Melomakarona (μελομακάρονα)

Greeks like to have an array of sweets, cookies, appetizers out for offering to the revolving door guests during the Christmas holidays.

I've already shown you Kourabiedes and now you get to see the other standard offering, Melomakarona. I'm sure you can read the ingredients list but here are the flavour tags for this simple cookie...orange, walnut, honey, clove, cinnamon....a party in the mouth!



Melomakarona (μελομακάρονα)
(makes 100)

10 cups pastry flour
3 cups vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup walnuts (roughly pounded)
zest of 1 orange
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove

1. Into a large bowl, add the zest, honey, sugar and use your hand to mix all the ingredients.
2. Pour in the orange juice, cloves, cinnamon and mix well (again with your hands).
3. Add the eggs and mix well.
4. Combine the flour with the baking powder and baking soda and then add your dry ingredients to the wet. Once again, mix well with your hands.
5. Using your hands, roll the dough into small balls (about the size of apricots), then form them into quenelle shapes.
6. Take your box grater (the side used to zest) and place a cookie on top of it. Press the cookie down a bit to form a grid pattern on the top of the cookie. Repeat this process for all the cookies.
7. Place your cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven (middle rack) for 30 minutes.
   

Syrup Coating

2 cups of sugar
2 cups honey
2 cups water

1. Add all three ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Using a large slotted spoon or Spider, drop the cookies in batches into the syrup for 3 minutes to absorn the syrup. Reserve on a cooling rack and repeat until all the cookies are dunked in syrup.

Walnut Topping

6 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups of ground walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground clove

1. Add the above ingredients in a bowl mix well with a spoon.
2. Brush each cookie with the remaining syrup and then sprinkle each cookie top with the walnut topping. Allow to cool.
3. Store in a cool, dry container for up to 6 weeks.
   

Tiramisu

I know there are many Tiramisu recipes out there but I have to add mine to the roster of recipes. It has to be one of my favourite desserts to eat. It's easy to make, delicious and a crowd pleaser.

What I don't understand is how can so many people screw it up? Oh yes, I've tried Tiramisus with sponge cake, with too much alcohol or dry cookies in them.

Keep the Tiramisu simple. You can try different flavours with it but please, don't overdo it. With Tiramisu...less is more.

Before I go on with the recipe, I want to share a quote from the recipe card I have for the Tiramisu:

Rich and delicate at the same time, this Italian dessert is redolent of coffee and Marsala, and blessed with a light, creamy texture.

Tiramisu

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup strong black coffee, freshly made
6 Tbsp. Marsala or sweet sherry
Approx. 16 Savoiardi lady finger cookies
3 fresh eggs, separated
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup Mascarpone cheese
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
cocoa powder

1. Spoon half of the sugar to the coffee and stir until dissolved. Add the Marsala or Sherry.
2. Dip half the lady fingers in the coffee & Marsala mixture and arrange in the base of an 8" X 5" serving dish.
   
3. Beat the egg yolks and nutmeg with the remaining sugar until the mixture has thickened, then stir in the Mascarpone.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the Mascarpone mixture into the egg whites. Spoon half over the lady fingers and smooth the top with a spatula.
5. Dip the remaining lady fingers in the reamining coffee & Marsala mixture and arrange in the dish. Yop with remanining Mascarpone mixture and smooth the top.
6. Let it chill overnight for the flavours to marry. Before serving, sprinkle with grated chocolate and a dusting of cocoa powder.
   

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon

We are on the other side of Christmas (most are) and I'd like to wish you all once again a Merry Christmas and a restful and safe holiday season.

The dinner came, it conquered, we dropped. Putting on a Christmas dinner is no small feat and I don't like toying much with the menu. I'll test some new menu idea before the big day and no one likes surprises and no wants to order delivery on Christmas day.

Having said that, I broke with tradition a little and we did our Prime Rib with roasted Yukon Gold and Sweet potatoes. Amid the whirlwind of cooking, entertaining, setting up tables, tending to the fireplace, I forgot to take the photo of the potatoes. They were a big hit and I'll no doubt do them again and share them with you real soon!

The new item on this year's menu was the Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon. Look at that beauty? I love simple recipes that use little ingredients yet they are packed with flavour.

Local Asparagus are not in season here in Ontario but the markets have had some quality imports and the price was right. I've always been a big fan of asparagus and for some reason they get lumped in with the other hated green, brussel sprouts.

Asparagus rules! It can be used for a soup, it can be grilled, used in a frittata or a quiche, included in a pasta, be part of a veggie tray or in this instance...made to dress up a piece of bacon!

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon

2 bunches of asparagus, woody part of stalks trimmed
1 slice of bacon per person
olive oil
coarse sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
garlic powder

Preheated 425F oven

1. Wash and trim the woody parts of the asparagus. Usually bending them until they snap will determine for you where the woody part ends.
2. Divide your asparagus in bundles of 5 per person. Reserve.
3. Cook your bacon halfway. I placed my bacon strips in the microwave for 30 seconds per slice. (This step is important to ensure the bacon cooks in the same time in takes for the asparagus to be done roasting).
4. Pat dry your bacon with paper towels to remove any grease. Take each bacon slice and wrap and tie each bundle of asparagus.
5. Drizzle each bundle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on a baking sheet.
6. Roast on the middle rack for 15 minutes or until they are caremelized.
   

Filipino Fruit Salad

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in many languages

Language	Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Afrikaans	Geseënde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar Geseënde Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige Nuwe jaar
Akeanon	Maayad-ayad nga Paskwa Mahigugmaon nga Bag-ong Dag-on kinyo tanan!
Albanian	Gëzuar Krishtlindjet e Vitin e Ri
Aleut	Kamgan Ukudigaa
Alsatian	E güeti Wïnâchte un e gleckichs Nej Johr
Amharic	መልከም ልደት (Melikam yelidet beale Melikam Addis Amet)
Apache (Western)	Gozhqq Keshmish
Arabic (Modern Standard)	اجمل التهاني بمناسبة الميلاد و حلول السنة الجديدة (Ajmel altehani bemonasebt almīlad wa helol alseneh aljedīdah) (kullu sina winta t̴ayyib - to a man) كل سنة وانت طيّب (kullu sina winti t̴ayyiba - to a woman) كل سنة وانت طيّبة
Armenian	Շնորհավոր Ամանոր և Սուրբ Ծնունդ (Shnorhavor Amanor yev Surb Tsnund)
Aromanian	Cãrciun hãrios (Hristolu s-aflà! Dealihea cà s-afla!) shi ti multsã-anji Anlu Nàù!
Asturian	Bones Navidaes y Gayoleru añu nuevu!
Aymara	Sooma Nawira-ra
Azerbaijani	Tezze iliniz yahsi olsun
Basque	Zorionak eta urte berri on
Belarusian	З Божым нараджэннем (Z Bozym naradzenniem) Сзцзаслівыцг Каліадау (Szczaslivych Kaliadau) З Новым годам i Калядамi (Z Novym godam i Kaliadami)
Bengali	শুভ বড়দিন, শুভ নববর্ষ (śtata baɽadin, śtata nababaṣ)
Bikol	Maogmang Pasko Mamura-way na Ba-gong Taon sa indo gabos!
Blackfoot	ᖱᒣᖳᒐᒉᑊᖿᒪᔪᖱᖽᐧᒡᒧᐧᖾᒍ (i'taamomahkatoyiiksistsikomi)
Breton	Nedeleg laouen ha bloavezh mat
Bulgarian	Честита Коледа! (Čestita Koleda!) Щастлива Нова Година (Štastliva Nova Godina)
Catalan	Bon Nadal i feliç any nou
Cebuano	Maayong Pasko Mabungahong Bag-ong Tuig kaninyong tanan!
Cherokee	ᏓᏂᏍᏔᏲᎯᎲ & ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᎢᏤ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᎠᏌᏗᏒ (Danistayohihv & Aliheli'sdi Itse Udetiyvasadisv)
Cheyenne	Hoesenestotse & Aa'eEmona'e
Chinese (Cantonese)	聖誕節同新年快樂 (singdaanjit tùnhg sànnìhn faailohk) 恭喜發財 (gung héi fáat chōi) - used at Chinese New Year
Chinese (Hakka)	聖誕節快樂, 新年快樂 (shin5-tan5-ziet7 kwai5-lok8, sin1-ngien2 kwai5-lok8) 恭喜發財 (giung1 hi3 fat7 coi2) - used at Chinese New Year
Chinese (Mandarin)	聖誕快樂 新年快樂 [圣诞快乐 新年快乐] (shèngdàn kuàilè xīnnián kuàilè) 恭喜發財 [恭喜发财] (gōngxǐ fācái) - used at Chinese New Year
Chinese (Shanghainese)	圣诞节快乐 (sendaijiq kualoq) 新年快乐 (sinni kualoq)
Chinese (Teochew)	圣诞快乐 新年快乐 (siandang kuailak singnin kuailak)
Choctaw	Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Comanche	Tsaa Nu̶u̶sukatu̶̲ Waa Himaru̶
Cornish	Nadelik Lowen ha Blydhen Nowydh Da Nadelik Looan ha Looan Blethen Noweth Nadelack looan ha looan blethan noueth
Cree	ᒥᑐ ᒪᑯᓯ ᑫᓯᑲᓐᓯ (Mitho Makosi Kesikansi)
Creek	Afvcke Nettvcakorakko
Croatian	Sretan Božić! Sretna nova godina!
Czech	Veselé vánoce a šťastný nový rok
Danish	Glædelig jul og godt nytår
Dutch	Prettige kerstdagen en een Gelukkig NieuwJaar! Zalig kerstfeest en gelukkig nieuwjaar
Esperanto	Bonan Kristnaskon kaj feliĉan novan jaron
Estonian	Häid Jõule ja Head Uut Aastat
Faroese	Gledhilig Jol og eydnurikt nyggjar
Fijian	Me Nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu dei na yabaki vou
Finnish	Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta
Flemish	Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
Frisian	Noflike Krystdagen en folle lok en seine
French	Joyeux Noël et bonne année
Galician	Bo Nadal e próspero aninovo
Georgian	გილოცავ(თ) შობა-ახალ წელს (gilocʻav(tʻ) šoba-axal cels)
German	Frohe/Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr/ein gutes Neues und ein gesundes neues Jahr / und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr Frohes Fest und guten Rutsch [ins neue Jahr]
German (Bavarian)	Froue Weihnåcht'n, und a guad's nei's Joah
German (Hessian)	Frohe Weihnachte unn ein gudes neus Jahr
German (Swiss)	schöni Fäschttäg / schöni Wienachte und e guets neus Jahr / en guete Rutsch is neue Johr
German (Pennsylvania)	En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr
Greek	Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Ετος (Kala Khristougenna kai Eutukhismeno to Neo Etos) Καλὰ Χριστούγεννα καὶ καλὴ χρονιά! (Kalá hristoúgena ke kalí hroniá)
Greenlandic	Juullimi ukiortaasamilu pilluaritsi
Hausa	barka da Kirsimatikuma barka da sabuwar shekara
Hawaiian	Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew	חג מולד שמח ושנה טובה Chag Molad Sameach v'Shanah Tovah
Hiligaynon	Malipayon nga Paskwa Mahamungayaon nga Bag-ong Tuig sa inyong tanan
Hindi	शुभ क्रिसमस (Śubh krisamas) नये साल की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें (Naye sāl kī hārdik śubhkāmnayeṅ)
Hungarian	Kellemes karácsonyt és boldog új évet
Icelandic	Gleðileg jól og farsælt komandi ár Gleðileg jól og farsælt nýtt ár
Ilokano	Naragsak a Paskua Narang-ay a Baro a Tawen kadakayo amin!
Indonesian	Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru
Inonhan	Malipayon nga Paskwa kag Masadya nga Bag-ong Tuig sa inyo tanan.
Inuktitut	ᑯᕕᐊᓇᒃ ᐃᓄᕕᐊ (Kuvianak Inovia) - Merry Christmas
Irish (Gaelic)	Nollaig shona duit (Happy Christmas to you) Beannachtaí na Nollag (Christmas Greetings) Beannachtaí an tSéasúir (Season's Greetings) Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit (Prosperous New Year) Bliain úr faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit (Happy New Year to you)
Italian	Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo
Japanese	メリークリスマス (merī kurisumasu) New Year greeting - 'Western' style 新年おめでとうございます (shinnen omedetō gozaimasu) New Year greetings - Japanese style 明けましておめでとうございます (akemashite omedetō gozaimasu) 旧年中大変お世話になりました (kyūnenjū taihen osewa ni narimashita) 本年もよろしくお願いいたします (honnen mo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu)
Jèrriais	Bouan Noué / Jouaiyeux Noué et Bouonne année Un Bouan Noué et lé Nouvel An!
Judeo-Spanish / Ladino	Noel alegre i felis anyo muevo
Kapampangan	Masayang Pasku Masaplalang Bayung Banwa keko ngan!
Kazakh	Жаңа жыл құтты болсын! (Jaña jıl quttı bolsın!) - inf Жаңа жылыңыз құтты болсын! (Jaña jılıñız quttı bolsın!) - frm (Happy New Year)
Kinyarwanda	Noheri nziza n'umwaka mushya muhire!
Kirghiz	Жаратканнын туысымен Жана Жылыныз кутты болсын (Žaratkannyi tuysymen Žana Žylynyz kutty bolsyn)
Klingon	yItIv QISmaS 'ej Quch chu' wa'maH 'ej cha' maSmey
Korean	메리 크리스마스 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (meli kliseumaseu saehae pog manhi pateuseyo)
Kurdish (Kurmanji)	Kirîsmes u ser sala we pîroz be
Kurdish (Sorani)	Kirîsmes u salî nwêtan lê pîroz bê
Latin	Natale hilare et annum faustum
Latvian	Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu Jauno gadu
Lithuanian	Linksmų Kalėdų ir laimingų Naujųjų Metų
Luxembourgish	E schéine Chrëschtdag an e glécklecht neit Joer Schéi Feierdeeg an e glécklecht neit Joer Schéi Chrëschtdeeg an e gudde Rutsch an d'neit Joer
Malagasy	Mirary noely sambatra Arahabaina tratrin'ny taona vaovao
Malay	Selamat Hari Natal (Christmas), Selamat Tahun Baru (New Year)
Malayalam	ന വവത്സര ആശംസ (nava-valsara āshamsakal) - Happy New Year
Maltese	Il-Milied Ħieni u s-Sena t-Tajba Awguri għas-sena l-ġdida
Manx	Nollick Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa
Māori	Kia orana e kia manuia rava i teia Kiritimeti e te Mataiti Ou
Marathi	शुभ नाताळ (Śubh Nātāḷ) नवीन वर्षच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा (Navīn varṣacyā hārdik śubhecchā)
Mongolian	Танд кристмас ба шинэ жилийн мэнд хүргэе (Tand kristmas ba shine jiliyn mend khürgeye)
Navajo	Ya'at'eeh Keshmish
Norwegian	God jul og godt nytt år (Bokmål) God jol og godt nyttår (Nynorsk)
Pangasinan	Maabig ya Pasko Maaligwas ya Balon Taon ed sikayon amin!
Persian	(krismas mobārak) كرسمس مبارک سال نو مبارک (sāle no mobārak)
Polish	Wesołych Świąt i szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!
Portuguese	Feliz Natal e próspero ano novo / Feliz Ano Novo Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo / Um Santo e Feliz Natal
Punjabi	ਕਰਿਸਮ ਤੇ ਨਵਾੰ ਸਾਲ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ (karisama te nawāṃ sāla khušayāṃwālā hewe)
Quenya	Alassëa Hristomerendë! Alassëa Vinyarië!
Romansh (Sursilvan dialect)	Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!!
Romanian	Crăciun fericit şi un an nou fericit
Russian	С Рождеством Христовым и С наступающим Новым Годом (S Roždestvom Khristovym i S nastupayuščim Novym Godom)
Samoan	Manuia le Kerisimasi, ma le Tausaga Fou
Scots	A Blithe Yule an a Guid New Year Merry Christmas an' a guid New Year
Scottish Gaelic	Nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ùr
Serbian	Христос се роди (Hristos se rodi) - Christ is born Ваистину се роди (Vaistinu se rodi) - truly born (reply) Срећна Нова Година (Srećna Nova Godina) - Happy New Year
Sicilian	Bon Natali e filici annu novu
Sindarin	Mereth Veren e-Doled Eruion! Garo Idhrinn Eden Veren!
Slovak	Veselé vianoce a Štastný nový rok
Slovenian	Vesel božič in Srečno novo leto
Somali	Ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican
Spanish	¡Feliz Navidad y próspero año nuevo!
Swahili	Heri ya krismas Heri ya mwaka mpya
Swedish	God jul och gott nytt år
Tagalog	Maligayang Pasko, Manigong bagong taon
Tamil	Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Tahitian	Ia orana no te noere Ia orana i te matahiti api
Telugu	Nootana Samvatsara Subhakankshalu - (Wish you a happy new year)
Thai	สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส และสวัสดีปีใหม่ (souksaan wan Christmas sawatdii pimaï)
Tibetan	ལོགསར་ལ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་། (losalazashidele - Happy New Year)
Tigrinya	ርሑስ በዓል ልደት (ይግበረልካ) (rHus beˋal ldet (ygberelka)) ርሑስ አውደ ዓመት (ይግበረልካ) (rHus əwed ˋamet (ygberelka))
Tongan	Kilisimasi fiefia mo ha ta'u fo'ou monū'ia
Turkish	İyi seneler / Yeni yılınız kutlu olsun (Happy New Year) Yeni yılınızı kutlar, sağlık ve başarılar dileriz (We wish you a happy, healthy and successful new year)
Ukrainian	Веселого Різдва і з Новим Роком (Veseloho Rizdva i z Novym Rokom)
Urdu	'New Year's blessings to you' = (naya saal mubarik hu) نايا سال مبارک هو 'Big day's blessings to you' = (burda din mubarik hu) بڑدا دنمبارک هو
Uzbek	Yangi yilingiz bilan! (Happy New Year)
Vietnamese	Chúc Giáng Sinh Vui Vẻ và Chúc Năm Mới Tốt Lành
Volapük	Lemotöfazäli yofik e nulayeli läbik
Võro	Hüvvä joulu ja õnnõlikku vahtsõt aastakka
Waray-Waray	Maupay nga Pasko Mainuswagon nga Bag-ong Tuig ha iyo ngatanan!
Welsh	Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda
Xhosa	Siniqwenelela Ikrisimesi Emnandi Nonyaka Omtsha Ozele Iintsikelelo
Yiddish	אַ פֿרײליכע ניטל און אַ גוטער נײַער יאָר (A freylikhe nitl un a guter nayer yor)
Zulu	Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo

Copyright 1998-2007 Simon Ager

My first "real" job was at a Canadian bank in Toronto's financial district and the staff was quite the international bunch.

I still have fond memories of learning how to curse in other languages, say the basics of each language and most importantly (to me)...sample the different cuisines.

My work life and social life now began to revolve around downtown and the melting pot of people that it is.

Every year, around this time (Christmas) the staff would throw a "pot luck" lunch. Each person had to bring a food from their culture for all to sample. The array of colours, aromas, tastes was fabulous (despite the need for Rolaids afterwards).

I used to work with many people of Filipino background. I found them to be ever cheerful, deeply family oriented, a love of food and lots of joking and laughter.

To this day, the standout dish that I remember from the "pot lucks" was the Filipino Fruit Salad. The flavour can be described as simply, "food for the Gods".

You will need to visit an Asian store to get most of the ingredients but the result is worth the effort if you have to trek to your Chinatown. This dessert is simple to make and you'll fool everyone into thinking you slaved to make such a decadent and delicious dessert.

This recipe contains condensed milk...how can it go wrong?

Filipino Fruit Salad

3 (140oz) cans of fruit coctail
3 jars of sweet macapuno (coconut) strings
1 large can of pineapple chunks
2 cans of lychees
4 green, tart apples, peeled and cut, chunks
2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 can of condensed milk
3 cans of Nestle/Carnation cream
1 large bowl

1. Drain the syrup/liquid from all the canned/jarred fruits and add them to the bowl.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients into the bowl. Mix well using a large spoon.
3. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Serve cold.
   

Beef Barley Soup

A few days ago I showed all of you my Prime Rib and I'm looking forward to enjoying another during the holiday season.

Many know that it's not a cheap hunk of beef so, how does one stretch the use of such an expensive cut? Make stock with the leftover bones.

Don't throw out the bones from that Prime Rib after dinner. You can wash/rinse the bones, throw them into a stockpot with about 10 cups of cold water and boil them down for about 2-3 hours. What you'll end up with is a rich, flavourful beef stock which can be used for soups, stews and sauces.

If you simply want to make your own beef stock but do not have a leftover Prime Rib, then you might want to ask your butcher if they sell beef bones (most do). These scraps also have some meat attached to them and you can go straight to making a hearty beef soup when the stock is done.

I usually season the bones with some salt and pepper, preheat the oven to 425F and place them in the middle of the oven on a baking sheet for 1 1/2 - 2 hours to brown, render the fat and break down the meat. I also roast onions, carrots and celery with the beef. Now you have flavour.

When you're done roasting the beef bones, you can once again place them in lots of cold water and boil them down for 2-3 hours.

Both methods will also produce some impurities and fat. You can invest in a fat separater or after your beef stock has cooled to room temperature, place the stock pot in the fridge (or wintery outdoors) for the stock to chill overnight. The next day you will find the fat has risen to form a hardened white "crust", which can simply be skimmed off with a spoon and discarded.

Strain your beef stock and you can immediately use it for a stew, sauce or freeze it for later use. Today, I'm making Beef Barley Soup.

Beef Barley Soup

5 cups of beef stock
hand-shredded beef pieces
4 Tbsp. of vegetable oil
1 onion, roughly diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
1 large potato, diced
1/2 cup barley
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
beef base

1. Place a large pot on a burner with medium-high heat and pour in your vegetable oil, vegetables and bay leaf and saute for 5 minutes. Add your tomato paste and stir in to incorporate and cook through for another five minutes.
2. Add your beef stock and turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
3. When you have a boil, add your barley, beef pieces and some beef base to taste. Cover with lid, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 90 minutes.
4. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy hot on a cold day!
   

Saucisson of Pork Tenderloin

Bulletin - Dec. 20, 2007

Hi Folks, I've been doing some reading on home dry salting and curing and yes, end result can be a bit salty.

What you can do is soak the tenderloins in warm water(80F) for a couple of hours and some salt will draw out.

The meat looks a little grey on the outside but the deep red colour remains in the middle, it's softer and a delight to eat.

Finally, towel dry the pork and once dried, re-wrap with the original tea towels and refrigerate for future nibbling.




HOLY $#!@.....IT WORKED!

Excuse my exuberance but I was "iffy" on if this cured pork tenderloin recipe would turn out well and it did!

I will try anything (almost) anything once, be it ceviche, carpaccio, prosciutto, braesola, tartares, sushi....bring it on!

Now I can add Jacques Pepin's Saucisson of Pork Tenderloin to the roster of adventurous eats. I followed his instructions verbatim and this was uncharted territory for me but I will relate my experiences from preparation to the final, delectable tasting of this wonderful pork.

Before I proceed, let me emphasize that if you're the type that's sheepish about cured meats or any other food that hasn't been cooked using heat, then move on...this post isn't for you. If, on the other hand you're like me, daring and willing to try something new to add a new taste experience, then stick around!

If you're the type of person that loves sausage (like me) but you're also watching your weight, this could be the answer for you. The Saucisson is a salty cured meat...like a prosciutto but it's also lean as it's a cured pork tenderloin. Just as Jacques Pepin recommends, have it with some buttered bread and a bottle of red wine and damn was this tasty!

(For the record, I will be buying some more pork tenderloin this weekend for curing)

You can save & follow Jacques method as I did but here's how I exactly made it (with some explanations he doesn't provide).

Saucisson of Pork Tenderloin

• 2 pork tenderloins, each about 1 lb., with the silver skin removed and cut off about 2-3 inches off the ends (cook the ends as Jacques recommends as the ends are thinner, become saltier and hard and barely edible)
• 1 cup kosher salt (or 1/2 cup Morton Tender Quick Curing Salt)
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp of Cognac
• 2 Tbsp of fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 Tbsp of herbs de provence

1. Put the salt and brown sugar rinto into a plastic zip-lock bag large enough to hold the 2 tenderloins and mix well.
2. Add the tenderloins into the bag, force out any air, seal the bag and gently mus the bag around to coat the meat with the salt/sugar mixture. Refrigerate overnight (or 12 hours).
3. After 12 hours or so, remove the tenderloins from the bag (discard the bag and contents) and wipe them dry with paper towels.
4. Rub the meat with Cognac then roll them in cracked black pepper and sprinkle the herbs de provence all over the tenderloins.
5. Wrap each piece of meat in a cotton cloth and use butcher's twine to to wrap and secure the cloth tightly.
   
6. Hang the tenderloins in a cool cellar or do what I did...hang it in my fridge. I cleared enough space between the salad crisper and the the shelf above it. I then tied a long piece of butcher's twine around the shelf. I then attached twine to each tenderloin, looped it through the twine that was wrapped around the shelf and tied the 2 twines. Now my tenderloins were hanging, air curing in my fridge.
7. The tenderloins will dry out in 5 -6 weeks, even less if the tenderloins are smaller than a pound each (use less salt as well if they are less than the 1 lb.). Slice thin, enjoy with buttered good bread and polish off a bottle of red!
   

Skordalia With Mustard (σκορδαλιά με μουστάρδα)

Today I'm revisiting a post I made about Skordalia, which is a Greek garlic sauce or Aioli. Us Greeks commonly have it along side with beer battered cod, seafood croquettes, deep fried zucchini or eggplant, fries or...simply with bread.

There are various ways to make skordalia. One way is to use potato as the binder or soaked bread. Either way is fine but both approaches are tricky as the oil can easily separate on you.

I like my method which uses an egg as a binder and a steady stream of sunflower and olive oil combined. I have made skordalia in this manner many times and i have yet to see it separate on me.

Skordalia with mustard is my own creation. I was inspired by my memories of being in northen Greece, Thessaloniki in particular. There's a street called Polytechniou and it used to be lined with family-run shacks that would serve keftedes, sausages and souvlaki to the bustling array of passersby.

The clientele ranged from drunk teens who partyed all night and seeked food to coat their stomachs, to working class stiffs looking for a cheap bite to the suited businessman seeking a quick bite before heading back to the office.

Fast forward to the 1998 and they were gone. All the streetside burger shacks were gone. All victims of bureaucratic meddling from far away Brussels.

Their keftedes used to be served on wax paper, with a basket of bread, some ripe sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, cold beer and lots of creamy, kinda' sweet mustard, topped of with a pint of cold lager beer.

If any Greek who knows how to make this mustard, please let me know...I'm dying for the recipe.

Until then, my Skordalia With Mustard is my tribute to the little shacks on Polytechniou.

Skordalia With Mustard (σκορδαλιά με μουστάρδα)

1 egg
2 Tbsp of white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp of mild mustard
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp. of salt
2/3 cup of sunflower oil
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of blanched almonds

1. Place in a blender or food processor your egg, vinegar, mustard and garlic and blend for a few seconds.
2. With the processor running, gradually (slowly) pour in your olive oil/safflower oil mixture in a fine, steady stream. The mixture should attain the consistency of a mayonnaise.
3. Add your blanched almonds and pulse just enough to puree and incorporate it.
   

Keftedes With Ouzo

Some of you might recall my post about Greek Keftedes, which are Greek hamburgers or meatballs.

I was at the supermarket to buy a few things and I saw a package of ground lamb meat on sale. I've had lamb burgers from time to time and I found them to be juicy and a nice departure from the regular burger.

I also recalled seeing a recipe for keftedes which included Greece's national booze, Ouzo in it. Ouzo is an anise-flavoured spirit widely drank in Greece, known as Raki in Turkey and at one time it even once replaced the banned and hallucinogenic Absinthe.

These keftedes made for a nice meze (appetizer) and the herb combination was refreshing. I prefer grilling such meats but alas, winter is here.

If you're looking for a new twist on meatballs, give keftedes with ouzo a try. One way or another I'm going to sneak in some Ouzo on you!

Keftedes With Ouzo

1 kilo of lean ground lamb
4 slices bread (soaked in water, then squeezed to remove liquids)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. Ouzo
2 medium sized onions, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh (1 Tbsp. dry) mint, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. dry oregano
flour for dusting meatballs
sunflower oil or corn oil for shallow frying
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, combine the ground lamb and the bread. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, mint, oregano, egg, ouzo, salt and pepper.
2. Test out a meatball for flavour by cooking it quickly in the microwave or fry one in a skillet. Adjust for seasoning. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours for the flavours to marry.
   
3. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients.
4. Roll into small balls (golf ball size), dust with flour and fry in plenty of hot oil. When browned all over, drain meatballs on paper towel to remove excess oil, then serve.
   

Prime Rib of Beef

This is hands down one of my most enjoyable meals to make and eat. As you know, many restaurants were owned/operated by Greek immigrants to the West and a staple of any good restaurant was Prime Rib of Beef.

My dad operated such a restaurant for years and the Prime Rib was no doubt the "show stopper".

Before I go on with the beef, please remember this recipe works only with Prime Rib which is a more expensive cut. This method will not work with regular roast beef.

Secondly, choose a Prime Rib that has a "cap" attached. The cap is a fatty piece of meat that covers the top part of the Prime Rib (secured with butcher's twine).

Thirdly, invest in a meat thermometer. This is the sure-fire way to get the desired doneness of your meat.

Finally, only season the cap (top). The seasoning will drip down the sides of meat as the fatty cap renders. This is where the flavour comes from.

Prime Rib of Beef

Preheat your oven to 450F
1 standing Prime Rib roast, bone in and with cap
salt
pepper
garlic powder

1. Pat dry your beef. Generously season the cap only (not the sides) with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2. Place a meat thermometer into the center of the meat, entering through the cap.
3. Places your beef (rib side down) in a large roasting pan (middle rack) and roast for 1 hour or until the entire piece of meat has achieved it's dark brown colour.
4. Remove the roast and pour 3 cups of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (or just halfway covering the rib bones).
5. Turn the heat down to 400F and roast until the internal temperature has reached 135F.
6. Remove the roast, cover with foil and allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
7. You may now make your Jus.
   

Roast Beef Jus

1. Skim the fat from the "jus" in the bottom of the roasting pan (I use a fat separater).
2. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits and stir until there's very little (if any) left on the bottom of the pan.
3. Add 3 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning. Sometimes the jus can be salty, so add some water or sometimes it's too weak, then just add some beef base.
4. Lower the heat to a medium simmer and reduce to half.
5. Using a strainer, pour the jus through to a medium-sized sauce pan.
   

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread

In my previous post, you all saw my Texas chili and one must have corn bread to along with the zesty chili. The mildly sweet bread contrasts with the heat of the Tex-Mex classic.

In this post, us here in the Americas can gloat for just this moment. Corn is native to the Americas and afterwards it was introduced to the rest of the world through European contact with the native Indians.

Corn in Europe simply has no taste. As my father puts it..."not even the pigs can eat this corn"! I've even given seeds to relatives to plant and still, the corn wasn't the same. Rejoice Americas, our corn rules the roost!

Before you Europeans get all fired up, you should know that the best pastas, corn flours and polentas use imported wheat and corn...from the Americas.

I'm submitting this entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, the last one for this year. This week it's being hosted by Astrid of Paulchen's Kitchen.

This cornbread is best I've made so far. I'm always up for trying new recipes but this one easy, not too sweet, a hint of heat from the Jalapenos and the cheddar on top gives almost a crunchy texture.

Once again, I've searched, found and enjoyed another Ina Garten creation. I followed her recipe "as is" but I would like to also add some fresh corn niblets in the summer.

The next time you make a bowl of chili, pair it with some jalapeno cheddar cornbread!

Three Alarm Texas Style Chili

I recently joined the thousands who have added a "slow cooker" to their arsenal of kitchen tools. For those not in the know, a slow cooker is a utensil that is a "plug in". It allows one to basically throw all the ingredients of a slow-cooking dish into the crockpot, close the lid, set to low and forget about until back home from work to find a comforting, delicious and tender meal ready to serve your family.

A slow cooker is an alternative to braising or the more traditional crockpot (or dutch oven) cooking done on your stove top or oven. I suspect the slowcooker saves one from using the oven all day and thus saving on electricity.

I was a little disappointed by the lack of inspired slow-cooker recipes out there (internet). Most are generic recipes that are provided by manufacturers of slow cookers and many of them are bland.

I've made two dishes so far and the first quick lesson I learned is that one does not need much water in the recipe. A slow cooker's lid is on during the whole cooking process which renders moisture from the meat and vegetables. As a rule of thumb, I think a 1/2 cup of liquid is suffice when slow cooking a family sized meal.

When I bought the slow cooker, I knew that Chili con Carne would be a natural for the slow cooker. As a blogger, I also knew that my chili would probably get lost amongst the parade of chili dishes also being prepared by others and adding to the loud din of chili on the internet.

Before I go further let me state that I've never stepped on Texas soil and nor have I had a Texan make me a chili before. Here in North America, chili has been eaten by the majority of people and it's a kitchen standard in many homes.

It's origins are no doubt from the US/Mexican border region and the food genre is commonly known as Tex-Mex...do not call chili Mexican.

To make my chili stand out, I went for the the Texas version which calls for real pieces of beef, not ground meat. I also cranked the heat up since it's cold outside. Food should be about contrasts, yin & yang. C-c-c-c-cold outside, H-h-h-hot food inside.

I intentionally made this chili spicy but you may certainly tone it down (you spineless jellyfish). I'm a fan of heat but be assured this chili won't blow your head off, espcially when you also have some cheddar cornbread to offset the heat.

Three Alarm Texas Style Chili

3 Tbsp. of sunflower oil
2 lbs. of top sirloin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, rough dice
1/2 green bell pepper, rough dice
1/2 red bell pepper, rough dice
3 large cloves of garlic, smashed
2 - 16 oz. cans of tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup of good chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. of ground cumin
1 tsp. of ground coriander
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 - 16oz cans of kidney beans (plus liquid)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1. In a large skillet, add your oil and set the heat to high. Season your cubed meat with salt and pepper and brown the meat in batches under medium high heat. Reserve your beef.
2. In the same skillet, add some more oil and add your onions, garlic, bayleaf, peppers and saute under medium heat for about 10 minutes to soften. (You may add some water to help deglaze the beef drippings from the previous saute).
3. Into your slowcooker, add your diced/chopped cans of tomatoes, the beef, the sauteed vegetables, chili powder, kidney beans, oregano, coriander and chipotle peppers.
4. Set your slow cooker to low, cover with the lid and simmer for at least 5 hours. After, check the seasoning and adjust seasoning with salt. If the chili is too thin, uncover the slow cooker and allow to simmer in this manner, your chili will thicken.
5. Serve with some corn bread and stay warm with this very comforting meal.
   

Brown Bagging for Dinner

The French have a knack for making something very simple to sound "chi-chi-frou-frou" and charging a helluva'lot for it.

I can be frugal. Tonight's dinner was "en papillote" but I ran out of parchment paper. "En papillote" simply means "in paper".

I've seen many dishes that are tucked into little packages of foil, parchment, pastry or phyllo. The Greeks have a dish called Kleftiko and lamb or chicken are usually the hidden main. Today I'm using a brown paper bag that we all used to lug our lunch in for school.

Save your parchment paper for baking and or making the ultimate paper plane. Brown paper lunch bags are where's it at!

Your ingredients can be what you want, the possibilities are endless. In this instance, I used a fillet of sea bass. The French call this fish Loup de Mer and us Greeks call it Lavraki.

The cooking process is easy. The important instructions to follow are the technique:

• Only use brown paper lunch bags, unrecycled. Do not use paper bags from a fast food eatery, supermarket or any other bag for other commercial use.
• Soak the paper bags thoroughly in vegetable or olive oil in a casserole or other vessel.
• Ensure the paper bags have absorbed the oil.
• Before filling the bags with your fish, hang and wipe away any excess oil. This is important as you don't want excess oil to smoke in your oven.
• Turn the kitchen fan on as you may get some smoking but be assured, the paper bag will not catch fire.
  
• Do not overcook your fish. This could lead to the bottom part of the bag to stick to your fish.
• Have someone help you inserting the fish into the bag. I like including some thinly sliced potatoes with fish, some herbs and lemon wedges. Have someone hold the bag open for you while you pick up and slide the fish medley neatly into the bag.
• I've found a preheated oven of 425F, middle rack to work best. Bake your fish in a bag for 15-20 minutes, maximum.
• Cut the accompanying potatoes and vegetables, etc. thinly so that they may cook in the same time that the fish takes.
• Place your fish packets on a baking sheet for baking.
• Carefully fold the opening of the paper bag underneath to create a seal. The better the seal, the better the fish will cook from the steam.

Are you with me so far? It's not rocket science but a neat, easy way to present a meal to friends and guests. I got a big kick out of cutting open the paper lunch bag with my kitchen scissors.

Think of flavours that you like for fish and try them out using this method. Here, I'm showing you a baked fish in a paper bag with classic Greek ingredients. I'll be playing around with other flavours and I'll be sure to share them with you!

Sea Bass Baked in a Paper Bag
(per fillet)

1 sea bass fillet
1 brown paper lunch bag
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 potato, thinly sliced
1 scallion, white part only, julienned
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt or Vegeta seasoning
(chicken or vegetable soup base)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 lemon slice
Olive oil
Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Pre-heated 425F oven

1. Take your brown paper bag and place in a baking dish and cover it with olive or vegetable oil. Allow the bag(s) to soak up the oil.
2. Rinse you fillet and pat dry. Place your fillet on a flat work surface and build your packet. Season your fillet with salt and pepper. Now place your row of potato slices onto the fish.
3. Season the top of the potatoes and top with your herbs and finish off with a slice of lemon.
4. Carefully wipe away any excess oil from the paper bags and place them on the baking sheet.
5. Have someone else hold the bag open for you. Using a wide spatula and your hand, carefully lift and slide the fish into the bag without disturbing your layers too much.
6. Carefully fold the opening of the bag down and underneath the body of the bag to form a seal.
7. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes on the middle rack. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
8. Place each bag onto a plate and have cut open a slit into the top of the bag to reveal the surprise. Have some extra-virgin olive oil on hand for a final drizzle.
   

Pear Croustade

I recently agreed to participate in Seasoned Eatings, where bloggers would send a spice, herb or other culinary ingredient that wouldn't set off a code red terrorist alert.

This fun, seasonal idea was the brainchild of Lindsay at Country Girl City Living and Katie of Thyme For Cooking.

Last week I received my package. It came from California (a good sign) and in it was a wrapped egg and a note instructing me to unravel it with a bowl underneath. This package must have taken me about 15 minutes to unravel so you can imagine how long it took to actually wrap.

You're probably thinking, "what's it take to wrap an egg"? Well, this was a an egg wrap that had a little token attached with every few layers and a quote about Canada and it's greatness.

Who would take the time to do such a thing? Ladies and gentleman, I present to you (drum roll please).....Pam of Zoomie Station.

I would like to thank Pam for taking the time and care to wrap the gift and for providing me with the gift of wild anise from her garden.

For those not in the know, anise are little seeds with a licorice aroma. I knew that I'd immediately love this ingredient as anise is used to flavour Greece's national drink, Ouzo.

Included with the anise was the recipe for a Pear Croustade. I have made only one other croustade (apple) and I was a little nervous as I'm still learning how to bake.

Beyond forgetting to flatten the dough before refrigerating and my pathetic attempt to pleat and pinch the dough around the pears, the croustade turned out wonderfully well and I found pears and anise to make a terrific pair.






Pear Croustade

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp. of ice cold water
1 egg yolk

Filling
2 firm but ripe pears (Bosc), peeled, quartered, cored and cut into 1/2" wedges
(if small, use 3-4 pears)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. anise seeds
1 large egg white, beaten to blend

CRUST:

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter until coarse crumbs. Transfer to bowl.
2. Mix egg yolk and ice water in small bowl. Using fork, blend to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill until firm, about one hour.
   
3. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
   
4. Roll out dough on floured parchment paper to 10-inch round. Transfer dough on paper to baking sheet.

FILLING:

1. Toss pears, sugar, flour, lemon juice, anise and allspice in a large bowl. Overlap pear slices atop dough, leaving 2" border.
2. Fold dough border over fruit, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks. Brush dough with egg white. Drizzle cream over filling.
3. Bake tart until crust is golden and filling bubbles, about 40 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Slide metal spatula under crust to free from parchment. Using large tart pan bottom as an aid, transfer tart to platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or French Vanilla ice cream.
   

Steak Marchand de Vin

I checked my calendar and I'm nowhere near barbecue season. I checked the weather forecast and it looks like we're in for a "back to normal", cold Canadian winter. Alas, still no barbecue.

I have coped well this year with using the stove top and oven to cook my steaks to my satisfaction.

I find pan-searing the meat and finishing it off in the oven seems to work best. I also like that I can keep my steak "on hold" in the oven while I make a pan sauce.

This steak is a French bistro classic and as the title indicates, the steak is made with a red wine sauce. Traditionally, a brown stock or demi-glace is used in the sauce but I've found an easy shortcut in one of Jacques Pepin's recipes.

He used mustard to thicken this quick pan sauce but I found this to make it taste too sour for my liking. This dish is easy to prepare and suitable for a weekday or even on a lazy weekend if you just feel like staying in.

If cooking for two, you'll need a oven-safe skillet and two skillets would be needed for four to simultaneously sear and finish off the steaks in the oven.

Steak Marchand de Vin

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 New York strip steaks (about 6 ounces each), about 3/4 inch thick, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/3 cup dry red wine, such as Beaujolais
1 tablespoon bottled steak sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 cup water

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. Heat the butter in a large sturdy skillet. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with the salt and pepper, and sauté in the hot butter over medium to high heat for about 3 minutes. Flip the steaks and finish off in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the skillet(s) and place the steaks on an oven safe plate. Turn off the heat in the oven and allow the steaks to stay warm in the oven.
2. To your skillet, add the garlic, shallot and herbs de Provence to the drippings in the skillet, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until the moisture in the pan has almost completely evaporated. Now stir in the steak sauce, ketchup, and water. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and reduce until you achieve the desired thickness.
3. Arrange the steaks on individual plates, coat with the sauce, and serve immediately.
   

Chocolate Loaf With Orange Juice (Κορμός σοκολάτας με χυμό πορτοκάλι)

Often, the Greek language can suffer from bouts of being "lost in translation" (through no fault of it's own). This dessert, if literally translated into English would read "chocolate log with orange juice". Now, that's not too appetizing is it?

So, I'm sticking with chocolate loaf. Greeks, I've noticed have a lot of dessert recipes that use "petit beurre" tea biscuits. I think it's just brilliant that these orphaned cookies that just sit on the plate crying "eat me, eat me" now have a grander purpose in life...to take desserts to another level.

I found this recipe from the web site of a popular Greek food show called the Νηστικό Αρκούδι or Hungry Bear. The show's title comes from a play on a Greek saying, "a hungry bear never dances".

If you take a look at this show's "big bear list of recipes" you'll no doubt see that this bear has no problems with dancing. You can view the recipe in Greek or English but I had to do some homework to provide you with specifics the show does not provide. As well, I used more icing sugar as their recipe was not sweet enough due to the cocoa powder's interference with the sugar content.

Finally, I list "chocolate decors" as an ingredient. I'm referring to the minute chocolate sprinkles that are capsule shaped. These chocolate decors give a nice exterior and provide a crunch along with the smooth insides of the loaf. Finally, place the loaf in your freezer to set properly. Refrigeration left my loaf still soft and according to the food Nazi (my mom), any recipe she's seen like this calls for it to set in the freezer.

Chocolate Loaf With Orange Juice (Κορμός σοκολάτας με χυμό πορτοκάλι)

2 packettes of petit beurre tea biscuits (250gr. ea.)
2 egg yolks
250 gr. of non-hydrogenated margarine
the juice of 1 freshly squeezed orange
6 Tbsp. of cocoa powder
10 Tbsp. of icing sugar
200 gr. of chocolate decor
1 large sheet of wax paper (for rolling)

1. In a large bowl, break up the tea biscuits (roughly) and pour in the orange juice. Toss with a wooden spoon to coat all the cookies with orange juice. Allow the the cookies to absorb and soften in the orange juice for 5 minutes. Reserve.
   
2. Take another large bowl and add the margarine, egg yolks and icing sugar. Beat them with a hand mixer until it becomes a smooth paste.
3. Add this mixture to the bowl with the biscuits, add the cocoa powder and stir until well incorporated.
4. Unroll a good sized piece of wax paper and pour half the chocolate decors onto the paper. Empty the biscuit mixture onto the wax paper. Form the mixture into a loaf shape and then wrap it with the wax paper. Open the wax paper again and pour the remaining chocolate decors on the loaf and wrap it again with wax paper. Your loaf should be entirely covered in chocolate decors.
   
5. Twist the ends of the wax paper to tighten and firm-up the loaf's shape. Place in a freezer for at least one night to set.
6. Slice cold using a knife that's been dipped in warm water.
   

Salad of Broccoli and Cauliflower

For those in the northern hemisphere, it's almost winter and our eating gravitates to more meats, soups and heartier dishes.

Although I'm not a big salad person in the winter, I think it's still important to get your dose of veggies in your diet. This salad features broccoli and cauliflower which are low in fat, high in dietary fiber and a good source of vitamin C. I'm presenting this salad as part of Weekend Herb Blogging #112 which is hosted by Simona of Briciole. Stop by her site and you might even learn conversational Italian!

I saw this salad in the last issue of Gastronomos and I was intrigued enough to try it as broccoli and cauliflower are in season and it's a simple salad...I'm sold!

The recipe in the magazine calls for little pickled onions in it but I substituted them with slices of red onion that were simmered in some oil and balsamic vinegar.

This salad is best if you wait for the dressing to break down the vegetables a bit in the fridge and you won't have a super crunchy salad, more "al dente".

I really liked this salad as it's easy, suitable for winter, healthy, unusual and Greek! Credit for the recipe is given to a Myrsini Lambraki.

Salad of Broccoli and Cauliflower

2 cups of raw cauliflower florets
2 cups of raw broccoli florets
1/2 cup of sliced red onions, simmered in balsamic vinegar & softened
1/2 cup of grated carrot

Dressing
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp of honey 1 tsp. of ground cumin
1 tsp. of sea salt

1. Using a jar, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and shake well to mix.
2. Pour the dressing over the vegetables for the salad. Toss well, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
3. Serve cool.
   

Mussels Saganaki With Mustard

In the town near to our summer home in Greece, is a "psaro taverna" or seafood tavern that's been a favourite of our family & friends for years.

The taverna's name is Kapetan Giakoumis and the proprietor is this portly fellow with long curly dark brown hair. Think rolly-polly Diego Maradona.

Our summer home is located near Thessaloniki, in northern Greece in a resort area called Halkidiki. We vacation near the town of Nea Kallikratia. It (Halkidiki) is not as well known as the Greek Islands but you'll find some of the best beaches in Greece and unlike many of the Greek islands, you'll swim in warm Aegean water.

Mussels are a specialty of northern Greece as three rivers empty into the Thermaic Gulf and mussels thrive in waters where fresh & sea water meet.

There are a multitude of recipes for mussels saganaki but Kapetan Giakoumis' version is unique to me and made the use of plain mustard for it's sauce.

This past year, I told him of my blog and how I write about my food passion and I mustered up the courage to ask him for his mussels recipe. He obliged, I ate and now I share.






Mussels Saganaki With Mustard

2 lbs. of fresh mussels, scrubbed, debearded, rinsed
1 large, ripe grated tomato
dash of salt
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup of dried oregano
1 sweet banana pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of finely diced red pepper
1 whole chili pepper
2 Tbsp. of plain mustard
1 slab of good Greek feta, crumbled
splash of heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
chili flakes for garnish

1. Place your cleaned mussels in a pot with some olive oil and a splash of wine. Crank the heat to high, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. The mussels should be just opened. Discard any that have not opened. Pick out the the mussel meat and reserve with the broth.
2. Add the olive oil to a skillet and add the scallions, grated tomato, mussel broth, chili pepper, red and green peppers, a dash of salt and simmer for 10 minutes for the vegetables to soften and the sauce to thicken.
3. Add the mussels, oregano and mustard and continue simmering the the mixture for approximately three minutes, do not allow the mussels to harden.
   
4. Add the crumbled feta, a splash of heavy cream and garnish with parsley and chili flakes.
   
5. Serve serve piping-hot with bread for dipping!

Roasted Wild Boar With Sage and Honey

As I've written before, our summer home in Greece is nearby Greece's second largest city, Thessalonki.

Thessaloniki is named after Alexander The Great's half-sister and it's museum houses many artifacts and treasures from Alexander's and his father, Phillip II 's time.

The city is often given credit for being "cutting edge" for introducing new fashion, culture and food trends. Greeks will admit that the cuisine from northern Greece is the tastiest of the different regions.

The main reason for it's rich heritage in food is due to the fact that Thessaloniki as a city has embraced the natives of the villages from across the province of Macedonia and the Greeks who for centuries resided in Asia Minor. These Greeks were to resettle in Thessaloniki after Greece and Turkey conducted massive population exchanges after the Treaty of Lausanne.

A restaurant that I deem as having one foot in tradtion and the other in "new Greek cuisine" is the Κουρδιστό Γουρούνι or "Wind-up Pig".

Today I'm showcasing one of their signature dishes, their Γουρουνόπουλο ψητό με μέλι & φασκόμηλο or Roasted Suckling Pig With Honey & Sage.

I used a wild boar shoulder and one could use pork shoulder or shanks for feeding a family. This dish rocked! The marinade gets deep into the meat and the long, slow roasting renders the pork to tender and flaky. The juices of the meat, marinade and vegetables all get soaked up by the potatoes.

This dish is a one pot Greek meal. It's a great fall/winter Sunday dinner. Splurge on good Greek wine and enjoy this feast.

Roasted Wild Boar With Sage and Honey
(feeds 6)

1 wild boar or pork shoulder
1/3 cup olive oil
the juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup of Greek thyme honey
2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. of mild mustard
2 Tbsp. of fresh sage (or 1 Tbsp. dry)
3 springs of fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. of dried oregano
3 Bay leaves
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp. of coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp. fresh ground pepper
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 dried chili pepper
1 1/2 cups of water

Preheated 400F oven

1. Wash then pat-dry your pork and set aside. Using a large container or zip-lock bag, pour in your orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sage, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well and and your pork. Seal and marinate for 2-3 hours before roasting.
2. Cut up your vegetables and line your roasting vessel with the potatoes on the bottom, then the remaining vegetables on top. Season with a little salt and pepper and toss.
   
3. After you've marinaded your pork, allow the meat to return to room temperature before roasting. Season the pork with salt and pepper then place the meat on top of the vegetables and pour the marinating liquid over the vegetables along with the water.
4. Place the roast in the oven for 90 minutes covered and then roast uncovered for another 30 minutes. Baste the meat with pan juices a few times during the roasting period. The meat should be tender, moist and flake off with a fork.
5. Serve with the pork roast with the potatoes and roasted vegetables and don't forget some good crusty bread to mop up those juices!
   

Gratin of Zucchini and Squash (Kabak Graten)

When I was in Greece this past summer I also took a spontaneous trip to Turkey. Turkey's largest city is Istanbul and us Greeks still call it by it's old name of Constantinople. To this day, it remains the center of Greek Orthodoxy and I believe every Greek and philhellene should visit this enchanted, warm, vibrant and historical city.

Istanbul has a population of close to 20 million and for a city this large, it functions quite well. Oh, there's traffic and such but the city moves.

I was also charmed by the city's beauty, landmarks, history and the warmth of it's citizens. I was part of a Greek group and everywhere we visited we were greeted as neighbors, valued tourists and we were made to feel as though we were not far from home.

We stayed in the Pera district where nearby it, runs Istiklal Street with it's pedestrian mall, no automobiles and only a trolley and shoppers allowed to pass through it. Istiklal has many shops and eateries to choose from and most (if not all) the diplomatic offices (Consulates) are housed here.

This where I had my first meal in Istanbul. We had traveled all night by motorcoach and we were sightseeing all morning. I was famished and I was eager to try Turkish cooking to taste the similarities and differences between Greek and Turkish cuisine.

As in Greece, one can find many eateries with open kitchens. This is where one can view the day's offerings or specials of the day. This means one gets to eat the freshest and seasonal foods of the day.

I ordered some roast chicken, some rice pilaf and this pie-like baked dish made of zucchini and squash. It was to die for! It reminded me of the filling us Greeks use for cheese pies, heavy in cheese, onion and dill.

I've though long and hard to jar my memory and try and recreate this food memory from Istanbul and I proud to say, I did it!

If anyone of Turkish origins knows what this dish would be called, I'd be more than happy to amend this post and acknowledge it's Turkish name.

One last thing about Constantinople....I'll be back!

Gratin of Zucchini and Squash

1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 large onion,
large zucchinis, cut into round slices
1/2 carrot, box grated
1 sweet banana pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups of squash, and diced
1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 cup of aged white cheddar
A few springs of thyme
1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
some grated cheese for topping

Preheated 375F oven

1. Take a large skillet and melt your butter under medium high heat. Add your onions, carrots and red peppers and reduce to medium and allow to soften for 10 minutes.
2. Add your zucchini and squash and a pinch of , thyme and reduce to medium and cover and cook for another 10 -15 minutes or until the zucchini and squash have softened. Add your scallions, dill and parsley and stir in until warmed through.
   
3. Add your flour and stir it in to incorporate well and cook out the rawness of the flour. Add your milk and gently stir until the mixture becomes creamy.
4. Add your cheese into the skillet, stirring to mix and melt into the vegetables. Adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and add a dash of nutmeg.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole and top with some grated cheddar and bread crumbs.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes on the middle rack or until the top is golden brown.
   

Cabbage Rolls (λαχανοντολμαδάκια)

Most people associate cabbage rolls with slavic cuisines but the Greeks have had cabbage in their cooking as well. It's a winter staple and our family's had cabbage rolls as part of our winter roster of meals.

For as long as I can remember, our family has enjoyed cabbage rolls with an Avgolemeno Sauce. The more familiar cabbage roll comes accompanied with a tomato sauce but I think you find cabbage rolls with Avgolemeno Sauce to be a refreshing new take on this comforting dish.

First, I'm going to show you how to get your cabbage leaves and then I'll make a filling and then close off with a Avgolemeno Sauce.

Cabbage Rolls (λαχανοντολμαδάκια)
(makes 30)


1 large cabbage
1 1/2 cups of Arborio Rice (this rice adheres best)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. of salt
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a little salt. Meanwhile, remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and the hard stalk (root) of the cabbage. Wash it and put into the boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbage from the water by using a large fork.
   
2. Using some tongs, carefully peel away each leaf and unwrap the head of boiled cabbage. Remove the the bottom part of the main rib from each leaf. Repeat this process with all your leaves and reserve.
3. Bring a large saucepan to medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions and garlic. Simmer to soften the onions for about 10 minutes.
   
4. Take the saucepan off the heat and add your tomato puree, ground beef, ground pork, rice, parsley, dill, salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Take a cabbage leaf and place a heaping Tablespoon of the meat mixture near the bottom of the leaf. Fold the two ends of the leaf inwards and roll it up into a long narrow shape. (do not roll too tightly as the rice will expand and may break your leaves)
6. Place some spare cabbage leaves on the bottom of your roasting pan and start placing the stuffed cabbage leaves in concentric circles.
7. Place some more loose cabbage leaves over the stuffed cabbage and you may even place a heavy plate on top to prevent them from breaking open.
8. Add 3 cups of low sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock into the roasting pan, cover with the lid and place into a pre-heated 375F oven for 90 minutes. Reserve and prepare the sauce.
   

Avgolemeno Sauce

5 Tbsp of olive oil
4 Tbsp. of flour
Juice of 2 lemons
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Beat your eggs and lemons in a bowl and reserve. Bring a saucepan to medium high heat and add the oil and flour and stir with a wood spoon for 5 minutes.
2. Take a cup of the cabbage roll stock and pour it slowly into your flour/oil roux and mix it throughly.
   
3. Now beat the stock and flour mixture and slowly pour the egg & lemon mixture into your saucepan. Take off the heat, adjust seasoning with salt to taste.
4. Pour the Avgolemeno Sauce over all the cabbage rolls and holding on to the handles of the roasting pan, gently shake it back & forth to throughly blend the Avgolemeno Sauce with the remaining stock in the cabbage rolls. Serve warm.
   

Spaghetti With Squid and Artichicoke Cream

This past Friday I was in a seafood funk and I really couldn't decide on what to eat. Many food companies have websites that also include a myriad of recipes to try with their product.

Barilla pasta has a wonderful site with a ton of pasta dishes that use alot of different pasta shapes.

This Spaghetti With and Artichoke Cream dish jumped out at me from my computer screen, I was really intrigued by artichoke cream.

I used canned artichokes for this dish and frozen baby squid (as the recipe calls for). This dish's consistency is reminiscent of a carbonarra but there's no egg and I added some lemon zest to bring out the tangyness of the artichokes.

I love artichokes and they are well worth the fuss to clean them. They are native to southern Europe and the entire Mediterranean basin. Today, artichokes are manily cultivated in France, Italy, Span and the U.S. (with California producing nearly 100% of the crop).

This entry counts as my submission for Weekend Herb Blogging and it's hosted by the founder Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. Have a look at her site, her lean and mean recipes that are delicious yet very healthwise. Kalyn will also publish a "roundup" of all the contributors.

Kali Orexi!

Baked Potato a la Greque

My family comes from northern Greece (province of Macedonia) and it's capital is Thessaloniki. It's a city of 1.5 million and it's still considered a big town where you'll always bump into someone you know!

Our summer beach home is close to Thessaloniki and my brother and I went into the city to have a walkabout, grab a bite and have a few drinks.

We were dropped off in the suburb of Kalamaria and we were famished. We tripped upon a busy eatery called "DERLICATESSEN", Kouskoura 7, Thessaloniki and it was 9ish (early for a Greek dinner but we were hungry).

One of the food items that were flying out the doors of this bustling eatery was their baked potato. These guys were using old, cast iron ovens to slowly baked these spuds to perfection.

Think baked potato as a Greek would do it...a Mr. Potato-head sized spud, a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, cracked black pepper, creamy feta sauce mixed with Greek cream cheese and lots of scallions to top off this tasty side.

Baked Potato a la Greque

4 large baking potatoes, skins scrubbed and washed
extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
cracked black pepper
1 slab of good Greek feta
2 Tbsp of milk
1 tsp of lemon zest
2 Tbsp. of cream cheese
2 Tbsp dried Greek oregano
chopped scallions

Preheat your oven to 350F

1. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Rinse and scrub each potato as skins are delicious to eat too. Dry each potato throughly.
2. Pierce each potato with a fork or knife a few times on each side to allow the steam to escape and prevent the potatoes from exploding. For a soft skins, rub the skins with olive oil.
3. Bake on the middle rack for 90 minutes.
4. Make your feta sauce by first adding your milk and feta into a bowl and mash the feta into the milk with a fork. Now add your lemon zest, cream cheese and oregano and mix well.
5. Assemble your baked potatoes by cutting a slit into the top of the potato and use your hands to squeeze in the potato and open it up.
6. Drizzle each potato with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, spoon over some feta sauce and top with lots of scallions.