Stuffed Grap Leaves

Makes about 30 rolls

1½ cups uncooked Rice
1 jar Grape Leaves in Brine
1/2 cub Pine Nuts - (Pignoles)
1 large Onion, chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic
1 bunch Parsley
1 cup loosely packed Mint
1 cup Lemon juice
1 Lemon, sliced
1/2 cup Currants
1 tsp chopped Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Sesame seeds
Olive Oil
Pinch of salt

1. Pour dry rice into a large bowl and add salt and  2 cups of water. Let stand for 
10 minutes and pour off water. Add more water and repeat.

2. While your rice is soaking, chop onion, garlic, mint, pine nuts, & parsley.

3.  Add couple tablespoons of Olive Oil to large skillet and heat. Pour water
off rice and add to skillet. Stir to coat rice in oil.

4.  Add Onion, garlic, ginger and mint to skillet. Stir until mixed.

5.  Add about 1½ cups water to skillet. Add parsley, mint, half of sesame seeds
and currants. Mix. Season with ½ cup lemon juice.

6.  Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Immediately cover and reduce heat to 
 low. Cook for about 10 minutes.

7.  Roll out grape leaves, stem sides up. Place about a teaspoon of the mixture in each
    leaf near the stem. If there are residual stems, trim them close 
    before filling.

8.  In a medium pot, line the bottom with lemon slices and some of the broken leaves.
    Begin packing the bottom with the grape rolls. Do it fairly tightly with the 
    closure edge down.

9. After the bottom is packed, put in lemon slices before starting the
next row. Repeat.

10. When you have completed above, place a plate or other object in pot
to hold everything down. Add water to cover the plate. Add ½ cup lemon juice.

11. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, covered for about 30 minutes.

When completed, pour off any extra liquid. May be served hot, cold, or
at room temperature. Goes well with yogurt sauce.

	Alan Barasch
See more great recipes at http://food.barasch.com