Dolmathes (Stuffed Grape Leaves) Recipe
🕒 Cook Time: 39 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 44 minutes
👩🍳 Description: Indulge in the delightful flavors of Dolmathes, a cherished dish in Mediterranean cuisine. These stuffed grape leaves are a symphony of tender grape leaves enveloping a savory filling of rice, herbs, and onions, cooked to perfection in olive oil and lemon juice. Perfect for lunch, snacks, or potluck gatherings, this recipe promises an easy yet impressive culinary experience that transports you to the shores of the Mediterranean.
🥘 Recipe Category: One Dish Meal
🔎 Keywords: Lunch/Snacks, Rice, Berries, Grapes, Fruit, Vegetable, Meat, Lebanese, Turkish, Caribbean, Greek, Southwest Asia (Middle East), Asian, European, Potluck, < 60 Mins, Beginner Cook, Easy
🛒 Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Grape leaves | 1/2 jar |
| Onion | 1 large |
| Rice | 1 cup |
| Olive oil | 1/2 cup |
| Dill | 1 tablespoon |
| Mint | 1 tablespoon |
🌟 Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 742.8
- Fat Content: 55.5g
- Saturated Fat Content: 7.7g
- Cholesterol Content: 0mg
- Sodium Content: 1624.5mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 57.9g
- Fiber Content: 2.3g
- Sugar Content: 5.1g
- Protein Content: 6.8g
🍽️ Servings: 4 servings
📝 Recipe Instructions:
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Prepare Grape Leaves: Begin by briefly dipping the grape leaves in boiling water to soften them. Then, rinse them with cold water and gently pat them dry using paper towels. This step ensures the leaves are pliable and ready for stuffing.
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Prepare Filling: Finely chop the onion and mix it with half of the olive oil in a bowl. Allow the flavors to meld while you prepare the other ingredients.
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Prepare Rice Mixture: To the onion and oil mixture, add the uncooked rice, dill, mint, and any remaining seasonings or herbs of your choice. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
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Cook Rice Mixture: In a saucepan, combine the rice mixture with 250mL of hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes, allowing the rice to partially cook and absorb the flavors of the herbs and seasonings.
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Stuff Grape Leaves: Place a grape leaf on a clean surface, shiny side down. Spoon approximately one tablespoon of the rice mixture onto the center of the leaf. Fold the bottom edge of the leaf over the filling, followed by the sides, and roll it up tightly to form a compact parcel. Repeat this process with the remaining grape leaves and rice mixture, creating a batch of stuffed grape leaves.
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Arrange Dolmathes in Pot: Carefully arrange the stuffed grape leaves in a pot, ensuring there is some space between each dolma to prevent overcrowding. This allows them to cook evenly.
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Add Liquid Ingredients: Once the dolmathes are snugly arranged in the pot, cover them with a heatproof plate to keep them in place. Then, drizzle the remaining olive oil and lemon juice over the dolmathes, followed by 500mL of water to create a flavorful cooking liquid.
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Simmer Dolmathes: Place the pot over low heat and allow the dolmathes to simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, the rice will continue to cook, absorbing the fragrant liquid, and the grape leaves will soften further.
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Serve and Enjoy: Once cooked, remove the dolmathes from the heat and allow them to cool slightly before serving. Arrange them on a platter, garnish with slices of lemon for an extra burst of freshness, and serve cold as a delightful appetizer or side dish.
Indulge in the tantalizing flavors of Dolmathes (Stuffed Grape Leaves) – a culinary journey to the Mediterranean awaits! Whether enjoyed as a satisfying lunch, flavorful snack, or shared at potluck gatherings, this recipe is sure to impress with its simplicity and robust flavors.
