FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS FROM GREECE

GREECE

ATHENS

Tzatziki

Original Recipe Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber ( better seedless )
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves or parsley

Directions

1. Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds using a spoon then grate the cucumber into a small bowl. Stir in the yogurt, garlic, salt and chopped mint. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to develop the flavor.

Best with pita bread

Horiatiki Salata: Greek Salad

This is the traditional version that does not include lettuce. You can add the lettuce if you like.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large, ripe, tomatoes
• 1 large red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/4 pound (113.5g) of Greek feta cheese, sliced or cumbled
• dried Greek oregano (rigani)
• sea salt
• top quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 dozen Greek olives (Kalamata, green Cretan olives, etc.)
• pickled pepperoncini hot peppers (garnish)
• 1 tablespoon of water (optional)

Preparation:

Wash and dry the tomatoes, cucumber, and green pepper. Clean off the outer skin from the onion, wash, and dry.

Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized irregularly shaped chunks, removing the core. Salt lightly. Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices, cutting slices in half (whether or not you peel the cucumber is a personal choice). Salt lightly. Slice the pepper into rings, removing the stem and seeds. Salt lightly. Slice the onion into thin rings.

Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper and onion in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with oregano, pour olive oil over the salad, and toss. Just before serving, place the feta on top of the salad, either as a slice or crumbled (as in photo), and toss in some olives. Sprinkle the cheese with oregano (and pepper if desired), mix the oil and water and drizzle over the top, and serve, garnished with hot peppers.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Additional ingredients

• Anchovies: if you like this salty fish, add a couple to the salad before tossing.
• Capers: toss in a few if you like them.

 

Makaronia Ograten: Cheesy Baked Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of macaroni pasta (or long ziti)
• 1 1/4 cup of grated kefalotyri (or pecorino, or regato, or other sharp white cheese)
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• -----------
• Sauce:
• 6 tablespoons of butter
• 7-8 tablespoons of flour
• 3 1/2 cups of whole milk
• 1 egg yolk
• salt
• pepper
• -----------
• Topping:
• 1/4 cup of toasted breadcrumbs

Preparation:

Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. As soon as it melts, add the flour a little at a time, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon, until smooth and remove from heat. Warm the milk until it gets hot but not boiling, and add slowly to the flour mixture, stirring continuously. Put the sauce back on low heat and stir until thickened and smooth, the consistency of cream. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper, and once it cools, beat the egg yolks and stir them in.

Preheat oven to 390F (200C).

In salted water, cook the macaroni for half the time recommended on the packaging. Drain and coat with half the melted butter. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and stir into macaroni. Add half the grated cheese and toss.

Lightly butter (or spray) an oven-proof casserole dish and put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom, sprinkle with a little cheese, add a layer of macaroni, sprinkle with cheese, and add a little sauce. Repeat until all macaroni is used, and pour the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle first with cheese, then breadcrumbs, and top off with remaining butter.

Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot.

Pork Stew with Celery and Avgolemono Sauce - Hoirino me Seleri (Selino)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3-1/2 lbs. pork shoulder (or pork butt) roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 leeks, diced (include 2 inches of green)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 8 – 10 large stalks pascal celery (with leaves) cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• Juice of two lemons (strained)
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil together over medium high heat. Season the pork chunks with salt and freshly ground black pepper and then saute until nicely browned on both sides.

Remove the pork to a platter and keep warm. Add the leek and onion to the pot and saute until nicely tender, about 5 minutes. Add the 2 tbsp. flour to the pot and cook for about a minute until incorporated. Add the celery and the chicken stock and allow the liquid to come to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for about 10 minutes. Add the pork (with juices) and the dill to the pot and simmer covered for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the Avgolemono sauce:

Using a whisk, beat the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Ladle one cup of the pot liquid little by little into egg-lemon mixture to temper the eggs.

Remove pot from heat and add egg-lemon mixture stirring gently. Heat over very low heat until sauce thickens and is heated through. Take care not to allow the sauce to boil or the eggs will curdle.

Re-season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

 

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9x9 inch pan

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 8 sheets phyllo dough
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Melomakarona - Honey Cookies with Walnuts

Ingredients:

• For the cookies:
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Zest of one orange
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup walnuts, ground coarsely
• Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
• For the syrup:
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3-4 whole cloves
• 1-2-inch piece lemon rind
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, using your fingers, combine the orange zest with the sugar – rubbing the grains as if you were playing with sand to release the orange oils into the sugar.

Using an electric mixer, beat the oil with the orange sugar until well mixed. In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the orange juice and brandy to mixer and mix well.

Slowly incorporate the flour cup by cup until the mixture forms a dough that is not too loose but not quite firm either. It will be dense and wet but not sticky. Once the flour is incorporated fully stop mixing.

To roll cookies, pinch a portion of dough off about the size of a walnut. Shape in your palms into a smooth oblong shape, almost like a small egg. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Shape and roll cookies until the sheet is filled.

Press the tines of a large fork in a crosshatch pattern in the center of each cookie. This will flatten them slightly in the center. The cookies should resemble lightly flattened ovals when they go in the oven.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned. (The cookies will darken when submerged in syrup.)

While the cookies are baking, prepare the syrup.

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon rind. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and lemon rind and stir in lemon juice.

Place the ground walnuts in a shallow plate or bowl next to the stove top. When the cookies come out of the oven and while they are still very warm, carefully float the cookies in the syrup and allow the cookies to absorb syrup on both sides.

Using a fork or small spatula, remove the cookie from the syrup and place on a platter or plate. Press ground walnuts lightly into the tops of the cookies (syrup will help it adhere) and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon.

Do not refrigerate Melomakarona as they will harden. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

KALA CRISTOUGENA !