Yiayia's Grape Leaves

A Greek fan favorite - my Yiayia came in from out of town and taught me her way of making them.

I typically prefer an all-rice version of grape leaves, but others in my family enjoy a meat and rice filling. They are great both ways, but today I will show you the meat version.

Recipe

Ingredients For Meat Grape Leaves:

• 2 1/2 lbs of ground meat

• 1 large onion diced

• 1 jar (1 lb) of grape leaves rinsed

• 6 green onions (chopped)

• 1-2 bunch of Italian Parsley (chopped)

• 2 red tomatoes diced small

• 1 Tbps of salt & pepper

• 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 1/2 cup of white rice

• Lemon juice for flavor, with lemon wedges added with skin

• Chicken Broth (1-2 cups)

**If you plan to make an all-rice version of the grape leaves, exclude the meat and use more rice instead.

**Heavily recommend adding minced mint & dill if you have it

Steps:

1. Rinse the grape leaves and add them to a bowl or dish.

2. In a bowl, add the meat and diced onions, then add the green onions, grated tomato, parsley, salt & pepper, olive oil, and rice to a bowl.

3. Mix the mixture with your hands to combine.

4. In a large pot, add a few grape leaves to lay flat on the bottom of the pot.

5. On a plate, lay 1 leaf down and rip off any excess stem. Then, ensure the lead has the leaf veins facing upwards towards the ceiling.

6. Add meat mixture and shape to be the size of a grape leaf (roughly 2-3 inches depending on leaf size)

7. Fold and wrap the leaf - fold in the bottom portion of the leaf up, fold in the sides, and then roll forwards tight.

8. Add the rolled grape leaf flap down into the pot.

9. Continue adding them along the sides, fill in the middle, and then create additional layers. This should create around 3-4 layers within your pot.

10. Add 2 cups of chicken broth to the pot, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice for taste.

11. Add a dish that fits the pot, and place overtop of the grape leaf stack. Add the lif of the pot, and let simmer on low heat.

12. Every 30 minutes, you are going to check the liquid within the pot and add more of the (broth / water mixture of 1-2 cups per 30 minutes).

13. This should occur 2 additional times, and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours total.

14. Check to eat during the 1 1/2 - 2 hour timeframe if the grape leaf is done and fully cooked.

15. Served best with lemon slices to squeeze overtop!

***Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a couple of days!