The secret of my mother-in-law Rahel's superb stuffed grape leaves begins to unfold in the annual visit to the vineyard at Kfar Daniel. Select family members take post between rows of vines, during the warm hours of morning, with scissors in one hand and a nylon bag in the other. With dozens of years of experience in rolling and eating the seemingly simple treat - which appears to be nothing more than a rice-based filling, wrapped in grape leaves and cooked in a tart sauce - is now reduced to the choice of leaves to pick. One of the reasons why Rahel's stuffed grape leaves are so soft and tender is revealed : In contrast with the tough, dry grape leaves served elsewhere, these almost melt in the mouth, and then q
uickly disappear from the serving platter.

I join the commander of this mission, my father-in-law Natan, who provides an uncomplicated explanation of the theory: The grape leaves gradually grow between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot. The best and softest leaves for stuffing are the newest, youngest leaves, with a pale color that is nearly transparent in sunlight.

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"People who pick leaves to sell in the market or preserve them in salt and sell them in a can or jar don't bother to search for only the youngest leaves," he explains. "The older, darker, and thicker leaves always remain a bit tough - no matter how long you cook them."

In the kitchen, we unpack and separate the bounty, a few hundred grape leaves, hopefully enough for the entire year. The leaves that will be cooked immediately are placed in a large bowl and covered with boiling water. Within minutes, they change color and soften, and are ready to be stuffed.

The leaves that will be frozen are arranged in layers separated by grains of coarse salt. They are packed in tight bundles, wrapped in plastic, and sent to the freezer. When they come out, they must be thoroughly rinsed of all remaining salt before preparation. But they are then ready for immediate stuffing. There is no need to blanch them in boiling water. I have it on good authority that leaves frozen this way are just as good as fresh ones.

Rahel volunteers important cooking tips that contribute to the successful outcome: Round rice used to prepare risotto absorbs more liquid and makes the stuffed grape leaves softer, juicier and tastier; rolling the leaves loosely around the stuffing ensures thorough cooking and leaves the rice room to puff up without tearing leaves; and covering the stuffed grape leaves with a plate during cooking pushes them down, preventing them from falling apart.

Essentially Mediterranean

Grape leaves are an
essential and ancient aspect of the Mediterranean diet. They are typically stuffed with a mixture of rice and/or meat, and cooked in sauce that includes plenty of olive oil. Every ethnic group predictably argues that its version is the best: The Greeks have their dolmades stuffed with rice and lemon, and seasoned with dill; the Turks have dolmas based on rice and meat, with raisins and walnuts; the Lebanese have mashi seasoned with mint and served with yogurt; and the Kurds and Iraqis have yifrah with tomato or tahini sauce. There are also Druze, Syrian, Italian, Spanish and many other types of stuffed grape leaves.

The lovely leaves with their delicate tang also make for wonderful wrapping to protect and enrich chicken, meat or fish during grilling, and they are an excellent covering or "bed" for cheese.

Chopped grape leaves are a fine addition to salads and blend well with couscous, cracked wheat (bulgur), tomatoes, walnuts and a variety of herbs.

Grape leaves stuffed with rice

There are thousands of versions of this classic recipe. Here is Rahel's tested recipe for success.

The filling:

30 medium-sized, soft grape leaves

2 onions, peeled, diced and fried until golden brown in olive oil

1 cup short-grained uncooked rice (like the Arborio variety), rinsed

medium bunch of mint leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

salt, black pepper

The sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

black pepper

5 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 cm. thick

Place fresh grape leaves in a large bowl and pour boiling w
ater over them. (If using leaves preserved in brine, rinse thoroughly.)

In another bowl, mix fried onion, rice, mint, olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the grape leaves, smooth side down, on a work surface. Put a bit of the filling on each leaf near its base. Fold the widest part of the leaf over, on top of the filling. Then fold both sides of the leaf over the filling, and then finally roll the leaf around the filling toward the tip (taking care to fold the leaf loosely so as to permit the rice to absorb the liquid and expand; if leaves are wrapped too tightly, they will burst or the rice will not cook). Continue in this manner using all remaining leaves and filling.

In a wide pot, mix olive oil with lemon juice and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Line the bottom of the pot with the carrot slices. (If there are remaining, unfilled grape leaves, you can place them on top of the carrot slices).

Arrange the stuffed grape leaves on top of the carrots, crowding them together. Place an upside-down plate on top of the leaves to prevent them from floating and falling apart. Then fill the pot with water to cover the contents.

Bring to a boil and lower to a very small flame. Cover and cook for about an hour and a half. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold (for the best flavor) with a dash of fresh lemon juice, yogurt or sour cream.

Grape leaves stuffed with red rice, meat and chickpeas

Red rice and chickpeas add a fashionable touch to a traditional dish. The following recipe requires 30 large grape leaves.
The filling:

1 cup red rice (preferably the wehani variety available in health food stores), rinsed
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked until soft
1 onion, peeled, diced and fried until golden brown
250 grams ground beef or lamb
medium bunch parsley, chopped fine
1/2 hot green chili, diced (use more or less, according to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper

The sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/2 cm. thick
1 tablespoon sugar
salt, pepper
Place fresh grape leaves in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. (If using leaves preserved in brine, rinse thoroughly.)
Mix all filling ingredients in another bowl. Stuff the grape leaves as in the above recipe.
In a wide pot, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Line the bottom of a pot with the tomato slices.

Arrange stuffed grape leaves on tomato slices, crowding together. Place an upside-down plate on top of the grape leaves to prevent them from floating and falling apart. Fill the pan with water to cover the stuffed grape leaves. Bring to a boil and lower to a very small flame. Cover and cook for about an hour and a half. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.


Meat patties with grape leaves in pomegranate sauce

Combining pomegranate concentrate with ground meat produces delicious, tangy patties that go well with white rice, couscous, or pasta. For 4 servings.

500 grams ground meat

1 large, red onion, peeled and diced

10 fresh grape leaves

medium bunch of parsley

2 eggs

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

zest of 1 lemon

salt, pepper

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

The sauce:

5 fresh grape leaves

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup pomegranate concentrate

salt, pepper

Place fresh grape leaves in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. After they change color, remove and drain.

In a small food processor, dice onion, 10 gr
ape leaves and a bunch of parsley. In a bowl, mix the onion and grape-leaf mixture with meat, eggs, bread crumbs and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in wide skillet. Form the meat mixture into 30 round patties and brown on both sides. Remove patties and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Line the same skillet with grape leaves; add water and pomegranate concentrate. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil and return fried patties to pan. Cover pan and simmer on a low flame for about half an hour. Serve hot with rice or mashed potatoes.

doramgaunt@haaretz.co.il