Stuffed Grape Leaves

• 3 cups Parboiled or Uncle Ben Rice
• 1 package extra lean ground lamb (or beef)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Middle Eastern spice/or just salt and pepp
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup raisins (not for mom)
• 1 head garlic
• 1 can tomato sauce/not for mom -- (16 oz.)
• 6 tablespoons Olive oil/3 for mix and three when cooking
• 1 large big onion -- minced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 jar preserved grape leaves or equal amount of -- (16 oz.)
• fresh grape leaves
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (not for mom)
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint
• 5 cups water

1. Combine rice, lamb (or beef), salt, spice, pepper, raisins (optional),
2. garlic, half the tomato sauce(optional), and 1 tablespoon vegetable or
3. Olive Oil. Mix by hand well, set aside.
4. If you are using preserved grape leaves, go to next step. If you are using
5. fresh grape leaves, at this time submerge them in the hot onion water
6. (heat off) for 1 minute on each side, remove, discard water. Grape leaves
7. should change color and become limp.
8. On a flat surface, lay one grape leaf flat, stem toward you. Place one
9. teaspoon of rice stuffing on the leaf on the end closer to you. Flip the
10. leaf sides over the rice to contain it, then roll the leaf away from you
11. to form a cylindrical shape.
12. Lay Some Grape Leaves on the bottom of the Dutch Oven
13. Repeat until the stuffing is used up.
14. Pour the remaining half of the tomato sauce over the Dolmas.
15. Add water to the surface. Add lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons
16. of vegetable oil. Invert a small plate on the Dolmas to keep them in place
17. while cooking.
18. Bring to a boil and cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes.
19. Reduce heat to low, let cook until all water is absorbed, approximately 1
20. 1/2 hours. (You can tell if there is water in the bottom of the pan by
21. tilting it slightly.)
22. Remove from heat, let stand for 10 minutes .
23. Transfer Dolmas one by one onto a serving plate
24. Serve plain or with yogurt.
25. ++++++++++++++++++++
26. for mom's recipe:
27. 1) Mix all the ingredients, except the Garlic
28. 2) Stuff and Layer the Grape leaves in a buttered Dutch oven (don't
29. forget to insert slices of garlic between individual layers of the Grape
30. leaves).
31. Add the water and boil for 1 to 1 1/2 hour till done.

uncle ben rice, extra lean ground lamb, salt, eastern spice, ground black pepper, raisins, garlic, tomato sauce, onion, beef broth, grape, fresh grape leaves, lemon juice, fresh mint, water

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/stuffed-grape-leaves-50134364 (may not work)