Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves With Feta Food

VEGETARIAN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH FETA

Steps:

• Saute onion in olive oil, just until translucent. Add rice and cook until rice is fragrant, and lightly toasted. Add half of the lemon juice and 1/2 cup water, and cook until water is absorbed. You want the rice only partially cooked at this stage.
• Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add herbs, salt and pepper, and feta. Use the smaller amount at first, and taste. If you like yours really cheesy, add more.
• Stuff the leaves. Lay one leaf out flat, with the shiny side down, and place about a teaspoon of filling near the stem. Roll over once, fold the sides in, and roll the rest of the way. Keep the roll slightly loose, as the filling will expand slightly during cooking. If some of your leaves are small, you can overlap two of them and roll the same way.
• Use any torn or broken leaves to line the bottom of a large saucepan or skillet, or place a wide, flat vegetable steamer in the pan. You want to keep your finished rolls from touching the bottom, so they won't burn.
• Place rolls seam side down on top of broken leaves or steamer, and add water to cover, along with the rest of the lemon juice. You may want to place the lid from a smaller pan, or a plate on top of the rolls to keep them from moving around too much. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until rice is tender.
• Serve warm, with yogurt or tzatziki sauce.

GRILLED FETA WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, za'atar and Aleppo pepper in a shallow bowl or small baking dish. Add the feta and spoon the oil over the top. Set aside to marinate 1 hour.
• While the cheese marinates, place the grape leaves in a bowl of room-temperature water and let soak.
• Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Drain the grape leaves and lay in a single layer on the towels; pat very dry. On a clean surface, overlap the grape leaves slightly to form a square. Place the block of feta in the center (reserve the flavored oil), then fold the grape leaves to cover the cheese like a present.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Toast the pita over direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Brush the outside of the wrapped feta with some of the reserved oil and place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Cook until the grape leaves are crisp and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and move to direct heat; grill until lightly charred on the second side and the cheese is warmed through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a board or platter and serve with the pita, olives, walnuts and/or apricots, plus any remaining flavored oil.

VEGETARIAN STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the grape leaves in the boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside.
• In the same pot, place the brown rice, olive oil, sea salt, onion and garlic over medium heat. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes, stirring intermittently, or until the rice is browned and the onions are soft.
• Mix the parsley, mint and tomato paste into the pot, followed by the vegetable broth, and lemon juice. Allow rice mixture to cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not fully cooked. If not enough liquid add some boiled water while still cooking.
• Add the chopped chickpeas and diced tomatoes to the rice mixture. Season with the cumin and salt to taste.
• Place a grape leaf flat on a plate. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the leaf and roll into a bundle. Repeat until you are out of leaves and filling.
• Place all the stuffed grape leaves into a pot and pour vinegar and enough fresh water in to cover the bundles.
• Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice filling is fully cooked.