This spinach and rice recipe known in Greek as “spanakorizo”, is one of the recipes that I am most often asked to share. It tastes as delicious as it is easy to make and my children are wild about it. You can enjoy this dish as an entrée topped with feta or as a side, which pairs well with nearly everything. Also, there is leeway with the ingredients. The traditional recipe calls for rice. However, if you prefer a different to use a different grain like quinoa, you can mix things up as long as you adjust the amount of…
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Continue ReadingBeef stew with tomato gravy or beef “kokkinisto” is a wonderfully hearty and flavorful dish. What may strike you when reading the ingredients is the fact that the recipe calls for a small amount of cinnamon. As odd as it may seem, the cinnamon is what takes this dish from good to great. The key is to use just enough spice to enhance the flavor of the gravy without drawing attention to its presence. This beef dish pairs well with rice, pasta, or my personal favorite – mashed potatoes. Ingredients 1.5 pounds beef chuck 1 medium red onion 6 cups water 1/4 cup…
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Continue ReadingCauliflower; sure, you’ve seen it served on vegetable platers, in salads, side dishes, and soups, but have you ever thought of it as a main dish? That’s right, in our home, we don’t just like cauliflower, we eat it by the plateful! You’re probably wondering how cauliflower alone could sustain a person from one meal to the next. The secret is the amount of olive oil used in the cooking. It adds the necessary calories and combined with the tomato and onion, creates a wonderful sauce that you can enjoy with a slice or two of bread. Of course, if…
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Continue ReadingThis lamb shank fricassée is sure to delight anyone who enjoys lamb. The meat is fall off the bone tender and the flavors from the dill and greens are a nice change from the traditional lamb roasts and stews. While this specific recipe uses lamb shanks, the fricassée can also be prepared using chicken, pork, or beef, all of which I will share at a later date. As far as pairing is concerned, rice or couscous works well. In our family, we typically enjoy the meat and greens on their own with a slice or two of bread for sopping…
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Continue ReadingIn the world of small fish, it doesn’t get better than fresh fried anchovies. They are delicious! Unfortunately, given that fresh anchovies can be difficult to find, many don’t have a chance to enjoy them. Having told the story of our dinners in Katakolo, I wanted to share our family’s recipe for fried anchovies. While the above picture was taken during our stay in Greece, where fresh anchovies are abundant, the process steps below were taken following our return to the states, where I have yet to get my hands on this wonderful fish. As a result, I used smelt to illustrate the process steps. While smelt…
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Continue ReadingThis mediterranean stewed vegetables recipe is known in Greece as “Tourlou”. The stars of this recipe are the green beans and eggplant. Combined with the zucchini and potatoes, this dish is hearty enough to be eaten on its own with a thick slice of feta and some bread, and light enough to be served as a side. If you’re sitting there wondering how eggplant could possibly taste good, that is probably because too often it is prepared incorrectly. While well cooked eggplant is “melt-in-your-mouth” divine, incorrectly cooked eggplant tastes “rubbery” and in my opinion is simply inedible. Thankfully, this Mediterranean stewed vegetables recipe…
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Continue ReadingGreek shrimp saganaki is prepared using the popular pepper and onion tomato sauce. The recipe is straightforward and the saganaki can be eaten with rice, pasta, or on its own with some bread to sop up the sauce. That’s right, when your food includes sauce this good, I say, sop it up! While I describe this recipe using shrimp, it can also be prepared with the seafood of your choice. My mother-in-law makes a wonderful shrimp saganaki with coquina clams, which she picks fresh from the Ionian Sea. Ingredients 1 pound raw peeled shrimp 1 pound bell peppers 1 large…
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Continue ReadingWhile preparing stuffed grape leaves is somewhat labor intensive, enjoying a fresh batch far exceeds anything you’ll take from a can. There are many different types of stuffing recipes, some call for pine nuts, others are vegetarian. Our family recipe is a combination of rice and ground beef. Another bonus to this recipe is that you can substitute the grape leaves with romaine lettuce leaves, which is just as delicious. In the process steps below, I have detailed the preparation using both grape leaves and romaine lettuce. Ingredients 20-24 grape leaves or 3-4 heads romaine lettuce 1 pound lean ground…
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Continue ReadingThis garlic roasted pork shoulder recipe is so easy, it’s my go-to pork recipe. Not only is the preparation a breeze, it can be cooked in the oven or the slow-cooker, which is a huge perk when you’re looking for a homecooked meal but have a busy day ahead. While my mother-in-law typically uses a pork leg, for this recipe, I like to use pork shoulder, which is a popular cut in North Carolina, the home of pork barbecue. There are numerous pairing possibilities for this garlic roasted pork shoulder. From Greek salad, to tzatziki, rice, mashed potatoes, cooked greens,…
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Continue ReadingGreek roasted vegetables known as “briam” is a delicious way to enjoy summer vegetables. As the zucchinis, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, bake, they caramelize, creating depth of flavor. Depending on the water content of the vegetables, the zucchinis in particular, you may need to bake the briam for more time than listed in this recipe. Don’t hesitate to do so. Adding the extra time will ensure that your vegetables achieve sufficient “caramelization”. These roasted vegetables can be eaten hot or at room temperature and do well as an entrée served with bread , a side with meat or fish, or…