Spinach Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts or Chestnuts
A great winter side dish that pairs well with all manner of proteins. To find the olive oil and olives that round out the flavors in this easy, delicious recipe go to my online store here.
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!
Basic Homemade Filo and Regional Variations
Regional Filo Variations in Greece: Filo in the Ionian: Follow the same directions as for basic phyllo, but reduce water to 1 cup and add a ½ cup of strained plain yogurt together with remaining liquids. Filo in Epirus: Reduce the amount of water to 1 1/4 cups and add one large egg, beaten, to […]
Naoussa Style Braised Christmas Pork and Leeks
This is a pan-northern-Greek dish, one of the all time classics and favorites on the Sunday and festive table. In Naoussa, the addition of tomatoes to the dish distinguishes it from other versions around the region. Locals say the best cut for this is pork collar. For 4-6 servings ½ cup olive oil 1 ½ […]
Nut-Stuffed Shredded Wheat Rolls, Ioannina Style / Kataifi Yanniotiko
Most people who are familiar with kataifi, the thin-strand pastry, think it is actually shredded wheat or shredded phyllo. In fact, it’s made with a batter that is poured through a tiny-holed spout onto a large, hot, circle griddle that spins slowly, thus creating the vermicell-like effect. From what I know, a few places still […]
Fricasse of Fish and Greens
This subtle, tangy Greek fish dish is an underappreciated classic, even in Greece. It’s traditionally made with the thin-stalked dark green celery that Greeks call “selino” but which Americans might know as Chinese celery. You cal also make this with leafy greens, such as chard. To lend a truly authentic flavor to this luscious fish […]
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.
Octopus Cooked with Fennel, Orange and Green Olives
4 servings as a main course1 large red onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped ½ cup/120 ml olive oil, or slightly more if desired 1 medium-size octopus (2-2 ½ pounds/1 -1.35 kilos) ½ cup ouzo 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes, or 1 can Greek whole Santorini tomatoes in their juices ½ cup fresh chopped fennel […]
Soup with Trahana / Trahanosoupa
Trahana, an ancient grain product that is made with flour or bulgur and milk, buttermilk, or sometimes vegetable pulp, is one of the oldest foods in the Eastern Mediterranean. I like to call it the world’s first instant soup or first fast food. Its rich, complex, milky flavor is a revelation. To find trahana go […]
Sarikopites (Cretan “Turban” Pies)
It’s the shape that sets these lovely pies apart: filled with cheese and coiled, Cretan cooks nicknamed them sarikopita after sariki, the word for turban in Turkish. Petimezi is essentially reduced, clarified grape must. You can find it in Greek and Middle Eastern food shops all over the world. It is, in fact, one of […]
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 […]