More Zucchini and Some Shout Outs

Earlier this week I received an email from Foodbuzz that announced the winners of their contest to see which food blogs could increase their traffic the most.

It was a pleasantly surprise to find out that I had come in third place, right behind Emiline of Sugar Plum and Allan of Eating Out Loud.

I'd like to extend my congratulations to both of them and I would like to thank all of you, my regular readers who made this possible.

My love affair with zucchini continues. Last year, I too made a Zucchini Carpaccio and a Zucchini Linguine AND during last year's vacation in Greece, I even surprised my friends and relatives with this refreshing salad.

Although zucchini is a much enjoyed vegetable in Greece, Greeks aren't the keenest on rare meats, seafood or certain vegetables like...zucchini. Conventional Greek cooking calls for them to be cooked.

Much to my surprise (and theirs), they enjoyed "raw" zucchini. Surprise your guests with a zucchini salad (or carpaccio).

Here, I've gone with the more rustic approach and I've sliced ribbons of zucchini with a vegetable peeler. Some of you might have seen Jamie Oliver make his own zucchini salad in his latest series, Jamie At Home. He's not the first nor the last one to make a salad of raw zucchini.

Herb-wise, I'm using what's available in my garden - chives and the new addition of lemon thyme. Play around and make this salad your way. Add some summer squash for colour, try different herbs, flavoured vinegars, add some berries. You'll add another salad to your roster and impress the heck out of your guests with little effort at all!

Salad of Zucchini Ribbons
(for 4)

2 green zucchinis
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
2 tsp. chopped fresh lemon thyme
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1. Using a vegetable peeler, slice your zucchini lengthwise to make long, thin ribbons of zucchini and drop them in a bowl.
   
2. Just minutes from when you're ready to serve your meal, add the lemon zest and a good sprinkle of coarse sea salt and allow the citrus and salt to "marinate" the zucchini for about 5 minutes.
3. Add approx. 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, your chilli and chopped fresh herbs and toss to coat. Adjust salad according to your tastes with salt, lemon juice or olive oil.
4. Serve immediately.

Μακαρονάδα με θαλασσινά

Today, I'm not even offering up a translation of the title in English. The photos speak for themselves.

What you have here is the essence of where I spend my vacations in Greece...Halkidiki. This pasta is an ode to the summer...summers in Greece, summer in the Mediterranean...summer anywhere you may be spending it this year.

Take advantage of the warm weather, eat outside, invite friends over for food, drink and have lots of laughter. Invite the kids along. Is there anything better than the sound of kids playing, screaming, fighting in the background?

Put away those winter clothes, the boots, the scarves, the long johns. Pull out the shorts, the bathing suits, the sun-tan lotion. Go pick up some beer, wine and any liquor that's needed to make your favourite cocktails.

Go to the open markets, touch the produce, get up close & personal with the meat and seafood. Think of the possibilities. Think of how you can transform these raw materials through the magic of your imagination into victual delights.I did just that yesterday.

My trip to Greece is coming together nicely. It will be a busy vacation but it will still be relaxation for me. I don't have any set itinerary but I do have a loose agenda of what I want to do & see this summer.

My vacation doesn't begin in another two months but one can anticipate can't I? I'm sharing a favourite dish of mine and I can't claim it as my own but it is a favourite of mine and likely all around the Mediterranean.

Μακαρονάδα με θαλασσινά is simply "pasta with seafood" and here I'm using ingredients that are found in Greece...right down to the spaghetti. Here, I'm using the King of Greek pasta, Misko Spaghetti #5, with the hole in them! This particular pasta rocks because sauce gets inside the spaghetti...deeee-licious!

The next time you're having seafood, let their flavours shine. Choose ingredients that complement the seafood - not cover it.


Μακαρονάδα με θαλασσινά
(for 4)

1/3 olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small red onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. of mussels, cleaned, scrubbed and de-bearded
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp. red chilli flakes (Boukovo)
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 package of Misko spaghetti #5

1. Get a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and cook your pasta according to package's instructions.
2. In a bowl, toss your shrimp with the smoked paprika and salt.
3. In a large skillet, heat up your olive oil and butter over medium-high heat heat. Add the shrimp and do a quick saute until the shrimp have just turned pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve in large bowl.
   
4. Now add your diced onions, garlic and saute for a minute. Now add your mussels and wine and turn to to high. Place the cover on and and allow your mussels to steam for 5-7 minutes or until they've opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
5. Remove your mussels and add to the large bowl with the shrimp (cover to keep warm).
6. When your pasta is cooked to "al dente", strain the spaghetti (reserve some pasta liquid) and it to your skillet with the sauce along with the shrimp and mussels, lemon juice and zest, chilli flakes and parsley.
7. Toss your pasta to incorporate and add some reserved pasta water if the sauce is too dry.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy!
   

A Love Affair

Boy do I love zucchini. How I could go a year of food writing without posting a recipe of Kolokithokeftedes is beyond me. I blame all of you (and thank you) for sending me off on many food tangents through this blog's year of existence.

I'm in love with food, my blog, reading my friends' blogs daily and being the lifelong student - always willing to learn new things.

I find inspiration and sometimes crave to eat the same dishes as my food blogging friends. Maria from Organically Cooked just posted her Courgette Patties recipe and I had my on making my own batch too!

For those not familiar with Maria, she's a New Zealand-raised Greek who's moved back to Crete, lives with her husband and children in Hania and she shares her thoughts, offers a window on Cretan life and shares her kitchen creations with us. I encourage you to pay a visit to her blog.

Kolokithokeftedes are translated from Greek to English as Zucchini Meatballs. These are also known as fritters, rissoles or patties. Call it what you want, they make for a vegetarian main, a tasty snack and one of my favourite Greek mezedes.

There are many varying recipes for this dish but I think the key to Kolokithokeftedes' success is getting the mixture to bind properly. This in turn relies heavily upon your ability to leech and squeeze out as much liquid from the grated zucchini as possible.

The second point I'd like to make is that the amount of bread crumb in this recipe is approximate. Again, the amount will depend on how much liquid you squeezed out of your zucchini that will be needed to bind your mixture.

Thirdly, I have kolokithokeftedes with and without cheese and naturally, I prefer version with cheese. Usually, grated Kefalotyri is used here but I also added some grated Smoked Metsovone...a winning combo.

Finally, allow me to share the spotlight with Val from More Than Burnt Toast who recently shared a Cat Cora recipe of Tzatziki with avocado. It made for a wonderful accompaniment to the Kolokithokeftedes and if you're looking for a neat twist on Tzatziki, Pete says go for it!

Kolokithokeftedes ( Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες)
(makes a dozen)

2 whole zucchinis, washed and grated (or 1 cup squeezed of water)
1 small onion, diced olive oil
1 scallion or 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Kefalotyri
1/4 cup grated smoked Metsovone
salt and pepper to taste
all-purpose flour for dredging
vegetable oil for frying

1. Using your box grater (largest holes), grate your zucchini into a mesh strainer and sprinkle some coarse sea salt over top. Allow the liquid from the zucchini to leach for a couple of hours. Using a cheese cloth or tea towel, place the grated zucchini inside and twist and turn the tea towel to help squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Dump the zucchini in a bowl and reserve.
2. In a skillet, add some olive oil and add your onions and a pinch of salt and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened. Set aside to cool.
3. Add your remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix to incorporate. Fry-off a small meatball to taste-test your mixture. Adjust ingredient amounts remedy any binding problems or rectify taste. Roll the mixture into tight balls and then flatten into patties.
   
4. In a non-stick skillet, add enough vegetable oil to reach 1/2 inch in height. Your oil should be approx 360F to fry.
5. Just when you're ready to fry, lightly dredge your Kolokithokeftdes and deep fry in batches. Fry on each side until golden brown (2 minutes a side) and reserve on a plate lined with paper towel.
6. Serve warm or room temperature with some Tzatziki sauce on the side.
   

Lamb Giouvetsi

One of the most rustic and beloved Greek dishes has to be Giouvetsi. Traditionally, this meal is baked in clay pots.

There are many variations on this dish from the type of meat used to the spices included in the ingredient mix.

Here, I'm using lamb shoulder that's been rendered down to a fall-off the bone state and some delicious lamb stock became a wonderful by-product.

To get the tender lamb meat and stock, I once again employed the use of my trusty pressure cooker. Those who are regular readers of my blog will know that I find the pressure cooker to be a valuable kitchen tool and a time saver. Rather than boil down bones or meat over a stove top for hours, the pressure cooker will do the same job in about 45 minutes.

If you still don't have a pressure cooker, I highly recommend you get one. They are a good investment, should last a lifetime and again, a time saver.

This dish can still be prepared without the use of a pressure cooker. Start the dish off by browning some pieces of stewing lamb meat and then pick up and continue with my recipe.

The classic pasta of choice for Greeks is "Kritharaki", or orzo. Last week, I was pleased to see that some large-chain supermarkets are expanding the array of international products that are located in the "ethnic food" aisles of the market. It's about time ethnic food reaches beyond Asian and Mexican ingredients.

If you can't find Greek Kritharaki, orzo will do just fine.

Lamb Giouvetsi
(for 4)

1 1/2 -2 lbs of lamb meat, coarse pieces (stewed or browned-off)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 bell pepper (red or green), diced
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups of Kritharaki (orzo)
1/4 cup strained tomato puree (Passata)
6 cups of lamb (or stock or your choice)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Kefalotyri Cheese

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. In a skillet, over medium heat, add your onions and peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
2. Add the Kritharaki and stir for a few minutes to toast the kernels.
3. Add the hot stock and tomato puree and bring to a boil while stirring. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
4. Transfer to an oven-proof baking vessel and add the meat and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until most of the juices have been absorbed and the top is golden brown.
5. Serve hot with some fresh ground pepper and grated Kefalotyri cheese.
   

Grilled Mackerel (Σκουμπρί)

I writing and sharing about my delight in enjoying this often maligned fish, the mackerel. We often associate mackerel with it being smoked or canned (including myself).

It's a fish I see at the fish monger's all the time, it's fresh, it's cheap. Why didn't I try it sooner?

For those that have eaten an array of Mediterranean seafood and in particlular, sardines...you're going to really enjoy mackerel.

First off, let me tell you about the health benefits: mackerel are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

Secondly, this fish has no scales and merely has to be gutted so...it's an easy fish to handle and again, the large spinal structure makes for an easy fish to eat.

Thirdly, mackerel taste wonderful. It's a fish high in oils and I found the skin to have a hint of a smoky flvour (which I like). The meat very much reminded me of sardines so for those who like sardines, give mackerel a try.

Before I get on with the simple preparation of this fish, I must emphasize that you buy ONLY the freshest of mackerel. It spoils quicker than other fish and frankly, no fish is edible when it's not at it's peak freshness.

Once again, I'm enjoying a fresh fish in a very simple manner: oil, salt, pepper, herbs, fresh squeezed lemon juice. I first had grilled mackerel last year in Greece, based solely on the recommendation of my Greek fish monger. I'm glad I listened to him.

A trick I recently read of and found to work quite well is to generously season your fish with coarse sea salt on the outside. The coarse salt will season your fish and act as lubricant against your grill. I was able to flip my fish without tearing or losing any of the fish. As you can see, my mackerel was plated in tact.

Finally, I'm using a new herb to my garden...lemon thyme. It looks just like regular thyme but a pronounced lemon aroma hits your senses when you brush the leaves. It was perfect for my grilled mackerel.

Grilled Mackerel (Σκουμπρί)

Fresh mackerel, gutted and cleaned coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
vegetable oil
sprigs of lemon thyme
sprigs of fresh rosemary
toothpicks
extra-virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice

1. Rinse and pat dry your your mackerel. Season on the inside with salt and pepper and place a sprig of rosemary and lemon thyme inside. Close the cavity with a toothpick.
2. Get your gas or charcoal grill pre-heated (say 400F) and brush the grill and free from any grilling residue from your previous grilling.
   
3. Using a sharp knife, make three slits into each side of the fish. Rub some vegetable oil on both sides of the fish and well with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
4. Before grilling, wipe some vegetable oil on your grill to lubricate it and help prevent any sticking.
5. Place your mackerel on the grill and cook for 5 minutes to a side.
6. Remove your fish and plate. Remove the tooth picks and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and hit the mackerel with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
7. Serve with grilled packet potatoes and a seasonal salad. Have some bread handy to mop-up the tasty olive oil in the plate.

Linguine With Zucchini, Garlic, Black Olives, and Toasted Breadcrumbs

When the weather is this good, it's hard to blog or catch-up on my friends' kitchen action but here I am...adding to the din.

Last week, Martha Stewart lined up a whack of celebrity chefs to show off and show the viewers quick and easy recipes that you & I can can whip up in no time.

This pasta dish jumped right out of my TV screen and I scurried over to my computer to bookmark it.

This pasta dish is so easy that the sauce is ready EVEN before the linguine has been cooked to "al dente".

The recipe comes courtesy of Pino Luongo and Mark Straussman and the book is called "Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen".

I love this simple, refreshing pasta dish. It's light, it's flavourful and the olives give one a nice burst of salt. It's been a week since I saw the recipe on TV and I've made it twice.

Linguine With Zucchini, Garlic, Black Olives, and Toasted Breadcrumbs
(Serves 4 to 6)

• Coarse salt
• 1 pound linguine
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced very thinly crosswise
• 20 Gaeta or Nicoise olives, pitted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Sicilian
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs
  
• Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
  

1. Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat and salt. Add pasta, stir until water returns to a boil, and cook pasta, according to package directions, until "al dente".
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil and garlic, onions and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add olives, oregano, and red pepper flakes; season with salt to taste.
3. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add pasta to skillet and toss to combine. If pasta seems dry, add reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing between each addition. Transfer pasta to a large platter, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with bread crumbs; serve immediately.

Karydopita (Καρυδόπιτα)

Feeling a little nostalgic, I asked my mom to share her Karydopita recipe with me. Karydopita is a Greek walnut cake but the amazing thing about this dessert is that there's no flour in it!

I'm not a big fan of super-syrupy Greek desserts but this is one cake that requires a simple syrup to complete the moist yet gritty texture one gets in each bite.

Karydopita can be surely be found at a Greek bakery and you might have even been lucky enough to try a piece over at your Greek friend's house.

In keeping with my goal to show you more of my sweet side, I'm sharing this wonderful family recipe.

There are three components to this cake: wet ingredients, dry ingredients and the syrup. The syrup measurements ask for 2 cups of water and sugar. If you're going to serve this to a large group of guests and you know it'll be eaten that day, stick with 2 cups. If however, this cake is just for the family and it might be laying around for the week, pump up the syrup amounts to 3 & 3 cups. The cake will absorb the syrup and stay moist for the week.

Karydopita (Καρυδόπιτα)

Dry Ingredients
10 Tbsp. of ground rusk (Zwieback toasts are fine)
10 Tbsp. fine Semolina flour
10 Tbsp. of pounded walnuts
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. baking powder

Wet Ingredients
10 eggs
10 Tbsp. sugar

Syrup
2 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
1 cinnamon stick
6-8 whole cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 shot of Cognac
ground clove to taste
9" X 14" baking pan, buttered

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Using your food processor, keep on pulsing your walnuts until you get a medium ground mixture of walnuts that are fine and some noticeable pieces of walnuts.
2. Add to a large bowl along with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add your sugar and eggs and beat with a hand mixer until you achieve a consistency of almost stiff peaks.
4. Fold the dry ingredients in small batches (DO NOT add all the dry at once). As the wet absorbs the dry, add more until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
5. Carefully pour the cake batter into the baking pan and place in your preheated oven (middle rack) for 30-35 minutes.
6. In the meantime, make your syrup by adding the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves and bring to a boil. Now simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add the Cognac and and some ground clove if desired (according to taste).
7. To complete your Karydopita correctly, the cake must absorb the syrup. There are two ways to do this: add cool syrup to just out of the oven cake or add hot syrup to room temperature cake. My mother prefers to add cooled syrup to a just out of the oven cake. The choice is yours. Time the two components. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves and pour the syrup one ladle at a time time until all the syrup has been absorbed by the cake.
   
8. Cut your Karydopita into diamond shaped pieces and serve at room temperature. Store in a sealed container for up to one week.
   

I'm Feeling Kinda' Blue

As in blue cheese, that is.

During one of my recent food shopping adventures, I was lucky to find some English Stilton for a very good price.

Stilton is one of the family of blue cheeses and as the saying goes, "the stinkier, the better".

I have two dishes for you today, the first being a salad that eats like a meal and the second being an easy pasta dish with blue cheese.

In both dishes, blue cheese is the star. With the salad, you get the crunch of the julienned apple and crisp lettuce, contrasted by the creamy blue.

With the pasta, a little blue cheese goes a long way to flavour this full-bodied pasta dish. Cheese lovers will lick the pasta bowl here.

Crisp Romaine Salad With Apple and Blue Cheese
(for 4)

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and julienned
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 head of Romaine lettuce, washed, dried and hand torn
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Dijon mustard
1 tsp. of chopped fresh tarragon
4 Tbsp. of Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
crumbled blue cheese

1. In a large bowl, add your garlic, vinegar and mustard and mix. Now while whisking, slowly add your olive oil until you get a nice, thick emulsified dressing. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Using a mandoline, julienne your apple and add to your bowl of dressing. Toss the julienned apples in the dressing.
3. Add your Romaine lettuce and chopped tarragon and toss your salad.
4. Serve with chopped walnuts and crumbled blue cheese

Pasta With Blue Cheese and Walnuts
(for 2)

handful of walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp. of Marsala wine
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp. of butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup of heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. Get a large pot of water boiling and and add a generous amount of salt when aboil. Cook your pasta (penne or taglioni) according to instructions.
2. Place a skillet on medium-high heat and add your onion, garlic and mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes or until softened and the mushrooms are cooked. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, add your blue cheese and mash it with a fork. Add your cream, Marsala and parsley and mix in, set aside.
   
4. When your pasta is ready, reserve some pasta liquid and drain your pasta. Add the pasta to the skillet along with your blue cheese mixture, walnuts and toss to coat. Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
5. Grind some fresh ground black pepper (you shouldn't need any additional salt).
   

Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads belong to the fern family of plants and from my knowledge, they only grow in the northeast of Canada and the United States.

Their growing season is relatively small and yesterday I bought them for $3.99/lb. - not exactly cheap.

From what I've read, they are best picked when they just emerge from the damp soil, four or five inches in height, tightly coiled to resemble the tuning head of a violin.

I like eating these with a simple preparation: Salt, pepper, minced garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Fiddleheads

1 lb. of fresh fiddleheads
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

1. Rinse them several times(usually 3-4 times works), to clean off the remaining brown scales.
   
2. Chop off the yellowish or brownish ends of the stems. Bring a pot of water to boil and add some salt.
   
3. Add the fiddleheads to the boiling water. Cook until they are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Dress with minced garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve hot.
   

Tangy Maple Mustard Rack of Lamb

This recipe is about ten years old. My ex and I would have these wonderful days of shopping, cooking, eating with each other. When picking up wine, we'd often also collect recipe cards that were produced by local Ontario wineries.

To this date, I cannot find the recipe card but I've made this dish enough times to remember the ingredients and with some playing around with the measurements, I've got it down.

Before anyone excuses me of snapping up a recipe as my own...let it be said that I only recall that this recipe was in a booklet of dishes presented by the winery Jackson-Triggs. If anyone recognizes the recipe and remembers the chef who created this dish, please let me know so that I can give due credit.

There are many who are "iffy" on lamb. This is the dish that will convert the lamb-hater. Worried about lamb's gamey flavour? Not here.

Looking for a lamb recipe that's moist and succulent? This is the one.

Want to impress someone on a date or dinner guests with minimal effort? Try this recipe.

Preparation need only be done one hour ahead of time. I like to serve couscous and some type of seasonal green with the lamb. As you can see in the photo, fiddleheads were the chosen green.

Without further adieu, here's the marinade for these succulent lamb chops...guaranteed to be fingah-lickin' good!

Tangy Maple Mustard Rack of Lamb
(for 4)

2 racks of lamb loin
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of Maple syrup
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. sea salt

Pre-heated oven, set to broil

1. Rinse and pat-dry your racks of lamb. Turn the racks to their underside and using a knife, scrape some of the silver skin to loosen enough of it to be held by your fingers. Tear if off the racks and discard it.
2. In a bowl, add all the ingredients together, mix with a spoon and spread the marinade all over your racks of lamb. Marinate at room temperature for an hour.
3. Pre-heat your broiler and place your oven rack to the position closest to the broiler. Reserve any excess marinade and place in a small sauce pan and gently heat up and reserve. Season your lamb racks with some coarse salt and fresh ground pepper.
   
4. Set your racks of lamb face up (bone side down) on the tray and place under the broiler for 5 minutes a side for medium-rare. Brush reserved warm marinade over the top of the racks of lamb.
   
5. Allow your racks of lamb to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
6. Serve with fluffed couscous and some seasonal vegetables.
   

Amygdalota

Today is the Patron Saints' Day for Constantine & Helen in the Greek-Orthodox calendar. For those of you who are Greek or those who are friends of Greeks, you'll know that we have alot of Constantines and Helens out there.

My brother plus three first cousins share being named after my maternal grandfather, Konstantinos. My mom's sister is named Eleni. My uncle's wife is named Elly (from Helen). One of my first cousins just gave birth to a baby girl who will be baptized Konstantina. We have friends of the family who also have Constantines & Helens in the family.

The phones will be ringing off the hook in our household and in Greece. It is a modern custom to give family or friends a phone call to wish the person who's celebrating their "Name Day" a "Hronia Polla"!

This modern custom is an extension of a fading tradition where friends and relatives would drop by the home and pay their respects with their presence. However, the custom is that on this day, guests DO NOT bring gifts. The celebrant (or family) is responsible for treating guests to an offering of food, snacks, a drink or a coffee with sweets.

This past weekend when Sam from Greek Food, Recipes & Reflections dropped by, my mom was in the midst of making some Greek Amygdalota cookies in anticipation of friends and relatives dropping by.

Amygdalota are a fabulous little cookie. Think Amaretti but the almonds are not roasted. Think Macaroon, but with ground almond. The first time I had these cookies was in the small, postcard perfect Greek island of Hydra.

It's located in the Saronic Gulf, not too far from Athens and it's town bylaws prohibit the use of automobiles (save for municipal services) on the island.

Through my travels to many Greek islands, I've noticed that a few other islands have jumped on the Amygdalota bandwagon and go on to produce their own island's version.

Today, these almond cookies can be found all over Greece and can be bought in practically every bakery. There are nuances to the recipes, like the use of different essences, orange blossom being the most common.

My mom's recipe stick's to the key ingredient, almonds and she adds a few drops of almond extract to underline this delicate cookie's main ingredient.

Amygdalota

4 cups of blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups of white sugar
4 tsp. of almond extract
4 egg whites, room temp.

A large handful of of almonds, cut in half

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse the almonds in batches into a fine grind.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon until well-mixed and stiff.
4. Drop 1 inch mounds (1 inch apart) onto the sheet. Gently place an almond half into the center of each cookie.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm at the edges but still soft in the center and golden.
6. Remove from the oven and foil or parchment to a wire rack to cool. When cool, peel off and store in a tightly covered container.
   

Broiled Red Mullet With Garlic and Herbs

Can you tell which pair of fish are Red Mullets and which are the pretenders? These two species of Mediterranean fish get mixed up all the time and often, one gets ripped off with the poorer, harder to clean cousin.

Red Mullet is a prized fish of the Mediterranean, ever costly and like much of the tastier fish, harder to find. It's imposter is the Koutsomoura(goatfish).

Although both fish taste good, the red mullet is prized for it's red colour, tastes great and I think most importantly, for it's large spinal column structure. In short, this fish is easy to eat - as their are fewer pin bones for the eater to fuss about with.

I know the suspense is killing you all, right? Riiiiiight!

The top pair of fish are Koutsomoures (goatfish) and the bottom pair are Red Mullets (Barbounia). Bottom line? Recognize the difference if you see them at your fish monger.

The red mullet is expensive for a reason - it tastes good and it's easy to clean and bone. The goatfish is an imposter who's a tough customer when it comes to cleaning. Don't get ripped off by paying a high price for goatfish.

I was quite lucky to find some red mullet this week at one of the fish mongers I frequent. It's been a couple of years since I last ate them and I bought them without thinking twice about the price.

My preference would have been to grill them but Toronto's had another bout of cold weather and I really wasn't in the mood to shiver. Solution? The broiler.

Again, when available fresh, I always opt for bone-in, whole fish as I find them tastier and moist. If one visits Greece, one should indulge in the bounty of the sea and ask your waiter for the catch of the day.

Today, I recommend red mullet.

Broiled Red Mullet With Garlic & Herbs
(for 2)

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
sea salt and pepper
2 red mullets, scaled & gutted
1 tsp. of lemon thyme
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Finishing garnish
extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
lemon wedges

1. Pre-heat your broiler. To a bowl, add your lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper, parsley and thyme and whisk together. Brush the mixture inside & out of the fish and place on a greased baking sheet.
2. Broil the fish for about 5 minutes, baste again and turn over and broil for another 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the the garlic, parsley and oregano and sprinkle over top of the just cooked fish. Finish with some good extra-virgin olive oil and coarse sea salt.
   

Caesar Salad

My eating diet can be summed up in two seasons: Soup season and salad season. With the exception of the cold soup, it's salad days indeed. The only other exception I make when it comes to eating a salad 'year 'round is a Caesar Salad.

We've all had Caesar Salad and surely we've all had a bad Caesar Salad. Your quest for the ultimate Caesar Salad ends here. I have, what I consider to be the ultimate Caesar Salad.

Another early influence on my foodie DNA has to be my Theo (uncle) Vangeli, 1st cousin to my mom. Theo Vangeli came to Canada a young man and worked the restaurant trade for all of his working life.

This man to this day is culinary gold, having worked in an age when family restaurants made EVERYTHING from scratch. Theo Vangeli was an early riser, making the morning shift his work preference. In the old'skool fashion, he'd make sauces, soups of the day, prepare daily specials like Shepherd's Pie or a big tray of lasagna. His morning was also not complete without the preparation of a big, heaping pail of Caesar Salad dressing.

Today, I'm sharing with you, my Theo Vangeli's Caesar Salad dressing. It's a keeper.

An important note: this recipe uses only fresh, farm eggs so anyone sheepish about Salmonella or pregnant women might want to coddle your eggs before proceeding with this recipe.

Another aspect (s) I'd like to point out with a proper Caesar Salad is pay attention to detail:

• wash & dry your Romaine lettuce thoroughly
• make your own Croutons
• use real bacon

Caesar Salad

Dressing
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 fresh farm egg yolks
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. anchovy paste (or 2 fillets)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. black pepper
splash of water
1/3 cup olive oil + 2/3 cup vegetable oil
salt to taste

Romaine Lettuce, throughly washed and dried
Homemade Croutons
Crispy bacon pieces

1. Using your food processor, add all the dressing ingredients except for the oil and the salt. Start processing on a medium speed for a couple of minutes or until you have a thick, yellowish cream.
2. Slowly pour your oil through the spout until you get a thick, creamy Caesar dressing.
3. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and sometimes, some more lemon juice. Keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge.
4. In a large salad bowl, add your Romaine lettuce and a dollop of dressing and toss to coat. If the salad is too dry, add some more dressing and toss to coat.
5. Grate some fresh Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice, a turn of fresh black pepper and top with Croutons and crispy bacon.
   

Baklava For Breakfast?

Well, almost. Baklava is a rich dessert of nuts and spices, sandwiched by thin sheets of phyllo and finished off with a lemony syrup.

Who would imagine having such a decadent dessert for breakfast? Why, it would be Elly of Elly Says OPA!

Elly is much like myself, a first-generation Greek who grew up outside of Greece but held onto her culture, religion and cuisine.

It was only yesterday that Elly posted her take on a breakfast baklava. She incorporated the fundamental flavours of baklava into a French Toast.

Here in Canada, it's a long weekend and we're celebrating Victoria Day, a testament to this country's Anglo beginnings. What does one do when you have an extra day off?

Make a decadent breakfast!

Breakfast Baklava French Toast
(for 2)

4 slices of bread, crusts trimmed off
3 large eggs
splash of orange juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
splash of vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. of honey
splash of milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
butter
Maple Syrup

Baklava filling
1 handful of nuts (I used walnuts)
1 tsp. of ground clove
1 tsp. of honey

1. Using your food processor, add the nuts and ground cloves and pulse until you get a granular consistency (like that of coarse salt. Remove contents and add to a bowl and and mix in the honey with a spoon and reserve.
2. In a bowl large enough to hold your slices of bread, add the eggs, orange juice, honey, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk until incorporated.
3. Pre-heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Place some baklava filling in between two slices of bread to form a sandwich (reserve some filling for garnish).
5. Carefully dunk the both sides of your "sandwich" into the egg mixture and make sure enough liquid has penetrated the bread (this makes for a moister French toast).
6. Add some butter to your skillet and when it starts to sizzle, place your French toast in the skillet and fry each side for a couple of minutes or until golden-brown. Keep warm and fry off your remaining French toasts in batches.
7. Carefully cut your French toast diagonally in half (this emulates the usual diamond shape of a piece of baklava). Plate your French toast, finish with some reserved baklava filling, good Maple Syrup, a sprinkle of cinnamon and icing sugar and some lemon peel for garnish.
   

Remember This Photo?

Well...thank God those days are gone. It was a long winter and any Canadian will tell that we do not take our warms months for granted. I enjoy every opportunity to be outdoors. You would be too if your first snowfall was in late November and the last bit of snow melted in mid-March.

The warm months means hanging outside and more importantly, being with friends. One such new friend is Sam from Greek Food, Recipes & Reflections. Sam also shares my passion for Greek Food and I invited him over for a coffee and to try out my Cinnamon Rolls.

We chatted, warmed to each other immediately and he also got a peak at the master cook herself, my mom making a Greek almond cookie (to be posted soon).

I encourage you to also pay a visit to Sam's blog. Sam "get's Greek food", knows it, loves it and writes most eloquently about it.

Unfortunately for Sam, he couldn't stay for dinner. Look at what he missed! I was in a grilling mood and I had some sirloin.

Sirloin beef is a full-flavoured beef cut. Legend has it that King Henry VIII of England prized this cut so much that he dubbed it Sir Loin. Others say that this cut got it's name from the French word surlonge, meaning "above the loin".

For those not familiar with cooking sirloin, it's great for stewing, braises and in this instance, grilling. I treat sirloin much like a flank steak. It's a lean meat that should be cooked to no more than medium.

Much like a flank steak, sirloin also benefits from a marinade. In this instance, I combined some Soy Sauce, red wine, black pepper, sesame oil, garlic and Worcestershire sauce and marinated the sirloin for about 90 minutes, room temperature.

To accompany this grilled sirloin, I made a fabulous Chimichurri Sauce that I had bookmarked long ago from the Zen Chef at Chefs Gone Wild. I made some alterations but I stayed true to the spirit of Zen's sauce.

Finally, when grilling steak, remember to get the grill as hot as possible before grilling, brush off any residue from your previous grilling session, allow 5-6 minutes for the meat to rest before cutting and when marinating a meat, always pat-dry the meat of the marinade.

Grilled Sirloin with Zen Chef's Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce

Marinade
1/4 Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup red wine
3 cloves of garlic, minced
black pepper

Zen Chef's Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce 1 large handful of fresh parsley, washed, stemmed & dried
6 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped 1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 small carrot, grated
splash of white wine vinegar
a few splashes of water
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
1 whole chilli
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Add all the Chimichurri ingredients (except the olive oil) and pulse a few times to puree your ingredients. Now set the processor to a medium speed and when the ingredients become a coarse paste, start adding your slow but steady stream of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve on top of your grilled steak, store the remaining sauce in your fridge for up to a week.
   
2. Add all of the marinade ingredients into a large zip-lock bag and mix well. Taste-test and adjust seasoning accordingly. Marinate for 90 minutes (room temp.) or up to 4 hours in the fridge. Bring back to room temp. before grilling.
   

Cinnamon Rolls

One of the main advantages of blogging is that one comes across a recipe that's been tested by someone who's food and tastes you admire.

We've all tried out recipes from a newspaper clipping or a food show but the best ones seem to come from friends, relatives, mother, aunts and the alike. Friends from the blogging world are an extension of this food sharing ritual.

I think I have about 200 blogs loaded into my Reader. About a month ago I was excited to see a Cinnamon Roll recipe that looked fabulous, sounded easy to make and a recipe that would keep more of my money in my wallet.

Here in Toronto, we have a franchise that sells Cinnamon Rolls in shopping malls and at some subway stations. The aroma of cinnamon seduces me each and every time. I fork out $5 each time I smell these Cinnamon Rolls.

Thanks to Nicole of Art & Aioli, I can now enjoy my own Cinnamon Rolls in the comfort of my own home. Nicole tried Molly Wizenberg's recipe, which appeared in Bon Appetit.

I can say, unequivocally, these Cinnamon Rolls kick some serious donkey. I've linked you to the original recipe but the only variances I've made is to halve the the recipe for the glaze, I allowed the rolls to rise overnight and I pushed the Cinnamon Rolls up from underneath for a nicer presentation. Otherwise...have fun with these Cinnamon Rolls and watch even the soundest of sleepers wake-up earlier than they are used to...from the seductive aroma of cinnamon.

OH NO YOU DIDN'T JUST DO THAT?

OH yes I did! I combined shrimp with Chorizo sausage. I saw a photograph of this combo recently and I knew I had to try it.

This has to be one of the best non-recipes. How do I instruct you, what instructions are there to follow or is there any technique involved?

First of all, go find some Chorizo. In this instance, I used the dried, cured Chorizo sausage. It comes in a mild or spicy version and for this treat, I went with spicy.

The only advice I can give you here is to seek shrimp that big enough to fit the arc of the chorizo when skewering the shrimp to it.

The other tip is slice the sausage to the same thickness as the shrimp and last but not least, grill on high heat and please...do not overcook your shrimp. Shrimp is cooked when in turns pink.

If you want to learn more about Chorizo sausage, visit my friend Nuria's blog where she lays down the basics of Chorizo.

Risotto With Smoked Eggplant

One of my food flavours is smoke. I really dig the aroma and taste that a grill gives to food. One such instance of this flavour is contained in Melitzanosalata. It's a dip made of roasted eggplants, smashed into a puree with garlic, olive oil and herbs.

For me, Melitzanosalata has to roasted on a grill or even better, a pit of wood burning embers or charcoal. For me, the smoky, roasted eggplant makes or breaks the dish.

When I saw this recipe of a Risotto of Smoked Eggplant, I knew I had to make this. First of all, you know I love smoked food, second...I adore pasta and risottos and finally, the dish is the creation of a Kostis Voulgaridis, from the Porto Valitsa Hotel in Paliouri, Halkidiki.

My family has gone swims here for years. Here I am surveying Paliouri's beautiful beach.

This dish was exquisite. A mild smoky flavour from the roasted eggplant, the slight crunch of the diced zucchini and the velvety risotto and creamy cheese finishing off on the tongue. It actually took me about half an hour to finish this plate. It was that good!

Risotto With Smoked Eggplant
(for 2)

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large eggplant, roasted
1 cup Arborio rice
2 to 2 1/2 cups of warm chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced zucchini
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste
Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

1. Pierce your eggplant in a few places with a fork around your eggplant. Place on your gas or charcoal grill and roast in (turning every 15 minutes) until it's entirely charred on the outside. Allow to cool before handling.
   
2. In a skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat an add your onions, garlic and bay leaf and simmer for 5-7 minutes to soften.
3. Add your rice and with a wooden spoon, keep stirring to coat and toast the rice with the oil for another couple of minutes.
4. Add your wine and reduce until almost all the liquid is gone.
5. Cut your eggplant open with a knife and carefully spoon out all the meat of the eggplant into the risotto and stir in (discard charred skin).
   
6. Now begin adding (one ladle at a time) your stock and continue stirring the rice until most of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat this step until your rice has become "al dente" or in another 20-25 minutes.
7. Add the diced zucchini, stir in and allow for it to cook through with the residual heat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add your grated cheese and chives and stir in.
8. Serve immediately with a dry Greek white wine.

Greeks, Beer and Bavarians

One of summer's biggest pleasures is quaffing on an ice cold beer. My earliest memory of drinking (enjoying) beer was during my visit to Greece in 1980. I was under 16 but that would not stop my uncles from serving me beer (or other spirits) with a meal.

Greece is more renowned for it's wines and Ouzo but to dismiss Greece a brewing wannabe would also be a falsehood.

Beer was first introduced to the Greeks by the Egyptians in 332 BC but it failed to capture the imagination of the masses.

Fast forward to the 19th century, following the Greek War of Independence from the Ottomans and it's here that one can really mark the start of Greek brewing.

In 1832, King Otto, a German Prince from Bavaria, was installed by the English and Germans as the "ruler" of Greece. Otto's 30 year reign was a disaster but one of the few positives was his decision to appoint an official brewmaster.

In steps a Bavarian fellow named Johan Fix. Although he got "canned" when George I took hold of power,Fix decided to stay in Greece and he started his own brewery. Although it took awhile for the Greek masses to appreciate beer, Fix beer stood alone for years as "the beer" to drink.

As I recall, back in that Greek vacation in 1980, if you asked for a beer one usually was given an nice, cold bottle of Fix. There were a couple of other large European players in Greece at the time but Fix's market share was secure.

The late 8o's changed the Greek market scene forever. In the old days, one simply ordered a beer and as long as it was cold, no one really trifled over the matter of choice. Then, in the 1990's, the international brewers were firmly in place in Greece's market and a Greek (or tourist) could finally choose to drink their preferred beer.

Recent attempts at revitalizing the Fix brand have also occurred and the beer you see in this photograph is from a Canadian brewery, Lakes of Muskoka. The Fix brand as Greeks knew it is long gone but other players in the Greek brewing world have sprouted.

The next time you're in Greece, you'll notice all the big name European beers there but do ask your server if they have anything Greek. You'll be surprised as how good ice cold, Greek beer can be in 40C hot, dry weather.

One of the few places where barley thrives ahead of grapes is in the northeast province of Thrace. The Thracian God, Dionysus, may well be more revered as the Greek God of wine, the sun and agriculture, but a lot of people don't know that Dionysus also love his beer!

In typical Dionysus fashion, Greeks eat when drinking - drink when eating. I leave you with a lovely, simple meze that contains beer in the recipe and it's a wonderful appetizer with an ice cold beer. The appetizer was adapted from a recipe on one of Greece's cooking shows, the Nistiko Arkoudi.

(notes kindly taken from an article titled, "Greece on Tap" by Ben McFarland)

Stuffed Green Olives

1 cup stuffed green olives
1 cup flour
1 glass beer
2 egg whites zest of
1 lemon
4 Tbsp. coarse bread crumbs vegetable oil
salt to taste

Preheat your vegetable oil (until approx. 375F).

Beat the egg whites with a hand mixer in one bowl and then add all the other ingredients (flour, beer, lemon peel, bread crumbs) in another bowl.

Fold the egg whites into the other batter ingredients until it's thick and smooth.

Dip the olives in the batter one at a time and fry them. When they have browned, place them on paper towel to blot the excess oil. Season (if necessary) with salt and serve immediately with some ice cold beer.

Makalo (Μακάλο)

Makalo is a Macedonian gravy. You'll find in the kitchens of northern Greeks' home in Florina and Kastoria and I've read, as far south as Karditsa in Thessaly.

Makalo is basically a gravy. You have oil, (stock), tomato puree (strained tomato sauce) and seasonings.

Makalo is something I remember my parents, aunts and uncles always ate. It's a gravy made for dipping, poaching eggs or simmering keftedes or chicken.

As a child, I don't remember myself nor any cousins ever liking or eating this as it kinda' looked like puke, from a kid's perspective.

This dish is enjoyed in practically every household in western Macedonia. Obviously it's a cooler temperature kind of dish...filling and very much Greek peasant food. I can see Makalo being made to stretch ingredients out as much as possible to feed one's hungry family.

Today, I'm offering up Makalo for "sampling" three ways:

• Try it as a dipping sauce with some bread, a Greek fondue of Makalo anyone?

• Or perhaps you would like something else to dunk your Fried in? Why not Makalo?

• Have Makalo with Keftedes. Either dip the kefte in the sauce or even simmer them in the Makalo.

Makalo (Μακάλο)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups of water (or stock of your choice)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup strained tomato sauce (passata)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

1. Over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and flour to a large skillet and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to cook the flour and toast it a bit. Continue to stir until the roux has turned to a light brown colour.
2. Add the tomato and paprika, simmer for a few minutes to cook through.
   
3. Simmer some Keftedes in the sauce or serve with Fries or as a dipping sauce with bread.
   

Eggplant Roll-Ups (Μελιτζάνες ρολλά )

First, allow me to once again wish all the Mothers out there all the best and that we as children and grandchildren appreciate the boundless care and nurturing you give out each and every day.

Now, may I feed you?

The wonders of technology have brought our world much closer and our connection with far away Greece remains now through satellite TV.

I recently caught a cooking segment and Greek chef Dina Nikolaou shared with the viewers her take on Eggplant Roll-ups.

Some of you are familiar with lasagna roll-ups well, this is the same concept but we're rolling eggplant instead of lasagna.

This is a filling, vegetarian dish that amazingly kept my tummy happy for the remainder of the evening and through a night of some beverages with friends.

There are four basic steps here: make a basic tomato sauce, broil off your eggplant, assemble and lastly, bake.

This is easy-peasy, filling, delicious and as a proponent of eggplant, it's another great excuse to eat it!

Eggplant Roll-Ups (Μελιτζάνες ρολλά )
(for 4)

2-3 long, slender eggplants

Filling
150gr. Manouri cheese
150gr. Greek feta
1 egg
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3 Tbsp. of bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. of honey
1 tsp. sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Tomato Sauce
1 can of plum tomatoes, hand crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley

Mozzarella cheese for topping

Preheated 350F oven

1. Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl and adjust seasoning accordingly. Set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, add your olive oil over med heat and add your onions and garlic and saute for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add your tomato sauce, bring to a boil and then simmer until desired sauce thickness is reached. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, add the parsley and oregano, stir in and reserve.
3. Using a mandoline, cut 1/2 centimetre slices, lengthwise and place on a large baking sheet (you may have to broil in batches). Pre-heat your oven to broil.
   
4. Brush both sides of the eggplant with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven (on the highest rack) to broil for 3 minutes (just 1 side). Broil in batches and reserve.
5. Assemble your eggplant roll-ups in a casserole dish as follows:
   

• spread one heaping ladle of tomato sauce on the bottom and then spread the cheese filling along your slice of eggplant. Roll-up starting from the thickest and ending the roll at the narrow end.
• Place each eggplant roll, seamside down into the bed of tomato sauce. Repeat until your eggplant and sauce are all used up.
• Spread some more tomato sauce over your eggplant roll-ups and top each one with a slice of Mozzarella cheese.
• Pre-heat your oven to 350F and bake for 30-45 minutes (middle rack) until just golden on top. Serve immediately with a salad and Greek red wine.
  

Death By Guilt, Courtesy of Mom

Last year, I took it upon myself to make my mother Eggs Benedict, delivered to her bedside.

Instead of "thenk-you, Pee'rre...you thaught-fal, kind son", I got..."I know, you feed me reech food, fool aaf butter breakfast too geeve me haart-attack. You want to keel me aaf, get rid of me? Niiice Mother's Day prresent....ZOAN (animal)"!

For those that are Greek, you'll know that any kind gesture towards you're mom will be answered by a healthy dose of Greek Guilt. I serve her eggs benedict, I get grief and the urge to drink...alot!

All kidding aside, I wish all the moms, mothers, grand mothers (and soon to be moms) a wonderful Mother's Day...milk the day for all you can...you'll probably get everything you ask for!

Eggs Benedict are one of my favourite breakfasts/brunches. It is a rich meal but having it from time to time won't kill you but I found, whisking the Hollandaise Sauce over the double-boiler will!

How boring is it to sit over and whisk egg yolks for 10-15 minutes? I don't have that kind of patience in the morning and timing the English muffins, warm ham/bacon, poached eggs AND getting the perfect Hollandaise Sauce is just too much stress for someone who's just woken up.

Here's a shortcut method to poaching eggs and making a great Hollandaise Sauce. Around these parts, Eggs Benedict consists of one English Muffin, halved and toasted, 2 poached eggs (little runny), a side of home fries and the crowning Hollandaise Sauce in all it's glory.

(Notes taken from the Alberta Egg Producers)

Eggs Benedict
(for 2)

2 English muffins, toasted
4 eggs, poached
slices of ham, bacon or peameal bacon slices
2 potatoes, par-boiled and then skillet-fried (non-stick)
water
white vinegar

Hollandaise Sauce
1/2 cup of butter
3 eggs yolks
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt
dash of Tabasco Sauce
sweet paprika (garnish)
chopped fresh chives (garnish)

1. Add about 3 inches of water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and add a few dashes of white vinegar.
2. Break the cold eggs, one at a time into a small bowl. Give your water a swirl and drop your eggs in, one at a time. Cook in the barely simmering water for 3-5 minutes.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the end piece of your loaf of slice bread (no one eats it anyway) to absorb the excess water.
   

Tips

• A shallow saucepan with large surface area is best for poaching eggs.

• For poached eggs with a compact oval shape, use the freshest eggs available. Rapid boiling will cause egg to break up as it cooks.
• A few drops of vinegar will keep poached eggs compact.
• Poached eggs can be made ahead of time and held for up to two days.Undercook them slightly so that the yolks remain runny when reheated.
• Refrigerate, covered, or store in ice water, deep enough to cover eggs, until ready to use. To complete cooking, immerse in barely simmering water for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Eggs can be poached in dry white wine, chicken broth or tomato juice.
  

Here are two ways to make your Hollandaise Sauce quickly and without having a morning heart attack stressing over it:

Stove Top

1. Melt the butter until bubbly but not browned and remove from the heat. Place yolks, lemon juice, salt and tabasco in a blender container and start blending on high. Remove the lid and start pouring the melted butter in a slow but steady stream.
   
2. Blend for another 30 seconds and serve warm over your poached eggs.

Microwave

1. In a microwave-safe measuring glass, nuke the butter on high for 1 -2 minutes or until the butter's melted. Meanwhile, in another glass measuring cup, whisk the eggs, lemon juice, salt and Tabasco. Gradually whisk the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture, beating constantly.
2. Microwave on medium (50%) for 30 seconds, whisk for a bit and then microwave again for another 30 seconds until smooth, creamy. Serve Warm over your poached eggs.

Tips

Curdling may occur due to over beating or adding butter too quickly. To rescue a curdled sauce, try one of the following:

• Beat another egg yolk in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, gradually beat the curdled Hollandaise Sauce.
• Place 15 mL (1 tbsp) water in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, beat in a small amount of separated sauce until it becomes smooth. Keep adding sauce slowly, while continuing to beat vigorously.
• Hollandaise Sauce may be frozen. To use, thaw in refrigerator. Warm in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly. If sauce should separate, use procedure outlined above.
  

The Greek Gwei-Lo Goes Chinese

For those of you not in the know, a Gwei-lo in Chinese refers to us white folks...it means "white ghost"!

One of my new blog friends is Rita from Mochachocolata-Rita and she's a transplanted Indonesian gal living amid the hustle & bustle of Hong Kong.

I really enjoy Rita's posts, her food and her infectious good spirit and wonderful sense of humour. Have a look at this post, where she shows us the effort and length she goes to give her food the perfect shot. I was in stitches after reading this entry, you will too!

Rita is hostessing a food event called Chinese Take-Out Party and I've accepted the challenge to cook Chinese food for the event.

Most of us are accustomed to ordering delivery or take-out Chinese but making it home, I've found, can be really easy!

I have here for you today a Ginger Chicken with fried rice and some quickly stir-fried Bok Choy with garlic and more ginger!

The fried rice is quite easy. You'll need some pre-cooked cold rice, Soy Sauce, Oyster sauce, mixed vegetables and some scallions. To add to the authenticity of the fried rice, I also did a quick fry of an egg in the wok and chopped it up and added it into the rice mix with the vegetables. There are numerous fried rice recipes on the internet...pick the one you like best.

The main attraction here is the Ginger Chicken. To make this dish, one obviously needs access to Asian ingredients. Practically every city in the world has a Chinatown, which means the Chinese will be eating their own food. They shop at a Chinese market. Seek and ye shall find.

The entire dinner was a huge success and I'm pleased to discover that Chinese food at home is quick, affordable and down-right easy.

Rita, chopsticks or cutlery?

Ginger Chicken
(for 4)

wax paper
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 cups of canola oil
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
1 large carrot, grated
1 1/4 cup Chinese (or VH brand) garlic sauce
dash of Sambal Oelek

1. Pour oil into wok or a large pot at high heat.
   
2. Slice the chicken across the grain into narrow strips. Coat chicken in egg, then cornstarch, lifting sides of waxed paper to coat. Place in hot oil, in small batches. Separate with a fork, stirring frequently, until crispy. Remove to a cooling rack.
   
3. Heat a small amount of oil in the wok (or fry pan) at medium heat. Finely chop the green onions and add to the pan. Add ginger & grate carrots directly into pot.
   
4. Stir, then gradually add dry garlic sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
5. Toss cooked chicken into sauce, stir to coat, then serve with a garnish of sliced green onions.
   

Rainbow Trout

Regular visitors to my blog will know that I do enjoy seafood or rather, I love seafood and fish. Canada has an abundance of seafood and fish as Canada stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic, with thousands upon thousands of lakes in between.

The other day I went to the market and pulled out a farm-raised rainbow trout, netted live from the tank.

Rainbow trout are part of the salmon family and this is one of my favourite fresh water fish because it's affordable, readily available and delicious.

I normally buy one fish per person but this sucker was huge, enough to feed four. Whenever I have a large fish, I score the outside so that I can portion out the fillets easier.

Once again, if possible, buy whole fish. A whole fish will tell you if it's fresh from the clear eyes, the fish will not smell "fishy", the meat is firm. Strangely, fresh rainbow trout also comes with a slightly slimey skin (in trout's case, it's a good thing) but it can easily be washed off when preparing your fish.

I grilled this rainbow trout and if you follow these grilling musts, your fish will turn out succulent, cooked to perfection, in tact and not left behind on your grill:

• Preheat your BBQ to a high temperature before grilling
• Brush & scrape your grill to remove any residue from your previously grilled foods
• Wipe the grill with some towel that's been treated with some vegetable oil (this lubricates the grilling surface)

Beyond grilling this rainbow trout, I kept the dressing of this delicious fish to a minimum - I like the taste of my fish and I want a complement to it's flavour.

I whipped up a Sauce Vierge, courtesy of famed New York chef, Eric Ripert. This "sauce" is nothing more than a "Latholemono" (oil-lemon sauce) with a medley of chopped fresh herbs.

Rainbow trout has a mild flavour and the Sauce Vierge (virgin) provided the perfect "punch", aroma and flavour.

I can still recall the aroma of the fish as this Sauce Vierge hit the warm meat of the fish...Ummm!

Grilled Rainbow Trout With a Sauce Vierge
(for four)

1 large rainbow trout ( or 4 individual fish)
coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
vegetable oil

Sauce Vierge
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chopped capers
1 tsp. minced shallot
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash, clean gut your trout and reserve in the fridge for up to 3 days (trout holds up well).
2. Bring your trout back to room temperature before grilling. Pre-heat your grill and follow my pre-grilling tips above.
3. Rub vegetable oil inside & out of the fish and season with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
4. Place the fish on your well-lubricated fish and grill on each side for 3-6 minutes (depending on thickness). I grilled this fish for 5 minutes per side.
5. Flip the fish and grill the other side for roughly the same amount of time.
6. To test for doneness, use your BBQ tongs to gently pinch the top part of the fish, where the dorsal fin is located. Your fish will be cooked perfectly when the upper bone easily comes off the body of the fish.
7. Using a spatula or two, carefully remove the fish from your grill and place on a platter. Using your hand and a spatula, make a cut into the fish, place the spatula between the piece of fish and the the spine and carefully lift each portion of fish to the plate.
8. Check for any remaining pin needles and remove them. Remind your guests to still be on the lookout for pin needles but let them know that rainbow trout has a large spinal column and that it makes for a very easy fillet.
9. Spoon a dollop of Sauce Vierge over each fillet along with a wedge of lemon.
   

Manestra With Keftedes and Kofta Makaronia

This Greek meatball dish has to be one of my dad's favourites and now that I'm adult, it's one of mine.

Keftedes are a Greek meatball/burger and although the spices and herbs may vary from home to home, it's basically of ground mince, grated onion, soaked bread and spices.

This dish falls in the Manestra category of Greek dishes. It's culinary cousin is a Giouvestsi (which is done in the oven) but here, everything's done on the stovetop. Some folks like a thick sauce, others a little soupier. Some folks like orzo, here we use Kofta Makaronia (Ditalini). The dish is often made with braised poultry, lamb or veal.

I've always been a big fan of dishes that are "so simple yet taste so great". This is another such dish.

Manestra With Keftedes and Kofta Makaronia

Keftedes recipe
2 lbs. of lean ground beef
1 onion, grated
2 slices of white bread (soaked in water or milk, then squeezed of liquid)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil
flour for dusting
3 cups of chicken or beef boullion
1 medium onion, diced
1 sweet banana pepper, fine dice
1 cup of strained tomato passata
1 package of kofta makaronia (ditalini)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Kefalotyri cheese

1. In a bowl, mix all of your Keftedes ingredients with your hands. Your mixture should stick and easily form meatballs. Adjust with some oil if too dry, add some more soaked bread if too wet. Fry-off or microwave a small meatball to taste-test. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Form into palm-sized meatballs and then flatten into patties. Dust in flour and reserve.
2. In a large pot, add your olive oil to medium-high heat and brown your keftedes in batches, reserve.
3. In the same pot, add some stock and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add your onions and peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes to soften.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce, your remaining stock, keftedes and pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until you've reached your sauce's desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with grated Kefalotyri cheese (Romano).
   

Ranch Salad (Σαλάτα Έπαυλις)

One of Greece's regular food shows on TV is called the Nistiko Arkoudi "Hungry Bear". It started off as a regional show, produced by ERT3, out of Thessaloniki. For two years now, it's shown weeknights nationally, on it's parent station NET. I adapted the recipe for this salad on this episode.

Before I go any further, there's absolutely no Ranch dressing involved here. This potato salad is called "Salata Epaflis". Epaflis is translated as Hacienda, Estate or Ranch.

This potato salad features two of my parents' favourite vegetables, potatoes and sweet red peppers. My parents come from the Prefecture of Florina and Greeks often call red peppers "Piperies Florinis", after the region.

A small town in Florina called Sklithro (Municipality of Aetos) also holds a three day festival in honour of the potato, the other main ingredient of this salad.

This potato salad is robust in flavour...garlic, potatoes and roasted red peppers. This salad is excellent as a side or as a meze, served with a Greek rose.

Ranch Salad (Σαλάτα Έπαυλις)
(for 4)

4 boiled potatoes
1 medium red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
10 roasted red peppers, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil your potatoes in salted water. When cool enough to handle, cut into chunks.
2. Char the skins of your peppers on your grill or on your stove top. Place in a bag, seal and allow the peppers to sweat for at least 30 minutes. Carefully peel the charred skins and seeds and chop the peppers and add to the bowl with your potatoes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. For those that like a little heat, add a crushed chilli pepper into the mix.
4. Serve with a cold Greek rose.
   

Satiated

After a week of having mostly lamb, it's safe to say I've had enough of it (for now). I have one other lamb dish to write about but I'll save it for later next week.

Today's entry is more about free-form cooking. It's been awhile since I last had salmon and the fillets at my local market were looking, smelling and feeling very fresh...SOLD! "I'll have 4 fillets", says Peter to the old fishmonger.

My next challenge was thinking of side dishes to my salmon. I was inspired by Heather, Gild the Voodoolily, as I almost had a wet dream upon news of her return to the blogging world.

What would I cook for Heather to welcome her back into her blogging stride? A Rachel Ray dish is what!

I recently caught her daytime show and after she was done kissing-up to her guest Rosie O'Donnell, Rachel proceeded to show her audience a roasted Greek salad...SOLD! Heather would love this.....I think?!?!

I suppose all would be forgiven if I told her of my crafty (sneaky) dinner after the fact. The salmon is marinated in Soy, maple syrup, mustard and sesame oil, then grilled to perfection on my super-white-hot grill.

The salmon accompanied by a Spanish style fried potato that are tossed in a smoked paprika and the vegetable part of the dinner program brought courtesy of Rachel Ray.

Make no mistake, the girl irks me like sandpaper underwear but you have to admit, sometimes Rachel's people come up with some decent grub.

Heather, say AHHHHH...eat your Rachel Ray dinner and shut-up...you're doing dishes!

Marinated Salmon
(for4)

4 skinless salmon fillets
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 Tbsp. horseradish Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1. Add all the above ingredients into a large zip-lock bag and add the fillets. Gently squish the marinade to coat your salmon and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Pre-heat your grill to a very hot temperature. Brush off any residue from the grill and wipe/treat your grill with vegetable oil.
3. Grill your salmon for 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Roasted Greek Salad
(for 4)

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 zucchini, cut into half-moon slices olive oil
handful of black olives
salt and pepper
1 slab of feta cheese, crumbled balsamic vinegar
Dried Greek oregano

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Add all your vegetables (incl. olives) into a baking tray and drizzle them with olive oil and season with some salt & pepper.
2. Throw the tray into your oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until some caramelization is noticed.
3. Place in a serving platter and drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and crumble some Greek feta and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
   

Squawkin' Moroccan

When I made this dish, my mind went to an old friend of mine, Pat in Montreal. Pat was a raconteur of sorts, telling womanizing stories, jokes and numerous funny stories. He was obviously talkative and also of Moroccan extraction.

Ergo, he got the moniker of being the Squawkin' Moroccan and this dish involves a chicken. You do the math!

I've been dyin' to make this Moroccan dish but I wanted to do it justice...serve it in a Tajine. A Tajine is an earthenware vessel that's also sometimes painted or glazed. it's used to cook in Moroccan and other North African cuisines.

The first time I tried a Tajine was at a Moroccan restaurant here in the city. The dish read to me like poetry and I was even assured (by the menu) that my Tajine dish would be presented in...a Tajine.

My anticipation of the dish flattened when it was served merely on a plate. I asked the waiter to comeback and take my dish and re-serve my dinner in a TAJINE, DAMMIT!

For those not in the know, Tajine is a term to also describe any recipe or dish that's cook in one. The recipes are numerous, ingredients plenty. What is a constant in all these Tajines is that a slow braise of the meal takes place. This is slow food people, embrace it!

As I'm not one to veer too much from a recipe when I first try it, the ingredients I used remained largely the same. I used coriander seeds rather than chopped fresh coriander as I have a Coriander-hatin' family. All apologies to those who love Coriander but it's sparsely used in mainland Greek cuisine and we are not so accustomed to it's floral pungency.

This dish comes courtesy of the Australian-produced show called Food Safari. The saffron adds brilliant colour to the dish, the potatoes thicken the sauce and the fresh ground cumin permeate the entire home.

This dish looks exotic, smells exotic, tastes exotic. I have never been to Morocco but after eating this dish, I'd like to!

Chicken Tagine With Preserved Lemons & Olives

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/2 preserved lemon, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 onions, chopped
½ birds eye chilli
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, stems and leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in a little water
1/2 cup olive oil
2 bay leaves, torn in half

1 whole chicken, size 10 or 12
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 large potatoes, cut into wedges
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
150g pitted green olives
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
1 cup water
1 preserved lemon, cut into 6 segments.

1. Marinade: Process all ingredients together in a food processor until finely chopped and thoroughly combined. Leave for 30 minutes before using. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
2. Wash and dry the chicken and remove backbone, wing tips and any excess fat. Cut into pieces. Rub all over with ½ of the chermoula marinade and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
3. Combine the tomato and onion with a little more chermoula and spread into the base of the tajine (this will prevent the chicken from burning on the bottom). Arrange chicken pieces in the centre of the tajine on top of tomato mixture. Coat potato wedges with chermoula and arrange around chicken. Top with onion slices, then tomato slices and olives in between the potato wedges.
4. Mix chopped coriander with remaining chermoula and water. Pour over mixture. Decorate top with preserved lemon wedges.
5. Cover tajine with lid and cook on a very low gas heat for 45 minutes. Do not stir or lift the lid during the cooking process.
   
6. Serve the Tajine directly to the table and impress your guests with a waft of fragrant steam when it’s time to serve with couscous and harissa.

Magheritsa

I wasn't sure if I was going to write about this traditional Greek Easter Soup but Easter would not be complete without Magheritisa.

Magheritsa is a soup make from the broth of lamb offal and any other part of the lamb (combination varies from family to family).

After a long Lenten Fast, Magheritisa is the first substantive meal most Greeks will put to their mouths...almost immediately after arriving back home after Saturday midnight mass.

Attendance of this mass is so popular that all Greek churches overflow with parishioners standing around the perimeter of the church to take part in the mass with those fortunate (or patient enough) to arrive early for a seat inside the church.

At the stroke of midnight, the Parish Priest will hold up the Holy Light and one by one, parishioners will light their candles and everyone will shout, Hristos Anesti (Christ has risen)!

The customary "cracking of the eggs" will also take place and then each family will make it's way back home to have the traditional Magheritsa.

For those families (or individuals) who are sheepish about offal, serve it separately in a bowl and allow those who enjoy it to add it back to their soups. For others such as myself, will eat it with just the lamb meat, rice and Spring herbs.

This is another Greek dish where Avgolemono rounds out the Spring flavours of lamb, dill, scallions and parsley. For the best results, start making the broth 1 day ahead of Greek Easter so as to chill and skim off any excess fat.

Magheritsa

1 kg. lamb offal (liver, heart, lungs, etc.)
1 head of a lamb
1 kg. lam shoulder
3 bunches of scallions, finely chopped 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 head of romaine lettuce, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped 1/2 cup Arborio rice
3 quarts of water
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1. Bring the offal and other lamb parts to a boil, add salt and simmer for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender enough to flake off the bone. Remember to skim off the scum as it forms on the surface.
2. Strain the stock from the meat and chill overnight. The next day you will be able to skim the excess fat from the stock. Cut the offal and lamb meat into bite-sized pieces, discard the bones and reserve.
3. In a large pot, add your butter over medium-high heat and add your scallions, lettuce, parsley and dill and simmer covered until softened (about 15 minutes).
4. Add your stock and rice and lamb pieces and bring to a boil. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Take off the heat and reserve.
   
5. Prepare your Avgolemeno by beating the eggs in a separate bowl and slowly add a stream of lemon juice while beating.
6. Take a ladle of stock from the soup and add it to your Avgolemeno while beating. Now add the contents of the bowl back into your soup and stir the soup for about 5 minutes to form your Avgolemeno soup.
7. Serve hot in bowls, with a side offering of the offal pieces, wedges of lemon and freshly ground black pepper.

Mango and Berry Crisp

I must admit, when I heard of the ingredients to be used for the next Royal Foodie Joust, I was stumped with what to make. Dessert making is not my strong-suit and I have little cooking experience with cardamom. We have a challenge.

To compound my challenge, I noticed some other entries already used up some of my ideas so I felt my neck tightening up. The creative boa was constricting me.

Finally, I found this Mango and Berry Crisp and it contained all the Joust's three ingredients for May: brown sugar, cardamom and mango.

This is a dessert that's sweet enough for those looking for that in a dessert yet there's some tartness from the berries for those who want something fruitier.

This month's Joust is hosted by Ben of What's Cooking. This Mexican culinary dynamo is filling in for hosting duties as the creator of the event, Jenn the Leftover Queen is still recovering from a fairty-tale beachside wedding and an exhilarating honeymoon in Jamaica, MON!

For those quick enough to conjure something today, all entries are due by 10PM tonight.

Mango and Berry Crisp
(adapted from Heather Tim)

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp anise seeds
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

Filling 600 gr fresh or frozen mixed berries
4 ripe mangos, peeled & thinly sliced
2 tsp. zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

1. To make topping, in a medium bowl, stir sugar with flour, anise seeds, cardamom and cinnamon. Using your fingertips, work in butter until mixture is crumbly.
2. To make filling, place frozen fruit in a large bowl along with the lemon zest and vanilla. Stir. Stir cornstarch with sugar and toss with fruit.
3. Turn mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle topping over fruit. Place dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
   
4. Bake in centre of preheated oven until topping is a deep golden colour, 40 to 45 minutes.