Recipes for Greek stuffed grape leaves?

I tried this recipe for Stuffed Grape Leaves for my mother in law (who is Greek) we both loved them and she said they tasted VERY authentic. Here it is:

1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb

1 1/4 c. rice (raw)

3 tsp. salt

1 tsp. allspice (level)

1 tbsp. dried spearmint

1/4 lb. melted butter (1 stick)

Mix all above ingredients together.

GRAPE LEAVES: Pick 75 to 100 medium leaves early in season when they are tender (avoid tiny ones). Cut stem off and brush clean in bowl of water. If unable to pick leaves, jarred leaves can be purchased in a Greek import store.

STUFFING THE LEAVES: Steps to follow:

Line bottom of pot with large leaves. Stuff leaves on wrong side. Place a little stuffing on stem side. Fold leaf over stuffing - bring one side over, then the other side and then roll. Place in pot with seam side down.

When all stuffed leaves are placed in pot, cover with large leaves. Pour seasoned water (with salt and allspice) over the stuffed leaves. Place hand over leaves and press down to avoid leaves opening. Bring to boil, foam may come to the top. Skim it off. Lower to simmer for 1 hour. Take 1 stuffed leaf, cut and check to see if rice is cooked.

As for Backlava my husband and I REALLY love this recipe: It makes about 12

4 ounces of butter

12 ounces of walnuts, chopped finely

2 ounces of sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

8 ounces greek phylo pastry

8 ounces honey

2 tsp lemon juice

4 ounces of water

Melt the butter and use a little to lightly grease a 10x7 roasting pan. (I use a 9x9 and it works just as well).

To make the filling put the walnuts, sugar , cinnamon and cloves in a bowl and mix well. Cut the pastry sheets in half withways. Take one sheet of pastry to line the baking pan. Cover the remaining sheets with a damp tea towel. Brush the sheet you used to line the pan with a little melted butter. Repeat with half of the pastry sheets, then sprinkle over the walnut filling. Top with remaining pastry sheets brushing each one with a little melted butter and tucking down the edges. Using a sharp knife cut the layers of pastry into 12 diamond or square shapes. ( I usually get 16 squares)

Bake in a preheated over 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes more, until golden brown.

Just before the pastry has finished cooking make the honey syrup. Put the honey water and lemon juice into a small saucepan, simmer it for about 5 minutes. Set aside

When the pastry is finished baking, remove from the oven and evenly pour the honey syrup over it. Leave to cool (the pastry will absorb all of the syrup). Before serving re-cut along the lines you cut before baking to divide the pieces.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

I sure wish I had the recipes from the Lebanese place I worked in years ago. The grape leaves, the chawarma, the baklava, hummus, baba ghanouj ...and sooo many other goodies.

Baklava is made with phyllo dough in several layers with a few other ingredients and it is THE BOMB!, lol.

its actually quite simple.. just use 1 cup of ground meat with 2 spoons of rice and mix them with salt. Then clean some grape leaves or spinach leaves and quickly pass them over boiling watter to get them softer ( if you are using preserved grape leaves i recommend to soak them with lukewarm watter about 2 hours) .

Take 1 leave and put 1 tps of the rice n meat mix in the beginning then roll it 1 time and them close the sides and then roll until its over.

put them very closely in a Small pot all together with 10 garlic cloves, and salt to the taste (VERY IMPORTANT TO USE SOME OIL IN THE WATTER SO THEY WOULD TASTE COOKER NOT ONLY BOILED) add half juice of a lime.

Cover with water and let them cook in a small heat WITH THe lid on the pot until the watter simmers. I make this very often and my husband loves them.

Grilled Stuffed Grape Leaves with Goat Cheese and Couscous

Dolmathakia are stuffed grape leaves, and this version uses goat cheese and couscous to create an elegant taste, perfect for special occasions. Unlike other recipes for stuffed grape leaves, this one calls for sautéing or grilling.

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 jar of grape leaves (30-35 leaves)

1/4 cup of couscous

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 medium/small tomato, peeled, seeded, cut in small cubes

1/8 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (+ a little more for brushing)

1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

30 thin slices of goat cheese, approx. 1 inch in diameter

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup of boiling water

Preparation:

Rinse the grape leaves well and separate. Place in a baking pan and cover with boiling water. Let sit until the water cools a little (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse well under cold running water and drain. Dry each leaf individually, and remove stem. Set leaves aside, on absorbent paper towels.

In a small bowl, stir together the couscous, 1/4 cup of boiling water, and the cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow to sit until the couscous softens, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a larger bowl and add tomatoes, parsley, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and lemon juice. Combine well and add more salt and pepper. The mixture should be slightly salty.

Place a grape leaf on a clean work surface, shiny side down. Place a piece of the cheese 1/2 inch above the point of the stem, and 1 teaspoon of the couscous mixture on top. Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the filling, fold the sides in, brushing with a little olive oil to help seal, and roll to form a small packet. Place seam side down and continue to make 30 pieces.

Brush the dolmathakia with olive oil. Cook on a preheated grill or fry in a non-stick frying pan for 2 minutes on each side, until they start to brown.

Note: When cooking, start with seam side up, then turn and finish seam side down. Take care when turning so as not to break.

Serve immediately.

Yield: about 30 pieces

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat & Rice

In Greek: ντολμαδάκια με κιμά, pronounced dohl-mah-THAHK-yah meh kee-MAH

These small bundles of meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves are a favorite dish in Greece. The name comes from the Turkish word "dolma" meaning "stuffed." They are time- and labor-intensive to make, so the recipe is for a pretty large quantity. They can be stored in the refrigerator for several days, or frozen.

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 jar of large grape leaves in brine (about 60-75 leaves) or about 180 small leaves

8 cups of water

2 pounds of lean ground beef

1 cup of uncooked short-grain rice

2 medium-large onions, finely chopped

5 tablespoons of olive oil

1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh mint, chopped

juice of 3 lemons

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of sea salt

2 cups of water

Preparation:

Blanch the Grape Leaves

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add juice of 1/2 lemon and the salt. Carefully unroll the leaves (do not separate them). Turn off the heat and place leaves in the hot water for 3 minutes. Remove leaves and place them in a bowl and cover with cold water. When cooled, drain in a colander. It is not unusual for many of the outer leaves in the jar or can to be damaged, or to tear while using. Set these aside to use later in the recipe.

Prepare the Filling

Soak the rice for 10 minutes in hot water and drain. (Alternatively, sauté the rice with the onion.) Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, not browned. In a bowl, combine the onions, ground beef, rice, remaining olive oil, dill, mint, juice of 1 lemon, and pepper. Mix well by hand.

Filling and Rolling the Leaves (see step-by step photos)

Gently separate one leaf and place it shiny side down on a work surface. Place a pinch (up to a teaspoon) of the filling on the leaf at the point where the stem joined the leaf. Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then each side inward in parallel folds, and roll up the leaf. Roll should be firm, not tight, as the filling will expand during cooking. Repeat until all the filling has been used.

Cooking the Stuffed Grape Leaves

Because the leaves on the bottom can burn while the filling cooks, put a plate or wooden souvlaki skewers in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot (see tip below). The plate should fit as closely as possible to the sides. If there are unused leaves, or leaves that were torn and not used during the filling process, put them on the plate or on top of the skewers. Place the dolmathakia on top, packing them closely together (not squashed), seam side down, so they don't unroll during cooking. Layer them until all are in the pot (2-3 layers is best, but no more than 4 layers). Place several unused leaves over the top. Take another plate and place it upsid