North African stuffed vine leaves

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 jar pickled vine leaves
• 300 g minced beef
• 150 g couscous
• 75 g pine nuts
• 1 clove(s) garlic, large
• 1 onion(s), red
• 50 g cheese, grated (Leerdammer Caractère)
• 4 tsp mint, dried
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ lemon(s), the juice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Sugar
• Cayenne pepper
• olive oil
• ¼ liter vegetable broth
• ¼ liter wine, white, dry

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

First, toast the pine nuts without oil in a non-stick pan. Remove and set aside. Brown the minced meat in olive oil. Add the crushed or finely chopped garlic clove and the diced onion. Once the minced meat is nicely browned, add the couscous and let it sauté slightly. Add the pine nuts and mint and season to taste with the other spices (cumin, salt, pepper, lemon, tomato paste, sugar, and cayenne pepper). It can and should be strong. Then add a cup of water and simmer gently with the lid on until the couscous is al dente. You may need to add a little more water; it’s best not to turn the whole thing into a soup right away. Finally, remove from the heat and stir in the Leerdammer. Place a tablespoon of the filling (in place, with the stem) on each of the spread-out vine leaves (cut off the stem), fold in the sides, and then roll up from the stem. Place them close together in a casserole dish and pour in the vegetable stock and white wine (to prevent it from drying out). Bake in the oven at 190°C for 25-30 minutes. If you like, you can reduce the stock after baking to make a sauce and season with cream and lemon. Serve with flatbread or white bread, or as a starter without bread.