Vine Leaves, 310g

Vine leaves are perfect for rolling the Middle Eastern stuffed vine leaf delicacy, dolmades. They’re popular in Greece, Egypt and Turkey. However, if you don’t live in one of these countries where vine leaves grow in abundance, these are the next best thing!

What are vine leaves?

Vine leaves are the leaves of grape vines. They’re commonly harvested from wild vines, rather than the plants farmed for winemaking. This is because wild vine leaves are generally more tender and have more flavour.

How do I use vine leaves?

Vine leaves are very easy to use, as you can take a few leaves out to use at a time and keep the rest for another day. Soak the leaves in warm water until soft and pliable, and use to make dolmas.

Dolmas, dolmades, or stuffed grape leaves are perhaps the most recognisable dish made with vine leaves. They were first served in the court of King Khusrow II in the seventh century. This classic dish of rice and meat -stuffed grape leaves is baked or until the rice is fully cooked and the flavours meld beautifully together.

Each Middle Eastern cuisine has its own variation. The Middle East offers a rich variety of dolma recipes. Iranians use minced lamb and dried fruit, while Egyptian dolmas are generally stuffed with a rice mixture, tomato sauce and aubergine. Greek dolmades are similar to the Egyptian ones, with rice, tomatoes and peppers. They often drizzle olive oil to enhance the flavor. In Turkey they call them sarma, and stuff them with ground lamb or beef, rice and lots of herbs, adding salt for seasoning.

Substitute soaked vine leaves for other green leaves in recipes - they work well in fish pie, and are great when wrapped around fish, quail or pigeon breast before roasting.

For softer vine leaves, simmer in salted water and cool before use. Adjust the cooking time and use low heat to achieve the desired texture.

How do I know which vine leaves to choose?

Vine leaves like these are ideal if you only occasionally want to make dolmades. The resealable pack will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. For longer storage, use an airtight container to preserve vine leaves' freshness.

How to use vine leaves?

To prepare dolmas, start by laying out the grape leaves flat on a cutting board with the stem facing you. Add a heaped teaspoon of rice mixture in the centre of the leaf, then fold the sides over the filling and roll it tightly. You may want to flavour your stuffed grape leaves and rice with meat such as minced lamb, with chopped Mediterranean herbs such as parsley and oregano.

Place a row of the stuffed vine leaves in a prepared pot with a dash of boiling water and a bit of olive oil drizzled across the bottom. Alternatively, some recipes call for a base of tomato slices, to prevent the rice and grape leaves from sticking. Insert a slice of garlic between each dolma wrap for extra flavour.

Cook on medium heat until the leaves are tender, then transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy your stuffed grape leaves as an appetizer or a main course.

Ingredients: grape leaves salinity 6%.

Allergy Advice: small yellow and white spores are produced naturally by the vine leaves and are not an additional ingredient.

Storage: keep your vine leaves in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened, this resealable pack of vine leaves will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. Store in a dry place to maintain quality and freshness. Adding lemon juice near the end of the cooking process enhances the flavour.

These summary details have been prepared for information purposes only, and are designed to enhance your shopping experience on the Sous Chef website.  While we have taken care in preparing this summary and believe it is accurate, it is not a substitute for your reading the product packaging and label prior to use.  You should note that products and their ingredients are subject to change.