Tag Archives: Greek

Back To My Roots, A Delicious Greek Cookbook

Spanakorizo

Back To My Roots
Krystina Kalapothakos is a chef with a Greek soul, as she puts it. She blogs over at Kouzounas Kitchen.  Kouzouna is her grandmother’s maiden name, and not to be confused with Kouzina, which means kitchen in Greek. I met her online a little over a year ago, via a Twitter friend.  She is the founder of a wonderful group on Facebook called: Foodify.  We follow each other on social media, and share each other’s recipes with our audience.  Krystina is inspired by her yiayia, (grandma in Greek), who left her legacy, along with some traditional Greek recipes. That’s where Krystina gets her passion for cooking, and baking.  She has some delectable recipes on her blog, but recently decided to put together her first cookbook. Although, it’s been a lifelong dream of hers, it took her a little less than 3 months to put it together. I admire her commitment, determination, and love for Greek cuisine.  I got a copy of her cookbook, and was pleased with the heartwarming story she shares with us, along with some delightful, and authentic dishes. It didn’t take me long to try her Spanakorizo, Rice with Spinach. I made it in my kitchen, and it was an instant hit with my family. Today, I will share with you, this delicious Greek dish from her newly published cookbook, Back To My Roots, Sharing Recipes From The Villages Of Greece.

Spanakorizo (Spinach & Rice)

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of fresh spinach (If you are using swiss chard, you can do half swiss chard & half spinach)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped fresh onion
  • 1 leek finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 lemon (reserve juice and zest)
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
  • 1.5 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt
  • 1 Pinch ground cumin
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • Balsamic Vinegar (Reserve for the finish plate)

Method:

  1. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat.

2) Saute onions and leeks until they become translucent. (About 5 minutes.)

3) Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute.

4) Add lemon zest, dill, basil, mint, oregano, cumin, swiss chard, and spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted down.

5) Stir in the rice, and water. Bring to a boil.

6) Reduce the heat, and place the lid over the pan. Let the rice cook for approximately 20 minutes.

7) When the mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy with some fresh Feta over the top.

I highly recommend this cookbook, and Krystina is in the process of getting it on Amazon. In the meanwhile, if you are interested in owning one, please email her, at kouzounaslive@gmail.com, write “cookbook” under subject, and she will get back to you. This would make a lovely Christmas, Hanukkah, or birthday gift.

Krystina Kalapothakos

Krystina Kalapothakos

Meet Krystina Kalapothakos, the name behind the lovely blog, Kouzounas Kitchen.

Follow her on Twitter: —–> KouzounasKitchen
Follow her on Facebook: —>KouzounasKitchen

I want to thank her for her generous contribution to the culinary world, and for featuring my shrimp Saganaki in her cookbook. I hope you will try this recipe, and get her book.

Update: 3/11/2016 – Since this blog post, Krystina has published her book on Amazon and you can obtain a copy by clicking on this link: http://www.amazon.com/Back-My-Roots-Krystina-Kalapothakos/dp/0692638679/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456905437&sr=8-1&keywords=krystina+kalapothakos

Spanakorizo

Kali Orexi (Bon Appetit) in Greek

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb

Leg of Lamb, Greek-Style

Leg of Lamb, Greek Style
Today we are celebrating a special birthday, and I am dedicating this blogpost to my lovely fellow-foodie-blogger friend, Athina, from  Kicking Back The Pebbles.  She is one of the 6 admins at Foodify, (including myself) a fabulous Facebook group of food bloggers  from around the world.  She is such a valuable  asset to the group, and has a generous heart.  She lives in Greece, and I am doing it the Greek way with all the fanfare.  In Greece, depending where you live, lamb is usually the meat served at Easter. I  made this leg of lamb, (1/2 to be exact) a while back in April, for Greek Easter. I normally cook a whole leg of lamb, but this time, I was cooking just for the four of us. I asked the butcher to cut the lamb in half, and he did. Today, I will share my version of a Leg of lamb. I have made this dish on many occasions, and it’s always a big hit.

Serves: 4-6 Level of difficulty: Easy-medium
Prepping time: about 10 minutes, cooking time: 1.15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 leg of lamb, 3.5 lbs.
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, whole
  • Olive oil, a generous amount
  • Oregano, to taste (lots)
  • 2 cups of water, or low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup of dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh *
  • 1.5 cup orzo (a shape of pasta)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

    Preparation:

    1) Season lamb with salt & pepper, pierce some holes, and place the garlic cloves in the meat.  Place the lamb in a large deep metal tray.  Sprinkle oregano, and put the onions on top of the lamb. Drizzle generously with olive oil.

    2) In a 350 degree F. preheated oven, bake the lamb for about 35-45 minutes. Remove the tray with the lamb from the oven.  LEAVE THE OVEN ON!  Sprinkle the orzo all around the lamb.  Add the tomatoes, water, more olive oil, salt & pepper to the liquid. Give it a good stir. Place the tray back in the oven to continue cooking until the orzo is done. Always, keep an eye on your food. Add more liquid if necessary. It should come out, nice and moist.

    Leg of Lamb

    Leg of Lamb (in my kitchen)

    This is a picture of a whole leg of lamb, in my kitchen from the past.  If you are cooking for a crowd, use the same method, adjust the measurements, and allow for more cooking time.

    Leg of Lamb and lemon potatoes also make a beautiful combination, and is more traditional.

    Wine suggestions:

    Agiorghitiko from Nemea,  in the region of Peloponnese, a fruity red wine.

    Xinomavro, from Naousa, in the region of  Macedonia, a rich red wine with more tannins.

    Let’s not forget, Ouzo goes with everything! Opa!  (DO NOT CONFUSE ORZO WITH OUZO)

    Wait!!! That’s not all, no party would be complete without some Greek deliciousness. I am serving  Kouzounas Kitchen scrumptious, Loukoumades. They are mouth-watering Greek doughnuts. Like her saying goes: “let your taste buds say Opa!”

    Loukoumades, Kouzounas Kitchen

    Loukoumades, Kouzounas Kitchen

    χρόνια πολλά,  Happy Birthday Athina! Hope you are enjoying your celebration in style.

Polla Filakia! (Lots of kisses) darn, WordPress, wanted to change         Filakia to Tilapia, LOL!

Love, Gina

 

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce This Greek must-have condiment is used as a dipping sauce for a variety of dishes. I use it with lamb dishes, chicken souvlakis and Keftedes, Greek meatballs. Today, I will share with you, my version of Tzatziki Sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup of plain Greek Yogurt (2% milk fat) I use Fage brand
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
  • 1/4 tsp. white vinegar
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Mint leaves, chopped, optional

Preparation:

1) Place garlic in food processor or blender, and slowly add oil until it is nicely blended.

2) In a medium-sized bowl, add the yogurt, garlic mixture, cucumber, vinegar, salt,  pepper and mint. Mix well. Garnish to your liking! Chill for 15-30 minutes before serving.

Kali Orexi

Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

Keftedes

Making Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

Keftedes, Greek Meatballs

Keftedes

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.

Delectable Greek Salad

Greek Salad
Santorini, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Acropolis, Athens

Acropolis, Athens

 

I love Greek cuisine, and one of the easiest dishes to make, is a classic Delectable Greek Salad. When I make it here in the US, I usually use Romaine or iceberg lettuce along with the other ingredients. Surprisingly, when I was in Greece, I found out, their authentic salad did not call for any lettuce. Back in 2008, taking pictures of food wasn’t popular like today. I don’t have any to share with you because Instagram was non-existent then. However, I will share some of my personal photos taken while visiting some of the famous and breathtaking Greek islands, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and Athens.

Serves 2-4 as a side – Add Grilled Chicken or Salmon, and make it a meal for 2.  Difficulty, super easy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tomato, cut up in wedges
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut up in wedges
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  •  A handful of Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 3-4 oz. of Feta cheese, crumbled, and a square for garnish
  • Red wine vinegar, lots of drizzle to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to your heart’s content
  • Himalayan sea salt, or sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon oregano

Preparation:

Place the tomatoes, Feta cheese, cucumbers, onions, olives, peppers in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with red wine vinegar, and a generous amount of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Mix well. Garnish with a nice piece of Feta. Voila! You got yourself a lovely and refreshing Greek salad.

Tips #1)  Always use more olive oil than vinegar. In general, the ratio is 2-3 parts oil for 1 part vinegar.

Tip #2) You can eye-ball the measurements, use a jar with a spout, it gives you more control. Most of all, as a homecook, you should always taste your food. If you like it, the chances are, your loved ones will too.

I hope you will make this delicious salad, and bring it to a picnic!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Kali Orexi!

Delectable Greek Salad

Greek Salad

 

Greek Salad

Mykonos

Mykonos

 

Rhodes, Greece

Rhodes

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