Dolmades. Easy to make. I don't have a particular recipe. I just Google. But I've only done them with fresh leaves.

Never made them myself, but those little rolled-up leaves with rice inside (Dolmades) are pretty yummy.

Here's Martha's recipe with ground meat and rice filling:

https://www.marthastewart.com/318007/dolmades-stuffed-grape-leaves

Thanks, floral and carolb. I’ll look into those.

floral-uk, our surrounding wood margins and part of our back yard are host to some ”wild” or escaped Concord grapevines. They have small, ripening green grapes on them now, so maybe the leaves are too mature.

Can these sorts of grape leaves be used for dolmades?

^^^ I see this cook gives directions.. for next time, on how to prepare fresh leaves.

🍇https://www.themediterraneandish.com/stuffed-grape-leaves-dolmades/

I don't know about wild grapes. We don't have them here. I just used the ones coming over the fence from the neighbour's vine. The leaves need to be fairly young but a good size. They need to be tender and pliable. They only need blanching, not pre cooking. I've not made them with a meat filling..

If you like the taste on their own, you can make pesto. Stuffed with rice, ground lamb, around fish- wrap up feta and grill it is nice. If you like spinach pies, adding some of the brined leaves chopped up is good. They can be good in unrolled- chopped up into your rice dish, lamb stuff, orzo and feta salad, ect.

Random.. around here they grow wild, invasively so. The biggest leaves make great cones for berry picking. They are also good for capping ferments :)

I don't have anything much different to say, other than if you'te using them whole and let the food steam out completely, and get a little dry, they should freeze fine. (You said ”large” jar...)

Here’s a link with ideas for using them in ways other than dolmades. Other uses for grape leaves

Thanks again!

petalique, I was going to suggest the link you posted from The Mediterranean Dish. Good source.👍🏻

Thanks, chloebud. For real.

I’ve made them but they can take a while, and I usually need quite a few. They tend to disappear quickly! I’ve started buying them from a couple places we like. Very good…very easy!

have you ever made stuffed cabbage or lasagna? Folks complain how complicated those recipes are. I don't think so and stuffed grape leaves are no different. You can look up recipes with meat or vegetarian online. Or you can ship the jar to me to take off your hands.

“Folks complain how complicated those recipes are.”

Not complicated…just more of a time issue with me for grape leaves. I always seemed to make them for larger groups and needed quite a few. I like having good sources to make them for me. OTOH, dishes like lasagna, stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers, etc., are things I would never consider not making myself.

Agreed! Though I do find lasagna and stuffed cabbage take some hours, at least my family recipes way. ;) I never make that many stuffed peppers or grape leaves and could be done in an hour. :)

People complain about how long it takes to make certain work-intensive main dishes. And yet, no one complains about how long it takes to make cookies!

“Though I do find lasagna and stuffed cabbage take some hours…”

Definitely…and plenty of other things. IDK, for the most part, it’s something I enjoy about cooking/baking…kind of therapeutic. I’ll also do lots of things in steps…make the lasagna sauce in advance or the filling for stuffed cabbage. I almost always make cookie dough and pie crusts in advance. Again, in steps.👍🏻

Somehow, rolling up lots of grape leaves isn’t as enjoyable.🤷‍♀️