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

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.

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

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.

Kalamarakia Gemista--Stuffed Squid

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.

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)

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.

Festive Gemista

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.)

Latin Cravings

I've had a craving for Latin food lately. It set in when I began reading the blog Bren's FlaNboyant Eats after Brenda so kindly visited my own blog and left a few kind words.


So the other night, I decided chicken was on the menu and what better way to make it than with some Latin flair. I browsed through Bren's blog and came across her post on Pollo Asado and decided that was the recipe. It was a last minute decision so I was missing the mojo criollo and the packet of Sazon Bren's recipe called for but managed to improvise making a mixture of lemon, lime, cumin, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to compensate for the mojo criollo and a combination of turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper to fill in for the Sazon. Oh, and as the kids had already eaten peas and carrots with their lunch I just added some black beans to the rice as opposed to the vegetables Bren had included.


The dish turned out really great but I made sure to stock the pantry with those missing ingredients so I can easily bring some Latin flavors to our meals any time. If you haven't already been following this fiery foodie's tales from her vibrant kitchen, I strongly suggest you visit with Bren soon.






Pollo Asado
Serves 4

4 split chicken breasts, skin on
1 large red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 tablespoons oregano
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine

Combine the lemon juice, lime juice, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss chicken with sliced onion, minced garlic and 1/2 of the lemon/lime mixture and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the liquid and onions. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown chicken. Once browned on all sides, add wine and de-glaze the skillet. Add remainder of lemon/lime mixture, the reserved onions and any liquid from the marinade. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken every so often during cooking.



Yellow Rice

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 cups water
Black Beans



In a large saucepan heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic until onion is softened. Add the tomato and seasonings and cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add rice and saute for another minute, then add water, stir until well combined and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer rice for about 20 to 25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Once cooked, let sit for five minutes then fluff with fork and stir in black beans (I used canned black beans which I rinsed under cold water and drained).

Lovely Lentils

Lentils in my household are usually used in a common lentil soup made by Greeks that varies slightly from family to family. I usually combine the lentils with plenty of finely chopped onion, garlic, celery, carrot, bay leaf, olive oil, tomato paste, water or vegetable broth and a splash of vinegar once done to make a hearty soup my children thankfully gulp down. During the cooler months of fall, winter and early spring this soup is a weekly staple which I turn into a meal alongside plenty of bread, some Feta, lots of olives and maybe a little melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) or other dip.

The other night I was in a no meat kind of mood and was just about to begin preparing my fakes (that's Greek for lentils, pronounced fah-KES) when I decided I wasn't in a "soupy" kind of mood either. I remembered some friends of mine who come from Cyprus usually make their fakes along the same lines I do (only without the celery and carrot) with the addition of rice. So I started to look up some Cypriot recipes using lentils and rice and through my browsing learnt that this dish is known as Moukentra in Cyprus (Ivy of Kopiaste will obviously know more about this, so correct me if I am wrong Ivy!) but I couldn't find a solid recipe to use as a starting point. I believe it is probably made differently across the island, with coriander used in most cases to primarily flavor the dish.

I did find that a staple of Lebanese cuisine is Mujaddara, lentils and rice topped with caramelized onions. I was extremely intrigued by all the spices the varying Lebanese recipes called for and went on to adapt one to my liking. The cinnamon, cumin and allspice in this dish were so amazingly fragrant while cooking -- they really set the stage for what I found to be a very satisfying meal.

Lebanese Inspired Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions
Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 cup rice
3 large onions, thinly sliced

Heat olive oil in a saucepan; add the one large onion chopped and the minced garlic and cook until soft. Add the cumin, cinnamon and allspice and sauté a minute more. Add lentils and saute another minute. Stir in the broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the rice along with the water and return to boil. Simmer, again covered, until the rice and lentils are done, about 20 minutes or so.

Saute the 3 onions that have been sliced in a couple of tablespoons olive oil until a deep golden color, 18 to 20 minutes. Top individual servings of lentils and rice with caramelized onions and serve.

Phylla from Kalymnos

My family comes from a relatively small island in Greece’s Dodecanese known as Kalymnos. It’s a fairly dry island with rugged cliffs famous for rock-climbing. And those cliffs are latent with thyme which makes for a distinctly sweet aroma across the entire island—at least that’s how I see it. The thyme also makes for amazing honey, which I love and smuggle (shhh ...) back to the States every chance I get (but that’ll be the topic of a later post).

Personally, I think Kalymnos is the most beautiful island I have ever been to (Biased? Me? You think?!). Kalymnians are quite proud of their roots and take pleasure in keeping family traditions alive. The island enjoys some tourism, but is relatively unspoiled. Over the years, many Kalymnians have immigrated to various countries, a great majority, however, to America and Australia in particular. I personally have many a cousin in Australia, a place I unfortunately have never been. No matter where Kalymnians find themselves, however, they’ve managed to keep fellow island immigrants, traditions and customary dishes close to their hearts.

Grape leaves stuffed with ground beef and rice is a traditional dish on the island of Kalymnos and were always a staple in my Giagia’s (that’s Greek for grandmother) cooking repertoire. Whereas the rest of Greece refers to similarly stuffed grape leaves as “Dolmades”, Kalymnians have simply named this dish “Phylla”, the Greek word for leaves. Growing up, a typical Sunday dinner for us included my Giagia’s Phylla, pastichio, pot roast (our nod to an American classic), stewed peas and mashed potatoes. The sight, smell and taste of any of these dishes bring about a flood of memories for me.

I’d like to submit this recipe for Phylla, my beloved Giagia’s, to Ivy of Kopiaste and Val of More Than Burnt Toast for their World Food Day event. Everyone, everywhere should enjoy a warm family meal that symbolizes so much more than sustenance and this is my virtual contribution. I hope you enjoy these as much as my family and I.








Grape Leaves Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice (Phylla)
1 ½ pounds of a combination of ground beef, veal and pork
5 tablespoons rice
1 large onion
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons (left aside) diced tomatoes with their juices
Salt and pepper to taste
1 16-ounce jar brine-packed grape leaves, rinsed and drained
2 ½ cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a food processor pulse the onion until finely chopped. In a large bowl, combine the meat, onion, tomato, rice, salt and pepper and mix well.
Layer some grape leaves and the 3 tablespoons diced tomato in the bottom of a large pot.
Place one grape leaf vein side up with the stem towards you. Cut the stem with a scissors. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling near the stem. Fold the two sides of the leaf over the filing and then fold the bottom and top towards the middle to create a small square “package.” Place stuffed grape leaves seam side down on the layered grape leaves and tomato in the pot. Continue with remaining filling and leaves, packing them relatively tightly in the pot.
Pour stock and oil over the stuffed grape leaves. If there are any leaves left over, layer them on top. Set an inverted heatproof plate over the leaves so as to prevent them from unrolling. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low, simmering for 30 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt.