Peas in a Pot with Fennel, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Mussels

Peas–arakas in Greek–cooked with olive oil, tomatoes, and herbs are one of the great “Ladera” dishes. These are the dishes cooked in olive oil and they account for a great number of Lenten specialties. Most often they are one-pot stews. I have added a little twist to this classic, by combining the peas with mussels. […]

Red Peppers and Cuttlefish Stew

Roasted red pepper and cuttlefish stew

Spetzofai is a classic sausage and pepper stew from the Volos and Mt. Pelion region of Greece. Sometimes you can find the dish with fish. I adapted it to the needs of Lent and created a cuttlefish and roasted red pepper version of this recipe. It’s great as a main course or as a meze […]

Steamed Mussels with Mustard and Ouzo

Mussels Steamed in Ouzo

[cs_content][cs_element_section _id=”1″ ][cs_element_row _id=”2″ ][cs_element_column _id=”3″ ][cs_element_text _id=”4″ ][/cs_element_column][/cs_element_row][/cs_element_section][/cs_content]

How to Assemble a Meze Platter

The Meze platter should offer a variety of foods, textures, colors, and flavors for people to nibble on as they enjoy wine or ouzo and the company of friends. As a general rule, ouzo and tsipouro go best with seafood meze platters, while wines are a better match for cured meats and cheeses. Vegetables meze […]

Haloumi, the Cypriot National Cheese

Cypriot Haloumi Cheese Sauteed with Fruit

Haloumi is the national cheese of Cyprus but is also popular in Turkey and the Arab world. Haloumi traditionally is made with sheep’s milk, but nowadays is also produced with a combination of sheep’s and cow’s milk. The cheese has two distinct characteristics: its square or rectangular, relatively flat, folded shape and its strong mint […]

Kefalograviera, a Delicious Greek Cheese

Learn more about Greek cheeses. This week, I am talking about Kefalograviera, one of the most popular Greek cheeses.It is produced in the rugged mountains of Epirus and Macedonia from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Kefalograviera is a hard yellow cheese that’s a cross between Kefalotyri and Graviera. It has an […]

Fish Stuffed with Sweet Onion Rice

Fish Cooked with Aromatic Rice

This dish comes from the northern Greek region of Goumenessa, in Central Macedonia, a gorgeous, mountainous areas punctuated by lakes and rushing rivers. Sweet water fish abound here, among them a species of carp called grivadi, which is a little like American catfish. You can make this dish with trout or with any firm fish. […]

Ancient Trahana, Ancient Fast Food!

Trahana is an ancient whole grain product unique to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.

A vegetarian recommendation should probably be a lot more accessible than a traditional dish from the mountains of Western Crete could ever hope to be. But when I cam across this dish from my friend Diana Farr Louis’ wonderful book Feasting and Fasting in Crete, I suddenly craved a warming bowl of this timeless food. […]

Carrot Soup with Kalamata Olive Paste

[cs_content][cs_element_section _id=”1″ ][cs_element_row _id=”2″ ][cs_element_column _id=”3″ ][cs_element_text _id=”4″ ][/cs_element_column][/cs_element_row][/cs_element_section][/cs_content]

D|K