There’s something magical about stumbling upon an unexpected treasure in the wild. A grapevine, untamed and winding its way over a fence and through the trees, catches my eye on a morning walk. Bunches of unripe grapes hang among broad green leaves—what really excites me, though, are those leaves. Dolmades aren’t a regular feature in my kitchen, but with jars of locally sourced, homemade pickled grape leaves in my pantry, I’ll be ready when the mood strikes.
Forage from a wild or trusted source to ensure your grape leaves are spray-free. Pesticides and herbicides can linger, even after washing and blanching, and pickling won’t remove chemical residues. And while grapes are widely grown in New Zealand, it’s rare to find grape leaves available for use—making a local source all the more special.
Pickled Grape Leaves
Ingredients
- 750ml water
- Fresh grape leaves
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
Method
Forage or harvest young bright grape leaves about the size of your hand, choose ones that are soft to the touch and blemish free. Rinse with cold water to wash away any dirt or debris. Trim the stems off the leaves at the base.
Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil and fill a bowl with cold water and ice.
Blanch the leaves, by plunging them into the boiling water until their colour changes to a rich olive green then transfer to the bowl of ice water halt the cooking.
Once cooled, drain them well and pat them dry with a clean tea towel.
Stack the leaves into small piles of ten and roll up tightly and pack them into sterilised jar or jars.
Prepare a hot brine with water and lemon juice (or citric acid) and pour it into the jars, ensuring the grape leaves are fully submerged. Seal the jars tightly.
Finally, process the jars in a boiling water bath to ensure proper preservation. Once cooled, store them in a cool, dark place until inspiration strikes.
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Since the birds get all of my grapes at home this pickle idea will be great. There is a huge crop of grapes under the verandah by Mint. Do you have a recipe for verjuice Miggs?
Hey Sue,
Emailed you a recipe, now I am off to pick those grapes, thank you for the idea! I remember the grapes under the verandah, also the lovely rosemary bush in the carpark too.