Stuffed Grape Leaves with Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

• 250 g grape leaves (in brine)
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 250 g ground lamb
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp mixed herbs
• 4 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch coriander
• 1 pinch cumin
• 3 tbsp cooked long-grain rice
• 0.5 cucumber
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 sprigs Mint
• 0.5 untreated lemon
• 1 sesame flatbread

Instructions

1. 1.

   Soak grape leaves for 10 hours, draining and refilling the water regularly. Soak raisins. Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. Chop pine nuts. Mix ground lamb with onion, garlic, pine nuts, egg, and herbs.

2. 2.

   Season with 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Fold in rice and raisins. Place grape leaves on a kitchen towel, smooth side out, and put about 1 tsp filling in the center of each leaf. Fold sides in and roll from stem end to tip.

3. 3.

   Layer the parcels seam-side down tightly in a pot. Add 250 ml water, oil, and remaining lemon juice. Cook covered over low heat for 1 hour, then let the broth cool. For the salad, wash cucumber, halve lengthwise, scoop out seeds with a spoon, and dice flesh.

4. 4.

   Wash tomatoes, quarter them, remove seeds, and dice flesh. Whisk vinegar, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; toss salad with dressing. Serve salad with grape leaves and flatbread, garnished with mint leaves and lemon slices.