Ikaria Longevity Cornmeal & Greens Soup
I had been hearing about the use of corn kernels and cornmeal in the Ikarian diet ever since my aunt Mary, who passed away several years ago at the age of 97, mentioned the corn-stuffed cabbage leaves she remembered as a child. This soup is an old recipe and a perfect example of the kind […]
Lentil Soup with Kale and Chile Pepper
The simplest lentil soup that brims with health and flavor! You can substitute the kale with fresh spinach or chard. Use the leaves only. To find some of the artisanal Greek products you'll need to make this, visit my online shop, where you'll discover a host of lovingly curated Greek ingredients.
Ikarian Longevity Greens Pancakes
Ikarian cooking in the middle of the 20th century is what most of the island’s nonagenarians remember vividly. They were the stone-hard years of the Occupation, a time of great hunger all over Greece. This pie, really a kind of pancake, stands out to me because it’s cooked on a griddle, the better for using […]
Ikaria Longevity Greens Pie with Whole Wheat Phyllo
This is one of my all-time favorite Greek pies, from the Blue Zone island of Ikaria, where we run our cooking schoolin spring and summer. We teach our guests to make this and they love it.
Giant Beans Baked with Spinach and Feta
Plenty of Greek traditional flavours are used in this dish: sweet Greek giant beans baked with healthy spinach and traditional Greek feta. A traditional dish, appetizing in both taste and texture!
Spinach, Caramelized Walnut & Smoked Turkey Salad
Spinach Salad with Salty-Sweet Caramelized Walnuts and Smoked Turkey: super-easy and absolutely delicious!
Traditional Pies from Ikaria (Pitarakia)
These traditional pies, so called “poor”, are in fact full of flavor and exceptionally healthy. They are one of the most popular, traditional foods of Ikaria.
Sautéed Greens with Onions and Tomatoes (Tsigareli)
A simple winter recipe with sautéed wild greens from Corfu. The secret is in the olive oil. Go for the best Greek olive oils, which you can find on my online store here.
Healthy: Rock Samphire
Rock or Sea Samphire, called kritamo in Greek, grows wild along the coasts of Ikaria and elsewhere. Pickled, it is a great meze for ouzo.
Penne with Pine Nuts, Spinach, Anchovies & Raisins
The combination of sweet and salty or sweet and sour is a common one throughout the Mediterranean. Greeks love the marriage of honey, vinegar and herbs, for example. Elsewhere, anchovies, pine nuts and raisins are a beloved sweet-sour trio. This is my quick and easy adaptation on a Sicilian classic.
Spicy Pasta with Spinach, Pine Nuts, Raisins
Pasta with spinach, raisins and pine nuts is a delicious combo with ancient flavor tones.
Greens in Greek Cooking: Boil or Blanch?
While it might seem odd to a non-Greek cook to boil greens until they are extremely soft, this is the way Greeks like to eat them. In Greek cooking, all sorts of greens, wild and cultivated, sweet and bitter, are boiled, typically in a big pot filled with salted water that is at the point […]