SN
Susan NielsenMiddle Eastern Cuisine of Stuffed Lamb and Rice Grape Leaves
Ingredients
- Gabe's Original Salad Dressing & Marinade Spices
- Mama's Mediterranean Spices
- 100 Fresh, frozen or jarred grape leaves (washed and dried)
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- Lemon juice
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground allspice
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ketchup or tomato sauce
- Uncooked white rice (we recommend Uncle Ben's)
- Lemon wedges
- Lamb bone (optional)
Instructions
- Wash, rinse and dry grape leaves
- Line the bottom of the large cooking pot (with lid) with grape leaves. Add lamb bone if you have one (sub other red meat bones such as roast, steak, ribs)
- Mix beef and lamb together
- Mix together 2 Tablespoons each of Gabe's Original and Mama's Mediterranean Spices, cinnamon, all spice and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste) in a separate bowl
- Add spice mix to meat mix
- Add 1 cup ketchup or tomato sauce to the meat mixture
- Mix meat mixture well
- Add one cup Uncle Ben's White Rice (not instant) to the meat mix
- Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the meat mix
- Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed with meat (texture should be smooth and a little sticky)
- Lay out grape leaves on cutting board of flat surface several at a time with the vine nub side up (the dull side, not shiny side should be up. You should be able to see the veins of the leaf)
- Place a generous portion of meat mixture horizontally along the bottom portion of the leaf
- Bring meat placement to a peak all the way across
- Roll one, tuck side, repeat until fully rolled and ends are sealed/tucked. Roll tightly!
- Place in pot in circles until 3/4 full
- Add lemon slices between layers and/or on top and bottom of pot/leaves
- Add one entire packet of Gabe's Original Dressing & Marinade Spices to 8 cups of water and stir. Add that water to the pot and continue to fill pot with more water until about 1" below the top of the rolled grape leaves
- Place a glass or ceramic dinner plate firmly on top of the rolled grape leaves (find a plate that completely covers the circle of grape leaves in the pot if possible)
- Place lid on pot and bring to boil at high heat and reduce heat to medium for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed by stuff grape leaves (approx. 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the pot and number of grape leaves inside)
- When all water is absorbed, remove from heat and let site with lid on for 5 minutes
- Remove lid and glass plate
- Carefully remove each grape leave with small tongs (being careful not to crush or tear) and plate them on a platter. [Removal Option: You can place a large platter that is larger than the pot opening over the top of the pot and turn the entire pot upside down and carefully spread the stuffed grape leaves out on the platter. Caution: the plate needs to be bigger and not flat so the contents don't spill over the edges!)]
- Garnish with fresh mind, grape tomatoes, fresh herbs, lemon wedges (or zested lemon), oranges, radishes, sliced cucumbers/zucchini, berries or other edible garnish.
- Serve hot or cold with ketchup, dip made with Gabe's and/or Mama's (see below recipe) taziki dip, flat bread (pita bread), sliced thick sliced sweet onion wedges
Tips
Add more Gabe's, Mama's, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper to taste. Gabe's and Mama's dried spices have 8-10 ingredients included in each packet.
Double-Quadruple the recipe and freeze. You can freeze rolled grape leaves before cooking or after cooking.
Add 2-3 teaspoons (to taste) of Gabe's and/or Mama's to a pint of sour cream, plain yogurt or cottage cheese (mix well) for an excellent, bold and delicious chilled dip to accompany and serve with the grape leaves.
CAUTION: Contents of the pot will be very hot. Use hotpads or ovenmitts and tongs to remove plate and grape leaves from the pot.
Sahtein! (Arabic for "Double health," also "wishing someone to enjoy their food," also "Bon appétit" also "enjoy your meal")
