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Side Dish
4 servings
30 minutes
20 minutes
Melissa's Corporate Chefs
1 pound vine leaves, grape leaves, or jarred grape leaves
2 pounds onions, chopped
1 cup rice, cooked
3/4 cup olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried mint)
1 teaspoon dill, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)
1 organic lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
2 cloves organic garlic, finely diced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Plain yogurt
Sauté the onions until soft and transparent. Add the cooked rice, oil, salt, mint and dill.
Stir and lower heat to simmer. If using fresh leaves, place them in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Remove and spread flat on a board, cutting off the stems.
Place a teaspoonful of the rice mixture into the center of the leaf, folding the edges over and around the filling to make neat, tightly packed rolls.
Line the bottom of a thick pan with additional leaves. Add the filled leaves in tightly packed layers, covering each layer with additional flat leaves.
Place a heavy plate (bottom side down) over the last layer, pouring lemon juice and 2 cups of boiling water under the plate.
Cook over high heat until the water boils again, then reduce to simmer until leaves are tender. Remove from stove, let cool, then refrigerate.
Serve cold with slices of fresh lemon and plain yogurt seasoned with garlic, salt and fresh pepper.
