Israeli Stuffed Vine Leaves

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb grape leaves (fresh or frozen)
• 3/4 cup pitted prunes
• 1/4 cup cherries, pitted
• 1/4 cup seedless raisin
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup rice, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, sliced thin

Recipe

• 1 to prepare the grape leaves: if using fresh, soak for 5 to 6 minutes in hot water. if using canned, soak for 5 to 6 hours in cold water. for either, gently squeeze dry with clean kitchen towels.
• 2 soak the prunes in water for 3 hours; remove and coarsely chop.
• 3 coarsely chop the cherries and raisins.
• 4 combine all the ingredients except the vine leaves, lemon slices, and oil.
• 5 use the mixture to stuff the leaves that you will roll up into 2 inch rolls while tucking in the edges.
• 6 cover the bottom of a shallow pan with half the lemon slices; arrange the rolled vine leaves on top.
• 7 top that with the remaining lemon slices; pour in the olive oil and 2 cups water.
• 8 cook over medium heat for 1 hour.
• 9 to serve hot: remove leaves with a slotted spoon and serve on a lemon slice (from the bottom layer).
• 10 to serve cold: discard all the lemon slices and chill the leaves well.