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 […]
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Smoked Trout
Who says cheesecake has to be sweet? This luscious savory cheesecake studded with smoked salmon calls out for a glass of sparkling wine and a celebration, no matter the day or season!
Greek Yogurt, Smoked Salmon Canapés
Salmon isn’t exactly a fish that swims anywhere near the Mediterranean or Aegean, but it’s a fish that Greeks have embraced, both fresh and smoked. It pairs beautifully with the thick Greek yogurt that has conquered the world. In this recipe, I mix in a little katiki, a grainy, sour, yogurt-like cheese from mainland Greece […]
Greek Yogurt, Feta and Blue Cheese Spread
The first time I ever tasted the combination of feta, yogurt and blue cheese was many moons ago, at the first conference of the Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust, which was held in Porto Carras, in northern Greece. I am not exactly reinventing the wheel here, just providing an easy, savory dip that you can […]
Shrimp Saganaki with Ouzo and Feta
I can honestly say I’ve nevermet a soul who didn’t love this Greek taverna classic. It’s super easy to make at home, too. Look for the olive oil, tomatoes and herbs used to make it on my online store here.
Octopus Baked in Paper / Htapodi Yioulbasi
I first encountered this delicious, succulent octopus recipe inland in the Peloponnese, near Mantineia, one of the great wine-producing regions of Greece. Baking octopus in paper helps retain all its juices and also makes for a dramatic presentation. Try it with an aromatic Moschofilero wine from the same region.
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 […]
Chick Pea Fritters from Rhodes / Pitaroudia
Unlike small, meatball-size chick pea fritters elsewhere in Greece and certainly a distant cry from the Egyptian falafel, the Rhodian version turns calls for big, plump filling patties. They are found, in various renditions, all over the island. Pitaroudia with chick peas are by far the national dish of Rhodes.
Barley Rusks, Tomatoes, Apples, and Mint (Dakos salad)
Rusks are an ancient food in Greece. Basically they are the twice-baked breads, in various shapes. A dearth of fuel, i.e. wood, made daily, or even weekly, baking almost extravagant in the Greek countryside. These rusks are slowly dehydrated during the second baking, which happens overnight in a wood-burning oven that is not fired up […]
Tarama and Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Mint-Flavored Olive Oil
Here’s another unusual use for Greek yogurt–a savory cheesecake made with the ultimate Greek meze, tarama. I created this several years ago, when I was insane enough to open and run a summer restaurant, Villa Thanassi, basically in my backyard on the laid-back, Blue-Zone island of Ikaria. This dish became a signature. I still make […]
Onions Stuffed with Ground Meat / Kelemia
Recipes for stuffed onions abound in the traditional Greek kitchen, which prides itself on taking humble ingredients and transforming them into delicious, rustic masterpieces!
Tomato Fritters / Tomatokeftedes
All over the Aegean you can find vegetable fritters and they are a great way to make vegetables–everything from wild greens to cauliflower to tomatoes, chickpeas, and more–fun and interesting. Kids love these crispy treats. This particular recipe is from the Cyclades. Tomato fritters are a traditional meze and main course vegetarian dish in Santorini, […]