Stuffed Grape Leaves with Barley, Kale, and Pomegranate

Makes 36 grape leaves

Many people think that stuffed grape leaves come out of a giant can, packed in fluorescent oil and citric acid juice, cold and mushy, with no redeeming qualities. On the contrary: The genuine article is a simple delicacy with nowhere to hide any flaws. The best stuffed leaves I know are made with grape leaves picked from someone’s backyard—a far cry from the canned variety. If I can’t pick (and quickly blanch) fresh grape leaves, I’ll use jarred grape leaves. But our filling is always fresh, and we roll and cook the stuffed leaves from scratch. Grape leaves are incredibly versatile and can be stuffed with any number of grain, meat, or other kinds of filling. They are served slightly warm, and the filling, often rice, retains its integrity. I particularly like stuffing them with Egyptian rice, a creamy short-grain variety, mixed with feta, dill, and walnuts. This toothsome barley version is a bit untraditional, but I enjoy the way it soaks up the pomegranate-juice braising liquid. Plus, you get bonus points for utilizing two of the Seven Species (barley and pomegranate) mentioned in the Bible as special products of Israel.

• 1 cup barley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small bunch kale, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (see sidebar)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 36 grape leaves
• ½ cup pomegranate molasses (see sidebar)

● Put the barley in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight. Drain.

● Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale and half the garlic and cook until the kale has wilted and is tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

● Combine the remaining garlic, cilantro, canola oil, turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree until a smooth paste forms. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the drained barley and kale.

● Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the grape leaves out on a large cutting board and trim the thick stem from the base of each leaf. Fill one leaf with a heaping teaspoon of the barley mixture and roll the leaf around the mixture, burrito style, into a long cigar. Repeat filling the rest of the leaves, and tightly pack the rolled leaves in a small baking dish.

● Combine the pomegranate molasses with 1½ cups hot water and whisk to blend. Pour over the stuffed grape leaves. (They should be just barely covered—add more water if needed.) Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the barley filling and grape leaves are very tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.