Bob Ross...do you have a recipe for stuffed Grape leaves?

Hi Bob,

I think I remember reading that it was you who had a recipe for stuffed grape leaves. If so, could you share it with me? I have a bunch of wild grape leaves growing outside and I have been dying to stuff them.

If anyone else has a recipe they would like to share, I would love to hear it. I love dolma (I think that's what they are called...please correct me if I am wrong...grape leaves stuffed with rice and brined.)...so if someone has that particular style, that would be great!

I learned a great technique at CIA, Maria -- I'll post it in a day or so.

Regards, Bob

Stuffed Grape Leaves -- CIA -- Makes 36 pieces.

6 oz onions, minced
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 oz green onion, fine dice
1/2 oz. chopped parsley
2 oz. olive oil
1 tsp chopped dill
1 tsp chopped mint
1 1/2 tsp chopped oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
3 oz pine nuts, toasted
3 large eggs, beaten
6 oz rice, cooked and drained
1 1/2 ground
Salt and pepper to taste
36 grape leaves, soaked in water
24 fluid oz Chicken Stock -- unsalted is best to control salt in the overall dish.

Brushing Sauce
2 oz olive oil
1 tsp chopped mint
1 1/2 tsp chopped organo
1 1/2 oz lemon juice

1. Saute the onions, garlic, green onion and parsley in the oil and cool.
2. Combine with the herbs, spices, pine nuts, eggs, rice, lamb, salt and pepper, and mix well.
3. Place 1 1/2 oz of the filling in a grape leaf, fold in the ends of the leaf over the filing and roll up. Repeat with the remaining filling and grape leaves.
4. Place the finished grape leaves in a pan, seam side down. Add enough stock to just cover the leaves. Cover with a lid and bake at 350F for one hour or until the filling is tender.
5. Combine all ingredients for the sauce and brush it over the grape leaves.

I like the complexity of tastes in the CIA recipe; here's a simplier Greek style version that a Greek neighbor uses -- it works well too.

1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb
1 1/4 c. rice (raw)
salt to taste
1 tsp. allspice (level)
1 tbsp. dried spearmint
1/4 lb. melted butter (1 stick)

Melt the butter, and blend all ingredients well.

Line the bottom of a pot with leaves. Stuff leaves on wrong side. Place a little stuffing on stem side. Fold leaf over stuffing - bring one side over, then the other side and then roll. Place in pot with seam side down.

When all stuffed leaves are placed in the pot, cover with large leaves. Pour seasoned water (with salt and allspice) over the stuffed leaves.

Place hand over leaves and press down to avoid leaves opening.

Bring to boil, skim any foam and simmer for 1 hour or until the leaves are cooked.

Couple of hints on the leaves: pick medium early in the season when the leaves are tender, cut off the stems, and brush clean under running water or in a bowl. Store leaves in refrigerator in water. Greek delis sell bottled grape leaves.

Thank you so much for posting this Bob!! It looks wonderful!! I will let you know how they turn out.

Oh Bob...I also wanted to ask...is it ok to use fresh leaves, or do I need to brine them first?

I've never brined them, Maria -- just soaked in water to keep them fresh and supple. I've purchased some that were in stock, a small amount of salt. But I wouldn't use brine -- the leaves will pick up quite a bit of salt and it is easier to control the taste salting the stuffings.

You are most welcome. Regards, Bob

[Jenise]

Bob, two things, from someone who makes stuffed grape leaves all the time without a recipe, just copying what I saw a Lebanese neighbor do when I was a kid.

3 eggs? I know you can't defend the CIA nor perhaps should I even question them (though when has this stopped me before), but that seems like 1-2 too many. I would think one sufficient, though two would not be out of the question--my 'by the hip' guide for binding meat stuffings is 1 egg per 1 pound. Since this doesn't have to, literally, stand alone, I would think one sufficient even with the addition of the rice. Any thoughts?

Also, re "brushing" the dolma with the sauce: seems kind of lighthanded. Typically, you'd pour the lemon sauce over and let it stand, soak in. Since I love the intense lemon flavor, I think I'd miss that step--brushing wouldn't be enough.

Maria, you have the name right, dolma. Dolma, is in fact the category of meat-and-rice (or even rice alone, for vegetarians) stuffed things: stuff a tomato or a zucchini, and that's dolma too.

Thanks Jenise!

Care to share your version? You can just give rough estimates.

Oh, I wanted to add that my husband came home early today and brought home a cookbook written by a friend's Mother. She is Arab, and wouldn't you know it, the first page I open to is a recipe for stuffed grape leaves...LOL!

Her version is quite different than Bobs...it's a tomato and rice based version. Not a lot of ingredients. Seems interesting, but doesn't sound like the dolmas I have had before. I think I will try Bob's version first and then try a few of other version. I can't wait to do this!

[Jenise]

Maria, my version isn't that different from Bob's. Lots of different spices (pretty much on a whim, with allspice at the core), more mint, and more rice, about a 50/50 split of rice to lamb. Still, minor differences; the recipe he's provided looks perfectly flavorful and complex and I'd recommend you use it. I would only reiterate my comment about pouring the olive oil and lemon over and allowing it to soak in. But then, that's only because that's what matches my first encounter with stuffed grape leaves, so to my tastes that's right.

Ok Bob,

I just couldn't wait any longer and made these last night and they were DELICIOUS!! Thank you so very much for the recipe. I had to use ground beef instead because I didn't have ground lamb on hand, but I will definitely use lamb next time.

Also, I found that the leaves were easier to work with if I blanched the leaves first. I think this is because my leaves are on the smaller side, and kept popping open...maybe I needed to fill them up with less. Anyway, blanching them seemed to work great.

Thanks again Bob! They really hit the spot!

Jenise, good point on the eggs. I add them last, one at a time, and blend. Don't really remember how many I've been adding frankly, but one or two sounds right. I follow the CIA recipe fairly slavishly for the herbs and spices, though. The overall taste is great.

I like the delicacy of this wash -- and serve stuffed grape leaves with a lemony sauce on the side for people who love the taste of lemon. Neither Janet nor I care for a great deal of lemon -- in fact I often cut it back in recipes. Somehow lemon is so dominant a flavor that it can be added by lemon lovers to a dish after the fact with no harm to the dish. Or, at least, so my guests tell me.

As always, two very good tips. Thanks.

Regards, Bob