With my eagle eyes, I spotted the fresh grape vine leaves camouflaged between a plethora of other green vegetables at the green grocers. Ecstatic, I dropped my shopping basket willy nilly in the middle of an aisle and freed my mind to focus on the soft leaves in front of mine. Oh they were in their prime. They looked young, tender and nice. Since I loved eating stuffed vine leaves I had to have me some.
Stuffed vine leaves is a favourite dish known as Ma’ashi Warak Enab to the Lebanese and the Egyptians, as Dolmades to the Greeks and the Turks and as joie de vivre to me.
With an endearing infatuation I selected approximately 40 grape leaves with attention to hue, size and texture: a pleasant hue of green, a medium size and as silky as can be. The vine leaves were radiant, ravishing and alluring and with a price tag to be reckoned with – but I was not going to tell my man. Suddenly a sense of responsibility took over my senses …and I gave the other vegetables a second look – not in any way out of respect of the man’s budget, good grief, no – but because the grape leaves were most deserving of an impressive entourage of a few companions. Strangely, I felt no remorse adding a good few more leaves to my already swanky selection.
A few juicy vine tomatoes were selected. The courgettes looked good as well – ok in the basket … Ahhhh – who took my basket? On the warpath, I frantically searched for the basket. Incensed by the interruption to my reverie, I charged between the aisles. I must have looked like a crazed, irrational woman on a mission. But alas, I stumbled onto the basket. Hoping to avoid any menacing stares from the staff, I humbly retreated back to the greenery. I pretended to look very busy.
The baby Turkish peppers and their delicate texture attracted my attention and reminded me of my mission. I added them to the basket and I purchased some lean minced beef and Basmati rice as well for now a lovely dish had sublimely formed in my mind. I was back in my element.
Back in my kitchen serious prep work took over my senses.
Four small tomatoes were cored ready to be filled, and their flesh chopped. The juicy bits were reserved for the stuffing.
Two slender courgettes followed suit. Cut in to two, they were carefully cored with the special corer. Their flesh chopped.
Alongside the flesh from the tomatoes, their flesh would add a lovely juiciness to the stuffing. 
The vine leaves were quickly blanched in boiling water for 2 seconds and drained.
The four baby peppers were hollowed.
A handful of fresh parsley was chopped. 1/2 of a sweet Spanish onion was also finely chopped. 1 cup of the Basmati rice was added to a 3/4 pound of the minced beef. For the spicing I added about 1/2 teaspoon each of Sumac, Turkish Chili flakes, sea salt, coarse black pepper and ground cinnamon.. A good drizzle of olive oil was added to the mixture. I always prefer to taste the raw mixture in order to perfect the seasoning.
With the mise en place ready, the delicate art of rolling began.
Rolling the vine leaves the Lebanese/Egyptian way calls for an even, compact thin line of stuffing while the Greek/Tukish requires a fatter and shorter line of stuffing. I prefer the Lebanese version as I find it rewards me with a delicatésse like no other. The stems of the vine leaves were then carefully cut out and discarded.
The peppers, the tomatoes and the courgettes were loosely stuffed.
Beautifully arranged in a pot, the vegetables were drizzled with some olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and 1/2 cup of water. The optimum cooking method is to bring to the boil for 1/2 a minute only. Turn the heat down to the absolute minimum setting and continue cooking covered with the lid, until the rice is tender and fluffy. But the fragrant aromas in the kitchen will tell you the most beautiful story of all Lebanese/Egyptian dishes.
Isn’t she pretty?
yasmine jabbour 