Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves)- vegan, gluten free

Dolmades are even more delicious drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil!!
We didn't have a holiday in Greece this year, but luckily we have these yummy little mouthfuls of flavour to remind us of the sunshine, blue sea and olive trees! Dolmades are a kind of European equivalent of sushi or lettuce rolls, and they make a lovely simple Summer meal along with hummus, a green salad and perhaps some steamed new potatoes. They're also perfect for slipping into lunchboxes and picnic baskets...

We made about 20 with these quantities:
20 pre-cooked vine leaves (We bought the vacuum-packed kind)
1 cup (dry weight) brown rice, long or short grain
4 level tabs ground almonds
1 heaped tab yeast flakes (aka nutritional yeast)
10 stoned black olives
1 level tab fresh mint
1 tsp fresh flat-leaved parsley
1/2 tab extra-virgin olive oil
1 tab lemon juice
1 level tsp seasalt
1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp compound hing
  • Cook the rice in twice the amount of water until soft and the water is absorbed.
  • Meanwhile prepare the rest of the filling: grind the almonds and chop the herbs and olives finely.
  • Mix the rest of the ingredients and seasonings with the rice and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
  • Roll up the filling inside the vine leaves as shown below:


Put the filling towards the bottom of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll tightly, placing the end of the roll underneath so that it doesn't come undone.


Comments

  1. I think dolmas were first introduced to me by my boyfriend, about 6-7 years ago. We started dating, way back then, during our University years. He took me to this small local market and a deli bar, and there's a huge bowl of stuffed grape leaves soaked in fresh olive oil. I thought they were just leafy rolls. He wanted me try them since they are vegetarian and I said, I'm not sure I wanted to. So he bought me one and I was addicted to them every since that moment. I would buy a container of these fresh stuffed leaves on a weekly basis, or even search for some wherever I travel. It's so good when it's fresh, I don't prefer the canned ones. Thanks for bringing that memory back. Oh my goodness, I've tried some vegan cheeze from Greece, they are sooooooooooooo delicious!

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    Replies
    1. That's a nice story- so glad this post brought back happy memories! I'll be sure to try the Greek vegan cheese when I go there next.

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