Another week in Greece

Hondros:  (Bulgar with onions, tomatoes and cheese) from The Foods of the Greek Isles.

 Heat 3 tbsp olive oil and saute 1/2 chopped onion.  Add 1 cup coarse bulgur and a pinch of crushed red pepper.  Saute for about 30 seconds.  Add 2 cup chicken stock, 1 cup grated tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 3 minutes.  Stir in 2/3 cup crumbled feta.  Season with salt and pepper.  (We left the cheese out because the dinner was being served with feta on the side)

A repeat of previous nights with the above bulgar added.  We had less time to let the briami roast so it wasn't as sweet as before.  I would definitely give it the extra time to bring out the sweetness.

Chicken Baked in Yogurt with spinach, from Modern Greek.  This had good flavors but the texture was a little strange.  The boys didn't seem to notice.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet.  Saute 2 diced onions until soft.  Remove.  Brown 4 chicken breasts on the bone.  Transfer onions and chicken to casserole dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix 4 cups greek yogurt with 2 beaten eggs, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3 tbsp flour, 2 tsp dried mint, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper.  Pour mixture over chicken, making sure all the chicken is covered.  Sprinkle with 2 tbsp kefalotiri or parmesan.    Bake for 40 minutes.  We served this with sauteed spinach.

Fakes (lentil soup) from How to Cook a Lamb.  I made this last week using yellow split peas in place of the lentils and ham hocks.  This week I used brown lentils and bacon.  If using smoked ham hocks, cover them in a large pot with water, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  I just chopped 3 slices of smoky bacon and sauteed them.  Then add 2 tbsp canola and or olive oil.  Saute 2 chopped onions, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 diced potato, 2 finely chopped and peeled carrots and 8 minced garlic cloves.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Add 3 dried bay leaves and 3 large sprigs of thyme.  (I used dried this week since I was out of fresh).  Add 1 cup red wine cook until wine evaporated.  Add 2 tbsp sherry vinegar.  (I couldn't find sherry vinegar so I added a little sherry and a little red wine vinegar).  Add the ham hocks back in and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until lentils are tender.  (The recipe says 30 minutes, but I have never had tender lentils in 30 minutes.  I cooked this for about 1 1/2 hours)  Season with salt and pepper.  I added a bunch of spinach at this point, just because I like it.  Serve with grated kefalotiri or parmesan cheese, sliced scallions and a little drizzle of olive oil.

We ate a local greek pizzeria last night.  Ordered the saganaki (fried cheese) which was really pretty good.  We also had their pork souvlaki and greek salad.  It was a disappointment.  I think the brine and marinade that we used from How to Cook a Lamb made ours much better, more tender and flavorful.  I have a few more recipes that I would like to make, so Greece may last a few days longer.

This week in Greece

I love this cookbook.  All of the recipes from this week (except the last one) are from this cookbook.

Tomatosalata Me Fasolakia (Tomato and String Bean Salad)  Blanche 1/4 pound green beans and 1/4 pound yellow wax beans (I used all green) and plunge in ice bath.  Dry and set aside.  In a bowl combine  1/3-1/2 cup Red Wine and Feta Vinaigrette (recipe to follow), 2 tbsp crumbed feta, 4 chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp dry oregano, 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced, 2 sprigs parsley, torn, 6 sprigs dill, torn, and 16 fresh mint leaves, torn.  Add beans.  Toss gently and season with salt and pepper.   For the Vinaigrette:  Makes 1 1/4 cup:  Slice and grill one small onion.  Place 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, the grilled onion, 6 basil leaves, 1 tsp thyme, 1/4 cup crumbled feta, 2 tbsp dijon, 6 cloves garlic, 2 thickly sliced shallots, 2 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp cracked black pepper in a food processor and blend.  With motor running, slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spanakorizo (Spinach rice)  This was very easy, especially with leftover rice.  In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  Saute 2 finely chopped shallots, 6 thickly sliced scallions without browning.  Add 5 cups baby spinach.  Saute quickly.  Add 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.  Add 1-2 cups cooked rice to spinach.  Toss.  The recipe then calls to add 3 tbsp butter.  I liked it better before adding the butter, so next time I will just leave it out.  (It did remind me of Iranian rice with the butter)

Grilled lamb chops and pork loin:  We used the marinade for the souvlaki:  (1 cup olive oil, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 3-4 sprigs thyme, 2 dried bay leaves, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 shallots, sliced, and salt and pepper)

A turkey breast was on sale this week and it was a very busy week.  So I stuck it in the crockpot with a sliced onion, 4 cloves of garlic, a handful of kalamata olives, a tbsp of lemon juice, leftover tomato slices, oregano and thyme, a couple squirts of sundried tomato paste and 1/4 cup of chicken stock.  Cooked on low for about 10 hours.  I then took the turkey out, mixed 1/4 cup of chicken broth with a couple tbsp flour and stirred it into the fluid in the crockpot, turned it on high and let it cook for 30 minutes.  The turkey was fall off the bone delicious.  We served it over egg noodles (again, a request of the boys)

Loukanika

I love these little sausages.  Grind 1 1 /2 pounds pork shoulder.  Add 1.4 cup port wine (no open port in the house, so i substituted madeira) 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, 2 tsp salt, 2 minced garlic cloves, grated rind of an orange.  Mix until well blended.  Stuff into casings.  (Taken from The complete Middle East Cookbook)

Sanford cooked these with some of the oil from the garlic confit, along with some cloves of the same garlic and a sprig of rosemary.  I didn't need the sausages at this point.  I could have just eaten that garlic with hummus and pita all day!

Another greek salad.  Even the kids are growing to love them.

Shrimp with orzo and tomato

This recipe also comes from How to Cook a Lamb  Cook orzo according to package.  Saute 3 shallots, minced and 2 cloves garlic in a tbsp olive oil for one minute.  Add 9 thickly sliced scallion and 16 large shrimp (we used small ones and added them at the very end).  Cook 30 seconds.   Add 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, 3 roughly chopped plum tomatoes, 1/4 cup garlic puree (take the garlic from the previous recipe and puree it).  Cook 2 minutes.  Remove shrimp.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce for 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add 1 1/2 cups cooked orzo, 1/3 cup crumbled feta and 6 cups baby spinach.  Cook until spinach wilts.  Garnish with olive oil, crumbled feta.  (Next time, we would use a more flavorful tomato sauce (maybe a homemade marinara) instead of plain tomato sauce or just add a bunch of oregano.  It was a little bland.  The boys loved it though.)

We sauted garlic and onions in olive oil.  Toss in some fava beans (peeled twice) and green beans.  Added some white wine and simmered.  Toss ouzo in at the end.

Garlic Confit, Briama, Pita, and Lamb chops

This recipe comes from Michael Psilakis' How to Roast a Lamb. Most of his recipes call for some of this.  We didn't use it tonight, but I am excited to have it in the fridge.  It will keep in a sterilized jar for 3 weeks as long as the garlic is covered with oil and it is covered with saran wrap.  In a heavy dish add 3 cups peeled garlic cloves, 2 dried bay leaves, 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme, 15 peppercorns, about 1 tbsp kosher salt.  Barely cover with 2 cups oil (half olive oil, half canola oil)  Bake covered at 300 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and place in sterilized jars.  note: replace saran wrap with each use, only use clean fork and/or tongs.

Briami Me Maratho (before)

Briami me Maratho (after)  From The Foods of the Greek Islands by Aglaia Kremezi.  Cube one eggplant and put in colander.  Salt liberally and let sit 30 minutes.  Rinse and dry.  Cube 3 zucchini.  Coarsely chop 1 -2 tomatoes, 1 large onion, 1 fennel bulb.  Slice 3 garlic cloves.  Toss all the vegetables with 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground fennel seed, 1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano and salt and pepper.  Put in casserole dish, bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time.  Ours wasn't finished at this point.  We kept baking until it no longer looked like a bunch of chopped vegetables.  Sprinkle 1 1/2 tbsp chopped dill at the end.  May be served warm or at room temperature.  (This was ridiculously delicious.  The vegetables developed a wonderful sweetness.)

Pita from www.foodnetwork.com:  Put 2 1/2 cups warm water (105 degrees).  Sprinkle 1 tsp dry yeast in the water.  Stir to dissolve.  Add 2 cups whole wheat flour, one cup at a time.  Add 1 cup bread flour.  Stir in one direction 100 times.  Let sit for 10 minutes ( up to 2 hours).  Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt over the dough.  Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil.   Add 3 cups bread flour, one cup at a time.  Knead the dough 8-10 minutes.  Place in oiled bowl and cover 1 1/2 hours.  (until doubled in size).  Roll into individual pitas.  Cook on pizza stone in 450 degree oven about 3 minutes.  (This makes enough dough to have for a few days.  We put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Says to use it within five days.)

The lamb chops were marinated in the souvlake marinade from How to Roast a Lamb.  It included 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 dried bay leaves, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 diced shallots and salt and pepper put in a ziplock with the lamb.  Grilled over charcoal to med rare.

Kotopoulo Kapama (braised chicken)

I didn't have my memory card in my camera, so no pictures tonight.

This recipe was adapted from Tess Mallos' The Complete Middle East Cookbook.  Brown 6 chicken thighs in 1/4 cup olive oil.  (The recipe called for butter, but I am out of butter)  Remove chicken.  Saute 1 minced onion and 1 minced garlic clove until translucent.  Add 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 14 oz can tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp sugar.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  (I added sliced mushrooms to this).  Put chicken back in pot, cover  and simmer 45 minutes.  Serve over noodles, top with parmesan cheese.  (I let it cool for a little and skimmed the fat off the top.)

Kebabs Yiaourtlou

I was unsure tasting each of the parts separately, but together they were really delicious. (from greekfood.about.com):  Mix together 1 pound ground beef with one shredded onion (with liquid), 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp paprika. 1/2 tsp cumin and salt and pepper.  Put in fridge for at least an hour.  Then form kebabs about 6 inches long and 2 inches thick.  Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.  (Mine were done after 20 minutes.  I think they might get really dry if you left them for 40 minutes)

For the yogurt sauce:  Mix 3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt with 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt. 

For the tomato sauce:  Heat 3 tbsp olive oil.  Saute 1 minced onion until transluscent.  Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp vinegar, 1/2 tsp cayenne, pinch of ground clove, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Assemble the dish with kebabs, tomato sauce and yogurt sauce.  Serve with pita.

(Sam had the need for egg noodles, so that's how he had it.  Not sure how greek the egg noodles are!)

Kabobs, Greek Salad, Grilled Cheese and Tsatziki

Another Greek salad, can't get enough of it.

We made this kabobs from beef marinated in olive oil, shallots, garlic and oregano.  We grilled Halloumi cheese.  We should have grilled it longer, it still squeaks when you eat it.  And of course, grilled pita

Tsatziki (from How to Roast a Lamb:  I have tried to make this sauce a couple of times in the past, but this is my favorite by far!)  Peel and finely dice one cucumber.  Put 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 thickly sliced shallots, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar and dried dill to taste (we didn't have fresh) and put in food processor.  Process until chopped (not pureed.)  Add to cucumbers.  Fold in 1 cup greek yogurt.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and salt (about 1 1/2 tsp) and cracked black pepper to taste.  May refrigerate for up to one week.

Kotopoulo me dendrolivano

This was a great meal;  The chicken came from Saveur Magazine Aug 2010:  Salt 8 chicken thighs, then dredge them in flour.  Brown in olive on both sides.  Toss in herbs (we used dried thyme, oregano, bay leaf and rosemary).  Add 1 glass of white wine. Let reduce for a minute or two.  Add 1-2 glasses of water.  Cover and simmer until meat falls off of bone.  Remove chicken, reduce sauce.  Squeeze lemon in to taste.  For the rice:  saute 1 chopped onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add 1 chopped red bell pepper and 1 chopped celery.  Cook a couple of minutes.  Rinse 1 cup rice until water runs clear.  Add 2 cups chicken stock to vegetables.  Add rice, salt and pepper.  Cover and put in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  These two dishes tasted great together.

The salad was just mixed greens, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion (soaked in water).  The dressing was crumbled feta, olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, garlic (minced), dried onion, greek yogurt and salt and pepper whisked together.

Moving on to Greece

August has been a rough month for One Month at a Time.  Between the end of summer, back to school, soccer practices and couple of trips, there hasn't been a lot of time to cook.  My family is starting to grumble about quitting this endeavor, so for the past week we have had a little break.  Sanford is really missing olive oil, tomatoes, cucumbers, "the tastes of summer".  Sam and Jack have been making Mexican food for breakfast before school.  We have been grilling pork, making pesto, throwing together summer pastas.  So one last canoe trip this weekend, and we will start Greece.