Dolmades

Pasos

1. Rinse the grape leaves under cold water to remove the excess brine, then drain them well; they should remain pliable, glossy, and easy to unfold without tearing.
2. Sweat the yellow onion and scallions in olive oil over low heat for a few minutes, until they become translucent and sweet, without noticeable browning.
3. Add the rinsed rice, pine nuts, and golden raisins, then stir until the grains are pearly and lightly coated with oil; the filling should smell of warm olive oil and sweet onion.
4. Off the heat, fold in the finely chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice; taste the filling, it should be distinctly herbaceous, lemony, and slightly salty.
5. Line the bottom of a Dutch oven with the damaged leaves, then lay each leaf vein-side facing you, place a little filling near the base, fold in the sides, and roll tightly but without squeezing, as the rice will swell.
6. Arrange the dolmades seam-side down in tight layers in the Dutch oven; they need to support each other so they do not unroll during cooking.
7. Pour in the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and water just to cover, then weigh them down with an inverted plate to keep the rolls in place.
8. Simmer over very low heat until the leaves are tender and the rice is cooked; the liquid should be almost completely absorbed and the aroma should be lemony, vegetal, and well-rounded.
9. Turn off the heat and let rest covered before serving, so the dolmades firm up and absorb the remaining olive oil and lemon juices.