Greek Cooking

(My husband Steve is Greek.
He loves the food and cooking styles of Greece.
I lovingly dedicate this page to him.
I love you, Stavros!)

Greek Chicken Sandwiches

1 cup non-fat Plain Yogurt
3/4 cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped English Cucumber
1 tbsp chopped fresh Dill
1 clove Garlic, minced

4 boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
1-1/2 T. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. dried Oregano
1 clove Garlic, minced
4 (7-inch) "Greek-style" Pitas
4 Lettuce leaves
1 c. chopped Tomato
1 medium Red Onion, cut into rings

In a small bowl stir together, yogurt, cucumber, dill and garlic. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Combine lemon juice, oregano and garlic in a med. bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand 5 mins.

Spray a wok or skillet with non-stick spray. Add chicken and cook stirring often, until no longer pink. Continue to cook until chicken is lightly browned.

Meanwhile wrap pitas in foil and bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Serves 4.

To assemble, place lettuce leaf and 1/4 of the chicken on 1 pita bread. Top with tomatoes, onion rings and 2 tbsp tzatziki. Fold pita over filling and serve immediately.

Dolmathes (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

Ask Americans to name dishes representative of Greek cooking and they'll almost certainly include stuffed grape leaves in the first four choices (the other three being moussaka, souvlakia, and baklava). It's such a tasty, memorable way to eat rice and ground beef. Fig and mulberry leaves were originally used for making these little rolls, a procedure that didn't change until Hellenistic times when grape leaves began to take precedence. Serve them hot for dinner or cold for appetizers. (Makes approximately 60)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. rice
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 (15-oz) can whole tomatoes (or 8-ounce can tomato sauce)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each of pepper and garlic powder
1 tsp. each of fresh chopped parsley, mint, and fennel (or dill)
1 small (1 pound) jar of grape leaves
2 lemons
1-1/2 c. beef broth (or 1 can commercial beef broth)

Mix together all ingredients except the last three.

Rinse the grape leaves in cold water and drain. Cut the heavy stems from the leaves. Then, following illustrations 1-6, take each leaf (with the smooth shiny surface on the underside) and place 1 teaspoon of the mixture near the stem end.

Using both hands, fold the lower parts of the leaf up and over the filling. Fold the right side over the filling, then the left side. Then roll tightly from the mixture end to the tip of the leaf.

You should have a neat little parcel about 2 inches long. (If the leaves are too large, cut them in half along the central vein and proceed as above, placing the mixture along the cut edge.)

     

Arrange the dolmathes seam side down in a saucepan, side by side (making sure they are tightly packed) to form the first layer; squeeze lemon juice over the entire layer. Start a second layer, squeezing lemon juice over each. Continue until all the filling has been used.

Pour beef broth over the dolmathes and then add water until the level is 1/2 inch above the dolmathes. Invert an oven-proof plate on the dolmathes to hold them in place while cooking. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

When the rice is tender, remove the dolmathes from the pot and serve them on a platter, garnished with lemon wedges. Serve hot as a dinner entree or cold as appetizers. Makes approximately 60.

Note: Dolmathes may be frozen before they are cooked if you want to prepare them ahead of time, or if only a small quantity is to be used at a time.

Gyros

1 (4 to 5-lb) boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed
5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into 20 slivers
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
3 T. fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. chopped fresh oregano
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Essence, recipe follows
16 pita breads
Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped tomatoes

With a sharp knife, make 20 slits across 1 side of the lamb and insert the garlic slivers. Place in a large non-reactive dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lamb and rub evenly across the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Season lightly on all sides with Essence. Brush a grill lightly with olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145° for medium-rare, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove from the grill and transfer to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 12 minutes before carving.

Thinly slice the lamb and place the meat in the center of the pita breads. Top with Tzatziki Sauce and chopped tomatoes, and serve.

Essence (Creole Seasoning):

2-1/2 T. paprika
2 T. salt
2 T. garlic powder
1 T. black pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried leaf oregano
1 T. dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup.

Tzatziki Sauce:

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 c. plain yogurt
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. minced garlic

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.

Spanikopita (Greek cheese pies)

Filling:

1 lb. crumbled feta cheese
3 beaten eggs
1 T. olive oil
1 T. chopped parsley

Pastry:

1-pound package of prepared phyllo dough
1 c. of melted butter

Mix all of the ingredients for the filling. Preheat the oven to 400°.

Cover your work surface with wax paper. Place a sheet of dough on the wax paper and brush with the melted butter.

Place another sheet on top and brush it with melted butter.

Put about 2 tablespoons of filling at the narrow end of the dough and fold it like a burrito.

Place the folded dough seam side down on an oiled baking sheet. Brush with melted butter.

Continue to make cheese pies and place on the sheet until filling or dough is done.

Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pies are a light golden brown. Serve warm.

Baklava

Note About Using Using Filo: If the filo is frozen, defrost it according to the directions on the box, which require that the pastry be left in the airtight plastic wrapping so it will not dry out. Filo dries quickly and crumbles after it is opened, so cover it with a smooth, damp kitchen towel (not the Turkish type) to keep it at a workable consistency. Should you tear one of the sheets while you're working with it, use it between whole sheets. Do not try to patch it together with water; it will become pastry and sticky. Finally, the secret to the successful use of filo is butter. Do not let your parsimony or calorie consciousness intrude here! If you skimp on the amount you use, or skip spreading it on some of the sheets, your pastry will emerge sodden instead of flaky and crisp. (Yields about 120 pieces)

Pastry:

1 lb. shelled walnuts, coarsely ground
1 lb. shelled almonds, coarsely ground
1 c. granulated sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. mace
1 lb. filo pastry
1 lb. butter, melted
Whole cloves

Honey Syrup:

3 c. granulated sugar
3 c. water
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 stick cinnamon
6 whole cloves
Peel of 1 orange (not grated)
1-1/2 c. of honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Baking Pan 10-1/2 by 14-1/2 by 2-inch aluminum baking pan, ungreased

In a large bowl mix nuts with sugar and spices. Brush bottom of a 10 1/2 by 14 1/2 by 2-inch baking pan with melted butter. Then, brushing each with melted butter, place 6 sheets of filo in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Continue alternating filo, butter, and the nut mixture until all of the nuts are used. Again, buttering between each layer, add 6 to 8 more filo sheets to the stack in the pan. Butter the top.

With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the baklava into vertical strips a full 1-inch wide (as shown in the diagram on the left). Be sure to cut to the bottom of the pan.

Then cut these strips diagonally 1-inch wide to form the small, traditional diamond-shaped pieces (as shown in the diagram above.) It is very important that the width of the diagonal cut be the same as that of the vertical cut.

Stick a whole clove in the center of each piece.

     

Bake in a 300° oven for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes (until evenly browned).

During the last 45 minutes of the baking, prepare the honey syrup by combining the sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel, and honey. Boil this syrup for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the vanilla at the last minute before using. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel.

Remove the baked baklava from the oven and immediately, but carefully, pour all but 3/4 cup of the boiling syrup over it. Return the 3/4 cup of syrup to the heat and boil for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, return the baklava to the oven and bake 3 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and pour the remaining syrup over the top.

Allow the baklava to cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours before using.

Himoi Apo Froutta (Fruit Punch)

1 large can pineapple
1 large can peaches
12-oz can frozen orange juice
12-oz can frozen lemonade

Combine the four fruits in a blender. Use the entire contents of the can. This mixture become a punch base.

Add 1 cup of punch base to 4 cups of cold water and serve very cold.