Durga Fuller, a devotee of low-carb and paleo-friendly cuisine, shared this recipe with me, and I adapted it for a great go-to primal snack. For a full meal, serve these grape leaves with Primal Greek Spinach (page 270) or Cauliflower Mashers (page 268) and a salad of sliced tomatoes and pitted black olives. You can also pack a cooler with these to take on the go, as it is delicious cold and makes a great take-along finger food, as well as a delicious and tantalizing appetizer at parties!
4 tablespoons pure cultured ghee, plus more for the casserole
2 small yellow or white onions, minced
1/2 cup very finely chopped celery leaves or stemmed mustard greens
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound organic grass-fed ground lamb or beef
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
40 jarred grape leaves, drained and rinsed
At least 2 cups Primal Bone Broth (page 209), preferably beef broth, or packaged organic free-range gluten- and MSG-free beef broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the inside of a covered 2- to 4-quart round or oval casserole with a little ghee spread on a paper towel.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a medium skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until just softened. Add the celery leaves and garlic; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until just wilted. Set aside off the heat to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Stir the contents of the skillet into the ground meat in a large bowl. Mix in the parsley, pine nuts, oregano, salt, and pepper until uniform.
4. Use the smallest grape leaves to make a thin cover across the bottom of the casserole. Place a large grape leaf shiny side down on a clean, dry work surface. Snip off the stem, if visible. Place a rounded tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll the leaf closed. Place the seam side down in the casserole. Continue stuffing more grape leaves, making two layers if necessary.
5. Pour 2 cups broth and the lemon juice over the top. Add more broth to the casserole as necessary so the liquid just covers the stuffed grape leaves below. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Lay a thin layer of grape leaves across the top of the casserole, covering the stuffed ones below.
6. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Cool in the cooking liquid until room temperature. Remove the top layer of grape leaves. Store the covered casserole in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve the stuffed grape leaves without the cooking liquid in the pot.