Instructions: In Greece as well as the middle East vine leaves are used to wrap and cook food. Stuffings made with rice onions herbs and nuts and with or without meat make delicious Dolmathes (qv). Vine leaves are also used to wrap fish before either baking or grilling when they impart their aroma and lemony flavour to the dish. They are traditionally used young and fresh at the beginning of the summer. Alternatively they can be bought preserved in brine from Greek shops. These tend to be very salty and should be rinsed carefully first.

If you have access to fresh vine leaves you can freeze them. Rinse them first dip them briefly in a bowl of boiling water and drain them. Pile them in groups of twentyfive roll them up and place them in a freezerproof container. Allow them to defrost completely for two to three hours before using them. Vine leaves contain some vitamins and a large amount of carotene and are a good source of fibre.

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