mezzomediVine leaf
Tangy, slightly tannic leaf, the ideal wrapper for rice, herb and meat fillings.
Vine leaf picked young in spring, used fresh and blanched or preserved in brine. Its flavour is tangy, vegetal and slightly tannic, its texture meltingly soft once cooked. It is mostly used to roll rice, herb or meat fillings: Greek dolmades, Turkish sarma, Lebanese and Syrian warak enab, and it also wraps sardines or quail for grilling.
Best pairings
Rice Classic94%Dolmades, sarma, warak enab: rice cooked inside the leaf soaks up its vegetal tang.
Lemon Classic92%Lemon juice in the cooking liquid and wedges at the table: it extends the leaf's acidity.
Dill Classic90%Chopped dill in Greek dolmades filling: its fresh anise note brightens the tannic leaf.
Mint Classic88%Mint in dolmades and sarma filling, a freshness that answers the leaf's tangy green notes.
Extra virgin olive oil Classic87%Rolls cooked "in oil" (yalantzi, zeytinyağlı) are simmered and served coated in fruity olive oil.
Lamb Classic86%Levantine warak enab cooked over a bed of lamb chops: the meat's fat enriches the rolls.
Pine nut Classic85%Toasted pine nuts in Turkish olive-oil sarma filling, buttery notes against the tangy leaf.
Greek yogurt Classic84%Thick yogurt served with hot meat dolmas in Turkey and Greece: milky softness over the acidity.
Egg Classic83%Egg-lemon avgolemono sauce thickened over meat dolmades, creamy and tangy.
Onion Classic82%Softened onion in the rice filling, its sweetness rounds off the brined leaf's acidity.
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FAQ
What goes well with vine leaf?
Vine leaf pairs well with rice, lemon, dill, mint and extra virgin olive oil. Dolmades, sarma, warak enab: rice cooked inside the leaf soaks up its vegetal tang.
When is vine leaf in season?
Best season: spring, summer.
What can I substitute for vine leaf?
If you don't have it, try: swiss chard, cabbage.