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ΚΑΛΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ!!!!!!!
The day has arrived. Christmas. It’s not just a holiday but a state of mind.
I would like to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas. May you be surrounded with family and friends, filled with good cheer and I again only wish for good health to myself, my family and each and every one of you.
Without our health, we have nothing. Eat well, drink moderately and live life to the fullest.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Aren’t mom’s the best? Just when I thought my mom showed me all the tricks in her book (brain) of kitchen techniques, she smacks-down this little ditty on the kitchen counter!
I’ve seen these in assortment trays from Greek bakeries. I’ve eaten these at Greek festivals. I seen these offered by other cuisines (Middle-Eastern, Lebanese & Turkish) and in all cases, I was never sure how these were assembled. Until now.
The most important part of making these Baklava Daisies (Margarites) is a medium-sized dowel. The length should be longer than your phyllo pastry and the girth of the dowel should be about equal to the handle of your typical wooden spoon.
The wooden dowel gets buttered (as does the phyllo) and one simply rolls-up the phyllo in the dowel and then push it with your fingers down along either side of the dowel. The phyllo scrunches up and the creativity only just begins.
Leave about 1 inch of the phyllo in tact (not wrinkled) and then slit it open with a knife. Now slice the phyllo off the dowel. Open the 1-inch section of the phyllo with your finger and bend inwards. Now carefully wrap the wrinkled part of the phyllo (like as if it were a snail) to form a daisy. The open-ended phyllo in the middle will be the base for your nut mixture.
Again, another interpretation of the same Baklava ingredients: phyllo pastry, melted butter, nuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves and finally, the aromatic syrup.
Let’s make some Margarites (Baklava Daisies)!
Margarites (Μαργαρίτες) or Baklava Daisies
(makes approx. 32-36 pieces)
1 package of commercial phyllo (454gr.)
(thawed overnight in the fridge)
Filling
2 cups of walnuts
1 cup of melted , clarified butter
1/2 tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. sugar
Syrup
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of honey
juice of 1/4 lemon
Pre-heated 325F oven
Note: You might have to bake these off in batches, which means the baked phyllo will be cool. In this instance, re-heat your syrup and pour it over the cooled phyllo cups (one component MUST be hot and the other MUST be cold).
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Continuing with my series in the realm of Baklava, I present Pourakia or Baklava cigars. Again, all the flavour of Baklava can be had with these easy to make roll-ups. You can make them as big or as small a you wish.
In this recipe, a whole recipe (using 1 package) of phyllo is used but I’ve opted to make small cigars. The phyllo pastry here cut into four vertical strips.
Yesterday, my friend Ivy of Kopiaste offered a wonderful suggestion: it’s the holidays and if you’re going to splurge – now is the time. Since you’re making so many, you can change-up the nut filling for your Pourakia. Why stick with just walnuts? Make a small batch of each with pistachios, almonds or even pecans! 
Baklava Cigars (Πουράκια)
(makes approx. 35)
1 package of commercial phyllo (454gr.)
(thawed overnight in the fridge)
Filling
2 cups of walnuts
1 cup of melted , clarified butter
1/2 tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. sugar
Syrup
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of honey
juice of 1/4 lemon
Pre-heated 325F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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There are many riffs on Baklava that one can make and Saragli are just one of them. The classic Baklava is made with stacks of buttered phyllo spiked with a mixture of nuts, cinnamon, sugar and cloves.
For Christmas this year, we decided to make an array of Baklava/Syropiasta sweets. In the coming days, I will also show you how to easily make Pourakia (cigars) and Margarites (Daisies)…all variations on Baklava and all easy!
Today, Saragli are up. Saragli are made by laying out sheets of phyllo, spreading out the nut/spice filling. You then roll up everything and then cut the roll with a serrated knife into medallions. Lay them flat on your buttered baking sheet and you’ll view a “pinwheel” design”. Bake them off and add the cold syrup. Easy right?
On this occasion, the Saragli were made smaller than usual as these will be offered as Boukitses (bites) amongst the many other sweets on offer. You want a larger pinwheel, add one or two more layers of alternating phyllo and nut mixture. This recipe utilizes half a package of phyllo (approx. 250gr). I counted out the phyllo sheets and divided into two batches (one batch of phyllo for each roll).
Like in any Baklava recipe – either the syrup is hot and the pastry is cool or vice-versa to end up with a “happy ending”. In this case, I make the syrup first, allow to cool and when the Saragli come hot out of the oven, just pore the cooled syrup over and allow it to get absorbed.
Before I show you my recipe…I would like to recognize and show-off another version of Saragli, from a good friend from Greece, Stella Spanou. Stella is a Chef, cookbook author (and now a friend of mine). Her site is in Greek but the photos translate into delicious Greek food…breaking any language barriers.
Saragli (Σαραγλί)
1/2 package (250gr.) commercial phyllo (thawed in the fridge overnight)
1 cup of unsalted melted butter (clarified preferred)
2 cups of walnuts
3 Tbsp. of sugar
1/2 tsp. of ground clove
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Syrup
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of honey
juice of 1/4 lemon
one buttered baking vessel
Pre-heated 325F oven
Please Note: Baking times will vary, depending on how thick you make your Saragli.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Regardless of whether you are Greek or not, live in Greece or among the Diaspora or if you are real lucky and you get to spend the holidays in Greece – I think a primer on the Greek Christmas is the call of the day.
When Greeks speak of the holidays, we mean Christmas, New Year’s and the Epiphany. Christmas and New Year’s are a busy time (like anywhere else) with shopping, baking and preparing for the friends & family that will drop by.
Christmas is firmly in the “family column” holidays with Greeks spending long hours with family & friends over long, drawn-out dinners, wine and many desserts and sweets. Other customs during Christmas are the decorating of the Christmas tree, many will adhere to the 40 days of fasting before Christmas and children can be seen and heard singing Christmas carols from door to door in all neighborhoods.
Until a few decades ago, the Christmas tree played little or no role in the Greek Christmas. People used to decorate a small (sometimes handmade) boat, which called out to Greece’s close affiliation with the sea and it’s long marine history.
In the town squares of many cities near the sea, one will find a large replica of a boat in it’s main squares decorated with lights and ornaments. Shops and office windows are also often decorated and they will remain until January 7th, the following day of the Epiphany.
Although many different desserts are enjoyed and offered during the holidays, there really are just two types of cookies which are standard and found in each and every Greek home. Those cookies would be the Melomakarona and Kourabiedes.
The melomakarona are a spiced cookie, fragrant from cinnamon and cloves and brightened up with orange zest. The cookies are then dunked in a syrup and topping with a walnut crumb mixture with more cinnamon and cloves.
You will find many recipes for Melomakarona and this recipe (although not a new offering on my blog), is a good one – a delicious one!
The other Christmas cookie offered during the Greek Christmas is Kourabiedes. Lot’s of butter is used here. The key to good Kourabiedes is the use of butter. Where Melomakarona use walnuts – Kourabiedes are paired with toasted almonds.
I can’t choose which of the two Christmas cookies I like best but I’ll tell you one thing…these Kourabiedes, if made well (with butter) and stored in a cool place in a sealed container, will only get better and still be butter, soft and just a little crunch from those chopped almonds.
On Christmas day, there are two popular main dishes served. One being a whole roast turkey with a stuffing of rice, raisins or currants and most definitely chestnuts.
Another traditional meal will be centered around a roast pork, be it a loin, shoulder or most spectacularly, a whole suckling pig.
In my home, the baking of cookies and other sweets, be it traditional or non-Greek has been completed. On to preparing for the Christmas dinner and the remaining dishes for the holidays.
I’ll do my best to squeeze in as many timely recipes, dishes and customs as the holidays unfold.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Today’s post is a new feature for my blog…Bits & Bites.
On occasion, I will feature someone, be they Greek or a Philhellene who loves Greek food.
In each edition of Bits & Bites, I’ll introduce our guest, fire off ten food and drink related questions and give you the heads-up on what’s new with the particular personality.
It’s my pleasure to introduce Joanne Weir, a James Beard Award-Winning cookbook author, a chef and TV personality. Joanne also shines when she shares her cooking wisdom with her students. Cooking wisdom? Yeah…world traveler…relishing, absorbing and sharing sights, smells, cooking methods gained from her many travels.
Of particular interest to myself and those who love Greek food is her cookbook, “From Tapas to Meze”.
I recently fired-off ten questions for Joanne, and she even shares a Christmas recipe for us to try:
Q. You have $10 for a quick lunch…where would you go?
A. Saigon Sandwiches on Larkin! OMG, the best!
Q. What was the last meal you cooked at home?
A. Flatbread with spicy handmade sausage.
Q. What dish for you sums-up Greek cuisine?
A. Tzatziki, I could eat all day long!
Q. Your friends are treating you for a dinner at a restaurant – sky’s the limit…where/what would you choose?
A. Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc with all my family and friends. I love the set menu because I can just sit there and I don’t have to make any decisions. And I would have Joe, my darling husband pick the wines. He knows what I love and again I could just sit back and relax.
Q. Sometimes we have long days and we’re too tired to coo. What would you order for take-out or delivery?
A. Spit-roasted chicken and a green salad. I can make my favourite lemon, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil vinaigrette for the salad?
Q. What’s your current favourite ingredient?
A. Rugosa Squash
Q. Is there a holiday recipe that you love and think that everyone should try this year?
A. Cranberry Upside-Down Cake….want the recipe?
Q. Do you have a favourite drink or beverage?
A. Guess the answer to the question…I just wrote a book called Tequila. Maybe because today is cold and rainy, I would have the Buenas Dias! It’s a must!!!!
Q. What’s your favourite store for grocery/food shopping?
A. I’m a farmer’s market and CSA box kinda’ gal. I also go to Whole Foods.
Q. What would your last meal be?
A. Pizza Margherita from da Michele in Naples, Italy.
Q. Joanne, anything else you would like to share…what’s coming up?
A. I am being given a special achievement Tasty Award in the “outstanding passion” category!!! Also check out my weeklong hands-on classes. My first (and already sold out) class will be to the wine countries of South Australia in March. My other classes fall 2010 will be to Tuscany and Provence! Also look into my classes at my SF studio kitchen where I also shoot my TV show www.joanneweir.com. Follow me on twitter (joaneweir1) and facebook.
CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE (by Joanne Weir)
topping:
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 lb. cranberries
cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 yolks
1 teaspoon plus a few drops vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 egg whites
cream of tartar
garnish:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Butter a 9″ cake pan. Melt the 2 ounces butter and brown sugar in the bottom of the cake pan. Place the cranberries in the cake pan on top of the melted butter and sugar.
Preheat oven to 350oF.
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream the 1/2 cup butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add the yolks to the creamed mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Add the milk alternately with the dry ingredients to the above batter, folding well after each addition. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the peaks hold their shape. Fold the whites into the cake batter. Spread the batter over the fruit and bake for approximately 1 hour. Test to see that it is done by inserting a skewer or a toothpick into the center of the cake and making sure that it comes out clean.
After the cake has cooled for at least 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen it. Turn the cake over onto a serving platter and let it sit another 5 minutes. At this time, remove the pan. Serve slices of cake with softly whipped cream flavored with powdered sugar and vanilla.
Serves 8 to 10
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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The original Olympic flame that was ignited by the Greek sun in Olympia, Greece makes a stop for ceremonies at the Greek Community of Toronto
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Those who read my blog on a regular basis know that I prefer eating whole fish rather than fillets. This preference is not an inflexible rule and nor does it mean that one cannot enjoy a fish fillet.
Today’s dish features a fillet sliced off of a whole sea bream (porgy). The main reason why I prefer (and encourage you) to seek out whole fish is so that you may be assured of eating the freshest fish possible.
A whole fish will allow you to smell the fish (should only smell of the sea), touch it (should be firm and a little slimy), the eyes should be bright and not sunken in or grey. Finally, take a look under the gills – they should be a bright red.
What’s the best fish? Why…it’s the freshest fish. If you don’t have sea bream, fillets of soul, cod, basa or tilapia will work well here too!
The the idea of topping the fish with a potato crust came from a recipe I shared last year in a seafood pie. In that instance, I topped the pie with grated par-boiled potato and I thought to reproduce that combo but with a fish fillet.
This dish is delicious, quick to make and I’d be comfortable serving this on a weeknight or weekend (family or friends). The cooking procedure is pretty straightforward: par-boil your potato, season your fish and pre-heat your oven.
All that you have left to do is decide upon a side dish and perhaps a starter – like a soup or salad. I’ve made this dish twice: one one occasion with some baked chickpeas and last night with some baked mushroom rice.
The baked rice again is very simple: pre-heated 400F oven, 2 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, 1 cup of long grain rice, 1/4 cup olive oil, pinch of black pepper and about a cup of sliced mushrooms. Mix in the baking vessel and uncovered in your oven for about 40 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff the rice and serve.
The potato crust is very reminiscent of a potato Skordalia – a Greek dip often served alongside battered and fried cod. My selection of potato is a fluffy Russet potato and I’m sure a Yukon Gold would work well here too. Just avoid any waxy, red-skinned potato.
Sea Bream Baked With a Crispy Potato Crust
(serves 4)
4 fish fillets (sea bream or other European sea bass), rinsed and patted dry
1 large Russet potato
4-5 cloves of garlic
zest of 1 lemon + 2Tbsp. of lemon juice
extra-virgin olive oil
some mustard
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. of paprika
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
Pre-heated 400F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the Three Greek Sisters. Born & raised in Toronto’s Greektown (The Danforth), these ladies have just released a self-published cookbook, “Around the Greek Table”.
Betty, Eleni and Samantha Bakopoulos share family recipes with the reader with one eye on on tradition and the other with plating traditional Greek dishes with panache, flair and that “lady’s touch”.
pictured left to right - Samantha, myself, Betty and Eleni
I gladly accepted their offer to join them as they gave a cooking class to some Canadian military wives here in Toronto. The Three Greek Sisters (or as I call them, Trio Belle Greca) instructed the ladies on how to make their own Baklava (rolled) cigars.
All the ingredients were provided, instruction was given, a watchful eye overlooked some of the ladies who were timid with phyllo pastry but in the end…the military wives took to the ease of instruction from Trio Belle Greca and all participants took home their assembled Baklava Cigars for baking (and a quick vanishing act from the dessert table).
Christmas is upon us and “Around the Greek Table” would make for a wonderful Christmas gift. The book can be purchased from the Three Greek Sisters Website or at Amazon.
Why should you buy the book? Not because it’s self-published, or that the three sisters are like you and I, or that these women assumed a “take charge” attitude and recipe-tested, photographed, funded and self-published this book.
The cookbook contains:
112 photos,
105 easy to read recipes,
60 vegetarian dishes,
22 delicious dinners,
18 impressive appetizers,
13 desserts and,
12 menu suggestions.
The photography is excellent, the recipes work and the sisters even thrown in some clever techniques and plating ideas that I’m excited to try out too!
The Three Greek Sisters were kind enough to give me an autographed copy to me for a giveaway promotion. All you have to do is leave a comment ON THE BLOG (only one comment will count in the draw) and a winner will be chosen by this Friday, December 18th at 6PM EST.
For your comment to qualify, please share with us all a special memory, be it funny, sentimental, touching you have about a sibling (or close relative for those only children). When I met the Three Greek Sisters, I could definitely sense a strong blond amongst them…almost telepathy and I want to see if anyone else has such a strong family bond.
The giveaway is open to all readers and the winner will be contacted via email.
Καλή τύχη (good luck)!
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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This dish can be as quick or as difficult as you want it to be. For me, the toughest part about this dish was tying up the chicken breasts. I’ve always been a visual learner and this YouTube video clip shows one how to properly tie up a roast or in this case, a stuffed and rolled breast of chicken.
I like this method best as it’s the classic way and it can be applied to beef tenderloin, pork loins or in this case here, tying up a flattened, stuffed and rolled chicken breast. If you want to practice this method, try it on a rolled up bath towel.
On to the dish. Again, you can make this dish as quick or as long as you want it to be. The importance in executing any dish is “mise en place” or as “zee French” say, everything in its place. Have your ingredients ready and you should be able to bang this dish out even on a weeknight. Still too little time after work? Prepare the stuffing, tie-up the chicken and place in the fridge overnight and cook’er up the next evening.
Looking at the ingredient aspect of the dish, these ingredients are on hand for most Greeks and perhaps most you. What used to be an ethnic ingredient is now mainstream.
Roasted peppers. I roast bushels of red peppers in September and freeze them in zip-lock bags. I thaw, peel the charred skins whenever I need roasted red peppers. You may char them on your gas/charcoal grill or over a natural gas stove-top.
Further on down the list we have Feta cheese, pistachios, smoked paprika and for the sauce, a reduction of white wine, some stock and finished-off with a fresh splash of Skinos Mastic liqueur and strained Greek yogurt.
Most people can now buy strained Greek yogurt but why pay extra for something you can do yourself? Dump the tub of plain, whole milk yogurt into a fine metal sieve and strain for 24 hours. The volume will reduce by half but you will end up with authentic, strained Greek yogurt.
The next time a dish or a sauce calls for heavy cream, try adding a dollop of strained Greek yogurt instead. It’s rich, creamy, lighter in calories and it won’t curdle on you. I also like the slight tang it offers.
Finally, the splash of Skinos Mastic Liqueur might not be available in your market place but you can buy Mastic resin (teardrops) or even mastic essence. My good friends at Mastiha Shop in New York City cater an array of products that are made with mastic and Artemis (owner) tells me they gladly will also ship to Canada! Just select “contact us” and they will place your special order.
Why should you make this dish? First, it looks damn good, you’ve now mastered tying up a roast, you have all the ingredients on hand, it’s pretty easy to cook and it’s certainly delicious.
Seasoned chicken breast, roasted red peppers and their hint of smoke, creamy Feta cheese blended with pistachios, an aromatic sauce with some sweetness from the Skinos liqueur.
The dish really jumps off the plate with the bedding of saffron rice. The region of Kozani (northern Greece) produces some the world’s best saffron and it’s always a delight to include it in a dish.
Enough touting – lets get cooking!
Chicken Breast Stuffed With Roasted Red Peppers, Feta and Pistachios
(serves 4)
2 large chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin
4-6 roasted peppers, peeled of charred skins and seeded
2 tsp. smoked paprika
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely ground pistachios (shelled and unsalted)
olive oil for searing
Feta and Mastiha Sauce
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup strained Greek yogurt
1/4 cup crumbled Feta, mashed with a fork
1 tsp. of lemon zest
1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves
1 shot of Skinos mastic liqueur (or 1 tear drop of Mastic, crushed OR a drop of Mastic essence)
salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heated 375F oven
Saffron Rice
2 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
a pinch of saffron
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup of long-grain rice
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Do you want the recipe for five or for one hundred?? I knew you would say five. A couple of weeks ago, my mother was asked by her friends in the lady’s auxiliary (Philoptichos) of our parish, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, for a pasta recipe to feed one hundred on the eve of St. Nicholas Day.
Typically, a “no meat” dish is offered to visiting dignitaries and parishioners for this meal that follows the Vespers (evening service). My mom suggested my recipe of shrimp and pasta that I often make and enjoy. It’s a simple dish of shrimp, olive oil, onions, garlic, white wine, crushed plum tomatoes, lots of fresh parsley and seasoned to taste. I like the zip of chilli flakes in it.
By now, most of the lady’s auxiliary have heard about my blog and when they learned that the pasta recipe was mine, they had asked me to cook the meal (with the help of the ladies themselves).
I immediately accepted the honour and I was confident that all I had to do was some simple multiplication, get oriented with a professional kitchen and ensure there was plenty of help in the kitchen. I didn’t even have to go shopping for the ingredients…all would be taken care of!
Fast forward to early evening, hours before dinner would be served and I find myself in the kitchen located in the church’s basement. First thing I checked was that we had all the ingredients needed to make this simple yet delicious pasta dish. My confidence had quickly eroded.
No Parsley. Not enough cans of plum tomatoes. Only two heads of garlic for a tomato sauce for one hundred. TWO BAGS OF COOKED SHRIMP??? What I though was going to be a fun evening in the kitchen turned out to be a task…I felt like Robert Irvine in Dinner Impossible. Time was ticking!
Off I went to buy the missing ingredients which included some proper shrimp, frozen, de-veined shrimp that just had to be thawed and peeled. If there was ever a time that I wanted a Greek event to be delayed – it was tonight!
Having returned from the market, cooking started at 6 PM. Dinner guests, which included our Metropolitan/Arch-Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, the Consul General of Greece, a Bishop, several Priests from Parishes around the Toronto, Archons of the Church, friends and family all in attendance, were to be seated for dinner by 8:30PM. Two and half hours to make a pasta sauce? EASY!
Not really. Not when the electric stove-tops were operating at half their strength. I did not want to serve a runny sauce that would be devoid of any flavour. Dinner Impossible indeed!
Thank God for my army of seasoned cooks who assisted in the kitchen. About a dozen ladies, all with the experience in the kitchen everyone’s mother has but with one proviso…everyone has suggestions. Some advice could be used and others had to be politely dismissed. A recipe has to be followed and unfortunately the dish cannot be all things to all.
Task number one was to thaw and shell the 20 bags of shrimp. This was easy but it took some time. Four people were shelling a whole kitchen basin full of shrimp. In the meantime, “mise en place” was being prepped: parsley was rinsed and chopped, onions diced, garlic was minced and cans upon cans of plum tomatoes were pureed (in batches) in a food processor.
The sauce could not be started until the shrimp were cleaned. I like building flavours and flavour begins with the shrimp. I seasoned the shrimp and seared them until just pink. The shrimp are removed (shells reserved) and then the olive oil (always lots of olive oil in the church), onions and garlic are all added in to the pot until softened. Actually, they were added to two pots!
Remember, the electric stove-tops were working at half strength. We made two batches of sauce to speed things up. White wine (also plentiful in a Greek church) is then added and reduced by half, the tomato sauce is added along with all the shrimp shells, bound tightly in some cheese cloth.
Shrimp shells equal flavour and there was no way I was going to simply throw out all those shells! We were finally able to count the minutes down as our sauce slowly (all too slowly) thickened.
While the sauce was simmering, the other two stove-top elements were occupied by big pots of boiling, salted water. We had all his dead time waiting for the sauce to be “just right” and when catering to one hundred guests, pasta has to be pre-boiled and ready to go. We boiled the pasta (linguine) in batches and then strained them, tossed them in olive oil and placed them in a warm oven to hold until it was dinner time.
In the end, the sauce was ready in time for our dinner guests. Service started at 9PM (a blessing). The cooked shrimp were warmed up and set up on the long kitchen counter for an assembly-line style of service.
Deep trays of warm pasta were tossed in the tomato sauce. I was plating portions onto each plate, the lady next to me place a mound of four shrimp on top of the pasta and wiped the plate of spills, another lady added a small ladle of hot tomato sauce on top and my mom expedited the dishes onto waiting carts.
Dinner service was smooth, I peeked out to see how people were enjoying the dish, they were either very hungry or the pasta was delicious. I like to think it was a bit of both!
The plates came back pretty empty (a good sign), I was complemented by dinner guests, Metropolitan Sotirios, other dignitaries and friends of the family.
My biggest thanks go out to the ladies of St. Nicholas who’s help in the kitchen, out on the floor serving our guests and to those that cleaned up the mess after the meal. A big thanks to Father Nicholas for giving me the opportunity to cook for so many friends.
Here’s the recipe for Shrimp and Pasta, on a much smaller scale, much easier and with the same great taste.
Shrimp and Pasta of St. Nicholas
(serves 5)
1 can of plum tomatoes, hand-crushed or pureed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
About 20-24 raw shrimp, shelled & de-veined
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
chilli flakes (Boukovo) to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh Basil (I used Greek basil)
1 50ogr. package of dry linguine
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Passing the town "Ksehasmeni" or "Forgotten" on the train between Thessaloniki and Veria
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
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This vegetarian dish comes from a blogger who resides in a city near and dear to my heart, Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is the capital of Greece’s northernmost province Macedonia and the dish get’s it’s name from the geographical location of the dish.
Soula writes the blog “Gasteroplix” and although she writes exclusively in Greek, food is international and with the help of Greeks like me who reach into blogs written in other languages besides English, dishes like these are brought forward to a broader audience.
The name of the dish “Makedonikos” is also a throw to the reputation of northern Greeks’ (Macedonians) love of peppers and spicy and hot foods. The dish’s main ingredient is butter or elephant beans…affectionately known as “gigantes”.
Gigantes can be found all over Greece but the the best beans are supposed to be from the northwestern region of Kastoria (Prespes area in particular). Giant butter beans can be readily found in markets in the West but if you can’t find them at your supermarket, your nearest Greek grocer will surely be stocked with butter beans.
This past summer I also visited Kastoria and I brought back some gigantes beans. When I saw Soula post this dish, I new that I would immediately love it and surely my family would too!
This is one-pan dish and it’s a hearty one. Healthy, filling and full of flavour, this dish will surely get added to your roster of vegetarian dishes. A glass of wine, some crusty bread and perhaps a winter salad are all that’s needed to round-out the balanced meal.
Some of you might not like hot peppers (what’s wrong with you?) but that’s why I left the whole hot banana peppers in tact. The baked dish is saved from the heat of the peppers and those hot pepper freaks (like myself) are also accommodated.
Fassoulotavas Makedonikos (Φασουλοταβάς Μακεδονικός)
(serves 4)
2 cups of butter (gigantes or elephant) beans
1/2 cup olive oil
the white parts of 2 leeks, washed, rinsed and cut into slices
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 red (sweet) shepherd’s pepper, sliced into rings
1 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste
2 ripe tomatoes passed through a box grater (or 1/2 cup tomato puree)
3-4 whole hot banana peppers
1 tsp. smoked paprika
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
squirt of ketchup (optional)
water
Pre-heated 375F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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I made this dish last Sunday and if it weren’t for the fact that I’m making Prime Rib today, I’d probably be having this entire meal again. One of the best things about Sunday dinner is that you have lots of time. There’s no real pressure, you can leisurely cook, open a bottle of wine and enjoy your afternoon knowing that a fabulous dinner awaits.
For this dish I used some bone-in goat meat. Goat is similar to lamb but it’s leaner. I marinaded the goat and then slow-roasted it until the meat turned to a deep brown colour that was tender to the fork and flaky and moist inside.
As an accompaniment, I made a scalloped potato dish using some Greek flavours like roasted red peppers and my home concoction of Kopanisti. Kopanisti is a smooth, briny cheese that has a mild “blue cheese” flavour to it and it’s made in the Cyclades islands. I had some blue cheese left in my fridge and the flavours melded well with the red peppers, potatoes and Bechamel.
The vegetable portion of the meal were some roasted Brussels sprouts. A friend of the family that hails from Laconia (Sparta) had brought back some “Siglino”. Siglino is a cured and smoked pork that first gets coated in coarse sea salt and then marinated in red wine and spices. Afterwards, the pork is smoked for two days and preserved in pork fat.
I wish I could source this stuff here in Canada, but I know this to be wishful thinking. A thick slab of smoked pork or bacon would also work well here.
There you have it…a wonderful and well-rounded Sunday meal. When choosing the goat or lamb…make sure it’s “bone-in”. The Kopanisti aspect of the potato dish can be simulated with blue cheese and red peppers and the Brussels sprouts classic is transformed into a wonderful side, using Siglino (cured pork), Greek honey and fresh thyme leaves.
Slow-Roasted Goat With Scalloped Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
(serves 4)
1 kg. of goat meat (bone-in), cut into chops (lamb is fine)
Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. of cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp of fennel seeds, ground
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. of paprika
1 small onion (1/2 cup) grated onion
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
4 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper
—————————————————————————————————
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 sprig of rosemary
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
a couple of whole heads of garlic, tops sliced off
dried Greek oregano for garnish and lemon wedges
Scalloped Potatoes With Roasted Red Pepper and Blue Cheese
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thinly with a mandoline
1 roasted red pepper, peeled and seeded and chopped
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/4 cup of warm milk
2 heaping Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese
1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves
sat and pepper to taste
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Siglino and Greek Honey
1 lb. of fresh Brussel sprouts, outer leaves peeled and halved
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1/3 cup Siglino (or cured slab bacon/pork), diced
1 Tbsp. of Greek honey
4 Tbsp. olive oil (approx 1/8 cup)
salt and pepper to taste
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Oranges from Laconia (southern Greece) on sale on fruit stands at a Thessaloniki farmer's market (northern Greece)
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Living here in Canada and trying to cook Greek food can sometimes be a challenge. Although I can boast about living in a wonderful and diverse food city like Toronto, not all ingredients are available here for Greek cuisine.
The most glaring void would have to be fresh fish from the Mediterranean. Often, I must settle for a cousin or a related fish to that of it’s European counterpart. One such fish is the red snapper. Many fish today are conveniently labeled as “red snapper”. So, when I see the “real deal” (below photograph) in the market – a Lithrini (red snapper), I’m all over the fish and buy it immediately.
The red snapper in Greece is called the Lithrini and in English, it’s the Pandora. It’s part of the sea bream family and can grow up to 60cm, has a red/pinkish tint and it’s wonderful grilled or baked. In Greece, serving a Lithrini to friends or guests would impress them as it’s a light, flavourful fish and more costly.
With the cool weather here, the grill isn’t as accessible and frankly, I don’t feel like standing outside to grill a couple of fish. A little creativity in the kitchen will reward you with some equally delicious dishes.
Today, I’m sharing my dish which starts out with pan-frying the pandoras and then finishing off the dish in the oven with a wonderful, briny sauce that complements this gold-standard of a fish.
Once again, I’m opting for whole fish. A whole fish allows me to inspect the fish for freshness: smell the fish (should only smell of the sea), lift the gills and see if they are a bright red, touch the fish (should be firm and a little slimy) and the eyes should be bright and definitely not cloudy or sunken in.
This recipe is for two (two whole fish). You’ll need a large skillet to fry-off both fish at the same time. Otherwise, fry in batched and place in a large baking dish. You will need a medium-to coarse semolina flour. I chose semolina flour so that the fish’s skin stays crispy. Dredging fish in all-purpose flour and then having it in a sauce won’t cut it. Try semolina flour for dredging, I love crispy skin and the addition of semolina preserves this texture.
Beyond the semolina flour, I’ve paired the wish with classic Greek ingredients…fresh rosemary (part of my indoor herb collection), briny capers and Kalamata olives, dry Greek white wine , lemon and parsley.
Semolina Crusted Pandora With Capers and Kalamata Olives
(serves 2)
2 whole Pandora fish (or red snapper or sea bream), cleaned, gutted, scaled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
approx. 1/2 cup of medium (coarse) semolina flour
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. of capers, rinsed
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup warm water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. of lemon zest + juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or scallions
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
Pre-heated 375F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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It’s less than a month away from Christmas and many of you are in the holiday mode with parties, work functions and thoughts of Christmas with family and friends.
Some of your early birds have already begun shopping for gifts. The foodie in you (or your friends) always has room for another good cookbook. Why not make it a Greek cookbook? There are a few cookbooks I will recommend for this holiday season but I would like to once again highlight Michael Psilakis’ “How to Roast a Lamb”. The book combines storytelling by Michael and many, many recipes that were inspired by the Greek food Michael ate as a child.
One of Michael’s more popular dishes are his ricotta dumplings, very much like Gnudi. His dumplings are often ordered from the Kefi menu and after having made my own batch, I now understand the popularity behind these fluffy pillows of cheese. The book includes his Bon Appetit Recipe of the Year (2006) with sausage, dandelions, sun-dried tomato and pine nuts but I’m going to share my own creation, using Michael’s ricotta dumplings.
Here, I slice some dry Chorizo sausage, fry it up until crispy and throw a party in the skillet with some oyster mushrooms, some shallots, garlic and fresh sage. The other cheese used to make the dumplings is a Graviera from Crete. This cheese is firm and moderately briny. A firm Gruyere would work fine as well.
Sage is a hardy herb that resists a light autumn frost and it survives the cold Canadian winter. I have sage in my garden and I recommend you plant some next Spring as well.
Ricotta Dumplings Recipe
(Approx. 30 ricotta dumplings)
150 gr. of fresh ricotta cheese (place in a strainer/sieve to drain if too wet)
chilled all-purpose flour, as much as needed (approx. 50 gr.)
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Graviera cheese (or firm Gruyere)
3/4 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 tsp. of black pepper
all-purpose & semolina flour for the baking sheet
NOTE: Michael Psilakis’ original recipe is for 90 dumplings. Increase this recipe 3-fold to make a large batch. To freeze, lay out on flour & semolina covered baking sheets and keep them out (uncovered) room temperature for 6 hours before freezing in zip-lock bags. Good for a month.
Ricotta Dumplings With Crispy Chorizo, Mushrooms and Sage
(serves 4)
1/2 a dried Chorizo sausage (or 1/2 cup) thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 shallots (or 1/2 cup) finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of Oyster mushrooms, hand torn (or fresh mushrooms of your choice)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
1 tsp. of fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. of fresh sage, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
1 cup of baby spinach, washed and patted dry
salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Graviera cheese (Romano would also work well)
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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The well-preserved train station in Tripoli, Arcadia
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Today is the eve of the American Thanksgiving and many of you are either traveling or busy prepping for tomorrow’s huge dinner with family and friends.
Canadian Thanksgiving occurs in October (fell on Oct12th this year) and one of the dishes I wish to share with you is this homemade pumpkin pie. You have already planned out your dessert or you’re just going to go out and buy one.
Consider this pumpkin pie recipe if you’re still looking for one. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s all homemade…even the pie crust! Although the pumpkin filling and pie crust are wonderful, the crowning glory is all in the delicious maple whipped cream!
For me, pumpkin (or squash) always has to appear on my Thanksgiving table. This pumpkin pie could make a nice addition to your table.
I would like to wish my American friends a restful Thanksgiving, filled with family and friends and may all your kitchen creations be a success, little stress, delicious and memorable.
Nothing wrong with a little humour on a busy Thanksgiving Day
Pumpkin Pie
(recipe provided by Sandra Shields)
Shortcrust Pastry
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 cup of cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 Tbsp. of cold water
1 tsp. of lemon juice
Pumpkin Pie Filling
1 can (400ml) cooked pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
175ml (3/4cup) packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup light cream
3/4 cup 2% milk, scalded
Turkey design recipe
2 1/2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. of milk
Maple Whipped Cream
2 cups of whipping cream
1-2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
Pre-heated 350F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Today I would like to continue sharing with you my visit to the area in Greece known as Leonidio (Arcadia). I stayed for three days in this area that awes you with both mountain and sea. I was a guest of Elena and her family and the memories are still very fresh.
Each day, we would visit a different beach. On this day we went to the beach known as Plaka. We would find our spot on the beach, lay down our belongings and dive into the crystal blue waters.
Swimming invites appetite. Located right behind us was the Eucalyptus Restaurant…appropriately named after the the large Eucalyptus that grows to the side of the eatery.
When I came to Leonidio, I had no compass from which to judge how the food would be. This was my first time here. Eucalyptus is located right on the beach (Plaka) and from flipping through the menu, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all on offer.
First impressions of Eucalpytus were good: open kitchen (always inviting), super-clean and new and from looking at the other tables…prompt service.
Our hostess Athina greeted us with a beaming smile and organized a large table setting for us. We were right in front of the beach, hungry and certainly thirsty.
Our waiter recited the specials and signature dishes with precision memory and grace. Eucalyptus’ menu consists of traditional dishes with some nice twists thrown in for excitement.
I was impressed with the signature Eucalyptus Salad made of greens, tomatoes, olive paste, pine nuts and roasted Manouri cheese. I’m going to try making this salad next summer!
We ordered an array of appetizers that could be shared and each person also took in a main course. I opted for the special of the day (last order left) of Kokkoros Krassatos or “Rooster in wine”. 
This dish is often duplicated with chicken but it’s unsurpassed when a real, gamey and flavourful rooster is used in this case. When you have good ingredients, little work in the kitchen is needed. The rooster, good olive oil, sauce from fresh tomatoes, some allspice berries and local red wine. Simmer until the meat falls off the bone and serve on a bed of pasta.
One of the appetizers that went fast (and was reordered) was a Grilled Halloumi (cheese) that was served with pita bread and a red pepper sauce. Halloumi is surely in my “Top 5″ of cheeses and this appetizer remains in my memory of that day’s lunch.
I’ve re-created this simple appetizer for you, which can be made indoors or on your backyard grill. The red pepper sauce consists of roasted red peppers, canned plum tomatoes, onions, garlic and a touch of Greek oregano.
I’m now making my pita pita bread…heightening this already delicious, eyebrow-raising meze!
Grilled Halloumi With a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
(appetizer)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, smashed
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup of hand-crushed plum tomatoes (from good quality canned variety)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of Boukovo (chilli flakes)
1/2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
Halloumi cheese, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Pita bread, cut into triangles (about the size of your Halloumi slices)
Note: If you have any leftover sauce, this is great with some pasta and shrimp.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Those who have visited Istanbul (Constantinople) will have feasted on the array of eclectic sweet and savory dishes. Back in 2007 during my trip to Greece, I snuck in a side-trip to Istanbul, Turkey for a long weekend.
One of the desserts I enjoyed was Kazan Dibi or in Greek…”o πάτος του καζανιού”. For those that like Creme Brulee, this dessert is for you. The dessert’s name “Kazan Dibi” comes from the burnt bottom of the pan (kettle).
From my readings, the most authentic of Kazan Dibi’s are made with the milk of a bubal (buffalo). This dessert is very easy to make and it requires few ingredients: butter, milk, rice flour, corn starch, sugar and flavouring.
Kazan Dibi can be flavoured with ground mastic gum, vanilla, mahlepi, or in my instance, with rosewater.
I’ve had this dessert in Constantinople (Istanbul) and in Thessaloniki. In Constantinople (Istanbul), thin ribbons of the burnt pudding are rolled and then served. In Thessaloniki, I received the Kazan Dibi as a nice, thick serving as you see here.
Kazan Dibi is a quick, exotic dessert with the only catch being to make the night before and allow for the pudding to set overnight.
A spatula is the only tool needed to serve this easy treat. Cut a square serving, slide the spatula underneath the Kazan Dibi and quickly (but carefully) invert and place on the serving plate. The burnt/caramelized side of the pudding should be on top for presentation.
You can add a couple of drops of rosewater, sprinkle some ground pistachios or just dust with some cinnamon..it’s your call. For this recipe, I used a large 9-inch skillet. A heavy bottomed skillet will also work fine.
Kazan Dibi (Καζάν ντιμπί)
a 9-inch cast iron skillet
about 2 Tbsp. of room temp. unsalted butter
6 cups of milk + 1 cup to dilute the corn starch/rice flour mixture
3/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup rice flour
1 cup of sugar + 2 heaping Tbsp. to make the caramel
3-4 Tbsp. of rosewater (or your preferred flavouring)
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Bougatsa me Krema for breakfast with a Greek coffee and glass of water
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
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This past summer in Greece was full of many firsts: met new friends, tried some new dishes, new wines, visited parts of Greece for the very first time. One such place was Leonidio.
Leonidio is the town centered the region of Tsakonia, a major part of the the coastal area of the Prefecture of Arcadia. To get to Leonidio, one must drive from Athens, pass over the Straight of Corinth and into the Peloponnese. One drives through Nemea and on towards Nafplion and Argos. Soon after a heading due South will take you through twisting roads that hug the sea from high atop.
Getting to Leonidio is not the easiest but it’s well worth it. Elena of “Syntages tis Kardias” (Recipes From the Heart) extended an invitation to me to spend a few days with her family at her summer home in the elevated village of Pragmatefteis.
Anytime one meets someone new for the first time there’s a bit of trepidation but all that melted away in an instant. Elena’s husband picked up from the town’s bus station and took me to their summer home. Nerves melted away after hugs, kisses and quick jokes and laughter. These were “my people” and I knew the three days in the Leonidio area were going to be special.
Making the weekend into a party atmosphere was Maria, a co-contributor of “Synages tis Kardias”. Maria and her family also joined us for the weekend and have no fear…this home was ample enough for everyone to sleep in their own beds!
KAOYR EKANATE -Tsakonian for "Kalos Ilthate" or Welcome!
The first thing that struck me about Leonidio is the marriage of both mountain & sea. Elena’s home is at the top-end of Pragatefteis (which is already a village with some altitude – not attitude). The hot Greek sun bakes our bodies by day and the warm yet refreshing waters of the Argolic Gulf provide cooling comfort.
The first beach we visited was Porto Sabatiki. The area of Leonidio is known for two things…it’s dialect and it’s Tsakonikes eggplants (the long & thin sweet and seedless eggplant).
The beach of Sabatiki is given a Tsakonian name. In modern Greek, the translation is “san patai ekei” or “like going there”. This quaint bay with Greek tourists, pleasure boats and fishing caiques is very quiet, family oriented and just one taverna to serve the beach.
Specialties offered daily include fish, seafood, vegetarian (ladera) dishes, an array of mezedes all dependant on what’s local and what’s seasonal. The Tsakonian eggplant is on the menu everywhere!
This long, narrow sweet eggplant is grown all over Greece but the actual crop grown in this region is coveted all over Greece and shipped to markets at a premium. The valley in between the two rock faces that surround Leonidio houses several greenhouses that grow just the Tsakonian eggplant.
Main dishes with eggplant, side dishes with tomato, eggplant and peppers, spoon sweet made from eggplant, fried eggplant, grilled eggplant and pickled eggplant. The Tsakonian eggplant is cooked in every culinary way imaginable.
The folks in this region adore this eggplant. It’s earned the status of “appellation of origin” and there’s even a weekend festival (missed it by a week) that fetes this variety of eggplant.
I’ll leave you with my very own homage to the Tsakonian eggplant with this quick and easy pasta that’s filling and (like always) delicious. This recipe is a riff on a dish I found in Reader’s Digest.
Grilled vegetables (the Tsakonian eggplant as the star) get tossed in broad noodles or pasta, with cubes of Feta cheese and Greek basil. At the market, look for the long, narrow eggplants that are light purple with some white streaks.
Greek basil might be a little harder to find. One visit to a Greek church and you’ll find Greek basil plants or at the home of your Greek friends. The leaf is much smaller than the Genoa basil and it’s shaped more like a spear. It’s very sweet but in my opinion, stronger than other basils. A little goes a long way.
If you’re a grilling fanatic like us Canadians (yes, we even grill in the snow) you can grill your vegetables and toss them in your pasta or simply use your oven’s broiler to give you a similar affect.
The vegetables natural sweetness are pronounced after being grilled, most noticeably the eggplant and each twirl of pasta will catch a different vegetable and offering a slightly different taste!
Maria, Elena, Foti, Dimitri and the children, I dedicate this dish to all of you, your warm and hospitality. Leonidio will always be special for me.
Fettucine with Grilled Vegetables and Greek Basil
(serves 4)
2 cups of zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 cups of Tsakonian eggplant (the long, thin Japanese eggplant works well here)
1 red bell pepper, cut into wide strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into wide strips
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 head of garlic, top sliced off
1/4 olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
500gr. package of fettucine
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup of Feta cheese, cubed
extra-virgin olive oil to toss with pasta
1/2 cup of Greek basil, hand torn (or any fresh basil you can find)
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Last month, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving Day (Oct.12th) and alongside of the usual turkey, fixins, pumpkin pie came a soup as a starter.
My brother’s girlfriend is of Polish descent and being fully aware that she (as with many Slavic peoples) that they love beets. Last year I made a Beet soup with a Greek flare but I wanted to try my hand at a traditional beet soup – Borscht.
I’ve only ever tried Borscht before (never made it), so I was a little nervous about it’s authenticity. All the nerves vanished when Natalia (brother’s girlfriend) tasting the soup.
She rejoiced as she tasted the chunky, earthy soup at our Thanksgiving table. A dollop of strained Greek yogurt, some last-minutes chopped fresh dill and Borscht is on!
As a personal preference, I wrapped the beets in foil and placed them in the oven until fork-tender. You may boil them but I think you’ll find that roasting beets concentrates their flavour.
It’s definitely soup season and beets are in season, delicious and mondo-healthy for you. Try your hand at Borscht…Natalia gave the A-OK signal on this one!
Borscht
2 large beets (about 1lb.)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 potatoes, cut into cubes
approx. 2 cups of finely sliced white cabbage
1 cup of tomato puree
1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley
6-8 cups of stock (traditionally beef stock is used)
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill
strained Greek yogurt or sour cream for garnish
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Earlier this year I introduced you all to the pre-cursor of Pastrami – Pastourma. It’s an air-dried beef that’s flavoured by spices and lots of garlic and paprika. Fenugreek is the pronounced in the mix.
Pastourma is enjoyed by Greeks, Turks, many Arab nations and probably the best stuff is made by Armenians. Pastourma is often laid-out as an appetizer (meze) or it can appear in an egg omelet or the main ingredient of a savory pie (Pita Kaisarias).
Today I’m going to share a quick, exotic and delicious meze (appetizer) that you make the next time you have friends over (Christmas season and cocktail parties are coming up).
Pitakia Kaisarias are individual phyllo-wrapped versions of the Pita Kaisarias. Phyllo sheets get wrap a filling of bechamel sauce, Kasseri cheese, ribbons of Pastourma, roasted red peppers and diced tomatoes.
Your biggest challenge in making these pillows of exotic tastes is finding Pastourma. You can always make your own or seek some at your nearest Greek, Turkish, Armenian or Mid-Eastern store. Here in Toronto, my friends at Greek House on the Danforth sell Pastourma.
I first had Pitakia Kaisarias at the Kourdisto Gourouni (Wind-up Pig) in Thessaloniki and more recently at Pylos in the Alphabet City area of Manhattan.
The origin of these savory pies comes from the area of Kaisarias (now Turkey) that was home to many Greeks and Armenians. Many of these peoples came to Greece after a mass exodus from Turkey in the 1920’s.
These people could bring little but what remained was their memories which included recipes, recipes and recipes…including Pita Kaisarias. Today, the neighborhoods of Nea Smyrni (Athens) and Kalamaria (Thessaloniki) still contain a large population of the descendants of these Asia Minor Greeks.
I’m offering you two ways you can make Pitakia Kaisarias…one being on the stove-top (fried) and other baked in the oven. Both approaches yield delicious results and I’m still torn as to which method I like.
The baked version allows me to sprinkle sesame seeds yet the friend version gives me instant gratification with fried dough. I’ll have to make some more and try and decide!
Pitakia Kaisarias (Πιτάκια Καισαρείας)
10-12 sheets of phyllo (cut into 7″x7″ squares)
1 roasted bell pepper (peeled, seeded and cut into ribbons)
1 tomato, juice and seeds removed and diced
20 slices of Kasseri cheese (or a firm white Gruyere or cheddar)
Approx. 12 slices of Pastourma, sliced into ribbons
(3 ribbons per serving)
black and white sesame seeds
melted butter (clarified) or olive oil for brushing
Bechamel Sauce
1 Tbsp. of butter
2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
1 cup of warm milk
1/2 cup of grated Kasseri cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. of paprika
Pre-heated 350F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Leonidio - donkeys head home after a long, hard day's work
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
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One of the most well-known foods in Greek cuisine is pita bread. It’s used to scoop-up dips that are usually included in the mix of mezedes (Greek appetizers).
We wrap souvlaki in them, we wrap gyro in them, we use pita bread to scoop Taramosalata, Melitzanosalata, Tzatziko, Red Pepper Dip, Parsley Salad, Htipiti, Fava, Hummus. Name the dip…pita bread is there (a search in my blog will offer recipes for all these dishes). 
There are many pita breads that can be bought from your local grocer or Greek market but again, nothing beats homemade. I’ve tried many recipes for homemade pita bread and today’s recipe is the best one out there (in my opinion).
The kitchen is as much about experimentation as it is nurturing and pulling-off a dish. On the same day that I made the pita bread, I also tried my hand at homemade pork gyro.
In Greece, the “gyro” you might see in North America that more resembles meatloaf than gyro is nowhere to be found in Greece. If you were to visit Greece tomorrow, you would find pork and chicken gyro. 
For my pork gyro, I used a combo of pork belly and pork butt (shoulder), marinated it over night and stacked the meat on an upright kitchen towel dispenser.
The idea came from a cooking segment on Antenna’s (Greek TV station) morning show. The meat was stacked, wrapped in foil and placed in a preheated oven for 90 minutes. After, the foil is removed and the meat is exposed to crisp-up and take on it’s brown colour.
The result? The flavour was fantastic…it had that Greek gyro taste but I found the meat a little too dry for my liking. I have to play around with the pork cuts (more fat needed) .
I can see folks having a “gyro party”. After each instance of shaving off the crisped pork meat, the gyro stack goes back into the oven for the next round of Gyros on a pita. I’m thinking the outdoor rotisserie will also make for wonderful gyro.
My brother Danny, signaling his satisfaction
Why not try your hand at your own homemade gyro? Go out and find an upright kitchen towel dispenser (no plastic) and try your hand at it?
I’m witholding my recipe as this is a work in progress…when I get it right – you’ll get it!
In the meantime, I can and will share this pita bread recipe, courtesy of Vefa Alexiadou’s latest book, “Vefa’s Kitchen”. This huge collection of her best Greek dishes was just released eariler this year to the English speaking world.
Vefa is huge in Greece, continues to appear on television on her own show and I’m sure that every Greek homemaker has tried at least one of her dishes. Christmas is coming up, Vefa’s Kitchen would make for a wonderful gift.
Making pita bread is easy. You need a basic bread recipe, a heavy cast-iron skillet, offset spatula to flip the pita bread and a cotton kitchen towel to wrap them as they cool.
I am going to share Vefa’s recipe and method but I want to also tell you that rolling out some dough from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes master recipe also works splendidly here.
Buying pita bread from the market is a thing of the past for me. I’ve recently become a bread snob (spoiled by homemade bread) and now I will only eat homemade pita bread.
Vefa’s Pita Bread
Note: the amount of pita bread units depends on how big you roll them out to. I like big pita breads. I used a large cast iron skillet in this instance. You should be good for at least 8, depending on the size you like them to be.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup warm (body temperature) water
coarse corn flour/cornmeal) for dusting – not corn starch (Corn starch is labeled/called corn flour in Greece but to the rest of the world, corn flour and cornmeal are one & the same)
vegetable oil for greasing the pan
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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This dish features snails. I’m very much aware that this dish will not get a million hits or dozens of comments but it’s a necessary post. If I am to accurately showcase Greek cuisine, I must feature all the traditional ingredients, including snails. My friend Deeba has yet to try snails but I think this dish will make even the most skeptical to want a taste.
Greek cuisine is about fresh, seasonal ingredients where nothing gets wasted. The consumption of snails fits into this equation. Drinking water in Greece is cherished as this land is arid. When I visit Greece in the summer, I’ll see one or two rainfalls and usually the weather clears-up in time to still squeeze in a swim or two.
Rainfall is a gift and welcome by Greeks, a gift. Part of that gift comes the awakening of snails from their dormancy. Worms and snails will crawl out of the ground during a rainfall and although worms are NOT part of our diet, snails certainly are.
Last year I picked some snails during Spring and I was the recipient of some sage snail advice from Maria of Organically Cooked. Maria is an ex-pat New Zealander that now lives in Hania, Crete with husband and two children.
This year, I waited until the fall to harvest my snails with the strategy of having meatier snails (and easier to pick out of their shells). Another blogger’s advice I remembered was to place the snails in room-temperature water and then bring them to a boil. This step would not cause the snails to suddenly retract into their shells when they hit boiling water.
Nuria of Spanish Recipes was right…place your snails in room-temperature water and then bring to a boil. I was able to easily pick the snail meat out of their shells!
Eating snails and snail recipes can be found all over Greece but they are enjoyed/consumed alot by Cretans. The only other ethnicity that I’m aware of that eats snails as much as Greeks are the French!
During my vacation in Greece, I met some old friends and made some new ones. One such new friend was Maryline of En Direct d’Athenes. Maryline has lived & worked in Athens for 10 years, she loves Greece, the Greek people and of course our cuisine. J’adore Maryline’s cooking!
Although in French, Maryline also offers recipes in Greek – her second language (speaks it better than me) and her dishes are true to their Greek nature with a French dame’s touch added. I dedicate this snails (escargots dish to Maryline).
This dish comes courtesy of one of Greece’s current wave of chefs/TV personas. Myrsini Lambraki hails from Irakleio, Crete, as does this snails dish. Her recipe comes from the book “365 Places, 365 Recipes” and seeing how this dish is from her region of birth, I assume it to be authentic.
Mirsini’s original dish calls for the use of fresh fava beans but I could not find any in the market at the time of making this dish. I opted for “gigantes” or giant butter beans…a favourite of most Greek households.
The Cretans love fennel (both the fronds and bulb) and I’ve been inserting fennel into more and more of my dishes. I do love it’s mild anise flavour. You may use dill if fennel or anise flavours aren’t your thing.
This dish was made possible in the fall with the appearance of artichokes in the market from lands with opposite growing cycles (below the equator).
Snails are delicious, they are healthy for you. They become a cholesterol-bomb when slathered in butter but not here. It’s good, extra-virgin Greek olive oil. Heart-healthy and delicious.
Snails With Gigantes Beans and Artichokes
(serves 4)
500 gr. of Gigantes (dry butter beans)
8 small artichokes (halved), trimmed/cleaned
approx. 1 1/2 cups of snails, washed & cleaned thoroughly
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 cup of fennel bulb, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh fennel fronds
salt and pepper to taste
NOTE: To eat snails, a toothpick works very well. Stick the toothpick deep into the snail’s opening and twist and pull out the snail meat. Don’t forget to suck the juices out of the shell!
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Crossing over the Straight of Corinth
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
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Recipe update from November 2007
This is one of my favourite soups, one of my favourite Greek dishes. It’s Giouvarlakia Soup. It’s a soup made of meatballs and rice, good stock and finished off with beaten eggs and lemon juice…Avgolemono.
This dish is Greek comfort food. I’ve enjoyed it as a child and I will continue to enjoy it. It’s quick, it’s affordable and it’s a healthy one-pot meal.
I like this soup thick-ish. If the soup is going to made and eaten at one sitting with family (or dinner guests)…then go with about 2/3 cups of rice. If you anticipate that some soup will be leftover, use just 1/2 cup (as advised in the recipe below). With the rice in the soup, the starches will thicken the soup over night and you’ll end up with a very thick and gloopy soup…beyond what I like.
The clincher for this soup is the Avgolemono. Many are intimidated by making this mixture but really, it’s easy. Just remember to slowly temper the hot liquid (soup stock) into the egg and lemon mixture and you’ll never end up with scrambled eggs again.
When making Avgolemono of any kind, do not multi-task. Tend to the task at hand (tempering the hot liquid into cold) and then carry on with your other kitchen activities.
We’re into November, it’s soup season and I can think of no better soup to make than Giouvarlakia Soup.
Try this one out. It’s a soup that eats like a meal, accompanied by crusty bread and finished off with freshly cracked black pepper.
Giouvarlakia Soup (Γιουβαρλάκια αυγολέμονο)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup Arborio rice
+ 1/2 (to 2/3 cup) Arborio rice for the soup
2 tsp. Vegeta Seasoning (vegetable seasoning)
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 quarts (6 cups) of good chicken stock
Avgolemono
2 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. of flour
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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View of the Parthenon from the Cafe/Restaurant in the Museum
One of the highlights of my trip to Greece this past summer was my visit to the New Acropolis Museum in Athens. The word “acropolis” refers to the highest point in a city or town. There are other “acropolises” in Greece – Athens’ is the most well-known.
The Acropolis of Athens is a limestone rock with a sheer drop on all sides (except to the West) and for this reason, it made for a great defensive position. It has some distance from the sea but it can still be observed. This was an advantage against pirates and other invaders.
Located on the Acropolis is the Parthenon. The existing building was built under Pericles between 447 and 432 BC. Pillaged but not destroyed by the end of the Roman period, the Parthenon went through important changes from the 5th century AD and onwards. The statue of Athina was taken & carried to Constantinople in 426AD, then the temple was transformed into a church under Justinian, dedicated first to Saint Sophia and then to the Virgin Mother (Panagia Theotokos).
Ancient olive trees outside of the Museum
Afterwards, it became the Metropolitan Church of Athens. Paintings covered the walls, a dome was constructed on the marble roof (or to replace it?). The pronaos (inner area of portico) was transformed into an apse and the spaces between the columns of the peristyle were walled-up (at the base at the very least). The eastern pediment was pierced by a small circular window, to allow some light to enter.
At the beginning of the 13th century and under Frankish dominance, the church became Roman and with the name of St. Marie of Athens. The bishop of Cyriac of Ancona was the first to recognize the “temple of Pallas” and to to leave a sketch of it.
With Ottoman (Turkish Rule) came the erection of a minaret on the South-West corner. Until the 17th century, the temple was complete and many drawings and sketches exist, notably by the Marquis de Nointel’s painters.
In 1687, sculptures of the pediments, metopes and the frieze disappeared after an explosion.A provisional store of gun powder blew up after a deserter tipped off the Venetians. The explosion shook the Parthenon on September 26, 1687, overturning 28 columns, destroying the walls of the cella and 3/4 of the sculptured frieze.
Once the city was taken, Morosini wanted to take the “trophies” to Venice, including the western pediment – the best preserved. In trying to take them down, the whole central part (Poseidon and the horses of Athena’s chariot) accidentally (oops, you idiot) fell to the ground and was smashed to pieces.
When the Turks returned, they built a small domed mosque in the centre of the breach, without a minaret. The monument was again pillaged in 1801-1803 by Lord Elgin, who arrived from Constantnople armed with a firman (decree) from the Sultan.
He took dozens of statues, 56 blocks of the frieze and 15 metopes that in 1816 were brought to the British Museum. 
The New Acropolis Museum consists of three floors. It’s a rectangular museum that is designed to replicate the Parthenon. Each floor contains artifacts from the temple and many damaged pieces have been repaired or replicated by man.
A recurring theme throughout the museum are the many shadows, empty spaces where missing pieces belong. A hope for their just and long-awaited return is shared by Greeks and non-Greeks alike. It seems that the British government and museum curators are the only ones against this.
I urge you to sign the online petition to return the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.
In hindsight, I wish I could go back and spend a whole day at this museum. It’s probably a wonderful (quieter time) to visit the New Acropolis Museum now that the tourist season has ebbed.
Another regret I have is not being able to take as many photos as I would have liked. It appears that the rules pertaining to photos have changed. Security folk are everywhere and I was a little perplexed as to why I couldn’t take photos when so many people who visited the Museum were able to when it first opened.
My friend Ivy of Kopiaste visited the Museum soon after it’s opening and she shared some striking photos.
So, why did the rules change on taking photos? The security guard that I asked told me that too many people were taking photos with “flash”…more of a distraction and annoyance. Whatever photos I took here with taken in haste and with no flash.
The end of visit to the Museum was spent at the cafe/restaurant with it’s striking view of the Parthenon. There were line-ups for a table but the seating is quick and the service was world-class.
I urge you to grab a bite at this eatery. Have a light lunch that’s affordable, utilizes Greek ingredients and paired with very good Greek wines by the glass.
My companion for my visit to the Museum was my good friend Maria. I’ve know Maria since 1980 as she used to live in Thessaloniki and we would spend summers together in Halkidiki.
We ordered some Assyrtiko white wine from Santorini and we sampled the following dishes:
A sandwich made with a salami from the island of Lefkada.
Graviera cheese from Crete with melon and thyme and honey.
Next up were quenelles of Kopanisti cheese with watermelon. Kopanisti is a soft chees, it’s salty and it has a hint of a blue cheese flavour.
Finally, we had a potato salad with cured Sardines from Mytlini (Lesvos), orange segments and sunflower seeds.
Please do include a stop at the New Acropolis Museum and it’s worth waiting for a table at the restaurant surrounded by so much history. Order, drink some Greek wine, nibble and think about where you’re sitting, the glory that is Greece and the fact that you’re surrounded by centuries of history, culture and civilization. I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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It’s October 31st, Halloween and I’m excited about attending a party this evening. It’s one of the few occasions that adults can let loose and be kids again.
Pumpkins are everywhere, in the market, in front of peoples’ homes and of course, in the kitchen.
Earlier this month us Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving and I made a pumpkin pie. I’ve bought ready-made pies from the supermarket but I wanted to try my hand at the real-deal.
I used pumpkin puree (store bought) and made this delicious, easy to make pie, complete with an “in your face” drawing to boot! However, this post isn’t about pumpkin pie but the pumpkin loaf that was made with the leftover puree (recipe to come).
Lori of The Recipe Girl shared her pumpkin loaf and through sheer good timing and fate, her recipe landed on my lap. Lori’s site has a good array of sweet and savory dishes and she often goes beyond her comfort zone and cooks up theme nights focusing on different ethnic cuisines.
Lori’s pumpkin loaf is easy and it’s a wonderful accompaniment to a coffee or just as a plain, slightly decadent snack. It’s moist, it’s quick, it tastes great and if you use mini-loaf forms like I did, great for little gifts.
Lori’s original recipe calls for 45 minutes for baking but my loaf pans were probably the equivalent of 2 muffins and a bit. My pumpkin loaves took a mere 25 minutes. Just be careful with your baking times if using smaller forms.
I just got a big pumpkin from some family friends and I will be surely making more pumpkin bread, some sweet and savory pies from the Greek side things where pumpkin and homemade phyllo meet.
See you next month tomorrow.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Elderly man walking up the road in Pragmateftis (Leonidio) Arcadias
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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If you’re a regular reader of my site then you’re into Greek food, enjoy the reports from my vacations in Greece and you’re interested in Greek cuisine and it’s ingredients.
Athens – Greece’s capital is home to about 5 million people. That’s alot of people that have to be fed. Most Greeks will go to their local butcher, “manaviko” (fruit and vegetable) stand, neighborhood fishmonger or shop at one of the several farmers’ markets that roam and set up in sectioned-off streets on various days of the week.
Supermarkets, big-box stores and shopping malls also exist in Greece and yes, Greeks will also shop there and I would be a hypocrite if I damned those that do- as I shop a supermarket too!
However, most Greeks do not buy produce from a supermarket and many will still buy cheeses, meats and fish and seafood from local, neighborhood merchants.
Smack in the middle of Athens is the Varvakeios Agora – Athens Central Market. If you’re in Athens and you’re enthused about food and markets – you have to stop here. Getting to Varkakeios is really easy.
Get thyself to Omonia Square and seek out Athinas Street (street names are bilingual). Omonia Square is a roundabout with streets like Athinas that surround Omonia like spokes on a wheel.
Varkakeios is a five minute walk from Omonia Square and you know you’re near when you start to hear the hustle & bustle, the shouts of touters, the smell of herbs and spices, the sounds of livestock.
Varvakeios Agora consists of the Central (or Municipal) Market of Athens on both sides of Athinas and the surrounding area and shops are included in Varvarkeios Agora. On one side of Athinas are the fruit and vegetable vendors who will sell the freshest of seasonal produce. In the old days, produce was strictly local but it’s 2009 and transport makes it possible for food to be sent from all over Greece.
There are shops facing Athinas street that sell dried fruits and nuts. Further inside the main fall are two grand halls – one with all the fish and seafood vendors and the other contains the purveyors of meat.
You will be met by touters, people who will urge you to buy from their stall. If you’re intent is to simply be a spectator, smile and move on. If you want to take photos (and you don’t know Greek), show your camera, offer to take a photo of the vendor or with the vendor. Greeks love being photographed and hey, we’re such hams!
Visiting a central market gives you a good slice of Greek Life. Varvakeios opens very early in the morning and closes late in the afternoon. It’s very crowded, it’s loud, the sights and smells will excite you and if you’re the type that likes people-watching…this is the place.
If you’re a little tired and hungry, there are many small eateries (oinomagheria) that offer traditional Greek food for an affordable price with some wonderful retsina from a barrel.
Construction of the Athens Central Market began in 1876 and was completed by 1886. The architect was Ioannis Koumelis. The market as we know it was built to replace the many sheds that served as the main market inside the ruins of the Library of Hadrian, after it burnt down in August of 1884.
The name Varvakeios comes from the Varvakeion Lykeon (school) which stood from 1857 to 1956 in a nearby square, next to Sokratous Street. Psarianos Ioannis Varvakis, a wealthy merchant from Epirus donated funds to help build the school for gifted boys. The Varvakeion Lykeon was gutted by fire during the Dekembriana in late 1944 and in 1956, it was demolished. As an ode to this piece of Athens history, the Central Market area is affectionally known as Varvakeios Agora.
When in Greece, I always go “gaga” at the wide array of fish and seafood and the sheer freshness of it. Living in Toronto, I’m fortunate to be able to seek out decent fish and shellfish but really…the fish you eat in Greece was just hours earlier swimming in the seas that surround Greece.
A common fish you will find in the markets of Greece is the sea bream. The Greeks call this fish “tsipoura”, “dorade” in French. Sea bream is excellent for grilling, served as a fillet or poached.
Today, I’m going to pan-fry the fish and then finish it off in the oven. I’ll dress the fish with an Avgolemono Sauce, an egg-lemon mixture that figures prominent in Greek cuisine.
Serving fish with an Avgolemono Sauce is a classic pairing. It could be a fish soup with Avgolemono or something creamier, like in this dish. Some recipes call for the fish to be pan-fried and then finished on the stovetop. I’m a little perplexed as to how I will be able to fit sea breams into even the largest of skillets. A simple transfer to a deep baking tray does the trick.
The ingredients here? Little…fish, fennel bulb & fronds, leeks, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stock. The key steps here are pan-frying the fish and pulling-off the Avgolemono sauce.
When pan-frying a fish, the pan must get hot with no oil in the pan. You’re going to rub the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the fish down and let the pan do the work. With a fish the size of sea bream, you want the fish to fry for about 6 minutes to a side.
As for Avgolemono sauces, the biggest mistake anyone can make is to multi-task while making the sauce. Avgolemono is simply an egg and lemon mixture. Hot liquid is tempered so that you don’t end up with scrambled egg. If you gradually introduce the hot liquid to beaten eggs and lemon juice, you’ll pull it off each and every time.
Finally, this classic dish is usually made with the European variety of celery. The stalks are long and thin but this vegetable is used alot in Greek cooking and not always available in the markets here. Here I’m using fennel stalks (usually discarded) and the fronds. I get that celery flavour plus some anise undertones…perfect for today’s fish.
Sea Bream (Tsipoura) With Fennel and Avgolemono
(serves 4)
4 whole gilt-headed sea bream, trimmed, scaled & gutted
2 cups of fennel, stalks and bulb, roughly chopped
1 leek, sliced
1/2 cup of olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
approx. 4 cups of vegetable stock
Avgolemono Sauce
2 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1 heaping tsp. of flour (diluted in water)
Pre-heated 350F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Poutinga is the Greek answer to bread pudding. My take on Poutinga inspired by the Corfu (most common) version. Other versions can be found from Santorini.
It used to be that regional dishes of Greece were only to be found in it’s area of origin but in this day & age, word travels fast, distances shortened, more travel, more exchange of info and ideas. 
During my vacation to Greece this past summer, I noticed how much in common Greeks from all regions have (despite our marginal tribalism) and it was interesting to see regional dishes enjoyed throughout Greece.
Poutinga was one of those dishes. Again, this is a Greek ode to bread pudding and it adheres to the Greek cooking philosophy of wasting nothing/utilizing everything.
Poutingas get the best results from using stale/old bread. Nothing as dry as Croutons but day-old kinda stuff works best. You see, you want the bread to suck up as much of the egg and milk mixture as possible.
On this occasion, I used some Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread) found languishing in the bottom of the freezer. Waste not not- want not. chopped nuts, dried fruits, preserves all are represented in a Poutinga.
I used walnuts, dried currants and black cherry preserve (Vissino) for this Poutinga. Some tang is added with some orange zest and and glaze of apricot jam to provide some yang to the Poutinga’s sweet yin.
Poutinga (Πουτίγκα)
butter to grease the oven-proof pan (like a loaf pan or something else of similar size)
1 cup of sugar
6-8 slices of day-old bread (I used Tsoureki)
5 eggs
3 cups of milk
1 Tbsp. of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups of dried currants (or raisins)
approx. 20 preserved black cherries (Vissino)
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup of apricot jam
juice of 1/2 lemon
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Last week I was given an advance copy of New York Chef Michael Psilakis’ first cookbook, “How to Roast a Lamb”. It turns out my copy wasn’t so advanced. Yesterday, I popped into Toronto’s “World’s Largest Book Store” and there it was!
For those not familiar with Michael Psilakis, here’s a recap: 
Michael is a 1st-generation Greek-American who grew up in Long Island New York and he currently is the Chef and co-owner of Anthos, Kefi,Gus & Gabriel, Mia Dona and the newly minted Eos in Miami.
Michael has also appeared on Iron Chef America and this past March he cooked for the Obama family at the White House on the occasion of Greek Independence Day.
In just a few hours, I will be heading down to Toronto’s Greektown (the Danforth) for our other parade, OXI day where Greeks stood up and said, “NO” to the fascist invasion of Greece in the period of WWII.
How to Roast a Lamb is different from other cookbooks as it includes chapter by chapter narratives from the chef himself. You get a sense of what it is to grow up Greek. Our customs, our way of living, our rituals, our celebrations. In each instance, food and drink are a big part of our lives.
The book will satisfy those looking for recipes as well. There are mezedes (appetizers), soups, sides and salads, fish & shellfish, beef, pork & poultry, lamb & goat, dairy & pasta and finally game.
One glaring omission is desserts. I would have liked to have seen some of his dessert creations. I predict another cookbook devoted to Greek desserts.
If you’re already familiar with Greek cuisine, this book will make for a wonderful edition to your Greek cookbook collection. Michael puts his spin on many of the Greek classics (like this pork sofrito) but never does he stray from the flavours we as Greeks grew up with.
Case in point is his Pork Sofrito With Spicy Pepper & Cabbage. Sofrito is a dish with it’s origins from the island of Corfu and it’s traditionally made with escalopes of beef or veal.
The ingredient list might read like it’s alot and your should have your ingredients on the “ready, set, go” (mise en place) for this dish. It’s quick, worth the effort and flavours just pop in your mouth.
From looking at these pics, it’s not a hard-sell that the dish also dances on the plate. Head over to your favourite bookstore and pick-up How to Roast a Lamb. You’ll get a better grasp of what it is to be Greek and in the end, eat a little more like a Greek.
Pork Sofrito With Spicy Peppers & Cabbage
(recipe adapted from Michael Psilakis)
serves 2
For the side salad
1/4 cup of cracked, green olives (Tsakistes), pitted and chopped
1 cup of savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup of thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments (no pith)
1 Tbsp. of roughly chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. of dill
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or red wine vinegar)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Pork Sofrito
2- 1/2 inch slices of pork loin, cut into 1/2 rounds
all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
2 Tbsp. of chopped shallot (or red onion)
1 Tbsp. of capers (drained)
1 pepperoncini (pickled hot yellow pepper), sliced
1/2 cup of white wine
1 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. of roasted garlic puree (or finely minced garlic)
1 Tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
capers for garnish
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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A "Tsolias", standing on guard in front of the Greek Parliament
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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How can one summarize the city of Athens in a blog post? That would be a fool’s game. Athens is the capital of Greece, practically in the center of the mainland, the economic and government hub of the country and home to half of Greece’s population.
For those who have traveled to Greece, you will understand when I say all roads begin and end in Athens. For right or wrong, Greece is still very centralized and Athens is the nerve center of this small country.
Once again, I found myself visiting Athens on two occasions this past summer. Once on the way down to the Peloponnese and again upon my return to central Greece, Attica and Athens. I made frequent visits to Greece and lately I incorporate visiting old and new friends (blogging has accelerated this aspect).
When I’m in Athens, I stay near Omonia Square, at the Best Western Hotel in the Exarhia area, just behind the Old Museum and “Polytechnio”. Despite last winter’s riots beginning here and the heavy police presence that remains in the area, the location is convenient.
My accommodation has A/C, it’s quiet, clean, safe, affordable and I’m centrally located. I can jump on Athens’ extensive subway & transit system or hop in a cab and be at my destination in no time (barring one of Athens’ famous traffic jams or strikes).
Like any country, there’s more to see than just the capital. Could one visit New York City and say they saw the US? Would Paris satisfy your interest in France? Athens in relation to Greece is the same thing. There’s lots to do and see but for most, 2-4 days (max) will suffice if you want a taste of Athens, see the “must sees” and eat and drink along the way.
Sleep? Who needs sleep…you’re on vacation…I run on adrenalin. You’re in Athens…what do you do? A visit to the Monastiraki and Plaka districts will take you through narrow alleys, filled with shops selling kitschy souvenirs and if you look closer – some genuine souvenirs, jewelry, sandals and prints that will make for wonderful talking pieces at your next party.
The growth and development of Athens has be determined by the Acropolis, a rock that rises up from the middle of a rolling plain encircled by mountains. A trip up to the Parthenon is well worth the effort.
The growth of modern Athens began after 1922 (despite being the capital for nearly a 100 years). Athens, together with the port city of Pireaus are home to about 5 million residents.
This past year, I also visited the New Acropolis Museum, the Old Museum, visited the Varvakeios central market, met old friends, made some new friends and of interest to all us food fanatics, I ate and drank-up Athens.
One of the best times to visit Athens is during the month of August. Most Greeks are on vacation in August and this migration renders Athens empty, easy to manoeuver (little traffic) and not as smoggy (every household now has 2 cars on average).
The down side to visiting Athens in August is that many stores are closed for the holidays. Greece still has many small, family-run businesses (which includes the hospitality industry) and so you shouldn’t be surprised if you’re met with a sign on the dark storefront with notice of the stores closure for vacation.
My advice is always call ahead. If you do not know Greek, ask the hotel or concierge to call on your behalf or ask for a recommendation. If you’re really adventurous, follow your instincts as you explore the city. Look for Greek people, listen for them and see where they are eating. Like in any country, go eat where the locals go.
On my first evening in Athens, three of my first choices for dinner were all closed. Thankfully I was in the company of locals and we finally found some dining alternatives. After ignoring my Greek friends’ suggestions to eat Italian, Spanish or at a Steakhouse, we settled on a Mezedopoleio offering an array of seafood appetizers.
Our hungry selves drove north to the suburb of Nea Philadelphia to “Lagoudera”. Lagoudera is Greek fishermen-speak for a small wooden fishing boat.The place was busy, filled with Greeks (on a Monday) and the menu had all the Greek standards: freshest fish of the day, octopus, shellfish, pickled anchovies, fried calamari, shrimp, dips, and lobster.
Ideally, one would like to be eating fish and seafood by the sea but it’s August, many stores are closed, we were lazy to travel outside of the city and what good is eating by the seaside when it could be a tourist-trap with inferior (maybe even frozen) seafood and one is made to feel like a rushed tourist?
Lagoudera served up straight-forward seafood, fresh fish and seafood,good service (waiter told us what was fresh or frozen) and the prices were decent.
The prices were so decent that langoustines and lobster pasta were both affordable. It was my first night in Athens, I’m on vacation and a splurge is called for. Last year I posted a classic “Astakomakaronada” (lobster pasta) but Lagoudera’s sauce contained peppers in it, I liked that.
Although this dish is much different from Lagoudera’s, the site of live lobsters in the tank here at my local Asian grocer reminded me of that evening.
This recipe is for two. Share 1 lobster and serve up with a tomato-based sauce that contains roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, Boukovo (chilli flakes), dry Greek white wine, a splash of Metaxa brandy, chopped fresh basil and parsley to finish.
The sauce is tomato-based but the use of roasted red peppers heightens the dish and the medley of chopped vegetables provides depth. I think a key element of my approach on this dish is saving the liquid in the lobster when it’s “dispatched”. That’s flavour and when added to the sauce…you’ll taste the difference.
This dish would go wonderfully with a Chardonnay or a recent discovery for me (in Greece) is a Viognier. The Gerovassiliou Viognier has a wonderful gold colour, notes of fruit (like some apricot) and it’s definitely a velvety type of white, perfect for this dish.
Lobster and Spaghetti With a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
(serves 2)
Approx. 250 gr. of spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion (or 1/2 cup) diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/2 can of plum tomatoes, hand-crushed (approx. 2 cups)
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 tsp. of Boukovo (chilli flakes)
1 tsp. of smoked paprika
1/4 cup white wine
1 shot of Metaxa (or other brandy)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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It’s time to travel to other parts of Greece, both in a geographical and culinary sense. This year’s travels first took me south to Athens. The busiest route in Greece for traffic, trade & transport is between Thessaloniki and Athens. These two largest cities of Greece account for 2/3 of Greece’s population.
Frequent plane service, buses, taxis, automobile and trains are all possible ways one can travel between these two cities. Greece finally has a modern train service and barring any strikes, the schedule is punctual and for the most part reliable.
For the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed taking the train (OSE) between Thessaloniki and Athens. If I take the Intercity Express, travel between the two cities is just over 4 hours.
View My Saved Places in a larger map
I hop on the train, just before sunrise and in no time, the blazing Greek sun rises, burning off the morning mist and she welcomes this ancient world with her familiar grin that says, “you want heat – you got heat”.
As I travel by train, I know that I’ve left familiar territory and enter new lands. The sea quickly vanishes as the train travels further inland. I’m in the province of Thessaly, Greece’s great plain.
Thessaly is a province that sits between Macedonia (to the North) and Attika (Athens) to the South. It’s capital is Larissa and the province is known for it’s Feta, Kasseri, Graviera and Katiki Domikou (a kind of cream cheese).
The province of Thessaly is also known for it’s abundance and array of “pitas” or pies. Whole cookbooks have been dedicated to different pitas with their flour and corn crusts and with every imaginable filling one can think of.
However, the one characteristic that sets Thessaly apart from the rest of Greece is their fondness for beef. Thessaly has a large and flat plain and this terrain is good for supporting cattle ranching.
Nearby by Larissa (16 km NW ) sits the town of Tirnavos. Tirnavos is known for it’s Carnival, wine production, the famous Tsipouro of Tirnavos and the subject of today’s dish, cattle. 
Today’s dish is Kelaidi, a simple dish that’s slow roasted in the oven. One simply needs a flavourful cut of beef, stack it with onions, tomato and green pepper and when just finished, add some of the local Kefalotyri cheese to just melt and drape over the ingredients.
Most Greeks like their meats “well done” and a dish like Kelaidi will satisfy any beef lover. Here’s your chance to use those tougher but flavourful cuts of beef. Portion-sized pieces of beef gets slow roasted in the oven…up to two hours!
The traditional recipe uses “spala” or brisket, which is a tougher cut but when slow-roasted, this very flavourful piece of meat renders down to almost fork-tender. For presentation purposes, a round, thick portion of beef would make for a good-sized serving and present a prettier dish, with the beef and vegetables stacked on top.
The vegetables baste the meat through the cooking process, leaving you with some delicious juices to serve with the meal.
Kelaidi is the perfect dish for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Sear your meat, stack them with the vegetables and place in a deep baking dish covered and let the oven slowly works it’s magic.
Remove the cover (aluminum foil) during the last ten minutes and then add your cheese at the very end, just enough to melt over your almost effortless yet delicious Sunday meal.
Kelaidi (Κελαηδί)
(serves 4)
4 portions of rib-eye steaks (veal, sirloin tip or chuck beef all would work well)
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 inch slices of onions
1/2 slices of firm but ripe tomatoes
1/2 slices of green bell peppers
thin slices of Kefalotyri cheese (or another briny sheep’s milk cheese)
olive oil
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Pre-heated 325F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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This week, Indian food was demystified for myself. The long list of exotic ingredients had intimidated me and I was all too content to simply go out for Indian food instead.
Toronto is very multicultural and one can easily go out and dine any cuisine their heart (and belly) desires. Toronto also has a large southeast Asian population and that means there are many markets catering to these peoples’ culinary tastes.
When preparing Indian food, most of your work will be in amassing the array of spices and herbs used in this old, tried n’ true and delicious cuisine. Some herbs you will find in your pantry like black peppercorns, bay leaves or cloves but then there are other spices like methi leaves, garam masala that might be harder to find where you live.
Meeta of the delicious food blog, “What’s for Lunch Honey” had posted her Butter Chicken dish last year and although I had this dish bookmarked for ages, it’s been only this week since I finally got around to cooking this easy, exotic and delicious dish.
Did I mention this dish is easy? Did I mention it’s delicious?
I must also underline the need to toast your spices and then freshly grind them for the recipe. The “aroma-gasmic” experience I had during this process filled the home with exotic scents, it transported to a far, far place. Grinding the spices was like a Tsunami of olfactory unami.
I made this dish on two occasions and I prepared it in two different ways:
Some of you may associate Indian food with being spicy and it is but many confuse the word spicy with hot. Indian food is spicy and some dishes are in fact hot but this particular Butter Chicken dish as a mild type of heat that enhances the flavour of the dish, not bury it.
So, make a shopping list and grab these ingredients. Your southeast Asian stores will carry the more exotic ingredients and some of the supermarkets will have all the ingredients in the international aisle of the store.
Meeta’s site is chock-full of delicious dishes ranging from Indian to Continental European, from savory to sweet. She has something for everybody.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Street vendors playing Backgammon in the Monastiraki district of Athens
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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A diver's flipper becomes a beachside platter
If you recall, I go to the beach twice a day, each day for a swim. Our family’s been swimming in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki since our family vacation in 1980. Between now and then, we’ve met plenty of people – made some good friends.
One of the benefits of these friendships from beach-folk is sometimes you get a bag-full of fish from the day’s catch. Other times it could be fresh-caught squid or octopus…caught right in the very waters where I swim.
Yiannis (left) and Giorgos (right), sipping Ouzo out of cups made from peppers
Another gift from the sea are these venus clams. Yiannis and Giorgos go snorkeling and having heard about my blog, my love of food, we established a quick rapport and in the end, I was a humbled recipient (on many occasions) of squid, octopus and venus clams.
Venus clams on the half-shell
I’ve never been the type to “just take”, I sought to do a little pay-back, in the form I knew best…cook some food. What could be better than eating seafood at the beach, sipping on some Ouzo and putting a smile on peoples’ faces? This was one of the most memorable days of this past summer’s vacation in Greece.
I went into town, bought fresh & local mussels along with some shrimp to make a Shrimp and Mussels Saganaki. A saganaki dish is one made in the two-handles vessel – the saganaki. 
This dish was a riff on my very-popular and delicious Shrimp Saganaki. Garden-rips tomatoes are passed through a box-grater with olive oil, hot banana peppers, mushrooms, Feta cheese, a splash of Ouzo and dried Greek oregano. The mussels and shrimp go in the end and the whole pot vanished in 30 minutes.
Later that day, I had a meeting of the blogger-kind. Take one Greek-Canadian on vacation at the family’s summer home and place him with an American gal who married a foreign student studying in the US. The foreign student convinces her to move to Greece and begin a new life in the Thessaloniki area.
Myself dining with Kosta and Cheryl
Together, Kosta and Cheryl live in Greece, raise a family in a comfortable home with olive trees, citrus, a garden and the sea at their footsteps. Cheryl’s thoughts and musings can be found at her blog, “Rice, Beans and Pastitchio”.
Despite having spent 40 days on vacation in Greece, I do miss the country, the people, the food and Cheryl and I chat frequently about what we’re eating, how’s the weather over there and just share some good laughs like friends do.
Cheryl, her husband Kosta and I met in the town neat my home and I took them to a fish and seafood tavern that serves up fresh, local and consistant dishes. We ordered the usual grilled octopus, squid, an array of dips, salad, fries and mussels. I never tire of mussels.
The psarotaverna serves up these wonderful Mussels Saganaki in a mustard sauce and after tinkering with the recipe a few times, I’m proud to say I have it “bang-on”. I can now enjoy it here in Toronto, be transported to a seaside taverna and kill some time over some mezedes, an Ouzo or two and count-down the days until my next vacation in Greece.
Mussels Saganaki With Mustard
(1 appetizer serving)
1lb. of mussels (cleaned, scrubbed, de-bearded)
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
1 large clove of garlic, smashed
2 heaping Tbsp. of mustard
1/4 cup of dry white wine
1/3 cup banana pepper, sliced in rings
1 tsp of flour
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
wedge of fresh lemon
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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This dish is inspired by a recipe I’ve seen in a few Greek cookbooks and the recipe involves lamb (or goat), boiling the pasta in meat stock and the result is a meal that tastes way more complex than the ingredient list would lead you to believe.
The village of Anogeia is located over 700 metres atop of the north face of Mount Psiloritis. According to mythology, Zeus grew up here and in more recent times, it was burned by the Turks and then by the Germans, who during the War, as a reprisal for kidnapping a German general, rounded-up and shot all the men they could find in the village.
Stock-breeding is the main source of wealth here and if you fancy lamb or goat…this is the place to be. This dish has four main components; the lamb, the pasta, the stock and the herbs.
You can go the old school way and use a shoulder of lamb where you boil it to create your stock. Simply place a lamb shoulder in a stock pot and cover with enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer the lamb for about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about an hour. Skim the fat and discard. Strain your stock and reserve the meat.
Us Greeks usually have lamb stock on hand but a veal or beef stock works just as as well. If you’re really in a pinch, you could buy cans of low-sodium broth from your local grocer. Either way, boil the pasta in the stock…you’ll taste the difference!
For a nice presentation, I’ve used lamb chops which can be grilled, pan-seared on a skillet and finished in the oven or simply place the lamb chops under your broiler.
My marinade for grilled lamb chops works wonderfully for this dish and they will come-out tender each and every time.
The final components of this dish are the herbs and cheeses. The pasta gets tossed in an amalgam of fresh chopped sage, fresh mint and I’ve spiked the mixture with some Boukovo (dried red chillis) to give the dish a kick.
Some crumbled Feta cheese is added into the mix along with some pasta water to help transfer the herbs and spice throughout all the pasta. The dish is finished with some grated Kefalotyri cheese and a Greek bottle of red is fitting for this easy and very flavourful dish.
Anogeia Lamb With Macaronia
(serves 4)
2 racks of lamb (or 1 kg of lamb shoulder)
salt and pepper
1 recipe of lamb marinade
500 gr. package of spaghetti
Approx. 8 cups of lamb (or veal or beef stock)
1/2 cup of crumbled Feta cheese
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Boukovo (dry red chillis)
2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
3 Tbsp. of chopped fresh mint
2 Tsp. of lemon zest
4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter (or equivalent in olive oil)
reserved lamb stock
grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Romano)
NOTE: The remaining stock and lamb meat can be used to make Lamb Giouvetsi.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Baptism at St. John Prodromou Church, below street level (catacombs) in Thessaloniki
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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The ironic thing about vacations are that one yearns to escape the everyday routine and replace it with a vacation routine. I want change, I want to escape computers, telephones, work-life and replace it with sea, sun, beach, family, friends and food.
When on vacation at my parents’ home in Halkidiki, the new routine is like this; wake up, have some breakfast, enjoy a coffee in the shade (it’s hot really early there), perhaps visit a neighbor or go shopping in town.
When it comes to 11am, it’s beach time. Every day, twice a day I walk down to the beach (in the time it takes to smoke 1 cigarette). One swim in the morning, head back home for lunch, take in the afternoon siesta and then head back to the beach for an afternoon swim and back home by early evening.
I’ll walk down to town, Nea Kallikratia and have a stroll, pick-up some nuts and pass the time by (passa tempo). I might grab a gyro or if meeting friends later, hold off as the evening feast at a “psarotaverna” is always welcome.
I might kill some time at the “Freedom Bar” in town. By day, this bar caters to those who rent chairs on the beach, want the convenience of a bar with drinks and snacks nearby and tunes pumping away.
By night, this bar is converted into a very “chill” type of bar. You’ll hear some mellow music, order a drink and follow the fishing boats with their trail of lights lining the sea.
This bar is located right on the beach. The only thing separating you from the sand are some boardwalks. The bar sets up these lights that float in the water, right in front of the bar. The scenery gets me every time.
All this beach talk has got me hungry! It’s time to showcase sardines again. Sardines are loved and enjoyed in all the countries that hug the Mediterranean. The smaller sardines are tastier and they can be pickled, fried, baked or grilled (my favourite).
Again, fresh sardines are much superior to their cousins who get canned and sit on the shelves of your supermarket. Loaded with Omega 3 fats (like salmon but without the mercury) and still affordable….the sardine is the everyman’s fish in Greece.
Today, I’m going to show you a method and a recipe that you’ll surely want to try. We’re grilling sardines but this time the heads are removed and then we gently push open the body from underneath to spread the two fillets out like a butterfly and then pull-out the spine.
What you have left is a butter-flied sardine fillet that can again be pickled, fried, baked or grilled. We’re going to grill these sardines, dress them with a simple and delicious “latholemono” (oil-lemon) sauce and garnish with some neat grape-vine leaves that are quickly fried into chips which could pass off as crispy, briny seaweed!
Grilled Sardine Fillets With Chips
(serves 4)
1 kg. of fresh sardines
Parsley and Oregano Latholemono Sauce
1 cup olive oil
squirt of mustard
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. of shredded carrot
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (1/2 if dried)
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. black pepper
Garnish
24 jarred/preserved grape-vine leaves
oil for frying
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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I gave you a tour of the Kapani Market of Thessaloniki (a few days ago) and I mentioned that the Modiano Agora (market) was also nearby. The two markets really operate in tandem, separated merely by concrete, Ermou Street.
The Modiano Market got it’s name from Ely Modiano, the architect who designed this arcade that contains butcher shops, spice vendors, fish mongers, purveyors of cheese and places to eat and drink. Ely Modiano (and family) were part of the significant and thriving Jewish population of Thessaloniki.
To this day, the Modiano family holds a reunion in Thessaloniki every two years and they set up table inside the arcade we all affectionately call, “Modiano”.
I’ve only dropped by here during the day to buy goods or pass through as I’m traipsing through the city. The Modiano is a place suspended in time. Rebetika music playing in the background, old men seated at their favourite taverna or ouzeri to have “just a nibble” and share a sip of Ouzo, Tsipouro or Retsina with old friends.
The problem with visiting a place like Modiano is that it’s never just a “nibble” or a “small drink”. The music, the smells, the discussion of politics, sports or recent economic hardships all give one reason to sit down, get comfortable and get lost in the day.
One small bottle of Tsipouro requires a few plates of mezedes. The discussion gets heated (but never without leaving as friends). Others might pass by Modiano to grab some lunch. 
There are some “magheria” still inside the market. A Magherio serves up Greek classic dishes, much of what many Greeks would eat in their own homes. The menu varies daily, depending on what’s in season, what’s the most affordable and what’s the freshest.
Besides the older generation that patronizes the Modiano are nearby workers in the Kapani markets. The Kapani and Modiano markets do not close until late afternoon and many small businesses in Greece are still family-owned and operated. The tavernas, magheria and Ouzeris all offer a good, cheap place for the working-stiff in Greece to eat.
You will also see businessmen patronize the eateries inside of Modiano. These guys arrive in slacks and dress shirt, the satchel carrying all their important papers and cell phones, cigarettes and worry beds to occupy the gent until friends/co-workers arrive.
Markets like the Modiano have not been immune to the current “economic crisis”. City police have been cracking down on illegal parking on Ermou Street which dissuades shoppers from entering the downtown core to conduct their shopping.
One could be determined to shop in Kapani or Modiano and squeeze their car into the few remaining spots left in the congested city but when the shopper returns to their car and finds an 80 Euro parking ticket waiting for them…the evil supermarket in the suburbs lays waiting for it’s next victim.
Add expensive rents applied to tenants along with declining sales, one can only count the days until the Modiano Market closes its doors for good.
In the meantime, join me in a slide-show of this charming arcade of butchers, fishmongers, spice vendors who co-exist with the tavernas and ouzeris. The Modiano is alive and well but for how long? Heaven forbid that another “Hondos Center” pops-up in its place.
I know many of you can’t easily visit the Modiano but you can re-create the kind food that would be served at one of the tavernas of Modiano. I have some offerings that you may in turn serve to your guests at home.
Put on a CD with some Greek music (with bouzouki) and serve-up some of these dishes:
Keftedes are ground meat seasoned with spices, marinated in grated onion and char-grilled.
A side of a mildly hot banana pepper is something I always order. Char the skins of your peppers, place in a bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap and allow them to sweat. When the pepper(s) have cooled, remove the skins and season with sea salt and drizzle extra-virgin oil on top.
If you have roasted peppers, a slab of Feta cheese is a must. As your purveyor of cheese for Greek Feta. If they don’t have it, ask them to stock it. You’ll immediately taste the difference!
What’s the Greek table without the presence of good crusty bread? I’m a convert to the book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes. You too can make bread like this at home!
A sausage is always nice when it appears on the table. This “Karamanlitiko Loukaniko” comes from the near-east, where Greeks who lived in Asia Minor brought back to Greece many recipes and new spices to dance on our palate. This sausage tastes of garlic, allspice, fenugreek and you might find a similar sausage at a middle-eastern store. Ask for “soutzouk” sausages.
An order of fries (or two) is standard fair at the Greek taverna. The Greeks get those fries so crispy and delicious but “double-frying”. 
We already have a Feta cheese on the table but we still need some vegetation. An “aggouro-tomato” or cucumber and tomato salad is fitting for the array of dishes. 
Do we have enough meat? I don’t think so. Variety is the spice of life and what’s another plate of meat among friends? An order of souvlaki must be made. Cubes of pork are marinated over night and then grilled to perfection over medium heat. A squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of dried Greek oregano all that is needed.
OH! But when serving souvlaki, does Tzatziki not have to make an appearance? 
To wash all this delicious food down, the meal calls for beer. Greeks enjoy their beer during the long & hot summer. Mythos is one of the many brands out there and it’s available in most North-American markets.
Eat well, drink responsibly and live life to the fullest!
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Always, always, always…the best sauces for pasta are in the time it takes to boil them. This instance was no different.
I decided to use “kampanoules” (καμπανούλες) or little bells and I paired them with mushrooms and some amamaranth. Us Greeks eat alot of amaranth and we call them vlita.
Amaranth can be picked in the wild and we most often will boil them until softened, strain and toss in extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. This is a “super food” if ever there was one. Loaded with iron, good for the body and everyone should have more amaranth on their table!
Here in Toronto, I can find amaranth at Asian and some stores that cater to the Caribbean community. If you can’t find them, other bitter greens like mustard green, beet greens or even baby spinach would work here.
Since this is a quick pasta sauce, all I used were the tender tops of the amaranth (wilted nicely when the sauce was tossed with the pasta).
What more can I say about this dish? It’s got mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Boukovo (chillis), Feta, fresh thyme and mint with a final grate of Kefalotyri cheese.
Kampanoules With Mushrooms and Amaranth
(serves 4)
Approx. 3 cups of Kampanoules (or rotini, orecchiette or other pasta of choice)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups of button mushrooms, sliced
4 cups of amaranth tops and leaves, (reserve thick stems for boiling for a salad)
2 tsp. of Boukovo (dried chilis)
6-7 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup of crumbled Feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
grated Kefalotyri (or Romano) cheese
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Periptero, Egnatia Avenue, Thessaloniki
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Regular readers of my site will know that I get inspiration from many sources. There are the dishes that I grew up with, there are dishes that I discover while visiting friends or family in Greece, other blogs that are centered around Greek food and finally, the Greek chefs of the day.
One such chef is Dina Nikolaou. Dina grew up in central Greece, studied economics in Paris and in turn decided on a change in direction…towards food. The studied at the famed Le Cordon Bleu, Ritz Escoffier, Allain Ducasse Formation and LEN OTRE. Along with her sister, they run the Greek estiatorio Evi Evane.
Dina has appeared on numerous television shows in Greece, she’s a regular contributor to the monthly magazine “Gastronomos”, has just released a cookbook of recipes she grew up with and she currently can be found on Star TV on her daily show called “Nistikes Praktores” (Hungry Agents).
I have been a fan of her cooking for a few years now and you’ll find some more of her recipes within my blog. Earlier this week, my good friend Ioanna in Athens also shared a Dina Nikolaou dish and I’m you’ll be licking your chops over that dish too!
Before I get on with today’s dish, I want to tell you that I had the pleasure of meeting Dina this past summer. She came up to Thessaloniki to do a cooking segment in front of a live audience at the Tastland pavillion inside the annual Thessaloniki Exhibition.
Dina and I had a relaxed conversation about food, future plans, family, vacation, the internet, technology, her new show and of course…more food!
This dish appeared in Gastronomos and Dina used “galeos” or a hound-toothed shark fillet. I can sometimes find this fish at my fishmonger but on this intance, grouper was fresh, available and it made for a great substitute.
In the title of this dish, the words Prassini Saltsa are included. In Greek, this simply means “green sauce”. In this instance, the green sauce is made from a blend of parsley, celery and a wonderfully flavourful and aromatic fennel bulb.
To accompany this dish, the green theme continues and we have a “mashed zucchini flavoured with a mint pesto. In the original recipe, Dina used just zucchini and some flour to thicken the mash. I opted to boil some potatoes and just combine the two together when mashing.
Herbs are still available in the home garden and market, we should all have more fish and seafood in our diets, zucchini is still available and this dish is quite easy, just be organized and you can have this dish ready even on a weeknight!
Baked Grouper With Prassini Saltsa and a Puree of Zucchini and Mint
(serves 4)
4 fillets of grouper or hound-toothed shark (or other thick filleted white fish)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
the leaves of 1 bunch of parsley
4 Tbsp. of parsley leaves
1 small fennel bulb, outer layer removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 Tbsp. of honey
the juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp. of mustard seeds (brown are mild)
1 cup vegetable stock
Pre-heated 375F oven
Zucchini Puree
8 good-sized zucchinis, ends trimmed
2 large baking potatoes, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup of fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup of pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup of grated Kefalotyri or Graviera cheese
(Romano or Parmesan are fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
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As an adult and as someone totally (I mean totally into food), a visit to a market with the freshest of seasonal ingredients on offer is like a trip to an amusement park.
The Kapani Agora (market) in the center of Thessaloniki is one of those attractions…amusement for the foodie. The shouts of store owners and hired hands barking the day’s specials, pointing what’s the best, the freshest, the cheapest.
The sounds of cleavers chopping meat, the smell of meat, spices, herbs, seafood. When you’re in a market like Kapani…the smell of fish and seafood smells only of the sea. What fish and seafood one eats today was just swimming in the seas that morning.
During the Ottoman occupation, the market was called Oun Kapani or “flour market”. There used to be a square in the middle of the market and that’s where Turks would conduct public hangings of Greeks. The Kapani market burned down in 1889 and once again in the great fire of 1917.
The Kapani market is easy to get to when in Thessaloniki. Get yourself to Aristotle Square and Egnatia and walk along the right-side of arches, downwards toward the sea. In just minutes you will hear the sounds of the market and notice the rush of people entering and leaving Kapani. You’ll will be greeted by a couple of bakeries with their offerings of bread, Koulouria and sweets and then you will gaze at the array of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The southern “stoa” or portico is where one will find purveyors of cheese, sausages and cured meats.
A walk along Vlali Street and one will pass by the butcher shops with their lamb, goat, beef, poultry on offer, cut and trimmed per order.
My favourite roads are Askitou and Menexe where one will find all the fish mongers with daily catch. Having all the freshest seafood available made think a couple of times about moving to Greece for good!
Stores offering olives, cheeses and spices are strategically located at each corner of the market.
I’ve been to this market many times but I don’t tire of it. It’s a joy to walk through Kapani when you actually have a shopping list but it’s almost as fun just walking around and gazing at all that’s fresh and all that’s seasonal.
Here’s a little slide show with more photos I took whilst walking through the market.
Here in Canada, the weather now resembles autumn more than summer. A jacket is required for the evening and heartier dishes beckon.
Yesterday I braised some lamb shanks and paired it with some navy beans (fasolia). Braising meats are easy, economical and you’ll end up with the tastiest dishes.
Just remember when braising, always brown your meat, do over-crowd the contents (choose an appropriate vessel) and whatever it is your braising should not be submerged in the liquid.
The ingredients here are basic: lamb, your usual celery, carrot & onion trio, some garlic, wine, bay leaves, allspice berries and fresh rosemary.
The navy beans are dried and I had them soaking overnight before adding them to the braise.
Grab yourself some lamb shanks, get a notepad and let’s braise some lamg shanks. I accept that another summer is gone. I’m full-on with the autumn menus and all that’s comfort food!
Braised Lamb Shanks With Beans
(serves 4)
4 lamb shanks
1/4 cup olive oil
all-purpose flour for dredging
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
3 bay leaves
5-6 allspice berries
the leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3/4 cup of dry white wine
1 1/2 cups of dried navy beans (soaked in water overnight)
2 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste + 2 cups of hot water
1 cup of hot water
salt and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
Pre-heated 350F oven
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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A basket full of Koulouria Thessalonikiotika
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
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One thing I was determined to do during this past vacation in Greece was to bring my camera everywhere (almost everywhere) I go. There were many times when I regretted not bringing my camera. That perfect photo, the surprise moment that needed to be captured or, just for the sake of taking photos.
Mission accomplished…I took around 3400 photos, had to buy two more memory cards for my camera and I’m very happy with the outcome. On my very first day upon arriving in Greece (after a good night sleep) I took a walk into the nearby town of Nea Kallikratia.
On my way into town I noticed that there were quite a few plants/trees that were useful for the kitchen. Greece is blessed when it comes to food items. During my walk to town, look at what grew at the side of the road, within a mere 100 metres:
Olives are abundant in Halkidiki
By late August/early September, the walnuts fall from the tree and one can collect as many as you can carry.
Fig trees. Fig trees are everywhere.The figs are ripe for the picking by mid-August. Nothing like a tree-ripened fig.
Although these look like raspberries they are not. These are unripened blackberries and when they are ready, boy are they sweet.
Purslane (pig-weed) is everywhere. Purslane is slighty tangy and it’s a wonderful addition to a salad.
Bay (Laurel) trees abound everywhere. Each year my family picks and dries some leaves to take back to Canada.
Rosemary flourishes in this area. Rosemary grows very often near the sea. Many homes have hedges made of rosemary to line the perimeter of their property.
Grape vine leaves are for the taking. It’s with these leaves that Dolmades are made from.
Prickly pear fruit grow alongside of the main road and they also grow out of rocky crags at the nearby shore.
All this vegetation within 100 metres…not bad eh?
Upon my arrival into town, I hoped into an internet cafe and I received an email from a good friend who had bought be a new cell phone (with my same number) as last year my older phone was stolen.
My friend was going on holidays and that meant I had to go to Thessaloniki to pick-up the phone…unless I wanted to wait another two weeks when my friend returned from vacation.
So off I went to Thessaloniki and as my friend finished work at 2:30pm, I had some time to kill. What would I do with a few hours in the city? Visit the city’s main market, Kapani. 
The array of fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood would delight anyone with some experience in a kitchen and like every year I visit Greece, the leeks are still the best I’ve seen. Long white stalks are what you’re looking for when buying leeks.
Here in Canada, the weather has changed. It’s now officially autumn and although we’re in a mild spell, the cooler temps and heartier dishes draw near.
Today, I would like to share a “tigania” dish…a generic term in Greece that brands these dishes where pieces of meat get fried-up with the addition of aromatics, wine and simmered until the meat becomes fork-tender. The Greek taverna is loaded with such dishes in the cooler months, carafes of wine are ordered and as for recipes…every Greek taverna must have their very own take on Tigania.
Here, we have “prasso-tigania”. Prasso is the Greek word for leeks, very much in season in Greece and here in Canada and I think this is a wonderful dish for September.
Prassotigania involves little effort, the ingredient list is short and the flavour? Always big when it comes to the dishes I present. Pieces of pork are lightly browned, the skillet is de-glazed with white wine and stock, the pork returns to the party and hangs out until fork-tender.
Half-way through, you add your sliced leeks and in another small skillet, dredge some cubes of “Kefalograviera” cheese and lightly fry them until golden brown. When the Prassotigania is ready, sprinkle some Boukovo, some dried Greek oregano and throw in your fried cubes of Kefalograviera cheese.
Serve with some good crusty bread (for mopping the delicious sauce), some rice or potatoes and a seasonal salad.
Prassotigania (Πρασοτηγανιά)
(serve as part of array of appetizers for 4)
1 lb. of lean pork, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 leeks, tops trimmed, sand and grit rinsed away, chopped into rings
1/3 cup olive oil + some oil for frying
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
1 heaping Tbsp. of dried Greek oregano
1 tsp. of Boukovo (dried chilli flakes)
squeeze of lemon juice
300 gr. of Kefalograviera cheese, cubed
(or another firm, white sheep’s milk cheese)
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Yes, I am back from Greece. I’m rested, re-invigorated and ready to take on life once again. This year’s vacation to Greece marks my 20th time visiting the country of my origin.
I visited much of the mainland, from the northernmost province of Macedonia to the southernmost tip of Greece, the peninsula of Neapolis with the islands of Kythera and Ellafonissi just across the strait.
I saw old friends, relatives, made some new friends and acquaintances (thanks to the blog), enjoyed some fantastic food at people’s homes, at some wonderful eateries, shopped at local farmer’s markets, spent some quality down time at many beaches and savoured the warm evenings with the company of friends and a few drinks!
You want inspiration, recipes, vivid memories of Greece…CHECK! I’m back and I’ve got so much to share with all of you (including this fabulously easy and delicious stuffed and grilled calamari recipe).
Allow me to share a brief recap of my travels through Greece. I can’t give everything away but more photos, experiences and food and drink will be shared.
My return from Greece is like a new season…kinda’ like the feeling I got going back to the 1st day of school. Have a wonderful year, I’m enjoy you’ll be reading my regular posts and hopefully you’ll capture the feeling I got from visiting Greece and together we can re-enact the atmosphere, the taste, the aromas and the sights through Greek food and drink.
I started off with some R & R at my parents’ summer home for the first two weeks in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki. The schedule…er there was no schedule…easy come and easy go.
I was also able to enjoy the bounty of the sea, like these freshly caught venus clams from the same waters I swim in!
I also headed down to Athens to see the New Acropolis Museum for myself.
When in Athens, don’t forget to also visit the old Museum…another must-see and it’s true what they say…the stones do speak!
A visit to Athens also involved food. I spent a long and leisurely morning gawking at all the fresh meat, produce and seafood available…awesome!
After Athens, I headed south into the Peloponnese peninsula and stayed in the coastal region of Leonidio. I was privileged to stay at the summer retreat home of Elena (Syntages Tis Kardias) and the memories (with lots of laughs) will be forever remembered.
The wonderful thing about Leonidio is that one gets the “sea and mountains” effect…times 10! I stayed in a town called “Pragmatefteis” and the home where I stayed gave me a view of Spetses, Porto Heli and on a clear day as far as the island of Milos. 
The next stop on mini-tour of the Peloponnese was to the Prefecture of Laconia…THIS IS SPARTA!
Statue of Leonidas, located in the city of Sparta
Nearby Sparta is are the Byzantine-era ruins of Mistras. If you’re ever in southern Greece…this is a “must see”…I was truly moved by this visit.
Further on down in Laconia, I visited the Port of Gythio…I find myself always being drawn to water and mostly the sea. I took a stroll along the seaside promenade and stopped at a psarotaverna for some seafood and Tsipouro.
Further on down in Laconia, I headed to the peninsula of Neapolis. This is where I would take in the first of four wine tours on this trip to Greece. Theodoros Vatistas was was gracious host and we toured the winery’s entire operations, ate & drank, had some good laughs and cemented a new friendship.
My next stop on Greek Odyssey was on to Nafpaktos and nearby Messonlonghi. This area is historically very significant in Greek history and I must say, it’s beauty is rivaled only by the rich history of this part of Greece.
Nearby Messolonghi is situated on a large & almost enclosed sea. It’s very shallow and the main source of seafood that is caught is the grey mullet, from which “botarga” or “avgotaraho” is made from the roe of the fish.
During my vacation in Greece, I also did do some cooking. These stuffed peppers (meatless) were one of my faves of the summer. 
Don’t you worry, I also ate meat…had some of the best souvlaki ever in Agios Prodromos, Halkidiki. A town famous for its tender, succulent and tasty souvlakia! 
I also always go back to my parents’ home villages as I still have an aunts cousins here. Amynteon is a sleepy town in the Prefecture of Florina that once was very active commercially and socially but today it largely boasts of producing some of Greece’s finest wines, with the Xinomavro grape varietal.
Just an hour west of Amynteon is the lakeside city of Kastoria. To this day, the fur trade is very important to this city but I’m sure Kastoria also received many tourists…interested in seeing the finely preserved architecture and beautiful lakeside views.
As a foodie and as a Greek, one HAS to explore the city of Thessaloniki and it’s culinary delights.
The White Tower, Thessaloniki
If Athens is the heart of Greece, then (in my opinion)…Thessaloniki is the belly, or…stomach. This city always pushes the envelope, not afraid to try new things without veering from the spectrum of Greek food.
This is just a taste of what I experienced during my vacation in Greece. I have over 3400 photos and there will be plenty of time to share my experiences, point you to some people who are producing some fine Greek wines and spirits, folks who are representing Greek cuisine in it’s best possible light, some tips on where to eat and as always…more delicious recipes that are Greek and soon to appear on your table too!
One dish that I enjoy alot is suffed calamari…yes, yes…squid! Stuffed calamari takes on a whole new “yum-factor” when it’s grilled. The idea for this recipe comes from a recipe I saw in Vefa’s Kitchen. This book is huge, full of recipes from all regions of Greece and surely a “must-have” for those interesting in cooking Greek food.
For this dish, I like using small squid so that they grilled quickly and the filling warms up in the same amount of time. Imagine tender calamari char-grilled and plated on a bed of “latholemono” with parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, mustard, lemon juice.
You cut open the calamari and melted cheese oozes out and a mosaic of red peppers, scallions and fennel is revealed. This recipe is both easy an delicious. Hurry up…there’s still a few weeks left for some outdoor grilling!
Grilled Stuffed Calamari
(serves 2 or makes for one appetizer plate)
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of small calamari, cleaned
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup of fennel (bulb), diced
1/2 cup of Kefalograveria cheese, diced
(Gruyere or Gouda would work fine)
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp. smoked paprika
a pinch of Boukovo (or chilli flakes)
salt and pepper to taste
Parsley Latholemono
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
a squirt of Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp of lemon juice
1 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Sometimes you want something lighter…Ladenia from the island of Kimolos is just what summer ordered (orig. posted July 2008)
Doesn’t this look an awful lot like a pizza? This is the specialty that comes from the Greek island of Kimolos.
Each Greek island can boast of a specialty dish (and I’m going to enjoy trying each & every one of them) but for now, let’s focus on Ladenia from Kimolos.
It’s a pizza crust that’s allowed to rise, then treated with olive oil, followed by a topping of sliced onions and very ripe tomatoes. The finishing touches are coarse sea salt, black pepper and the fabulously pungent dry Greek oregano.
Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska is the lady responsible for bringing Ladenia to my attention and from a brief search on the internet – to several others.
I’m not going to toy much with this recipe – I’m sticking to the pizza dough, oil, onions, seasonings and herb combo. Simple is best here. Your choosing of quality ingredients will shine through when you taste the finished product.
Some key factors in making a good Ladenia:
Eat this as a lighter lunch, make a large Ladenia for a party as offer as an appetizer or snack but do make it. This was a big hit throughout the household – I know it will be in yours too!
Ladenia (Λαδένια)
For the Dough
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 cup olive oil
1 heaping tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
Approx. 3 – 3 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
Topping
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, cut in half then cut into half-moon slices
coarse sea salt
ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. dry Greek oregano
extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing)
Pre-heated 400F oven
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A Greek classic, posted July of 2008.
Today (July 27th) is my nameday. I was named after the patron saint Agios (Saint) Panteleimon.
I was given the name of my father’s uncle who took over as the family’s “father figure” as my dad’s family was left orphaned when his father died at an early age.
My dad’s uncle also took on the title of “Papou” (grandfather) Panteli, as he and his wife Paschalina did not have any children and therefore I was given his name in his honour.
For Greeks, the celebration of one’s nameday is much more significant and feted to a larger extent than one’s birthday. It’s my nameday and I get to eat what I want!
On one’s nameday, it’s tradition that the celebrant treat friends, relatives, guests and today I’m sharing with you one of my favourite Greek mezedes.
So, I feel like Garides (Shrimp) Saganaki. Saganaki is a cooking term that’s used to described many a Greek dish. It goes well beyond just the flaming the cheese dish you see served at Greek restaurants with the usual “OPA” being shouted by the well-scripted waiter.
A “saganaki” is the cooking vessel with two handles, like the one you see my photos. So, there are many saganakis out there with different ingredients and many regional twists on flavours and preferences.
You might also see this dish described as Garides (shrimp) Giouvetsi, where a similar dish of shrimp, tomato base and feta are baked in earthenware vessels. Similar dishes with subtle differences.
Today, you get shrimp saganaki….one of the most beloved of the Greek appetizers (mezedes). Being from northern Greece, we like to some some heat and in Macedonia this dish is usually spicy.
I’ve added mushrooms into the mix. I’ve had Shrimp Saganaki at Toronto’s Pantheon and I really like how well mushrooms and seafood complement each other.
When you take a bite of this meze, you get the sweetness of the shrimp and tomatoes, some heat from the hot peppers, a slight tartness from the Feta.
What you have hear is a shrimp bake with a sweet and chunky tomato sauce, some peppers, oregano, Greek feta and the result is an aromatic, eye pleasing appetizer that was made for bread-dunking, Ouzo sipping and a total disregard for time.
Invite some friends over, prepare an array of small mezedes, break out the Ouzo, the crusty bread and catch up with old friends or make some new ones.
Shrimp Saganaki
(for one appetizer portion)
6 large whole shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/4 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, sliced
some diced hot banana pepper
(depending how spicy you like your dish)
1 medium ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
half cup Greek feta, coarsely crumbled
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
splash of Ouzo
Grated Mozzarella (or other white cheese)
salt to taste
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By the time you read this post, I will have once again touched-down in Greece – the 20th time! I’m barely ever indoors while I’m here. If I’m not at the breach, then I’m at a cafe or bar having a drink with family & friends.
Or I could be out front of our summer home, entertaining family & friends…it could be an offer of fruits, a coffee with a sweet or an appetizer with some Ouzo or Tsipouro (a homebrew similar to Ouzo usually with anise).
One of the many foods I look forward to when in Greece is the fresh fish and seafood. I’m still amazed and pleased that the fish or seafood that’s on my plate was just hours ago still swimming in the sea – awesome!
Besides sardines, the other beloved fish of the Greeks is the anchovy. When I speak of the anchovy the Greeks eat, it’s fresh and it’s usually fried or baked in the oven with tomatoes, olive oil, aromatics.
Another very popular and easy application for anchovies is to pickle them. Our ancestors pickled, jarred, salted, dried, brined foods as a means of survival.
The pickling of fish likely began as a means of using up every last fish caught in the day’s catch. Nothing was thrown out and to this day (thankfully) the same maxim applies.
This dish of marinated anchovies is offered as a meze (appetizer) before a lunch or in the early evening, like after my second swim. In Greece, dinner is eaten later in the evening and an early-evening meze like pickled anchovies bridges that gap.
In Greece, fresh anchovies are sold by the kilo and last year I was buying them from 3.50 to 5 Euros/kg…that’s cheap!
There are many takes on marinating/curing/pickling anchovies but I like this one best. Day one sees the anchovies curing in coarse salt and in day two, they get a bathed in wine vinegar.
By day three, the anchovies have turned white – cured and cooked by the salt and acid in the vinegar.
Pickled anchovies can be served alone on a plate or adorned with some aromatics and vegetables to accompany these delicious morsels of the sea.
Pickled Anchovies (Γαύρος μαριναρισμένος)
(makes 8-10 meze servings)
1kg. of fresh anchovies
course Sea Salt
wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, cut into very thin slivers
olive oil
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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Co-Owner Donatella Arpaia and Chef Michael Psilakis
This is the fourth and final segment of the interview I conducted with Chef Michael Psilakis.
Michael talks about some Greek ingredients he feels will be in the forefront of Greek cooking, Michael shares with us his plans for opening up a restaurant in Greece, Michael answers a couple of questions from my readers and finally, he shares the spotlight and pays homage to other restauranteurs who have helped bring Greek food to the forefront.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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About a year ago, I was surprised but also pleased to see another example of overlap occurring in different cuisines. Jenn, The Leftover Queen shared a post about her mother-in-law’s exquisite cooking, which included eggplant patties from Sardinia.
Greeks also make eggplant fritters and these are remarkably easy to make and they are long on flavour, easy on the budget. You need roasted eggplants (either in the oven or on the grill). I prefer my eggplants to be char-grilled/blackened on the grill so that I get that wonderful smoky flavour.
I served these with a cool, refreshing avocado Tzatziki which was basically strained Greek yogurt mixed with minced garlic, chunks of avocado, lime juice, seasoned to taste and a pinch of cumin for a warm undertone.
Eggplant Fritters (Μελιτζανοκεφτέδες)
Approx 2kg. of large eggplants
1 cup of mild grated cheese (Graviera or a Gruyere)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. of baking powder
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
2 scallion, finely chopped (or equivalent in chives)
2 cloves of garlic. minced
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup of day-old bread, processed into bread crumbs
(not dry breadcrumbs)
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dredging
vegetable oil for frying
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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This is the third installment of my interview with New York Chef Michael Psilakis. In this segment Michael shares his memories of cooking in the White House on the occasion of Greek Independance Day, we discuss where Greek food/cuisine is headed and we touch upon Greek wines, their uniqueness and the exciting time it now for Greek wines.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at [kalofagas.ca] then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
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