Fruits of the Forest (Φρούτα του δάσους)

Ever since I was a child, I've always enjoyed eating mushrooms. My earliest recollection of eating mushrooms were a batch sauted and smothered in butter and garlic, like Greek mom's do.

I enjoy mushrooms on pizza, mushroom soup, a baby spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, mushroom crepes, pasta with a mushroom sauce or part of a tart or stuffing. They are really quite versatile and I love mushrooms so.

I have lots of Greek cookbooks and although there are some mushroom recipes, there aren't much. Last year I discovered a Greek language blog called Manitarosyntages (mushroom recipes) and it was af if I have discovered my own batch of edible mushrooms during a hike in the forest.

The blog's author is Dimitra Vergou-Evanggelopoulou and after reading a few of her posts, I discovered that she had also just released a cookbook full of Greek recipes with mushrooms...SCORE!

I inquired about ordering and shipping the book to Canada and Dimitra was very generous in offering me a complementary copy. The book arrived just before Christmas and it's one of the best Christmas presents I've received in awhile.

Dimitra comes from the Greek prefecture of Grevena, which is located in Greece's northernmost province, Macedonia. The area of Grevena has long been recognized as a bountiful area when it comes to mushrooms and most recently, truffles have been found.

Most of the truffles go to export but this delicacy is starting to appear in Greek dishes too! The book contains seventy recipes from soups & salads to appetizers and main courses and even some applications in Greek spoon sweets!

At this point in time, the book is only available in Greek but one could always buy the book, befriend a Greek and get a translation, no? For those interested in buying this fine cookbook, you may visit the publisher's website here.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank Dimitra for her generosity in sending me the book and in typical Kalofagas style, it's time for food and for sharing.

The other day I found some finger-food sized ouster mushrooms that had short stems and not woody at all. If you're wondering...yes, the oyster mushrooms have that slight seafood taste and the stems can be too woody to eat. Simply break snap off the stems and they will break in their natural spot (much like asparagus).

This recipe makes for a quick and delicious meze or appetizer. It's fried oyster mushrooms but you can use any mushroom you wish. What's unique about this dish is that the batter uses white wine and that, my friends complemented the taste of the mushrooms.

It's winter time in Greece, people are entertaining in their homes, dining with friends at tavernas and wine is flowing freely. Pick up a bottle of dry Greek white wine, make some of this batter, fry up some 'shrooms and sip on the wine and discover how this appetizer complements the wine so well!

For this dish, I sipped on the Domaine Porto Karras Malagouzia. Malagouzia grapes, a Greek varietal that was almost extinct has made a resurgence and it made for a wonderful pairing with the fried mushrooms. The fruity finish complements the earthy mushrooms and a slight sweet aftertaste is left on the palate.

What are you waiting for? Go grab some Malagouzia and some mushrooms!


Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Μανιτάρια Tηγανητά)
(makes 1 appetizer plate for 4)

Approx. 1 lb. of Oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 eggs
1 glass of dry Greek wine
approx. 1 cup of all-purpose flour
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, crack your eggs and add the wine and whisk to incorporate. Now add the flour while whisking until you get a thickness akin to pancake batter. Add about a tsp. of salt and pepper and allow to sit.
2. Heat your deep fryer or other vessel used for frying and your oil should get to about 360-370F before frying.
3. Dip your mushrooms in the batter and fry in batches until golden-brown. Set on a paper-lined plate, season with sea salt and serve warm with a dry Greek wine.
   

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. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Iberian Acorn Ham

Last month, just in time for Christmas, my dear friend Nuria of Spanish Recipes sent me a package containing vacuum-sealed Iberian Acorn Ham. For those not in the know, Iberian Acorn Ham is a cured ham which is only produced in Spain the meat comes from free-range hogs that feed on only what's in the wild, including acorns.

Most of you are familiar with prosciutto but I urge to look for and try a few slices of Iberian ham. It's flavour can be described as buttery, a slight tang to the taste and a warm, brown finish as it melts in your mouth.

Iberian ham is best served when brought to room temperature and little accoutrement is needed with this fine product.

Here, I cut up some small logs of Greek Manouri cheese, wrapped the ham around it, added some greens for colour and contrast and served this with a pickled cherry pepper from our family's cellar.

No olive oil is needed here (as the ham is quite oily) but I dressed this appetizer with some lemon zest and freshly cracked black pepper. Don't forget that in the background stands oneof my mom's homemade and delicious bread rolls.

Nuria, thank you so much for your generosity, your warm friendship and always delicious food on your blog. I urge all of you to pay a visit to Nuria's site, tell her "Peter sent ya" and only visit her site on a full stomach, otherwise you'll be instantly hungry.



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. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Chicken & Halloumi Souvlaki

We're about a week into January and I'm still eating leaner dishes, avoiding butter (mostly) and trying to be a good boy this January.

Tonight's dish is another way to kick-up the sometimes boring chicken breast. Cut it up, marinate it, grill it and pair it with something else delicious. In this case, chicken and Halloumi cheese are the elevated to "dymanic-duo" status.

Most souvlaki shacks in Greece and abroad now offer a chicken version of this skewered meat and although I often choose pork or lamb, the chicken option is great when I'm in the mood for lighter fare.

When you add Halloumi cheese into the mix, chicken souvlaki's stock immediately rises in the foodie's Bourse. For those unfamilar with Halloumi, is a firm cheese that is made in Cyprus, Lebanon and enjoyed throughout the Middle East.

It's made from a goat & sheep's milk blend and when it's chewed, it often squeaks against your teeth (which I find neat) and it's best trait, it's delicious.

The reason I've chosen Halloumi cheese here is that it's a cheese that holds up well over heat. Be it fried or grilled, Halloumi holds together and for the purpose of this take on souvlaki, it's your best bet.

This dish can be completed on your outdoor grill or one of those grilling pans you place on your stovetop. Being quite aware that there are Northern and Southern hemisphere readers of this blog, again this dish works for both!

This Chicken & Halloumi souvlaki was eaten in the context of a meze, an appetizer or part of a succession of Greek bites between sips of Tsipouro, a winter green salad tossed in a light vinaigrette, some warmed pita bread and some fruit for dessert.

The chicken breasts are cut into pieces that are the same size as your Halloumi pieces (so that they cook in the same amount of time) and the chicken is marinated for a couple of hours in flavours native to Greece, such as thyme, bay leaves, honey and red wine vinegar.

Chicken & Halloumi Souvlaki
(makes meze for 8 or 4 light main servings)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts,
cut into cubes

Marinade
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
8 bay leaves
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 sprigs of lemon thyme
1 Tbsp. of honey
1 shot of Ouzo
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

salt and pepper
approx. 500 gr. of Halloumi cheese,
cut into cubes
(same size as chicken pieces)
warm pita bread
wedges of lemon
wooden skewers

1. Rinse and pat dry your chicken breasts and then cut them lenghtwise in half. Now cut them across into cube-sized pieces and set aside.
2. In a zip-lock bag, all of the marinade ingredients and stir to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning and then add your pieces of chicken into the bag. Seal and squish the contents to coat all of the chicken pieces. Marinade in the fridge for 2 hours and then bring back to room temperature before grilling.
3. Cut your pieces of Halloumi cheese into pieces that are the same size as the the chicken. Strain the marinade (and discard) from your chicken pieces and alternately skewer a piece of chicken and Halloumi onto each skewer.
4. Pre-heat your outdoor grill (or indoor stove-top grill) to a medium-high heat and ensure the grill surface is free of residue and lubricated with a vegatable oil before grilling. Season your skewers with salt and pepper.
   
5. Grill your chicken and Halloumi skewers for about 2 minutes a side and serve on plates with beds of warm pita bread and wedges of lemon.

NOTE: The wooden skewers do not need to be soaked in water prior to grilling as they are not apt to burn while on the grill for such little time.


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. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

This is my first post for 2009 and I would like to wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year!

My New Year's Eve was spent at one of favourite eateries in Toronto and I dined, laughed and drank with eleven good friends...right into the wee hours of January 1st.

The dinner was delicious, the company provided laughs (as always) and the memories....priceless. The next day (New Year's Day) could have been a really rough day but I stuck with a menu that I'm very comfortable with and as always, tested out a few new recipes prior to going "live" with the dishes.

One dish which is symbolic of New Year's for Greeks, seasonal and of course delicious, was this salad I made of mixed greens with a vinaigrette made of pomegranates.

Pomegranates are a part of Greek New Year's traditions as many families will smash a pomegranate in front of the home and hopefully disperse alot of seeds over a wide area. The more seeds are dispersed, the better the fortunes for the home.

I first tried this salad for our Christmas Day dinner and although it was delicious, the mere presence of just pomegranate juice leaves the dressing a little runny. I fine tuned the vinaigrette by adding some pomegranate molasses into the mix.

Pomegranate molasses can be found at a Greek or Middle Eastern market and if neither of those shops are near you, one could reduce the pomegranate juice into a thicker syrup.

Everyone at the table loved the simplicity of the dish, it's easy on the eyes and the contrast of crumbled Feta and pomegranate seeds bejeweling the salad made each forkful of salad a delight.

I don't have any specific measurements here but I can tell you now that my preferred method of making salad dressings is with a squeeze bottle that looks like those you find at a diner with ketchup or mustard in them. The one I use is opaque so I can easily eyeball the measurements of the vinaigrette ingredients.

Mixed Greens With Feta & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

seasonal mixed greens, washed and pat-dry (salad spinner)
juice of 1 pomegranate
seeds of 1 pomegranate (for garnish)
approx. 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
approx. 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut your pomegranate in half and using a wooden spoon, smack the skin side of each half and place a bowl underneath to catch the falling seeds. Ensure none of the bitter pith falls into the bowl. Place your pomegranate seeds into a blender or food processor and whiz into a liquid. Pass through a strainer and discard the seeds.
2. In a squeeze bottle or jar, add the pomegranate juice, the garlic and eyeball how much olive oil you should add. Basic vinaigrette rule is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid (your pomegranate juice is the acid in this instance).
3. Add some salt, pepper and the Dijon mustard and shake to emulsify. If the vinaigrette is too runny for your liking, add some pomegranate molasses, shake and again taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Place your salad in a large bowl and squirt some pomegranate vinaigrette into the bowl and gently toss the salad until fully coated.
5. Divide among the plates, squirt some more vinaigrette, sprinkle some crumbled Feta and some pomegranate seeds for garnish.

PS. Lydia of the Perfect Pantry just wrote a wonderful article on Pomegranate Molasses, pomegranates and some background. There's even a recipe to make your own!

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. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

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.
   

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: Zen and the Art of Dining

This evening in New York would cement the pace and tone for the rest of my stay in New York...

Meet more food bloggers, try out another Greek restaurant in Manhattan and enjoy the array of wines available to the discerning diner.

Through my contacts at the Pavlou Winery, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to explore the Greek food scene in New York through the eyes and stomach of Konstantine Drougos.

Konstantine distributes many fine Greek wines around NYC and he is familiar with the food scene and he was delighted to meet up and explore all the wonderful Greek food on offer in New York.

As an added bonus, this evening I was also to be graced by the hilarious, charming and Ace in the Kitchen, Stephane of Chef's Gone Wild and ever charming and lovable Claire of Colloquial Cookin'.

Both had expressed their desire to learn & sample more Greek food and I did not hesitate to invite them over for some Greek food & wine.

Claire was the first to arrive, big smile, ice blue eyes and very open...she came up and introduced herself as Konstantine and Stephane were late (notorious habit of Greeks and French).

The venue for the the evening's festivities was Kellari (cellar in Greek) and the hostess and manager made us feel very comfortable in an informal seating of a sofa, table and chairs.

What was to follow was an evening of making and cementing new friendships, sharing in some wonderful Greek food, paired with wines recommended by the expert himself, Konstantine.

From the moment I walked into the door of Kellari, I was going to enjoy this place. An array of Greek cookies was on offer at the bar along with platters of Greek olives.

We ordered some Pavlou P62 Xinomavro to wash down the array of appetizers that was to ensue:

First up was the Keftedes (meatballs) in a wine & tomato sauce that was very reminscent of Soutzoukakia Smyrneika. Next to arrive at our table was some of the most tender braised and grilled octopus I've ever had.

An interesting arrival of lamb riblets has us all licking our fingers and to help balance out our meal, we ordered some braised Fasolakia (runner beans in a tomato sauce) and some crispy fried zucchini and eggplants.

As Claire and Stephane were relatively Greek food virgins, a dessert course couldn't be ignored. We agreed to an order of Loukamades which had a lovely undertone of Mastic and drizzled with a Greek honey/syrup. A Greek dessert is not complete without an array of fruits and some well-strained Greek yogurt with a dollop of sour cherry spoon sweet.

Konstantine affirmed his good taste in Greek food by taking us to Kellari first. This was a classy place but that laid-back, Greek hospitality was present, Greek music playing in the background and well-executed Greek food arriving before our hungry eyes.

In the coming days, you'll see more of Claire, Stephane and Konstatine as I continue my gastromic tour of New York City. If you're in New York, I highly recommend stopping by Kellari for a dinner and some wonderful Greek wine.

Kellari's website by-line sums up the evening perfectly:

"enter as strangers and leave as friends".

Allow me to leave you with a recipe for a much-loved Greek dish, Soutzoukakia Smyrneika (which are similar to Kellari's meatballs). This dish can be served up as an appetizer or made into a main course with some fries or rice pilaf.


Soutzokakia Smyrneika
(serves 4)

1 lb. of ground beef
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 slices of stale bread
1 egg
1 tsp. of ground cumin
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
4 Tbsp. of olive oil + extra for shallow frying
salt and pepper to taste
all-purpose flour

For the Sauce
1 onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of tomato juice
1 Tbsp. of tomato paste, dilluted in water
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. of sweet paprika
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pads of unsalted butter
1 small cinnamon stick
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the bread in a bowl of water and when it's soft, remove the crust. Squeeze it in your hands to remove the excess liquid. Add to another bowl with your ground beef and the other meatball ingredients. Knead the meat mixture with your hands to blend and fry off a small piece to sample and in the end, adjust the seasoning of your Soutzoukakia.
2. Mould the mixture into little quenelle or oblong hamburgers and dredge lightly in some flour and fry them off in hot oil. Set aside and reserve.
3. In the same skillet, add the olive oil and butter along with the onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes or until the onions have softened (about 5 minutes). Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes and then add the dilluted tomato paste + tomato juice and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium an simmer for for about 15 minutes or until thew sauce has thickened.
4. Carefully add the Soutzoukakia into the sauce and move the pot around in a circular motion to coat and warm the meatballs through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (plus sugar if needed).
   
5. Serve alone as part of an array of appetizers or for main with rice, noodles or fries.
   

Heads &Tales: Astoria By day and Molyvos at Night

After my big night on the town in New York with a long-awaited arrival in my bed at 4:30am, Sunday greeted me all too quickly and despite the lack of sleep (early riser here) I was determined to continue my tour of New York.

One of my curiosities was to visit Astoria. It's known as New York's Greektown and the Greek population of the New York City area is rivaled only by that of Melbourne, Australia.

My goal was to see if the Greeks in Astoria had a larger availability of Greek products than what I can find in Toronto's Greektown (Danforth) and to conduct some quick price comparisons.
By and large, Toronto has all that New York offers by way of Greek products, some prices in New York were cheaper but nothing was really out of whack pricewise and, I breathed a sigh of relief (many Greeks in Toronto feel they pay exorbitant prices).

I felt very much at "home" in Astoria, walking among my peeps, chatting with shop owners in Greek and feeling comfort that Greece does exist beyond it's geographical borders. Hellenism is an ideal.

Fast forward to Sunday night and I didn't have any firm plans with anybody but hey, I'm a big guy and I can handle myself in the city. Armed with my New York City guide, I flipped through the dining pages and found some Greek restaurants I've been meaning to try out.

Tonight Molyvos was on the dance card. I assume the restaurant got it's name from a town of the Greek island of Mytilini (Lesvos) and the restaurant has been around for years and despite my dining on a Sunday, business at this centrally located eatery was brisk.

Jim Botsacos is the chef and partner and somewhat of a media darling when it comes to Greek cooking in the media. One only has to Google this fellow to see that this guy gets around.

Upon entering Molyvos, one is put to ease with the warm, dark wooded decor and you're immediately greeted and seated by the hostess.

The service here is prompt, efficient and one never gets the sense that they are being rushed. I was given a wine menu, an appetizer/meze menu and a dinner menu...all on offer on this cool New York City night.

For starters, I opted for a glass of Babatzim Ouzo with ice and I was given some complementary Roasted Red Pepper Dip to hold me until my orders arrived.

I opted to try their "Garides Saganaki" which was refreshingly different from the way I serve it. The Molyvos approach to the Greek classic was to (of course) serve it in a two-handles Saganaki vessel but the sauce was more of a broth than a thick, tomato sauce.

The use of butter and olive oil was obvious, diced tomatoes, some chillis rounded out the sauce and the 'must have' shrimp and feta finished off the dish. This "take" on Garides Saganaki was a pleasant surprise as the addition of Greek basil was the star heb (usually oregano).

For my entree, I chose the skate wing with pastourma and a walnut avgolemeno with a bed of rice pilaf. The skate wing was pan fried, a bit of corn meal was detected in the crust and the thins slice of pastourma sandwiched between the two skate wing pieces gave the dish a wonderful and earthy taste.

My dinner was enjoyed with a pairing of a white Assyrtiko from the island of Santorini and it also paired well with my dessert. I capped the evening with a well-made Greek coffee (made by a non-Greek) and served with their Revani with kumquat preserve and whipped cinnamon cream.

Molyvos delivered value for money (I was actually full), the service prompt and courteous and they offered some nice twists to Greek cuisine without alienating it.

Once again, the highlight for me was the Garides Saganki and if you want to see my usual approach, have a look here but if you want the Molyvos-inspired version...here's my take on a bread-dipping heavens-to-goodness Garides (shrimp) Saganaki.

Molyvos Inspired Garides Saganaki
(serves 4)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 pads of unsalted butter
1/4 cup diced onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 hot chilli
1 pint of roasted cherry tomatoes
(halved)
1 small red pepper, diced (1/3 cup) 1/4 cup dry white wine
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. dry Greek Oregano
1 shot of Ouzo
a few leaves of Greek basil
1 cup of Greek feta, cubed
salt to taste
extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a saucepan, add your oilve oil and butter and over medium-high heat, add your onions, garlic and peppers and saute for a minute or two then reduce to medium and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Now add the wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil and then reduce back to a simmer and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
2. Take off the heat, adjust seasoning (very little salt needed as Feta will finish the dish), add your Ouzo, parsley and oregano and stir in.
3. Set your oven to the Broiler setting and begin assembling your Saganaki vessels for baking. Using a ladle, pour the sauce equally into each baking vessel and then divide the shrimp into each serving. Top each serving with the cubes of feta and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the the shrimp have turned pink and your cheese is golden.
4. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and place some basil leaves in each bowl and serve with some wedges of pita bread.
   

Artichoke Pie (Ταβερνίσια αγκιναρόπιτα της Τήνου)

Another island in the Cyclades of Greece is Tinos. Tinos is the island just before reaching party-central Mykonos.

The contrast in vacationers that attend both islands is that of the late nights of Mykonos, loud thumping Techno & House and all-nighters and the more normal Tinos with vacationers seeking the beach, idlyllic town life, a fine taverna and it's popular religious attraction of Church of Panagia (Virgin Mary).

One of the holiest days in the Greek-Orthodox calendar is August 15th and many pilgrims visit Tinos to crawl up it's long incline of steps in hopes of being one of the blessed with a miracle from the icon of Panagia.

Tinos is also famous for it's artichokes and in keeping with the Greeks' natural ingenuity, taverna owners have come up with creative ways to showcase this local produce in an array of dishes.

I found an interesting recipe from Diane Kochilias who has written many cookbooks on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

She describes this dish as being inspired by the taverna owners' many renditions of their Artichoke pie. The Greek island of Kefallonia (on the Ionian side of Greece) also has their own Artichoke pie but we'll chat about that another time.

This dish stood out for me because one of the main ingredients here is bread slices. I have a feeling the origins of this dish are very peasant and in keeping with the Greek tradition of stretching your ingredients to utmost limit.

I'm sure day-old bread was used to make Artichoke Pie (you can too) but I've found that lighter, less dense bread works best here for absorbing moisture and flavour in the end result.

In this dish I used preserved, jarred artichoke hearts, some grated Graviera cheese (sheep's milk Grueyere), Bechamel sauce and some fresh thyme.

This dish is easy, great offering for a buffet, part of a light lunch or serve a wedge as a snack. It also came in handy as I was able to use up a jar of artichokes staring at me in the fridge and it hit the spot for wanting a light lunch with a salad on the side.

Artichoke Pie (Ταβερνίσια αγκιναρόπιτα της Τήνου)

a buttered 13X9X2" bakiing dish
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large loaf of rustic bread, crust removed & cut into thick slices
2 tsp. of fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
approx. dozen artichoke hearts, cut into bite-sized pieces (poached if fresh, I used jarred)
1 1/2 grated Graviera cheese (Gruyere is fine)
3 cups of Bechamel Sauce (or 1/2 of my recipe)
thyme sprigs for garnish

1. Melt the olive oil in a large skillet and add your onions and garlic and saute over medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add your fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool and set aside.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F. Now make your Bechamel sauce as per my instructions with the 1 cup of grated Graviera and set aside and keep warm.
   
3. Spoon some Bechamel Sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and lay your first layer of bread slices. Now spoon half of your sauteed onions over the bread, followed by half the artichoke pieces, some Bechamel sauce and some grated cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order.
4. Bake until tender and the top is golden-brown, about 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, slice into portioned squares and serve.