An ancient Mediterranean art form of encasing a heavily herbed, pine-nut and currant-studded rice filling within slightly bitter, brined grape leaves. The bundles are then tightly packed and steamed in an olive oil and lemon emulsion, creating tender, self-contained flavor capsules.
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Prep the leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a . Blanch the rinsed grape leaves in batches for 2 minutes to soften them further. Drain and set aside.
The Filling. In a skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sauté the minced onions until soft. Remove from heat. Stir in the raw rinsed rice, dill, mint, pine nuts, currants, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Rolling. Lay a grape leaf flat on a cutting board, shiny side down, vein side up. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the rice mixture near the stem end. Fold the bottom two lobes up over the filling. Fold the sides inward tightly. Roll tightly toward the tip of the leaf, like a small cigar. Repeat until filling is gone.
The Base. Line the bottom of a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven with any torn or unused grape leaves. This prevents the dolmades from burning.
Pack the pot. Arrange the rolled dolmades seam-side down in the pot, packing them very tightly together in concentric circles. Create a second layer if necessary.
The Emulsion. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, and the hot water over the dolmades. The liquid should just barely cover the top layer.
The Weight. Place an inverted, heat-proof dinner plate directly on top of the dolmades to weigh them down and prevent them from unrolling during cooking.
Cook. Bring the liquid to a gentle over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and for 40-45 minutes until the rice is completely tender and has absorbed the liquid.
Cool. Remove from heat and let them cool completely in the pot. Dolmades are traditionally served at room temperature or chilled.
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