Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

This recipe has alot of prep. time involved so do it on day when you have lots of time to play in the kitchen! IT IS WORTH EVERY MOMENT YOU INVEST!!! I have never tasted anything so unique! And delicious! Kids love the chicken best of all!!! Even big kids!
Middle Eastern Cusine ROCKS!!!
Please note: You may substitute cabbage leaves if you can not find grape leaves.

1 Lb. Groundbeef
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 jar of grape leaves or steamed fresh cabbage leaves
2 tsp. fresh sea salt & fresh ground pepper-or just plain table salt & pepper
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 whole chicken cut into parts
4 fresh lemons
1 8oz. container of plain yogurt

Clean chicken and place into dutch oven or large crock-pot. Sprinkle with 1/2 of salt & pepper and cinnamon.
Mix groundbeef, rice and remaining seasonings, set aside.
Prepare leaves...for grape leaves drain and rinse each leaf snipping off the the stem so you just have the leaf. Place into a pile on dry paper towel. OR
For cabbage clean individual leaves and steam IN BOINING WATER until they are pliable, you will need alot of leaves for wrapping the meat/rice mixture in so prepare a good many leaves.
Next take meat mixture and shape into small torpedo shaped meatballs place each meatball onto leaf and roll leaf tightly 2 flips, fold side flaps in and continue rolling tightly shut. Place each roll on top of the chicken pieces in cooking pot, when done with placing all the leaves into pot cover chicken and leaf wraps completley with water. place on lid and [for crock-pot cook all day on low] bring to boil, lower heat to med. and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. To keep the rolls submerged in the liquid while cooking you may have to put a dinner plate on top of them until they are done cooking.
To serve remove stuffed leaves to serving platter using tongs, then squeeze fresh lemon juice over all. Then plate up the chicken pieces and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken as well. Serve with lemon wedges [for adding more fresh squeezed juice] and plain yogurt for topping the stuffed leaves.
This meal goes well with a salad, and light oil and vinegar dressing!

[tcinsa]

Oh my gosh Cathy, this looks like a real feast! Looks like the kind of thing I can get the kids in the kitchen to help with. It reminds me that we make tamales traditionally here in Texas at Christmas. It's considered an honor to be allowed to help make them. Everyone gathers in the kitchen and there's lots of laughter and joking and gossip while making the tamales. It's almost as good as eating them. Thanks for sharing this, Cathy!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Thanks TCINSA! You sure called that one right - making them is as good as eating them [almost!!!] But I hear you it is considered an honor to help, besides who wants to miss out on the fun! And tamales, oh my goodness I LOVE TAMALES!!! Never made them yet, but my neighbors once did and I actually had them fresh out of the pot, M-M-M-M Good! Mostly I have to settle for the canned ones, which I Dr up with extra melted cheddar, and a big dollop of sour cream on! The homemade ones need no help of-course!
Take Care, Cathy

[tcinsa]

I've never made them alone - only with Mexican friends. But they are so good. But the stuffed grape leaf recipe looks to be a little lighter and that appeals to me. (That way I can eat more.) Maybe it'll be a new Christmas tradition in my house!

[Jafo232]

This sounds a lot like Golumpkis as far as the stuffing goes anyway, except it is usually a mix of sausage and ground beef.

Where I live, in the Mid Hudson Valley in NY, grapes grow wild all over the place. I have often wondered if I could use those to make similar recipes.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hi Jafo,
I have used fresh [variety: scuppernong] grape leaves before from off a vine I had and it worked fine and of course like any green we cook I looked for and used the youngest most tender leaves not the older [tough] ones. But for wrapping you want the bigest tender ones you can find. Give it a try as fresh always trumps over anything preserved!
By the way the grape leaves can be purchased in markets specializing in Middle Eastern Cusine, or at Greek Festivals [sometimes there are vendors there selling jars of them]. The Greek Stuffed Grapes Leaves that I have had are very different from this recipe I have. For those unfamiliar with grape leaves you may need to develop a taste for the leaves, some prefer cabbage leaves over the grape leaves! Me being Southern and eating turnip, mustard, collard, and spinach leaves all my life I find the grape leaves quite a treat!!! But we all have different palates! Variety is the SPICE of life; especially in the world of food!!! A-h-h-m-m-m.
CCC

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hi Janie,
You will find the recipe here!

Note: To roll up start at the narrow end of leaf and rollup then fold over tops of leaf and continue rolling, place leaf rolls in pot seam side down on top of the chicken. I do when using fresh leaves steam them a bit before placing meat filling into them and rolling them up.

P.S. Well we had these for our dinner last night, they were delicious, your Jon would love them, usually the kids go crazy for the chicken, they tatse the cinnamon (just faintly flavoring the meat) and just love it! I am never disappointed when I make this dish! And just so you'll know it is BEST with the fresh grape leaves!!! Just make little meat rolls so they will fit snuggly when rolled inside the leaf (about the size of your middle finger from the knuckle to the tip) and I let mine cook all day on high in the crock pot.

[jglass]

Thanks Cathy.
I finally got to come and get my recipe.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Mapiva where we live I harvest the fresh leaves (young tender ones) and they are so tasty and truly a treat to have. One weekend I went camping right behind a winery and so I was able to pick many leaves. Upon arriving home I noticed grape leaves in abundance growing right in my own yard, I just started laughing so hard. I had overlooked them as weeds!

[cookie]

Thanks. for the recipe CCC. sounds good, always wanted to know how to make em. Cookie