Pikantiko Kotopoulo me Fassolakia--Spiced Chicken with Green Beans

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.

Agginarotyropita--Artichoke Cheese Pie

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.

Pita me Spanaki kai Anitho--Spinach and Dill Pie

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

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.

Lemon

U2 is among my favorite bands and I was lucky enough to see them in concert once, be it over 11 years ago, during their 1997 PopMart tour. I was thrilled to get tickets and it was a great show--despite the steady rain, crowds packed Giant’s Stadium.

The concert’s set design was among U2’s most elaborate, complete with a huge LED screen, a 100-foot high golden arch, a 40-foot motorized lemon mirrorball and a 12-foot olive atop a 100-foot cocktail stick. The lemon mirrorball was created as a reference to U2’s “Lemon,” a track from their 1993 Zooropa album. To start the second half of the PopMart concert, the group walked out of their 40-foot citrus fruit to the tune of the “Lemon” Perfecto remix and onto the B-stage for an encore. The show ended with my favorite U2 song (my favorite song period, actually), “One.”

The Eat to the Beat event created by Elly of Elly Says Opa! inspired me to cook up this Asparagus and Dill Avgolemono (Egg Lemon Soup) to the beat of “Lemon.” I’ve always made avgolemono with chicken soup, giouvarlakia or the Greek fricassee, so this was a slight deviation but just as delicious. The flavorful combination of asparagus, leeks and celery finished off with a frothy egg-lemon mixture and the sweet somewhat licorice-like flavor of dill really made for a satisfying and fairly elegant soup.

Asparagus and Dill Avgolemono Soup

Adapted from a recipe found in Gourmet

3 pounds asparagus

4 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium leek, white part coarsely chopped and washed well

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups water

3 large eggs

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup minced fresh dill

Trim off ends of asparagus and using a vegetable peeler remove about 3 to 4 inches of the skin of each stalk, reserving both the ends and peels. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces, reserving tips for garnish. In a saucepan combine the asparagus peels and trimmings with the chicken stock, bring to a boil, remove from heat and allow stock to infuse for 15 minutes. Strain stock and reserve.

In a pot of salted boiling water blanch the asparagus tips for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bright green and barely tender. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. When tips are chilled, drain and reserve.

In a large pot heat the olive oil over moderate heat and cook the leeks, onion and celery, seasoned with salt and pepper, until softened. Add the 1-inch asparagus pieces and stir to combine. Add the infused stock and water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until asparagus is tender. In a blender puree the soup, in batches, until smooth. Return pureed soup to large pot and let cool to lukewarm. In a heatproof bowl whisk together eggs and approximately 1/4 cup lemon juice, adding 1 cup of the lukewarm soup in a stream, while whisking constantly. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining soup. Cook the soup over moderately low heat without boiling, whisking constantly until thickened slightly. Whisk in minced dill, additional lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve soup hot or chilled, garnished with the asparagus tips.