Recipe: Armenian Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice (Derevia Sarma) (1950's)

ARMENIAN GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH RICE
(DEREVIA SARMA)

50 grape leaves, preserved from jar is ok*
FOR THE FILLING:
4 cups yellow onions, chopped
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked, washed
1 cup olive oil (plus additional for serving)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dried currants (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
2 cups water (for cooking)
Lemon slices (for garnish)

If freshly picked grape leaves are used, soak them in boiling water for a few minutes; if canned leaves are used, wash them in hot water to remove saltiness. Cut off the stems. Spread a leaf on a small plate, bottom (vein) side up and stem end towards you.

Squeeze the chopped onions with your hands to make them soft; add remaining ingredients, except the water and lemon slices, and mix well. This mixture is the filling.

Put a teaspoonful of the filling near the stem end of a grape leaf. Fold the left and right edges just over each end of the filling. Then fold the stem end just over the filling and start rolling the leaf away from you until you have formed a small cigar shaped roll.

Place several open, empty leaves, flat in the bottom of the pan to prevent the rolled Sarma grape leaf rolls from burning and arrange rolled leaves side by side, two or three layers deep according to size of pan.

Place a plate, upside down, over the grape rolls, to hold them in place, and add two cups of water. Cover pan and cook over very low heat or bake in slow oven (300 degrees F) for 1 1/2 hours. After they are cooked, do not remove plate until Sarmas have cooled to prevent discoloration.

Serve cold, sprinkle with olive oil to make them shine. Garnish with lemon slices.

*Cabbage leaves may be substituted for the grape leaves.

Source: Miami News newspaper, Apr 17, 1957