Hello there, how are you? November is here!
Today I have another super traditional recipe for you.. Stuffed vine leaves with rice, raisins and pinenuts!
I am also giving you a recipe for stuffed vine leafs with quinoa instead of rice (I'm not using raisins and pine nuts on this one), it's much easier to make and I cook them all in the same pot..
Ingredients
1 jar of 500 grams grape leaves
3 onions, finely chopped
2-3 green onions finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 cup white rice,(Carolina or Italian style rice) rinsed and drained
1 / 2 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 / 2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon (juice and zest)
Salt - Pepper
2 cups boiling water
Directions
Rinse thoroughly the leaves one by one and blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Use a colander to drain them. Spread the damaged leaves and stems in a wide bottomed pot.
Coat a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place on medium to high heat. Add the onions, garlic, herbs,lemon zest, salt and pepper and stir.
Stuffed with Quinoa
Place the quinoa in a bowl and add 3 heaped tablespoons of the onion-herb mixture. Set aside
 |
| Quinoa Filling |
Using another skillet toss the pinenuts on a medium heat and combine them with the onion-herb mixture.
Turn the heat on and add theh raisins and rice. Stir for 2-3 minutes to coat the rice and set aside.
 |
| Rice, raisins and pine nut filling |
Take a vine leaf and place it on a surface with the shiny side down (the nerves of the leaf must be toward you). Take a teaspoon of the filling and put it at the base of the leaf.
When the pot is full, put a plate on top of the vine leafs (the weight of the plate will hold them together) Add the boiling water,lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil, cover with lid and simmer for 25-30 minutes
Serve the rolls with plain Greek Yoghurt!
Enjoy and have fun!