GRAPE LEAVES — ideas, suggestions?

last year

last modified: last year

I mistakenly opened a large jar of brined grape leaves.

They are now in the fridge. A lot of them, taking up real estate.

I welcome ideas of what I can do with these grape leaves. I’m not sure that I’ve ever cooked w grape leaves, but I do enjoy those Greek like lemony stuffed grape leaves.

Are these easy? Anyone have a good tried recipe they like?

Thanks.

Featured Answer

roxanna

last year

Concord grapes were bred from the wild grapes that grew in my hometown (Concord MA) by Ephraim Bull in 1849. At my old home, there were wild grapevines all oveer the acreage and my mother made grape jelly every summer. I well remember the huge cheesecloth bag full of cooked fruit suspended from the broom handle over a giant mixing bowl and watching the steady drip-drip-drip. Nothing better than homemade jelly! (Her wild crabapple jelly is a fond memory, the likes of which I have not enjoyed for many decades...)

Folk would come out from Boston to snag fresh grape leaves to take home. They were often very rough with their handling of the vines, ripping them off the stone walls by the road. That infuriated my mother. And they never asked for permission...

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Comments (18)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
last modified: last year
Dolmades. Easy to make. I don't have a particular recipe. I just Google. But I've only done them with fresh leaves.
petalique thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
last year
last modified: last year
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
petalique thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
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petalique
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
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?
petalique
Original Author
last year
^^^ I see this cook gives directions.. for next time, on how to prepare fresh leaves.

🍇https://www.themediterraneandish.com/stuffed-grape-leaves-dolmades/
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
last modified: last year
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..
petalique thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
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beesneeds
last year
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 :)
petalique thanked beesneeds
plllog
last year
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...)
petalique thanked plllog
party_music50
last year
Here’s a link with ideas for using them in ways other than dolmades. Other uses for grape leaves
petalique thanked party_music50
petalique
Original Author
last year
Thanks again!
chloebud
last year
petalique, I was going to suggest the link you posted from The Mediterranean Dish. Good source.👍🏻
petalique thanked chloebud
petalique
Original Author
last year
Thanks, chloebud. For real.
chloebud
last year
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!
petalique thanked chloebud
Rho Dodendron
last year
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.
petalique thanked Rho Dodendron
chloebud
last year
“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.
petalique thanked chloebud
plllog
last year
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. :)
petalique thanked plllog
Jupidupi
last year
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!
petalique thanked Jupidupi
chloebud
last year
“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.🤷‍♀️
petalique thanked chloebud