Kakavia (Κακαβια)

Kakavia is also known as "Psarosoupa" or a fish soup. Kakavia also gets it's name from the pot in which it's cooked in, the "kakavi". By all accounts, Kakavia is the pre-cursor to the modern-day bouillabaisse. It made its way from Greece to Marseilles (Massalia) around 600 B.C.

The Greeks cooked this in the "kakavi", the French in the "bouillet". Which pot do think came first? Good.

There are many renditions of Kakavia, this one having some tomatoes, others made in a Avgolemono Sauce and both are absolutely delicious. The two versions (any many in between) are made with a combination of fish and shellfish, filled with vegetables and herbs and it makes for an excellent pairing with some crusty bread and a dry glass of white wine.

Some of the older recipes for Kakavia even call for the use of sea water in the soup but we'll steer away from that. Kakavia is traditionally made from the day's catch to feed the crew so, don't fret if you don't have the same array of seafood I've used. The best fish and seafood is the freshest fish and seafood.

There are three components to a Kakavia, the first being the base of vegetables and herbs. The second component is the whole fish that's gives the soup mid-range seafood flavours. Without the whole fish, this would just be a vegetable soup with some shellfish thrown in the end. The third and final component is the actual fish and seafood that get added just near the end of the cooking process. The meat of the dish, if you will.

Preparation or "mise en place" is always important when cooking but I'd recommend you get organized when making Kakavia. It's not a difficult soup to make, there are just some steps one has to be organized about when tackling this dish.

Bouquet garnis are required for the whole fish that get poached in the soup and, for the bundle of herbs and spices that will add depth of falvour. Leeks are best for soups but onions work fine too. A rough dice of all the vegetables is all that is required. The goal is to have chunks that fit well on the soup spoon. A gulp of potato, a slurp of carrot and clam, a bite if shrimp and celery.

Kakavia is also a liberal recipe in that there's no set rules as to what fish and seafood one should use. My only caution to you is to avoid adding salmon here...the salmon will dominate the entire flavour of the soup.

So, pay a visit to your fishmonger, ask him (or her) to find you a good whole fish for stock, say a red snapper or 2-3 red mullets. In Greece, the Scorpion fish does the fish stock duties but I've yet to see such species on this side of the Atlantic. A medley of shellfish are the jewels of the soup. Grab some clams, mussels, the shrimp and some fillets of white fish (like bass, cod, whiting or grouper).

An important procedure with Kakavia is to wrap the whole fish well in a cheesecloth. The wholefish will be poached in the broth and the body can come apart rather easily. The cheesecloth does a very good job of preventing pin bones from remaining in your soup.

Finally, do accompany this soup with some good crusty bread. On this occasion, I toasted some homemade Artisan bread, wizzed up some roasted garlic with olive oil and scallions and smeared the spread over the crusty warm bread. The combination of dipping this old-school garlic bread into this chunky fish soup will remain a memory for awhile.

Kakavia (Κακαβια)

(serves 6)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large leeks, rinsed well & rough dice

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped

3 large potatoes, diced

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 bay leaves

4-5 allspice berries

6-7 peppercorns

1 bunch of fresh thyme

pinch of saffron threads

1 heaping Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 cup dry white wine

2 red mullets (or 1 whole red snapper or Scorpion fish)

1 lb. clams

1lb. mussels

1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined

(shells reserved)

1 lb. white fish fillets (bass, haddock, halibut, whiting),

cut into bite-sized pieces

8-9 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

some cheesecloth

crusty garlic bread

chopped fresh parsley

wedges of lemon

1. Have your "mise en place" in order. Clean, peel & chop up your vegetables, wash, scrub, peel, clean, trim your fish and seafood and keep in the fridge until ready to cook. Have some cheesecloth handy to make a bouquet garni of your herbs and spices and to wrap your whole fish.
2. Place a large pot on your stovetop over medium-high heat and add your leeks, carrots and celery and saute. You may also add the bouquet garni of bay, thyme, allspice, peppercorns along with the saffron threads and another bouquet garni of reserved shrimp shells (lots of flavour in those). Lower to medium and cover and allow to sweat and soften for about 10 minutes.
3. Add your potatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree and stir in for a minute or two. Now add the wine and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add your whole fish (wrapped & tied in cheesecloth) and simmer for another 15 minutes. Carefully remove the fish, continue simmering the soup. Carefully remove the meat of the fish and reserve. You may discard the fish bones.
5. Clams take longer than all the remaining seafood to cook. Drop the clams into the pot and bring back to a boil. As soon as your soup is boiling, turn the heat off and add the mussels, shrimp and pieces of white fish and cooked red mullet meat. Cover and allow the residual heat of the soup to cook the seafood for about 10 minutes. Remove both bouquet garnis and discard.
   
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide the soup in large bowls and serve with some crusty garlic bread, sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon.
7. I recommend drinking a Pavlou Xinomavro-Riesling. It's a "blanc de noir", meaning it's a made primarly of crushed red grapes and the skins are removed to preserve it's "white wine" appearence. The Xinomavro-Riesling is an 80/20 mix and it has intense acidity (that's good), berry tones with a lemon finish.

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

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

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.

Lobster Pasta (Αστακομακαρονάδα)

Any Greek, be it in Greece or abroad will attest that they recall growing up and eating Misko brand pasta.

Misko began making pasta in 1927 in Pireaus by the Mihailidis and Konstantinis families. To this day, Misko is the pre-eminent maker of pasta in Greece.

I've begun using Misko more often as I've found the product more readily available in the international section of my local supermarket. Oh sure, I can also head down to Toronto's Greektown for it but I could literally walk to the supermarket and pick-up a few packages of Misko.

For those living in Canada, you can find Misko at the Loblaw Superstore in your neighborhood or at at most Greek food marts selling products imported from Greece.

The same holds true for those elsewhere. If you're looking for Greek ingredients...a good place to start is in the Greektown in your city or town. Ask them for Misko.

No Greektown where you live? Surely there are Greeks living there? Greeks are everywhere! Ask a Greek where they buy their ingredients and they'll be all too glad to share their source.

Still out of luck finding some Greek ingredients? The internet is your friend. Buying something like pasta is easy and non-perishable. Pasta transports well and you have no fear of receiving a damaged, expired or spoiled product.

Again, I'm using the Misko # 5 spaghetti, the type with the hollow middle. This is the traditional pasta Greeks serve most often and it's the one I usually see used when lobster pasta is served.

If you'll recall, I've mentioned Astakomakaronada (lobster pasta) in previous posts. The first time I saw this dish being served was on Mykonos and it appears to be on menus on most of the Greek islands and on menus of finer tavernas on the mainland.

This past summer, I saw Astakomakaronada being sold by the kilo...80-90 Euros a kilo!!! Boy am I glad I tried this simple yet succulent dish in the early days when Greece's national currency was the Drachma and splurging on meals like this were easier on the wallet.

Back here in Canada, we're blessed with Atlantic lobster, usually trapped off the shores of Nova Scotia and transported live to Toronto and imported around the world.

I've been finding very affordable live lobster and when I can get it at $6.99/lb., I have no guilt in enjoying the "bug of the sea"!

Here, I have for you the authentic recipe for a Greek Astomakaronada. Transport yourself to Greece and think of days spent on the beach and evenings watching the sunset and the moon rise while the warm Aegean breeze tickles your skin.

The taverna is alive, Greeks and tourists dining together, time stands still, no worries but where to lay on the beach and what to order the next day off the next taverna down the road's menu.

Lobster Pasta (Αστακομακαρονάδα)
1 serving

1 lobster 1 to 1 1/2lbs
1 handful of Misko #5 pasta
1 pad of butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup diced red onions
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. finely diced celery
2 Tbsp. finely diced carrots
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, pureed
OR 1 large ripe tomato, passed through grater
1 tsp. of tomato paste
1 small bay leaf
splash of dry white wine
splash of Metaxa (Greek brandy)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
pinch of ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place a large pot of water on the stovetop and bring to a boil. When the water's boiling, add a good amount of salt, take your lobster out of the fridge (in the fridge they are asleep/dormant) and drop the lobster into the water, head first. Boil for 4 minutes and then blanche in cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, place a cutting board inside a baking tray so that when you cut the lobster up, you can reserve the lobster's juices. Tear the claws and knuckles off the body and then the tail. Cut the tail lengthwise in half (leave tail shell on, devein) and crack open the claws and knuckles to remove the meat. You may also use a rolling pin to extract the meat inside the walking legs. I also scoop out and use the roe if I'm lucky to have a female. Reserve any part of the shells that you like for garnish and pour the reserved juices of the lobster into a bowl.
3. Bring another pot of water to bowl and add salt. Add your Misko #5 pasta and cooking for 8-10 minutes.
4. In a sauce pan, add your butter and olive oil over medium heat and add your onions, garlic, carrot, celery and bay leaf and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent (do not burn). Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, reserved lobster juices and wine and bring to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer (medium-low heat). Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until you've achieved a thick, rich sauce.
5. Now add the Greek brandy and pieces of lobster into the sauce and stir to coat the lobster meat for a couple of minutes. Cover, take off the heat and keep warm. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf.
   
6. When your pasta is ready, drain and add to the lobster sauce along with your chopped fresh dill and pinch of ground cinnamon.
7. Carefully toss the the lobster and sauce to coat the pasta and serve immediately in a lobster bowl or platter. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and enjoy!
   

Clams Tossed in Herbs and Spaghetti

As the cooler months approach in Greece, the availability of shellfish also increases. Greece has it's own mussels, scallops, cockles, razor clams and the subject of today's dish, clams.

Some of you may not have a good source (or any source) of fresh seafood so if you have to, use canned clams but to capture the true essence of this dish one should use fresh, live clams.

There's something magical about live shellfish. The liquor or broth that's released when the shells open up is something akin to culinary magic.

This is a simple, straightforward recipe...just the herbs, wine, some spices and the clam liquor offering up straight-ahead seafood flavour.

For this dish, I used four herbs...oregano, thyme, rosemary and parsley but you may certainly shake-up the herb combo to your liking.

For many of us in the northern hemisphere, we are still blessed with some mild weather and you may have some fresh herbs left in your garden that are begging to be used up.

Go to your nearest fish monger and pick up some fresh clams or mussels.

Cervantes once said, "hunger is the best sauce" but I think this one comes in a close second!

Clams Tossed in Herbs and Spaghetti
(for 4)

1 kg. of fresh clams
2 tsp. of fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp. of dry Greek oregano
1 tsp. of fresh thyme
1 tsp . of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 chillis
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 500gr. pkge. of spaghetti

1. Place your clams in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Now place in a bowl and cover with some cold water and add about 1/3 cup of corn flour and let them soak for about 20 minutes. The clams are still alive and as they breath, they still filter water and sand out of their shells. Much of the sand will stick the the corn flour and sink to the bottom of your bowl. Just before you are ready to cook your clams, rinse them again under cold running water and strain.
2. Place a large pot of water on your stove top and bring to a boil. Now add a good amount of salt and your spaghetti and cook as per package instructions.
3. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, onions, garlic and smoked paprika and saute for 3-5 minutes for the onions to soften a bit.
4. Now add your clams, chillis, dry & fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary and white wine and cover and turn the heat to high. Allow your clams to steam for about 5-7 minutes. Your clams should be ready when they have all opened (discard any unopened clams).
5. Strain your pasta and add it into the skillet with the clams and toss along with your chopped fresh parsley.
6. Adjust seasoning with additional red pepper flakes, salt (usually not required) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
7. Plate and serve immediately.

Chianti Chicken

I've had my eye on this dish for awhile. We're at the end of summer and here in Ontario the harvest is in full swing.

Grapes are at their peak and this next dish marries sweet with savory. As you can see, we have a show-stopper here but this ain't just another pretty dish it tastes "wicked awesome"!

Chianti chicken came to being through the well-known, entertaining, informative and most importantly, delicious blog called Jenn the Leftover Queen.

Jenn currently resides in Florida with her husband Roberto and together they cater to a us a vibrant food blog, a sister travel blog and an active food forum where several food enthusiasts can chat, discuss topics, compete in the Royal Foodie Joust or ask for some technical assistance.

Jenn was one of the first people in the blogging world who extended their hand (and smile) with positive encouragement, the support to publicize my blog's existence through the Foodie BlogRoll and to become a new friend. Isn't there always room for new friends?

The dish I'm about to show you will cement a friendship, complete that "date" or impress guests over for dinner( again, thanks Jenn).

I've added my own twists to this dish, the main one being to finish it off in the oven (rather than all on the stovetop).

My other twist was to add some aromatics to the chicken by whizzing up a blend of herbs. This time I was in the mood for lemon verbena but you may certainly used thyme or rosemary here. I placed the herb mixture between the skin the meat of the thighs.

You have two options here...go with Jenn's approach or try mine...both will yield delicious results.

I have no problem serving guests chicken, especially when it's offered up like this...chicken seared on a skillet then roasted with grapes and served up with a Chianti reduction and a bed of couscous?

I knew this dish would come together just seeing the grapes and chicken going into the oven. The presentation was going to be awesome but what would it taste like?

When the chicken came out of the oven, I tasted the pan juices and to my delight I found a sweet, syrup like sauce had been created from the juices of the grapes.

This was gonna be good...add some Chianti, low-sodium stock and reduce until thick and add some butter to tighten the sauce.

Chianti chicken's a winner and I can't wait to make this again!


Chianti Chicken
(for 4)

4 quarter chicken pieces
3 Tbsp. of butter
3 Tbsp. of olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
Approx. 1 cup of Chianti red
1 cup of chicken (or veg. stock)
4 clusters of red grapes
salt and pepper to taste

Aromatics
3 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp. lemon verbena (or 1 Tbsp. dry)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Trim excess fat from your chicken and wash and pat dry. Now take the ingredients listing under "aromatics" and place them in food processor and pulse until blended. Adjust seasoning accordingly. Now carefully place your finger between the skin and meat of the thighs and separate the skin from the meat. Now spread the aromatic mixture under the skin with your finger and repeat for all the chicken quarters.
2. Place an oven-safe skillet (large enough to hold 4 chicken quarters) on the stovetop and bring to a medium high heat. You may now season your chicken quarters with salt and pepper. Add your olive oil and butter and as soon as the bubbling stops, add the chicken into the skillet, face down and saute until the skin has turned to a golden-brown (3-5 minutes).
3. Flip your chicken quarters and place the clusters of grapes to the side of each chicken quarter. Now place in your pre-heated oven and roast for 20-30 minutes or until the juices of the chicken run clear. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and reserve the chicken and grape clusters in a tented plate. Skim any excess fat from the juices in the skillet.
   
4. Place the skillet back on the the stove-top and add your sliced onions and reduce over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Now add your wine and stock and bring to a boil. Now reduce to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally.
5. As soon as the sauce thickens to your liking, take off the heat and swirl in a couple of pads of cold butter to tighten the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
6. Spoon some sauce on the bottom of half your plate and place a mound of couscous on the other half. Now top your dish with the quarter chicken, a cluster of grapes and serve with a side of sauteed mushrooms.

Tagliatelle With Zucchini, Tomato and Fresh Herbs

It's time again to thrust another blogger into the spotlight, this time it's Mary from Feeding Groom. On Monday I was cruising through the latest entries that were coming through on my Google Reader and Mary's latest dish had popped up and it was lunch time for me...

Mary insists "keep it simple" and here I'm adding, "keep it fresh" and "keep it seasonal". The ingredients here scream of Spring and Summer...fresh garden herbs and in much of the norther hemisphere, zucchini's a poppin'.

Mary's dish comes courtesy of a Patricia Wells, who's put out her own array of cookbooks and you Barefoot Contessa fans will be pleased to learn they are good friends.

For my take on this pasta dish, I decided to use some Tagliatelle and I changed the herb mix to fresh oregano and basil. Tagliatelle come in in their package in the form of nests and fresh oregano and basil make this pasta dish "jump".

Folks, this is another dish that deviates from the usual but it's still remarkably simple and wonderfully flavoured by the garden fresh herbs.

As a neat twist, I saw that Mary had added long, thin strips of zucchini into the pasta and as you can see for yourself...the dish excites the eye and it gently nudges you as you sit at the table..."won't you please eat me now"?

Tagliatelle With Zucchini, Tomato and Fresh Herbs
(for 4)

2-3 good swirls of olive oil 1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large zucchini, cut into long, thin ribbons, lengthwise
(use a mandoline or vegetable peeler)
1 can of good plum tomatoes, hand crushed
1/4 cup of good white dry wine
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste grated
Romano or Parmesan
1 package of Tagliatelle
(or 3-4 nests per serving)

1. Get a large pot of water boiling and generously salt when you've got a rolling boil. Add your Tagliatelle and swirl the nests around to unravel them and prevent sticking. Cook according to package's instructions.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and and heat up on medium-high heat. Add your ribbons of zucchini and quickly saute them and season with salt. Continue to toss for a couple of minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
3. In the same skillet, add your onions and saute for about 5 minutes to soften (over medium heat). Now add the minced garlic and white wine and simmer for another minute or so and then add your crushed plum tomatoes (plus any of the juices) and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the desired thickness is reached. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. When your pasta is "al dente", strain well and then toss into the sauce along with the zucchini ribbons and chopped fresh oregano and basil.
5. Toss your sauce with the remaining ingredients to incorporate thoroughly and serve with grated cheese and some freshly ground black pepper.
   

Μακαρονάδα με θαλασσινά

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Μακαρονάδα με θαλασσινά
(for 4)

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

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

Costolette di Maiale Piccante

Is it just me or do you all have a backlog of dishes you would like to try? Just counting the tagged recipes I have saved, I'm at 156!

Nevermind the new dishes I see daily or recipes from a cookbook, magazine or tv show. I have a big problem but I swear, I'll get to them.

I have no real "system" to cooking up a dish. Much like sizing up a recipe, I go by instinct, gut feel and what my mood is concerning food.

Tonight, I feel as though I should follow-up my grilled pork chop recipe with my use of the leftover pork chops.

This recipe goes wayyy back. I first saw this dish on Buffalo's PBS affiliate and Lidia Bastianich was doing her first series.

I liked Lidia's cooking immediately as it reminded me of the Italian food I ate at my neighbors and Italian friend's home. There would be no nouveau-Italian cusine here. Just good, honest, filling Italiano victuals.

I've only made this dish once before but the memory of the spicy/savory/tart dish stuck in my mind. First because I had never prepared pork chops like this before and secondly the recipe used pickled cherry peppers, which my family has made on many occasions.

Costolette di Maiale Piccante is translated as Spicy Pork Chops but if you listed it in a menu as that, then you wouldn't get the $22.95 menu price would ya? Italians are smart like that.

I'm leaving you with the original recipe which calls for breading and browning pork chops and then simmering them to a saucy finish. Tonight I worked with leftover pork chops so I simply started off with cooking off a roux and then I added the liquids and the remaining ingredients until I achieved the same saucy dish asked for by the recipe.

If you making this dish, hold off on the vinegar until the end. Add a splash at the end, just in case you don't want the dish to be at all tart. Also, I threw in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes...something to balance the heat of the cherry peppers and give a slight sweetness.

The dish was rounded out by a bed of mashed potatoes with cream cheese, Italian herb mix and some grated Grano Padano. A fitting starch for a zesty pork chop dinner.


Spicy Pork Chops (Costolette di Maiale Piccante)
(for 6)

6 lean rib or loin pork chops
Salt
All purpose flour for dredging
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 bottled hot cherry peppers in vinegar, halved, stems and seeds removed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (optional)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup Chicken Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides of each lightly with salt. Coat the chops with flour and shake off any excess flour.
   
2. Divide the oil between two heavy, large skillets (cast-iron is ideal) and place the skillets over medium heat.
3. Add the chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Tuck the garlic in around the chops and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Tilt the skillets and spoon off as much of the fat as possible. Divide the cherry peppers and rosemary between the skillets. Add half of the vinegar to each skillet and cook, shaking the skillets occasionally, until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
   
4. Pour half of the wine into each skillet and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to each skillet, cover them and simmer for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
   
5. Remove the chops to plates. The sauce should be slightly syrupy. If not, increase the heat to high and boil one to two minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chops.