If you’re making a bris or a Kiddush, these Syrian stuffed grape leaves are great because the recipe feeds a crowd and the results will wow your guests. If you prefer, you can omit the meat from the filling to make a vegan, parve version that can be served with either meat or dairy. Not serving a crowd? Freeze some for later, or halve the ingredients to make just enough for your family.

Filling and rolling the leaves is not at all difficult. Once you do one, you can practically do the others blindfolded. Yebreh improve on standing and keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

Yebreh (Syrian Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Yield: Approximately 80 yebreh

Ingredients:

• 2 jars grape leaves
• 1 cup plus 2 T. olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, grated
• 6 cloves garlic, 2 cloves grated, 4 cloves sliced
• 2 T. parsley, chopped
• 2 T. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 T. salt
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2 lb. (1 kg.) ground lamb
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 t. sugar

Method:

1. Drain grape leaves and rinse well to get rid of brine. Clip the stems with your fingernails or remove with a knife by making 2 shallow cuts, holding the knife at an angle, on either side of the stem. Set the leaves on a kitchen towel to dry.
2. Soak rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.
3. Sauté onion, garlic, parsley, and mint in olive oil over medium heat for about five minutes. Add allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Add rice and stir to coat the rice with the vegetable and spice mixture. Continue to cook for one minute. Cool.
4. When rice mixture is cool, mix with ground lamb.
5. Line the bottom of a large Dutch oven with an overlapping layer of grape leaves.
6. Place a grape leaf on a cutting board with the veiny underside facing up. Place a tablespoonful of filling horizontally along the bottom of the grape leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll the bottom edge over to enclose the filling. Continue to roll the leaf, keeping the sides tucked in. The completed grape leaf should look something like a cigar. Place the filled grape leaf open side down in the Dutch oven.
7. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling, packing the stuffed grape leaves together in the pot as tightly as possible and placing a slice of garlic between each stuffed grape leaf. The rolls should be no more than 4 layers deep. (If you run out of grape leaves and still have filling, roll into balls and tuck into the pot along with the stuffed rolls.)
8. Mix together the remaining 1 cup olive oil, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour this lemon sauce over the rolled grape leaves and then add just enough water to barely cover the rolled leaves.
9. Place a glass dish (one that fits inside your pot) over the rolled leaves. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the yebreh about halfway through the cooking and add some water if necessary to keep yebreh from drying out.
10. Cut one yebreh open to see if the rice is cooked through. If not, continue to simmer the rest of the yebreh, adding water as necessary, until cooked through.
11. Serve at room temperature. (Freezes well.)