Tag Archives: appetizers

Olive Tapenade, Gina’s Style

Tapenade is a Provençal dip/spread that consists of olives, capers and sometimes anchovies. I love anchovies but I am not using it in this recipe. You certainly can add them for more richness if you like them. Beware of the high level of sodium in all the ingredients. This mouthwatering spread is also found in Italian cuisine.

“Olive-based tapenades with anchovies and/or vinegar are ubiquitous in Italian cuisine and are documented in ancient Roman cookbooks dating back thousands of years before the appearance of the Occitan word tapenade.

Follow me in my kitchen and let ‘s have fun with this delicious spread.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer – Level of difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and rinsed
1 cup green olives, pitted (Sicilians are the best) *
1 Tbsp. chopped flat-leave Italian parsley + more for garnish
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil + more to drizzle
Half of a lemon, juiced
1 tbsp. capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, rough chopped
Roasted red bell peppers for garnish, fresh or jar ones
1 loaf of crusty bread, sliced or crackers*Preparation:
1) Place Kalamata and green olives, parsley, oil, lemon, capers and garlic in a food processor. Pulse 25 times by stopping each time until you obtain a chunky but moist consistency, showing small bits of olives and other ingredients.
2) Place in a serving bowl and chill. (Optional)
3) Spread on delicious crusty bread or crackers. Drizzle with olive oil.
Garnish with parsley and roasted peppers. This spread makes a dazzling appetizer and can be made ahead of time. Cook’s notes: I used Spanish olives, and they worked nicely.
I don’t recommend that you add any salt to this spread, even if you’re not on a sodium-restricted diet. You can toast the bread to add that extra touch. The choice is yours. Wine Pairing Suggestions: A lovely chilled white, such as Sauvignon Blanc, or any white or red varieties of your choice. Make sure, the acidity level is low to medium. This way, it will not take away the sharpness nor compete with the saltiness of the dish. It’s ok, if you don’t consume alcohol, either way, you will enjoy this luscious appetizer. I hope you will try this recipe and share your thoughts with me.

Happy Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours,

Gina Martino Zarcadoolas aka Foodiewinelover
My Food, Wine & Travel Lifestyles
WSET-Level 2 Certified Wine Connoisseur
Cookbook Author: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures

Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

Making Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

Keftedes

Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

I married a Big Fat Greek Family, and we all love to eat Greek food. Hubby’s Aunt Jennie is an excellent cook, and used to own a restaurant. She also loves to entertain family and friends. I learned a few things from her, about Greek Cuisine. She makes the best Keftedes, leg of lamb, Pastichio, Moussaka, Spanakopita, and a very scrumptious Baklava. She always tells me her meatballs include 10 ingredients, but I never write them down. So I am going by memory here. I can easily call her, but this dish came out so delicious. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broken don’t fix it. I use a little breadcrumbs in this recipe, but I noticed some recipes call for some white bread.

Serves: 6-8 Level of difficulty: Medium
Yield: 24 meatballs more or less depending on how big you make them. You can use an ice cream scooper to make them evenly.

Ingredients:

2.5 ground sirloin
1 medium onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 ounce of fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 large handful of flat-leave parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano, or 2-3 sprigs of fresh ones, chopped
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive oil for fryingPreparation:

1) Prep the first 10 ingredients, and place in a large bowl. Mix well and form the meatballs. I always taste test one first, by pan frying it, this way, I can add more seasoning, if necessary.

2) You will work in batches. In a large skillet, cover the bottom
with olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Always make
sure, oil is hot before pan frying, otherwise, you will end up with
soggy meatballs. Place meatballs in a single layer, and pan fry for about 6-7 minutes on one side, then flip them and fry an additional 6-7 minutes on the other side. You may have to lower the flame to medium-heat at that point, otherwise, if it’s too high, they will get very dark. Do not overcook them as they will dry up. This may take some practice. You can also bake them for a healthier version.

3) Remove, and arrange them on a plate. Garnish with some mint leaves. Serve it with some Tzatziki Sauce on the side. The meatballs can be served as a Meze, an appetizer, or serve it with a Greek Salad for a full meal.

I can assure you, you and your family will enjoy this Greek deliciousness.

Get cooking, and let me know how they come out!

Kali Orexi

Disclosure: I do not get paid to mention the Fage brand, I happen to like their Greek Yogurt. Please make sure meat is fully cooked to avoid the risk of food-born illnesses.

Gina’s Hummus

Good morning all! I am still very excited about blogging and hope more of you will join me on my new journey. I have debated what to post, since I have a nice collection of recipes in my database. Today, I decided to share with you my popular Hummus recipe. It’s always a big hit at my gatherings and so easy to prepare.

Serves: 6-8
Degree of difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS:

1 – 16 ounces can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. salt, optional
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Tahini (sesame paste) optional but highly recommended for richness
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 lemon
Paprika
Olives and flat leaf parsley for garnish, optional

Very appealing to the eyes

PREPARATION:

Combined all the ingredients (except for the paprika and garnishes) in a food processor or blender until it reaches a creamy texture. Add more water if needed. Place in a medium size bowl, garnish with olives, parsley, sprinkle the paprika and drizzle some olive oil on top. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Voila, you got yourself a crowd pleaser! Serve with Pita bread.

Bon Appetit

From Gina’s Kitchen