Galaktoboureko (γαλακτομπούρεκο)

Can you believe I'm still tidying up after Easter Sunday? From all accounts, it was a pain in the ass but all was off-setted by the greattime my family and friends had for the whole day.

The day was capped off by my mom's Galaktoboureko...uncracked from the cherished tome of her recipes.

Galaktoboureko is as popular (if not more) than a Greek baklava. Essentially, it's a dessert of custard made from semolina flour and a crispy phyllo shell and soaked in a lemon syrup.

For those of you who might be having nightmares thinking I'm going to go through the whole phyllo-making process, relax! Commercial or store-bought phyllo is used here.

As long as you allow the phyllo to defrost properly in the fridge overnight, ensure it's bought from a store that sells fresh phyllo (high turn over) and you've ensured the phyllo stays moist and you've brushed melted butter on each sheet...you'll do just fine!

Galaktoboureko (γαλακτομπούρεκο)

7 eggs, room temp.
10 cups of whole milk (room temp.)
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of fine semolina flour
1 heaping Tbsp. of butter
zest of 1 lemon
1 package of commercial phyllo
2 sticks of melted butter (for brushing)
14" X 11" Corningware baking dish

Syrup
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
juice & zest of 1/2 lemon

1. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add your eggs, sugar and semolina and mix constantly over medium heat until incorporated.
   
2. Add the milk, zest and butter and now continue to mix using a potato masher until your custard is slightly thick, yet not runny. Place a tea towel between the pot of custard and the pot's lid, cover and reserve (off the heat).
   
3. Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Butter the baking dish. Count how many sheets you have in your package of phyllo and divide in half. One half will go on the bottom, the second half will go on top.
   
4. In the bottom of the pan, layer your one half of phyllo, leaving the edges hanging over the sides of the pan. Brush each sheet generously with the melted butter. Pour the custard mixture over the bottom phyllo layers.
   
5. Fold the excess phyllo over and into the pan and evenly distribute the remaining sheets of phyllo to entirely cover the custard. Again, ensure that each sheet is brished generously with butter.
6. With a very sharp knife, score the phyllo (just penetrating) to make your desired size and shapes of your Galaktoboureko pieces (this makes it easier to cut later and this will also allow the syrup to penetrate the pie better.
7. Bake in the middle rack for 35-40 minutes or until the top is nice and golden-brown. Allow the Galaktoboureko to cool to room temperature.
8. To make your syrup, add the sugar, water, juice and zest and bring to a boil and count 10 minutes for your syrup to develop.
9. Using a ladle, pour your syrup over the Galaktoboureko (1 ladle at a time) until your syrup has been absorbed.
10. Carefully complete the slicing of your pieces (tracing your initial cuts), allow to cool for approx. 1 hour and refrigerate uncovered over night to set. Serve cold or room temperature.
    

Kokoretsi (Κοκορέτσι)

Another usual suspect that's present at the Greek Easter table is Kokoretsi. It's a rotisserie dish made up of the organ meat from the lamb and bound by the intestines and on occasion, caul fat.

One of the reasons why I love Greek Easter is that our cuisine shines it all it's food dynamism. Greek Easter is a full-day affair...the lamb on the spit takes all day and as we all wait for it to be enjoyed, we nibble on an array of dips, dance on the fuel of Ouzo, wine and Greek spirit and sample the grilled array of meats throughout the day.

One such meat is Kokoretsi. For those that read my blog often, you'll recall that liver and I don't groove that well. As recently as a month ago, I once again tempted the memory of my taste buds with a taste of lover & onions...BLECH! But, "why does Peter like Kokoretsi" when it's full of organ meat?

For those that, like me...don't do liver or organ meat...I have a tough sales pitch but you have to believe me on this, call it the X-Factor - Kokoretsi tastes great!

Kokoretsi

2 lamb's hearts
2 lamb's spleens
1 lamb lung
intestines of 2 lambs
lamb's testicles (optional)
1 lb. of sweet breads
caul fat (optional)

Marinade
1 small Onion, grated
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Bay leaves or 1 Tbsp. of ground bay
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

1. It's important to wash, rinse and clean the intestines as soon as possible after purchasing. Invert the intestines and soak in a bowl with water and lemon juice for a couple of hours. Repeat 2-3 times more.
   
2. Rinse sweetbreads, place in a pan and cover with water. Add juice of 1/2 lemon. Bring to the boil, then drain.
   
3. Rinse the remaining organ meat and cut all the pieces into equal-sized pieces. Reserve.
4. In a large bowl, add the marinade ingredients and taste-test and recify seasoning.
   
5. Add the prepared meats to the marinade and mix to incorporate. Cover and leave in refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours. Put the intestines and caul fat in cold water and leave to soak during this time.
   
6. Drain the marinade and pat dry your meats. Season with salt and pepper and thread meats alternately on your spit/skewer.
   
7. Drain the intestines and wind them up and down and around your skewered meats and then wrap the caul fat to cover the entirety of the Kokoretsi.
8. Secure the Kokoretsi by wrapping butcher's twine around the skewered meats. Give a final touch of salt and pepper and prepare your rotisserie or BBQ pit.
9. Grill slowly over medium-hot coals and, if using a rotisserie with a BBQ, place a pan with water to prevent burning or fat flare-ups. Slow roast on your rotisserie for approx. 2 hours or until the outside is crisp and brown and firm to the touch.
10. Carefully slide the meat off the rotisserie and slice into 1 inch pieces. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, sprinkle some dried oregano and serve as an appetizer/meze.
    

Lamb on the Spit (αρνί στη σούβλα)

Χριστός Ανέστη (Christ Has Risen)!

It's the day after Easter and it's also the Feast of St. George so my best wishes and "Hronia Polla" go out to all the George's out there.

I have to admit I'm quite today. Yesterday was a huge success. Toronto basked in a glorious and sunny 20C with little wind. Greek Easter is meant to be enjoyed outdoors with song, dance, food and drink.

I tried my best to photograph food and moments of the day but I did get caught up in the food preparation, good conversations and more wine that I perhaps should have not had.

The "main event" of Greek Easter is the lamb. Our family has been enjoying lamb on the spit for 15 years after enjoying the whole experience at a friend of the family. I was hooked ion the whole experience immediately and I set out to purchase our own "pit" for lamb on the spit.

A friend of our family sold these rotisseries that were special for lamb and Greek Easter. Below you will read how my family enjoys Greek Easter and lamb on the spit.

Lamb on the Spit (αρνί στη σούβλα)

1 whole lamb (20-25lbs)
salt
pepper
garlic powder
dried Greek oregano
vegetable oil
olive oil
fresh lemon juice
5-7 bags (18kg) charcoal briquettes butcher's twine
1 long upholstery needle

1. Ensure the spit (or rod) is cleaned, free of any rust, scoured with steel wool and rinsed of any cleaning agents. Wipe the spit with lemon juice and then treat with vegetable oil.
2. Either hang or lay your lamb and throughly rinse the the inside and outside of the lamb with water. Allow the water drain away and pat-dry the lamb (this step aids in getting rid of much of the gameyness people associate with lamb).
3. Place the spit through the lamb (rear to head) and if the head is still on your lamb, pierce the skull to help secure the spit.
4. Break the hind legs by the bending them backwards and to allow you to tie them easier to the spit. Secure the hind legs very tightly with your butcher's twine. Repeat this step with the front legs and also securely bind the neck to the spit.
5. Using your butcher's twine and the upholstelry needle, make a stitch across the length of the lamb's spine, looping around the spit. It's important that the stitch enters the meat near the spine, loops around the spit and then the needle comes back out of the body near the spine again. Loop the twine through your stitch and continue securing the spine to the spit until you've reached the shoulder.
   
6. Rub the inside of the lamb with some vegetable oil and sprinkle some sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried oregano. Rub the the spices around with your hands for even distribution.
7. Using the butcher's twine and needle, stitch and close the opening to cavity.
8. Rub the exterior of your lamb with vegetable oil (olive oil tends to burn) and season your lamb well with sea salt and black pepper.
9. Get your fire pit started with some kindling wood and newspaper. When some burning embers are present, Add two bags of charcoal into the pit and allow about 30 minutes for the charcoals to get white hot.
10. Separate your hot coals into two piles: one underneath the shoulder end, the other pile under the hind leg side. The mid-section of the lamb cooks the fastest and there's enough residual heat from both piles to cook the mid-section evenly with the rest of the lamb.
11. Every hour, replenish your pit with another bag of charcoal with 2 piles at each far end of your pit. When your older charcoal starts losing heat, just push the newer charcoals over to your two main charcoal areas.
12. Your lamb should take 5-6 hours to be cooked through and during the last hour, mix a basting marinade of 1 part lemon juice, 3 parts olive oil with some salt and dried oregano to taste and baste frequently for the last hour.
13. Your lamb will show signs of being "done" when the carcass starts to crack as it revolves around on the rotisserie.
14. Transfer the lamb to a large baking tray, cut away all butcher's twine and carve it into pieces for your dinner guests.
15. To make your job easier next year, wash and clean the rod and any other grilling utensils so that the cleaning for next's year Easter becomes less of a task.
    

Silence of the Lamb

It's Saturday afternoon and I've just thoroughly washed my Ontario, milk-fed spring lamb. Watch me turn this sacrificial lamb into He-Man, outdoor, open-pit, BBQ greatness.

Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)

Today is "Megalo Savato" or Great Saturday in the Greek-Orthoodox calendar. Yesterday and today are filled with church services and lots of preparation for the festivities tomorrow.

I'm at ease knowing that Easter Sunday will greet us with mild, sunny temperatures...perfect for Greeks who enjoy the outdoors. Greek Easter Sunday is meant to be spent outdoors.

Before I get on to the Tsoureki, I'd like to thank all of you who left your kind words and thoughts on my previous post about the potato salad and on my getting in print in Greek media. It meant a lot!

On to the Tsoureki, every Greek household will have this Greek Easter bread as part of the table. As I've seen it described by others, it has the consistency of a Brioche or even a Challah bread but make no mistake...the similarity begins and ends with the texture. I find Tsoureki to be way more flavourful.

I've tried many a Tsoureki as it's also customary to give and receive a Tsoureki amongst family and friends. From this custom, I've tasted many Tsourekia but I like mine to be slightly sweet, aromatic from the citrus, mastic and mahlepi.

This recipe does read like an army-sized one but again, it's customary to give loaves of Tsoureki to family & friends. Easter is not complete in our household until the aroma of the Tsoureki baking in the oven permeates the whole home. Yesterday it was church incense, today was the heavenly aroma of Tsoureki, tomorrow it will be lamb on the spit!

Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)

1 lb. room temp. unsalted butter
4 cups of whole milk
5 cups of sugar
28 cups of all purpose sifted flour
12 eggs, very well beaten
2 Tbsp. of ground Mahlepi
1 Tbsp. of ground Mastic
zest of 1 lemon
zest and juice of 1 large orange
3 heaping Tbsp. of active dry yeast some warm water

1. In a large pot, add the butter, sugar and milk and simmer over a low heat until the 3 ingredients are incorporated. Add the zest of the lemon and orange and the orange juice. Set aside and keep warm.
2. In another bowl, add two cups of water, the sugar and yeast and allow the yeast to activate and rise.
3. In another large bowl, add the sifted flour, Mahlepi and Mastic and reserve.
4. In another bowl, beat your eggs and add them to the milk & butter mixture and then add the yeast mixture as well.
5. Now add wet to dry ingredients. Dust your work surface with flour and knead your dough into a very soft ball and place in a large bowl. Treat the top of your ball with some vegetable oil and cover with plastic wrap. Allow your dough to to double in a warm spot or a pre-heated oven.
6. Once the dough has doubled, push the dough again and allow to rise again.
7. Grab three handfuls of dough and roll them into 3 equal-lenght strips of dough, this will make one braided loaf of Tsoureki. You may choose to make a long braided loaf or a round braided loaf (as in the photo).
   
8. Create a braid with 3 strips of dough and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Allow enough spacing between each loaf that's equal to the width of the loaf (the loaf will expand again). Allow for the loaves to double in size. Repeat steps 7 & 8 to form your remaining Tsourekia.
   
9. Using an egg and milk wash, brush the tops of your Tsourekia and sprinkle sesame seeds or slivered almonds.
10. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 40-45 minutes and allow to cool.
    

Καλώς ήρθατε στο Kalofagas

Yesterday, my blogging friend Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska had three articles published on SKAI TV & radio's (Greece) website as part of their focus on Great Lent Week.

Now that the "cat's out of the bag", I can now add that I too was asked by SKAI journalist Lamprini Thoma to contribute to the series with a dish for Good Friday.

All the articles are in Greek but you may use Google's translator. Although nowhere near perfect, the translator will give you the gist of each article.

The first article is titled "Good Friday in Toronto" and it's basically an intro of myself, that my family attends St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and a seque to the other two pieces.

The second piece focuses on how I first got interesting in cooking and Lamprini relays to the reader the many ways food has inspired me during my many visits to Greece.

The third and final piece focuses on the dish. Good Friday's fast is quite strict and it leaves little choices for eating on this day. I offered a Lent-friendly potato salad, flavoured by vegetable stock and mustard. Below is the English text as I had submitted to SKAI TV.

I would like to express a huge thank you to Lamprini Thoma who translated all three pieces for me from English to Greek. She made the articles bright, full of sentiment and poetic as only the Greek language can be. I wish you all knew Greek so as to fully grasp how beautifully written all three pieces were.

Σε ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Friday

Today marks the solemnest date on the Greek-Orthodox religious calendar. For Jesus Christ died on this day and our services take on a tone of mourning.

The run-up to Easter, Good Friday and ultimately Easter is the most important reglious holidays for Greeks around the world.

In Greece, the people will leave "en masse" for their home towns or summer retreat homes and most will be attending the Good Friday church services (especially the evening Vespers).

On Good Friday (Megali Pareskevi), flags at homes or government buildings are set at half-mast to mark the mournful day.

All over the world, the Greek-Orthodox will attend the evening Vespers service and follow the procession of the Epitaph of Christ. In Greece, the procession will circle the entire town, in the cities, the epitaph will circle the whole neighborhood.

Here in Toronto, my family has attended St. Nicholas Greek-Orthodox Church for most of my life and the epitaph will also makes it's procession. Greek churches like St. Nicholas will also conduct the procession of the Epitaph for a few kilometers around the neighborhood where the church is located. Often, local traffic police are enlisted to help ease the traffic of cars and parishoners that congregate for this solemn service.

The service culminates with the return of the Epitaph to the church and as it's above the portal, just high enough for all the faithful to pass underneath the Epitaph and back inside the church.

As Good Friday is the solemnest day of the Greek-Orthodox calendar, the Great Lent on this day is of the strictest nature. Besides retaining the fast from meat and dairy, no oil or any ingredients that were "crushed" are to be consumed.

Most on Good Friday will subsist on a diet of fruit and nuts, bread, Fakkes made without oil and one of my particular favourites is a mustard-based potato salad that's flavoured with spring ingredients and true to the traditions of Good Friday.


Potato Salad for Good Friday

Approx. 1kg. of new red potatoes
2/3 cup of vegetable stock (made from Vegeta)
1/4 cup of mild mustard
2 Tbsp. capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of pickles, finely chopped
1/4 cup pickle juice from the jar
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Rinse your potatoes and place in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the hot water from the potatoes and then add ice cold water to cool the potatoes until they are warm.
2. As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle (but still warm), cut them into chunks and place them in a large bowl.
3. Add your hot vegetable stock and toss the potatoes for a few minutes to absorb the stock and take on some flavour.
4. Now add the mustard, pickles, pickling juice, parsley and dill and toss to coat the entire salad.
5. Taste your salad and adjust by adding salt & pepper according to your tastes. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your salad warm or at room temperature.

Mydopilafo (Μυδοπίλαφο)

Today's entry focuses on mussels. Boy do I love mussels. It's fitting that I love mussels as my first taste of them was in Thessaloniki, which is known for tons of of dishes that contain mussels.

There's Mussels Saganaki, there's Fried Mussels, there's Steamed Mussels, a soup and many variations in between that diverge from these mothership recipes.

For mussels to flourish in the wild or cultivated, an environment of sea and fresh water must exist and that's why mussels are only found on shores near where a river empties to the sea.

I had a good chuckle when I read a preamble to a mussels recipe in a Greek cook book. The author stated that mussels are a staple of the Greek Islands. This is boldly false. If you find any mussels on the Greek Islands, they have been transported from Northern Greece (Macedonia).

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN, the majority of mussels in Greece are cultivated in Macedonia (with the exception of some mussel cultivation in the Saronic Gulf).

There's just a couple of more days until Easter and I want to show a famous mussel dish from Thessaloniki...Mydopilafo or Rice With Musssels.

I seen & tried many recipes for this Thessaloniki classic but I'm going to show you a version that's easy, mild in seafood flavour, Lenten-friendly and as always, delicious.

The key to this dish is of course to use fresh mussels. This rice dish stands head & shoulders above your regular rice dish because of the liqueur that releases from the mussels as they cook.

The next time you see fresh mussels at your fish monger, try Mydopilafo from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Think of Athens as "the blonde" and Thessaloniki as "the brunette".

Blondes might have more fun but brunettes do it better!

Mydopilafo (Μυδοπίλαφο)
(for 4)

2 cups long grain rice
1/2 olive oil
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup diced yellow pepper
1 large, ripe tomato, grated
5 cups of hot seafood/shellfish stock salt and pepper to taste
1 kilo of fresh mussels, cleaned

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Clean your mussels as per safe guidelines and reserve in the fridge. Rinse your rice and pick out any bad, blemished kernels.
2. In a baking dish, add your rice, olive oil, grated tomato, diced peppers and stock and some black pepper stir to incorporate. Resist adding salt until after the mussels have been cooked, as they are naturally salty.
3. Place your rice in your preheated oven for about 60 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Remove your baked rice and fluff the rice to mix the peppers up with the rice. Lay your mussels on the bed of rice and bake for another 5 minutes or until the shells have opened up (discard any shells that have not opened). Toss the mussels and rice to mix the mussel juices with the rice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
5. Serve hot immediately or use any leftovers as a cold appetizer inside a mussell shell.

Fava

Fava in the Greek food sense has nothing to do with fava beans. Rather, it's a dip made from split peas.

Seeing as how I'm still fasting towards Greek Easter, dips, snacks and other bits & bites make the experience more bearable.

Making fava is quite easy. All one has to do is simmer the fava until the liquid has been absorbed and then give it whiz in the processor with your favourite flavourings.

This particular Fava recipe comes from famed NYC chef, Michael Psilakis. Michael has been taking Greek cuisine to new heights in New York and he's also appeared on Iron Chef America.

The next time you have a craving for Fava, give Psilakis' version a try and let me leave you with one piece of my own advice:

If you're the type who's worried about "double-dipping" at a party...just make sure any of the breads, veggies or any other food item offered with the dip is large enough for just one bite. Us Greeks could care less but why chance having a Seinfeld moment at your next party?

Michael Psilakis' Fava

• 1/2 pound yellow split peas
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 large basil leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• Toasted pita triangles, for serving

1. In a large saucepan, combine the split peas with the onion, bay leaf and 4 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the split peas are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the split peas and discard the bay leaf.
2. In a food processor, pulse the sun-dried tomatoes with the vinegar, garlic, shallots, basil, oregano and thyme until minced. Add the split peas. With the machine on, slowly pour in the 1/2 cup of olive oil and process until a smooth paste forms. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the dip to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with toasted pita.

Is It Easter Yet?

This past weekend I used some of my free time to get some things in order for Easter Sunday. The first thing I secured was a whole milk-fed, Ontario Spring lamb (26 lbs). The second thing I would need is charcoal.

Last weekend I was lucky to pick up the last of the store's charcoal. It seems I wasn't the only Greek in the area getting ready for Easter.

Here's what I'll be offering this Sunday:

Kokoretsi, Sweetbreads, sausages, eggplant salad, tarama salata, Htipiti salad, Tzatziki, dolmades, roasted potatoes, asparagus gratin, magheritsa, Tsoureki, cheesecake, galaktoboureko, Spring salad and...a whole spit-roasted lamb.

There will be lots of wine, beer and Tsipouro to help wash down all the delightful food and mom's best fresh baked bread.

Alas...we're still a few days away from Sunday and the fast continues but wait! I have a new soup that us Greeks can have for Lent. It's not new as it's called a Horiatiki (Village) Soup but it's new to my kitchen.

A few years ago in Greece I picked up a cookbook called Elliniki Paradosiaki Kouzina (Greek Traditional Cuisine). The author of the book is credited to a Christina Lidaki and the origin of this soup is labeled as being from Central Greece.

This is a hearty, chunky vegetable soup that's filling and Lent-friendly. If you're Greek and tired of Fakkes or Fassoulada - give the Horiatiki Soupa a try.

Soupa Horiatiki

2 medium onions, diced
1 large leek
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled & sliced
3 stalks of celery. cut into 1/2 in. pieces
2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise then cut into slices
2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
3 large potatoes, diced
1/3 cup olive oil
couple of bay leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
9 cups of water
2 vegetable boullion cubes
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash, peel and chop your vegetables. In a large pot, add your olive oil, garlic, onions, leeks, carrots and celery and saute for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
2. Add your bay leaves, potatoes and tomatoes and stir & cook for another five minutes for the starch in the potatoes to activate.
3. Now add your water and boullion cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium, cover with a lid and and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Add your zucchini and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Finish the soup off with the chopped fresh parsley and dried oregano.

Great Lent

This is the final week of fasting before Easter Sunday. Greeks will vary in the manner in which they conduct their fast but it's safe to say the majority will eat meatless and dairy-free until after midnight when we arrive back home to eat a waiting bowl of Magheritsa.

For those not in the know, Magheritsa is a traditional Easter soup make of a stock boiled from the lamb's head and an array of organ meat.

One Easter, we could not eat Magheritsa. My mom made a big pot full of the soup and after fasting for a week of no meat or dairy...organ meat and such actually become very appetizing.

As it's still often cold at night in Canada at this time of year, it's perfectly safe to place food items outside that won't fit in the fridge. During this time, our fridge bursts with food items and the Magheritsa was placed outdoors to be chilled until we got back from church.

So here's the scenario:

Greek family gets dressed and goes to Saturday Midnight Mass for Easter. Said Greek family welcomes Easter at midnight at church. The same Greek family goes back home, starving for Magheritsa.

The Greek family gets changed into casual clothing and assembles to eat Magheritsa. The mother of the household steps outdoors to fetch the Magheritsa but all we hear are shreaks!

Said Greek mother is face to face with a racoon, licking it paws after finishing a whole pot of Magheritsa. Call this story the Raccoon Who Stole Greek Easter.

Onto today's dish. Today for lunch I made a Fassoulada and to accompany this hearty bean soup, I also had some olives, bread, pickled cherry peppers and this vegetable Toursi.

Toursi is a Greek word used for pickled foods and sometimes marinated seafood dishes with octopus or squid.

Each fall my family makes this vegetable Toursi but it can be made anytime of the year and you can choose whatever medley of vegetables you like.

A Vegetable Toursi is great in the winter as part of an array of mezedes, to accompany a soup or to just have as a snack.

I'm submitting this dish for Putting Up, a food event co-hosted by my friends Pixie and Rosie. You have until May21st to submit your preserves, jams, marmalades, pickles or any food item you can think of that goes through the process of preservation.

Vegetable Toursi

1 lb. of green tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
1 lb. of carrots, peeled, halved and cut into thin half-moon pieces
1 lb. of celery, thinly chopped
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 lb. red peppers, sliced
1 head of garlic, sliced
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 small jar of capers
1 cup of coarse sea/pickling salt
white vinegar
pickling jars (click here for pickling/jarring basics)

1. Wash all your vegetables thoroughly and pin a bowl large enough to hold them all in. Add the coarse salt and mix it in. Allow the vegetables to stew in the salt for apporx. 5 hours.
2. Using a large tea towel, squeeze the liquid out of the vegetables in batches and add them back into the bowl when complete.
3. Cover the vegetables with enough vinegar to cover them. Allow the vegetables to steep in the vinegar for at least 3 hours. If you'd like your vegetables to be more acidic, allow them to steep for another hour or two (until you've received your desired taste).
4. Using a large tea towel, squeeze the vinegar out of the vegetables in batches and now add your vegetables to the jars.
5. Fill each jar with enough sunflower (vegetable) oil to cover the contents of each jar. Seal and store in a cool, dry cellar for up to one year.
   

Is It Summer Yet?

This is the beach where I swim each day when I'm vacationing in Greece. Sandy beaches, bath-warm water and the tranquility I feel when I'm near or in the sea.

After the bathers retire to their homes for the evening, another entire different pilgrimage to the waters occurs. It's that of the fishermen.

They will fish all night, catching what seafood they can to feed our appetites with the bounty of the sea.

For most Greeks, fresh fish and seafood has become quite expensive as demand has risen for seafood, the oceans and seas are slowly being over-fished and Greece's tourism adds further pressure to higher prices.

The affordable and popular choice among Greeks is Gavros (anchovy), Marida and Sardines.

Most of us here in North America are only familiar with the canned variety...not so tempting. The fresh sardine, fried or grilled (my preference) is hard to beat.

The sardine has a as much (if not more) Omega 3 fats than salmon and because they are lower on the food chain of the sea, minimal exposure to Mercury.

Last year when I was in Greece, a kilo of sardines sold for about 5 Euros...enough to feed four. If you're lucky to find some fresh sardines at your fish monger, take them and grill them. You'll have one of the best seafood experiences in your life.

Grilled Sardines (Σαρδελες σχαρας)

1 kg. fresh sardines
coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
dried Greek oregano

1. To gut a whole head-on sardine, pinch the gills on both sides at the base of the head and pull them out. Often the innards will pull out at the same time. If not, slit open the underneath and scoop them out from under the belly cavity.
2. Rinse your sardines in & out with cold water while rubbing to remove the scales. To remove the head, snap it back, breaking the spine and pull it off.
3. Pat dry your sardines and get your grill fired up (high heat). Brush your grill well so that there's no residue from your previous grilled items. Wipe the grill with some vegetable oil to lubricate it.
4. Drizzle your sardines with some sunflower oil (olive oil will burn) and then season with salt and pepper.
5. Grill your sardines on high heat for 2 minutes a side.
6. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, squeeze of fresh lemon and dried Greek Oregano.
7. Serve with Ouzo, Vlita, a salad and some bread.
   

Olive Bread (Ελιόψωμο)

Next week is home stretch for the Greeks' Great Lent. Our family (like many other Greeks around the world) will surely fast right up until when the bells strike midnight on "Megalo Sabbato" and we crack those first Easter eggs and shout "Christos Anesti" or Christ has risen!

One of foods we will be eating is this olive bread. This recipe comes courtesy of inlaws by marriage who are natives to Halkidiki, the northern Greek summer playground.

Halkidiki is the prefecture that produces a large amount of olives. The most famous olives from Halkidiki are the large, green Gaidouria (donkey) and the black, sweeter & wrinkled Throumpes.

Another thing one will notice near the shorelines of Greece is the growth of wild rosemary. Where our summer home is, residents often have hedges of rosemary doubling as fences around their properties.

This olive bread is a celebration of the bounty of Halkidiki...olives and rosemary. The filling is of sauteed onions, fresh Spring mint and Black Throumpes. The tops of the olive bread are brushed with olive oil and finished off with rosemary. It's rich in filling, rolled up much like a streudel and served alone or as an accompaniment to a soup.

Olive Bread (Ελιόψωμο)
(makes 8 loaves)

1 heaping Tbsp. of active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. salt
6 cups of warm water
1 cup olive oil
8 cups of whole wheat flour
4 cups of all-purpose white flour

Filling
24 medium onions, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
4 cups of black Throumpes, pitted and chopped

1. Add 1/2 cup olive oil into a large pot and over medium heat add your onions and then saute on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes while stirring and until the onions are translucent and there's little water left. Add your chopped mint and olives and stir in. Allow to cool before add mixture to the dough.
2. In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients (except sugar) and reserve. In another large bowl, add your warm water, sugar and yeast and allow some moments for the yeast to activate. Now add your olive oil to the yeast starter and then add your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
   
3. Knead your dough for about 5 minutes until you get a soft dough. Roll into a large ball and place your dough back into the large bowl. Cover your dough with some olive oil and some plastic cling-wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm part of the kitchen for approx. 45 minutes.
4. Knead your dough for another 5 minutes and then form into smaller dough balls (which will become your loaves.
5. Roll each dough ball out into the size of a large pizza. Spread a layer of the filling across the area of the dough and then roll it up and place on baking tray (seam side down) that's been treated with cooking spray. Repeat until your dough and filling have been used up to make a total of 8 loaves.
6. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh or dry rosemary. Bake in a pre-heated oven (middle rack for 45 - 60 minutes or until light brown.
7. Place your baked olive bread on a counter to cool with a tablecloth covering. Allow to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Halloumi, Grilled to Perfection

This evening was glorious. It was the first day this year where one wakes up to warm sun, birds chirping and the sun shining with nary a cloud in the sky.

I already knew this would mean BBQ time, eat dinner "al fresco" time and relax time. It was a busy week but also very productive. I'm working on some new things for this blog and the emphasis is on "beyond".

Part of my dinner this evening was a grilled Halloumi on a bed of rocket (wild greens). Halloumi is a cheese native to the island of Cyprus and it's made from a combo of cow, goat and sheep's milk. Greeks have been enjoying wild greens for ages and when paired properly, the are simply delicious.

The salad was tossed in my Sun-dried tomato vinaigrette and then topped with warm, a la minute grilled Halloumi cheese.

Earlier this year, I pan-seared some Halloumi but it doesn't compare to using a real grill.

Grilling Halloumi is very easy...slice your cheese, brush with olive oil and when your grill is white hot, grill the Halloumi for 1 minute a side.

Tonight's combo was bitter rocket, balanced by the sweet sun-dried tomatoes and the midly salty Halloumi, squeaking as always with every little chew.

Making New Friends

Last night was a joy. I met a fellow blogger who's in town for business and she took the time to meet with me over some drinks and lots of cheery banter about food, life and well....more food!

I speak of Courtney from Coco Cooks. Courtney's smile and charming disposition won me over immediately. Aren't I a lucky guy? To my left is Courtney aka "Fluffer" and to the right I have her friend Irene. Thanks ladies...I had a wonderful evening and I look forward to showing you Toronto next time.

Now I'm going to show a new Greek dish. New in that it's not anything you'll find in an old recipe book you might have bought from the Greek Festival at your local Greek church.

It's new in that all these ingredients were never brought together until recently. Call it alchemy in the kitchen.

This dish is courtesy of Dina Nikolaou, a popular TV and accomplished chef in Greece. It's a play on the more standard Shrimp Saganaki but the cheese here is a Greek cream cheese called Katiki Domokou and Saffron is used to provide this dish with a brilliant, orange colour.

Saffron has been cultivated in north-west Macedonia for years. The center of Greece's Saffron industry is the city of Kozani. For those in Toronto, Alex Farms Cheese sells Saffron from Kozani...just ask the counter staff.

I loved this dish for it's colour, ease in preparing and the taste. Although both anise seeds and Ouzo give the dish it's licorice-like character, the slight tartness of the cream cheese comes out and don't forget shrimp is mildly sweet...a perfect balance to this delicate tasting dish.

Γαριδες Σαγανακι με ουζο και Saffron
(for 4)

24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 cup vegetable or seafood stock 2-4 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup of canned plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup Ouzo
1/2 tsp. anise seeds
1/2 tsp. Kozani Saffron
4 Tbsp. cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Season your shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, add your oil and over medium high heat, do a quick saute of your shrimp (while stirring) and as soon as they have changed to pink, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
2. Into your hot seafood stock, add your Saffron and cover with a lid to retain the heat. Allow the Saffron to "bloom" for at least 10 minutes. Reserve.
   
3. In the same skillet, add the grated onion and simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat. Now add your tomatoes, Saffron stock, anise, Ouzo and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the the sauce has thickened.
4. Add your cream cheese and shrimp and stir to warm through for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and finally, stir in your chopped scallions.
5. Serve with a side of mushroom wild rice.