Stuffed Grape Leaves

• 1 cup Uncle Ben’s rice

• 1 pound lamb (or beef or half beef and half pork)

• ¼ cup virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons minced parsley

• 3 garlic gloves, minced

• 1 pinch of each of the following seasonings: cumin, paprika, oregano, red or white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (make zest from lemon rind.)

• 1 Jar of California grape leaves

• 1 really large can of beef broth (or use beef cubes)

• 4 fresh lemons (to squeeze on top of grape leaves before serving.)

Put one cup Uncle Ben's rice and the pound of meat into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix all the remaining ingredients (except broth and fresh whole lemons and grape leaves). Add mixture to the waiting beef and rice and blend well. Lay out the grape leaves on large flat service. Put some of the mixture (about 2 tablespoons) onto each leaf. Fold in on each side and roll up tightly. Tightly pack the leaves into the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with broth. Cover tightly with tinfoil and bake in oven at 375 F until water is all absorbed. (About one hour) (Adele Khoury, taught me to cook them on top of the stove. She packed them in multi layers into a cast iron pot, covered with broth, placed a heavy plate on top to weigh them down, and covered. I got better results in the casserole dish and baking them) Experiment. The goal is to keep experimenting so that they get better and better. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto each grape leaf just before serving.

Note: The grape leaves are pickled in brine and will impart a salty flavor so probably don't need salt. But who knows? I don’t measure. I add a pinch of this and a pinch of that. (The distinctive Mideast flavor comes from the cinnamon and nutmeg.) Based on experience more of some then the other. Better to use fresh herbs but if none available, use the dried