece Onion ( finely diced )
• 3 tbsp Dill ( chopped )
• 2 tbsp Mint ( chopped )
• 2 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )
• 2 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 150 ml Extra virgin olive oil ( for filling and cooking )
• 2 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 60 piece Grape leaves ( rinsed and drained )

Instructions

1. Sauté the onions

   Finely dice the onions. In a pan, sauté them with some olive oil until translucent and soft, without any browning.

2. Prepare the filling

   In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, raw white rice, sautéed onions, chopped dill, mint, and parsley. Season with sea salt and black pepper. The filling must be well mixed.

3. Shaping the dolmades

   Lay a grape leaf flat, vein side up. Place a small amount of filling at the base. Fold the sides toward the center and roll tightly to form a firm small cylinder.

4. Braising

   Line the bottom of a pot with damaged leaves. Pack the dolmades in tight layers. Pour over the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and enough water to cover. Place a plate on top to keep them submerged.

5. Resting and serving

   Allow to cool in the cooking liquid. The dolmades will absorb the remaining liquid. Serve warm or cold; the rice should be perfectly tender to the bite.

Chef's tips

• Pack the dolmades tightly in the pot so they don't unroll during boiling.
• Use an inverted plate as a weight during cooking to stabilize the rolls.

Storage

Can be kept for 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a bit of the cooking liquid.