Stuffed Vine Leaves with Cherries
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 3 onions
- 2 tablespoons currants
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups cherry juice
- 1 cup pitted cherries
- 300 grams vine leaves (pickled or fresh)
- 1/2 cup water
- Olive oil
Preparation
If the vine leaves are pickled, soak them in water overnight; if fresh, boil them in water.
Finely chop the onions.
Sauté the onions in olive oil in a pot and add pine nuts if using.
Wash and drain the rice, then add it to the pot and sauté for a few minutes.
Add currants, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, dried mint, salt, and cherries, reserving a few cherries for later, and continue sautéing.
Pour in 1 cup of cherry juice and cook until the liquid is absorbed.
Allow the filling to cool.
Stuff the cooled filling into the vine leaves.
Arrange the stuffed vine leaves in a pot.
Add the reserved cherries, 1 cup cherry juice, and 1/2 cup water.
Cook on low heat until done.
