Ragu of Braised Lamb

This past Friday I drank & supped with some old and new friends and discovered a new eatery that's operated in Toronto for years.

I supped at none other than Gio Rana's Really Really Nice Restaurant. Upon pulling up in front of what used to be a bank, you wonder if you're at the right address but as soon as you enter the premise, catch the buzz of the crowd, the positive vibe of the staff and ultimately taste the food. You'll realize why this joint has been satisfying Torontonians with Italian food for years.

If you're in Toronto and you feel like Italian, a fun crowd and at affordable prices, go to Geo's! I started off with the Frito Misto and finished off with a grilled whole Branzino (Lavraki) stuffed with tarragon and lemon. I also ordered a side of rapini but the dish that stood out in my mind enough to replicate it the next day was the Lamb Ragu.

Geo's served me an aromatic, slow-braised lamb that was served on a bed of homemade Pappardelle pasta. It was a small "secondi" so every twirl of pasta in my fork was savoured. The dish left me wanting more and based on my taste memory and a quick scan of the internet, I was able to successfully recreate a wonderful dish that will make a lover of lamb out of anyone....sheepish (pun intended)!

Jamie Oliver has a game ragu recipe which makes for a good starting point but if you want something more concrete, take a look at Claudia's ragu at Cook Eat Fret.

Both Jamie and Claudia reinforced my taste memory of Gio's ragu and convinced myself that I would go in the right direction with my own take.

Ragu is Italian for meat sauce (not that awful jarred tomato sauce) and although the sauce comes together after a couple of hours, it's quite easy, ideal for that lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon where you can turn up some tunes, open some wine and gracefully cook, drink and entertain at the same time.

On this occasion I also had the opportunity to once again put my new pasta machine to use and make some homemade Pappardelle (thicker than fettucine). There are tons of "how to" references on making homemade pasta so I'll only emphazise that the general rule is about 1 cup flour plus 1 egg for each pasta serving. Most recipes include olive oil, salt and some water in the mix.

Pasta dough is very forgiving and once you know you're way around your pasta machine, you'll be cranking out enough pasta to guraantee you a spot in carbohydrate heaven!



Ragu of Braised Lamb
(serves 6)
1 1/2 lbs. of lamb shoulder (bone in)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 carrots, fine dice
2 stalks of celery, fine dice
1 tsp. dry rosemary
1 bunch of thyme
3 bay leaves
4-5 allspice berries
2 cups of good tomato puree (passata)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1 1/2 cups of red wine
1 cup of beef, veal or lamb stock
1/2 cup cream grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
homemade Pappardelle (or pasta of your choice)

1. Trim your lamb meat of excess fat but still leave some on. Season with salt & pepper and pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown your lamb meat in batches and set aside and reserve.
2. Now lower your heat to medium and add your onions, carrots, celery, parsely and garlic and saute for about 1o minutes or until softened. Make a bouquet garni by rolling your bay leaves, thyme springs, rosemary and allspice berries in a tied cheesecloth ( I forgot to but YOU should) and add into the skillet.
3. Add your tomato paste and sundried tomatoes and stir in and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add your wine and simmer for another five minutes. Add your tomato puree (passata), pieces of lamb and stock and bring to a boil. Add some salt and pepper to taste and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about an hour. Remove the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes.
4. You lamb meat should fall off the bone and be fork-tender. Remove the meat from the sauce and continue to simmer the sauce until you've achieved your desired consistency (I chose thick, for another 30 minutes.
5. Get a large pot of water boiling and get your pasta cooking. Separate the lamb meat from the bones and tear the meat into bite-sized pieces. When the sauce has thickened to your liking, the meat, cream and some grated cheese. Remove the bouquet garni and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
6. Add a good amount of salt to your water and boil dry pasta according to package's instructions or about 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta. Strain pasta and divide among the 6 bowls. Serve a heaping ladle of lamb ragu over the pasta and grate some Romano or Parmesan and a few turns of fresh ground pepper.
   

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 at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Fish à la Spetsiota (Ψάρι α λα σπετσιώτα)

Many, many years ago...1990 to be exact, I was working for a Canadian bank in my first "adult" job and being at the bottom of the ladder, I was given a mere ten days for vacation and that vacation could only be taken after the summer holidays (when those with seniority and children came back from vacation). The only window of opportunity for me to visit Greece with some decent swimming weather was September.

I actually booked and stayed in Greece for 2 weeks! Some of you might be thinking, "I'd take two weeks to Greece" but let me put things in perspective for you. Two weeks for a Greek who's accustomed to spend an entire summer in Greece is almost a tease of a vacation.

Regardless, I went to Greece for two weeks but it was one of the funnest and action-packed trips to Greece. Not one day wasted, every hour savoured, every moment with friends and family precious.

Some friends of mine set up to meet me in Athens upon my arrival and we were spend a night in Athens then take a short ferry boat ride to two islands in the Saronic Gulf, Hydra and Spetses.

These islands are very popular with Athenians as they are only a short distance away by car and ferry or just a ferry from Athens. Both islands picturesque, transporting you far away from the hustle & bustle of Athens and offering the city folk a slower pace, a sip of the good life and a breath of warm sea air. Today, we'll dine in Spetses.

I remember a pretty town lined with old mansions, horse drawn carriage rides and many roads finished with mosaic patterns. Days were spent taking leisurely strolls or taking a short ferry to the mainland for a nice swim at Kosta beach.

The evenings? What else but to dine in one of the many quaint and affordable eateries that cater to foreign and Greek tourists alike.

This baked fish dish comes from Spetses and it's basically a baked fish (Plaki) with whole or fish fillets, tomatoes, parsley and breadcrumbs. There are obviously many slight variations to this dish but here, you get simplicity, you get a healthy dinner option, a viable weeknight meal that will transport you to one of Spetses' many tavernas.

Fish à la Spetsiota is also in keeping with my goal to eat lighter and healthier during the month of January. I have cracked a bit and I will share some of the richer meals real soon.

But in the meantime, go to the market and see what the catch of the day is. It's Friday and I'm sure your fish monger is brimming with some fresh fish. Fancy a whole fish on the bone? Or would you like the "no fuss - no muss" of a fillet?

Either way, this dish can accomodate you. Sole, tilapia or snapper fillets will work fine here and on the instance I made this dish, I used sea bass filllets.

The dinner was accompanied but a simple yet delicious salad of Romaine lettuce, scallions, dill, extra-virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, sea salt, pepper and some Feta cheese.

Greeks enjoy rice with fish and I've paired the Spetsiota dish with baked rice and a side of blanched green beans.

Try Fish à la Spetsiota with the rice and green beans. The rice is your obvious starch but the beans and fish pairing really work here. Place the fish fillet on top of a bed of beans and allow some of the tomato sauce to get on the beans. The two work beautifully together!

If using fresh tomatoes, a little tomato paste will help bring the sauce together but here I used a good quality canned plum tomatoes. Finally, don't even think about using that store bought crap they label as breadcrumbs. It's more akin to sawdust than anything else.

Grab some old bread and pulse it in your processor or even take some good bread, cut in cubes, bake it in low heat (300F) for 30 minutes and turn the heat off and allow the bread cubes to cool and dry out for another hour so. Place in your processor and you have the tastiest breadcrumbs ever!

Fish à la Spetsiota (Ψάρι α λα σπετσιώτα)
(serves 4)
adapted from The Food and Wine of Greece, Diane Kochilas

4 fish fillets
1 1/2 cups of plum tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. Rinse your fish fillets and pat dry. Lightly season your fillets with salt and pepper and stand for about 30 minutes.
   
2. In a food processor, add the plum tomatoes, parsley, garlic and wine and pulse until the mixture is blended but some pieces of tomato remain. Allow the mixture to marry for 30 minutes. Pre-heat your oven.
3. Season the fish with a little more salt and pepper and place in a lightly treated baking tray with olive oil. Pour some of the sauce on the tray then lay your fillets down. Pour the tomato sauce over the fillets and sprinkle with your homemade breadcrumbs.
4. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and bake until the sauce has firmed up and the breadcrumb topping has formed a crisp, light-brown crust (approx. 30 minutes).
   
5. Serve warm with some baked white rice, a bed of boiled & blanched green beans and a green salad. Drizzle each fish with some extra-virgin olive oil.
   

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 at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Kampanoules With Peppers and Basil (καμπανούλες με πιπεριές και βασιλικό)

It's been awhile since I've posted a pasta dish. It's not that I haven't been eating pasta (I have) but I'm also not going to bore you with another Bolognese recipe or any other standard pasta dish that most of us regularly enjoy.

Instead, it's time to showcase another rustic dish, filling yet light on the pocket and the palate. Last year Misko of Greece sent me some samples of their Greek pasta and one of the more unique shapes were their "kampanoules" (καμπανούλες) or in English - "little bells".

The package reads that they are indigenous to the province of Thessalia, which sits between Macedonia and and Attica. The shape of this pasta also mimics the shape of the little bell-shaped flowers that grow wild on the mountainsides.

Enough with flowers, pasta tastes better, no?

This recipe comes from the side of the package of Kampanpoules. This is a simple dish, using only vegetables, herbs, olive oil and the pasta itself. I've made this dish a few times and it always satisfies me with it's fresh flavours and I never feel bad about eating a big bowl.

Another Greek cheese that's grated on top of pasta dishes is the aged, dry Myzithra. Myzithra comes fresh and aged and it's made like ricotta cheese (from the leftover whey).

Dry Myzithra comes in large, grapefruit sized balls, it's a hard and salty cheese. When grated it has the characteristics of a mild Romano.

Kampanoules With Peppers and Basil (καμπανούλες με πιπεριές και βασιλικό)
(for 4)

2 cups or 500gr. of "καμπανούλες"
1 cup of diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup of fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper (banana or cubanelle), sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1/3 cup pitted black olives, rough chop
1 cup of fresh basil, chiffonade
Grated dry Myzithra cheese

1. Place a large pot of water on your stovetop and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt and cook your pasta (kampanoules) for 10-13 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Now add your mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers and simmer for about 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the chopped olives and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
3. When your pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the sauce along with your basil and toss to coat all the pasta with the sauce.
4. Divide pasta into four plates and grate the dry Myzithra over each serving.
   

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

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

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).
   

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.