Stuffed Vine Leaves with Mint Cashew Aioli
I created these stuffed vine leaves after tasting the cooked version.
This recipe will make 16+ rolls, depending on the size of your vine leaves and how much mixture you put in. Eating 2 is usually enough for me in one sitting!
I have found a sushi rolling mat (pictured) very useful in rolling nice tight leaves, and as for the leaves themselves …
You can pickle your own, which involves finding fresh ones.
You’ll then need to soak them in salt water and lemon juice. I’ve found at least 48 hours is needed to get them to turn a slightly darker green and become more pliable.
You also have the option of buying already pickled ones in a jar. It depends how you feel about this, but you should look for ones that have only been pickled with water, salt and lemon juice (citric acid).
Stuffed Vine Leaves with Mint Cashew Aioli
Nutrition (For one serving)
Ingredients
Vine leaves
- 3 cups cauliflower or parsnip
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 3 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 spring onions green onions
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes soaked for 2+ hours, then chopped into thin strips
- 2 cups fresh mint tightly packed, minced
- 1/2 cup raisins roughly chopped
- 16 vine leaves pickled
Mint cashew aioli
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp agave
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup mint tightly packed
Instructions
Vine leaves
- Pulse the cauliflower/parsnip in a food processor until it has a rice-like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.
- In a high-power blender, blend the olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, cinnamon, lemon juice, sea salt and spring onions until creamy.
- Add this mixture to the rice and mix well.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, mint and raisins to the mixture and mix again.
- Now take one vine leaf at a time and place it stem-side up on a chopping board or sushi rolling mat. Place between 1 and 2 tablespoons of the mixture on the leaf, depending on the size of the leaf.
- Roll up the leaf from the bottom first and tuck in the side bits after the first roll. I find it helps to brush olive oil on to the leaf at this point to help it stick.
- Once the sides are in, finish rolling upwards to make a neat little package. You may not get this first time, but keep practicing and have fun with it.
- Continue until all the mixture is used.
Mint cashew aioli
- Place all ingredients except the mint in a high-power blender and blend until creamy.
- Add the mint to the blender and pulse in so to leave mint visible in the aioli.
- Serve with stuffed vine leaves.