Lemony Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Jarred brined grape leaves make these far less intimidating than they look. The filling is raw rice, onion, dill, mint and lemon that steams to plumpness inside the leaf, and the real secret is the simmering liquid: olive oil, lemon juice and a little sugar that the rolls drink up as they cook. Set up an assembly line and you'll have four dozen tightly rolled dolmades in under an hour of work — served cold or room temperature with thick yogurt, they taste like the mezze plate you'd pay $16 for.

Ingredients

• 1 jar (16 oz) brined grape leaves

• 1 cup medium-grain white rice (such as Calrose) or short-grain, rinsed
• 1 large yellow onion, grated on a box grater or minced very fine
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, optional

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
• 2 cups hot water or light vegetable broth
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

• 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Lift the grape leaves out of the jar in one bundle, unroll them gently in a colander, and rinse under cool running water. Transfer to a bowl of very hot tap water and soak 10 minutes to pull out excess brine, then drain. (If your leaves are thick or very salty, instead simmer them in water for 3 minutes and drain.) Pat a stack dry, snip off any tough stems with scissors, and sort out 8-10 torn or oversized leaves — set those aside for lining the pot.
2. Make the filling: in a bowl combine the rinsed rice, grated onion (with its juices), scallions, dill, parsley, mint, 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and pine nuts if using. Mix well with your hands. The rice is raw — it will cook inside the leaves.
3. Set up your assembly line: filling bowl on the left, a damp stack of leaves in front of you, a plate for rolls on the right. Line the bottom of a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (or a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid) with the reserved torn leaves, overlapping them so no rice touches the metal.
4. Roll: lay a leaf shiny-side down, vein-side up, stem end toward you. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling in a short log across the leaf just above the stem notch — 2 teaspoons for very large leaves. Fold the stem end up over the filling, fold both sides in toward the center, then roll away from you into a firm cigar about the width of your finger. Roll snugly but not tight: the rice needs room to swell by about a third or the rolls will split.
5. Pack the rolls seam-side down in the lined pot in tight concentric circles, nestling them against each other so they can't unravel. Build a second and third layer as needed, tucking lemon slices between the layers. You should get 45-55 rolls.
6. Whisk together the simmering liquid: 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 cups hot water, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour it over the rolls — it should come just to the top of them; add a splash more hot water if not.
7. Set a heatproof plate upside down directly on the rolls to weigh them down. Cover the pot, bring to a bare simmer over medium heat (you'll hear it after 8-10 minutes), then reduce to low and cook 45-55 minutes, until the rice is fully tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Check one roll at 45 minutes: bite it, and if the rice is still chalky add 1/2 cup hot water and continue 10 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and let the pot stand, covered with the plate still in place, for 30 minutes — this is when the rolls firm up and finish absorbing the lemony liquid. Uncover and cool to room temperature in the pot.
9. Transfer to a platter, spooning over any pan juices left behind. Serve at room temperature or chilled with a bowl of Greek yogurt, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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