It’s grape leaf season! Late spring is the ideal time to harvest grape leaves for cooking, especially when you’re planning to make dolmades.
I often don’t think about it until the vines start sprawling and need trimming. I brought an armful into the kitchen, though I won’t use every leaf. For stuffing, choose the tender leaves from the outer two feet of each vine.
Trim each usable leaf from the vine with scissors, cutting the stem flush with the leaf. By “usable” I mean leaves that are young and pliable but large enough to wrap around a filling — roughly the size of the palm of your hand. The next image shows a range of sizes to help you decide.
The smallest leaves on the left are perfect for tiny dolmadakia, but they’re fiddly and take longer to roll. The middle columns are ideal for regular-sized dolmades. The large leaves on the right are usually too firm for stuffing, but they’re useful for lining the pan when cooking dolmades, so save them.
Rinse the leaves in a sink of cool water and drain them, then repeat. Removing dirt and any insects is important before blanching.
Once clean, make stacks of about 20–30 leaves. Stacking helps with even blanching and makes handling easier.
Roll each stack tightly into a cylinder…
…and secure the roll with kitchen twine or sewing thread so the leaves stay bundled during blanching.
From that single armful of vines I ended up with several neat bundles ready for blanching.
Dip each bundle briefly into boiling, salted water — just a quick plunge is enough. Removing the bundles immediately keeps the leaves tender and prevents overcooking.
Allow the bundles to cool until they can be handled comfortably. Cooling helps the leaves relax and makes them easier to unroll and use.
Once cooled, place the bundles in freezer-safe plastic and store them in the freezer. You can use the leaves right away if you plan to make dolmades the same day, but freezing preserves the harvest and saves time later.
This method — rinsing, stacking, rolling, blanching, cooling, and freezing — is a simple, reliable way to preserve fresh grape leaves for dolmades and other recipes. It keeps the leaves supple and ready for stuffing. There are other preservation techniques, such as packing leaves in jars or storing them in brine; experiment to find the approach that fits your kitchen and schedule best.
Harvesting and preserving your own grape leaves is a satisfying seasonal task. With a few careful steps you’ll have a stash of tender leaves on hand for dolmades throughout the year, plus extra large leaves reserved for lining pans or wrapping larger dishes.