Wild(ly good!) Meals: Stuffed Wild Grape Leaves & Iced Sumac Tea

With a summer thunderstorm yet to arrive, Patrick and I decided to head out, he secure in the back carriage as I pedaled the bicycle. My backpack held two plastic grocery bags, a small shovel, scissors, and a camera. I knew we'd have no problem finding the food we were after: wild grape leaves and staghorn sumac, both abundant on roadsides.
We rode around the corner, the back tire flicking up an arc of water from rain puddles (Patrick's carriage had a plastic windshield) and soon we stopped at a grapevine, twisted and clinging to black raspberry bushes, which Patrick and I had picked clean about two weeks earlier.

I plucked about 15 leaves as Patrick sat eating an apple in the carriage. I threw the shiny leaves in a plastic bag and pedaled on.
In no time, I saw the sumac, its distinctive red buds erect on the branches' ends. I pedaled over, reached up and grabbed a few branches, pulling each down in turn and snipping off their red flowers.

I dropped them in the backpack and then rode off again.
Having the plants we set out for, we just coasted around, feeling the warm humid breeze and watching all around.
Here's a pretty field we passed on the way.

And here are the recipes.

Stuffed Wild Grape Leaves

(Avoid common moonseed. It's poisonous, but you can easily avoid it.)

I start by boiling rice in salted water. I use a little extra water and boil a bit longer so the rice is sticky when cooked. Once finished, I mix the hot rice in a bowl with raisins and minced dill, basil and mint. I add salt and pepper until I like the taste. Sometimes, I sprinkle in a bit of cumin, too. Set aside.

I cut the stems off the grape leaves. You can save time by stacking a few on top of each other and cutting the stems off at the same time. 

Don’t stack too many, though, or you will cut too much off the bottom leaf.

Then, I blanch the leaves for about 10 minutes.

My Lebanese grandfather Ismael Ramadan (best name ever) taught me to pickle the leaves in vinegar before wrapping. You can skip this step, but the vinegar flavors the wraps with a nice tang.

I then place the leaves glossy side down on a table and scoop about a table spoon of the rice mixture onto the center of the leaf and then wrap using this process:

Fold the rear.

 Fold the sides.

Roll.

Once the grape leaves are wrapped, place them in a Dutch oven and cover them with water about half way up the leaves, and finish by covering them with a few leaves. 

Simmer the water and cover until the liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes.

Cool and then eat.

Iced Sumac Tea

(Note, avoid poison sumac; it's pretty rare and looks different--white flowers instead of red ones--than the edible kind but check this link to see what it looks like.)

I simply place the sumac buds into a pot of water, four cups or so. 

Then I place this in the sun and let it steep for about an hour. Every now and then, I squeeze the buds, bruising the flowers and pushing out the juices.

Once finished, pour the liquid through a strainer (I use a coffee filter placed in a halved milk carton) into a pitcher with some ice.

You can add sugar or not. The lemony taste will amaze you. It's wonderful.