Romanian-Inspired Grape Leaf Stuffed Rolls

A refined, citrus-brightened take on traditional grape leaf rolls, featuring a savory ground pork and beef filling combined with aromatic dill and a finishing touch of creamy lemon-dill yogurt.

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 90 min · Yield: 6 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 40 leaves grape leaves
• 1 lb ground pork
• 0.5 lb ground beef
• 0.5 cup long grain white rice
• 1 whole onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 0.5 cup fresh dill
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 whole lemon
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Cooking instructions

1. If using preserved grape leaves, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly to remove excess salt; pat dry and remove any tough stems. (about 15 min)
2. Mince the onion and garlic; finely chop the dill. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened, about 5 minutes; stir in garlic for 1 minute. (about 6 min)
3. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, uncooked rice, sautéed onion and garlic, half the dill, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
4. Place a grape leaf vein-side up, add a tablespoon of filling near the stem, fold in sides, and roll tightly. Repeat until all filling is used.
5. Arrange the rolls tightly in a large pot. Whisk tomato paste into chicken stock and pour over the rolls until partially submerged.
6. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 75 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the meat is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). (about 75 min)
7. Whisk yogurt with the remaining dill and the juice of half the lemon; serve alongside the warm rolls.