Clay-Baked Minoan Lentils – Minoikes Fakes
One of the most fascinating aspects of Greek cuisine is the continuity of use of so many ingredients from prehistoric times to the present. Among the oldest ingredients still revered today are honey, olive oil, herbs, and native pulses, first among which is the humble lentil. Honey, together with spices and herbs, was often used […]
Braised Chickpeas with Spicy, Aromatic Pork Shanks
This dish definitely elevates the whole concept of pork and beans! In Greece, hearty stews that combined meat and vegetables or beans, were a way to stretch a meal, providing a little animal protein to every member of the family, for example, while filling bellies on more economical raw ingredients such as chickpeas, an ancient […]
Baked Gigantes With Honey and Dill
There are so many great recipes all over Greece for braised or baked giant beans, called gigantes. These butter, comforting beans marry well with everything from tomatoes to feta and spinach. This recipe is one of my favorites and may be served as an appetizer, vegetarian main course, side dish or meze. You can also […]
Template for a Classic Greek Bean Soup
Fasolada, the classic Greek bean soup, comes in many regional variations. In Western Crete, for example, a few strips of orange zest are sometimes added to the soup as it simmers. In the north of Greece, where the palate is spicier, fasolada is often seasoned with boukovo (hot pepper flakes), or a couple of hot […]
My Son’s Favorite Beef Stew
One of the classics of Greek meat cookery is a one-pot stew called Kokinisto, which means red, for the tomato that goes into it. This is a variation of that recipe, enriched with a complex nexus of herbs and spices that give the dish a rich, multi-faceted flavor.
Fasolakia Yiahni (Green Beans in Tomato Sauce)
One of the absolute classics of Greek summer, but also delicious year-round, green beans yiahni are an easy, luscious casserole of fresh beans slowly cooked in olive oil, with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and herbs. All you need is a chunk of feta and a bit of good bread to complete this wonderful vegetarian main course.
Fish Wrapped in Grape Leaves
The whole spirit of the Aegean is in this dish. I like to use fennel, which grows wild all over the Aegean, to perfume my fish. Grape leaves add a beautiful astringency and make for a gorgeous presentation. Easy elegance with the pared down essential nature of the Aegean! I can feel the salty sea […]
Pan-fried Veal with a Tangy Vinegar Sauce from Corfu – Kerkyreiko Sofrito
Sofrito is one of the most traditional dishes from Corfu. Its name, from the Italian fritto, for fried, is characteristic of many of the local recipes on Corfu and elsewhere in the Ionian, where the Venetians ruled for centuries and left an indelible stamp on the cuisine. This is a wonderful festive dish, perfect for […]
Goumenissa Pork and Leeks in a Skillet, Prassotigania
Perhaps no other combination of meat and vegetable best represents the cooking of northern Greece more than the duet of leeks and pork, which appears in pies, sausages, ground meat dishes, and main courses alike. Here is a classic meze called tigania, because it’s typically made in a tigani, or skillet. The dish can easily […]
Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes with Tomatoes and Onions
One of the great strengths of Greek island cooking is its wealth of unusual vegetable dishes. Even banal winter vegetables such as cauliflower and potatoes are turned into tasty meals with the help of great olive oil and local tomatoes. To find some of the artisinal Greek products you’ll need to make this, visit my […]
Xinomavro Duck with Cornmeal Cream
Duck, papia in Greek, is a special treat usually reserved for holidays or hunters. This simple Xinomavro Duck recipe marries one of the world’s richest meats with a tannic Greek red wine, Xinomavro, typically from Naoussa and other areas in Northern Greece. The wine is a beautiful counterbalance to the richness of the duck. I’d […]
Little Shoes – Eggplant Halves Baked With Three Cheeses And Tomato
This wonderful eggplant dish is the regional version of a classic. This rendition comes from Lesvos. It’s one of the heartiest and most filling vegetarian dishes in the whole Greek repertoire. To find some of the artisinal Greek products you’ll need to make this, visit my online shop here, where you’ll discover a host of […]