makes 8 to 12 meze servings
The most common recipes for vegetarian stuffed grape leaves in Greece call for rice and herbs. This is an old recipe from Rhodes and attests to the place of wheat in the traditional Greek diet, before rice became prevalent enough to be affordable on the everyday table.
1 (16-ounce / 475 ml) jar grape leaves in brine, drained
2 large, firm tomatoes
10 ounces (285 g) shelled fresh or defrosted frozen baby broad beans
½ cup (70 g) coarse bulgur wheat
4 red onions, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (50 g) chopped fresh dill
1 cup (50 g) chopped fresh parsley
1 cup (50 g) chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the grape leaves to the boiling water and blanch for 3 minutes to soften. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water.
Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Place the tomatoes, broad beans, bulgur, onions, scallions, garlic, dill, parsley, and mint in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the cumin and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix in ½ cup (120 ml) of the olive oil and 1 cup (240 ml) room-temperature water. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Drain the grape leaves and place them vein-side up on a work surface. Using kitchen scissors or a small knife, snip off the stems. Place as many grape leaves as will fit in neat rows in front of you, arranging them vein-side up, with the pointy part at the top and the stem end at the bottom, nearest you. Place any torn or very small leaves in a wide pot, arranging them to cover the bottom.
Take a heaping teaspoon of the filling and place it in the center of the bottom of the first leaf. Fold in the sides, then roll the leaf around the filling to form a small cylinder. Place the roll seam-side down in the pot, along the outer rim. Repeat to fill and roll the remaining grape leaves. You can layer the dolmades on top of one another in the pot, so long as they are placed snugly next to one another in each layer. Pour in the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil and enough water to cover the leaves by ¼ inch (6 mm).
Cut a piece of parchment paper to the circumference of the pot and place it over the pot. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the grape leaves are tender.
GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS: This iteration is from a small village in the interior of Rhodes called Laerma, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) from the island’s capital: Simply replace the broad beans with 1 pound (450 g) chopped button, oyster, or portobello mushrooms.
NOTE: Try peeling and slicing potatoes to place on the bottom of the pot, under the grape leaves. You can remove them and serve them separately as a salad or side dish. They take on the delicious briny flavor of the leaves and make a very unique dish.
