Leek and Cheese Pie - Prassopita (Πρασόπιτα)

Another year is behind us and I would be lying if I told you it was a great year for most. With these trying economic times, we're seeing the flipside of globalization. Local events can and are being affected by economic factors halfway around the world from where one lives.

We all seem to be in step with trends, fads, news and we're wired closer to each other but we're also tethered by economic forces that affect us all.

It's a time for reflection, a time to again give thanks for what we have and what matters to our lives, our families and our loved ones. As us Greeks say, health above all. If you don't have your good health, you have NOTHING! I'm thankful for what I have, where I am and content that I can direct my future. Not so many are this fortunate. Remember this and live your lives accordingly.

Tonight, New Year's Eve, I will be joining a party of 14 friends for what will be a sumptuous meal at one of my favourite eateries in Toronto and we'll usher in the New Year with bubbly, good wine, hugs, kisses and lots & lots of laughs.

There's no way I'm cooking tonight, even I need a break from the kitchen but tomorrow's another story. We're having folks over for a New Year's Day dinner but the menu is iron-clad, no surprises and it will allow for me to sleep in and practically prepare the meal in my sleep.

I'll be roasting another Prime Rib, whipping up some mashed potatoes, green beans with slivered almonds and crispy bacon, a salad with greens and a Pomegranate vinaigrette, a fine-tuned cream of mushroom and chestnut soup and the return of the Quince Bougatsa with the season's last of the quince.

As is customary for Greeks, a Vassilopita is also usually presented after dinner to be blessed and then cut into pieces and divided amongst the guests. Like many other cultures, celebrating New Year's "properly" is to assure one of entering the NewYear with some good fortune, and good health.

The Vassilopita's recipe varies from home to home but you can have a look our family's take here. The Vassilopita contains a coin hidden in it and whoever gets the piece with the coin is annointed "the one" with the good luck in the coming year.

This year, our family's decided to take the Vassilopita tradition back to my early days as a boy where my mom would hide the coin in one of her Spanakopitas or Tyropitas.

Recently, my mom and I managed to share and cook in the same kitchen without starting a Third World War and banging out some pretty awesome food. I continue my apprenticeship of making homemade phyllo and beyond watching or reading the instructions from a recipe, the key here is practice, practice, practice.

Another family favourite in the repotoire of savory phyllo pies is the Leek and Cheese Pie or, Prassopita. If you have friends from the northern province of Macedonia, you might be lucky enough to try a piece of this savory pie, generous with a filling of sauteed leeks, zucchini, Feta and fresh Myzithra (ricotta) cheese.

My mom & made the homemade phyllo, just like we did when we made Spanakopita and just ued the filling for the Prassopita (Leek and Cheese Pie). Once again, homemade phyllo requires practice but if you're adept at handling store-bought phyllo, that would work great here too!

I would to wish all of you a Happy New Year, continued prosperity and good health to all. See you next year!

Prassopita (Πρασόπιτα)

Filling
500gr. fresh Myzithra (ricotta) cheese
500gr. crumbled Feta cheese
1 bunch of leeks (3-4), cleaned, chopped & sauteed in olive oil
2 zucchinis, peeled and grated
3 eggs
1/2 bunch of chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the green parts off the leeks and save for a soup or stock. Cut down the length of the leeks, almost to the root and open the layers of leeks with your fingers and run through cold water.
   
2. Finely chop your leeks and place in a large skillet with a few turns of olive oil and saute until softened and translucent. You may now quickly peel your zucchinis and grate them and add them to the already sauteeing leeks. Add some salt to help draw out the moisture and saute on medium-low heat (covered for about 30 minutes).
3. Allow the leek mixture to come to room temperature and then add the remaining ingredients (eggs, cheeses, salt and pepper, chopped dill).
4. Prepare the dough and phyllo as per the Spanakopita recipe and add leek and cheese filling. Bake as per instructions.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2008 Peter Minakis

Seared & Braised Breasts of Chicken

This following post is actually about a non-visit during my recent stay in New York. Despite my having a full week to sight-see, explore, eat & drink and meet folks along the way - there just wasn't enough time to patronize all the Greek restaurants of note.

Upon my return from New York, I've even received invites to "check out" some other noted Greek eateries in the NYC scene. Is New York City in my 2009 plans? We'll see.

Some of you might recall that I visited New York's famous The Strand bookstore and I was able to buy some rare and cheap cookbooks there. One such book was The Periyali Cookbook.

Periyali is a Greek restaurant in the Grammercy/Flatiron district of Manhattan and it's been around since 1988...a veteran by any restaurant's standards!

The next best thing to visiting a restaurant is buying the book, no? With over 300 pages and tons of recipes in between, the cookbook offers up an array of Greek dishes that touch upon all the food categories and it makes Greek food approachable for even some you just discovering what a wonderful cuisine we have.

Today's dish is one of those "I want a classy meal, it's a weeknight, I'm tired from work and I want that restaurant-type of dish served to me" kind of meal.

The cookbook's title for this dish is "Seared & Braised Breast of Chicken With Leeks and Lemon Cream Sauce". I had no leeks and even if I did, the leeks would be out of proportion with the chicken breasts.

I opted to sear some scallions but in hindsight, spears of asparagus would also work very well here and I'll be on the lookout for some the next time this dish is on my mind.

Another sub I made was to omit the lemon juice and use some of my flourishing lemon thyme in my indoor herb garden. The recipe has no herbage and although tarragon would have worked well here, thyme is a Greek herb and the lemon thyme gave the dish that fresh citrus flavour and the bottom-end woodsy falvour that only thyme can give.

Finally, I halved the wine, stock & cream amounts and my hunch was right...there was just enough sauce for 4 plates.

Seared & Braised Breasts of Chicken
(serves 4)

4 bunches of scallions, greens trimmed and reserved
1 cup of chicken/vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. of lemon thyme
(may sub. some lemon juice w/ thyme)
1 bay leaf
4 chicken breasts, pounded into paillards
flour for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil for frying
1/ 2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
thyme for garnish

1. Either pound out your chicken breasts into thin paillards or if you have 2 thick chicken breasts, carefully cut the breast into 2 thin chicken breasts (making 4). Rinse and pat-dry your chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper and dredge in all-purpose flour.
   
2. In a large non-stick skillet orver medium heat, add the white part of the scallions and sear on both sides until a nut-brown colour has formed. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve on a plate with absorbant paper.
   
3. Now sear and brown your chicken breasts in the same oil until golden brown (1 1/2 -2 mins.) on both sides and reserve.
4. Discard the oil and place your skillet back on medium heat and add the wine and and simmer for 1-2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits.. Now add your cream, stock, bay leaf and lemon thyme and and gently bring to a boil. Carefully add your chicken breasts back into the skillet and simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes or until your sauce has thickenend enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the reserved green parts of the scallions and mix into the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.
5. Spoon some cream sauce onto the bottom of each plate and then lay a row of scallions on top, followed by the crowning chicken breast. Garnish with some lemon thyme and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Serve with some rice pilaf.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2008 Peter Minakis

Slow Prime Rib

Another Christmas has come and gone. I hope all of you had a restful day, nothing too stressed, few family arguments, much laughter and memorable moments.

I spent my day with my immediate family and we enjoyed a classic Prime Rib Roast with the usual fixins' and some Greek touches.

For as long as I can remember, I've been doing Prime Rib as instructed by my father and his years of wisdom working in the restaurant industry.

My Pops & I have these "debates" about how to approach a dish or while watching a cooking show "if this dish goes with that ingredient".

Can you say generation gap?

Pops usual line is, "when I was working in the restaurant we NEVER did that, we would do it.....blah-blah-blah".

Yesterday, I had to keep him far away from the stove as the Prime Rib was roasting. You see, my dad likes to sneak into the kitchen and peak at what's being cooked and sometimes he make "adjustments" to a meal.

It could be anywhere from turning up or lowering heat, uncovering a simmering pot or opening an oven to check on a cake (Shreek)!

Prime Rib is one of those dishes whereby one always seeks to improve or perfect this wonderful, satisfying Sunday (or holiday) meal.

My inspiration for my Quantum Leap in Prime Rib came from recently watching an episode of Foodies, as shown here in Canada.

The hostess Lesia recently did her own Prime Rib and she too joined the chorus of those who prefer low & slow cooking.

I've read a myriad of methods or roasting Prime Rib, most divided into two camps: low and slow or fast & high heat. Oh there are cooks who combine a bit of both methods and I'd say I fall in the middle too.

You see, I'm still not convinced that roasting a Prime Rib entirely at 280F will give me a deep-brown Prime Rib that's juicy and cooked to perfection in the middle. During my Prime Rib experimentations, I've ended up with a Roast that ends up "Mcdonald's grey"...not a turn-on.

So, until I see or taste a better Prime Rib, I'm now going to go with this approach: a blast of high heat and then lower your oven for a slow gentle roast of your Prime Rib.

In my opinion, part of being a good cook (and offering delicious food) is to be pragmatic, not to be a 'know it all' and keep an open mind about improving upon family favourites. Pride has no room in the foodie's kitchen.

It's all about the "pursuit of delicious food", right?

Prime Rib Roast au Jus With Yorkshire Pudding

1 Prime Rib Roast, cap on - bone in
sea salt
black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
1 tsp. of chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. of fresh thyme

Yorkshire Pudding
(makes 12)
4 eggs
2 cups of milk
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of salt
beef drippings
1 muffin tray

1. Ensure that the Prime Rib has been brough to room temperature before roasting. Season the cap only (not sides) of your beef with the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and rosemary and thyme. Pre-heat your oven to 500F and set the rack in the middle position (ensure an evenly cooked roast).
2. Insert a meat thermometer into the top of the roast, right in the center. Place your roast in the oven and turn the oven light on. Keep the oven closed (some smoking will occur) and watch for the moment when your roast turns a deep brown colour (20-30 minutes).
   
3. Once your roast has achieved that deep-brown colour, reduce the oven's temperature to 260F. About an hour into roasting, add enough hot water to just cover the rib bones at the base (this will create your roast beef jus).
   
4. Allow the roast to cook until the thermometer has reached an internal temperature of 130F for rare, 150F for medium-rare and 170F for medium-well.
5. Carefully take your roast out of the pan and place on a large plate/platter and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 50-60 minutes (don't worry, the meat will still be warm at service).
6. Use this time to make your jus and Yorkishire Puddings. Pour the beef drippings from the roasting pan into a fat separator and reserve the separated beef jus and fat (separately).
7. Drop 1 Tbsp. of beef drippings into each muffin cup and pre-heat your oven to 400F. Add your flour and salt in one bowl and your eggs & milk in another bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients to blend and then whisk dry ingredients into wet and set aside.
8. When your oven has reached 400F, place your muffin tray on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the muffin tin and pour equal amounts of Yorkshire batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 30 minutes or until the Puddings have puffed up to a lovely golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve in a basket at your dinner table.
9. Pour the beef jus into a pot and add 2-3 bay leaves anf bring to a boil. Taste for to adjust seasoning (add water if too salty or add some beef base or boullion to enhance) and reduce by a third. Keep warm until dinner service and remove bay leaves.
   
10. To carve your Prime Rib, cut off the butcher's twine and place the roast upright on it's side to expose the rib bones vertically. Secure the roast with a fork and cut off the rib bones and reserve for making beef stock and a Beef Barley Soup.
11. Now flip the roast back to it's natural sitting position and remove the fatty cap. Carve your slices of beef and arrange on a platter. Serve with Yorkshire Pudding and the gravy boats full of jus.
    

'Twas the Night Before Christmas,

when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

We're upon that magical day, Christmas. I feel it today...that state of mind, the Zone. It's not just a holiday, it's a state of being...almost out of body - surreal.

Christmas, the holidays, the end of the Year all wrapped-up in one month. A time to give thanks, to reflect on what was and to set goals, have hope and onto new beginnings.

This past year was a good year in my realm and I thank my friends, family and foes for being there for me and for making me stronger.

I thank God for providing me with food, clothing and shelter where others in this world are not so fortunate.

I thank God for blessing my family and myself with good health. As us Greeks say, if you don't have your health - you have nothing! Health above all.

I thank you, my dedicated readers of my blog who take the time to leave comments, send me emails full of warmth and kindness and express your joy at trying out one of my featured dishes.

I thank my new friends in the blogging community who take the time to share their lives, open their kitchens and share their family's secret recipes and traditions. Everyday, I am inspired by your zest for cooking, food, hospitality and friendship.

Some of you have even got out on a limb to meet up with me in person and my motto is...there's always room for another friend.

What will 2009 bring?

I hope for a world that is safer, kinder to Earth, more tolerant, less nepotism, more merit, an end to hunger, the reduction of disease and pestilence, Democracy and justice for all and last but not least...that everyone once again possesses hope for a better tomorrow.

Here in my home, the table is set and tomorrow we'll be feasting on a dinner centered around Prime Rib Roast.

While we're waiting for dinner, there will be lots of treats and snacks for one to nibble on. One such snack is known as Passatempo.

Passatempo means "passing the time" and for Greeks, the best way to do this is to chat with friends and family over a glass of Ouzo, Tsipouro or wine.

Just like in ancient times, Greeks eat when they drink and drink when they eat. For us, walnuts, sunflower seeds, toasted nuts or chestnuts along with dried fruits mixed with spices help us along during the cocktail hour.

In Greece, one can see stand set up on the streets, main squares or farmers' markets offering up an array of nuts and fruits to majority of Greeks who stroll each day or night during their routine Volta (stroll).

Before I sign off for the day, I'll be sure to leave you with a Passatempo recipe.

Another Christmas favourite at the Greek table are cookies and the two most popular ones are Kourabiedes and Melomakarona.

Kourabiedes are a rich, buttery almond cookie that get a vigorous dusting of icing sugar. They kind of remind me of the wintery outside.

The other cookie is Melomakarona and these spiced cookies are baked with aromatic spices wafting from the oven and then they are given a bath in syrup and topped with a mixture of ground cinnamon and walnuts...a reminder of the safe, warm and cozy haven of the family home.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to the many non-Christians out there....Happy Holidays and may you have a spiritual and reflective time with your family & friends and to all...reach out and be a friend to someone new. There are many lonely people in this world and everyone deserves a friend.

Passatempo

1 cup of almonds
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of pumpkin seeds
1 egg white
1 Tsp. of fresh thyme
1 tsp. of paprika
1 tsp. of ground cumin
1 Tbsp. of brown sugar
1 tsp. of ground coriander
2 tsp. of hickory salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Pre-heated 325F oven

1. Mix all of your spices and seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, add your mixture of nuts and the egg white and toss to coat. Now add your spice mixture and toss to evenly coat your nut mixture.
2. Spread your nut mixture out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Serve to your guests warm.
   

Chocolate Baklava (Μπακλαβάς Σοκολάτας)

Perhaps one of the best known and popular Greek desserts is Baklava. Greeks have made & enjoyed Baklava for ages and it's popularity is further evidenced by versions of Baklava appearing in Turkish, Middle-Eastern and Persian cuisines.

Baklava is essentially made of layers of phyllo sandwiching a nut and spice mixture in the middle. A syrup is then poured over the baked Baklava to offer up a glossy texture on the palate and contrasted by the crunch of the phyllo and nut mixture.

The most common Baklava made by Greeks contains walnuts but pistachios and almonds can make an appearance and here I use all three in the nut and spice mixture.

For as long as I can remember the special occasion Greek table, Baklava usually made it's appearance on the dessert table.

A Greek bakery could not survive without an offering of Baklava in their patisserie offerings. Some versions of Greek Baklava are drowned (in my opinion) with the finishing syrup and I prefer the " not too much, not too little but juuuust the right amount" of syrup.

Chocolate Baklava is offered up by better Greek bakeries. One of Greece's pre-eminent bakeries, Xatzi (Hatzi) produces a wonderful Chocolate Baklava but I've trimmed the size to a smaller, bite-sized triangle that will allow your appetite to explore the other treats on offer at the Greek dessert table.

Before I get to the recipe, a quick reminder for those sheepish on handling phyllo pastry:

• Buy frozen phyllo from a store that has a high turnover of phyllo (equals fresh) from a Greek or Middle-eastern store.
• Thaw your phyllo overnight in the fridge prior to use and allow it to come to room temperature (for 15 minutes) before using.
• Place a damp towel over the phyllo while assembling your dish and be organized, work quick.
• Melted clarified butter is my preferred treatment for brushing phyllo.

Chocolate Baklava (Μπακλαβάς Σοκολάτας)
1 package of frozen phyllo (thawed overnight in fridge)
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of blanched almonds
1 cup of blanched pistachios
1 cup of coarse bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. of sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg white
2 sticks of melted unsalted butter, clarified
1/4 cup olive oil (reduces the prospect of butter burning)

Syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves

Chocolate Coating
100 gr. of semi-sweet chocolate
100 gr. of unsalted room temp. butter

1. In a food processor, pulse your walnuts, almonds, pistachios and bread crumbs into a coarse ground. Empty into a bowl and add your ground cinnamon and clove, sugar and egg white and mix to bind all the ingredients. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt your clarified butter with the olive oil and keep warm.
   
2. Roll out your phyllo on your work surface and vertically dissect in half. Now cut each half into three, leaving you with six long strips of phyllo sheets.
3. Place a strip on phyllo on the board, paint some butter with a brush and lay a second strip of phyllo and again paint in with butter. Place a heaping Tbsp. of the nut filling at the bottom the strip and fold the side in over the filling and then starting from the bottom, fold into a triangle shape as shown (diagram).
4. Place on a baking sheet that's been brushed with butter and continue to form your triangular pockets of Baklava.
5. Pre-heat your oven to 325F (middle rack) and butter the tops of your Baklava triangles. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the tops are golden-brown. Allow to cool.
6. Make your syrup by adding the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick and wholes in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and then pour over the cooled Baklava triangles. After 60 minutes, carefully flip the Baklava and allow the other half of the triangles to soak up the syrup. Place the Baklava triangles on a wired tray to drain.
7. To make the chocolate coating, set up a double-boiler on your stove top and ensure the water is on a very low simmer. Add your chocolate and butter and gently whisk until incorporated and melted.
   
8. Use some wooden souvlaki skewers to assist in coating your baklava with chocolate. Carefully secure each triangle with a skewer and place the triangle in the melted chocolate and twirl in the chocolate until coated. You may then stick the skewer into a florist's oasis to allow the Chocolate Baklavas to dry.
9. Once cooled, place in a plastic-wrap lined container and store in a cool dry place or even a freezer. Good for a month (if they last that long).

Rabbit Stifado (Κουνέλι Στιφάδο)

Lamb and sheep are cute animals, chickens are cute when they are born, calves are cute, turkeys are majestic with their plumage, deer are a adorable.

All the above animals do not posess the "Fugly" gene yet we eat them.

Rabbits are cute and sadly delicious!

I just wanted to draw the parallel before any hypocrites write or opine saying...oh but rabbits are so cute and cuddly. Creampuff the the white-tailed bunny is cute, adorable and untouchable.

Sammy the the fornicating bunny at the ranch has been bred to be eaten and in my opinion, is totally fair game in this cut-throat food chain that is Earth.

If you're a vegetarian...this post is not for you. I am cutting up a rabbit here into pieces, browning it off in a pot and braising it until the meat forks off the bone.

Rabbit is good eats.

Stifado is a Greek stew of lots & lots of onions, some tomato product and a protein being the usual ingredients. The most popular Stifados are made with rabbit or hare but I've also enjoyed beef or veal, octopus and rooster stifado.

One of my earliest (and fondest) memories of Stifado goes back to my visit to Greece in 1988. I was in my father's town (Amynteon, Florinis), staying with relatives and my Uncle Pavlo (bless his soul) had shot a huge wild hare on his farmland.

Like with any wild game, the meat is wilder tasting and tougher as the animal has developed more muscle mass and it's diet is more complex that the farm fare of it's rabbit cousins.

Hare demands that it be marinated overnight in red wine, herbs, spices and then cooked in a slow braise that ultimately becomes an aromatic stew that will perfume your home.

Exit wild hare and enter rabbit. Rabbit is far milder in flavour and one would be hard pressed to taste-test if they were eating chicken or rabbit.

So, many ask why eat rabbit when one can have chicken? Easy...at least you know you're eating rabbit - not some Franken-chicken that you bought cut up into pieces, wrapped in plastic by Dexter and removed of any evidence of having two heads!

I apologize to no one for my food choices, especially when it comes to my delight in eating rabbit. Oh sure, the pet store gang of rabbits are the elite, untouchable ones but my farm-raised rabbit has probably had more action than any of us have seen in our lifetime.

The sacrifical rabbit is justified and I'm going to share this Stifado dish which celebrates Greek cooking at it's best: taking less popular ingredients (rabbit), cooking it simply and cooking it well.

Few ingredients are used here but the quality is high. Take the time to make a Stifado...you'll be rewarded with a delicious meal that will awaken the olfactory and transport you my aunt's Greek kitchen, complete with loud Greeks, hungry children and thankful guests.

Rabbit Stifado (Κουνέλι Στιφάδο)
(for 4)

1 whole rabbit, cut into pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
15-16 whole small onions
6 whole cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
flour for dredging
2 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste
+ 1 cup of water to dillute it in
1 cup dry red wine
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
lots of cracked black pepper

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. After cutting up your rabbit into pieces, rinse and pat dry and lightly dredge in seasoned flour. In a large, oven safe Dutch oven, add a few turns of olive oil over medium-high heat and brown-off the pieces of rabbit in batches and reserve in a plate.
   
2. Turn down the heat and add your wine and deglaze and scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add your rabbit back in the pot, followed by the onions, garlic, dilluted tomato paste, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cracked black pepper.
3. Bring to a boil and cover and season with salt and pepper. Place in your pre-heated oven (middle rack) and braise for about 90 minutes. Carefully take the stew out of the oven and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the lid and place back in the oven for another 30 minutes. This step will cook-off the remaining liquid, thicken and brighten your sauce to a warm, red colour.
5. Serve each plate with a heap of onions, couple of pieces of rabbit and a spoonful of sauce. Grind some fresh black pepper over top and serve with some good, homemade bread and a dry, Greek red wine.

Note on cutting up rabbit:
The rabbit usually comes headless and the body is in tact with organ meat inside. What I did was dissect it in half (lengthwise, then I lopped off the hind and front legs. What you're left with is the middle part of the rabbit - the saddle.

You can cut the 2 saddle halves into two, leaving you with four pieces plus the four legs.

Diples (Δίπλες)

My family comes from the northernmost province of Greece, Macedonia but today's recipe is from the opposite end of mainland Greece, Laconia. Although Diples are home to much of the Peloponese, the Byzantine town of Mani is where these Greek fried turnovers come from.

One would expect a rich heritage of cuisine and recipes to come from a bountiful region but the area around Mani is rugged, unkind to agriculture. Many of our ancestors lived in poverty, having to feed many mouths with creativity and resourcefulness.

Diples are one of the many examples of Greeks and their ingenuity in the kitchen. Many of the best Greek dishes are simple, using few ingredients and to this day, enjoyed by Greeks and lovers of Greek food.

My introduction to Diples came from the many Greek festivals I attended at our parish, St. Nicholas. Much like ancient times, the ladies (including my mom) would team up and make an array of dishes and treats to sell for the Festival.

From old times until present, Diples are still made to be presented at the grand table for a special occasion like a wedding, engagement, baptism or nameday.

Recently, my father (and our parish church) celebrated the nameday of St. Nicholas and my mom and I were keen on attempting this Southern Greek treat for donation at the church bake sale.

My mom used to assist is making Diples with the other ladies from the church auxiliary and the preferred method was to utilize a pasta machine. From scanning many recipes on the Internet, the machine is not necessary (no pasta machine in ancient times either) so you may want to still attempt this delicious treat by simply rolling out the dough as thinly as possible.

If you're experienced with handling dough and have made some pasta, you should get have no problem in preparing the dough but as my friend Ivy from Kopiaste concurs, the skill is in quickly folding the dough during the speedy frying process.

Diples are a very traditional dish, little has changed with how they are made and I encourage you try this wonderful dessert from Mani. If it's your first time, get someone to help you.

I'm submitting Diples as part of Eat Christmas Cookies, the second anniversary event hosted by Susan of Food Blogga. Diples are a Christmas and festive treat and I have it on Susan's good authority that Diples rock!

My mom & I put some Greek CD's on and set to make Diples (which took an afternoon). This is a large recipe and you might want to halve if but if I may say, make this Big, Fat Greek batch and give some to friends and relatives. Here's to some southern Greek comfort, by way of Diples.

Diples (Δίπλες)

12 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
5 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
juice & zest of 1 lemon
2 shots of Ouzo or Metaxa brandy
vegetable or olive oil (or 50/50 combo) for frying

Syrup
2 kg. bag of sugar
1 cup of honey
5 cups of water

Garnish
finely chopped walnuts
ground cinnamon

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. In another large bowl, add the eggs and beat with a hand mixer for about 7-8 minutes. Add the oil and liquour and mix until incorporated. Now add the zest and lemon juice and mix well.
2. Add dry to wet in gradual amounts and mix with your hands. Drop the mixture onto a floured work surface and knead your dough becomes a smooth ball, slighty firm. Divide into small pieces (size of a small apple) and cover with plastic cling wrap. Allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes and use this time to set up your pasta machine.
3. Treat a dough ball with flour (and flour the pasta machine) and pass through the either of the thinnest two settings. Fold your sheet and pass through the pasta machine (set to the same position) and repeat 6-7 times. Lay out the sheet on a table-clothed lined surface and cut into approx. 1 foot in length. and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Add oil to a large frying pan to the depth of about 1 inch. Your oil should be at about 350F. You will need two forks to fold the sheet of dough like a rolled carpet.
5. Carefully place your dough sheet into the oil and tap it a couple of times to submerge it entirely in the oil. Now quickly fold it three times to form a rolled shape like a carpet. Remove as soon as light yellow colour has formed and place on a paper-lined baking tray. Repeat until all your sheets of dough have been fried into Diples.
6. To make the syrup, add all the ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then keep the syrup warm.
7. Have a large colander nearby with a large bowl underneath it so as to capture draining syrup. Dip your Diples in the hot syrup and toss them about three times to coat them with syrup remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the colander. Repeat until all the Diples have been dipped in syrup.
8. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Diples can be served immediately or stored in trays covered tightly by plastic cling wrap in a cool, dry place.
   

Vrasto (βραστό)

Across Greece and especially around the city of Thessaloniki, one will find these shops that are open all night, serving up hot bowls of soup, be it summer or winter.

These joints are called "Patzatzidika", serving up the main soup known as "Patsa". A Patsa is a soup that contains boiled tripe, pigs feet and heavy on the garlic and vinegar. Patsa is also known for warding off hangovers. One sees many Greeks patronizing a Patzatzidiko late at night, just before returning home.

I don't do Patsa. I tried my mom's once again this year and it still was not appealing at all to me. I do however, adore her Vrasto which also appears on many menus at Patzatzidika.

Today, we're going to enjoy Vrasto. It's a chunky Greek soup and it gets it's name (Vrasto), which means boiled. This soup is straightforward, easy to make with ingredients available to just about anyone.

Once again I save lots of time by using my trusty pressure cooker. I know there are some "fraidy-cats" ou there who are timid at the mention of pressure cookers but again I insist, get one added to your roster of kitchen utensils.

A pressure cooker is very safe and easy to use: place contents into the pot, close lid and secure. If the lid has not been closed properly, there will be no seal (safe). Conversely, when a seal is formed, it's impossible to open the pressure cooker due to the amount of pressure formed. Finally, there's a valve that allows you to release the pressure and when the whistle stops blowing, your pressure cooker will open safely.

Ask Santa for a pressure cooker.

Vrasto is a chunky soup of onions, carrots, potatoes and celery simmered in a beef/veal broth and brought together by a wonderful and very Greek Avgolemono Sauce. I'm a big fan of soups that eat like a meal and a Vrasto hits that spot.

Vrasto (βραστό)

1 kg. of veal shoulder
enough water to cover the meat
1/4 cup of olive oil
3-4 carrots, roughly chopped
1 large potato, grated
4 potatoes, rough chop
6 small onions, halved
4 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

Avgolemono
2 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. of flour
1/4 cup water

1. Rinse your veal shoulder and place in the pressure cooker. Fill up with enough water to just cover the meat. Secure the lid on your pressure cooker and turn the heat to high. As soon as your pressure cooker has formed it's seal and starts to whistle, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-30 miniutes. Release the pressure before opening the cooker.
2. Remove the meat and reserve on a plate. Skim the fat from the broth and and pass through a strainer.
3. In another large pot, add the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery and saute on low heat until the onions have become soft and translucent (about 15 minutes). Grate the 5th potato and stir so that it doesn't stick or burn (add some water if too dry).
4. Add the stock (about 10 cups) and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 30 minutes. Add the meat into the soup to warm through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and take off the heat.
   
5. Make your Avgolemono by adding the eggs to a large bowl and beat them with a whisk. Now add the lemon juice and flour, the water and whisk to incorporate. Take a ladle of your soup and add it to your Avgolemono while whisking.
   
6. Now slowly pour your Avgolemono into the pot of soup while gently stirring it. Serve the soup hot with each portion having chunky vegetables, a piece of meat and some crusty bread at the side.
   

Broiled Scallops (Χτένια ψητά)

Greeks love their seafood and it's no wonder...one is never more than a three hour drive from the sea.

One of my faves has to be scallops and when I recently found some live scallops in their shell, I pounced on the opportunity to cook with such a rare delight.

When one finds scallops in the shell at the market, you need not worry about having a tough time shucking the scallops or cleaning them - both are quite easy.

One only needs a tea towel and a dull knife to open up these beautiful shells (which make for wonderful presentation pieces too). After you've opened the scallops, you will see the scallop meat in the center with an ugly, slimy oyster-like meat surrounding it and usually the orange roe (a delicacy).

The meat detaches easily from the shell - usually just life and twisting the meat away works fine. After, the slimy meat that surrounds the scallop can be remove by hand and discarded. At this point you should have the round piece of scallop, the orange roe attached and a slightly off-white tendon that can and should be removed with a sharp knife (too tough to eat).

Now, you should have a cleaned scallop, roe and shell ready for cooking and presentation. On the day I cooked these scallops, I had some left over roasted red peppers, some Manouri cheese and homemade breadcrumbs from some leftover bread.

One should NEVER buy breadcrumbs. I find leftover bread to make much tastier breadcrumbs than the stuff found at the supermarket (more like sawdust).

In keeping with my philosophy that seafood should taste like seafood, I kept this dish simple and made a play on the classic bacon-wrapped scallops. In this instance, the scallops are wrapped with roasted red peppers and laid on a bed of seasoned breadcrumbs with some herbs, grated Manouri cheese and the minced roe.

This is my own little creation, perfect way to start off an evening of seafood and drinks and my culinary gift to my friend, Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita and Joe of Italyville.

Their event is devoted to Seven Fishes Feast, an Italian tradition of dining on seafood on Christmas Eve.

I'm sure Maryann and Joe would welcome a platter of these baked scallops...they are easy to prepare, taste absolutely fantastic and gawd-darn-perty!

Broiled Scallops (Χτένια ψητά)

6 -7 fresh scallops, cleaned with roe reserved
slices of roasted red peppers
sea salt
ground black pepper

Breading
1/2 cup homemade, course breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
4 Tbsp. grated Manouri cheese
scallop roe, finely chopped
1 tsp. dry Greek oregano
4 Tbsp. tomato juice
pepper to taste (enough salt in the mixture)
Pre-heated oven set to Broil

1. Pre-heat your oven and set to Broil. In a bowl, mix all of your breading mixture with a spoon until incorporated. Div and spoon equal parts of the breading into each scallop shell and reserve.
2. Wrap a ribbon of roasted red pepper around each scallop and place on the bed of breading. Drizzle the scallops with olive oil and season with some salt and pepper.
3. Adjust your baking rack in the oven to be about 6 inches below your broiler. Place your scallops on a baking tray and broil for 5-6 minutes or until the scallops have turned golden and the breading firm and slighty toasted.
4. Serve on platter and serve a dry, Greek white wine, such as the Domaine Porto Carras Malagouzia.
   

End of a New York Tale

My stay in New York wouldn't be complete without the hospitality of so many New Yorkers who made me feel like one of them for a week, the fine service I received from the bars & restaurants I patronized and the generous friends who made my tour most memorable.

On my final night, my tour guide extraordinaire, Konstantine suggested we pay a visit and enjoy dinner at Pylos, located in Alphabet City.

This neighborhood is located in the East Village and gets it's name from being having the only Avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names.

Pylos is a long, narrow restaurant that will WOW you as soon as you enter the premise. One immediately takes notice of the terracotta earthenware ewers that hang row after row from the ceiling.

Coincidentally, Pylos is also a small town and bay located in the southern Greek prefecture of Messinia. Pylos was also the site of an important naval battle during the Greece's War of Independence (1827) and the Venetians called the area Navarino.

On the night we dined at Pylos, the place was brimming with a young, hip crowd, Greek music faintly heard in the background with the din of diners and dinner service front and center.

The proprietor Christos was particular about photos taken inside his establishment but he offered to send me photos of Pylos but I'm quite happy to invite to have peek at Pylos on their website....you'll surely make a reservation on your next trip to New York.

With regards to the food, the menu was created with the assistance and consultation of Diane Kochilas, a New York native who splits her time between New York and Greece and has written many cookbooks touching upon Greek and Mediterranean food.

My New York friends Claire and Stephane also joined us for a bite and although they arrived a little late, I'd like to show you all a sampling of the wonderful dishes served up at Pylos.

First to arrive was the the baked cuttlefish stuffed with cheese and served with a light tomato sauce.

We then sampled a Moussaka made of artichokes and caramelized onions and a three-cheese Bechamel sauce.

Next came the seared scallops served with a fennel slaw and an orange/saffron mayo.

To satisfy our meat cravings, we shared a big pork shank that was slowly roasted, aromatic from a blend of herbs and fork-tender....no knife required here.

Pylos has a fine selection of all Greek wines and I urge you once again to ask your server for his or her recommendation the next time you decide to dine Greek.

For dessert, we shared a trio of strained yogurt with sour cherry spoon sweets, a custard made of yogurt and cream and aromitized with Mastiha from the island of Chios. Our third dessert was the "Mouzo"...Pylos' chocolate Mousse spiked with Ouzo.

I couldn't have ended my stay in New York at a better place. The owner Christos gave us prompt and cordial attention...spiking conversation and wine recommendations between courses.

When you decide to dine at Pylos (I know you will), try and get seated at the long marble table that lines the back part of the restaurant. You'll be near the action of the bar, you be able to survey the rest of the establishment and make some new friends at your side.

What??? Were you waiting for a recipe? Stay tuned...got a scallop dish coming up later today.

Thyme Scented Mushrooms (Αρωματικά μανιτάρια με θυμάρι)

Greeks take pride in serving up quality appetizers/mezedes for their friends and relatives. Like most of you, we are in full festive season gear with friends dropping by and dropping in on friends.

One thing you'll notice about the hospitality of the Greeks is that one never gets the sense of being rushed.

In good mood? Pull up a seat, let me whip up a couple of appetizers and let's have a few drinks...let's share your infectious good mood.

In the dumps? What better than to vent, discuss, analyze what's got you down, what's pissing you off.

Regardless of the situation..."mi casa, sou casa"...make yourself at home and never feel (or act) like a stranger in a Greek's home.

Greeks love to talk. Greeks love to eat and often some kind of fuel is required. That is to say some alcohol! Greek wine is now thoroughly enjoyed at the Greek table but the Anise-flavoured Ouzo still gets fair use and regional homebrews of Raki, Tsipouro and Tsikoudia or in Cyprus, Zivania also fill up our glasses (and egos)!

I think many of us are over-thinking appetizers - making them too complicated. There's nothing wrong with hosting a more formal dinner but let's not get carried away and start prepping the type of appetizers one would find in a hotel.

Conversely, I cringe at the sight and taste of those processed, frozen & baked, "I'm too lazy to whip up a few appetizers for my guests" -type of commercial appetizer.

Instructions:
"Keep frozen until use, place on a baking sheet and pre-heat oven and bake for 15 minutes"

OR

"Set your microwave to high and cook for 5 minutes"

YIKES!

Here's a simple rule to follow when making appetizers...offer a few, make'em simple, make them well.

Today we're going to nibble on mushrooms. Mushrooms are a food item I've enjoyed since a child...always liked them - always will.

I recently ordered a new Greek cookbook from Dimitra Vergou titled "Mushrooms - From the Forest to the Kitchen.

Dimitra is from the northern Prefecture of Grevena and although mushrooms can be found all over Greece, Grevena is considered the "capital" of Greece's mushroom industry.

As far as I know, this book is only available in Greek but if it sells well, perhaps an English edition will be published.

In the meantime, I patiently await the arrival of my new cookbook but in the meantime, allow me to share a simple, deliciois side dise and meze of mushrooms.

Remember...keep them simple but do it well!

Thyme Scented Mushrooms (Αρωματικά μανιτάρια με θυμάρι)

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. good red wine vinegar
12 oz. of button mushrooms, halved
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
coarse sea salt to taste
1 Tbsp. of water (optional)

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine half the olive oil, the ground pepper, bayleaves and half the vinegar and warm over very low heat.
2. Now add the mushrooms, some salt and 2 sprigs of thyme and holding lid in place, shake the pan to swirl and coat all the mushrooms. Continue simmering the mushrooms in their own juices for about 10 minutes or until they just start changing colour.
3. Stir occasionally and if too try, add some water into the mix.
4. Add the remaining vinegar and olive oil and and set aside for another hour. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and serve with a sprig of thyme as a garnish and serve with some bread and a glass of Greek wine or my current fave...Tsipouro.
   

Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Salad (Πατατοσαλάτα με πιπεριές Φλωρίνης)

I hope you enjoyed my travel and food journey through New York over the past couple of weeks. There have been many times since my return where I wished I could jet off each weekend, see some new friends again and sample more of the city's great food.

I'm thinking New York could become a yearly thing and I have some ideas for the next time! I have one more (final) post to add about my New York stay but I'll delay that one for a bit as I'm kinda hungry to get back into my regular blogging step.

I'm most comfortable creating or trying new dishes, photographing it (quickly as possible as my food photo subjects are also meal subjects) and ultimately sharing the dish with you.

This dish involves two of my favourite ingredients...potatoes and red peppers. Potatoes are filing, potatoes taste great and potatoes are versatile. Potatoes can be boiled, friend, baked, steamed and used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Peppers...Oh how do I love thee pepper. As the son of two parents from the northern Greek prefecture of Florina, it's almost by default that I would adore peppers. Greeks by and large enjoy peppers but I think the Greeks in the north love them just a little bit more.

My dad will have peppers in some form or the other in his meal. My father also has a thing for hot peppers. We're not talking spicy but hot, blow your head-off, speaking in tongues /I think I see God kinda-hot.

I had an uncle who was so enamored with peppers (especially hot ones) that he would bring small chilis with to a wedding reception and snip some into his banquet dinner!

Red peppers all across Greece are referred to as "Πιπεριές Φλωρίνης" or "Florina Peppers. Yes folks, we're that fond of peppers that the red ones are associated with the Prefecture of Florina!

As most of your will agree, tomatoes around this time of suck. Well, most of them. Here in Canada, we have quite the hot-house industry for growing vegetables indoors and I even saw some imported Ontario "on the vine" tomatoes at Whole Foods in New York!

I usually stick with cherry tomatoes in the winter as they are the only option for anything with taste but don't give up - there's an alternative....make the red pepper your winter tomato!

Red peppers have more vitamin C than an orange and so on a health aspect, you want red peppers in your winter diet and some of you might even have a phobia about scurvy. Eat red peppers!

The best way to roast red peppers is on a gas or charcoal grill. Us Canadians are crazy that way (we'll grill all year 'round) but we're also realists....standing for hours charring peppers is a sure way to get sick.

Each September, my family roasts bushels of sweet and hot peppers for the long Canadian winter. If your don't have a charcoal or gas grill, use your stovetop to char your peppers but be prepared for a hearty post-charring clean-up...it will be messy.

Bushels of peppers get charred/blackened on the grill and then they are placed on a large tray and covered so that they can "sweat" before being preserved.

My family's favourite method for preserving roasted peppers is to freeze them. In one of my earliest blog posts, I go into detail on how we do this but the short story is...bag them in zip-lock bags and freeze them for up to the next summer.

When you freeze your peppers, leave the charred skins on. The skins will provide added protection to your peppers from freezer burn and when thawed, the skins peel off rather easily, leaving you with perfectly roasted peppers that are ready for a salad or side dish as part of your winter meal.

Today, I'm going to show you one of my favourite combos, that is to say roasted red peppers and boiled potatoes. Here, I've also added some roasted red garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, chopped fresh chives, parsley and briny capers.

Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Salad (Πατατοσαλάτα με πιπεριές Φλωρίνης)
(for 2 or as a side dish)

1 large Yukon Gold potato
1 large red bell pepper, skins peeled and cut into ribbons
3 cloves of roasted garlic
(or 1 raw clove)
1 Tbsp. capers
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped chives
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar (optional)
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Place a small pot of water on your stovetop and bring to a boil. Add some salt to the boiling water and carefully place the potato (with skin on) into the water and reduce heat to medium and boil until fork tender. Place under to cold water to cool the potato until you're able to comfortably handle the potato (you still want it to be warm).
2. Using the dull side of a knife, peel of the skin of the potato. Now carefully slice your potato into slices and set aside.
3. Wrap each slice of potato with a ribbon of roasted pepper and plate in a circular, overlapping pattern.
4. In a small bowl, add roasted garlic and mash it into a paste with a fork. Now add the olive oil and whisk the two ingredients until blended.
5. Sprinkle some sea salt over your roasted red pepper and potato salad and pour the olive oil and garlic mixture over the salad.
6. Grind some fresh black pepper over the salad, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, chives and capers and drizzle a little wine vinegar (optional) as a finishing touch.
7. Serve with grilled or fried fish or some good, homemade sausages.
   

Heads & Tales: Fish Tails (and a Recipe)!

Today's installment of my New York City recap involves making more new friends from the blogging community, celebrating seafood and living like a New Yorker.

Having been given the luxury of having one week to live in New York City gave me a new perspective on this great city.

New Yorkers are kind. Throughout the week I did get lost on the subway, disoriented on many occasions at an intersection and often "rescued" by an all too eager New Yorker willing to help me, one of thousands of tourists in the city that never sleeps.

Many New Yorkers use the transit system. Unlike other North American cities (like Toronto) where a transit system is in place, many New Yorkers actually prefer using the vast subway and train system. It's extensive, runs 24/7 and it's safe.

New York City has the best of everything, the worst of everything. New York has ten-times better everything but...ten-times "the worst" of everything - all is multiplied. It's a big city, with flaws and like any other destination, you need to explore, do some homework (buy & read a travel book) and with some good travel instincts, you'll find what you're looking for.

As a fish and seafood lover, I knew that I'd be spoiled with some of the freshest seafood in the world. When Marc of No Recipes extended an invite to dine together at a sushi restaurant in New York, I couldn't refuse.

His choice, Sushi Azabu...located in TriBeCa near the Hudson River. I got to the place a little early, ordered a Japanese beer and leafed through the new cook books which I had just bought from The Strand.

New Yorkers are very familiar with The Strand but for those of you contemplating a trip to NYC and looking for rare books for fabulous price, The Strand is a must. The place is teeming with book lovers, helpful staff and shelves upon shelves (18 miles) of mostly used (some new) books touching upon every genre possible.

I was kindly assisted to the cooking section, found some Greek cookbooks, snapped them up and toted them in my backpack for the day.

Marc and his ever-smiling wife Liz arrived punctually and ventured to the basement of the establishment (upstairs served steak and Italian), downstairs was sushi. I'm not a fan of basement haunts but the service staff here are warm, courteous and the decor sleek (Japanese designed - right down to the bathroom amenities).

Liz, Marc and I warmed up to each other quickly and being a Greek dude who enjoys sushi, I allowed Marc to take the lead on ordering.

First up was the beverage of a choice...a sesame Shochu which is a brew of premium wheat, rice and sesame. This drink was served on ice, reminded me of vodka with a definite sesame aroma and taste. We ordered one bottle and had no difficulty in finishing this fabulous Japanese drink.

Marc's choices for the dinner were of the highest quality and every morsel went unwasted. From the Japanese seaweed salad to some seared, rare Wagyu beef and on to the red snapper carpaccio and the Chef's Choice of the market-fresh sushi offering of the day...the meal was dreamy.

Liz, Marc and I got acquainted with each other's lives, talked food (what else) and relished every single course of this masterpiece sushi dinner. A trip to Japan just got bumped up on my "to do" list.

Let's rewind a bit. Not that far back - just a little earlier in the day. STAY right there...mid-afternoon and lunch.

What was to be the largest food-blogger gathering of the week for me would take place at Lupa, a Mario Battali and Joseph Bastianich osteria.

Coordinating the lunch was Stacey of Stacey Snacks and Giff of The Constables Larder. Stacey made the reservation (based on her contented patronage of Lupa) and Giff liaised with myself and the others to confirm all in attendance.

You've already met Stephane of Chefs Gone Wild and Mlle. Claire of Colloquial Cookin' but I'd like to also introduce a new acquaintance and friend, Rachel of the Essential Rhubarb Pie.

I was afraid that Rachel was going to arrive late (something about work) but it appears she and Stacey got real comfy with each other, at the bar and in the midst of an afternoon glass of wine...how civilized!

We met for a late lunch and although most were hungry, we kept on getting distracted by the usual "getting to know you chats" that ranged from life in New York, rude behaviour (or not) of Parisians, a little politics, more New York and a little about each of us.

With lunch hours dwindling...Stacey suggested we order some sampling platters: one seafood antipasti and other a veggie/salad antipasti.

Each of us ordered their own main and we washed our food down with a northern Italian white and a Sicilian red.

Being a Greek and enjoying the food concept of appetizers and mezedes, I would have been most comfortable just ordering and ordering starters, sampling, chatting, drinking and sampling again...THAT is a good dinner and company for me!

Lupa's service is very good. The staff attentive, they know the menu and the wines and they were kind and patient with our tardy ordering from the menu.

The best approach to ordering from Lupa's menu is order some antipasti, enjoy your wine - order your main and don't forget it's ala carte here...grab a side to complete your entree.

I didn't order dessert but I had a sample of Claire's hazelnut tartuffo (huge) and if any of the other desserts are like this one...Lupa delivers from start to finish.

I'd like to leave you all with a dish that reminded me of that day in New York City, filled with memories of some the freshest seafood I've ever had in North America, the new friendships made and the memories...forever!

Here's a simple Italian seafood dish, works great with bream, sea bass or any other white-fleshed fish fillet. I found some wonderful Grouper fillets at my local market and in keeping with Lupa's unpretentious Osteria cooking approach without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank, I present a Walnut Gremolata Grouper...enjoy!

Walnut Gremolata Grouper
(serves 4)

4 Grouper fillets
olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
sweet paprika

Gremolata
2 Tbsp. of lemon rind, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. coarse bread crumb
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all the Gremolata ingredients in a bowl and cover - set aside.
2. Rub both sides of the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
3. Add some olive oil into a non-stick pan over medium high heat and place the fillets (skin-side down first) for 3-4 minutes per side or until crisp and brown.
4. Plate the fish immediately with a mound of Gremolata on top and serve with a garlic mash or in my case...orzo with mushrooms and zucchini.

Heads & Tales: Kefi in New York

During my stay in New York, my days were occupied by sightseeing (nothing too touristy) and the evenings were for dining and meeting new friends.

My stay in New York and the exploration of the Greek food scene wouldn't be complete without tasting the creations of Michael Psilakis.

Michael has appeared on Iron Chef America and he currently is part owner of Anthos and Kefi. Anthos is on the high end of the menu scale and Kefi is smaller but in no way inferior, quality-wise.

Once again, my Greek food and drink guide Konstantine suggested we meet at Kefi, located on West 79th (Upper West Side) and sample an array of the dishes.

Michael Psilakis was not here on this night but the staff accomodated us immediately with a table despite the packed lobby and lack of avaialable seating. Kefi will be moving to a new location soon and this problem should be resloved soon.

What does Kefi mean? The literal translation is "fun" but that really doesn't describe Kefi. Kefi is spirit, triumph, joy, adrenalin, the state of being aware of experiencing a good time, a celebration of being Greek, with good friends, food and drink, laughter, emotion, sentiment and finally...something only a Greek can really feel.

If you're a Greek reading this, you know what I mean and to others...go out with your Greek friends and ask them to tell you when "that moment" of Kefi has been reached...maybe then you'll understand.

From the waiting area to the farewell, Kefi's ambiance was laid-back, down-to-earth and unpretentious. The dining area is small and below street level but with such close quarters, one makes easy friends with the table beside you and conversations on food & wine can be easily engaged.

Constantine and I imbibed on a wonderful Vatistas Malagouzia and our other fave, the Pavlou P62 Syrah/Xinomavro with our parade of meze-sized dishes at Kefi.

For in New York or some of you who would like to enjoy some Greek food in the area, Kefi will offer you the greatest bang for your buck out of all the Greek establishments in Manhattan. Do not think in any way think that quality or portions are compromised.

Remember, this is a Michael Psilakis joint...the dishes were traditional but offered wonderful Greek twists with the ingredients. One dish after another was relished by Konstantine and I and a highlight of the night was the braised pulled rabbit meat tossed in hand-made pasta with a sauce reminiscent of a Rabbit (or hare) Stifado.

The first dish to arrive was the fried sweetbreads in creamy wine sauce with spinach, sage and crispy fried onions. The sweetbreads were paired wonderfully with one of Konstantine's new brands...a Vatistas Malagouzia from Monemvasia. Malagouzia is another grape varietal that's unique to Greece and I'll be touching upon this wine in a future post (it was awesome).

Next up was the grilled octopus on a bed of warm chickpea salad.

We sampled the Pork Sofrito medallions with shaved fennel, capers, olives and some orange slices.

Grilled lamb chops were ordered on the insistence of our server and boy was I glad he recommended these!

The crowning glory had to be the Pulled Braised Rabbit on a bed of homemade pasta which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to our Pavlou P62 red.

This Syrah/Xinomavro took on a whole new aroma and taste when paired with the rabbit in a aromatic, spicy Stifado sauce. A stifado's has a noticeable presence of cinnamon and when paired with the P62, for the first time I was smelling notes of chocolate and black cherry in the wine...remarkable experience!

My evening at Kefi was a smash...wonderful food, good conversation at the table (and with the table beside us), unforgetable wine pairings with the food and laid-back but prompt and cheerful service from the staff.

This week, I had to re-experience that zen-moment when I ate the Braised Pulled Rabbit and sipped on the Pavlou Estate P62. I've recreated a dish that packs much of the flavours I experienced in Kefi's version but I used a whole chicken to make a Stifado.

A Stifado is a Greek stew that is tomato based, has the presence of red wine, an array of spices that almost always includes cinnamon and the usual suspect in the dish is rabbit or hare. Other popular stifados are made with rooster, beef or veal and octopus.

The other dominant ingredient is onions...plenty of onions which play very well when slow cooked with the meat of choice, blending with the spices to perfume your kitchen & home into something remarkably intoxicating and transporting you and your home to a Greek kitchen.

The dish I'm about to show you is usually made with a rooster but I'm no where near a farm and Stouffville Market is only open on weekends. This dish is inspired by my evening at Kefi and it's also reminiscent of a popular dish from the Greek island of Folengandros called "Matsata".

Imagine trying this dish on the island...farm fresh rooster, wild thyme from the mountains of the island, Greek red wine and spices that entered Greek cuisine from the time that Greek mariners ruled the Mediterranean and the spice trade in the area.

Finally, this may sound cliched but the pasta in this dish was homemade by myself after finally splurging on my own pasta machine. After fumbling the first few times with the machine, I finally was able to produce long, elastic ribbons of fresh egg pasta that cooked in minutes and truly heightened the dish. I may become a pasta snob!

Matsata (Ματσάτα)
(serves 4)

1/3 cup olive oil
1 whole chicken (or rooster), cut into pieces
1/2 onion, grated
1 cup of pearl onions
2 large onions, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 some grated nutmeg
1 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste
2 cups of pureed plum tomatoes
1 cup of dry red wine
2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
fresh made broad pasta
grated Kefalotyri cheese (Romano is fine)

1. In a large skillet, add your olive oil to medium high heat. Add your pearl onions and quickly saute until they have slighted caramelized. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Now season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown off your meat over medium heat and then reserve.
2. Now grate add your grated onion, sliced onions and garlic and saute over medium-low hea for about 7-10 minutes or until softened. Now add the balsamic vinegar and stir to lift up the brown bits and coat all the onions. Reduce for a minute or two.
3. Now add the bay leaves, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, tomato paste and red wine over medium heat. Now bring up to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add your tomato paste, pureed plum tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add your fresh thyme and your reserved chicken pieces, pearl onions and reduce heat, cover (slightly ajar) and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, sitrring occasionally.
   
4. At this point, you should have a thick, aromatic sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, grate some fresh nutmeg and set aside and keep warm.
5. Boil some fresh, broad pasta and when cooked to al dente, strain toss with some of the tomato sauce, tear some meat off the bone and mix in with the pasta and the sauce.
6. Place a mound of dressed pasta on each plate, place a piece of chicken on top and grate some fresh Kefalotyri cheese on top.
   
7. Serve this warm, aromatic dish with a Pavlou P62 Xinomavro-Syrah.
   

Heads & Tales: Uptown and Downtown

If there's one glaring thing I noticed about New York City since my last visit there is that's is safer. The last time I was in New York, the mayor was David Dinkins, Bill Clinton was being inaugurated as President and Times Square still teemed with Peep Shows.

Fast forward to 2008, post 9/11 New York with a comforting police presence to be seen in subways, streets and in less savory neighborhoods.

This new New York reality allows one to be able to travel (visit) almost every neighborhood in Manhattan. Am I the daring type, maybe but surely I'm a person who takes calculated risks.

I took to a visit Harlem, an African-American neighborhood once notorious for being unsafe but always an important place where many a talent would make their debut in show business at the Apollo theater.

Ella Fitzgerald played here, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Billy Holiday (to name a few) got their start at the Apollo.

No visit to an African-American 'hood could be complete without having some soul food, that is to say Afro-American food from the South.

I bought an Obama T-shirt from a street vendor in Harlem (New York souvenirs now include everything Obama) and the gal was all too pleased to give me her recommendation for soul food.

She directed me to Sylvia's. Upon entering this eatery from the cold & windy New York October, I was greeted by an enthusiastic hostess like I was attending a family reunion.

The aroma is this joint was amazing...I knew I was going to eat good - eat well. I was promptly seated, handed a menu and while I was perusing the menu, a warm basket of corn bread arrived.

I munched on a couple of pieces, slathered some butter on them and gave my order. Today I was going to have Meatloaf, baked macaroni and cheese and collard greens braised in smoked turkey.

Did I tell you how comfortable I felt in this place? The staff were friendly, engaging & helpful with the menu and lucky me..Sylvia (the owner) was there and she was delighted to take a photo of me (she loves Canadians)!

In my lifetime of trying/exploring different foods, I come to the realization that many cuisines exist in a parallel universe: many share similar pasta dishes, wrapping/bundling food packets, similar approaches to a cooking method or in the case of meatloaf...everyone having their own version of this classic.

How is it that American Soul Food and something as ancient as Greek cookery share similar dishes? The Greeks' answer to meatloaf is Rolo (pronounced Rrrro-LO). I've had the Greek and classic American-style meatloaf countless times but Sylvia's meatloaf triggered my memory of a Greek food friend's blog in Athens called, Asteromases and the hostess...Asteraki.

She wowed me with her "rolo" (meatloaf), the attention to the steps, detail offered in preparation and finally, showing off the final product.

I promised myself and Asteraki that I would be making this dish and he we are...making a Greek meatloaf dish that ties in with a trip to New York's Harlem!

Before I get on with my recipe...day is followed by night, right? You know what they now say about New York right? When in New York City, eat and drink with blogging friends.

This night I was to meet up with Amy & Jonny of We Are Never Full. This Brooklyn based couple and I knew we had to meet, have drinks, talk alot and share the table over dinner. Amy & Jonny's blog has become one of my favourite blog-stops...informed on food, well fed and always straight-up, honest food served up elegantly yet simply. Me thinks you should add them to your Google Readers.

We met at New York's oldest Irish pubs, McSorley's (East Village) and I was greeted with hearty handshakes, hugs ans kisses from Amy and cold glasses of dark beer. Again, I was met by the exact same people I've come to love reading on a daily basis, I was comforted to find out they are just as genuine and hilarious in person and very passionate about food.

We finished the evening by going two doors down to restaurant serving up Burmese food and after a brief Google search of Toronto, I'm saddened that I can't at this time explore this fascinating new cuisine to me that had a Pan-Asian feel about it.

The night ended a little earlier than I had hoped as Amy& Jonny were headed to England the next day but guys (Amy & Jonny)...I promise, we have unfinished business to attend to (more eating & drinking).

Hungry for meatloaf? How about a Greek Rolo? This recipe takes some guidance from Asteraki's Rolo, combined with my own signature to the dish. Much like Asteraki, I chose to serve roasted potatoes, as good as the Greek reputation is for serving up the humble yet delicious spud.

Rolo - Greek Meatloaf (Ρολό)
3/4 lb. of ground beef
1/4 lb. of ground pork
1 onion, grated
1 egg
3 slices of white bread, soaked in water and then squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tsp. of sweet paprika
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. of dry Greek oregano
2 tsp. of fresh thyme
1/2 carrot, grated
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
splash of olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper

some Graviera (or Gruyere cheese)
1 to 1 1/2 good, firm sausage
(I used a smoked sausage)
strips of bacon

Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
couple of pads of butter
1 onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. of sweet paprika
1/2 cup dry red wine
couple of bay leaves
2 cups of tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heated 425F oven

1. In a large bowl, add your ingredients (except the sausage) and mix gently but thoroughly in a bowl. The mixture should adhere and be moist to the touch but firm. Fry off a small meatball to taste-test and then adjust seasoning.
   
2. On a your work surface, lay out a large piece of wax paper or cling wrap and layout your rolo mixture on it and spread it out into a rectangular shape. Carefully remove the sausage casing and place it in the middle of the mince meat surface area. Now add the cheese strips alongside the sausage and carefully fold over one side of the meatloaf to make one roll of mince. Place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes for the form to set.
3. Pre-heat your oven and take the Rolo out. Remove the cling wrap/wax paper and place the Rolo in your baking vessel and rub the top of it with some oil (help the bacon adhere). Now drape your strips of bacon over the top surface area of the rolo. The bacon keeps the Rolo moist, adding a wonderful flavour and upper crust to the Rolo.
4. Place in your preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes and then take out to carefully drain the bacon fat. Reduce your oven's heat to 375F and keep baking your Rolo, all the while checking to remove excess drippings and fat.
5. In the meantime, make the sauce. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and butter over medium heat and add your grated onion and garlic and saute while stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Now add the tomato paste and stir int for a couple of minutes. Now add the wine and slowly bring up the heat to bring to a boil.
6. Now add your tomato juice, paprika, bay leaves and tomato juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until thick. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves and set aside and keep warm.
7. Continue to check your Rolo to remove excess bacon fat and at the 60 minute mark, take the Rolo out and cover the top part with your tomato sauce and return to the oven. Cook for the final 30 minutes of cooking time (approx. 90 total).
8. Allow the Rolo to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serve with roasted potatoes or a side of Macaroni & Cheese (recipe to come).