BROWN RICE-STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Brown Rice-Stuffed Grape Leaves image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 32 grape leaves

Number Of Ingredients 14

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5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
32 grape leaves (about 1/3 of a 16-ounce jar), rinsed, dried, and stems removed
1 lemon, sliced crosswise into 8 slices

Steps:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add mixture to a large bowl, along with cooked rice, parsley, mint, lemon zest, currants, and pine nuts; stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl; stir to combine and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place one grape leaf on work surface, vein-side up. Place 1 heaping tablespoon rice mixture in the center of grape leaf. Roll leaf from bottom up, folding in sides to form a 2-inch log. Place seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat process with remaining grape leaves and rice mixture.
In a large bowl, mix together chicken broth, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; pour over grape leaves. Top grape leaves with lemon slices. Place a second 9-by-13-inch baking dish on top of grape leaves and lemon slices and fill halfway with water to weight down. Carefully transfer to oven and bake until grape leaves are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.