Stuffed vine leaves filled with sweetly spiced lamb, fennel and rice, gently braised in a fragrant tomato and ginger sauce. An elegant Middle Eastern centrepiece.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4cm piece finely chopped Ginger
- 1 tsp Caster Sugar
- 50 Vine Leaves
- 1 large Fennel Bulb
- 400g Lamb Mince
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 small peeled and coarsely grated Potatoes
- 2 tbsp Basmati Rice
- 2 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped Coriander
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ½ tsp ground Clove
- ½ tsp ground Cinnamon
- 2 medium Tomatoes
Tags:
SweetVideo
Preparation
- Use pickled vine leaves preserved in brine — small, delicate leaves are best. Drain them, immerse in boiling water for 10 minutes, then leave to dry on a tea towel. Trim any large leaves to roughly 12 x 12cm and remove the stalks.
- For the filling, put all the filling ingredients except the tomatoes in a bowl. Halve the tomatoes, coarsely grate into the bowl (discarding the skins), add ½ tsp salt and some black pepper, and stir. Leave for up to a day, then gently squeeze with your hands and drain away any juices before using.
- For the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pan, add the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or two without burning, then add the tomato, lemon juice and sugar. Season and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line the base of a wide, heavy saucepan with any torn leaves. Trim the fennel, cut vertically into 0.5cm slices, and spread over the base to cover.
- Lay a prepared vine leaf veiny-side up, place two teaspoons of filling at the base in a small strip, fold the sides over, and roll tightly into a cigar shape. Place seam-down in the pan and repeat, packing them tightly in lines or circles (in two layers if needed).
- Pour the sauce over the leaves (adding water just to cover if needed), place a plate on top to weigh them down, then cover with a lid. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a bare simmer for 70 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Leave to cool a little — they're best served warm. Serve a few vine leaves and fennel slices with warm rice, spoon over the braising juices, and garnish with coriander.
