Talking Greek

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Bordered by azure seas, Greece is a country of steep, rocky terrain. Yet from unfertile soils emerged a cuisine of fresh, delicious simplicity.


Classic Greek Flavors

Like a tiny taste of the sun, a handful of classic ingredients typify Greek cuisine's fresh, vibrant flavors: olive oil, lemon, feta cheese, oregano and thyme. They give a burst of flavor to seafood, salads and vegetable dishes.

Bacchus and the Golden Mean

Olives and grapes grow in even the most inhospitable soils. For ancient Greeks, the simplicity of a diet based on these ingredients harmonized nicely with a philosophy of moderation: Too much wine causes grief, but so does too little.

Grecian Formula

A study completed in the 1960s gave props to the Cretan diet, noting the health benefits of eating plentiful fresh fruits and vegetables and olive oil as the primary fat. The study first showcased the health rewards of what today we call the "Mediterranean diet."


Greek Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, juiced
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large salad bowl, combine the Romaine, onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese.
Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.


Greek Saganaki

"Serve this pan-fried feta cheese with slices of ripe, red tomatoes and lemon."

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces feta cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS

Slice feta into 2x3/8 inch squares, about 8 slices. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the oregano. Dip each slice of feta in egg, shake off excess, and coat in flour.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Quickly cook cheese in olive oil until golden, turning once. Pat dry with paper towels.
Arrange feta on a plate with thick tomato slices, season with black pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.



Tzatziki Sauce

"Easy dressing for gyros or Greek salad. Also makes a nice dipping sauce for Veggies. HINT: Tastes best when chilled for at least 1 hour after preparation."

Ingredients

16 ounces plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
Pinch kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Directions

Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups


Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

"This is an authentic, really rich pie stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses and herbs that are all enfolded by crispy, flaky phyllo dough."

Ingredients:

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 yellow onion, chopped
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped
* 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I didn't have ricotta so I used "light" cream cheese)
* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 12 sheets phyllo dough
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and dill, and continue to sauté until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture.

4. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with half of the sheets. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Notes:

1. I recommend cooking the spinach in a separate pan first and then draining out the excess water before adding to the onions... OR alternatively buy frozen spinach from the grocery store, thaw and press out all of the water then add to onion mixture and sauté.

2. Thaw the phyllo over night in the fridge, it's easier to work with if it thaws slowly.



Souvlaki

"Souvlaki is a Greek specialty made with tender cuts of meat. In this pork recipe, the meat is marinated in a lemony olive oil mixture. Serve with rice pilaf and a Greek salad."

INGREDIENTS

1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
skewers

DIRECTIONS

In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork, onions, and green peppers, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Thread pork, peppers, and onions onto skewers.
Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning skewers frequently for even cooking.
Serve with Tzatziki Sauce

FOOTNOTES

Wine Tip
Try with a Sauvignon Blanc.



Gyro Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:
Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.



Moussaka

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 onion (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 can of pureed tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 eggplant (sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices)
2 cups bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup pecorino (grated)
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a pan.
Remove the ground beef from the pan reserving a bit of the grease in the pan.
Add the the onions and saute until translucent.
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
Add the ground beef, tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Broil the eggplant until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Place the eggplant on the bottom of a baking pan.
Pour the meat sauce onto the egg plant.
Melt the most of the cheese in the bechamel sauce.
Pour the bechamel sauce onto the meat sauce.
Top with the bread crumbs and the remaining cheese.
Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Bechamel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color, about 7 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk until thickened by the roux. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the flour has softened and not longer tastes gritty, 10 to 20 minutes, then season with salt and nutmeg.



Easy Baklava

Phyllo dough is layered with butter, cinnamon and nuts and baked, then topped with a honey syrup and allowed to cool before eating.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chopped mixed nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

Source: allrecipes.com
foodnetwork.com