Kalogeros – Beef Baked with Eggplants & Cheese

A wonderful Greek recipe from the Aegean island of Naxos, Kalogeros, named for a mountain on the island, is a rich combination of eggplants, beef and cheese, the latter both specialties on the island. Naxos is famed for its unique breed of cows and its wonderful cow’s milk cheeses, such as graviera You can substitute […]
Kotopoulo me Kythonia – Chicken Braised with Quince

This Greek recipe is one of the great one-pot dishes of the Eastern Mediterranean, and a classic on the island of Chios, the cooking of which was inspired and influenced by the aromatic dishes of the Greeks of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey, almost a stone’s throw from this island’s shores. In Greek cooking, quince is […]
Handmade Makaronia Spartou – Greek Pasta

There is a surprising variety of regional fresh and dried pasta made throughout Greece, with specific shapes and techniques associated with specific places. This Greek recipe for pasta hails from the Greek island of Chios and is called Spartou, after the name for reed in Greek. It is also sometimes herisia, for handmade. This pasta […]
Mavromatika Salata – Black Eyed Pea Salad, Mastiha Vinaigrette

Black-eyed peas are a staple in the Greek kitchen and in the cooking of the North Eastern Aegean islands, they have a special place. They are one of the most prized legumes in local Greek recipes for stews, typically combined with greens and tomatoes to make luscious, filling totally vegan or vegetarian dishes. This Greek […]
Bakaliaro – Salt Cod with Tomatoes, Onions & Raisins

This is a perfect Mediterranean Diet recipe, replete with fish, veggies, extra virgin Greek olive oil and a twist! Raisins and salt cod have always made an easy pairing in the traditional cooking of the Peloponnese. Raisins used to be one of the region’s main commodities, and salt cod, while not of Greek origin, was […]
Classic Greek Salad with a Twist

The classic recipe for a Greek salad calls for everything listed below, plus feta. In this version, made together with ultra marathoner Dean Karnazes when we met, ran and filmed in Messinia, in the southern Peloponnese, I leave out the feta but get plenty of healthy calcium from the addition of sesame seeds.
Messinia Style Giant Beans Baked (Gigantes) with Spinach & Feta

Giant beans, aka gigantes (GHEE-ghan-tez), are a classic Greek ingredient and popular in Greek recipes from every part of the country. This Greek bean recipe is inspired by the delicious traditions of Messinia, in the Peloponnese, where beans and greens are often cooked together with a generous amount of local extra virgin Greek olive oil, […]
Super Food Cabbage Salad

Greek recipes for Greek salads abound and they aren’t all the tomato-cucumber-feta trio! Here is one great salad recipe that calls for Greek superfoods such as dried figs, Kalamata olives, and, of course, extra virgin Greek olive oil, all mingled with a mountain of cabbages, carrots, herbs and seeds. I enjoyed this inspirational salad with […]
Pasteli – Sesame-Honey Confection

This ancient Greek recipe made with sesame seeds and Greek honey is a kind of soft brittle, called pasteli, and is still made throughout the Greek islands, namely in the Cyclades. This recipe is from the Aegean island of Tinos, where it is served as a wedding sweet but also enjoyed throughout the year as […]
Tinos Artichoke Bread Pudding

This Greek island recipe, from the Cyclades, specifically Tinos, attests to the creative ways in which Greek cooking evolved, using both local and everyday ingredients to create delicious, regional specialties. This Greek recipe from the island of Tinos calls for artichokes, one of the island’s most prized local cultivations. I’ve adapted it for American cooks […]