Stuffed "Grape" Leaves

Don't let 'em fool you...  These may look like stuffed grape leaves, but they are made with the pickled kohlrabi leaves from the last post.  If you didn't bother to pickle any kohlrabi leaves, no worries.  You can pick up a jar of grape leaves at the grocery store and make these from some someone else canned.  You just may want to rinse them before you use them because they'll be made with a lot more salt.  They seem like they take a lot of time to make, but it's mostly down time, and they were well worth it!

Recipe:
-1 large onion, chopped finely
-zest of one lemon
-1/2 c pine nuts
-1 c brown rice
-3 c vegetable stock
-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or one Tbsp dried)
-1/4 c chopped parsley
-kohlrabi leaves, pickled a few days before (see last post)
-juice of two lemons

->Saute onion in oil with lemon zest until translucent.  Add pine nuts and rice.  Stir until coated.  Add 2 c vegetable stock 1/2 c at a time, simmer rice until liquid is evaporated each time and rice is almost cooked, but still a little crunchy in the middle (about 20 min).  Take off the heat and add dill and parsley.  Mix.

Unroll kohlrabi leaf and lay it out flat.  Put about 2 Tbsp of rice filling at the stem end of the leaf.  Then you will want to roll the filling up in the leaf like a burrito.  Fold the bottom of the leaf over the rice, then fold in the sides of the leaf.  Roll the rice mixture all the way up in the leaf.  Once it is rolled up, squeeze the stuffed leaf gently in your fist to remove any air or extra liquid.

Put the stuffed kohlrabi leaves in a wide deep skillet, seam-side down.  Pour the remaining broth, lemon juice and a heave drizzle of olive oil over them.  The liquid should be about halfway up the sides of the grape leaves.  If it isn't, add water or broth until it is.  Simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes.  Remove from liquid.  Serve at room temperature or chilled on a bed of lettuce and garnish with olives (if for guests), or eat them straight out of the pan (if for you).

~*TIP: Put a heavy plate (or two) over the stuffed grape leaves while cooking them in the pan to hold them in place so that they don't unroll while simmering.*~