Can I use wild grape leaves the same way (for stuffing) as domesticated grapes? We have tons of wild grapes with huge leaves. Any idea of picling or canning them?
Take the leaves and steam them till they're just wilted, and then slice out any big central vein/stem. Voila: they are ready to rock and roll! Much better than pickled/canned. I don't bother with the bottled type since I tried fresh. I happened to use what was growing wild around an apt I used to rent -- green concord-type. I am thinking to get some cuttings from those grapevines to grow just for the leaves without any expectation of fruit, just so's I can have dolmathes in season. Yumm!
Have you ever saved any....canning or freezing or....? I'm glad to hear I can use wild ones. Things I don't plant seem to do so well around here
Wild grape leaves are more tender, flavoful and easy to work with than domesticated. They freeze very well.
I am not sure how other people do it, especially for the greek recipes. The way our family uses them we do not cook first. We have frozen them(unwashed) very successfully. Just pick the size you want and freeze in baggies wash when you are ready to use them. When we make stuffed grape leaves we roll them as is and then simmer in a big pot. Fresh are so much better than in the jar. My mother tried canning them once and they came out like mush. I did see a recipe in a book at the library some time ago for canning them and stupid me didn't write it down. Now I have moved 500 miles from the book and have only a small town library available. Just thinking about it makes me want to go pick some tomorrow. Good luck.
A quick google search came up with this preserved grape leaf recipe. Preserving grape leaves: http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/condiments/preserved-grape-leaves
