Grapevine leaves are usually thought of as wraps or savory little parcels stuffed with rice and/or meat. But as our previous post on fish grilled in grapevine leaves shows, the leaf of the grape is more versatile than that.
This recipe is said to have originated in France. I can’t guarantee it did, but a dish like this one logically evolves wherever mushrooms and vineyards thrive in the same local. The tangy, woodsy flavor of the grapevine leaves complements the earthy mushrooms. Olive oil and garlic are natural added ingredients. You’ll be wafted to the Mediterranen when you lift the leaf cover and the irresistible aroma rises.
A jar of grapevine leaves in brine makes cooking quick and easy if you can’t get fresh leaves. Make sure to extract the leaves gently from the jar, because the brine makes them fragile. Although you’re not filling and rolling them, as in Iraqi stuffed grape leaves, you may want the unused leaves to make dolamades some time later.
You’ll need a shallow baking dish with either a tightly fitting lid or foil to cover the dish well.
Mushrooms Cooked In Grapevine Leaves
An easy Mediterranean mushroom dish
- 4 cups – 300 grams – fresh button mushrooms.
- Grapevine leaves to cover the bottom of a baking dish in one layer (plus added leaves to cover the mushrooms)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 8 whole (peeled garlic cloves)
- 1/2 tsp. Ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 325° F – 165° C
- Rinse the grape leaves and leave to drain in a colander or on a kitchen towel.
- Rinse the mushrooms and pat them dry.
- Remove and chop the stems coarsely; set the stems aside.
- Halve any particularly large mushrooms.
- Line a baking dish with grape leaves in a single layer.
- Pour half the olive oil over the leaves.
- Place the sliced or whole mushrooms over the leaves.
- Put the chopped stems around the mushrooms.
- Poke the garlic cloves into any empty spaces around the mushrooms.
- Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the dish with grape leaves.
- Pour the second half of the olive oil over all.
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Cover the dish with a tightly fitting lid or foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Spoon some of the cooking juices over the mushrooms and garlic cloves, and serve.
The leaves covering the mushrooms will be dark and crunchy. If you cooked this with fresh grapevine leaves, they will be tender enough to eat, and tasty.
Any remaining cooking juices can be added to a sauce, poured over steamed vegetables or stirred into mashed potatoes.
Photos by Miriam Kresh
