Dolmades

• Makes about 50

  1 x 400g jar vine leaves, drained

  3 garlic cloves, crushed

  2 brown onions, finely diced

  250 long grain rice

  100g currants

  4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

  1 lemon zest

  1 heaped tablespoon good quality tomato paste

  1 tsp dried mint

  ¼ bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

  ½ bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

  400ml water

  juice of 2 lemons

  olive oil

• salt and pepper

Heat a frypan with a little olive oil and add the garlic and onion and sauté until soft. Add the currants, rice, tomato paste, lemon zest and season with salt, pepper and dried mint. Add 200ml of the water and allow to absorb. Add the pine nuts and fresh herbs, mix well and season to taste.

Allow the rice to cool slightly. Spread out a few vine leaves on a board or work surface and place a teaspoon of mix in the centre of each leaf. Roll up like a cigar ensuring the ends are folded in. Do not over fill and allow a little space for them to expand when cooked. Repeat with all the rice mix.

Place the dolmades in a large pan with a lid, in a concentric circle. You can place them on 2 layers and place an upturned plate on top. Add the remaining water and lemon juice a little drizzle of olive oil. Cover with a lid. Simmer very gently for 12-15 minutes then turn off the heat and allow to cool. Serve with tzatziki. These store well in the fridge for several days.