Dolmades

Ingredients

• 300 g pickled grape leaves
• 200 g long-grain rice
• 200 g onions
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 4 tbsp currants
• Salt
• Pepper
• 0.5 bunch Parsley
• 0.5 bunch dill
• 1 tsp dried mint
• juice of one lemon
• fresh grape leaves (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Bring water to a boil in a large pot, carefully separate the grape leaves and parboil for about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Rinse the rice in a sieve and shake off excess water. Peel and grate the onions into a bowl. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan, briefly sauté the pine nuts and currants, then add the rice and onions and cook over medium heat until translucent. Stir in 750 ml water, salt, and pepper, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until almost cooked through. Rinse and finely chop the herbs, then mix into the rice.

2. 2.

   Place grape leaves on a work surface, trim stems, and place 1 tsp of rice on the wide side of each leaf. Fold the wide side over, then fold the right and left sides over the filling. Roll toward the tip. Place the rolls with the stem end down in a wide-bottomed pot, pour lemon juice and 2 tbsp oil over them. Press the rolls with an inverted plate to keep them submerged, and add enough hot water to cover. Simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, then let cool in the pot for another hour. Arrange on fresh grape leaves and garnish with lemon slices.