sharing raw, vegan recipes and advice
From therawchefblog.com! I wanted to save it and thought I might as well make it public and share. :)
For the vine leaves
3c cauliflower or parsnip
1/2c olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2c pine nuts
3t lemon zest
1/2t cinnamon
2T lemon juice
1t sea salt
5 Spring onions
1c sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 2+ hours, then chopped into thin strips
2c tightly packed fresh mint, minced
1/2c raisins, roughly chopped
Pickled vine leaves.
Method
Pulse the cauliflower/parsnip in a food processor until it has a rice-like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a high power blender blend the olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, cinnamon, lemon juice, sea salt and spring onions until creamy. Add this mixture to the rice and mix well.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, mint and raisins to the mixture and mix again.
Now take one vine leaf at a time and place it stem-side up on a chopping board or sushi rolling mat if you prefer. Place between 1 and 2 tablespoons worth on the mixture on the leaf, depending on the size of the leaf.
Roll up the leaf from the bottom first and tuck in the side bits after the first roll. I find it helps to brush olive oil on to the leaf at this point to help it stick. Once the sides are in, finish rolling upwards to make a neat little package. You may not get this first time but keep practicing and have fun with it.
Continue until all the mixture is used.
For the mint cashew Aioli
1c cashews
1T lemon juice
1/2t salt
1/2t agave
1t lemon zest
5 cloves of garlic
1/2c water
1/3c tightly packed mint
Method
Place all ingredients except the mint in a high power blender until creamy.
Add the mint to the blender and pulse in so to leave mint visible in the Aioli.
Serve with stuffed vine leaves.
I made Russell's lovely recipe this summer. It's delicious! I highly recommend it if you are a lover of Greek food like us :-)
Here are the details on my blog posting (page down past my strawberry crumble cake):
http://beautifullivingfood.blogspot.com/2009/06/tasty-greek-style-dinner...
I used pickled grape leaves from Greece in a jar found at Healthy Living Health Food Store here in Burlington, VT. The brand is Gaea. These are not raw but worked well for us.
My husband planted grape vines this past summer for wine making. I am going to try and pickle my own grape leaves for a *raw* option as stuffed grape leaves are indeed super delicious!!
Helen, they are some times pickled. Its just early ( most tender) grape vine leaves. Should just be 'canned' Look for any grape variety that grows where you are and train it, even in a bucket it will provide. Concords are what I have but most of what you get are table or wine grape leaves after the spring pruning. You can steam them. They are essentially 'poached' in hot water to soften so they don't break. You can either layer them in a pan with water to cover , put a small plate on top and bring to a boil, then remove, drain and use. Or you can mix rice and herbs, Carefully wrap and simmer until rice is cooked ( also w/ plate) I will sort of 'blanch' them as above and then make my green burritos with them. I forage wild greens though so most of what I do needs a blanch or so. I cool the water and give it to the other plants. Or if its not an issue, save it for soup stock.
I have an heirloom concord grape vine I harvest from. I grow almost completely organic here ( new annual veggies get a small shot of commercial fert to help them take hold) The vinyard is established so it gets no help from me except pruning. I am up to my bippies in extra vines and trade the leaves to the local Greek restaurant for fresh hummus and such. I will be happy to send along packages of fresh leaves this spring, just e-mail me and if you have any cool recipes or plants to send back it would be awesome.
I have the same problem... I've been wanting to make these for a while. I know I can just buy collards and do the same, but I really want to make this to a T! If anyone in the US knows where I can purchase raw vine leaves, please let me know! Thanks!!
Nice, but where do you get these vine leaves. Here in Germany, I think they are sold in Greek stores, but they come in jars / tins, so I think they are cooked.