INGREDIENTS
1 jar of vine leaves (about 250g)
1 cup of short grain rice
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 bunch of herbs (dill, parsley, mint)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. ground fennel seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water
DIRECTIONS
Select 30 medium-sized leaves that have fine veins (otherwise they will be too tough). Rinse them under running water and place in a large saucepan with hot water. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the water, pat dry the leaves, and trim their stems.
Sauté the chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the rice. Stir a few times and add the peeled garlic clove, lemon zest, and chopped herbs. Deglaze with 1 glass of water and let simmer for about 10 minutes until almost dry. Remove from heat.
Place a vine leaf on a plate, veined side up. Put one spoonful of the rice mixture in the lower center. Fold up from the bottom, covering the rice. Neatly fold in the edges of both sides, wrapping into an oblong shape.
Tightly pack the stuffed vine leaves in a sauce pan, seam side down. Pour 1 glass of hot water, the lemon juice and remaining olive oil over them. Place one or two plates as weights on top of the leaves, and let everything simmer for 1 hour until the water has evaporated.
