Cretan Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves)

Ingredients

• Approx. 500 g vine leaves
• 1 zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 eggplant, finely chopped
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, grated
• 1.5 cup Carolina rice
• Parsley
• Dill
• Spearmint
• Salt
• Pepper
• Ground cloves
• Pdo Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Golden Creta Savouidakis"
• The juice of 2 lemons

Execution

• Scald the leaves and put them in a strainer.
• If the vine leaves were in a jar with brine, then you do not need to scald them, just rinse them well with plenty of cold water and strain.
• In a pan, finely chop the zucchini, the onion, the carrot and the eggplant and sauté in Pdo Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Golden Creta Savouidakis" for approx. 10 mins.
• Add the parsley, the spearmint and the dill finely chopped, the salt, pepper, the cloves and the rice, lightly stirring.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add the tomato juice and mix well.
• Stuff the leaves and wrap them.
• Place the dolmades circularly in the pot and add any juice expelled by the mix in the bowl, along with water and Pdo Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Golden Creta         Savouidakis".
• Finally, cover the dolmades with a heavy plate.
• Simmer the food for approx. 1 hour and, 10 mins before finished, add the lemon juice.