Lebanese Stuffed Vine Leaves (Warak Enab)

These Lebanese Stuffed Vine Leaves (Warak Enab) are filled with a fragrant mixture of lamb, rice and baharat, then gently simmered over lamb forequarter chops, tomatoes and garlic until meltingly tender. As they cook, the rich tomato and lemon cooking liquor infuses every vine leaf with incredible flavour, while the lamb becomes beautifully soft. Perfect served warm as part of a Lebanese mezze spread or shared family meal.

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Course: Main Course, Mezze

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Lebanese Mezze, Middle Eastern, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Warak Enab

Prep Time: 1 30

Cook Time: 2

Resting time: 30

Total Time: 4

Servings: people

Calories: 568kcal

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or heavy-based casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid
Large mixing bowl
Fine grater
Tongs
Heatproof dinner plate that fits inside the pot

Ingredients

Filling

1 × 700 g jar vine leaves in brine
500 g lamb mince
150 g arborio rice rinsed and well drained
1 medium brown onion finely grated
3 garlic cloves crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
2 tsp baharat
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Base

6 lamb forequarter chops
2 large ripe tomatoes sliced into 1 cm rounds
6 whole garlic cloves

Cooking Liquid

2 tbsp tomato paste
500 ml chicken stock
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Prepare the vine leaves

Remove the vine leaves from the jar and carefully separate them one at a time.
Rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the excess brine.
Drain well and place on clean tea towels while you prepare the filling.
If any leaves are torn, keep them aside. They can be used to patch small tears or fill gaps in the pot.

Make the filling

Rinse the arborio rice under cold running water until the water runs almost clear, then drain well.
Place the lamb mince, rice, grated onion, crushed garlic, parsley, mint, baharat, salt, pepper and olive oil into a large bowl.
Mix thoroughly with clean hands until everything is evenly combined.

Brown the lamb

Heat a little olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Season the lamb chops lightly with salt.
Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes on each side until well browned.
Transfer to a plate.
Leave the rendered lamb fat in the pot.

Make the cooking liquid

Reduce the heat to medium.
Add the tomato paste to the lamb fat.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Pour in a small splash of the chicken stock while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the remaining stock, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
Stir well.
Remove from the heat.

Build the base

Arrange the tomato slices over the base of the pot.
Place the browned lamb chops on top of the tomatoes.
Scatter over the whole garlic cloves.

Roll the vine leaves

Lay one vine leaf shiny-side down with the stem end facing you.
If the stem is thick, trim it away.
Place approximately 2 teaspoons of filling across the lower third of the leaf.
Fold both sides over the filling.
Fold the bottom of the leaf up and roll firmly away from you into a neat cylinder.
Do not roll tightly, as the rice needs room to expand while cooking.
Repeat until all the filling has been used.

Arrange the vine leaves

Place the rolled vine leaves seam-side down over the lamb chops.
Pack them snugly together, filling any gaps as you go.
Continue with a second layer if required.

Add the cooking liquid

Pour the cooking liquid evenly over the vine leaves.
The liquid should come almost to the top layer of vine leaves without completely covering them.

Weight the vine leaves

Place a heatproof dinner plate upside down directly on top of the vine leaves.
Cover the pot with the lid.
The plate helps keep the vine leaves compact and prevents them from unrolling during cooking.

Cook

Place the pot over medium heat.
As soon as the liquid reaches a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low.
Cook gently for 1 hour 45 minutes.
Maintain only a gentle simmer throughout the cooking time.
If the pot looks dry before the rice has finished cooking, add a small splash of hot water down the side of the pot.
Do not stir.

Rest

Remove the pot from the heat.
Leave covered, with the plate still in place, for 30 minutes.

Serve

Carefully remove the plate.
Transfer the vine leaves to a large serving platter.
Arrange the lamb chops around the outside.
Tuck the softened tomatoes amongst the vine leaves.
Spoon a little of the cooking liquor over the top before serving.
Serve warm with Lebanese Flatbreads and Fattoush Salad.

Notes

Vine leaves packed in brine vary in size and quantity between brands. Larger leaves can take a little more filling, while smaller leaves will need less.
Don't be tempted to roll the vine leaves too tightly. The rice expands during cooking and needs a little room.
A gentle simmer is essential. Boiling can cause the vine leaves to split.
The lamb chops are an important part of the recipe. They enrich the cooking liquor while becoming beautifully tender and should be served alongside the vine leaves.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in their cooking liquor and can be gently reheated.

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