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1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; parboil grape leaves, a few at a time, until they are tender and pliable, just a couple of minutes.
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2
Drain leaves, then cut off the stems and remove any hard veins near the base of the leaves; pat dry with paper towels.
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3
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large, deep skillet over med-high heat.
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4
One minute later, add in the onion; cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
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5
Add in the pine nuts, rice, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and stock.
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6
Cover, decrease heat to med-low, and cook about 10-12 minutes, until the rice is somewhat tender but still quite al dente.
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7
Cool in a large bowl, check flavor for salt, and add lots of pepper, the mint, and half the lemon juice.
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8
One at a time, place the grape leaves, shiny side down, on a work surface; put 1 tablespoon rice mixture in the middle of the leaf.
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9
Fold over the stem end, then the sides, then roll toward the tip, making a neat little package.
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10
Dont roll too tightly, as the rice will continue to expand during cooking.
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11
Place the packages side by side in a roasting pan or skillet (layering them is fine), add water (or even better, more stock) to come about halfway up the rolls, and weight with a heatproof plate.
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12
Cover the pan/skillet and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
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13
Drain; serve at room temperature, sprinkled with remaining lemon juice and a bit of olive oil.
