Grape Leaves stuffed with Meat and Rice

Grape leaves are one of the most delicious, traditional and complicated Middle Eastern dishes out there. This dish is lovingly referred to as yabraa, yabraq, waraq einab, dawali, dolmadas...each country calls it something different but everyone agrees that it is AMAZING. In this post I have tried to simplify the process as much as possible, and although this meal does not conform to the SavvyChef mantra of simple meal prep, its just too yummy not to share :) Luckily the ingredients are fairly simple, and the actual effort comes in the preparation.

This post has been almost a year in the making because I needed to cook it AMPLE times to ensure my ratios are absolute perfection before I encourage you to spend hours on preparation. There are almost no proper measurements available for exactly how much rice/meat/grape leaf ratio to prepare so you are not left with extra filling, and in this recipe I have finally accomplished that. My family thanks all the readers who have been urging me to complete a post on this recipe because of all the times they've eaten the tester meals ;)

There are many varieties for grape leaves, and each country in the Middle East (as well as Turkey, Greece...) prepares them differently. I am biased to the Syrian way, specifically the Damascene method. These grape leaves are succulent and juicy, stuffed with a seasoned rice and meat filling and then cooked until the leaf is fork tender in a tangy lemon and garlic sauce. This is my all time favorite meal, and I would eat it everyday if I could.

I highly recommend you read through the whole post before you begin to let you know what to expect as you go along.

Tips to ensure a smoother experience:
1. Have all of your spices and ingredients out and ready before you begin. Once you start mixing the filling with your hands it will be difficult to open cabinets and reach for things.
2. Block off a span of 2-3 hours (hopefully it won't take 3 hours) to complete this project, especially if it is your first time. I realize this is a large amount of time and it is difficult to do this with work/little children/other commitments, but if possible it makes a difference.
3. If it is your first time attempting grape leaves, either start in the morning or have a back up for that night's dinner. Plan on wrapping the grape leaves on one day and cooking the next (especially if you are going to slow cook them). This is what I do and it reduces the stress involved with needing to finish quickly.
4. Do not be discouraged if yours are not all the same size or if they look messy. The important thing is to keep the meat and rice mixture inside the grape leaf so it does not get out while cooking, and you will get the hang of it as you go along. You will get faster and your wrapped grape leaves will be neater with experience. There is a huge learning curve for this dish.
5. If you can get others in on this project it will add speed and fun! Traditionally people sat around together to wrap grape leaves and talked and shared jokes as they did so, which takes the tediousness out of the process and provides a fun experience.

Serves 6 as main entree

Ingredients
---------------
-2 1/2 cups calrose rice (short grain)
-2 1/2 tablespoons safflower threads (similar to saffron)
-1 pound ground beef or lamb, a higher fat content will yield better flavor (2 cups)
-1 tablespoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
-2 tablespoons all spice
-2 tablespoons oil or clarified butter (ghee)
-up to 1/4 cup water (if your meat is of a higher fat content you will need less water)
-16 ounce jar of grape leaves, drained and rinsed

-2 pounds lamb or beef steaks (preferably bone-in and with a layer of fat)
-1 tablespoon lemon pepper (optional)

-1 cup peeled whole garlic cloves
-1 cup lemon juice
-4 cups water
-1 tablespoon salt
-2 tablespoons lemon pepper (optional, this provides an extra tang)

Optional:
-2 cups frozen artichoke bottoms
-11 ounces frozen green broad/fava beans
-1 cup sliced potato rounds
--Drizzle of oil or ghee

To make
------------
-Open the jar of grape leaves and carefully remove leaves. Place them in a large bowl with water to soak and rinse out any lingering dirt. I leave these for about an hour then rinse them in a strainer.
-While the grape leaves are soaking, fill another bowl with water and soak rice for an hour. Drain, rinse with WARM WATER and set aside.
-Using the same bowl used to soak rice (I hate extra dish-washing) place the strained rice and add the safflower threads, grinding them with the palm of your hand to break up. Mix them into the rice mixture to give your rice a yellow color. Add the remaining filling ingredients (ground beef/lamb, salt, pepper, all spice, oil and water) and using your hands, thoroughly massage all the ingredients together until they are well mixed. You want your mixture to be slightly "wet" either by oil or water. When adding the water add slowly and use what you need until the mixture clumps together and doesn't stick to your hands.
-Set up a clean work station and remove any large stems from your grape leaves. I use kitchen shears to quickly snip the tips off large stems.
-Arrange an assembly line of grape leaves, with the stem facing towards you and the pointy part of the leaf facing away (the smooth part of the grape leaf is what lays on the table, and the rough side with all the small stems is facing upwards).
-Place about 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling (depending on the size of your leaf) onto the lower middle half of each grape leaf and arrange into a thin line. Place the filling about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the stem and 1/2 inch in from the left and right of the edge of the leaf, leaving more space between the filling and the top of leaf for when you will fold it up.
-Fold over the bottom of the leaf to cover the rice mixture, then bring in the left and right sides of the leaf in over the rice mixture as well. Then slowly wrap the grape leaf towards the tip of the leaf (rolling away from your direction), tucking in the edges as you go along. (SEE TUTORIAL PICTURES AT THE END OF THIS POST)
-Repeat the process until you have wrapped all of your grape leaves. You will get the hang of it as you go along. Place the grape leaves on a platter as you work, keeping the smaller grape leaves separate.
-Sprinkle your steaks with lemon pepper (or just salt and pepper) and sear them in a skillet until a browned layer forms, about 2 minutes on each side. If you are using a pressure cooker to make your grape leaves use that pot to sear the steak and leave them inside. If you are using a slow cooker after you have seared the steaks transfer them to the slow cooker pot and arrange in a flat layer.
-Sprinkle about 1/4 of your garlic cloves over the seared steaks. Layer your optional toppings over the steak . I place the green broad beans first and then the artichoke bottoms, alternating with more garlic after each layer, leaving only a few cloves.
-Carefully arrange the grape leaves, placing the smaller grape leaves first and working your way around the pot in a tight layer. Pack them firmly and end with your largest grape leaves. Sprinkle any remaining garlic on top. Sprinkle the salt and optional lemon pepper, then pour the lemon juice and water evenly over the top. You can add an optional drizzle of oil or ghee if your steaks are not fatty enough.
-Place a flat HEAT-PROOF plate over the grape leaves and a heavier object to weigh down the leaves and keep them in place. Years ago a friend of mine went to the beach and found a bunch of well sized flat and heavy rocks that were perfect for this. I still use mine every time even though I have the 'proper' heavy plate from Syria. Get creative with what you can use, you are looking for anything that will prevent the wrapped leaves from floating around the liquid and opening up as they cook.
-Cover your SLOWCOOKER and cook the grape leaves on high heat for 8 hours. If cooking in a PRESSURE COOKER you will cook on medium heat for about 2 hours after the pot is pressurized. If cooking in a REGULAR STOVE TOP pot you will cook anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4 hours on medium heat.
-The grape leaves have finished cooking when their leaf gets tender and the rice is cooked and fluffy on the inside. If your water dries up feel free to add a little more and adjust the lemon/salt content.
-Once tender and cooked through, uncover your pot and carefully tilt over a shatter-proof bowl to drain the liquid.
-Once the liquid is drained place a large platter over your pot (use something that sits flat on top of the pot) and quickly flip the pot over so the contents come onto the plate. Wait a moment to make sure everything has come off from the inside of the pot and remove your pot, taking care for the steam that will emerge as you do so.
-Serve with the extra liquid on the side, yogurt and warm pita bread.
-ENJOY! You deserve it after your hard efforts!



TUTORIAL PICTURES:

Step 1: Prepare the filling. The color of the rice when washed with WARM water and mixed with safflower (before meat and other spices are mixed in)

Step 2: Lay out your grape leaves and arrange the filling

Place the filling in the center

Step 3: Fold the edges of the grape leaf up from the bottom

Step 4: Fold the edges of the grape leaf in from the left and the right

Step 5: Start rolling the grape leaf upwards, away from you

Step 6: The finished product, with all the filling tucked tightly into the grape leaf

Step 7: Sear the steaks until you get a nice color

Step 8: Layer the steaks in your pot and add the optional fillings (these are artichoke bottoms)

Step 9: Layer the grape leaves, making sure to pack them tightly to each other and sprinkle the garlic around

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Beef, Pea and Carrot Stew

Busy weeknights have me turning to this quick meal time and time again. Most of the ingredients are staples in my fridge/freezer and it comes together in about 30 minutes. Wholesome, hearty and enjoyed by all, I love cooking this and my family loves eating it. Typically it is served with white rice, but I always cook it with bulghur and vermicelli instead to really provide some whole grain nutrition. The sauce soaks up into the bulghur really well for a very satisfying dinner.

Ingredients
---------------
-1/2 large onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
-1 lb lean ground beef
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 tablespoon allspice or 7-spice
-2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
-2 cups chopped fresh carrots (sweet potatoes are a great alternative)
-1 lb frozen peas
-1 6 ounce can tomato paste
-6 cups beef broth or water (I like to make my own broth and freeze it for easy access, if I don't have any handy I use water)
-salt and pepper to taste

To make
-----------
-Heat a large pot on the stove and add onions and ground beef. Break up the beef into small chunks as you cook. After about 2 minutes add the coriander, allspice, salt and ground cardamom. When the meat is about halfway cooked add the fresh carrots and let them soften as  the beef juices dry up.  Cooking the meat should take a total of 10 minutes or less.
-Once the meat is cooked, add the frozen peas, tomato paste and broth (or water) and bring to a boil. At this point taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding more of the spices listed in the ingredients if you find it necessary. If you are using water instead of broth you will likely need to add more seasoning.
-Lower the boiling mixture to medium low heat and let it simmer until the carrots are soft and the sauce has thickened up a bit. If your sauce is too thick add more broth, and if your stew is too runny let it boil a little longer.
-Serve with rice or bulghur.  I like to add freshly cracked black pepper or hot sauce to the adult servings for an extra kick.
-Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Spiced Chili

I craved a hearty chili for several weeks before making this. Normally I'm not a huge fan of beans, but this year I'm liking them more and more. I considered making this dish completely vegetarian, but a true chili recipe has to include a meat! Feel free to replace this with ground turkey, chicken, tofu, pieces of pumpkin, sweet potato or butternut squash. I think it would still taste delicious, but it just perfectly hit the spot for us with ground beef. I served this with homemade pumpkin cornbread and it was a meal that no one complained about...which in a house with 3 little ones is a rare occurrence! They especially loved the idea of customizing their own bowls and got creative with their combinations.

Chili is even more flavorful the next day and this is a GREAT slow cooker recipe! After browning the onions, garlic and ground beef transfer to a slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer on low for a couple hours while you go about your day knowing that magic is taking place in your kitchen ;) If you are reheating the next day add a little water to thin out the chili as the beans will have soaked up the extra liquid and the flavors will be quite intense.

Serves about 4

Ingredients
----------------
-1 tablespoon oil
-1 cup chopped onion (about half of a large onion)
-5 garlic cloves
-1 tablespoon cumin seeds
-1/2 pound ground beef (I used 98% lean)
-2 tablespoons chili powder
-1 tablespoon coriander
-1/2 tablespoon all spice
-1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
-1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of nutmeg, allspice, lemon peel, cloves and cinnamon)
-3 large tomatoes (or 1.5 cups canned tomato sauce)
-1 cup water (plus up to 1 cup more if your sauce is too thick)
-15 ounce can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans) drained and rinsed
-2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (optional...this adds more nutrition and gives the chili sauce a silky texture but is not critical for flavor)

Optional topping ideas
---------------------------
-Greek yogurt or sour cream
-shredded cheddar cheese
-cilantro
-diced tomato
-green onions
-avocado
-corn chips
-cornbread


To make
-----------

Browning the onions and toasting the cumin seeds

-Heat a dutch oven (ceramic pot...or any other pot) for a few minutes until it gets hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and let it heat for about 30 seconds.
-Add onion and let it cook for about 2 minutes on medium high heat
-Using a food processor, pulverize the garlic and add to onions.
-Add cumin seeds and continue sauteing until the garlic and cumin seeds become fragrant and the onions are soft.
-Add ground beef, chili powder, coriander, all spice, ground ginger and pumpkin pie spice and cook meat for about 5 minutes. You don't want to over brown the beef. Just cook it until the juices run clear and don't break it up too finely as you cook it.
-Wash tomatoes and chop into 4 large chunks. Place in food processor and pulverize until they are saucy. Add the tomato puree to the ground beef. Place the cup of water in the food processor and swirl it around to get the remained tomato puree and bits of garlic, then add the water to the pot.
-Add the drained and rinsed can of cannellini beans to the meat and tomato mixture.
-Add the pumpkin puree and stir. Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings to your liking. This is a good time to add salt.
-Lower the heat, cover the pot and let your chili simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is as thick as you like it and the beans and meat are soft.
-Top however you'd like and serve.
-Enjoy!

Pumpkin cornbread was the perfect side to soak up the chili sauce :)

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Savory Puff Pastry Pies Stuffed with Meat and Rice (Ouzi)

Some requests have come in for more Middle Eastern dishes.  I LOVE to hear from the readers, thank you for your comments!  Please always feel free to post on the blog or email me directly at ChefSavvy@gmail.com!

Here's another classic Syrian dish, called "ouzi" in Arabic. It is carbohydrate heaven! Puff pastry stuffed with rice! This is paired with a cucumber yogurt sauce and the combination is dynamic! It is very common to eat the rice without filling it in a puff pastry, so feel free to do so. A great idea is to make extra of the rice and eat it as a rice meal one night and then fill into pies for another evening. Wrapped in puff pastry, these freeze very well and are ready to bake right from the freezer.

I always serve this with a cucumber yogurt sauce (laban bil khyar) and a simple salad.

To prepare vegetarian style leave out the meat and include the carrots.

These make 20 mini pies

Ingredients

--------------

-1 pound ground beef (80% lean)

-1 tablespoon allspice

-salt to taste

-2 cups calrose rice, soaked in water for 2 hours

-2 1/4 cups boiling water

-1 lb frozen peas

-optional: 1 cup finely diced carrots (the size of the peas)

-10 puff pastry squares

Assembly

----------

-In a large pot, brown ground beef and carrots with allspice and salt. Rinse soaked rice and add to ground beef. If using fresh carrots, add them now. Cook for two minutes while stirring frequently. Add 2 1/2 cups boiling water and peas. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover rice and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Do not uncover rice during the 18 minutes of cooking time. After the time is up, turn off heat, uncover, stir rice, replace lid and let set for another 15 minutes. Uncover and let the rice cool.

-Preheat oven to 375. Using a rolling pin, extend the dough by 1/4 inch on each side. Cut each puff pastry square in half. Take an individual ramekin and press dough into the cup, letting the pastry extend out. Fill with 1/4-1/2 cup of rice and fold over the edges of the crust, pressing lightly to seal. Flip over onto a baking sheet. Repeat this process until the rice and dough are finished.

-Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and flaky.
-Serve with  yogurt
-Enjoy!

Ouzi isn't complete without a side of cucumber yogurt sauce :)

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Kabobs and Potatoes in a Tomato Cilantro Sauce

Super easy. Super yummy. This is an altered Syrian dish. I personally like this version a LOT more than the classic. The additions are just cilantro and potatoes. Small change but big result ;-)

Ingredients

------------

-1 pound ground beef

-1 onion, quartered

-1 tablespoon allspice

-salt and pepper

-1 cup parsley

-1 large onion, chopped into strips

-1 large Yukon gold potato, washed and cut into strips

-1 large can tomato sauce

-1 bunch cilantro, minced

Assembly

----------

-Mix ground beef and onion with allspice, parsley and salt in a food processor until the onion in pureed and mixed with the beef. Shape into 2 inch long log shaped patties.

-Heat a pot and brown kabobs until they are halfway cooked. In the same pot, caramelize onions.

-Add onions and kabobs into a slow cooker and layer potatoes, tomato sauce and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Serve with pita bread or white rice.

Tortilla Soup

I LOVE tortilla soup. Any time I used to go to any Mexican restaurant, I'd have to order it. Until I perfected my own recipe, and it is SO much better than any other professional chef ;-)

A GREAT use for leftover fajitas (homemade, or even easier, brought back from a restaurant) is to throw them into this soup. It also really cuts the prep time.

Ingredients

------------

-2-3 cups leftover fajitas

OR

-2 tablespoons cooking oil

-1/2 pound chicken or steak or shrimp (or skip this step for veggie soup)

-1 of each, cut into short strips or cubes: yellow onion, red, green, yellow bell pepper (or buy frozen bell pepper medley)

-1 can corn

-1 can black beans

-leftover mexican rice OR 1/4 cup uncoocked rice

-1 squash, cut into small cubes

-1/2-1 cup mild salsa or picante sauce (fresh tastes awesome, but anything works)

-1 bunch minced cilantro

-4 cloves fresh minced garlic

-2 green onions, white and green parts

-4 cups broth or water

-2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Garnish (optional)

---------

-sour cream

-avocado slices

-shredded cheese

-tortilla chips

To make

---------

-Heat oil in pot, combine optional chicken/steak/shrimp. Cook halfway, then add onions, bell peppers, garlic, squash, rice and green onions until squash and rice are halfway cooked.

-Add salsa, beans, corn, broth and taco seasoning.

-Simmer until rice is cooked. Add cilantro and cook for 5 more minutes.

This all goes MUCH faster if the chicken and veggies are precooked, and the rice is already made.

-Garnish with optional toppings.

Okra Simmered in a Cilantro & Garlic Tomato Sauce (Bamyeh)

I've tried searching Middle Eastern recipes on the internet, and they just don't exist. Unless you have Arabic installed on your computer, and can search for the recipes in that language. Which I don't. So I've decided to post all my Middle Eastern recipes as I make them, although they are not really originals.

This is a really good dish. My 4 year old was eating this and saying "mmm...delicious!" after every bite :)

**This can TOTALLY be made in the slow cooker. Just layer all the ingredients except for the cilantro and minced garlic (which you will add when it is fully cooked), and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.**

Ingredients

------------

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 pound beef stew meat (depending on how much your family likes meat), cut into 1 inch cubes

-s&p to taste
-1 teaspoon coriander
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1 teaspoon all spice
-optional: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
-1 package frozen okra

-3 cloves garlic, sliced finely
-1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or lemon juice

-14.5 ounce can tomato sauce

-4-5 cans water

-1 cup finely diced fresh tomato, cut into small cubes OR 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (optional)
-1 bunch cilantro, diced finely
-3 cloves minced garlic

To make

---------

-heat olive oil in pressure cooker. Add stew meat and cook half way through, about 10-15 minutes. Season the meat with coriander, cardamom, allspice and cumin seeds. Add frozen okra and let it defrost in the pot. Take care not to over mix, because okra will mush. Add sliced garlic and pomegranate molasses, and stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Once okra has defrosted, add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Fill tomato sauce can with water and add to pot. Bring sauce to a boil. Cover pressure cooker. Once it is 'pressured', reduce heat to low and cook for 30-35 minutes.

-Uncover lid and add fresh minced cilantro and fresh minced garlic. Let sauce simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

-Serve with bulghur or rice 

**If you do not have a pressure cooker, increase cook time to about 45-60 minutes, or until meat is tender.**

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Savory Slow Cooker Pot Roast

The weather in California is FINALLY starting to cool down, and this pot roast is the greatest thing to eat on a day where you're busy doing stuff but still want a home cooked meal.

This makes enough for two and a half adults with some leftovers.


Ingredients
------------
-1 pound roast meat (I used tri-tip, but any cut will do)
-1 large onion, cut into thick strips
-1 can 'cream of' something soup (I recommend celery or mushroom)
-1/2 can water
-cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamon, whole dried black pepper balls
-roughly 1/2 to 1 cup each of the following (adjust to your preferences):
-potatoes cut into cubes
-baby carrots
-mushrooms sliced in half
-squash cut into cubes
-pumpkin cut into cubes (these were from the fresh ones I had frozen, and I was surprised to see that they had softened in the freezer) If you are using fresh, place this before the mushrooms


To make
---------
-Brown meat and onion stips in a pot until meat has browned on all sides. Season with s&p.
-Transfer meat and onions to slow cooker and add diced potatoes
-Add all the spices, then spread the 'cream of' soup over the meat
-Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for about 2 hours.
-Add the mushrooms, squash and pumpkin on top of the meat after cooking halfway. Do not stir.
If you will not be home, go ahead and layer all the ingredients in the order I listed them from the start.
-Let cook for another 2-3 hours on low. Total cooking time should be anywhere from 5-6 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. The meat and veggies taste best the slower and longer they cook, but take care not to mush the veggies.


*I served with cornbread*

......YUMMY.....!