Tsikno-Pempti

The two weeks leading up to the Great Lent means that Greeks will revel in dressing up, parties, good times with friends and family, travel and indulging in lots of meats.

Afterall, for forty days we in the Greek Orthodox faith will be fasting by eating a vegetarian diet (of varying strictness).

This year, the Greek Orthodox Easter falls on April 27th, preceded by the Great Lent and currently we are in Carnivali.

Yesterday was Tsikno-Pempti. Tsikna means the aroma of charred meat and Pempti means Thursday. Put them together and you have Tsikno-pempti.

In Greece, city and town administrations will set up vast grills in the maina plateia (city/town square) and offer an abundant amount of meats...usually souvlaki and other pork meats.

Residents will set up their backyard barbecues, offering friends and family endless servings of meat with wine.

Tavernas will be packed with those too lazy to grill for themselves or just not up for the hustle & bustle of the crowds in the plateia.

Put all three scenarios together and you have one smoky Thursday in Greece. The only other time one will smell so much smoke around Greece is on Easter Sunday when practically every Greek household is roasting a lamb on the spit.

Greece consists of 11 million people and there are about the same amount to Greeks in the Diaspora. Us Greeks abroad try our best to hold the Greek torch alive.

For us Greeks in Canada, our climate can interfere in keeping such traditions alive. Last night the temperature here in Toronto was a -14 Celsius - outdoor grilling cancelled.

The cold weather outside was not going to stop me from doing Tsikno-Pempti. I gathered some wood from the garage, lit the fireplace early and got the embers hot & glowing. Tsikno-Pempti indoors.

Look at these beauties! if you're wondering, they tasted as good as they looked. I grilled some Macedonian sausages and some pork souvlakia tzatziki, some roasted red peppers, salad, fries and lots of red wine.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's lots more to Greek cuisine than souvlaki but when it's char-grilled, it can't be beat.

I'm going to keep you all in suspense until the warmer weather returns and I'll share with you how I marinade a pork butt into the juiciest, most tender souvlaki you've ever had.

Grilled Halloumi Salad

A little while back I introduced the "squeeky cheese" called Halloumi. I call it the squeaky cheese because that's the noise it makes when you chew it...it squeaks!

Halloumi is a firm, slightly briny cheese that's enjoyed immensely in Cyprus and the middle east. Here, I'm showing you a grilled Halloumi.

This cheese is great for grilling as it's firm, sears nicely (and quickly) and it won't fall apart on you.

If you do a search on the on internet, you'll see several varying dishes with grilled Halloumi. Pick the one you like. I'm just showing this salad as an intro to grilling this cheese.

I used a stop-top grilling pan for this salad and I was quite pleased with the result. Obviously, an outdoor grill will leave some better markings but I was craving this salad, and the task was completed.

Halloumi can be found in Greek, middle eastern and gourmet shops that carry better cheeses. One piece (about the size of a sponge) will go for about $7.

Try it in a pasta, in the morning with toast or as I've shown you here...grilled with a salad.

Grilled Halloumi Salad

1 ripe plum tomato, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 slices of halloumi cheese
olive oil for brushing cheese
extra-virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt
pepper garlic
powder dried
Greek oregano

1. In a small jar, add a ratio of 3-1 olive oil to vinegar and add salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano to taste. Shake the jar to emulsify and adjust flavouring. Set aside.
2. In a stop-top grill pan or outdoor grill, get your grilling surface to a medium high heat.
3. Oil the grill surface with some vegetable oil and brush your Halloumi cheese with olive oil.
4. Grill for 1 1/2 minutes a side and arrange on your plate with the salad.
5. Drizzle the dressing over the cheese and salad and finish off with some dried Greek oregano.
   

Chocolat Mousse

Here in Canada, we have our own Food Network. It has it's own original name, "Food Network Canada" (how creative).

Us Canadians are uptight about "foreign" influences and our government tries to protect our industries from foreign domination (US) and dually to promote Canadian content in literature, print media, television, radio, music and even commercials.

The government body responsible for this regime is the Canadian Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Without the CRTC, there would be no Food Network Canada which by law must have a certain percentage of Canadian-produced shows on air.

The CRTC is a double-edged sword but in the instance of food, I think they've done good by giving some Canadian food personalities a chance at the food spotlight.

At Food Network Canada, there's a Cooking Club Recipe Challenge held each month and a recipe from one of the Network's Canadian personalities is chosen as the featured recipe.

Several food bloggers like myself reproduce the featured recipe along with their own little twists.

This month's recipe is Laura Calder's Chocolat Mousse. Laura Calder is from eastern Canada and her show's called French Food at Home. I've tried a couple of her recipes and I was pleased with the results. I understand she'll be back for a second season (yay...she's hot)!

Her chocolate mousse is very straight forward but I should underline that raw eggs are used here and if you don't have the freshest of eggs, are pregnant, elderly or infirm then please try a mock chocolate mousse.

This dessert is simple elegance, easy to make and a joy to eat...licking each little bit of mousse off the spoon. The hint of orange is always welcome and for my own little twist, I crushed some Amaretti cookies to top off this classic dessert.

Chocolat Mousse

• 5 ounces dark chocolate
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tbsps sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp Cointreau

1. Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie (double boiler) until smooth. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, sprinkle in sugar, and continue beating to a stiff meringue, a minute or two longer.
2. Beat the yolks with the orange zest and Cointreau in a bowl.
3. Whisk the chocolate into the yolks. Fold in a spoonful of the whites, then pour the chocolate into the remaining whites and fold gently to combine evenly. Pour the mousse into a serving bowl. Wrap well with plastic, and refrigerate at least a few hours. Serve garnished with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a little orange zest.

Braised Pork Shanks With a Pink Peppercorn Avgolemeno

This title is a mouthful, it fills the eye, satiates the belly. Some thought went into this dish as it's my first foray into the Royal Foodie Joust, hosted monthly by Jenn, The Leftover Queen.

Each month a winner is chosen and the victor gets to choose the three key ingredients that must be used for the ensuing challenge.

Gild, The Voodoolily won in February and she chose pork, citrus and pink peppercorns as this month's ingredients for the challenge.

I had no actual dish in my roster of dishes that would fit the bill so a little contemplating and experimentation was going to be way to go.

Call it cooking without a net, crap-shoot cuisine, blind-faith braising.

I chose to use a pork shank for this dish and although it looks like it's huge for a single serving, relax...there's a lot of bone there.

Marinading, searing and braising put this pork shank through a good workout and the final touch is added with a Greek flair, by adding a Avgolemeno Sauce to round out this dish.

I was very pleased with the look, aroma and taste of the dish. Look at the colour of the meat, the sauce coloured by pink peppercorns and sweet paprika.

The pork was rendered to a "fall off the bone" state, laid upon a body of tender chunks of celery root and braised leeks.

Braised Pork Shanks With a Pink Peppercorn Avgolemeno
(for 2)

2 pork shanks
2 sprigs of rosemary, bruised
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup white wine + 1/4 cup for deglazing
1 tsp. salt
5 whole allspice
10 pink peppercorns, cracked
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
1 cup of chicken stock
1/2 cup tomato passata
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
3 leeks, greens removed and white parts slit partway sidesways (to remove sand & grit)
1 celery root, peeled and cut into chunks

Avgolemeno Sauce

2 eggs
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. of cold water

Preheated 400F oven

1. In a bowl, add your rosemary, sage, garlic, wine, pink peppercorns, allspice, lemon, oil, salt and pepper and mix well.
2. Score your pork shanks in a criss-cross manner so the fat renders during cooking.
3. Rub the marinade all over the pork shanks and place in a bag and marinade for 2 hours in the fridge. Return to room temperature before cooking.
4. Place a large skillet over medium high-heat and add some vegetable oil tosear the skin sides of your pork shanks and place in a roasting pan (with a cover). Discard the oil.
   
5. Add your leftover marinade, celery root chunks and leeks to the roasting pan (around the pork shanks).
6. Deglaze your skillet with the remaining white wine, tomato passata and stock, scraping up all the brown bits. Pour over the contents of the roasting pan.
7. Season your vegetables with some salt and pepper and the sweet paprika.
8. Cover the vessel with a lid and place in oven for 30 minutes at 400F and reduce to 350F for the remaining 90 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and keep the lid on to keep warm.
10. Meanwhile in a bowl, prepare your Avgolemeno Sauce by beating your eggs and flour and while still beating, add your lemon juice plus 1/8 cup of cold water.
11. Take a ladle of braising liquid and whisk into the Avgolemeno mixture.
    
12. Add your Avgolemno Sauce to the braised pork and veggies and gently shake the pot back and forth for the sauce to penetrate the meal. Check and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
    

MEME's, Tags and Food Hags

I want to begin by thanking all those who have tagged me in many instances of blog exercises, MEME'd me to divulge just a little more about myself, for feting me with blog awards and accolades. You have all also given me the opportunity to the hone my cut/paste and link skills. I am forever indebted to you.

For the record, these little exercises do take time; I have to think of what I will and will not divulge of myself, make the blog entry somewhat entertaining and think of five or more victims to tag and prolong this counterproductive circus.

I will respectfully not jump through anymore hoops. I'm not hatin' on these blog games but I do have a backlog of dishes I'd like to still share with you and the MEME/Tag thing is time consuming.

I would much rather share a food experience and spend this time exploring your blogs and commenting constructively, with encouragement and a bit of humour.

I'm now officially done with MEME's and Tags...now on to Food Hags.

This dish comes courtesy of a food personality and I was quite impressed with how well the dish came together after following the directions rather closely.

This is a quick, elegant and an easy weeknight dish that's sure to please all in attendance. The only substitute I made to this dish was to again use evaporated milk.

It's a great, low-fat alternative to heavy cream however one should use is it along with a roux for it to thicken just like cream. Otherwise, you will still find the sauce to be a little thinner.

Now it's time for a little fun, I'll post the recipe but I'm going to have you all try and guess which food personality's dish this is.

Take a guess in the comments section and I''ll give the answer in my next blog entry.

Feb. 27, 2008...this dish is adapted from Rachel Ray.

Chicken Breast With a Mushroom-Dijon Sauce
(for 4)

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• sweet paprika
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (depending on your tastes)
  
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk

1. Wash and pat-dry your chicken. Seasoning with salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
2. Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken breasts until brown on each side and cooked through. Reserve in a warm oven.
3. Add the butter to the hot pan and melt. Add the mushrooms to the pan and brown, about 4-5 minutes.
   
4. Add the shallots and thyme, and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. When all the vegetables are tender, sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and shallots, cook about 1 minute.
   
5. Stir in the white wine, chicken stock, Dijon mustard and heavy cream. Cook about 2 minutes, until thickened.
6. Cut the chicken breasts into slices and serve chicken topped with the Dijon gravy and the rice and asparagus alongside.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

The Campbell's Soup company has not made that much money off me this year. I've been really enjoying making stocks and the comforting soups that directly benefit from this effort.

There are some good quality stocks for sale out there and even the boullion cubes can come in handy but a soup made with homemade stock just can't be beat.

Today, I have a soup for you that tastes like it was simmered all day, it could be served for a guests but, it can be made with ease on a weeknight.

This soup's inspiration comes courtesy of Jacques Pepin and the original recipe can be found in his book, The Short-Cut Cook.

I've tweaked his recipe but the same rich, creamy soup will still satisfy your hungry mouths.

What makes this soup different is that I've avoided using cream and the thickener here is cornmeal. I used evaporated milk which is less fattening and it has all the good properties of cream and the cornmeal thickens the soup fast.

The last point I'd like to make is please use fresh mushrooms. White button mushrooms are easily cultivated all year 'round, they are affordable and they're simply delicious. If you have fancier tastes (and budget) then by all means use a more fancy mushroom in your soup.


Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cleaned & sliced button mushrooms
1 medium onion (about 1 cup) diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
6 cups of chicken (or veggie) stock
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter in a large pot and when it's melted, add your onions and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes (with the cover on).
2. Take the cover off and simmer for another 5 minutes for liquid from the mushrooms to cook off. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the mushroom mixture and reserve.
3. Add your bay leaves, garlic and cornmeal and stir for a few minutes or until you have a thick paste.
4. Add your stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and and cover just ajar for 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and remove your bay leaves. Using a handheld food processor, puree your soup thoroughly.
6. Add as much evaporated milk as desired. Add your reserved mushrooms and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
7. Serve immediately.
   

Semolina Halva (Χαλβας σιμιγδαλι)

This dessert has to be one of my favourites of Greek cuisine. It's one of my faves because it's not "over the top" sweet, as many Greek desserts can be.

Semolina Halva is also made in countries that surround the Mediterranean basin, the Balkans and as far east as India.

There are many Greek recipes for this dish. The nuts used in it can vary and many recipes will use oil (olive, sunflower or both).

This recipe is cherished by my family and my mom's saved it from a cousin of hers in Greece. Having tried many versions of Halva Semolina, I've come to the conclusion this version is the richest in flavour and, obviously cost.

This recipe utilizes pine nuts and butter. Taking a spoonful of this Halva leaves you with a velvet flavour from the butter and the slight grit of the semolina...a wonderful textural contrast.

This dessert can be served all year 'round but I do really enjoy it cool in the summer, with a cold glass of water on the side.

Semolina Halva (Χαλβας σιμιγδαλι)

2 cups fine (to medium) Semolina flour
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar + 1 cup sugar reserved 1/2 cup whole pine nuts
4 cups water
10 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 strips of orange peel
cinnamon for garnish

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and when it has melted, add the semolina while stirring constantly. When the semolina turns to a reddish colour, add the pine nuts and stir them for a minutes to toast. Remove from the heat and reserve.
2. In another pot, add the water, 2 cups of sugar, orange peels, cloves and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Count 5 minutes from the point of boiling and then take off the heat.
   
3. Remove your aromatics/spices from the liquid, pour it into the reserved pot with semolina and add the reserved 1 cup of sugar.
4. Place back on the stove over medium and heat and keep stirring with a wooden spoon until the the mixture no longer adheres to the walls of the pot.
5. For a family-style presentation, spray a Bundt mold and pour the mixture and allow to cool. For individual servings, dip a cookie mold (or similar) into water, spoon in the Halva; smooth over with a spatula and invert onto a tray.
6. Allow the Halva to cool before refrigeration. Carefully cover with plastic wrap. Halva is good for one week.
7. Serve the Halva cool or room temperature with a topping of cinnamon and a glass of cold water.
   

Pulling Mussels From a Shell

When Elly of Elly Says OPA! announced a food event that paired food inspired by music, I knew I'd be all over this event. The event is Eat to the Beat!

This event would combine my two of my greatest loves...food and music. The premise of the food event is quite simple: make and blog about a food or drink that somehow relates to a song, an album, a band, etc.

So, let's go back to the late 70's when New Wave and Punk Rock were shaking the foundations of rock music.

At the forefront of New Wave was a Brit band called The Squeeze. They had a string of Top 40 hits, enough to justify a full-on Greatest Hits album (which I do have).

The title, "Pulling Mussels From a Shell" has an obvious connection to my dish, steamed clams and mussels.

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious and as usual, I tweaked the recipe to make it suit my tastes (and hopefully yours).

I was blown away by the effect the Chorizo sausage had on the flavour. The sausage seasons the dish and a wonderful smokyness was present.

The aroma of lemon zest wafts in the air when you sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs and pinnacle has to be when you throw on some oregano, cracked pepper and a crowning drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Once again, I am slayed by seafood!

Mussels and Clams Riganato
(for 4)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ripe plum tomato, diced
1 Tbsp. dried Greek oregano
1/3 cup diced shallots
1/3 cup diced Chorizo sausage
1/4 dry white wine
1 lb. fresh mussels, de-bearded and cleaned
1 lb. fresh manila clams, scrubbed and cleaned
freshly ground pepper

Toasted Bread Crumb Topping

1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic, smashed
1/2 cup bread crumbs
zest of 1 lemon

1. Scrub, de-beard and clean your mussels and clams as per linked instructions. Reserve in the fridge until you are ready to steam them.
2. In a small non-stick pan, add your olive oil and clove of garlic on medium heat. Allow the garlic to perfume the oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the garlic and and reserve for use with the steamed bivalves.
3. Add your bread crumbs to the oil, stirring constantly to toast them for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat, stir in your lemon zest and reserve.
4. Place a large skillet on your stove and heat under medium high heat and add your olive oil. Now add your shallots, garlic, tomato and Chorizo and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes to soften.
5. Add your bivalves and wine, cover and turn the heat to high. Your clams and mussels should all open in about 5-7 minutes. Discard any unopened bivalves.
6. Using a spoon, place each serving in a deep bowl and sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs, throw a some oregano at it, turn some fresh ground pepper on it and finish off with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
7. Serve some good crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
   

Mmmmm Muffins

Muffins have to be one of my favourite North American breakfast rituals. It's true, we work too hard, we could learn something from the Europeans about taking it easy and we do have to slow down.

In our busy lives, it's all rush, rush, rush. In Europe, people actually sit in a cafe, order and leisurely have their coffee and treat.

In North America, all I see is people lining up at a coffee shop or waiting in the drive-thu lane of Tim Horton's.

Muffins were practically made for this busy morning go-go-go ritual. We all see the co-worker sipping a coffee and nibbling on a muffin in their office.

Why not make the time to enjoy your coffee and muffin at home? I did.

One of my favourite muffins is the Lemon Poppyseed muffin. It's sweet, a little tart and I love the crunch of poppy seeds in my mouth.

I finally found a good recipe for these muffins at What Geeks Eat. Vanessa has a myriad of great dishes on offer and her blog also features a "print recipe" button (which I'm getting around to).

I made these muffins yesterday and the dozen is down to two. I'm assuming they were good.

I also made the icing but i think I'll skip it next time. The muffin "as is" is simply wonderful and a joy when taking my time reading the paper, sipping coffee and nibbling my muffin.

Pomegranate Gelée

Ahhh, the super-fruit. I do love a ripe pomegranate. Thankfully, these fruits do ripen well in your fruit basket and living in Canada, we don't have a pomegranate crop to pick fresh off a tree.

Although I prefer to eat this fruit "as is", I couldn't resist trying this simple dessert. I found this idea in Gastronomos and the recipe is adapted from one made by a Stelios Parliaros.

Think of this dessert as a fancy Jello. The ingredients are simple...sparkling wine, pomegranates, lemon zest, gelatin and some sugar to taste.

Pomegranates came to the Aegean ages ago from Persia. Pomegranate is prominent in the Myth of Persephone.

The pomegranate is loaded in vitamin C, antioxidants, tannins, it's sugars are safe for diabetics. It's effective in reducing your danger of heart disease, reduce blood pressure fights dental plaque.

I'm submitting this post for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Lia of Swirling Notions. Have a peek at her blog early next week when she posts the recap of this well-participated blog event.

Here are some notes to heed when making this gelee.

Instead of sugar, I opted to use honey. Didn't the Gods drink Mead made from honey and wine? Also, please be patient and allow the gelatin to "set" before adding the pomegranate seeds.

When you see the gelee start start to form in the fridge, then add your seeds. Otherwise, you will offset the delicate balance of the gelatin, your seeds will sink to the bottom of the glass and it might not even set.

I used an inexpensive Canadian sparkling wine. Remember those cheap bottles of bubbly some people gave you as gifts? Rather than suffer the shame of re-gifting such plonk, might as well turn it into a classy dessert, no?


Pomegranate Gelée
(for 6)

1 bottle of sparkling wine
3 gelatin leaves (or powder) 15 gr. zest of 1 lemon
splash of pomegranate molasses
1/3 cup honey
the seeds of 2 ripe pomegranates

1. Add your gelatin to a little cold water.
   
2. In the meantime, add 1/3 (250ml) of your wine into a medium-sized pot, along with the lemon zest, pomegranate molasses and sugar. Bring to boil and then take off the heat.
3. Add your dissolved gelatin into the pot and stir to mix well.
4. Empty the liquid into a large bowl, add your remaining sparkling wine, stir to mix and cover the bowl and place in your freezer to set for about 15 minutes (if the gelee hasn't started to set, leave it in the freezer a little longer).
5. During this waiting period, remove the seeds of your pomegranates. Cut each fruit in half, place over a bowl and gently try to invert the fruit, dropping the seeds into the bowl. Tapping the skin of the fruit will also release the seeds into the bowl. Reserve.
6. Once your gelee has set (test to see if some seeds are suspended or sink first), add the pomegranate seeds into the bowl with your liquid, stir to mix the seeds well.
7. Pour your gelee mixture into glasses and refrigerate for about 2 hours (you might have to stir the seeds again).
8. Serve cold as a nice, refreshing and healthy dessert.
   

Cucumber Salad (Σαλατα με αγγουρια)

One of the biggest cheerleaders for all things Greek has to be Val of More Than Burnt Toast. Val used to reside near me, here in southern Ontario and now she "living la vida loca" in the interior of British Columbia.

Canada is the second largest country (in size) and our two provinces are separated by a four hour flight.

Val has been always there to leave comments on my dishes, she shares her fond memories of visiting Greece and she extends her hospitality with her dishes almost on a daily basis.

I'd like to share with you, a cucumber salad I saw on her blog recently. Val once spent part of her summer at a resort on the Greek island of Kea (Tzia). The resort offers cooking lessons in Greek cuisine and the hostess is a famous author of Greek cookery, Aglaia Kremezi.

Last night I was craving more salad and I thought that Val's cucumber salad would hit the spot...and it did!

Cucumbers are available all year 'round, they are good for you and they take on whatever flavours you give'em.

I had every intention of reproducing this salad "to a Tee" but I messed up...but in a good way. I have dried mint and dried lemon verbena in my pantry.

You guessed it...I instead crumpled the lemon verbena into the salad. I wasn't too worried as I only would have thrown out the single portion of salad made for myself.

This goof turned out very well. This salad can be enjoyed all year' 'round but remember to use good Greek feta. When buying feta, ask for a taste before buying. Otherwise, it's feta roulette.

One peeve I do have about cucumbers is peeling the skin. Cucumbers are so bland without the skin. Unless you're peeling strips off (as Val and I did), leave the skin in tact. Respect the cucumber!

You may certainly follow Val's version (as I will when I have fresh mint) or give mine a go with the lemon verbena or try fresh dill. The only other twist in my salad is the addition of green onions.

Cucumber Salad (Σαλατα με αγγουρια)
(for 4)

1 large cucumber, washed and rinsed
2 green onions (green part only) chopped
1 slab of good Greek feta, crumbled
1/4 cup lemon verbena, chopped
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Wash the exterior of your cucumber well and pat dry. For esthetics, take your vegetable peeler and take a strip off the cucumber from top to bottom. Turn the cucumber and after about a 1/2 inch of skin, peel off another strip. Repeat until you've completed a green/white pattern around the circumference of the cucumber.
2. Thinly slice your cucumber and place in a bowl.
   
3. Add your coarse salt, lemon verbena, feta, green onions, oilve oil and lemon juice. Toss to coat the salad. Adjust seasoning with salt, lemon juice and olive oil. Top with some fresh ground pepper and serve immediately.
   

Wanna Lollipop?

Sorry, I'm all out of Tootsie Rolls but I've got some Chicken Lollipops...want some? Today, I'm once again crossing the culture, reaching across to Asia, courtesy of a recipe from another "Gwei-lo".

For those that are wondering, "Gwei-Lo" is literally translated from Cantonese to mean "white ghost".

Toronto has alot of "Kinezi" or Chinese so, I thought I'd teach you all a couple of new words in this language and food exchange.

I have always enjoyed Chinese food and now that Toronto is so much more cosmopolitan, I can say that I embrace Asian food at large.

This recipe is courtesy of Ricardo Larrivee (the other Gwei-Lo), who can be seen on Canada's Food Network. Ricardo is relatively new to the Canadian food scene, at least on TV. He's a French-Canadian who resides in Canada's party city, Montreal.

If Toronto and Montreal were sisters...Toronto would be the responsible, studious sibling and Montreal would be the rebellious, stay up all night reveler.

I've been watching Ricardo of late and I'm starting to "get" his dishes. His Asian-Style Chicken Lollipops made me take notice, bookmarked.

This chicken dish is very easy and most of the ingredients are at hand, for even those that live in the most Wonderbread of towns or cities.

Ketchup - check! Soy Sauce - check! Brown sugar - check! Garlic - check! Hoisin Sauce - maybe. Sambal Oelek - shit, what's that?

Here in Toronto, Hoisin and Sambal Oelek are now commonly found in the ethnic/international aisle of most grocery stores. They will surely be found at an Asian market too.

Hoisin Sauce can be described as a sweet, garlicky sauce & dark in colour. Sambal Oelek is a condiment that's used much like a hot sauce. It's base is chili peppers and garlic and it's thick.

If you can't find Hoisin, a Teriyaki sauce is close in flavour and if Sambal Oelek is out of reach, try a popular chili sauce.

I heard Nigella Lawson use a term I'm about to steal because it best describes this chicken dish...lot's of flavour & no labour!

Your biggest task is scraping the meat of the chicken leg up to the large end of the drumstick. If you don't care for the lollipop presentation then, the task of making this chicken dish just got super easy.

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the Sambal Oelek at the end to taste-test how spicy you'd like these lollipops to be.

After you've settled on the taste, preheat your even, toss the chicken in the sauce and lay out on a lined baking tray for cookin'.

Don't they look delicious? Isn't food that requires eating with your hands and licking your fingers that much better? I know you agree.

Please note: you might want to reserve some of the sauce before you toss the chicken in it. It could be used to brush on some more sauce when the chicken is done. Also, I baked my chicken for over an hour, just to get my skin a little crispy.

After I washed my hands with a few wet-naps, I thought to myself, "this sauce would also be great for ribs". My BBQ awaits this Asian sauce.

Feeling Nostalgic

I can't remember the last time I've had iceberg lettuce (other than for a garnish). Either we're all too busy eating other greens or we just aren't eating enough of them.

I've seen a movement where people are introducing this much maligned leaf back into their diets.
Let's face it...iceberg lettuce on it's own is quite bland and it's practically all water but if incorporated properly, it can complement a salad nicely.

When I say "properly", I mean don't make the salad all lettuce. Make the iceberg lettuce a component of the salad, not the star.

Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen had recently posted a Chef's Salad that was too easy to ignore. I had previously bought some iceberg lettuce on a whim, I had some edible tomatoes on hand and your other usual suspects that are found in a salad (cucumber, peppers, celery, scallions).

This salad is easy beyond belief. It's creamy, it's crunchy, it's tasty. I omitted the usual ham/turkey cold cuts that one usually finds piled on top of the salad and the salad came out on top, on cue for my urge for salads and, on my future salad roster.

I've tweaked the dressing a bit but I've stayed true to it. Have it your way but do go and try, Chef R's Big Salad!

Chef Salad
(for 4)

1/4 head of shredded iceberg lettuce
3 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1/2 stalk of celery, sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Dressing

3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or
1 garlic cloves, minced
good squeeze of 1/4 lemon

1. Rinse, dry and prepare all your vegetables for your salad and reserve in your salad bowl and reserve.
2. Using a jar, add all of your dressing ingredients and shake the contents to emulsify your dressing.
3. Pour over your salad, toss and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Enjoy!
   

The Paisano in Me

From as early as I can recall, I've always enjoyed pasta dishes and I'm pleased that there are endless pastas, recipes and combinations yet to be tried out.

First, here's a gift from me, well...a gift from Barilla pasta. A couple of weeks ago, Mario Batali guested on Rachel Ray's talk show and he shared with all us viewers that we can all download a free on-line cookbook from from Barilla's web site, featuring recipes from an array of celebrities.

Everytime a cookbook gets down-loaded, Barilla pasta will donate $1 to America's Second Harvest...now how good is that?

Another Italian-American that I enjoy is Giada DeLaurentis. She seems to have a knack for stretching, tweaking and revitalizing Italian food without compromising it's origins nor taste.

I saw here make this rigatoni dish which combined butternut squash, shrimp and basil...yum!

When I was making this dish, I was very tempted to disregard her milk use and go all out with cream but please resist.

The combo of the pureed squash and milk will surely give your sauce a rigatoni-sticking nature. No need for cream here.

For a pasta dish that tastes rich, it's remarkably a healthy one. Milk, pasta, basil, garlic...cheese is your main in indulgence here but we're making pasta, right? No skimping on cheese.

I made this dish using leftover roasted squash that I had in the freezer. I thawed it, mashed it in with the garlic and olive oil and simmered it with the stock. The result was true to Giada's version too. I also deviated from her dish by tossing my shrimp in some salt, sweet paprika and chili flakes because, I like the easy result I get from this seasoning.

Otherwise, stick to her recipe and you'll enjoy a pasta with all the richness of a cream sauce, but without it!

Fast Food, The Greek Way

If any of you are thinking of going to Greece this year, I encourage you (again) to sample as much of the local food as possible.

Try out the specials, ask the server for help when choosing your items. Ask for a recommended dish.

As you're traveling, you will also sometimes be rushed for time and hey, that's okay...we all have trains, planes, ships to catch.

I just booked and paid for my vacation to Greece this summer. All I know is that I'm going in August, returning after Labour Day and I want to visit at least another neighouring country and perhaps a Greek island I've yet to visit.

One thing that is a "sure thing" is that I will be eating a Greek gyro. Here in Toronto we now have a few shops that sell gyro on a pita and it's very good, close to the Greek serving but, not the same.

I reckon the pig in Greece has a greater fat content. Fat = flavour. Just ask yourself how much bacon is sold?

When you're in Greece, if you're going to eat fast food...at least have what the locals are having. Souvlaki, Biftekia or my fave, the gyro on a pita! I vehemently urge you to avoid Rotten Ronnies (McD's), Burger Queen, the devil known as Starbucks and that purveyor of horrible pizza, Something Hut.

I get this craving every now & then and I had some left over pork available for my home-made gyro experiment.

As you can see, the experiment turned out pretty good.

I thinly shaved some roast pork, tossed it in garlic powder, sweet paprika, onion and garlic powder, fennel seeds and oregano.

I then placed the pork meat on a tray and heated the meat up in my toaster-oven until the pork crisped a bit. I found similar results were achieved using a Pizza seasoning which contains the similar ingredients.

Building your own gyro is quite simple, you need:

• Greek pita bread

• A good Tzatziki

• thinly sliced red onions

• ripe tomatoes

• french fries

1. All one has to do is seasoning and heat up your pork meat, warm up a pita bread and assemble. Smear some Tzatziki on the pita bread and then drop your pork meat in the pita, followed by the tomatoes, onions and french fries.
2. Roll up your Gyro, secure with a toopick and devour the "saand-weetz" (that's how Greeks say sandwich).
   

The View From Here

I've seen some people in my blogging realm that are posting views from their kitchen and I love this idea. This is the brainchild of LuLu's Bay from Cairo.

It's a window on the world and a window on what us food bloggers see when in our kitchens.

As you can see, my yard faces a large park, I have bird feeder that keeps on getting pillaged by the squirrels and...lot's of snow.

I'm extending an invite for anyone who wants to come over for a BBQ...pick your seat!

I also want to share my weekend indulgence with you...a big breakfast fry-up. I do bacon & eggs, buttered toast, a glass of orange juice and coffee, with some fruit to cap off a glorious breakfast.

For the record, margarine sucks. The only time margarine is actually better than butter is when it's used for making grilled cheese sandwiches.

I use margarine on toast...that's it. Otherwise, it's olive oil or in this case, butter for breakfast...and why not? I do my bacon in the microwave between paper towels...no grease and they're done to a crispy finish.

My eggs need butter. I put one dab of butter, when I hear a sizzle I add my eggs, season with salt and as you can see, a sprinkle of smoked paprika gives eggs sunnyside up a new brilliance.

I cover my fry pan with a plate to cook the top part of my eggs, time my toasts to pop-up just at that moment when my eggs are ready. A crack of fresh black pepper and breakfast is served.

I head to the TV set, put my feet on the table and dip my toast in runny egg yolks, sip my juice, eat some bacon, then repeat.

Bottom line:

Margarine blows and EVERYTHING'S better with butter.
(My recent physical at my family doctor has given me a clean bill of health with low blood pressure, low cholestrol, normal blood-sugar).

Chermoula and Couscous

One of the goals I've staked out for myself was to go beyond my comfort zone and try some dishes from the other side of the Mediterranean - North Africa.

I've seen, heard, read (and now tasted) varying Chermoulas. It's a marinade used in cooking in the North African countries of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. After doing some research, I found that there's no real base recipe for Chermoula, other than it usually containing cumin, citrus and some heat. The rest is subject to interpretation and taste.

A Chermoula can be used to marinade anything...vegetables, chicken, lamb, beef and in this case, sea bass fillet.

I've taken the flavours that appealed to me today (my mood does change) and I applied it in this marinade. The next time I use a Chermoula, I'm sure I'll try another combination. I'm already diggin' this marinade's liberal allowance of interpretation.

While making this dish, I was reminded of the many times I had seen Jamie Oliver pound the Hell out of herbs & spices for his dishes. Until today, I used to just use pre-ground spices...until today.

Pounding your spices into a powder makes for a much more robust, flavoured spice. As an added tool, I think I'm going to splurge on a small coffee mill that I will exclusively use to grind spices.
I'm not writing off already ground spices but I'll augment my cooking with grinding my own too.

I'm convinced this dish's success was heightened by my labour in pounding these spices with a mortar and pestle. I've had one for years and now I can use it for than just making Melitzanosalata.

How would I describe this Chermoula Sea Bass? First, the flavour of the fish was still evident (good), a slight smokyness came through from the cumin and paprika, a touch of heat from the chili flakes & peppercorns and, the tang of the lemon rounded out what was to be a fabulous fish dish. Chermoula my love!

As seen in the photo, I also made a brilliant coloured couscous with Saffron. The recipe is quite basic and I wanted to keep it this way so as to not steal any flavours from the sea bass. This simple yet beautiful Saffron dish looked like a bed of golden caviar for my sexy Chermoula sea bass to lie on.

As for the shrimp, they were great too...they were like my savory dessert, to be eaten at the end!


Chermoula Sea Bass
(serves 4)

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
6 whole black peppercorns
10 cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic,
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 medium onion, grated
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 skinless, sea bass fillets

Preheated 400F oven

Saffron Couscous

2 1/4 cups of water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp saffron threads/powder
1 1/2 cups of uncooked couscous

1. Using your mortar and pestle, add the smashed garlic, cumin, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and coarse sea salt and pound the contents until it becomes a mash. Empty the contents into a bowl.
2. To the bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, grated onion, parsley and paprika and mix well.
3. Smear the Chermoula marinade all over your fish fillets. Place in a bag, seal and refrigerate for 1 hour. Return the fish to room temperature before baking on tray.
4. Treat your tray with cooking spray and season your fillets with salt and a sprinkle of more sweet paprika.
5. Drizzle with some olive oil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the fish is just flaky.
6. Serve immediately with a lemon wedge.

Couscous

1. Combine water, butter, salt and saffron in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in couscous. Cover, remove from heat.
2. Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff couscous with fork.
3. Add another pad of butter and adjust seasoning with sea salt.
4. Keep covered & warm until your main is ready to be served.
   

The Day After Valentine's

So last night, I went out to my regular drinking hole, The Artful Dodger pub and I knocked back a few pints, shared some laughs with regulars and commented on the absence of some other regulars.

The pub was quieter than usual and that's fine, it was Valentine's but half the regulars who didn't show I knew to be single. Those present at the bar were single and there was a smattering of couples, flagrante delicto under their tables (get a room).

I was pleased to meet a gal new to the pub...early thirties, brunette, tall, slim and shoulder-length straight hair that just curled up at her neck. We chatted over a drink as she waited for her friends to arrive.

I was nervous until her friends arrived. Phew! No boyfriend...there's hope!

On to the soup.... while out for work, I stopped for a soup and a sandwich and I enjoyed a warm, hearty bowl of Minestrone soup.

This soup is definitely Italiano in origin and there's no real benchmark for the ingredients...it's pretty much made with what you have at hand. One of my favourite short-cuts for a tomato-based soup is to use V8 vegetable cocktail...try it the taste the results for yourself!

Think of this soup as a great "clean your fridge" soup...it's quite a hodge-podge but the final result is a comforting bowl of broth, beans, pasta and vegetables that's sure to satisfy any hungry-man.

I should note that this recipe should be considered by the strictest of vegetarians. Just use vegetable stock and fear not that any vegetables would have been cruelly harmed during the soup making process. Free-range vegetables anyone?

Minestrone Soup

1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
3 bay leaves
2 medium potatoes, diced
1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pcs.
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cup of water
4 cups of V8/vegetable or tomato juice
1 Tbsp. of Italian mixed herbs
2 cups of shredded cabbage
2 medium zucchini, diced
2-3 tsp. Vegeta or vegetable bouillon
1 can of kidney beans, drained
1 cup of macaroni
1 bunch of kale leaves, rinsed and chopped

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add your olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots and celery and potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes to allow them to soften.
2. Add your bay leaves, cabbage, beans, zucchini, vegetable cocktail, Italian herbs, tomatoes and,Vegeta seasoning, kale, macaroni and beans and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to low, cover ajar and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes or until the soup has gotten thick but still soupy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
   
4. Serve hot with some cracked black pepper and grated Parmesan.
   

Valentine's According to Me

To all those that have someone special in their life to share this day with, I wish you a fantastic Valentine's Day.

Do all those googly-oogly things couples do and try to add a little spice to your lives, inject some sponatanaeity and give each other little surprises to keep things interesting.

If you're going to to go out, I hope you've reserved at your favourite spot and you're sure that the same good service and great food will be offered and that you won't be rushed to finish your dinner.

I prefer staying in on Valentine's. Go make something that's relatively easy, where both of you can share cooking duties, decide who's chef and who's sous-chef. The last thing you need is a kitchen argument.

Ladies, let's be realistic. Valentine's means more to women than men.

I hate to break it to you but we have to remember Valentine's, we have to execute the day's expected behaviour. We follow the our notes on Valentine's to a TEE (who am I kidding, guys don't keep notes).

Now, I'm not saying guys can't be romantic but we just know that women (most at least) want the "treatment" on Valentine's.

I've always been the type to try and keep things exciting in a relationship...naughty little notes, surprise visit to her work to go for lunch, come home early to do a dreaded house chore or buy a little present...just 'cause I wanted to.

Do we really have to jump through hoops on this day? If it takes a guy one certain day (Valentine's) to express his love for you...think hard about the relationship.

Please don't be calling a divorce lawyer saying, "Peter sent you" but cut the guys some slack. Most of us like doing sweet little nothing al year 'round...at least I do.

So here, I have my Valentine's dessert for all of you. I've made a Fig Compote, spiced with cinnamon, star anise, cloves, chili flakes and poached in Mavrodaphne fortified Greek wine.

You can serve this with good French Vanilla Ice Cream but I wanted to keep this dessert Greek, so I've served it instead with strained Greek yogurt.

I hope you're making dinner for each other tonight and, the only other advice I can give is PLEASE DO NOT choose any menu item that involves frying. Cooking naked has it's hazards!

Fig Compote With Star Anise (Κομποστα με συκα ανισου του αστεροειδους)

4 ounces (about 1 cup) dried figs
1 cup Mavrodaphne (or other fortified wine)
2 tablespoons honey
6 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 star anise pod
1/2 vanilla bean or vanilla extract
1 strip of lemon peel 1/2 tsp. chili flakes

*If necessary to thicken, mix 1 Tbsp. corn starch
+ 2 Tbsp cold water

1. Put all ingredients in medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the solids (spices, etc) from the compote.
   
2. Serve warm or cool with ice cream or strained yogurt.

Catalan Potatoes

I'm always a sucker for trying out new potato dishes. My blog chica, Nuria lives near Barcelona and and I'm sure she's seen something like this in a tapas bar or she's even made it at home.

There's nothing really new with ingredients but I was curious to try this pan-method with the slices of potatoes.

The starches from the potatoes get released and meld with the caramelizing onions and tomatoes, a smack of garlic and the black pepper to give this rustic dish some heat.

I had this with a late dinner omelet and a sausage (NO, not a hot dog) and it was a satiating dinner after a long day's work.

Credit for these Catalan Potatoes goes to a Bob Kinkead (thanks Bob) and if you feel like cooking something but you don't want to make it a big kitchen event, try out these potatoes...they are as tasty as they look.

I'm submitting these potatoes as my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Erin of the Skinny Gourmet. Watch for Erin's roundup of the array of dishes early next week.

Catalan Potatoes
(for 6)

1/2 cup olive oil (1/3 cup for nonstick pans) 3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 large red onion, diced
2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat an 8- or 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and add the whole garlic cloves. Cook the garlic until browned, about 8 min. Discard the cloves.
2. Add the diced onion to the pan. Sauté in the oil until light brown, about 12 min. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon.
3. Add half of the potato slices to the oil. Top them with an even layer of the onions, chopped garlic, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Top with the remaining potato slices.
   
4. Cook the potatoes until browned, about 15 min., and then turn the potatoes over onto a plate and then flip back on the skillet, pressing down on them with a spatula.
   
5. Continue cooking until the underside is brown and the potatoes are tender throughout, about another 15 min. Slide from the pan onto a serving platter and serve immediately.

Spaghetti With a Greek Meat Sauce (μακαρονάδα)

One of the best things about being young is having grandparents. One of the shittiest things about getting older is the loss of your grandparents.

For those of you who still have grandparents in your lives...take the time to talk to them, listen to them, ask them about the old country, traditions, your family tree, anecdotes, look through old photographs...grab some recipes!

I love old people so it's a natural that I would miss my grandparents. One of fondest memories I had was sipping a Greek coffee with my maternal grandfather (Pappou) and one of my ingrained food memories is eating my grandmother's (Yiayia) spaghetti and meat sauce.

There's no rocket science to a Greek meat sauce but it's one of those recipes that makes the basis of so many other Greek dishes like Pastitsio, Papoutsakia or Moussaka.

It''s basically a bolognese sauce with a pinch of cinnamon thrown in at the end...ahhh that aroma!
Another thing you'll see in my recipe is that I never add a pinch of sugar to my sauce. A trick I learned from my Italian neighbor is to use a carrot to neutralize and slightly sweeten your sauce.

I don't like chunks of carrot in my sauce so I grate a carrot into instead. Acidity problem gone.

Take your time to soften the onions, this step is your "make or break point" for the sauce...burn the onions and you may as well start over.

If you took your time...you'll enjoy a heaping bowl of Greek μακαρονάδα love!

Spaghetti With a Greek Meat Sauce (μακαρονάδα)

3 medium-sized onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 carrot, grated
1 can of plum tomatoes, pureed
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 kg. lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. of dried Greek oregano
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of cinnamon
grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Romano)

1. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and bring up to a medium-high heat. Add your onions and carrot and when they start to sizzle, lower to medium-low and saute for about 10 minutes to soften (not brown).
2. Add your ground beef, garlic, bay leaves and turn the heat to high and stir the contents to brown the meat.
3. As soon as your meat has browned and most of the liquid is gone, add your wine and reduce until the liquid is almost gone.
4. Add your tomato sauce, oregano, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the sauce (uncovered for about 30-40 minutes or until it becomes thick).
5. Take off the heat, add a pinch of cinnamon.
6. Serve with your favourite pasta (my Yiayia always served this with Petaloudes or farfalle).
7. Grate lots of Kefalotyri cheese on top.