Stuffed Fermented Grape Leaves
Most recipes for stuffed grape leaves call for jarred leaves from the market. But come Spring, grape leaves all around us. If your neighbor is cool with it, take a few.
Ingredients
- 250 gr fresh grape leaves washed
- 2 T kosher or sea salt (non-iodized)
- 1 pound zucchini
- 225 gr medium grain rice
- 3 tomatoes, 1 finely chopped, 2 sliced
- 1 small bunch parsley chopped
- 1 small bunch mint chopped
- 1 small bunch dill, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 onion one finely chopped, one sliced
- salt and pepper
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pints yogurt (optional)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
To make the leaves:
- In a large non-reactive plastic or glass container, add salt and enough water to cover the leaves, stir to dissolve the salt. Add the leaves. Use a weight or smaller lid to keep the leaves submerged. Close the container and let sit 3-5 days, or longer. Taste a bit of leaf. It should be slightly tart but edible. It will also be a dull olive green in color. Let ferment longer if necessary. If ready, use for recipe or keep in brine until ready to use. You can refrigerate if you like at this point.
To stuff and cook the zucchini and leaves:
- Core the zucchini with a vegetable corer. Stuff with rice mixture, leaving a ½ inch for the rice to expand.
- In a bowl, mix together the rice, chopped herbs, minced onion, one finely chopped tomato, garlic, 1 T. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- In the bottom of a large pot, add one sliced onion and two sliced tomatoes.
Roll the leaves:
- place each leaf dull side up, pointy end away from you. Place a teaspoon or so of filling at the base. Roll the bottom to cover it, bring in the sides, and finish rolling into a stubby cigar-shaped package. Place the stuffed zucchini in the bottom of the pot, on top of the onion and tomato. Place the stuffed grape leaves around them, packing them in. Add water up to the top of the leaves. Use a heat-proof plate to weight the vegetables down, then cover the pot.
- Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the water is evaporated and the rice is tender (try one!).
- Let rest a few minutes. You can serve from the pot, or carefully invert onto a plate so the squash is on top. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold the next day.
- To make the yogurt sauce, blend the lemon juice with the yogurt. Pour over the stuffed leaves and serve with some more olive oil and lemon wedges.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
