Questions about stuffed grape leaves??!!??!
1- Do you cook the meat (ground beef) before you roll it in the grape leaves???
2- What is the best cooking time to go with, because i have seen anywhere from 15min. to 2 hours???
3- Do you cook the rice before you roll it in the grape leaves??
THANKS A MILLION!!!
Answers: hey everyone, i need major help, so i have to make grapeleaves for a greek feast that we are having in class tomorrow and i had a few questions that i cant find the answer to anywere.
1- Do you cook the meat (ground beef) before you roll it in the grape leaves???
2- What is the best cooking time to go with, because i have seen anywhere from 15min. to 2 hours???
3- Do you cook the rice before you roll it in the grape leaves??
THANKS A MILLION!!!
I found this recipe at recipezaar and it looks very good. It answers all your questions .
Ingredients
1 cup uncle bens converted rice
1/2 lb ground lamb
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup lemon juice, for in pot
3 tablespoons butter
6 cups water, cover over leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
1Wash& stem fresh grape leaves briefly to slightly wilt and drape over something.
2While drying make filling sauce.
3Mix lamb, rice, seasonings, lemon juice and butter.
4Stuff grape leaves with half of a tablespoon or more of the rice mixture.
5Put the mixture close to the bottom where the stem was at,fold and roll like you would a burrito.
6When done stuffing, line bottom of stock pot with torn or broken grape leaves then layer with stuffed grape leaves firmly packed with loose flap down in a 3 quart pot, in tight parallel rows, alternating each layer the opposite way (this will help to keep them from moving) when done line with more torn grape leaves on top, put flat plate on top of grape leave and a pitcher of water on top of the plate to help keep it down.
7fill pot with about 4 to 6 cups of boiled water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a 1/2 cup of lemon juice and salt so that it is just above the grape leaves.
8Bring to boil and simmer for about 20 to 25 till done (check one to see if done).
9Remove grape leaves with tongs.
10NOTES: Save some of the juice for reheating in the mirowave, and cover.
You cook everything and cool them before you stuff the grape leaves.
Your using jarred leaves I'm assuming?
You can fry the chop meat if you want ( till all the pink disappears). If you do it that way be sure to drain out all the excess fat.
Here is the recipe that I use.
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)
* 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
* 2 quarts chicken broth
* 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
* 60 grape leaves, drained and rinsed
* hot water as needed
* 1 cup olive oil
1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the rice, onion, dill, and mint for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Pour in 1 quart of broth, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked. Stir in 1/2 of lemon juice and remove from heat.
2. Take one leaf, shiny side down, and place 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom (stem) end of the leaf. Fold both sides of the leaf towards the center, roll up from the broad bottom to the top, and place into a 4-quart pot. Repeat with all leaves, leaving no gaps as leaves are placed in pot (to prevent from opening while cooking). Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and with olive oil.
3. Pour chicken broth over all to cover grape leaves. Cover pot and simmer for about 1 hour (do not boil, because this will make the stuffing burst out of the leaves). Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to serving dish and serve.
Here is the link to a recipe with meat in it
http://greekfood.about.com/od/appetizers...
Your cooking time depends on if you cook the rice before stuffing them or after. If you cook the meat and the rice before you stuff it then they will not take a long. If you are going to ring them to school I would make them without meat so that you do not have to worry about keeping them as cold as you would have to if they had meat in them. Good luck. Hope you get and A.
The rice and meat are both cooked before they go into the leaves. I have seen recipes where they are not, but they result in nasty, nasty stuffed grape leaves.
I don't know the cooking time--my mom was the one who always made them, and she doesn't remember now. I know you cook them until the grape leaves are tender and you can bite into them with ease. That will definitely take longer than 15 minutes, but I doubt that it will take as long as 2 hours. You might want to check a recipe site, and follow their recipe and instructions. If you don't have all the ingredients they use, just improvise on what you don't have, and try and follow the recipe as closely as possible.
Good luck with your Greek Feast--I am kind of jealous--I could really go for some spanakopita!
YES, cook both beef and rice before mixing together and filling leaves. By that point, you will be heating them just to warm them up; no real "cooking" required, so 20 min is probably fine.