Kali Orexi

A New Kali Orexi!

2009-12-11T19:51:00.003-05:00

Kali Orexi has moved ... please visit http://kalisasorexi.com/ to see the new site and read my latest recipe, Octopus Pot Pies.

Kali Orexi!

Ginger Leek Potato Croquettes with a Fennel Pear Honey Mustard

2009-12-01T10:17:00.009-05:00

Kalo mina! That's Greek for "Have a good month," a wish customarily shared amongst Greeks on the first of every month. Speaking of which, today (the first of December) is the deadline for this month's Royal Foodie Joust, a friendly blogger competition hosted by Jenn of The Leftover Queen, and I am running short on time considering I have until noon (it's 10:33 a.m. as I write this) to post this on the RFJ forum.

So, the ingredients for this month's joust were fennel, pear and ginger. Three lovely ingredients indeed and so many dishes they can star in ... but I've got to keep this short. I got some inspiration for this dish from a snippet in the December 2009 issue of Food & Wine highlighting a fennel mustard by Thomas Keller (this master chef's version is just fennel cooked in white vinegar then pureed with mustard powder). I, on the other hand, cooked down some roughly chopped fennel and pear with a pinch of ground ginger in some white vinegar, then pureed it with dry mustard powder and thyme honey. Can you say Mmmmmmmm?

Now, one of my favorite things to eat with mustard is a good potato knish. A knish, if I am not mistaken, is Yiddish for a fried turnover/dumpling filled with potato more often than not although there are a number of varieties that also include ground meat, spinach and other fillings. My favorite is the potato, slathered with lots of whole grain mustard. So after making this homemade mustard of sorts, I had to try it with something potato-y ... hence these Ginger Leek Potato Croquettes that fit beautifully in with the Royal Foodie Joust, paired amazingly well with the Fennel Pear Honey Mustard and, even more importantly, took care of my sudden craving for a knish ... which come to think about it I haven't had in years.

And just so you can understand how delicious these are: my son upon popping two in his mouth jumped up and exclaimed, "Mmmm, Mama! These are yummy in my tummy!" What can I say? The kid's got a distinguished palate ... and he's only three!

Ginger Leek Potato Croquettes with a Fennel Pear Honey Mustard

For 1 1/2 cups of mustard:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 fennel bulbs, cleaned, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 pears, peeled and diced
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
Pinch of ground ginger
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon thyme honey
Salt, to taste

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the fennel and pear over low heat until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and ground ginger and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more. Once done, place the contents of the skillet into the bowl of a food processor, add the mustard powder and honey and blend until pureed. Spoon the mustard into a bowl, let cool, then season with salt and store tightly covered in the refrigerator. The mustard is best made at least one day ahead, if not more.

For the Ginger Leek Potato Croquettes:

2 large potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and quartered
1 large leek, washed, trimmed and roughly chopped
Pinch of grated ginger
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs (one for mixture, one for coating before frying)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Olive oil for frying

In a medium saucepan, place leeks and potatoes in enough water to cover and boil until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the cooking water then place saucepan with the leeks and potatoes briefly back over the heat to evaporate any excess water.

Transfer the potatoes and leeks to the bowl of a food processor along with the ginger, salt and pepper. Pulse until pureed then spoon the potato mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs and one egg, adding more breadcrumbs as necessary to more easily form the mixture into croquettes. If you have the time, place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for better handling. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and set aside. Heat about an inch of olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Wet your hands slightly and begin forming the potato mixture into croquettes, about one inch in diameter. Coat the croquettes in the egg and fry until golden on each side. Drain briefly on a plate lined with paper towel.

Serve hot or warm alongside the Fennel Pear Honey Mustard.

Two Bean Butternut Squash Chili

2009-11-23T10:02:00.006-05:00

I'm a sucker for a good chili ... spicy, warm, comforting. And for some very strange reason, I never make the same chili twice. I'm always tweaking: always adding a little extra this or subtracting a little of that. Sausage, ground meat, bell peppers, beans; regardless the ingredients, there is always a soul-satisfying, heartwarming bowl of chili to enjoy.

This time around, chunks of butternut squash replaced meat and provided for the perfect counterpart to cannelini and black beans. Chipotle chilies added a smoky, spicy dimension of flavor every bowl of chili should boast.

Once done, just add a dollop of Greek yogurt and some fresh cilantro over top for the perfect chili everyone will enjoy.

Two Bean Butternut Squash Chili

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 chipotle chilies, seeds removed and chilies finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups black beans, either canned or dried beans boiled until just tender

2 cups cannelini beans, either canned or dried beans boiled until just tender
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water (use more as needed)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and saute onions and garlic about 10 minutes until quite soft. Add the butternut squash and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in tomatoes, paste, broth, chipotle chilies, cumin and oregano. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. If using dried beans that have been boiled until just tender, add now and simmer chili for about 25 minutes; if using canned, let mixture simmer for about 15 minutes before adding rinsed beans to pot and then simmering for 10 minutes more.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve chili in bowls topped with Greek yogurt and chopped cilantro.

Pumpkin Rizogalo

2009-11-20T09:40:00.004-05:00

Pumpkin pie is certainly an important part of an American Thanksgiving ... it's the day's quintessential dessert and frankly, Thanksgiving just doesn't feel right without this sweet, spice-laced pie gracing our humble table.

But for those that aren't so enthusiastic about traditional pumpkin pie, there are some great alternatives. Pumpkin and Coconut Milk Panna Cotta anyone? Or how about this Pumpkin Rizogalo (that's Greek for rice pudding)?

For me, rizogalo is one of those food items that brings back a flood of memories and emotions. One of my late Giagia's dessert specialties was her rizogalo and it was quite often that we would return home from school to the smell of rice simmered in milk, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg wafting up the stairs from her apartment to our own. It was a smell that made me feel warm and simply secure inside. Giagia would use a whole gallon of milk to make enough of her rizogalo to satisfy us all and we all adored it.

She gave me her recipe some time ago once her cooking came to a halt and she could no longer move around her kitchen the way she always had. It's a simple recipe of just rice, milk, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. To this day, it is my favorite rice pudding recipe and I neither need nor want any other to replace it. But in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I tried my hand at this festive version last weekend with the hope of honoring the holiday, the season and, more importantly, the memory of my Giagia all in one sweet bite.

So, if you enjoy rice pudding and you are looking to add some more pumpkin to your holiday table, look no further ... here is my recipe for Pumpkin Rizogalo.

Pumpkin Rizogalo (Rice Pudding)

Makes about 10 ramekins

6 to 7 cups milk
1 1/4 cups rice
1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
pinch of salt
dash of grated nutmeg
dash of ground cinnamon
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan, bring the 6 cups of milk, rice, sugar and salt to a simmer. Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the pumpkin, the nutmeg and cinnamon and cook mixture until the rice is quite soft and cooked through, stirring often.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla and remaining pumpkin in a medium bowl. Remove the saucepan from the burner and slowly whisk some of the rice mixture into the egg yolk mixture so as to temper it. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat for a few minutes more. (Add additional cup of milk as necessary during cooking.)

Spoon into ramekins or serving dishes and place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (so as to prevent it from forming a "skin"). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

2009-11-18T12:53:00.011-05:00

Thanksgiving is just a week away so I thought I'd share some recipes that will be gracing our table this year. There are, of course, a few dishes that remain virtually unchanged year after year: the turkey is roasted simply with fresh vegetables and herbs; the sweet potatoes are baked with brown sugar and marshmallows; and the rice is made in our family's traditional way ... and there are no ifs, ands or buts about it.

But some dishes I like to tweak and experiment with include appetizers, the essential cranberry sauce and all the fall inspired desserts. So I thought I'd start with this cranberry chutney which I began making last year in place of plain cranberry sauce (which I still adore but sometimes a girl needs a little extra oomph). This is a great make-ahead recipe that's full of flavor and can have some texture depending on how thick you like to dice your apples.

Use apples that can withstand cooking a little better and not turn to mush: I'd say Gala, Rome, Jonagold or Winesap are your best bets. Also, freshly grated orange zest and juice as well as freshly grated ginger are key ... and if you're feeling adventurous, add some ground clove for a truly flavorful chutney that can not only serve as a worthy accompaniment to your turkey, but pair well with roasted pork loin, grilled pork chops and make an amazing addition to any sandwich.

Cranberry Apple Chutney
Makes 6 to 8 accompaniment servings

2 pounds of apples (about 4 large)
2 medium onions, thickly sliced
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cups fresh cranberries (I purchase fresh cranberries and freeze them for future use, then thaw before using)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve, and core apples (and if you prefer, peel them as well although I leave them unpeeled) then cut into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl combine the apples with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar, ginger, mustard and butter and stir lightly to coat. Place the mixture in a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes. Stir the apple mixture a few times during baking.

Stir in the cranberries and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the cranberries are soft and the chutney thick. You can make the chutney a couple of days in advance; just bring it to room temperature or warm it ever so slightly before serving with your roast turkey. Try it with roasted chicken or pork; better yet add it to a sandwich or wrap using leftover chicken or turkey breast ... trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Short Rib Terrine

2009-11-12T10:20:00.006-05:00

Short ribs are easily my favorite cut of beef. I adore them. They need minimal TLC (barely any hands on cooking, just a bit more time in the oven or on a burner) and yet yield so much flavor -- a simple braise with fresh vegetables and herbs is all they need in my book; deglaze the braising liquid with some red wine and you've got sheer perfection.

To change things up a bit, this past weekend I tried my hand at this Short Rib Terrine and I am pleased to say it's now one of my favorite tapas and a really great way to use my beloved short ribs. Served with fresh homemade bread dotted with leeks and garlic the terrine was full of flavor. Just be sure to add some briny capers to your serving tray when offering up this tapa as they pair beautifully with it.

What's even better though, is that the cooking process yields a fragrant beef broth that can be used to enhance the flavor of other dishes. (I stored a couple of cupfuls in separate glass storage containers and placed them in the freezer for future use.)

Do try this Short Rib Terrine, you won't be disappointed.

Short Rib Terrine
(Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com)

6 pounds short ribs
2 onions, quartered
2 celery ribs, quartered
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
1 large leek, cleaned and quartered
4 fresh parsley stems
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
6 to 8 whole black peppercorns
12 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

To finish terrine:
8 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season short ribs with some coarse sea salt and spread in a roasting pan along with the onions, celery, leek and carrot. Roast, turning occasionally, for about an hour.

Make a bouquet garni with the parsley, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Transfer meat (with bones) and roasted vegetables to a large pot and add 12 cups water, salt and bouquet garni. Add a bit of water to the roasting pan and scrape all the brown bits up then pour the liquid into the pot. Bring to a boil and skim froth as necessary. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, uncovered for anywhere from 3 to 4 hours, until meat is extremely tender and broth is reduced.

Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely, uncovered, then cover and chill overnight.

Remove fat from chilled mixture. Reheat mixture over moderate heat until warm. remove from heat and transfer short ribs to a platter; once slightly cooled, discard bones and fat. Finely chop short rib meat and set aside. Pour broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve and store as desired.

To complete the terrine: Heat oil in a saucepan and cook garlic over low heat, turning occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve the oil. Mash the garlic to a paste with a fork.

Add paprika, salt and pepper to the oil remaining in the saucepan and cook over low heat until fragrant, a couple of minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the paprika oil, garlic paste and short rib meat. Pack the mixture into a terrine or crock, cover tightly and chill overnight. Bring the terrine to room temperature before serving with slices of fresh bread, crackers or pita triangles and capers.

Roast Chicken, Cranberry and Honey Mustard Pita Sandwich

2009-11-09T18:33:00.006-05:00

I love roasting a whole chicken and then using leftovers in a variety of ways. My favorite as of late is this pita sandwich with roast chicken, homemade cranberry sauce, sweet and tangy honey mustard and fresh watercress. It's a satisfying little sandwich and it's pretty healthy. I used Greek pita bread that I placed under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get some color but you can obviously use any bread you wish. Layer some roast chicken breast over one half of the pita and top with honey mustard, cranberry sauce and a handful of watercress. Top with the remaining pita half and enjoy!

Now don't be fooled by the roast chicken being listed here first: the star of this sandwich is the fresh cranberry sauce. Sweet and tart with a hint of ginger, the cranberries take this sandwich to a whole new level. And considering shelves are stocked with tons of fresh cranberries, sauces and chutneys such as this will be creeping into our dishes pretty regularly over the next month or so.

Below, I'll just share my recipe for a simple cranberry sauce but in the coming weeks will also write up the recipe for my favorite cranberry chutney ... so stay tuned!

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
12-oz fresh cranberries (3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Juice of small orange
Splash of Mavrodaphne (or Port)
Pinch of grated ginger

As I was already using my oven to roast the chicken, I simply combined all the ingredients in a baking dish, covered with foil and baked it until reduced to a thick, chunky sauce. Alternatively, just combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until the cranberries are soft and the sauce is thick.

Olive Oil Poached Cod, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts

2009-11-02T18:13:00.007-05:00

We eat fish quite a bit: I pan fry whole porgies or cook them in a foil "pouch" with oregano, garlic and olive oil on a weekly basis. But more supple fillets of fish inherently prone to overcooking, usually pose a problem as they demand a bit more attention than I can offer on a weeknight.

It was only just recently I figured out a solution to this problem; it was only just recently I figured out that poaching fish in olive oil is an unbelievably forgiving method of cooking delicate fish that yields such amazingly tender, moist results. I cannot sing this method's praises enough: it's so simple and so easy, more importantly poaching really lets the fish shine and using good olive oil means it's healthy.

In this dish, I used some fresh cod, which is thick and meaty, but I'm certain halibut would work just as well here. I served the olive oil poached cod over mashed sweet potatoes flavored with grated ginger and a touch of cream as well as some sauteed broccoli rabe with pine nuts toasted with a dash of cayenne pepper. The kids gobbled it all up and even asked for seconds. Need I say more?

Olive Oil Poached Cod, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. fresh cod
2 large sweet potatoes
Ground ginger, to taste
Dash of ground nutmeg
Tablespooon of butter or a splash of heavy cream
1 bunch broccoli rabe, bottom 2 inches of stems removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
Dash of cayenne pepper
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

To start with, clean and peel the potatoes and cook them in boiling water until fork tender (alternatively, clean the potatoes but don't peel; wrap them in foil and roast until tender; cool and then peel). Mash them either with a potato masher or in a food processor, then stir in the ground ginger, ground nutmeg, butter or heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and rewarm when ready to serve.

For the broccoli rabe, rinse the stems and remove any thick or damaged leaves. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the broccoli rabe for just a couple of minutes. Remove the broccoli rabe to a colander and drain well. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the pine nuts and a dash of cayenne. Shake the skillet frequently until the pine nuts are toasted and golden. Remove the pine nuts from the skillet and set aside. Add a couple of tablespoons olive oil to the skillet along with the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Toss in the broccoli rabe and the pine nuts and combine well with the olive oil until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

For the cod, heat some olive oil (enough to just cover the cod) in a dutch oven or deep skillet over very low heat. Cut the cod into individual portions, season with salt and pepper and carefully add it to the oil. Let the cod poach in the olive oil (keep the heat at low) until opaque and just cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the fillets.

Place the mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli rabe on the plate and carefully remove cod with a spatula and place over the potatoes to serve.

Try adding some fresh herbs or sliced garlic to the poaching oil so as to infuse the fish with those flavors as well.

Spanako-Quesadillas (Spinach Pie Quesadillas)

2009-10-27T09:43:00.010-04:00

There are times when a quick lunch or dinner is a must but that doesn't necessarily mean takeout or fast food needs to creep into our diet. The other night, I was all tapped out and as the kids had enjoyed a heavier lunch I wanted to make a rather light and quick dinner. Knowing that I had some spinach and some flour tortillas on hand, I thought, "Why not make some spinach quesadillas?"

I wasn't originally thinking I'd go with a Greek flavor profile, but the container of Feta was calling out to me much more emphatically than the block of cheddar and so my quesadillas quickly became an easy (you might call it lazy) though extremely tasty version of Spanakopita (traditional Greek spinach pie).

I quickly sauteed some chopped onions, scallions, garlic and spinach then tossed in some chopped parsley and fresh mint that's still growing in the garden. An egg, some crumbled Feta, a skillet, some flour tortillas ... and voila, Spanako-Quesadillas.

Make these as a light lunch or dinner; accompanied by a salad it's really all you'll need. Better yet, serve these as appetizers or quick finger foods when you're getting ready for a casual get-together with friends. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Spanako-Quesadillas (Spinach Pie Quesadillas)
(Makes about 5 or 6 quesadillas)

Olive oil
3 scallions, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of ground nutmeg
4 cups fresh spinach or 1 small box frozen spinach
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
A few mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 egg
Feta (add as much crumbled Feta as you like)
5 or 6 small to medium flour tortillas

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion, scallions and garlic until softened, about five minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and heated through, about five minutes more. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper, parsley and mint. Place mixture in bowl and let cool slightly. Stir in egg and feta and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the skillet and heat slightly. Add a few spoonfuls of the spinach mixture over HALF of the tortilla, then fold the empty half over the mixture and press down lightly. Cover the skillet and let cook for about five minutes; then uncover and turn your quesadilla carefully over. Cook a few minutes more. (Repeat with remaining tortillas and spinach mixture.)

Remove the quesadilla from the skillet, cut it in half or in thirds and serve warm.

Cranberry Mavrodaphne Clafoutis

2009-10-21T17:09:00.012-04:00

I've always wanted to make clafoutis but for some very, very odd reason haven't. I'm not sure why ... these little desserts are really quite simple and so versatile. A complement to any and all seasonal fruit, they are the perfect ending to a savory dinner or a sweet and simple addition to a friendly brunch.

Cranberries, fresh or dried, embody (at least for me) the spirit of fall. They're tart flavor and deep red hue just scream autumn. Simmered in wine and scented with cinnamon, they made the perfect base for these buttery clafoutis.

The Greek dessert wine Mavrodaphne is similar to port but sweeter and beautifully balanced the tartness of the cranberries here. Using the dried fruit made these clafoutis even simpler and though I loved every part of the dessert, I am looking forward to making clafoutis using fresh cranberries as well.

Cranberry Mavrodaphne Clafoutis

(Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com)

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup Mavrodaphne
1/2 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp sugar mixed with 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack placed in center of oven. Butter either one 8- to 9-inch baking dish or 6 to 8 ramekins.

In a small saucepan, simmer the cranberries, Mavrodaphne, water and cinnamon sticks uncovered until it's of a syrupy consistency. Pour the simmered fruit into the baking dish or ramekins and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt until smooth and pour into the dish or ramekins. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over top and bake until puffed and set in center, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the clafoutis briefly and serve.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions over Polenta

2009-10-19T09:43:00.016-04:00

It's been a while since I participated in the Leftover Queen's Royal Foodie Joust, but I'm back this month with an entry using each of the three chosen ingredients (orange colored squash/pumpkin; black tinted stout; sugar) and lots of Fall flair.

A heartwarming, soul-satisfying dish fit for Autumn is what I was going for here. So I took some flavorful butternut squash, soaked it in dark beer, coated it in brown sugar then browned it in some butter and roasted it with a bit of the beer til tender. Onions caramelized with the remaining beer joined the butternut squash atop a silky polenta.

Serve this as a side dish to grilled or roasted beef, veal or chicken; as a stand alone first course; or even a light main dish. I thought of adding some crispy bacon or pancetta but we'd had enough meat in our diet last week though either would add a great dimension of flavor to this dish though.

Now, if you're a food blogger and not yet a member of the Leftover Queen's Foodie Blogroll, head on over to Jenn's site and sign up now. You'll be part of a great community of bloggers, you'll enjoy some great contests and giveaways and you'll qualify to compete in the monthly Royal Foodie Joust.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions over Polenta

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/2 bottle dark beer

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the Polenta:

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal for polenta

Dash of nutmeg

Pat of butter

1/4 cup grated parmesan

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butternut squash in a large bowl; add the beer and cayenne pepper and give it a good stir until all the pieces of squash are coated well. Let the butternut squash soak in the beer mixture for about 15 minutes.

As the polenta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet. Place the brown sugar in a bowl and once the butter is heated well, take the butternut squash cubes straight from the beer, coat each piece well with brown sugar and add to the hot skillet. Brown all the butternut squash pieces evenly on all sides then add half the beer marinade to the skillet and place it in the oven to roast the squash until tender.

Meanwhile, begin the polenta by bringing the water, stock and salt to boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal and cook the polenta over moderately low heat (at barely a boil), stirring quite frequently until thick and smooth, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the nutmeg, parmesan and butter. (Polenta will keep warm, covered, about 20 minutes. Stir well before serving.)

As the polenta cooks, in a skillet or saucepan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the sliced onions and cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the remaining beer and continue cooking the onions until golden and caramelized.

Spoon some polenta on the plate--or in a bowl--top with some caramelized onions and place a few pieces of butternut squash on top as well. Drizzle with any sauce from the roasted squash skillet and serve immediately.

Ricotta Pancakes with Fig Compote

2009-10-13T09:43:00.008-04:00

This weekend we picked the last of the figs off of our fig trees and it's safe to say we're all "figged" out. Since early September we've been blessed with literally hundreds of sweet purple-fleshed figs and I've made everything from a Greek fig spoon sweet; to roasted figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and wrapped in prosciutto; to a cinnamon-spiced fig jam; to two large batches of vanilla-scented fig compote. Not to mention that we ate dozens of these little fruits as is.

On Sunday morning, I opened my fridge to see a half full (some might say half empty) container of ricotta on one shelf and a jar of fig compote on another. The kiddies asked for a batch of pancakes so it was only natural I whip up some ricotta pancakes and serve them with a spoonful of fig compote, right?

I've seen some ricotta pancake recipes call for separating the eggs, adding yolks to the initial batter, then whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding those in as well. I have to admit, I think those steps are kind of unnecessary. Not that I've done any experiments to officially note any differences between either method, but I've always been left satisfied with the fluffy, light pancakes my simple whisking of all ingredients has yielded.

So here's my recipe for ricotta pancakes. I flavored this batch with a splash of my aunt's homemade vanilla but feel free to add either orange or lemon zest to perk these pancakes up as well.

Ricotta Pancakes with Fig Compote

Makes about 8 pancakes

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1 cup ricotta

Butter (for coating griddle)

Fig compote (recipe below)

In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and ricotta and whisk briefly (batter should be lumpy so don't over stir). Note: If the batter seems much too thick add a splash of milk to thin it out.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat and once hot coat with a little butter. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle and cook until small holes begin to form on top. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook just a couple minutes more until golden. Note: To keep other pancakes warm while making the rest, place on a baking sheet, cover with foil and heat in a 175-degree oven.

Serve pancakes with a spoonful of compote and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Fresh Fig Compote

Clean and dry about three cups of fresh small- to medium-size figs. Peel the figs carefully. Slice the figs in half and add to a saucepan along with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups water. Cook until the figs are really tender and reduced to a jam-like consistency. If needed, add a bit more water to continue cooking figs until tender.

Once done, remove pan from heat and stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Let compote cool then spoon into sterilised jars; cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Serve over pancakes, ice cream, yogurt or mascarpone cheese.

Greece

2009-09-08T17:21:00.021-04:00

It's hard to believe that our summer trip to Greece already came and went. Nearly six weeks of sea, sand and sun has made it a little difficult to get back into the swing of everyday life. But I'm looking forward to cooking up a storm this fall and winter; ramping up this blog with some great recipes; updating the look and feel of Kali Orexi; and exploring some culinary hotspots close to home.

Yet, before I begin any of that I'd like to share some shots from our trip ... My plan this summer was to approach this year's vacation through the eyes of a foodie, to go beyond the "touristy" tavernas and explore what culinary treats Greece really has to offer. But with two little ones in tow, their needs take centerstage and hopes of great culinary finds promptly give way to the kids simply enjoying every day of our family vacation more than anyone else. Regardless, we had an amazing time and here are some shots I think capture the essence of our trip well:

The Bridge at Rio Antirrio ...

Fruit stand on the road towards Agrinio ...

Sunset from Kastraki, Agrinio ...

Sunset at Peroulades, Kerkyra ...

Traditional Corfiot architecture ...

The Museum of Asian Art in the Palace of Sts. Michael and George, Kerkyra ...

View of Faliraki, Kerkyra from the Palace grounds ...

Our favorite Olive Wood Workshop in Corfu's Old Town...

In the Monastery of Paleokastritsa, Kerkyra ...

And in the Monastery of Agia Paraskevi, Kynopiastes, Kerkyra ...

On Kerkyra's West Coast ...

Tradtional Corfiot dance group performing in Liston, Kerkyra ...

Delectable late night fare: Greek gyro, tzatziki, fresh-cut fries and souvlakia ...

The popular Liston, Kerkyra ...

Heroes of the Cyprian Battle Square, Kerkyra ...

Outside the church of St. Spyridon ...

The bell tower of St. Spyridon ...

Traditional Corfiot specialty shops ...

One more view of Liston ...

Sunset over Erikoussa (from Peroulades), Kerkyra ...

Pikantiko Kotopoulo me Fassolakia--Spiced Chicken with Green Beans

2009-07-13T08:58:00.005-04:00

I love making tomato-based dishes, known as kokkinista (literally meaning "reddened") and yiahni in Greek. Obviously versatile dishes, they can be made with a variety of seasonal ingredients; with any meat or vegetable available; and can easily be taken from basic to exceptional with a few herbs and spices.

In summer months, kotopoulo (chicken) kokkinisto makes for a much lighter dish than beef or lamb cooked in tomato. And more often than not, a main dish of just vegetables cooked this way graces our dinner table when the warm summer weather calls for lighter fare.

Here I combined some chicken thighs (a flavorful and, more importantly, cost-effective option) with some fresh green beans and added some Hungarian paprika and cayenne pepper for a little heat.

Pikantiko Kotopoulo me Fassolakia--Spiced Chicken with Green Beans

1/4 cup olive oil

8 chicken thighs, skin removed

1 1/2 lbs. green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Handful of dill, finely chopped

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Season chicken with some salt and pepper and add to the pot. Brown well on both sides then throw in the onion and garlic. Shake the pot to combine, then add the plain paprika, Hungarian paprika and cayenne pepper. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, cover then lower heat to a simmer and cook chicken about 25 minutes or so. (Add some water or a bit of chicken or vegetable stock to the pot if necessary.)

Add the green beans to the pot, shake the pot and stir green beans lightly to coat with sauce. Cover the pot and cook until the green beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the dill and parsley, adjust seasonings and serve with plenty of bread.

Bakaliarakia Tiganita kai Skordalia me Kappari--Fried Whiting with a Caper Skordalia

2009-07-08T10:56:00.002-04:00

I'm lucky to have children who love to eat fish. Even luckier, I believe, that fish in New York is pretty inexpensive and pretty fresh. Family favorites such as Red Snapper (Synagrida) run between $6.99 and $7.99 a pound while Porgies (Tsipoures) and Sardines (Sardela) can be found for $2.99 a pound.

I went to the fish market yesterday intent on buying Barbounia (Red Mullet, which were $6.99 a pound) as we hadn't had these tasty little fish in a long while. But when I got to the store, I quickly snapped up the smaller Bakaliarakia (Whitings) that I know the kids really enjoy. And at just $2.99 a pound, these tasty little fish were definitely a steal.

Almost all Greek tavernas around New York--and there are A LOT of them--feature fried bakaliarakia (whiting) on their menus. They serve these small but meaty fish with some garlicky skordalia and the dish is a favorite among most patrons.

As such, it was only natural that I fry our bakaliarakia yesterday and serve them with some skordalia. It's an easy enough dish without much hullabaloo but there are a few cooking points I'd like to note:

I find that when frying my fish, double-dipping it (i.e. in egg, then flour, then egg again and finally flour again) creates a much nicer crust.
Season your flour well with your choice of seasonings but also season your fish with salt and pepper before dipping.
When frying anything, heat your oil really well--you will never get a crisp, well-browned crust if your oil is not hot enough the second your fish touches it.
As your fish finishes cooking, place it on paper towels to drain to keep the crust from getting soggy.

I served our bakaliarakia with some skordalia (garlicky mashed potato/bread) that I updated a bit by adding some chopped capers to. The tangy capers provided a great dimension of flavor and went well with the fish.

Note: I like to make my skordalia by simply mashing the ingredients with a fork as opposed to blending everything in a food processor--I just like the chunky texture as opposed to the smooth, sometimes elastic texture this dip gets when blended by the processor.

Bakaliarakia Tiganita--Fried Whiting

2 1/2 pounds small Whiting, cleaned
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 eggs, beaten
Oil for frying

Wash the fish well with water; pat dry and season with some salt and pepper. Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine flour, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper on a large plate. Place the eggs in another plate. Begin dipping the fish in egg, then dredge it in the flour (making sure to shake off the excess), dip it again into the egg then give it one final dredging in the flour. Place it directly into the hot oil and fry just a few minutes on each side until well browned. Remove fish to a dish lined with paper towels and serve warm along with some skordalia, a salad and some crusty bread.

Skordalia me Kappari--Caper Skordalia

2 medium potatoes, washed, peeled and boiled until tender
2 slices of white bread, crusts removed
1 large clove of garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
2 teaspoons finely chopped capers

Drain potatoes well and place them in a large bowl. Begin mashing the potatoes with a fork and then set aside until somewhat cooled.

wet the bread with some water or milk and squeeze out any excess. Add it to the potatoes along with the garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar and stir and mash the mixture with a fork until well combined. Begin adding some oil in a steady stream stirring constantly. Once you've added enough oil to reach your desired consistency, stir in the chopped capers.

Allow the skordalia to sit for a while, then serve with fried fish, fried eggplant/zucchini slices or some fresh bread.

Agginarotyropita--Artichoke Cheese Pie

2009-07-02T15:34:00.011-04:00

In Greek, the word "Pita" does not simply stand for the flatbreads most people are familiar with in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Instead, "Pita" is the Greek word for pie, a significant component of the classic Greek diet.

In the old days, a Greek housewife was quite frankly "judged" on her ability to roll out her own phyllo and as such her most prized kitchen tools included only a long, thin wooden rod used as a rolling pin and a large round wooden surface on which to stretch the phyllo.

Back then, pites (plural for pita) offered a way for housewives to make something a bit more substantial out of the little produce that was actually available. Fillings and techniques varied from region to region: savory or sweet; phyllo layered with a vegetable filling; coiled or S-shaped; some with cheese, others without; and many made with rice or semolina as opposed to dairy so as to abide by the dietary restrictions of Lent. The possibilities were and continue to be endless.

I love having some form of Greek savory pies on hand during summer months as they always make for a light meal and a quick bite before or after a day at the beach. A flavorful pie--be it spinach, cheese, squash, or any other combination of vegetables and herbs you like--can go a long way. Pair it with a fresh salad and a Greek dip such as melitzanosalata, tzatztiki or kopanisti and you've got a light lunch that won't weigh you down when you're out and about in the sizzling summer heat.

During Lent I made an "Agginaropita" that consisted of artichokes, herbs and a bit of semolina to bind it all as eggs and cheese were out of the question. It was quite good and extremely satisfying but the other day I put together this "Agginarotyropita" as I adore Greek pies featuring cheese, especially Feta. I served it during my daughter's birthday party and more than one guest commented that it was the best tyropita they'd ever eaten! I love how the artichokes provide an extra dimension of flavor. Try it, you won't be disappointed!

Agginarotyropita--Artichoke Cheese Pie

Makes a 13x9-inch pie

6 to 8 artichokes, cleaned and chopped

Handful of dill, finely chopped

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

2 eggs

1 pound good quality Feta, crumbled

1/3 cup grated Kefalotyri, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

3 tablespoons olive oil (you will need more for brushing the phyllo)

Freshly ground black pepper

12 sheets of phyllo

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil the baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the artichokes, dill, parsley, Feta, grated cheese, pepper and eggs and stir until mixed thoroughly. Add the 3 tablespoons olive and stir (adding a little more if the mixture seems too dry).

Working quickly, take a sheet of phyllo and layer it in the baking dish. Brush the top with oil and repeat layering with 6 more sheets of phyllo (brushing each with oil before topping with the next). Spoon filling evenly over phyllo and then begin layering remaining 5 sheets of phyllo over top, brushing each with oil before topping with the next. Pinch edges of phyllo to form a crust around the pie and brush top layer well with olive oil. (Alternatively, you can roll sheets of phyllo filled with some of the mixture as I did here.)

With a sharp knife, score only the top layers of phyllo into servings (this will make cutting the pie later much easier). Bake the pie in the center of the oven until the phyllo is golden, about 45 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

Butterflies, ladybugs, strawberries ... Oh my!

2009-07-01T13:06:00.009-04:00

Two weeks ago today my little princess celebrated her fifth birthday! At the risk of sounding oh-so-cliche, I cannot believe five years have passed already. She seems quite grown up for her age--and as I too was always much too mature for my own good, I see a lot of myself in her. One key difference, however, is that she is much more outgoing than her Mommy...and that's a good thing. Aside from that she possesses much of the personality I do: she's got my love of reading, my romanticism, my creativity, my stubbornness, my affinity for perfection, my willingness to keep trying and--as most who know us can attest--she looks exactly like me ... my very own little clone!

We celebrated her birthday with family and friends and I made this special cake:

Inside was a buttery vanilla cake with layers of fresh cream whipped with Mascarpone cheese and dotted with sliced strawberries that were tossed in some sugar and raspberry preserves. The flowers, ladybugs, butterflies and strawberries on the cake's exterior were all molded from gumpaste and hand painted with some food-safe color dust mixed with lemon extract. The grass and basket-weave design were made of freshly whipped meringue buttercream frosting. All for my little girl ...

Psites Patates kai Piperies -- Roasted Potatoes and Peppers

2009-06-26T09:41:00.011-04:00

Simplicity is best more often than not, especially when it comes to cooking. Even though I am extremely detail-oriented and a stickler for getting things just right, I'm not a big fan of elaborate dishes, eccentrically plated with extreme care -- dinner parties at this household are pretty much always served "family-style," just like our everyday meals.

These potatoes and peppers are characteristic of the type of dish I might serve. It couldn't be a simpler dish, but believe me there is no loss of flavor. I use some white potatoes, fairly small in size, which I quarter or cut in thirds and leave unpeeled. The potato skins--in my humble opinion--add a great amount of flavor. I toss the potatoes with large chunks of red and green peppers, plenty of Greek olive oil, coarse sea salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika and a dash of cayenne. Toss the baking dish into the oven and let the potatoes crisp up until nice and golden on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. The peppers roast quite nicely alongside their starchy counterparts. Generously season with another pinch of sea salt once done and this simple side dish goes a long way; the other night I paired it with some freshly caught Porgies I grilled with olive oil, Greek oregano and lemon.

And I can attest to the fact that this side dish is just as good the next day, even better with just a small twist--spoon some into individual ramekins, heat through in the oven, sprinkle with crumbled Feta and set under the broiler until bubbly and browned. I could eat such a dish alone and be extremely satisfied ... but you can easily serve it up alongside roasted chicken, a juicy steak or a succulent pork chop.

Psites Patates kai Piperies -- Roasted Potatoes and Peppers
Makes 6 to 8 servings

8 to 10 small to medium white potatoes, washed well, left unpeeled and cut into quarters or thirds

3 large green peppers, thickly sliced

3 large red peppers, thickly sliced
Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Dash of cayenne pepper

Olive oil

Feta (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large baking dish combine the potatoes, peppers, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat all the vegetables and stir everything around to thoroughly mix.

Roast for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are golden on the outside and fork-tender. Season with additional sea salt and serve hot.

Variation: Spoon the roasted potatoes and peppers into individual dishes and top with crumbled Feta and a spoonful of the oil from the baking dish. Place under the broiler and cook until the Feta is bubbly and slightly browned.

Keftedes me Saltsa Verikoko--Meatballs in an Apricot Sauce

2009-06-22T17:21:00.013-04:00

Tapas, meze, appetizers, canapes, antipasti ... however you label them, these small bites are often the best part of a meal. Seriously, isn't it so much better sampling a variety of small dishes rather than taking 20-something bites of the same one?

I can't imagine a better place to enjoy tapas than Spain--I've been to authentic Spanish restaurants here in New York numerous times but I long to taste the "real" thing in a rustic tapas bar in beautiful Barcelona. Being that a trip to Spain is not on the horizon (although a trip to Greece is looming--in fact I'll be leaving just one month from today), I love, love, love visiting Nuria's Spanish Recipes and submerging myself in the Spanish culture and cuisine which she so eloquently shares with her readers.

If you haven't heard, the latest ATOM event--hosted by Tony Tahhan of Olive Juice--is focusing on the Tapas of Spain and what better way to take a quick trip to lovely Spain than by cooking up your own tapas. So head on over to Nuria's site and get a taste of Spain; then head on over to your kitchen and put together some delectable tapas.

I put together these meatballs in a sweet and tangy apricot sauce for the ATOM event. They are amazingly flavorful little bites of minced pork and beef flavored with fresh herbs and served with a refreshingly simple sauce of apricots and yellow bell peppers. Try them, you won't be disappointed.

**Note: This was my second attempt at making these keftedes/meatballs. The first came about when I had one too many apricots laying around and decided to cook some meatballs in a fresh apricot sauce. But the fresh apricots added directly to some onion, garlic and fresh herbs and cooked until softened didn't impart the flavor I was looking for. They were actually much more tart than sweet and although my husband was left extremely satisfied with the dish, I was less than pleased. That's why with this second attempt I included apricot preserves, which you can very simply make by cooking down some fresh apricots with some sugar, water and a few drops of lemon juice. The sweetness from the preserves was a must for me and took the sauce/chutney to an entirely different level.

Keftedes me Saltsa Verikoko--Meatballs in an Apricot Sauce

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1 egg

1 onion

1/4 cup cilantro

1/4 cup parsley

2 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

For the Apricot Sauce:

2 yellow peppers, diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of chili powder

1/2 cup apricot preserves (see **note above)

Olive oil, for sauteing and frying

In a food processor, combine one onion, 2 cloves garlic, the cilantro and the parsley and pulse until processed. In a large bowl combine the ground beef and pork with the onion mixture, the egg, the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Form the meat mixture into small balls and fry in the oil until browned well on each side.

Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a separate saute pan and add the chopped onions, celery and minced garlic. Stir in the yellow pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the apricot preserves, cayenne pepper and chili powder and stir well. Cook for about 10 minutes, adding some water to thin the sauce out if necessary. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.

When ready to serve, pour some of the sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with additional parsley or cilantro.

Keik me Tahini kai Banana--Tahini and Banana Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel

2009-06-04T09:00:00.011-04:00

There's something about a streusel topping that makes people feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It must be all that brown sugar and cinnamon. Add some walnuts and a handful of chocolate chips ... now you've got a little piece of heaven in every bite.

I made this cake last week and I couldn't stop eating it. Not to toot my own horn or anything ... but neither could my husband; or our children; not to mention my mom enjoyed it too; oh, and a friend who'd stopped by for a quick cup of coffee said it should be selling in a bakery. And do you know what the best part is? Although this cake tasted so rich and flavorful, there was no butter. Instead, I used some tahini and no one was the wiser. Did I mention a friend said it was worthy of selling in a bakery? Just checking!

Tahini and Banana Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel
(Inspired by a recipe on Epicurious.com)
Makes an 8-inch square cake

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup tahini

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 large (very ripe) bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8x2 inch square baking pan and set aside. In a bowl, combine the chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon and stir. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until well combined.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the tahini and sugar and mix on medium high speed for a couple of minutes. Add the egg, then the vanilla and bananas and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir in the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle half the streusel topping over the batter. Pour remaining batter over and spread it evenly with your spatula being careful to keep it from combining with the streusel below. Finally, top with the remaining streusel and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Rice, Mushrooms and Bacon Wrapped in Phyllo over Sweet & Spicy Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Mini Peppers

2009-06-01T15:00:00.010-04:00

It's been a while since I participated in the friendly competition us food bloggers know as the Royal Foodie Joust, so lovingly hosted by her highness Jenn The Leftover Queen. So this month, I decided it was high time to get back into the game and what better way to do so than with three great ingredients chosen by last month's winner, the ever-so-talented, Nuria of Spanish Recipes. What are those great ingredients you ask? Well, rice, tomato and bacon of course.

The ingredients seem simple enough. And to be honest, when I first read what Nuria picked, I arrogantly thought to myself, "This is going to be a breeze." Errrrr! Wrong! Coming up with something unique and genuine with such common ingredients was much, much, much harder than I thought. And after one failed attempt (turns out rice pudding should remain under the dessert category and not make any savory debuts) and a week's worth of (mis)conceptualizing, I was all but ready to give this month's Joust up.

But then a little bell rang in this jumbled mind of mine. It tolled out, "Maria, think more along the lines of what you know." No fancy schmancy savory rice puddings; no rice terrines; just simple, solid flavors using techniques that can't go wrong. So here you have it -- rice sauteed with bacon, mushrooms and parsley then rolled into long packets of phyllo, baked and served over a bed of roasted cherry tomatoes and peppers tossed in sugar and spicy Hungarian Paprika.

Now head on over to Jenn's site and take a look at the array of entries for this month's Joust ... they're all truly mouthwatering.

Kali Orexi!

Rice, Mushrooms and Bacon Wrapped in Phyllo over Sweet & Spicy Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Mini Peppers

1 cup Arborio rice

1 1/2 cups water/chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 oz. bacon, chopped

Handful of parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

10 sheets of phyllo

Olive oil

Partially cook rice in 1 1/2 to 2 cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth and set aside. In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil and saute onion until soft. Add the bacon and cook until slightly browned. Stir in the mushrooms and toss to coat well with the bacon and onions. Add the rice to the skillet, season with salt, pepper and paprika and cook for a minute more. Sprinkle with parsley and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take your phyllo, two sheets at a time, and oil the top sheet. Spoon some of the rice mixture along the shorter side of the phyllo about an inch from the edge. Begin rolling the phyllo over the mixture, making a long "packet," and brush the phyllo a little each time you roll the packet. Place in an oiled baking dish and brush top of phyllo packet with additional oil. Continue with the remaining phyllo and rice mixture; you should have five long rows of phyllo stuffed with rice. Score the tops of each row to cut through top layers of phyllo and make cutting through each piece later easier. Bake in center of oven for 45 minutes or until golden.

To serve as a first course, serve the phyllo packets over a bed of cherry tomatoes and mini peppers that have been tossed in sugar, hot Hungarian Paprika and olive oil, then roasted until tender.

Auga me Ntomata--Eggs with Tomatoes

2009-05-29T13:31:00.007-04:00

I'm not typically a breakfast person. As much as I love food and cooking, there's something about eating (be it toast, cereal, croissant, eggs, pancakes, etc., etc.) early in the morning (say, before 10:00 a.m.) that makes my stomach turn. It's been a problem since I was a kid: my mom would obviously want me to eat something before school and follow that something with a tall glass of milk ... I get nauseous just thinking about it. Don't get me wrong--I love all types of breakfast foods and I especially like milk, but again, after about 10:00 a.m. Before then, it's just a simple cup of coffee with a splash of milk/half and half and I'm good to go.

On weekdays, I make breakfast for the kiddies around 7:30 a.m. and I'll stick with my coffee and some water until about 10:00 a.m. when I'll usually snack on some bread and cheese. Or, if I'm swamped with housework, errands, writing or blogging I won't eat anything until I make a quick salad at around 11:00 a.m.

On weekends though, as we're all home and there's no morning rush, I like to make more elaborate breakfasts for the family. Pancakes, crepes, French toast, omelets ... they're all crowd pleasers. One of my favorites though is fried eggs with tomatoes. It's a common dish in Greece (and we'll eat it any time of day, not just in the a.m.) and one that varies a bit cook to cook. Some like their eggs scrambled, some fried, some like to grate their tomato and some like to just chop it instead.

Personally, I'm a fan of the version I've posted below: coarsely chopped tomatoes, a little roasted red pepper and a runny egg yolk oozing over top ... serve with a slice of fresh bread and a slab of Feta and you're good to go.

Auga me Ntomata--Eggs with Tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 small tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 roasted red pepper

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Eggs (I use three to four eggs with this amount of ingredients)

Heat olive oil in a medium-large skillet and stir in the tomatoes and red pepper. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook the mixture, until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 10 minutes).

Carefully break your eggs over the tomato-pepper mixture. Season the egg yolks with a little salt and pepper then spoon some of the remaining liquid in the skillet over your eggs to more evenly cook them (should take about 5 minutes). Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with bread and Feta.

Keik me Fraoules kai Karydia--Strawberry Walnut Loaf

2009-05-26T13:44:00.010-04:00

Strawberry season is on and our local fruit and vegetable markets are brimming with containers of these ripe red berries. The kiddies can eat an entire quart in the blink of an eye so I barely ever get to set some aside for anything (or, ehem, anyone) else. But as strawberries now are ridiculously fresh and really inexpensive, I didn't hesitate to buy a few extra the other day.

I love quick fresh cakes that double as a breakfast option and a healthy snack. So it was a no-brainer that any extra strawberries on hand would make it into one such sweet treat. Moist, just sweet enough and loaded with fresh strawberries this Strawberry and Walnut Loaf is the perfect way to put your strawberries to good use.

As Happy Cook of My Kitchen Treasures is hosting the event Strawberry Feast, I am sending this her way.

Strawberry Walnut Loaf

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

Stir in half of the flour mixture, then all the yogurt and finally the remaining flour. Mix in the sliced strawberries and walnuts until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in center of oven for about 40 minutes, until golden or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack.

Note: To dress this simple treat up, drizzle a simple glaze over top or serve with freshly whipped cream.

Spetzofai se Kantaifi -- Sausage and Peppers over Kataifi

2009-05-22T13:38:00.006-04:00

Spetzofai (sausage and peppers) is a common enough dish but one I don't think I can easily get tired of. It's definitely a rustic dish and one a little less visually appealing than a food blogger might like, but when done right it can be unbelievably flavorful.

I came across this recipe on the Greek Web site Kathimerini and thought it was a great twist to the traditional Spetzofai. Kataifi is typically used in Greek desserts but there are so many savory applications it can be used towards as well (see these Shrimp Wrapped in Kataifi). So, when some friends came by for an impromptu Friday night dinner a couple of weeks ago, I gave this Spetzofai over Kataifi a shot ... and made just a few minor changes along the way.

Since Easter, I feel like we've been on a meat-eating spree and being that summer is here (I can't believe it's already Memorial Day weekend in the United States) it's time to tighten the reins. As such, I used some turkey sausage in this dish and although a much leaner and lighter version, I wasn't disappointed with the results. Saute the sausage with tons of onions, vibrant peppers and juicy tomatoes; layer it on top of some Kataifi (shredded Greek phyllo); top with some cheese and bake until heated through. You really can't go wrong.

Spetzofai se Kantaifi -- Sausage and Peppers over Kataifi

(Adapted from a recipe on Kathimerini.gr)

Serves 6

1/2 pound Kataifi (thawed)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 pounds turkey sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large red peppers, sliced

2 large green peppers, sliced

2 medium/large tomatoes, diced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

6 ounces graviera (gruyere), cubed

Heat oil in a large skillet; add the sausage and the onions and saute until the sausage is browned. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the peppers and stir well. Pour in the diced tomatoes; cover the skillet and cook over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a baking dish and layer the bottom of the dish with kataifi (pulling the kataifi apart with your fingers as you go). Drizzle the kataifi with a little olive oil; top with the sausage mixture and add the cubed cheese on top. Bake until the kataifi is golden in color.

Fassolakia me Koukounaria kai Katsikisio Tyri--Green Bean, Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad

2009-05-15T17:40:00.005-04:00

For some strange reason it had been a really long time since we'd had green beans. I don't know why ... the kids adore them, my husband loves them and I enjoy them too. But for most of this winter whatever green beans made it to our local fruit and vegetable markets looked kind of drab and lifeless ... never making it into my shopping basket.

The other day though I came upon a fresh batch of slender green beans and I picked two bags right up. I was roasting some whole chicken legs again that day and I decided I wanted a light side dish to accompany them, so I came up with this no-fuss green bean salad. In hindsight, I would have liked to have seen some shallots make it into this dish in place of the garlic. But this simple saute was still packed with flavor as the nutty pine nuts and mellow goat cheese gave these tender green beans tons of character.

I often have a few spectators waiting around to taste a dish while I'm trying to snap a picture of it. As you can see here, this little guy took the plate right out from under me just as I was wrapping up these pics! It's safe to say this green bean salad is a very kid-friendly dish ...just look at that happy smile!

Warm Green Bean, Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad

Makes 4 servings

1 lb. green beans, trimmed

1/3 to 1/2 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the pine nuts. Once the pine nuts look toasted and golden, add the garlic and stir for a few seconds longer. Add the green beans and give them a good stir. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat until the green beans are just tender but still bright green. Season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, add the splash of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese. This is great served slightly warm or even at room temperature.

Note: I tend to like to throw green beans in my skillet and saute them til tender, while most others like to blanch them in boiling water and then place them in ice water to stop the cooking process. So, the choice is yours ...

Ravani tis Mamas -- Mom's Ravani

2009-05-09T11:29:00.018-04:00

My mom's most sought after desserts by our family and friends are her Ravani and Baklava. My personal favorite, by far, has always been her Ravani. This moist semolina cake sweetened by just the right amount of cinnamon-scented syrup is sublime.

This Ravani was one of the first desserts I made for my husband and it quickly became one of his favorites as well. Some time ago, he even treated his co-workers to some and as such I bake a large pan every couple of months for him to bring to the office. This special Ravani makes an appearance at pretty much every one of our holiday tables, whether made by my mom or myself. It's a simple recipe that yields what I believe to be delicious results.

As tomorrow is Mother's Day I couldn't think of a better time to highlight my mom's Ravani and for this reason I am sending this to Ivy of Kopiaste as she is hosting a Celebrating Mother's Day event. I may be 31 but I still call my mom "Mommy." Always have, always will. So ... Mommy, I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work and dedication to us girls (there are four of us) and for being such an amazing Giagia to your very lucky grandchildren. We love you ...

Ravani tis Mamas--Mom's Ravani
Makes a 13x9-inch Pan

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

6 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup simigdali psilo (fine semolina)

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

For the Syrup:

3 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon honey (preferably thyme)

2 cinnamon sticks

A couple drops of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease your pan and set aside. Combine the flour, semolina and baking powder in a small bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and begin adding the flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.

Pour into pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes then lower oven to 350 degrees and bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

While the cake bakes, place all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer on low until the cake is ready.

Using a ladle, add some of the hot syrup to the hot cake a little at a time until done. Set aside, cool to room temperature and serve.

Trahanas me Ntomata kai Feta--Trahanas with Tomato and Feta

2009-05-06T18:43:00.014-04:00

The other day my husband came home with a package--well, a few packages. Our latest shipment of olive oil, which my father-in-law and mother-in-law send us straight from Agrinio every few months, was in and my hubby drove to Astoria to pick it all up from one of the many Greek shipping companies based there.

In the past, my in-laws have managed to send along a couple of large containers of olive oil as well as a small container of Kalamata olives or some Feta cheese preserved in salt water. With this shipment, however, we not only received our oil and olives but a fourth container filled to the brim with smaller vessels of my beloved thyme honey, homemade hilopites and lots of trahana. We thoroughly appreciate my in-laws' generosity and their willingness to send a little bit of Greece to us every chance they get.

And now onto what all these goodies will become ...

So the heat wave we enjoyed just over a week ago has now subsided and given way to some wet and dreary weather. But I'm not complaining; it is Spring after all ... and all these showers bring all our beautiful flowers. Not to mention that this rainy weather is accompanied perfectly by a good bowl of Trahanosoupa (soup made with trahanas) ... and there's nothing like curling up with a warm bowl of soup while the rain pitter patters across every window around the house.

Trahanosoupa is a simple soup made with sour trahana (which you can read more on here) and either water, chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable broth. Some like to add in a bit of milk but I opt to add some chopped tomato and top it off with some crumbled Feta once done. If you haven't tried trahana yet, I urge you to soon. Beyond soup, trahana makes for a distinct side dish to meats and poultry, a versatile filling for vegetables and a great alternative to bread crumbs.

Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Trahanas me Ntomata kai Feta--Trahanas with Tomato and Feta

1 cup sour trahana

3 cups water

2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 small to medium tomato, diced

6 ounces Feta, crumbled

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Finely chopped parsley (to garnish)

In a saucepan combine the trahana, water, broth and tomato and bring to a boil. Stir well, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes stirring often.

Season with salt and pepper and ladle into serving bowls. Top with crumbled Feta and chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Kotopoulo me Kappari kai Pilafi me Fide -- Chicken Roasted with Capers and Rice-Fide Pilaf

2009-04-30T10:06:00.015-04:00

I have a strange affinity for capers. I love their briney, tart taste and when cooking with them I often leave a handful out to just nibble on while dinner simmers. My husband, on the other hand, is not at all keen on these little green buds, so he pushes them to the side whenever he sees them in his dish.

I'm pretty sure most people have seen or eaten capers before, but just in case you were curious to know: Capers are the unripened flower buds of Capparis Spinosa, a perennial plant that is native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia. Once harvested, the buds are dried in the sun, then pickled in vinegar, brine or salt. According to sources, the caper was used in Ancient Greece as a carminative. Etymologically, the caper and different versions of the word in several European languages can be traced back to the Latin capparis, still some say that that term is in turn borrowed from the Greek κάππαρις. Another theory I read of, links κάππαρις/kápparis to the name of the island of Cyprus (Κύπρος, Kýpros), where capers grow abundantly.

Capers pair well with fish and chicken but I've also used them in a great parsley sauce over a simply roasted cut of beef ... and the results were divine. But I'll save that dish for a later date.

Today, I'm focusing on this chicken dish. I simply took some whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick attached), dressed them with a lime and caper marinade, then roasted them to perfection. On the side I served a pilaf of rice and Greek Fide (nests of thin pasta--i.e. vermicelli) that I infused with lime.

Kotopoulo Me Kappari --
Chicken Roasted with Capers

4 whole chicken legs, skin on
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons capers
2 garlic cloves, minced
Hefty pinch of dried Greek oregano
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place in a roasting pan.

Whisk together the lime juice, capers, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and then slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Once well combined, pour over the chicken legs and allow the chicken to sit in the marinade for about half hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spoon the sauce over the chicken; add a little water to the roasting pan if necessary; and place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden.

Serve sprinkled with parsley alongside the Rice-Fide Pilaf with some extra sauce from the pan poured on top.

Lime-Infused Rice & Fide Pilaf

In a medium saucepan, heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium heat. Add a handful of Fide (breaking it up with your fingers as you add it to the pan). Saute the Fide until golden and nutty; quickly toss in about 1 1/2 cups rice and give it a good stir. Add about 3 cups of water, plenty of salt and some freshly ground pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Before covering, add a lime half (which you've already squeezed for your chicken marinade); cover the saucepan; reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and after a couple of minutes stir the pilaf and serve.

Pasxa/Easter 2009

2009-04-21T10:02:00.015-04:00

Christos Anesti!

Easter is my favorite holiday of all. From the start of Lent on Clean Monday to Easter Sunday, the days are rich with meaning and purpose. And each year, I can't help but feel a distinct sense of renewal as we partake in all the religious traditions, the cultural celebrations and the family gatherings associated with this beautiful holiday.

Holy Week symbolizes an important week of religious observances and preparations for the holiday; there are church services held twice daily and on some days morning, afternoon and evening. In our family, we attend church on Palm Sunday and then enjoy the traditional bakaliaro and skordalia at my parents' home. On Holy Wednesday we attend church for The Sacrament of Holy Unction. On Holy Thursday we dye our eggs the traditional shade of red symbolizing the blood of Christ and then attend church that night to hear the 12 Gospel readings and to venerate the crucifix. The afternoon of Good Friday, a day of strict fasting, we attend The Vespers services where the body of Christ is taken down from the cross, shrouded, then carried around the church and placed on the Epitaphio adorned with beautiful flowers and foliage. That evening we follow--along with hundreds of parishioners--the Epitaphio in a procession of mourning around the neighborhood of our church. Finally on Great Saturday we again attend church early in the morning to receive communion and that night (just before midnight) we all gather in the church's courtyard, the children with their decorated Lambades (Easter candles) and the adults with simple wax candles, and await to hear our priest begin singing the Hymn of Resurrection, Christos Anesti (Christ has Risen), as the clock strikes twelve and the holy light makes its way through the congregation as candle after candle is lit. From there we go home to break the fast and enjoy a feast of Patsa (tripe soup), fried liver and sweetbreads, cheeses, salad, etc. before going to bed and awakening renewed and refreshed to celebrate Easter Sunday.

The preparation of our lamb begins on Great Saturday. For many, many generations we have followed the traditional way of making lamb on this special occasion. This rich lamb dish is known as Mouri on the island of Kalymnos and it is something I began making a few years ago after I was first married, following in the footsteps of my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before them. Mouri consists of a whole lamb stuffed with a mixture of rice, ground meat, chopped lamb liver, tomato, pine nuts, onion and plenty of cinnamon. Traditionally, the stuffed lamb is placed in an outdoor oven and sealed to cook slowly beginning early Great Saturday, through the night and onto the early morning of Easter. It is then unsealed to reveal fragrant, utterly moist lamb meat accompanied by a flavorful stuffing infused with all the flavors of the lamb itself as well. This is a rustic dish with no pretentions, just wonderful flavors that bring on a flood of emotions and memories with every bite as it has been made with such care and love for so long.

We improvise, of course, as we don't have an outdoor brick oven (yet!) and we cook our lamb in our regular oven within an enormous roasting pan sealed well with aluminum foil. The aroma of the lamb slowly cooking from Great Saturday is indescribable. You can view a short video of a lamb being stuffed on Kalymnos here.

As it was my husband's name day, we hosted Easter here at home. It turned out to be a nice Spring day here in New York and we got to enjoy some Kokoretsi (seasoned lamb or goat sweetbreads, heart, liver and/or kidney skewered, wrapped in the animal's small intestine and roasted), a simple Bacon and Onion Tart, some Herbed Goat Cheese atop Greek Rusks, an Olive and Caper Tapenade, Anchovies and Fresh Baked Bread in our backyard while the children played on the lawn.

We moved inside to enjoy the Mouri accompanied by Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms tossed in butter and parsley and an amazing Lettuce, Fennel, Parsley and Dill Salad with a Honey Vinaigrette inspired from a recipe on the Greek web site, Kathimerini.

Bacon and Onion Tart (see the recipe here)

Herbed Goat Cheese on Greek Rusks

Kokoretsi

Chicken Kabobs (for the [very] few non-lamb eaters)

Mouri (stuffed lamb)

This is a great video highlighting some of the rituals and traditions of Easter practiced on the island of Kalymnos (basically throughout Greece and by all Greeks across the globe):

Pasxa sthn Kalymno

Kali Anastasi

2009-04-18T15:15:00.002-04:00

Kali Anastasi kai Kalo Pascha!

Happy Easter -- health, love and happiness to all!

Savvato tou Lazarou--Saturday of Lazarus

2009-04-11T10:10:00.002-04:00

My fondest and most vibrant childhood memories are almost always centered around my family's Easter preparations and celebrations. So many emotions come flooding back with a mere glimpse of all the women in the family gathered around the kitchen table making koulourakia on Holy Monday; with all the children coloring eggs in vibrant primary colors as used in Greece early on Holy Thursday; with the entire family getting ready to walk over to our church on Good Friday to follow the procession of the "Epitaphio"; with the men carrying in the baby lamb on Great and Holy Saturday; with the aroma--oh that aroma!--of the lamb roasting away in the oven from late afternoon on Great Saturday through to Easter Sunday; and with the entire family standing outside the church courtyard Saturday night until midnight, the flame from the church altar making its way down to all the faithful gripping their lambades/candles and singing the Easter hymn, "Christos Anesti."

These are among my most sacred memories and just a few of the highlights of our preparations for Pascha ... I hope to describe more of our traditions and customs throughout the coming week. For today, however, I would like to share the tradition of Lazarakia, Lenten breads flavored with cinnamon and cloves.

On the Saturday before Holy Week, the Orthodox Church observes a feast commemorating the miracle performed by Christ in raising Lazarus from the dead. As such, families partake in a tradition of kneading and baking Lenten breads shaped into small men symbolizing Lazarus. I can still clearly recall sitting as a young girl near my Giagia as she kneaded and punched the cinnamon-scented dough and then rolled it out into little Lazarakia. She would slice the dough in the middle towards the bottom to create two legs; then slice on either side of the torso to create two arms which she'd wrap towards the front and secure with a clove; lastly she'd roll out a ball to form the head, roll out a thin rope to wrap around the head as a headdress and place two cloves as Lazarus' eyes. She'd then cover the baking sheets with clean blankets and let the breads rise before baking.

I made our Lazarakia this morning with my daughter and son beside me--my daughter rolling out her own dough and my son handing me the cloves as needed. Memories of my Giagia filled my head and I'm sure she was looking down on us with a smile just then.

Hronia Polla kai Kali Anastasi!

Sikoti me Kremmydia kai Hilopites--Calf's Liver with Caramelized Onions over Egg Pasta

2009-04-07T20:44:00.011-04:00

Want a meal packed with flavor and vitamins that's ready in mere minutes? I sure do and that's why I turned to this dish the other night when trying to put together a healthy meal for my husband and children while simultaneously working on two cake orders.

To be honest, growing up I only enjoyed liver on Holy Saturday, when we'd break the fast held throughout Lent with a meal including fried sweetbreads, fried liver and patsa (tripe soup). As an adult, I still enjoy it on this sacred holiday but also like to include liver in my diet, and my family's for that matter, on other occasions as well.

This dish is a great way to do that and I urge you to try it. The caramelized onions lend a wonderful dimension of flavor to the liver and the wine takes the sauce to another level altogether. I served this over hilopites, a Greek egg pasta, but you can easily serve it over rice or mashed potatoes.

Sikoti me Kremmydia Kai Hilopites--Calf's Liver and Caramelized Onions over Egg Pasta

Makes 4 servings

1 1/4 pound piece calf's liver, rinsed and sliced into strips
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sherry or marsala

1/2 pound Hilopites, cooked, drained and tossed with butter

Heat oil in a large skillet, add onions and season with salt. Stir and cook over high heat until softened. Cover skillet, turn heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile season the liver slices with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add liver to the skillet and saute until browned on both sides. Remove liver and onions to a bowl and keep warm. Set the skillet over high heat and deglaze with the wine. Serve the liver and onions over the hilopites with some sauce spooned on top.

Ouzo Mezedes, Part II

2009-04-02T14:44:00.021-04:00

Anise-flavored ouzo pairs well with seafood, so it was a given that octopus, shrimp, mussels and some small fish would have to make up the menu for our Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Greek Ouzo Tasting ... in New York. There were also some chicken kabobs, sauteed potatoes, manitaropita (mushroom pie) and much more for guests to munch on as they sipped their ouzo. So here's the last installment (finally!) of Ouzo Mezedes we served:

Garides se Kantaifi me Pikantiki Magioneza--Shrimp Wrapped in Kataifi with Spicy Remoulade

(Shrimp in Kataifi adapted from a recipe in Gastronomos)

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 teaspoons ouzo
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 lbs. jumbo peeled shrimp, with their tails on
1/2 pound kataifi, thawed
Olive oil for frying

Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl; add shrimp and marinate for about 15 minutes.

Heat about an inch of olive oil in a dutch oven. Take a few strands of kataifi and begin wrapping the shrimp, leaving the tails unwrapped and tightening the kataifi as much as possible around the shrimp. Add immediately to the hot oil and fry until the kataifi is golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with the remoulade.

For the remoulade, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped capers, 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 3 finely chopped anchovies, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, salt, pepper and a dash of Tabasco. Stir well and adjust seasonings. Serve with shrimp wrapped in kataifi or any other seafood dish.

Kotopoulo me Piperies kai Kremmydakia--Chicken Kabobs

Whole chicken breasts, about 4
1 large green pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 large red pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 pound pearl onions, peeled and left whole
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Wooden skewers

Remove skin from the chicken and slice breast off the bone. Cut into large chunks (1 to 1 1/2 inches) and place in a large bowl or dish. Stir in the pepper chunks, the pear onions, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss to coat the chicken well; cover and marinate overnight.

Turn broiler on low. Thread chicken onto skewers; beginning with a piece of chicken, then adding some pepper, chicken, onion/pepper and finally chicken (or as much as your skewers can hold). Line the skewers on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for just less than five minutes per side, until the chicken and veggies get a nice color. Place on a heated platter, squeeze more lemon juice over, garnish with lemon slices and serve hot.

Sardela me Ntomata kai Kapari--Sardines with Tomato and Capers

1/3 cup olive oil
2 to 2.5 pounds whole sardines, cleaned
2 large tomatoes, finely diced or 1 cup canned
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon capers
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

In a large oven-proof skillet heat the oil and stir in the capers. Once heated through, add half the garlic and saute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and half the parsley, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place sardines into the skillet ad spoon some sauce over. Sprinkle with the remaining garlic, parsley and finally the breadcrumbs. Place the skillet in the oven for about 25 minutes or so.

Midia Saganaki--Mussels Saganaki

3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1 cup dry red wine
1 26.5 ounce box chopped tomatoes
Handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat and add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Saute until softened and stir in the oregano. Add the wine and boil for about a minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil season with salt and pepper, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the mussels to the pot, cover and turn the heat a little higher. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Just before serving, stir in the feta cheese and parsley. Adjust the seasonings and serve warm.

Patates me Paprika kai Elies--Potatoes with Paprika and Kalamata Olives

1/3 cup olive oil
4 to 5 large potatoes, peeled, sliced into thick rounds and seasoned with salt and pepper
2 medium onions, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
Paprika, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup Kalamata olive, pitted and halved
Small bunch parsley, finely chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet and saute potatoes until golden. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a minute or so, shaking the skillet occasionally instead of stirring (as you'll break apart the potatoes if you do). Add the paprika, salt, pepper and a little water to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until your potatoes are done. Toss in the olives and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and additional paprika before serving.

Manitaropita

1/3 cup olive oil
2 pounds mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ouzo
Small bunch parsley, chopped
1 cup crumbled Feta
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick of butter, melted
12 to 15 sheets of phyllo

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms until softened. Add the onion and the garlic and stir until fragrant. With the heat still on high, add the ouzo and allow to nearly evaporate. Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Stir in the parsley, feta and eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Brush a 13x9-inch baking dish with butter and begin layering 8 to 10 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter before adding the next. Add the filling to the baking dish and begin layering the remaining phyllo over top, brushing each sheet with butter as well. Fold the overlapping edges of the top and bottom phyllo sheets together to form a "crust." Brush top and crust with butter and bake int he oven until golden (45 minutes).

Ouzo Mezedes, Part I

2009-04-01T19:27:00.021-04:00

For my Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Greek Ouzo Tasting ... in New York, I wanted to "abide" by the traditional way of serving ouzo: alongside an array of mezedes to help ease down the strong aperitif. Htapodokeftedes (octopus croquettes) are a delicacy on the island of Kalymnos, from which my family hails. I've enjoyed htapodokeftedes on the island a number of times but never anywhere else. This was my first time making them at home, but definitely not my last ... these flavorful mezedes were much easier than they seem and a hit with our guests.

I also wanted to incorporate a version of a traditional Kalymnian salad called mirmizeli that combines bread rusks moistened with olive oil and tossed with fresh sliced tomato, crumbled goat cheese and thrimbi (similar to dried savory). As such, I made a more ouzo-friendly meze using crostini, tomato and goat cheese. There were also some savory olive oil biscotti sprinkled with black pepper and grated parmesan as well as a creamy taramosalata, great starters for a night of ouzo.

Kali Orexi ... and be sure to stay tuned for the next installment of recipes from our ouzo party!

Htapodokeftedes (Octopus Croquettes)

Makes about 25 to 30

3.5 to 4 lbs. octopus (I used about 7 smaller octopus), cleaned

3 scallions, 1 scallion left whole and 2 finely chopped

2 sprigs tarragon

Small bunch parsley, 2 sprigs left whole, the rest finely chopped

10 to 12 whole black peppercorns

1 loaf of stale bread, crusts removed

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
2 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Bread crumbs as needed
1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
Olive oil for frying

Place the cleaned octopus in a stock pot, cover with water, add the tarragon, 1 scallion, a couple sprigs of parsley and the peppercorns. If using smaller octopus they should turn out much more tender than a larger octopus, however, add a cork to the stockpot as well for good measure. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove octopus from the pot and cool slightly.

Coarsely chop the octopus and place in a food processor. Pulse until the octopus is finely chopped. Remove the octopus to a large bowl. Cut the stale bread into large chunks, moisten with some water and squeeze with your hands to remove any excess liquid. Add it to the octopus along with the onions, garlic, remaining parsley, scallions, oregano and eggs. Mix well. Add some breadcrumbs until the mixture becomes firm enough to later be rolled into balls. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to four.

Heat about an inch of olive oil in a dutch oven until quite hot. Shape the octopus mixture into bite-size balls and roll lightly in the flour. Fry the octopus croquettes a few at a time, turning once, until evenly browned (a few minutes is all they need). Serve warm with wedges of lemon.

Taramosalata (Carp Roe Dip)

2 large potatoes, peeled and boiled

1 small onion, halved

3 heaping tablespoons carp roe

Juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil

Combine the potatoes, onion, carp roe and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed. With the motor running, begin adding the olive oil until desired consistency is achieved.

Olive Oil and Parmesan Biscotti

(Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com)

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, ground
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1/3 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 3/4 cup cheese and a little over half the black pepper in a large bowl. Blend in oil and butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the eggs, add the milk and continue stirring until a soft dough forms.

Halve the dough and using well-floured hands, form each piece into a log (about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide) and place on un-greased cookie sheets.

Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the ground pepper. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until the logs are pale golden and firm, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Carefully transfer logs to a cutting board and with a serrated knife cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on baking sheets. Bake, turning over once, until golden and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes total. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Crostini with Tomato and Goat Cheese

4 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
Small log goat cheese, cut into 16 slices
16 crostini or wheat rusks

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Drizzle the crostini with a little olive oil. Top the crostini with the sliced goat cheese and then layer with the tomato slices. Drizzle a little more olive oil over each tomato-topped crostini and season with salt and pepper.

Ouzo, the Spirit of Greece

2009-03-29T22:28:00.033-04:00

I guess you can say that ouzo is the national drink of Greece. This strong and fragrant aperitif embodies everything that is Greece: the spirit, the care-free attitude, the zest for life. And to understand just how important ouzo is to many Greeks, just take a closer look at the painting above (actually hanging in a taverna on the Greek island of Lesvos) where a bottle of Ouzo Mini is providing sustenance to a man via an I.V.!

The History of Ouzo

The name ouzo dates back to the late 19th century but its origin is ambiguous. Many do claim, however, that ouzo in one form or another dates back to antiquity. Its predecessor is known as raki, a spirit distilled throughout the Byzantine and later Ottoman Empires.

The mass production of ouzo began in Greece around the mid 1850s and flourished near the end of the 19th century, especially in the Plomari settlement of the island of Lesvos. In 1932, ouzo producers began using copper stills for distillation, a process now considered the proper method of ouzo production.

Ouzo Today

Ouzo starts as a strong spirit made from pressed grapes or raisins. Other herbs and berries are often added at the fermentation stage. The distinctive aroma of ouzo comes from the addition of aniseseed, but other ingredients (varying from producer to producer) are also used, including: coriander, cloves, angelica root, liquorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, hazelnut, cinnamon and lime blossom. The alcohol and flavorings are placed in warmed copper stills and distilled; higher-quality ouzos are often distilled several times. The resulting spirit is stored for a few months and then diluted to achieve an average of 40% Alc. Vol.

Ouzo today is drunk in tall slim glasses either straight, on the rocks or diluted with a little cold water. It's savored with small, slow sips and an array of mezedes from refreshing sliced cucumber and tomato, olives and bread to anything from meatballs, fried fish, broiled seafood, or deep-fried vegetables. When combined with ice or water, you'll notice that crystal clear ouzo becomes cloudy and opaque; that's because the anise oil in ouzo remains soluble when the ouzo is within a range of 38%-42% Alc. Vol. and as soon as the alcohol content is reduced by adding water or ice, the essential oils transform into white crystals creating that characteristic cloudy color.

Under European Union Law (1576/1989), ouzo has been accepted and established as a Greek product, granting Greece the right to solely produce the aperitif. Most Greeks take their ouzo quite seriously ... for them drinking ouzo is revered as a form of art.

So let's take a look at the types of Ouzo we provided at our Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 event:

Barbayannis

Ouzo Barbayanni BLUE utilizes the traditional method of ouzo production, according to the family recipe brought by Efstathios Varvayiannis from Russia in 1860, allowing for 100% distillation. This ouzo includes a pure essence of aniseed and sweet-smelling herbs, with probably the highest alcohol content of any ouzo, 46% Alc. by Vol. all complemented by the distinctive water of Plomari, a settlement on the island of Lesvos. The renowned Ouzo Barbayanni BLUE has a pleasant aroma, a pure and transparent color and a delicate flavor. It was actually the crowd favorite among the five brands we set out.

Ouzo Plomari

Ouzo Plomari was created in 1894 by Isidoros Arvanitis. One of only a few brands of ouzo packaged with a cork, Ouzo Plomari by Isidoros Arvanitis is among the most popular brands in Greece today. At 42% Alc. by Vol. it's fragrant licorice flavor provides for a pleasant balance of taste. The ingredients used in the Ouzo Plomari secret recipe are soft water from the springs of the river Sedountas, aniseed from the village of Lisvori, fennel from the north of Evia island, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg and extracts of mastic gum.

Ouzo Tirnavou
Ouzo Tirnavou was created in 1856 by Nikos Katsarou, and according to the company, is the first Ouzo ever created. It's said that in 1850 the Katsarou family came into possession of a still (quite common in Tirnavos at the time) as part of their dowry and started experimenting with the distillation process of Tsipouro. By adding a variety of aromatics, however, the family sucessfully produced a brand new product: Ouzo. The Tirnavou brand of ouzo has an alcohol content of 40% Alc. by Vol.

Ouzo 12

Ouzo 12 dates back to 1880 when the Kalogiannis brothers began producing their version of the anise flavored aperitif in Constantinople. For 125 years now, seeds and botanicals from the East come together using the original secret recipe of this ouzo's founders to create a flavorful and aromatic drink with an alcohol content of 38% Alc. by Vol.

Ouzo No. 7 (Chios)

The light licorice flavor and soft aroma of this ouzo produced by the Tetteris Distillery on the island of Chios, is quite a good choice for one looking for an ouzo not as strong as many others. Local aniseseeds and mastic are combined to produce this aperitif which is said to have been first created back in 1846 when the company's founder, Stylianos Tetteris, began distilling spirits for family and friends. In 1912, Ioannis Tetteris, following in his father's footsteps, established a distillery, which has continued producing ouzo on Chios uninterrupted since then. Ouzo No. 7 boasts an alcohol content of 39% Alc. by Vol.

Ouzo Cocktails ... Stin Ygeia Mas!

In addition to sipping ouzo straight or with ice, guests who attended our Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Greek Ouzo Tasting ... in New York enjoyed cocktails featuring ouzo as well. My lovely sister played the role of bartender and offered up these refreshing drinks:

Jellybean (Ouzo and lemonade over--you guessed it--candy jellybeans)

Eight Iron (Ouzo, Banana Liqueur and Blue Curacao over ice)

Be sure to come back tomorrow when recipes for all those yummy mezedes served with all this ouzo will finally be posted!

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Greek Ouzo Tasting ... in New York

2009-03-29T12:36:00.027-04:00

Spring just sneaked in while winter is making a reluctant exit and yet I am already thinking about summer and our trip to Greece. And what says summer in Greece better than a refreshing glass of ouzo? Actually, I wouldn’t know … as Greek as I have been raised to be, as often as I have visited Greece, I'd never just sat and sipped on a glass of ouzo with a spread of mouthwatering mezedes surrounding me. Go figure ...

So when the call for entries for the March Foodbuzz 24,24,24 event was made, I jumped at the chance to submit an idea for an ouzo tasting. I was ready for a taste of ouzo, for a taste of summer, for a taste of friends enjoying a refreshing drink all the while discussing anything, everything or nothing in particular; just enjoying each others’ company. I know, I know; it’s March in New York … clearly not July or August on a sun-drenched island in Greece. But trust me: good friends, great food and ouzo make for an ideal party no matter where you are.

So, pull up a chair, close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting in a seaside taverna bathed in the light of summer’s sun, surrounded by crystal-blue waters, enjoying a glass of crisp ouzo. Can you smell the salty sea? Can you hear the waves breaking onto the beach? Now pick up a fork and enjoy a taste of Greece (be it from New York) … some traditional Greek mezedes (and a few contemporary ones at that) to help ease down that fiery ouzo.

The Menu:

Ouzo On the Rocks

Eight Iron (Ouzo Cocktail with Banana Liqueur and Blue Curacao)
Olive Oil Biscotti/Crostini Topped with Goat Cheese and Tomato/ Taramosalata/Kalamata Olives in Balsamic Vinegar
Ouzo Marinated Shrimp Wrapped in Kataifi with a Spicy Remoulade

Potatoes Sauteed with Onions, Garlic, Paprika and Kalamata Olives

Mussels Saganaki
Manitaropita (Mushroom Pie)

Sardines with Tomato and Capers

Htapodokeftedes (Octopus Croquettes)
Chicken Kabobs

Ouzo-Soaked Berries

P.S. There was a beautiful fennel, walnut and pear salad made by my sister, roasted beets with crumbled goat cheese and a cider vinegar dressing and for dessert a yummy rice pudding made by my cousin who actually stenciled the Ouzo 12 logo in cinnamon on top! Unfortunately, we failed to take photos of any of those dishes--although some may surface as friends and family start uploading whatever shots they snapped that night. Oh, and stay tuned for some Ouzo trivia, what we found to be our favorites brands of ouzo, recipes for all the mezedes above, photos and more ...

Ginger Goodies from The Ginger People

2009-03-26T20:23:00.007-04:00

So, back in February, Valentine's Weekend to be exact, Jenn over at The Leftover Queen ran a giveaway dubbed the "Hearts of Fire" sponsored by The Ginger People and ... drumroll please ... I WON! The giveaway entailed submitting an idea for a Valentine's Day dessert incorporating the company's Ginger Sweeties. My entry was randomly drawn and a couple of weeks ago, I received this basket chockful of ginger goodies.

The sweet prize contained three large boxes of the company's Ginger Chews in three flavors (Spicy Apple, Hot Coffee and Peanut), three small boxes of Ginger Chews in the Original Ginger flavor, two boxes of Gin Gins hard candy and a jar of some heart-shaped Ginger Sweeties. So far, I've tried a couple of the Ginger Chews all of which have this surprisingly peppery burst of ginger that give these sweet treats a real bite.

The Marina, Calif.-based company is passionate about all things ginger and boasts state-of-the-art ginger factories in California and Australia. According to The Ginger People, the company is the world's only producer of closed-kettle artisan style crystallized ginger and it prides itself on being the most innovative, quality-oriented and environmentally conscious ginger producer in the world.

To show my appreciation to The Ginger People for sending me this lovely basket, I decided to bake something using none other than that pretty little jar of Ginger Sweeties. And what better place to get some inspiration for a ginger recipe than The Ginger People's very own web site? The site features a Cook's Corner with a collection of some sweet and savory recipes incorporating ginger and more specifically some of The Ginger People's products. I decided on some Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies using some chopped Ginger Sweeties and the result was a great variation on the traditional chocolate chip cookie.

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from http://www.gingerpeople.com/)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 Ginger Sweeties, finely chopped
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until well blended. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in the chopped Ginger Sweeties and add the chocolate chips.

Heap teaspoonsfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing each 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until light brown. Remove from the oven and cool on cookie sheets for a couple of minutes. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

Synagrida me Estragon sto Fourno -- Red Snapper Baked with Tarragon

2009-03-23T12:15:00.018-04:00

Synagrida (Greek for red snapper) is my favorite fish. I love its tender meat and its versatility as it can easily be grilled, baked or broiled whole and paired with virtually any sauce or flavoring.

Simply grilled and then dressed with ladolemono (olive oil-lemon sauce) is probably my favorite way to enjoy this red-fleshed fish when eating at a taverna, but at home I like to prepare it either plaki or baked then broiled with different herbs, lemon juice and olive oil surrounded by thinly-sliced potatoes for a tasty and healthy one-pan meal.

Having bought some fresh tarragon from the market the other day, I was curious to see how the herb would pair with our fresh snapper (usually dried Greek oregano is the star of the show). The verdict: the aroma of the fish baking away enveloped in foil, with fresh tarragon tucked in its cavity and lemon slices layered atop its red flesh, was--how should I put it--intoxicating.

Oh, and when my two year old son saw me setting the platter out to snap a couple of shots he began running laps (victory laps perhaps?) around the table emphatically declaring, "Mmmm, good Mama!" Not to mention that he and his sister asked for seconds and my husband, well, he was licking his fingers ... literally.

(I served the fish with some asparagus, which I simply roasted drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper in the oven until tender.)

Synagrida me Estragon sto Fourno --

Baked Red Snapper with Tarragon

1 whole red snapper (about 2.5 lbs.), cleaned

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, halved; one lemon half left in tact and the other sliced thin

4 sprigs fresh tarragon

Couple pinches of dried Greek oregano

1/3 cup olive oil

3 potatoes, scrubbed and peeled then sliced into fairly thin rounds

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with plenty of foil, allowing the foil to overhang the baking sheet so that it may be sealed over the fish later. Pour about two tablespoons of oil in the center and sprinkle with some salt, pepper, 1/4 of the garlic and a bit of the oregano.

Place fish in the center of foil atop the seasoned olive oil. Season the cavity of the fish with 3/4 of the remaining garlic, juice from the lemon half, salt, pepper and a pinch of the oregano then place two of the tarragon sprigs inside and sprinkle with a little olive oil as well.

Drizzle remaining olive oil over the outside of the fish. Season with the remaining garlic, oregano, salt and pepper then top with the lemon slices and the two sprigs of tarragon. Arrange potato slices around the fish and sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper and oregano. Spoon some of the olive oil in the baking sheet over the potatoes then fold edges of foil over fish and seal.

Bake for about 30 minutes then open the foil, remove the lemon slices and tarragon from atop the fish and place the baking sheet under the broiler until the potatoes and fish get some slight color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Kalamarakia Gemista--Stuffed Squid

2009-03-20T08:10:00.001-04:00

This was a fairly simple and flavorful dish that the whole family loved. Inspiration for it came from a recipe by Bobby Flay which was even simpler than this. Wanting to jazz things up just a tad, I tweaked some of the ingredients to add a bit more depth of flavor.

I purchased whole squid and cleaned it myself so that we'd have plenty of tentacles as my daughter (she's four mind you) loves them. Half the tentacles went into the rice and the others cooked alongside the stuffed squid. I added some red wine to the rice mixture as it cooked and then poured some more over the stuffed squid just before baking it uncovered until tender, a mere 20 minutes or so ... and voila!

The only thing I regret is not asking for the squid's ink from my fish monger as I believe that with that ingredient the flavor of the dish would be taken to another level.

Kalamarakia Gemista

Makes 6 servings

2 to 2 1/2 pounds squid, cleaned well, tentacles removed and set aside

1/2 cup olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups rice

1 cup red wine

2 tomatoes, chopped

Small bunch parsley, chopped

Pinch of dried Greek oregano

2 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in 1/3 cup water

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Chop half the tentacles, set aside and reserve the remaining tentacles intact with the whole squid pieces. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a medium saucepan and cook onion until soft. Add the garlic, chopped tentacles and rice and cook one minute more. Add 1/2 cup red wine and boil for a minute or so. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and water and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan; reduce the heat to low and cook about 15 minutes or so.

Remove the rice from the heat and allow to cool. Oil a baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Begin stuffing the squid with the rice mixture, stacking each body in the baking dish as you go. Layer any remaining rice in the baking dish and nestle the squid amongst the rice. Add the remaining tentacles (which have been left intact) and pour the diluted tomato paste, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup red wine over. Season well with salt and pepper and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the squid is tender.

Blackberry and Mascarpone Buttercream Filled Cake

2009-03-16T18:34:00.012-04:00

Let me begin by saying I've cooked for 50-plus people a number of times; I've baked every one of my daughter's and son's birthday cakes for the past four years (6 cakes total and probably hundreds of cupcakes); I've made a cake and numerous cupcakes for the birthdays of my niece and a few of our friends' children; but I was never so nervous about any of those tasks as I was about this three-tiered cake I made for a friend's bridal shower this past Sunday.

With 53 eggs, 34 sticks of butter and I don't even know how much sugar, this cake was quite a feat. I just wish I would have approached it a bit calmer ... I was so anxious for it to turn out well it was insane. But I'm happy to say, it was ultimately enjoyed by all and I'm glad I got to contribute to someone's special day in this small way.

Inside each tier were four layers of buttercake with sherry-soaked blackberries and creamy mascarpone buttercream frosting sandwiched between. The buttercake though substantial enough to hold the weight of all the tiers and decorations, remained moist (I also brushed each buttercake layer with a simple sugar syrup to be sure of that). And the sherry-soaked blackberries went really well with the mascarpone buttercream (for which I followed my usual recipe for frosting, but just added the mascarpone twist).

The cake was covered in fondant (which I made with marshmallows; a surprisingly simple recipe that tastes so, so, so much better than the store-bought fondant) and decorated with fondant ribbons and gumpaste bows and flowers.

I, of course, keep focusing on the imperfections but am trying hard to remind myself that this is a cake ... meant to be eaten and thoroughly enjoyed, not placed in an art museum!

Pita me Spanaki kai Anitho--Spinach and Dill Pie

2009-03-12T14:38:00.007-04:00

I'm in the midst of a big baking project--let's just say it's a multi-tiered cake that will feed 100--but I wanted to quickly share this recipe with you before I completely drown in gum paste, fondant icing and buttercream frosting.

In the mood to bake a pita (savory pie) the other day, I put together this lighter version of spanakopita or spinach pie. Usually, a spanakopita includes lots of Feta (or any somewhat soft cheese similar to it) but as I was fresh out of Feta and I in no way intended to leave the house again to shop for any, I decided to work with what I did have on hand.

And that's how this pita came to be--nothing immensely innovative, just a tasty and healthy pie that everyone young and old (at least in this household) can enjoy. Packed with spinach and fresh dill, a little parsley and a sprinkling of grated Pecorino Romano, this pie makes for a refreshingly light lunch along with a small salad and some tart olives.

Oh, and I am not going to lie: I used frozen phyllo dough. I have yet to attempt to roll out my own. I did say I was in the middle of a huge baking project, right? Excuses, excuses ...

Pita me Spanaki kai Anitho--Spinach and Dill Pie

Makes a 13x9-inch pie

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
1 bunch dill, chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
20 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained of some liquid or 2 to 3 bunches fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
3 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
16 sheets of phyllo dough

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion and scallions until just soft. Stir in the dill, parsley and spinach and heat through; remove from heat.

Oil a 13x9-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add the grated cheese to the spinach and dill mixture; then add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.

Begin layering 10 sheets of phyllo along the bottom of the dish, using the remaining olive oil to brush each sheet generously with oil. Spoon the filling evenly over the bottom phyllo layers and then begin layering the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo over top, brushing each sheet with oil. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom sheets together.

Bake the pie until the phyllo is golden , about 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Garides me Ntomata kai Leuko Krasi / Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes and White Wine

2009-03-06T15:23:00.013-05:00

The typical Greek diet during the days of Lent includes an array of legumes, grains and pastas but the highlight for me is the multitude of seafood dishes from shrimp, to calamari, to octopus, lobster, crabs, mussels, clams or scallops.

I love seafood and yet as of late it's been frequenting our dinner table less and less. The kids really enjoy fresh fish such as red snapper, sole or porgies much better so all other seafood and shellfish have naturally been put on the back burner (no pun intended). With the start of Lent, however, I got to make this scrumptious shrimp dish that everyone--young and old--thoroughly enjoyed.

I tossed some cherry tomatoes in a light white wine sauce along with onion, scallions, garlic, dill and parsley and served the shrimp with some rice but a small-shaped pasta would work equally well. Try crumbling some Feta and sprinkling over top just before serving for an added depth of flavor (I omitted the Feta in my own as it was a Lenten dish).

Garides me Ntomata kai Leuko Krasi /
Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes and White Wine

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 scallions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Hefty pinch of dried Greek oregano
1 pound of large shrimp, de-veined but not peeled
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until soft. Stir in the scallions, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook a couple minutes more. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the shrimp to the skillet, cover and cook until just pink (literally less than five minutes). Sprinkle with the dill and parsley and serve over rice or pasta.

Eliopsomo me Anitho kai Melitzanosalata me Karydia / Olive Bread with Dill and Eggplant Dip with Walnuts

2009-03-03T19:43:00.011-05:00

For the last six weeks or so, I've been baking a fresh loaf of bread at least three times a week. How, you ask? Just keep reading ...

... After seeing my grandmother regularly bake loaf after loaf of bread when I was a child and remembering how long she would sit and knead the dough, let it rise, knead again, let rise again, etc., etc., I was certain bread-making was not for me. Then one day I read a post lauding this new book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Then I read another post doing the same; and then another and another and another. Every post boasted of a bread recipe that so simply and easily produces delectable fresh bread, I was left with no other choice than to try it for myself.

Written by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, has created a bread-making revolution and my husband would personally like to thank them for affording him the opportunity to enjoy fresh homemade bread on such a regular basis. Case in point: today's Eliopsomo me Anitho (Olive Bread with Dill), a loaf I made using Zoe and Jeff's Boule method with my own little twist. It turned out amazingly well and it literally took just a few minutes (five, to be exact!) of physical work to make.

There are an infinite number of things you can do with the book's master recipes, so get cracking: there's a ton of bread to be had.

P.S. I whipped up the version of Melitzanosalata (Eggplant Dip) you'll find below earlier today ... it was a great accompaniment to the warm and crusty slices of fresh olive bread.

Melitzanosalata me Karydia/Eggplant Dip with Walnuts

6 small, slender eggplants
2 cloves garlic
1 scallion

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup walnuts

1 roasted red pepper

Juice of half a lime

4 tablespoons olive oil

Roast the eggplants until tender. Slice the eggplants open and scoop out all the flesh. Discard skins.

Combine the eggplant, garlic, scallion, parsley, walnuts, pepper and lime juice in the bowl of food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Add the olive oil and pulse until combined (add additional olive oil to achieve preferred consistency). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread, pita or crackers.

Nistisima Papoutsakia/Eggplants Stuffed with Tomato, Onion and Walnuts

2009-03-03T17:30:00.002-05:00

The term papoutsakia is literally translated to "little shoes" and as these small eggplants stuffed with tomato, onion and walnuts truly do resemble little shoes (maybe even little ballet slippers) they are aptly named as such.

There are numerous versions of papoutsakia to be had in Greece including ones stuffed with ground meat and topped with bechamel, others stuffed with ground meat and topped simply with cheese and others still filled simply with tomatoes and onion or really any variety of sauteed vegetables.

Today, I whipped up this Lenten version of papoutsakia in which I filled these tiny, flavorful eggplant halves with plenty of onion, tomatoes and some chopped walnuts to add a little texture and crunch to an otherwise "soft" dish. A little skeptical of adding too much seasoning here, I used just a pinch of allspice and curry to liven things up a bit. In the end, I love how these papoutsakia turned out. This is a great make-ahead side dish/appetizer as the flavors develop even better after sitting for a while. Moreover, you can serve this dish warm (not hot) or at room temperature.

Papoutsakia Nistisima/Lenten Stuffed Eggplants
Makes 6 servings

12 small eggplants
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium to large onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup water
Pinch of sugar
Small bunch parsley, chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of curry
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Clean eggplants and trim tops. Cut in half and with a spoon scoop out the flesh of each eggplant and set aside. Place the eggplant halves into a colander and season generously with sea salt. Leave the eggplants in the colander set over a large plate or in the sink while you make the filling.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Finely chop the eggplant flesh you've just scooped out. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the onion; saute until soft. Add the garlic and the chopped eggplant flesh and cook until the flesh is softened and browned. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and water and bring to boil. Add the sugar, parsley, walnuts, allspice and curry and cook for a couple minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Rinse the eggplant halves under cold water and shake the colander well to remove most of the moisture. Oil a large baking dish and line the eggplant halves up in the dish. Fill each eggplant half with filling (a couple of tablespoons should do). Drizzle with more olive oil, add a bit of water to the baking dish and place in the oven until the eggplant halves are softened. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kathara Deutera (Clean Monday)

2009-03-02T11:10:00.017-05:00

Kathara Deutera (Clean Monday) symbolizes the start of Lent for Orthodox Christians and is an important day in the Greek Orthodox faith. A day that prompts us all to eat simple, very traditional Greek fare, Kathara Deutera is meant to cleanse the body and spirit in preparation for Easter and is one of the many celebrations leading up to this important holiday that help us carry on precious customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation of Greeks found all around the world.

On this day, my family--as most Greek families--begins the Great Fast for Lent. As such, we enjoy simply prepared meals following Lenten restrictions: no meat, fish or any other products derived from animals with red blood (milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, eggs, etc.). A typical meal on Kathara Deutera will include such dishes as taramosalata, calamari, octopus or shellfish, salads, baked beans, rice-stuffed grapeleaves, lagana (a flatbread eaten only on this day) and halva (usually Macedonian Halva). We carry this fasting through this first week of Lent and, depending on the individual, fast either from everything described above or just from meat and fish for the full 40 days leading up to Easter.

I am excited to begin these posts and share with you all the traditions and customs we partake in. In essence, these spiritual days are highlighted by the food we eat and share with others and I look forward to writing about some of the dishes we enjoy through Lent and onto Easter: the Lazarakia we bake on the Saturday of Lazarus; the bakaliaro and skordalia (salt cod and garlic dip) we gratefully eat on Palm Sunday; the fried sweetbreads, fried liver and the traditional Patsa (tripe soup) we break the Fast with once the clock strikes midnight and Holy Saturday gives way to Easter Sunday; and finally the Mouri (oven-baked, stuffed whole lamb--a vibrant tradition of Kalymnos) we celebrate Easter Sunday with.

Here's a peek at some of the simple Lenten dishes our family will share today.
Kali Sarakosti!

(Note: I grew up not eating olive oil in dishes on Clean Monday, but as the years pass I've come to realize that the taramosalata or the lagana we purchased from stores likely were made with olive oil. One can easily substitute sunflower oil/margarine wherever possible.)

Taramosalata

4 tablespoons tarama (carp roe)

2 to 3 thick slices bread, soaked in a little water

1 large potato, boiled

1 small to medium onion

1 lemon, juiced

4 to 5 tablespoons oil (sunflower or olive oil)

Red wine vinegar, to taste

Combine tarama, bread, potato, onion and lemon in a food processor and pulse to puree. Slowly add the oil to create desired thickness. Stir in the vinegar to taste.

Gigantes Plaki
1 lb. large lima or butter beans, soaked in cold water for 12 hours (water changed once during soaking)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
14 oz. chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a dutch oven and saute the onions until soft. Stir in the garlic and saute a minute more. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the dutch oven and place in the oven. Check the beans occasionally and add water as needed. Cook for about an hour covered, then remove lid and cook the beans for 45 minutes to 1 hour more until soft and creamy (don't stir, the top should brown a little). Let cool and serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with a little more olive oil and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Roasted Red Peppers
6 large red bell peppers, rinsed and patted dry
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Vinegar
Black peppercorns

Line peppers up on a large baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook until the skin is charred on all sides (keep the broiler slightly ajar so that the broiler flame works continuously).

Once cooked, place peppers in a large bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap until cooled. Once cooled, take peppers and gently pull at top stem to loosen. Slice pepper open if necessary to remove any seeds. Peel skin off pepper. Place in clean jars and fill with oil, vinegar, peppercorns and garlic slivers. Let marinate a day or so in the refrigerator and then serve.

Agginaropita (Artichoke Pie)
Recipe from Kalogiriki Mageiriki--Ieras Monis Tatarnis
10-12 artichokes, cleaned and boiled until just tender
6 scallions, roughly chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
1/4 cup simigdali psilo (fine semolina)
1/4 cup and 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 sheets phyllo dough

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square pyrex and set aside. Combine the artichokes, scallions, onion, parsley, dill, semolina and 4 tablespoons of oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Begin layering the phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with oil and allowing the phyllo to overhang each side in order to evenly fold over the top and cover the pie. Brush top sheets with oil as well, sprinkle with water and bake the pie until golden.

Pastitsio Me Damaskina apo tin Syro--Pastitsio with Prunes from Syros

2009-02-27T10:25:00.010-05:00

Pastitsio is one of my favorite foods, so when I heard that the latest A Taste of the Mediterranean event hosted by Tony Tahhan and Peter Minakis was going to focus on Greece and more importantly, pastitsio, I was thrilled. I have to admit though, I was almost all pastitsio-ed out as I recently used a bit of creative energy to put together this version for the Royal Foodie Joust. But then again, I don't think I can ever get sick of pastitsio ...

Pastitsio is a rustic dish with plenty of comfort-food appeal and it's one I quickly associate with family and friends as it so often graced our table for Sunday family meals, holidays, parties, etc., growing up. Every Greek family--living abroad or in Greece--has a recipe for pastitsio similar to others but perhaps slightly different (say, with a varying herb or spice or even a slightly different technique).
My family's recipe which my mom gave to me seven years ago when I was first married, was an instant hit with my husband who was thoroughly impressed by my pastitsio-making ability--for him a tell-tale sign of a good wife ... too bad I never roll out my own phyllo dough, then maybe I'd be perfect?!

Getting back to the recipe: our original family recipe features a cinnamon-flavored meat sauce between layers of long Greek noodles topped with a rich and creamy bechamel scented with nutmeg and sprinkled with cinnamon before baking. For the ATOM event, however, I wanted to post about something a little different. So I adapted a recipe I read in Aglaia Kremezi's Foods of the Greek Islands (I know, I know; I have to stop discussing recipes from this one book) in which she features a pastitsio from the island of Syros. What's interesting is Kremezi notes she found the original recipe in a book published in 1828 in Ermoupolis, the capital of the Greek island of Syros, and written by an unknown author.

I made a few changes to Kremezi's original recipe, which itself sounds quite good and will definitely be one of my next party foods. The original recipe calls for a meat sauce of ground veal or beef flavored with bacon (she had me at bacon!), onion, bone marrow, sweet wine, cinnamon and prunes. I omitted the bone marrow and--although not included in the original--I added a couple tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce. Kremezi then combines the meat sauce with cooked ziti, grated cheese, milk and nutmeg and packs the mixture in a casserole dish lined with puff pastry. I layered the meat sauce with long noodles and topped it with a lighter version of my family's bechamel since the meat sauce includes that ever-so yummy, but quite fatty, bacon.

Kali Orexi!

Pastitsio me Damaskina apo tin Syro/Pastitsio with Prunes & Bacon from Syros
(Adapted from a recipe in Aglaia Kremezi's Foods of the Greek Islands)
Makes a 13x9 inch pan

1/4 pound bacon, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds combination of ground veal, pork and beef
1/2 cup Mavrodaphne, Marsala or Sherry
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cinnamon sticks
15 pitted prunes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound of Pastitsio No. 2 Macaroni

4 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup grated Kefalotyri or Pecorino Romano
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 eggs
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

In a large skillet, brown the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the onions to the skillet and saute until soft. Stir in the ground meat and saute, stirring, until no longer pink. Add the wine to the skillet and boil for a minute or so. Reduce the heat, add the water, tomato paste, cinnamon sticks, salt and pepper to taste, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon sticks and stir in the prunes. Set aside.

Heat the milk and butter in a large saucepan. Once the butter has melted, begin whisking the flour in a little at a time, stirring constantly. Once the bechamel has thickened, stir in the grated cheese, the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.

Meanwhile, boil the macaroni until al dente. Drain the pasta and begin layering the pan first with macaroni, then the meat sauce, then macaroni and finally the bechamel. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden.

Note: Pastitsio is not a dish you serve immediately upon baking. In fact, bake your pastitsio as early in the day as possible, let cool completely (uncovered) and then re-heat before serving. This will ensure your pieces stay intact. (I let the pieces shown here cool for an hour before cutting, yet I think they could have used a bit more cooling as they were still very hot when sliced and the bottom layer didn't hold up as well as I would've liked.)

Ladokouloura me Mastiha kai Glykaniso Kai Pasta Elias--Savory Bread Rings w/ Mastic-Anise and an Olive Tapenade

2009-02-24T19:30:00.007-05:00

Ladokouloura are an oil-based Greek biscuit/bread ring/biscotti that can take on a multitude of forms from sweet to savory. The sweet kind pair perfectly with a steamy cup of coffee or tea, while the savory are an ideal snack to offer up with some light meze or various dips and spreads.

Aglaia Kremezi's Foods of the Greek Islands features a flavorful recipe for ladokouloura, which I adapted here. Kremezi's recipe is fairly simple enough (requiring the dough to merely make a few turns in the food processor followed by a little kneading by hand), but I wanted to simplify things even further. So I simply mixed all the ingredients in a large bowl, didn't knead at all and kept my fingers crossed.

The results ... crispy, savory bread rings perfect for dipping, munching and enjoying any which way you like. Kremezi's original recipe calls for using water infused with cinnamon and cloves (I used only cinnamon) and then adding some ground mastic (mastiha) and anise seeds (glykaniso) to the dough. The licorice-like flavor imparted by both the mastic and anise are a great combination. And I must say that these ladokouloura tasted even better two days after their initial baking, when their flavor mellowed out and provided for the perfect accompaniment to a tangy and fresh olive tapenade.

I'm sending these lovely ladokouloura to Ivy of Kopiaste who is hosting this month's Think Spice event (created by Sunita of Sunita's World) highlighting the ever-magical mastic gum , a unique ingredient produced only by trees on the Greek island of Chios. Please visit Ivy's site for more intriguing information on mastic gum and remember you have until Feb. 28th to submit your dish for this event, so ... Think Spice!

Ladokouloura me Mastiha kai Glykaniso--
Savory Bread Rings with Mastic and Anise
(Adapted from a recipe in Aglaia Kremezi's Foods of the Greek Islands)
Makes 32 rings

2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
2 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds, finely ground
1 tablespoon mastic
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup olive oil

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the mastic and salt into a fine powder; set aside.

In a small saucepan bring the water to boil along with the cinnamon sticks. Boil for five minutes until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups liquid. Let cool slightly and discard the cinnamon sticks.

Combine the water, yeast, flour, oil, anise and mastic mixture in a large bowl and stir until the mixture resembles a unified, smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest about 2 hours, until doubled.

Oil two large baking sheets. Divide the dough into 4 sections. Working with one section at a time, tear each into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope then shape into a ring. Press the ends together well to seal (use a bit of water as a sealant if necessary). Arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart and let rise for another 30 minutes.

About 20 minutes before baking, heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rings for 5 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 20 to 30 minutes more. Remove rings from baking sheets and arrange directly on your oven's middle rack, reducing the oven temperature to 175 degrees. Bake until bread rings are dry, about 2 hours. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to six months.

Pasta Elias--Olive Tapenade

2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine the olives, oil, garlic, vinegar and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients resemble a coarse mixture. Season with additional balsamic vinegar or pepper as necessary and serve with ladokouloura, crackers, toasted pita or use as a spread n your favorite sandwich.

Tsiknopempti

2009-02-20T08:25:00.008-05:00

I can hardly believe that we've begun celebrations for Lent when it seems we've just finished with Christmas/New Year celebrations. I know, I know: it's middle of February already and I should get a grip. But I just don't know where the days go.

Yesterday Greeks in Greece and abroad celebrated what is known as Tsiknopempti (pronounced tseek-no-PEMP-tee). Literally translated as the "Thursday of meat grilling," Tsiknopempti is a celebration of the meat many will forgo for the 40 days of Lent. In Greece, city and town governments arrange barbecues and grills in central squares while musicians walk the streets playing traditional instruments. Here in New York, some gather in local tavernas where they enjoy music and a variety of grilled meats while others celebrate at home. We enjoyed a more low-key celebration--or recognition of the day--at home where we grilled some lamb chops and sausage on the stovetop and served them with some pan-fried potato rounds, braised red cabbage with caramelized onions and grilled pita.

The celebration of meat will continue until this Sunday, known as Meatfare Sunday, while the following week will be centered on cheese and dairy products, culminating with Cheesefare Sunday which falls on March 1st. The Great Lent begins with Kathara Deutera (Clean Monday) on March 2nd. In Greece, people will enjoy this day in parks and along the countryside, flying kites and having picnics. The food served on Kathara Deutera is simple and traditional as it is an important day that symbolizes the start of the Lenten period and the abandonment of meat, cheese and dairy. Meals include taramosalata (fish roe dip), lagana (a yeast-less flat bread), dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice), calamari, octopus, mussels and other seafood, salads, halvas in the form of a semolina pudding and Macedonian Halva in the form of candy-like blocks made from tahini, honey and sometimes with swirls of cocoa, chopped almonds or pistachios.

Easter and all the traditions and preparations leading up to it (from the start of Lent through Holy Week), have always been a favorite of mine, both as a small child and as an adult. Memories of Easter preparations and celebrations are my most vivid memories of all and an integral part of my family's culture. My grandparents and parents held tightly onto these sacred traditions of the Great Lent and Easter they brought here with them from Greece and I am eternally grateful for having been raised with this knowledge and hope to teach my children just as well.

Sausage Ragu over Ziti

2009-02-18T09:25:00.004-05:00

I love dishes with tomato sauces and there are weeks when it seems that tomato can easily make its way into each and every one of our meals. There are some dishes for which I can make a larger batch of tomato sauce, that I can then ration accordingly and refrigerate or freeze for future use. This sausage ragu came about from some tomato sauce I had saved upon making this Chicken Stuffed with Trahanas, but I also provide a quick recipe for the same sauce below.

Nothing fancy here; just a simple sauce with some sweet Italian sausage served over ziti. An ideal weeknight meal that pairs well with a green salad ... and a glass of red wine, of course.

Kali Orexi!

Sausage Ragu over Ziti

5 links of sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
Small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped tomatoes

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Grated kefalotyri, pecorino Romano or parmesan

1 lb. of ziti
1/3 to 1/2 cup of the pasta water (in case sauce needs to be thinned)

In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go. Once browned, remove the sausage to a bowl and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Saute the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic, oregano and the red pepper flakes. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar, reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage to the sauce and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in half the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, boil the ziti in a large pot of salted water until just cooked through. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water in case you need to thin out your sauce. Drain the pasta well. Add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and heat until the butter is brown and nutty. Stir in the pasta and toss to coat. Divide pasta among plates and top with the sausage ragu. Sprinkle with parsley, grated cheese and some freshly ground black pepper.

Kotopoulo Youvetsi--Chicken Baked with Orzo

2009-02-12T13:36:00.005-05:00

In the last couple of weeks, I have come to realize what food blogging is really supposed to be about: Sharing good food with new-found, generous and truly sincere friends.

Personally, I find myself regularly looking forward to my peers' posts, not to criticize their cooking methods and the food that graces their tables, but to share in their insights and thoughts; to have a sneak peek at their lives in Athens, Crete, Sydney, Alaska, Canada, Malaysia, India, Italy, Spain, England, France and so many other places around the world.

I have found blogging refreshing and fulfilling--a way to combine my writing career with my passion for cooking, without the pressure of deadlines, editors’ notes, etc., etc. Even better, since I first began blogging last September, I've found myself making many a new friend whom I await to hear an encouraging comment from and whom I try hard to leave an encouraging word for as well. Incidentally, however, I have also found myself wondering why some bloggers would feel the need to criticize others' ways of approaching a dish and repeatedly assert that their way of cooking is the only way ... indeed, it is not.

Cooking is a truly personal experience. There are traditional dishes that are passed down from generation to generation and these traditional dishes, although alike in their basic ingredients and general concept, may differ slightly due to geography, due to family economics or even due to a cook's/family's personal likings. There are recipes throughout Greece for various dishes--from kokkinisto, to stifado, to fassolada, to fakes, to kakavia, to phylla (or dolmades as known to everyone other than those from Kalymnos!), to bougatsa, to ravani, to youvarlakia, or even pastitsio--that inherently vary slightly. The recipe used for four and five generations within my own family for phylla, ravani or, yes, even pastitsio will very likely vary from fellow Greek bloggers' family recipes and yet, each and every one of these recipes, may wholly and entirely be a traditional Greek recipe passed down within their family from generation to generation. It is not my place, nor anyone else’s for that matter, to claim that such a recipe is not a “traditional” recipe, or that it is a lesser dish, because it includes this herb or that spice while my family’s recipe does not. Period.

And now onto a lighter and definitely yummier subject … below you will find my family's recipe for youvetsi, a very traditional Greek dish most often made with lamb baked in a tomato sauce flavored with bay leaves and cinnamon (and some other herbs depending on where in Greece it is being made; in Kalymnos, for instance, cooks often use what is known there as "thrimbi"--or dried savory--to compliment the cinnamon and bay leaves). The meat is accompanied by kritharaki (orzo) that is baked in the same sauce.

To make this a quicker weeknight meal, and a lighter one at that, I used whole chicken legs in place of lamb. The resulting dish was really quite good--all the flavors of youvetsi in a lighter form--with meaty tender chicken complemented by the flavors of cinnamon and bay and a sauce that effortlessly steals the show.

Kotopoulo Youvetsi -- Chicken Baked with Orzo

Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup olive oil
4 whole chicken legs
1 large onion, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound orzo
Grated kefalotyri, myzithra, pecorino or parmesan (for sprinkling before serving)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper.

In a dutch oven (or other ovenproof pot with lid), heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken well on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. Stir in the onion and saute until soft. Stir in the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and add the chopped tomatoes.

Dilute the tomato paste with one cup of the water. Add the diluted paste and 1 cup of the chicken stock to the dutch oven and bring to a boil. Place the chicken back into the pot (the sauce should come up at least 1/2 way to 2/3 of the way up the chicken, so add a bit more water or stock as necessary). Cover the dutch oven with its lid, place it in the oven and cook the chicken for 45 minutes or so.

Uncover the pot, remove chicken to a plate and keep warm. Add the orzo to the dutch oven with the remaining liquid (and more if necessary) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Place chicken atop the orzo and bake 15 minutes more until the orzo is tender and the chicken nicely browned.

Serve sprinkled with grated cheese.

***I'm sending this dish over to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast as she is celebrating the 100th edition of Presto Pasta Nights this week. Congrats Ruth and here's to many more yummy pasta round ups!

Troufes (Frozen Chocolate Truffles) for BloggerAid

2009-02-11T11:00:00.003-05:00

Troufes are a Greek version of frozen chocolate truffles. They are a simple, sweet treat that can easily be made ahead and stored in the freezer to have on hand for any unexpected guests dropping by for an afternoon coffee/tea.

I remember devouring these little chocolate confections as a kid when a friend of the family would make them for every birthday or holiday gathering she hosted. So, I recently decided to try my hand at Troufes and came up with this quick recipe, a tad different from those I ate as a child, but no less scrumptious. Want this recipe? You'll have to wait as I am quickly sending these over to Ivy of Kopiaste, Val of More than Burnt Toast and Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen who, with the help of a number of dedicated bloggers, are so valiantly working on publishing a cookbook for BloggerAid, a forum created to shed light on the issue of hunger around the world. All proceeds from the cookbook will be donated to specific programs of The World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations frontline agency devoted to alleviating world hunger.

The cookbook is expected to begin selling on Amazon by November/December 2009. There is a great deal of work involved in delivering this project and the troops over at BloggerAid are relying on all of us to help in any way we can. The deadline to submit a recipe is tomorrow Feb. 12th!! If you haven't already, please send an original dish you'd like to contribute over to Ivy, Val and Giz who are anxiously awaiting to include these yummy contributions in the BloggerAid cookbook.

Biftekia Gemista--Stuffed Beef Burgers

2009-02-10T12:02:00.000-05:00

The last week has been a hectic one for a couple of reasons and as such has called for some quick, no-frills, family meals. Having made more than my fair share of saucy tomato-based dishes the last month (many of which I have yet to post), the night before found me wanting to use the ground beef I'd defrosted to make a fresh, simple and flavorful dish without employing even a tinge of chopped tomatoes, strained tomatoes, tomato paste or the like. After mentioning my ground beef "dilemma" to Peter of Kalofagas that evening, he quickly started sounding off some ideas--all of which were tempting, some with tomato (ugh!) and some without. And then he said, "What about biftekia gemista?" And I thought, "Why not?"

So here's my take on biftekia gemista (Oh, sorry! That would be Greek for "stuffed burgers" or beef patties, if you will). I often make biftekia simply using lots of fresh parsley, oregano, eggs, breadcrumbs and onion in the ground beef mixture; forming it into patties; and baking those in the oven surrounded with some thinly sliced potatoes tossed in olive oil and oregano. But having some fresh cilantro on hand, I omitted the oregano; and instead of the usual breadcrumbs or plain bread soaked in milk, I added some trahanas to give these moist biftekia an entirely new dimension of flavor. In addition, I didn't use an egg in the mixture as it was moist enough--just stuffed small cubes of two Greek cheeses (feta and kasseri) into the center of each patty and gave the burgers a good sear in a hot grill pan before placing them in the oven to finish off the cooking.

I served these biftekia with some sauteed spinach and a warm potato salad (as opposed to oven roasted potatoes or fries) and we had a fresh tasting, quick and healthy meal on our table in just minutes.

Biftekia Gemista--Stuffed Beef "Burgers"
Makes 12 patties

1.5 pounds ground beef

1 scallion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1/2 a small-medium onion, grated

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup trahanas

4 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Feta, roughly "cubed"

Kasseri, also cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Add the trahanas to a small bowl and pour the milk over (use a bit more milk if all the trahanas isn't moistened by the 4 tablespoons). Set aside.

Combine the beef with the scallions, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and the trahanas soaked in milk. Mix briefly with hands to incorporate and place in the refrigerator until your grill pan is heated through.

Heat a stovetop grill pan, or a large skillet, over high heat. Begin forming the beef mixture into patties. Holding a patty flat in the palm of your hand, press a small cube of feta and kasseri down into the center, then begin to pinch the beef up around the cheese to seal it in. Pat the beef to even it out and place in the heated grill pan to brown each side well (about 3 to 5 minutes per side). Once the biftekia are well browned, place the grill pan in the heated oven and cook the biftekia another 10 minutes.

Serve hot with a warm potato salad and some sauteed spinach.

Warm Potato Salad

6 medium-sized potatoes, washed, peeled, quartered and boiled until tender

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

3 scallions, chopped

Whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper and slowly add the oil in a steady stream. While the potatoes are still warm, pour the dressing over and let stand for a few minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions and some finely chopped parsley or cilantro and serve still warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Stuffed with Trahanas

2009-02-03T16:33:00.009-05:00

So, I picked up some trahanas from one of the many Greek specialty shops here in New York last week and decided that aside from the traditional soup I often make, I wanted to do something more with these tasty, tangy tidbits.

I should note that there are two types of trahanas, sour and sweet, and to be honest I have only ever had the sour type. I don't believe the sweet version is used differently and am pretty sure, although labeled as "sweet," it is just not as sour as the other variety.

In case you are wondering, which some of you probably are by now, trahanas is a pasta of sorts made of ground whole wheat grains that are cooked or soaked in sour milk or a mixture of milk and yogurt, then dried in the sun and coarsely ground until about the size of large breadcrumbs. Used primarily in soups, trahanas occasionally makes an appearance in Greek stews or even stuffings, which is the route I took here.

After bringing the trahanas home, I recalled reading--and being thoroughly intrigued by--a recipe for eggplant slices stuffed with trahanas on Food Junkie not junk food. I'd never used trahanas as such and decided my first foray into the world of stuffing with trahanas would include the thinly sliced chicken cutlets I'd purchased the day before, rather than the scrumptious in-season eggplant slices Johanna used a few months ago.

I made a pretty basic tomato sauce, much of which I had a good amount of left over and got to use in another pasta dish. Make sure your cutlets are quite thin and if necessary pound them until they are. Serve alongside some steamed asparagus, green beans, or even just with a salad, and you're good to go. Kali Orexi!

Chicken Stuffed with Trahanas

Serves 4 to 6

8 thin-sliced chicken cutlets, seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides

1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup divided)

1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups trahanas
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup crumbled feta
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 26.5 oz. box of chopped tomatoes
Pinch of sugar

1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toothpicks

In a large saucepan begin making the tomato sauce by heating the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add all but the 1/4 cup of onion set aside and saute until soft. Stir in the garlic, oregano and the red pepper flakes. Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar, reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add half the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate saucepan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high-heat and stir in the reserved 1/4 cup of chopped onion. Saute until softened then add the white wine and allow to boil for a few seconds. Stir in the trahanas and begin adding the stock; stirring constantly until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add half the crumbled feta and the parsley and remove from the heat.

Place a heaping tablespoon of trahanas filling towards the end of one chicken cutlet and roll the cutlet up, securing with a toothpick as necessary.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet, heat the last two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the rolled chicken on all sides. Spoon some tomato sauce over, sprinkle with the remaining feta and the grated parmesan and bake for about 10 minutes.

Pork with Quince -- Hoirino Kydonato

2009-02-02T09:22:00.024-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, while at my local fruit and vegetable market, I spotted some quince (kydonia in Greek) and having recently seen recipes featuring quince on a number of yummy blogs I follow, (namely Kopiaste, Food Junkie not junk food, Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska and Kalofagas), I decided to give this versatile fruit a go.

Quince, related to apples and pears, are somewhat pear-shaped and yellow in color. According to sources, the quince likely preceded the apple and is more likely to have been the oft referred to "golden apple" in Greek mythology. In fact, sources say, in Ancient Greece the quince was considered "the fruit of love, marriage and fertility."

It's botanical name, cydonia oblonga--and, of course, its Greek name kydoni--come from the ancient town of Kydonia in Crete, now known as Chania, where the fruit was once famed for growing (please read more on Chania on the ever-so-entertaining and informative blog of Mediterranean Kiwi).

Now onto the dish--I adapted a recipe from Aglaia Kremezi's The Foods of the Greek Islands in which she uses veal to make a stew with quince over the course of two days. I would love to try her original recipe when I have the leisure to allow the meat to marinate (partially cooked) in some of its cooking liquid overnight before then stewing it with the flavorful quince. But for now, this version I made using a juicy center-cut, bone-in pork loin--and just a couple hours of precious cooking time--turned out amazingly well.

Pork with Quince -- Hoirino Kydonato
Adapted from a recipe in Aglaia Kremezi's The Foods of the Greek Islands

3 lb. center-cut, bone-in pork loin
1/4 cup olive oil
2 quince, peeled and sliced
Juice of half a lemon
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
12 pitted prunes
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Season the pork loin with plenty of salt and pepper and set aside.

Fill a bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Peel and slice the quince thick, dropping pieces you've already sliced int he bowl of lemon water as you work.

In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the quince dry and saute in the oil until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Evenly brown the pork in the same dutch oven. Once browned on all sides, remove to a plate. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring to scrape up all the juicy brown bits, until softened. Stir in the wine and boil for a few seconds. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and allspice and give it all a good stir.

Return the pork back to the dutch oven; add 1/3 of the quince, all the prunes, the chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste and give the dutch oven a good shake to combine it all. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes, basting the roast occasionally with some of the sauce. (Add some more chicken stock if you feel there is not enough liquid during cooking.)

Uncover the pot and place the remaining quince pieces around the pork loin. Cover and simmer until the newly added quince pieces are soft, about 20 minutes or so. Remove the lesser cooked quince to a plate and keep warm. Remove the pork loin and let rest. Season the sauce in the pot with the balsamic vinegar and additional salt and pepper if necessary and keep warm.

Slice the pork loin and serve, topped with the sauce, alongside a couple of quince pieces and--if you like--some rice.

February Royal Foodie Joust -- Mushroom Pastitsio with a Cauliflower "Bechamel"

2009-01-24T15:35:00.013-05:00

I was pretty excited by the selection of February's Royal Foodie Joust ingredients: cauliflower, mushrooms and noodles. There were a million different ways to go with these humble ingredients for my second entry into this friendly competition hosted by Jenn over at The Leftover Queen. If you aren't already a member, please visit Jenn's forum where you'll find a great spot to interact with fellow food bloggers, participate in giveaways, join in on the friendly Joust or simply vote for your favorite Jouster--of course, that would be me ... wink, wink!

I knew from the start that I wanted to use the cauliflower in some sort of puree as I love the silky texture you can get from this earthy vegetable. Having just made a traditional Greek Pastitsio a couple of weeks ago, I still had Pastitsio on the brain the other day when I finally decided to tackle this Joust. Now, a traditional Pastitsio (which is the only Pastitsio my family and I have made) features layers of long noodles and cinnamon-scented ground meat topped with a decadent bechamel. To create a dish for the Joust, I decided to change up a traditional bechamel, make it a bit healthier if you will--my mom's Pastitsio recipe features a bechamel of 1/2 a gallon of milk, a stick of butter, 12 tablespoons of flour, a cup of grated cheese and a whopping 6 eggs--by using pureed cauliflower to replace much of the milk, flour and butter. This yummy cauliflower "bechamel" topped off earthy portobello and button mushrooms squeezed between layers of Greek Pastitsio noodles to make this light, entirely nontraditional Pastitsio.

Kali Orexi!

Mushroom Pastitsio with Cauliflower "Bechamel"

Makes a 13x9 casserole

Filling:
8 oz. pancetta or bacon, thinly sliced

3 shallots, chopped

2 lbs. mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced thick (I used portobello and button mushrooms)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Thyme leaves stripped from 3 or 4 sprigs

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 package Misko No. 2 Pastitsio Noodles

Cauliflower "Bechamel":

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into large florets, steamed until tender and drained well

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup half & half

1 cup milk
3/4 cup grated Kefalotyri (easily substituted by grated Parmesan)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, render the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and into a separate bowl. Add the shallots to the skillet and saute until translucent. Stir in the mushrooms along with the garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are tender and cooked through (add the olive oil as the mushrooms are browning if they seem too dry). Sprinkle with the thyme and adjust the seasonings. Combine with the pancetta or bacon and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain well and begin layering in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Layer the noodles first, followed by the mushroom mixture and then another layer of noodles. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot, mash the cauliflower well until fairly smooth. Over medium heat, stir in the butter until melted then add the half & half and milk (stir the milk in gradually depending on how thick the mixture looks). Add the Kefalotyri, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. (If at this point the sauce does not seem thick enough, briskly whisk in a tablespoon or so of flour.)

Remove the pot from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, stirring briskly after each addition. Adjust the seasonings if necessary then pour the cauliflower "bechamel" over the noodles in the baking dish. Sprinkle with some grated cheese and bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes until slightly golden on top.

Let cool at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving. (Letting the dish cool before cutting and serving is crucial as pieces will fall apart upon cutting without first cooling slightly.)

Duo of Dips --- Roasted Red Pepper and Feta & Lemony Chickpea and Thyme

2009-01-23T18:17:00.004-05:00

When entertaining I find the easiest option to include in a spread of appetizers is a tasty dip accompanied by toasted pita triangles, crispy bread rounds or zesty crackers. There are, of course, endless possibilities from melitzanosalata (eggplant dip), to kopanisti (Greek cheese dip), to kafteri (spicy Greek feta dip), to tzatziki (the well-known yogurt/cucumber/garlic dip, although chatty guests and garlic aren't a very good mix), to traditional hummus or two of my favorites, a flavorful roasted red pepper and feta dip and a lemony chickpea and thyme spread.

Whether you roast fresh red bell peppers or invest in a good jar of roasted red peppers, or whether you prep dried chickpeas or use canned chickpeas, these dips are simple and satisfying. Serve alongside plump Kalamata olives and you're good to go (those shiny, tart and meaty olives pictured above come to you directly from my father-in-law's grove in Agrinio, where he grows two types, Kalamata and Agriniou).

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip

2 red bell peppers
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Place whole red peppers on an oiled baking sheet and "roast" under the broiler until the skin is well charred and the peppers tender. Remove from baking sheet, place in a plastic or paper bag and cool. Once cooled, remove peppers from bag, peel skin, remove seeds and cut stem.

Add the peppers to the bowl of a food processor along with the garlic and lemon juice and process until smooth. Stir in the crumbled feta, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and parsley and pulse the food processor a couple of times. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lemony Chickpea and Thyme Dip

2 cups chickpeas (if using canned, rinse chickpeas and drain or if using dried, soak chickpeas in water overnight, drain, then simmer about two hours until tender)

2 cloves garlic

1 lemon, juiced

Thyme from about 3 fresh sprigs

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and mix. Add the olive oil a little at a time, processing until the mixture is smooth (adding more olive oil as necessary). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)

2009-01-17T18:39:00.003-05:00

A quick go-to meal for my family is often a pot of lentil soup, a hearty pasta and veggie dish or a vitamin-packed helping of spanakorizo. The latter, in particular, is an ideal meal that takes no more than 30 to 35 minutes to make, is filling and is laden with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

According to sources, eating spinach can prevent memory loss and cataracts. And that's not all: this iron-rich leafy green can help protect us against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis and numerous other diseases. In fact, researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents, specifically protecting those whose diets include a healthy helping of this veggie against prostate and ovarian cancers.

So, it's quick, it's tasty and it's healthy--what are you waiting for? Accompany this simple spanakorizo with some feta, a few Kalamata olives and some crusty bread and you're good to go.

I'm sending this dish over to Rachel of The Crispy Cook as she is hosting this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging, a fun event originally created by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and now overseen by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything Once.

Spanakorizo
Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
10 oz. chopped tomatoes
2 cups water
24 oz. of spinach
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion and scallions, stirring until fragrant and softened. Toss in the mint and then add the rice, stirring until coated well with the onion mixture.

Stir in the wine and boil until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the chopped tomatoes to the dutch oven along with the water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the rice is cooked halfway through. Stir in the spinach and add more water as necessary, simmering until the rice is cooked through.

Sprinkle with parsley and a bit of olive oil just before serving.

Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary and Sage

2009-01-15T10:08:00.010-05:00

I spoke a little about my hesitance in using rosemary in a post last week. I am glad to say, however, that I am a true convert now. The Rosemary and Mandarin Muffins I made then were a delightful surprise and as I mentioned in that post, I used the remainder of that fresh rosemary to marinate a few pork chops, which also turned out great.

I must admit I was initially inspired by a recipe I read on Epicurious that called for using fresh rosemary, sage, garlic, fennel seeds, white wine and olive oil on a large pork shoulder roast. The end result sounded divine, so I fiddled with the ingredients to make my meager pork chops--leaving out the fennel seeds, I used rosemary, sage, garlic, coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, white wine and olive oil to make a paste, which I rubbed into the pork chops. Having the leisure to, I let the pork chops marinate overnight and then grilled them on a stovetop grill pan. The trick here, of course, is to heat the grill pan really well, get a good sear on the pork chops and shy away from overcooking (I seared them about 7 minutes per side). The flavors were great and the chops turned out pick-the-bones-and-gnaw-at-them good.

I squeezed a bit of lemon on top just before serving and accompanied these flavorful bone-in pork chops with a creamy orzo with peas (much of the goodness of risotto, with a little less TLC required--and a dish I'll post about a little later).

Pork Chops with Rosemary and Sage

Makes 6 Pork Chops

2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil

6 bone-in pork chops

Place the first seven ingredients in a food processor and pulse until paste-like and well combined. Rub the mixture into both sides of the pork chops and set aside for a few minutes (or if marinating, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight).

Heat a grill pan til very hot and sear pork chops over medium-high heat until just cooked through (about 7 minutes per side). Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over and serve.

Soutzoukakia Me Hilopitakia (Greek Meatballs and Egg Pasta in Tomato Sauce)

2009-01-14T15:30:00.007-05:00

I've mentioned before that I love pasta, but seriously, who doesn't? Carbs schmarbs. Pasta is great and it shouldn't be something anyone purposely avoids eating. Everything is fine in moderation--although I can probably eat a serving of pasta a day. That doesn't mean that I do of course.

Pasta is, however, something I usually make about once a week. My husband loves the basic linguine or fettuccine and he's not too keen on other shapes or forms of pasta. The kids--like their mother--eat anything put in front of them. So--fortunately for us, unfortunately for him--the hubbie is outnumbered. And I'll often make anything from penne, to orechiette, tagliatelle, linguine, orzo, campanelle, cavatelli, fettuccine, farfalle or the versatile Greek egg pasta known as hilopites.

I often use hilopitakia (as the smallest of this egg-based pasta is usually called) with stewed chicken or beef but decided yesterday to serve them with soutzoukakia (Greek meatballs in tomato sauce).

I'm hoping to get a pasta attachment for my KitchenAid standmixer so I can start experimenting with making this versatile pasta myself as I'm pretty sure it makes quite a difference to cook with fresh homemade pasta as opposed to store bought. For now, however, Misko is my favorite source, specifically their line of region-specific pastas and the Hilopitakia Metsovou I used below.

I'm sending this dish straight to Ivy of Kopiaste as she is hosting this week's edition of the yummy Presto Pasta Nights, originally created by Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast. Kali Orexi!

Soutzoukakia me Hilopitakia

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds ground beef/pork/veal combo

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried mint

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Small onion, grated

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

2 eggs

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

Small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 26.5-oz. box chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons tomato paste, diluted in 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound Hilopitakia (small square-shaped egg pasta)

In a large bowl combine first 8 ingredients and knead briefly to mix. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour (time permitting).

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Form the meat mixture into small oblong-shaped portions and brown in skillet. Remove each batch of browned meatballs to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Once all the meatballs have been browned and removed, add remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the same skillet and saute the chopped onion and garlic until the onion has softened (scraping up all those tasty brown bits). Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and then add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to boil, add the tomato paste, broth, parsley, oregano salt and pepper and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for about five minutes. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more.

Spoon meatballs and 1/2 to 3/4 of sauce into a platter and keep warm. Add the hilopitakia to the skillet along with some water and cook until tender (add additional water or broth as needed to cook pasta through). Serve with the cooked soutzoukakia and tomato sauce spooned over.

Rosemary and Mandarin Muffins

2009-01-08T17:52:00.011-05:00

I've never really been a fan of rosemary. My Giagia used it only in her revithia (that's Greek for chickpeas) and my mom ... well, I don't think my mom has ever used rosemary. Needless to say, it's never been an herb I've gotten excited about. I used it with some lamb chops a while back (it may even be four years already), but there weren't any oohs and aahs emanating from the dinner table that evening and I haven't bought another bunch of rosemary since. That is until last week.

I decided to give this fragrant herb another shot. I used most of what I had purchased in a pork dish, which--I must admit--turned out great (stay tuned next week for that recipe). And then I got to thinking of what I could do with the rest. For some reason unbeknownst to me, my thoughts turned straight to muffins. Plus, having just glanced over at the crate of mandarins my husband brought home a day earlier, it was really a no-brainer--Rosemary and Mandarin Muffins it would be.

The muffins were moist, with a hint of rosemary and sweet mandarin. I imagine they'd be perfect with brunch. I personally enjoyed two today--one with my morning coffee and one with my mid-afternoon cup of Chai (which I just started drinking and--much to my surprise--really like).

Rosemary and Mandarin Muffins

Makes about 18 muffins

1 stick of butter, softened

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup thick Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 mandarin

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with baking cups.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in rosemary, mandarin zest and juice.

Blend in one third of the flour mixture, then half the yogurt, alternating between the two until done. Fill the muffin cups 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake until golden (I didn't pay attention to the exact timing, but when they start getting some color, just insert a toothpick into the center, make sure it comes out clean and voila!).

Tsoureki Bread Pudding

2009-01-05T10:40:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope this year brings peace, joy, love, health and happiness to all.

I ended 2008 with a festive dessert and decided to to start this new year off with a subtly sweet one that brings together some of my favorite things--tsoureki and pudding.

My own Vassilopita (the traditional New Year's cake made by Greek families) follows the tradition of my Giagia's orange and cognac scented cake but many Greeks make a sweet bread-like version in the form of, what's known in Greek as, tsoureki. One of my aunts gifted us with one such tsoureki inspired Vassilopita as we hosted a warm family dinner New Year's day. It was an extra-large Vassilopita that perfectly accomodated the 25 slices (including those slices dedicated to Christ, our home and the poor) we needed to cut that evening. The lucky coin was discovered within my cousin's slice (that of my own Vassilopita, which we cut early New Year's morning, was found between my husband's and the poor's slices).

The Vassilopita my aunt so kindly bestowed upon us was so large, I had quite a bit left over since everyone was so full from everything else we devoured that evening. This Saturday while we were waiting for some friends to come by for a quick get-together, I decided to use the remaining tsoureki in this bread pudding, which was subtly sweet and accented with a handful of juicy sultanas. I drizzled a bit of honey over it just before serving, but would seriously consider making a sauce to complement it next time.

By the way, I love bread pudding and the best bread pudding I've ever eaten was seven years ago at the Grand Hyatt Kauai--I ate that sinfully rich, loaded-with-butter-eggs-and-cream bread pudding for six straight mornings during our stay there. Hey, we were on vacation ... that's allowed, right?!

Tsoureki Bread Pudding

8 to 10 thick slices of tsoureki

2 tablespoons butter

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup raisins

Use some of the butter to grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Tear or cut the tsoureki into 1- to 2-inch pieces and arrange in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, cream and milk. Pour over the bread and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or up to two hours covered in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the raisins over the bread pudding and press some of them in to submerge. Bake until the bread pudding sets and is slightly golden and quite puffy, about 40 minutes. Cool a few minutes. Drizzle with honey (I used my favorite--thyme honey from Greece) and serve warm.

Cranberry Trifle and Warm Wishes for a Happy New Year

2008-12-30T17:39:00.008-05:00

I was off cooking duty on Christmas as two of my lovely aunts hosted Christmas Eve and Christmas Day respectively. But I did dabble with dessert and as I had some fresh cranberries on hand I wanted to use them to add a festive red color to whatever I was to finally make. Knowing that I had a new package of Savoiardi cookies in the pantry I decided to put together a cranberry trifle with a Savoiardi twist. I "spiked" the cream with a bit of Marsala and fell in love with this Zabaglione-like cream filling (I could have spooned the entire bowl--no joke). And not to brag or anything but ... this festive cranberry trifle was enjoyed by all on a most joyful Christmas Day.

And here's to a Happy and Healthy 2009! Kali Xronia!

P.S. My cranberry trifle was by no means the only dessert set out on Christmas. As you can see here, it was surrounded by a multitude of sinfully rich desserts from my mom's baklava, to my aunt's karydopita, to another aunt's (our generous hostess') coconut macaroons, chocolate chip biscotti, melomakarona, kourabiedes and her insanely good pumpkin cheesecake topped with fresh whipped cream and a generous dusting of cinnamon.

Cranberry Trifle

About 24 ounces of fresh cranberries
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups water
1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup dry Marsala

12 to 15 Savoiardi (depending on your trifle bowl)

Combine cranberries with the regular sugar, ginger and water and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream and Marsala; continue beating until soft peaks form.

Arrange a layer of Savoiardi in a trifle bowl. Spoon 1/3 of compote over, gently spreading to sides of bowl. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote, also gently spreading to sides of bowl. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to 1 day).

Mini Zucchini and Feta Frittatas

2008-12-30T17:06:00.007-05:00

I bought a mini muffin pan back in November and have been in love with it ever since, experimenting with different recipes every chance I get ... mini pancetta cornbreads, mini phyllo cups, mini cupcakes and these mini zucchini and feta frittatas. They're extremely simple to make, insanely versatile and the perfect portion size to hold guests over before a friendly dinner party. Added bonus: they are just as good at room temperature so you can make them a little ahead of time.

Mini Zucchini and Feta Frittatas

Makes 36

1 large zucchini, diced

3 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
5 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet and stir in the scallions and zucchini and cook until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Set aside to cool.

Brush the mini muffin pan with olive oil. Cut small rounds of parchment paper and place into the base of each muffin slot.

Stir the feta into the zucchini mixture and season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place a portion of the zucchini/feta mixture into each muffin hole. Whisk the eggs and cream together, season with salt and pepper and pour the egg mixture into each hole about 3/4 full.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden. Allow the mini frittatas to sit in the muffin tin for a few minutes then take a knife and gently ease each frittata out (remember to remove the parchment from the bottom!). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Festive Gemista

2008-12-20T12:22:00.009-05:00

Gemista are a staple for us. As children, my mom and Giagia would stuff peppers and tomatoes with ground beef and rice but in my own kitchen I've grown accustomed to stuffing the vegetables simply with rice and various herbs.

This time I sauteed the rice with some white wine and added some pine nuts to the mix. The end result was deliciously moist and delectable. Be sure not to overstuff the peppers as the rice needs room to expand--loosely filling the peppers only about 2/3 full should do the trick.

I'd like to think the green of these peppers and the red tomato sauce are in line with the festive spirit of Christmas. Alternate between bright green and shiny red peppers and the dish will be even better.

Happy Holidays!

Gemista (Stuffed Peppers)

6 green peppers

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 scallions, finely chopped

3/4 cup rice

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups chopped tomatoes

Small bunch parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Pinch of dried mint

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 medium potatoes, peeled, halved and then quartered

Wash the peppers and cut a "cap" from the top of the pepper. Remove seeds and arrange peppers in a baking dish. Season inside of peppers with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.

Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and scallion and cook until softened. Stir in pine nuts and rice and heat through for a minute or so. Turn heat to high and stir in the wine. Stir until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add 1 1/2 cups of the tomatoes and toss in the herbs. Simmer for a couple minutes longer.

Remove from heat and spoon into the peppers, making sure not to overstuff. Replace caps taking care to fully cover peppers. Pour remaining oil and chopped tomatoes over tops and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 375. Toss the potatoes with additional olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of oregano. Add the potatoes to the baking dish in between the peppers. Dilute the tomato paste in about 1/2 cup water and add to the baking dish, shaking slightly to incorporate the liquid with the oil already in the dish. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or until the potatoes are fork tender and the rice is done. (Add water as necessary if the dish seems to be drying out.)

Koulourakia

2008-12-19T17:53:00.013-05:00

I grew up in a three family home (Giagia and one of my aunts lived downstairs; my parents, three sisters and I in the middle; and my aunt, uncle and two cousins upstairs) where doors were never closed and privacy was never an option. We did everything together and we loved it ... well, some of us did anyway.

My fondest childhood memories are of baking various family recipes for Christmas and Easter with my Giagia, mom, sisters and aunts. We'd gather in one of the three apartments and make three batches of whatever it was we'd set out to bake and end up with dozens (and dozens) of cookies and biscuits for us to devour. My sisters and I would wait patiently while my Giagia would knead the dough for koulourakia or kourambiedes, lazarakia or paximadia so that we might get a piece of dough to "work" with as well.

I made our koulourakia with my four-year old daughter the other night. She's "helped" me bake a number of times before but this time I've got to say she did a really good job. I handled the traditional shapes and she used our holiday cookie cutters to make some cute Christmas tree, gingerbread men and candy cane shapes.

It's just not Christmas for me if we don't have a huge batch of these koulourakia to dunk in our milk or coffee. I am now officially in a festive mood ... how could anyone not be sitting here with a hot cup of coffee, a plate full of koulourakia and this picturesque blanket of white snow outside?

Koulourakia

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup milk

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

5 to 6 cups of flour

1 egg, beaten (for brushing koulourakia prior to baking)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk baking powder into 1 cup of the flour.

Beat butter with sugar until very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and then slowly add milk. With mixer on low begin add the first cup of flour mixed with the baking powder then begin adding the remaining flour in batches, incorporating well after each addition. The dough will be ready when it seems to bunch up into a ball while mixer is working and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. (I usually use 6 cups total.)

Take small rounds of dough, roll into long "strands" and shape into braids, curled "S" shapes or anything else you desire. Or roll dough out with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters to shape. Place about two inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheets and brush with the egg wash.

Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden.