Stuffed Grape Leaves Casserole

Growing up, I shuttered at the word dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves). I hated the smell, the taste and just looking at them (I think anyone can understand why). My Mother would spend hours upon hours rolling up 2 - 4 pounds of grape leaves so patiently for the holidays or just for dinner. It was one of my least favorite Greek meals. By the way, as a child I HATED Greek food. Instead of having feta, grape leaves or lamb, I would beg for a hotdog and some french fries. GO AMERICUH!

But for a while now, I have been a huge fan of them, and love trying different types.  So for this week, instead of making our traditional dolmathes, I decided to look up a different recipe. I stumbled upon the magazine, Vegetarian Times. They had a recipe for Stuffed Grape Leaves Casserole. It instantly gave me a sigh of relief that I wouldn't have to sit at the table rolling grape leaves for hours on end. This is a quick recipe if you still long for stuffed grape leaves. I would definitely make it again. It has all the flavors of dolmathes, just in casserole form. The smell reminded me of my family's and Yiayia's homes. It's always nice to have a feeling of closeness when you don't live nearby.

Ingredients:
30 jarred or fresh grape leaves (I used about 40 grape leaves, actually)
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for brushing top of casserole and casserole dish
1 large onion, finely diced (2 cups)
1 cup brown rice
2 cups low-sodium tomato juice or vegetable juice (I used two cups of diced tomatoes and their juice)
1 cup chopped unsalted, hulled pistachios (Pistachios are bit expensive, so I used raw, unsalted sunflowers seeds)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup of oregano (optional, I did it so it'd taste a bit like my family's recipe)
1 cup raisins or dried currants (I used golden raisins and it turned out great, it's up to you, though)
Juice of one lemon
1 lemon, sliced, for garnish

1. Dip grape leaves in large pot of boiling water 2 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
3.Add onion, and sauté 7 to 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
4.Add rice and 2 1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
5.Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 30 to 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
6.Remove from heat, and stir in tomato juice, pistachios (or sunflower seeds), parsley, mint, raisins, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. (Mixture will be very wet.)
7.Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 2-qt. baking dish with olive oil. Pat grape leaves dry. Line bottom and sides of baking dish with grape leaves, allowing leaves to hang over sides.
8.Spread half of rice mixture over grape leaves. Top rice with more grape leaves, then top with remaining rice mixture.
9.Cover casserole with remaining grape leaves, and seal by folding over grape leaves around edges. Brush top with olive oil.
10.Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until grape leaves on top darken and casserole looks firm and dry.
11. Dip knife in cold water. Cut straight down with tip of knife to make 8 servings, then remove servings with spatula. Garnish with lemon slices. Put back in warm to keep warm and so lemons can cook a little bit. It will enhance the flavor some.