1 medium onion chopped
1/3 cup olive oil - ( + 1/3 cup for finishing*)
2 Tbs Lemon juice ( + 1/3 cup for finishing*)
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp dill weed
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 cups cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 jar grape leaves
*To cook 1/3 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Peel eggplant and chop finely.
- Chop onion, mince garlic
- Heat 1/3 up olive oil in large skillet and add onion, eggplant garlic, 2 tbs lemon juice, oregano, dill.
- Stir until oil is evenly distributed over eggplant.
- Add 1 1/2 cup hot water and allow mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes, until the egglant is very tender and water is almost all evaporated. ( add water 1/3 c at a time if water cooks away before eggplant is ready.
- When the mixture is thick and soft turn off heat and stir in rice.
- Rinse grape leaves Place 1- 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each grape leaf and wrap the grape leaf around it, folding in the sides as you roll.
- A teaspoon cookie scoop works great! ( if grape leaves are too small , use two)
- Arrange dolmades in 2 qt casserole dish - separating the layers with grape leaves.
- Mix together 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup of olive oil and pour over finished dolmades
- Cover casserole and bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.
- Can be served warm or cold.
- Refrigerate left overs - finished dolmades can also be frozen.
