Little Cooking Tips - Side Dish

Cooking Time:

It’s been quite a while, since our last post. But we are finally back! Many things happened during this summer, some of which were good and some of which were terrible.

On the positive side of our news, we decided, after living together for some years, to get married. We were so happy to officially tie the knot, and then we went to the island of Kythira for our honeymoon. The island was really beautiful and we had a great time there, with good food, swimming and sightseeing.

However, this summer –as many of you many have learned through the news- another tragedy hit Greece. Huge wildfires burned thousands of homes, and the worst part was that 100 people, many of them children were perished. The wildfires burned in the outskirts of Athens, near a beach. The seaside village of Mati, has been literally wiped off the map and the stories coming from the area were truly heartbreaking. It still hurts too much when we talk about this. Because of the tragedy, and out of respect for the victims lost by the sea, we decided that we will not share photos from sunny summer beaches in this post.

For pictures from our lives in Greece, that always accompany our posts, we decided that we will share some, from our trip to the mountains of Karpenisi, back in spring.

A trip to Karpenisi

During the last spring, we visited Karpenisi. This is a town situated in central Greece, in the southern part of the Pindus mountain range. The town is inside a valley, surrounded by the mountains; you can see it in the first photo of this post. The building on the hill is a hotel with a great view of the town. There are many small B&Bs in the area, especially in small villages that are spread in the slopes around Karpenisi. We stayed in one of these picturesque villages, and the photos next, are from our visits in such villages.

The food in Karpenisi was really good! All the taverns/restaurants in the area have great food and serve you with a smile. We had traditional dishes like fasolada bean soup, cuttlefish and spinach stew, grilled local trout from the rivers of the area (served with boiled wild greens in EVOO-lemon), grilled meats, and we enjoyed all these dishes with amazing views of rivers, streams and dense forests with firs! The desserts were mostly traditional as well; we had orange pie (a syrup-drenched orange cake), walnut pie (syrup-drenched cake with ground walnut), galaktoboureko (a delicious custard with filo) and many more delicacies.

If you ever visit the area make sure to have/rent a car, so you can get to the villages and the mountains around Karpenisi. The place is really unique and perhaps not classically Mediterranean. Perhaps it may remind one of old mountain villages in central Italy or villages in the mountains of southern France. There’s peace and quiet here, and doesn’t have that touristy-feel of other places.

The authentic atmosphere in the area around Karpenisi, made this trip really memorable. We still remember how much we enjoyed visiting small cafes in these old villages to have some herbal teas, looking at the view around us in a zen-like state :) If you ever come to Greece in the winter, do try the sideritis mountain tea, called “tsai tou vounou”, usually served with honey in villages throughout the country. It has a unique flavor and it’s perfect for the immune system, the digestion and the shortness of breath. Just perfect when you walk up and down the slopes!

By the way, at the north of Karpenisi, there’s also a ski resort, which was closed because of the season. We bet it’ll be amazing during winter.

Another delicious find, was a small mushroom shop in the village of Voutyro. The guys working at the shop explained us many things about mushrooms, as they also have a small exhibition with various species. They forage mushrooms from the mountains of the area and are really passionate about what they do. We bought some of their products, our favorite being a bug of dried morels. These were cooked with good butter and a little parsley upon our return to Athens and were really amazing! By far one the best mushroom varieties we ever had.

No mayo Greek style potato salad

When we returned to Athens, the weather changed and it got really warm. Summer came a bit early this year. So, we started having BBQs and grilling a LOT of fish (for some unexplained reason). Of course, we also had one of our favorite BBQ treats: Thai-marinated turkey chops! Also lots of chicken and pork chops (yes, perhaps you may get a strange impression that we love having BBQs, right?).

What is also a must at every BBQ? A good salad (of course!). What’s one of the most popular salads in BBQs? A potato salad! We shared a couple of potato salads in the past on the blog, like the no-mayo gorgonzola potato salad (a delicious blue-cheese and walnut salad) and the roasted peppers potato salad [https://www.littlecookingtips.com/content/sensational-potato-salad-roasted-red-peppers] (a very old post, please be gentle with us when you take a look at the photo and the text).

The potato salad that we’ll share with you here is definitely a favorite, and it also has Greek ingredients. We call this a “Greek style” no-mayo salad, as it contains olives, capers and feta. You can also have this as a meal, since it also has protein because of the cheese. And the leftovers are amazing, especially if you have them with hard boiled eggs, to stir things up!

This potato salad is healthier than most potato salads, as it is lower in fat. Why is that? Because it doesn’t have a ton of mayo in it, like most similar salads. It actually has good fats, like extra virgin olive oil. It’s a salad with lots of taste without the calories of a traditional potato salad, so it’s great if you’re looking for ways to lower the calorie intake.

This doesn’t mean though that it lacks anything in flavor! No one will feel like they are missing out. It’s not a bland salad, no, not at all. It has a wonderful texture from the soft potatoes and olives, the crumbly feta and the crunchy onion and parsley. It has slightly salty and vinegary flavors from the olives and the capers which pair amazing with the slightly sweet and sharp balsamic-honey-mustard dressing! All these flavors, along with the cheesy feta give so much taste and elevate the humble potatoes. So, each bite is super yummy!

One of the things that make or break a potato salad is the dressing; in this salad, we think the quantity is just right: it’s not a dry salad. If you do prefer more dressing though, please, by all means, double the ingredients and make some more!

By the way, blending the dressing in the food processor is very important for proper emulsification. Do not skip this step and whisk by hand. The processor makes all the difference! And always keep in mind, that potatoes need a lot of salt. So add a some salt in the salad but also add some in the dressing.

For this recipe, like with any potato salad, you should prefer waxy over starchy potatoes. Red potatoes or Yukon gold are really perfect for this. Of course, you can also use baby potatoes, Russet, yellow or white potatoes as well.

And like with many similar recipes, you can make many variations of this salad. For instance, you can also add finely chopped red bell peppers! You can add jalapenos for a spicier taste. You can add chunks of gherkins instead of capers. You can add chives or dill instead of parsley. The possibilities are endless and we’d love to hear about variations that you tried, to make this salad your own!

This is also a potato salad that tastes amazing served at room temperature. So you can have the boiled potatoes drained and waiting at the colander and prepare and serve the salad at the last moment. No need to make it ahead. The flavors will be there. This makes it a great last-minute potato salad you can bring with you at any BBQ!

So let’s see how to make this sweet and sour, delicious, Greek-style potato salad!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1lb potatoes*
- 35g (3 tablespoons) kalamata olives, pitted **
- 20g (2 tablespoons) capers
- 40g (1/4 cup) red onion, finely chopped
- 15g (4 tablespoons) fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 100-120g / 3.5-4 oz (about 3/4 cup) feta, cubed
-salt, pepper

For the dressing:
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 garlic clove (1 teaspoon), minced
- salt, pepper

* Prefer waxy potatoes like Yukon gold, or red potatoes. You can use other varieties as well though, like baby potatoes, Russet, Yellow or White potatoes. Ourselves, we prefer a French baby potato variety that is widely available here in Europe.
** You can also use whole kalamata olives as-is (add 5-8 olives), or cut 35g (3 tablespoons) of slices from whole olives.

-Advertisement-:

Preparation:

If you plan to leave the skin on, rinse the potatoes and place them in a large bowl with enough water to cover them. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar (pic. 1) and let them sit for 5 minutes. Then, scrub their surface with a brush (pic. 2), rinse and set aside. If you don’t want the skin on, simply rinse and then peel the potatoes.
At the same time with the potatoes: let the capers sit in a bowl with a cup or two of water, for about 10 minutes; then drain them in a fine sieve. Keep them in the –now- empty bowl (pic. 3).

Place the potatoes in a medium sized pot, cover them with water and add 1-2 tablespoons of salt (pic. 4). Bring them to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer them for 10-12 minutes (depending on their size). The potatoes are ready, once you can easily pierce them with a fork. When ready, drain them in a colander (pic. 5) and let them cool so you can handle them.

To make the dressing, add the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, the mustard, the honey, the garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor (pic. 6). Pulse for about 1 minute (pic.7).

Chop the potatoes to desired size chunks (we prefer about 3-5cm / 1-1.5 inch each) in a bowl. Add the olives, the capers (pic. 8), the onion, the parsley, a little salt and pepper (pic. 9). Mix gently with a spoon to combine (pic. 10).

Serve with the dressing on top, or on the side so that anyone can add in his plate.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can add more garlic (up to two cloves) if you prefer a strong garlicky flavor in the dressing.
2. You can also use Dijon mustard instead, if you prefer a spicier dressing.
3. Do try to chop the potatoes in smaller pieces (about 2.5cm/1 inch). When the chunks are smaller the flavors are better distributed in the salad and you don’t get bland bites.
4. You can also add chives or dill instead of parsley. If you don’t like capers, you can also substitute them with gherkins.
5. Potatoes do need a lot of salt, so don’t be afraid to add salt both in the salad and the dressing.
6. Any leftovers are amazing as a meal with the addition of some hard boiled eggs!

Did you like this recipe?
Enter your email and get more authentic recipes like this, as soon as they're published; directly in your mailbox.
Plus: FREE printable PDFs for your kitchen with the seasonal veggies & fruits and more!

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Fast&Easy

Healthy

Low Cost

How to make Greek Whipped Feta (Tyrosalata)

littlecookingtips — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 15:16:34 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

215

Servings:

Preparation Time:

15 minutes

Cooking Time:

15 minutes

Sauces - Marinades - Syrups

It’s been a while since our last post, isn’t it? We’re getting close to Valentine’s and besides posting this wonderful roundup for 10 hearty soups and stews that was really popular, we haven’t had the time to properly sit down and write another recipe post.

This has been a very busy period. Moreover, during the Holidays we were both under the weather and took us quite some time to recover. We spent most of the last 1,5 months staying inside, cooking lots of soups and making various comfort foods to brighten our mood:)

Of course, during the Christmas period, we made the classic Greek chicken avgolemono soup and some other traditional dishes to enjoy them at home. Since however, we were sick, we enjoyed them just ourselves, without any friends or family this year. After all, it’s hard to have people over with a runny nose and sneezing at regular intervals. :)

So, we spent the New Year’s Eve watching live feeds on the internet, with 2018 arriving at different places around the world and the fireworks/celebrations which in some cases were spectacular! We especially enjoyed Sydney, Pyongyang, Hong Kong and Dubai. It was too late for us to stay up for NYC celebrations, unfortunately, due to the time difference. We also cut the traditional vasilopita New Year’s pie but didn’t do the whole pomegranate smashing and the rest of the traditional things that go with it.

On the positive side, we had the excuse to lay down and enjoy lots of movies and series and catch up with our reading (finished Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series, both of us big fans). It wasn’t until about a week, after 2018 arrived, that we had a chance to actually get out of the house and do something, go somewhere.

We went –yes you may guess this- to Steni, in Evia which is less than a couple hours from Athens. This short trip was magnificent though. We left very early in the morning and enjoyed the sunrise on the road. The morning mist over the hills and meadows created an astonishing scenery and part of it can be seen in some of the photos of this post. When we arrived at the village, some of the Holiday decorations were still on, like the one in the photo with the elves. :)

Walking in small paths inside the village, so early in the morning, when everything is so peaceful and quiet is truly beautiful. We had a wonderful coffee in a small café where the fireplace was already on, and the sounds of cracking wood and crackling fire were the only ones in the room. We had our coffee watching the mountain above the village’s square with the pine trees and the heavy clouds sitting on its top.

After this small break, we went up the slopes to see some snow. There was some, but we mostly enjoyed walking in the forest for a while. Close to the summit, the forest is so untouched, with beautiful trees that remind one of Middle-Earth. Underneath, deadwood provides a place for moss and lichens to grow, creating a colorful carpet. You can hear small streams of crystal clear water heading down the mountain and a variety of birds singing all around you. It’s nature at its finest.

Clean Monday and Lent

The rest of January flew by us without even realizing it, with tons of work and other activities. So, we got almost to mid-February for posting this. Besides Valentine’s, which is now around the corner – and is relatively a new tradition for Greeks, which started being celebrated around 1990- another important day that’s approaching is Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday). This day marks the beginning of Lent.

Lent and Sarakosti (the 40 days period before Easter) is a big deal for Greeks, with a rich culinary tradition. You can read more about this here, in this article with some old recipes. However, before the Lent begins, there’s Tsiknopempti which has just passed (it was last Thursday).

Tsiknopempti literally means “Smoked Thursday”. On this day, Greeks have a huge meat-eating feast, with grilled meats, mostly cooked outdoors on charcoal grills. The logic behind this is that in 11 days the Lent is going to begin, so it’s an opportunity to enjoy as much meat as you like ahead of the fasting period that follows. In this day, if you step outside, in most neighborhoods you will smell grilled chicken, pork, steaks, sausages, lamb and other similar delicacies:) Most people celebrate this with friends and family, right after getting back from work, so the grills are mostly fired up for dinner, which makes this a truly special weeknight.

Tyrosalata

Speaking of Tsiknopempti, one of the most favorite Greek appetizers/spreads for accompanying grilled meats is the Tyrosalata whipped feta. Since we often make this at home, especially when we fire up the barbecue, we thought we should share this on the blog.

What is Tyrosalata? Tyrosalata literally means “cheese salad”, and it’s an easy to make spread/dip that is very often served as an appetizer or as is used as a condiment in sandwiches here in Greece. It’s basically whipped feta where with healthy ingredients added! You may also hear variations of this called ktipiti/htipiti (meaning whipped), or tyrokafteri (meaning Spicy Hot Cheese). Tyrokafteri is a version of tyrosalata that includes chili peppers, making it really spicy. If it comes too spicy, some people add yogurt to balance the heat.

But let’s get back to the classic tyrosalata whipped feta, which is not spicy. Tyrosalata is one of these old-school peasant’s foods, that people used to make all the time to serve as a snack or to accompany a drink, like wine or ouzo. It’s one of those dishes you can prepare in a couple of minutes with very few ingredients, making it perfect for any occasion.

Ourselves, we both have memories as kids, mashing some feta with a fork, and adding extra virgin olive oil, garlic and ground pepper, making this way, a quick, yummy snack to serve on crusty bread or rusks.

About the Recipe

The main ingredient for tyrosalata is really good quality feta cheese. When we write about feta in our recipes we always mean the real thing. Feta made from sheep’s (or mixed sheep’s and goat’s) milk. This feta has a stronger flavor and sour undertones and it’s perfect when combined with good olive oil and herbs. Make sure to buy high-quality feta for trying this out.

The recipe in this post makes a classic, simple tyrosalata. You can start from this, and then make countless more complex variations, by adding your favorite herbs or spices. You can also make this chunky or smooth, depending on your preferences. We like the tyrosalata a bit chunky ourselves, this way we find that we can really appreciate the feta. In this post, we used a food processor for making tyrosalata but if you don’t have one, don’t you worry; simply mince the garlic,use a fork and keep stirring, until everything has been mashed together.

This tyrosalata is made with whipped feta, without using cream cheese. Cream cheese is not traditionally used in Greece and versions that include it are not truly authentic. We find that it makes tyrosalata less cheesy and more buttery, and you lose some of the flavors of feta and olive oil. The tyrosalata of this post is a whipped feta with Greek yogurt version. Yogurt acts as a thickener and helps to incorporate the olive oil in the dip, just as it does in tzatziki (where it also absorbs the olive oil).

Like mentioned above, you can make many versions of this. Two of our favorite ones is one where you add just a little chili flakes and another one where you add roasted sweet red peppers. Some people also like to add a few drops of fresh lemon juice, but we don’t find that this adds much flavor.

How to serve Tyrosalata

You can serve tyrosalata as part of an appetizers platter or by itself. Make sure to have some rusks, crostini, bruschetta, crusty bread or breadsticks for one to spread this on. If you have some ouzo somewhere in your place, do try this together; it’s a beautiful combination.

Tyrosalata is also an amazing condiment for snacks, like sandwiches, or wraps (try it with burritos or fajitas)! You can also use it in burgers instead of mayo-based sauces. If you haven’t done this before, you’re in for a treat!

You can also serve tyrosalata atop of grilled chicken breasts, or as a side for pork or chicken skewers. It’s also amazing with steaks! If vegetarian, you can try this with fried veggies, like zucchini fritters. The combination is out of this world!

Finally, this is a perfect dip for crackers, crostini, tortilla chips, pita bread or fresh veggies, like carrot, cucumber or celery sticks. Make sure to make enough, as people will ask for more!

So let’s see how to make this easy and delicious whipped feta treat!

Ingredients:

- 200g / 7oz high quality feta cheese
- 110g / 4oz (6 tablespoons) Greek yogurt
- 1/2 - 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
- pinch of chili flakes (optional)
- pinch of fresh thyme (optional, for serving)

-Advertisement-:

Preparation:

Add the feta in a bowl of a food processor, fitted with the blade attachment (pic. 1) and add the Greek yogurt (pic. 2).

Add the olive oil (pic. 3) and the minced garlic (pic. 4).

Add the oregano (pic. 5) and chili flakes (if using) and pulse for a 10-20 seconds at low speed (pic. 6).

Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed (pic. 7) and pulse again for another 20 seconds, until relatively smooth (pic. 8).

Serve on toasted bread, bruschetta or crostini, perhaps topped with halved cherry tomatoes and/or olives. Alternatively, serve as a dip with crackers, tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, or broiled pita bread. You can also use it as a condiment for your sandwiches or burgers!

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can make this a day ahead and it will taste even better on the next day! Just keep in the fridge covered with cling film or in a sealed container.
2. As mentioned, you can serve this as an appetizer, a dip, a condiment for sandwiches or burgers, or even on the side of roasted chicken, pork, steaks or fried veggies (like zucchini fritters).
3. You can add roasted red sweet peppers to make an equally delicious version of this.
4. You can add chili flakes or sliced jalapenos to turn this into a spicy dip.
5. You can process the mixture for 1 full minute or more, if you prefer a smooth, non-chunky version of the spread.

Meal:

Appetizers

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Fast&Easy

Healthy

Vegetarian

Creamy Spicy Hummus and Paprika Pita Chips

littlecookingtips — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 10:36:47 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

609

Servings:

serves 6

Cooking Time:

1 hour

This fall has been really tough (and we know the same goes for many of you). Long hours at the office, plus we’re looking for a new place to move into… it’s been really exhausting!

So, we had to “escape” to Evia for a couple of days, to enjoy the garden and take a breath (click here to learn more about the place)! The fall is already transforming the place, with green, yellow and red colors. Some of the summer plants are still productive (like the peppers and the eggplants), because of the mild September. But the weather hasn’t been that warm in the last week; it started raining and it seems that a temperature drop is just around the corner.

Panos’ parents have already planted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, spinach, lettuce, arugula and other greens. Walking between the rows of the vegetables and the trees and simply looking at them is enough to take all the stress away!

A well in the garden and the surrounding area

Since we were tired, we didn’t want to cook something fancy that would take long. We wanted to enjoy a tasty and healthy snack. That’s why we made a delicious hummus with some pita chips on the side. Hummus is not a usual spread/dip here in Greece. Even though we love garbanzo beans AND all types of spreads, hummus is an unknown dip to most people here. Perhaps the reason is the variety of the other available spreads, like skordalia (garlic spread), tzatziki (yogurt-garlic condiment), fava (split pea pudding), pepper dips (like this one), pantzarosalata (beets and yogurt spread), taramosalata (cod roe spread), melitzanosalata (eggplant spread) and many many more.

The oranges are still green, but the eggplants are loaded with produce

This hummus is also NOT a traditional one; the classic hummus has tahini (which isn’t one of our favorite ingredients to work with). Ours is a creamy hummus with Greek yogurt and spices! The yogurt makes this spread smoother and the taste of the garbanzo beans milder. In order to make it more interesting, we added some of our favorite Indian spices: turmeric, garam masala and smoked paprika! If you can’t find garam masala, don’t worry, you can make this at home and use it in stews, dips and countless other foods. We have the instructions under the list of ingredients.

The best part is that this dip is also healthy since four of the key ingredients are the Greek yogurt, the garbanzo beans, the turmeric and the olive oil! So, this is an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and nutritious, vitamin-rich food! Did we tell you that it’s also gluten free? Yep! Just skip the next part, which is the pita chips and choose a gluten free alternative ;)

Panos with our “nephews”, Bruno on the left and Melita on the right.

For the pita chips we used a type of pita we call “Arabic” here in Greece. They’re very similar to Naan and are used in bakeries, as an alternative to tortilla wraps. They’re served in grill houses, stuffed with gyros, souvlaki and other meats and veggies. If you can’t find thin pitas abroad, then you can use any type of pitas you prefer like pocket-less pitas. If they’re thicker, simply bake them a bit more, until they’re crunchy.

We made a simple mix with olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika in order to add flavor to the chips. We brushed the pitas with this mix (just one side of them), cut them in triangle wedges and baked them for 12 minutes. The result was amazing; they were the perfect “vessel” to scoop the hummus off the plate!

One more fantastic thing about this recipe is that you can make this ahead. In fact, you SHOULD make this ahead, to allow the flavors to develop. If you make this hummus a day before, it’ll be much tastier and the texture will be better as well! So, if you’re having people over, or you want a healthy snack when you’re watching sports or your favorite TV show/movie, go ahead and try this one out! We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

The magic moment

So let’s see to make this delicious treat!

Ingredients:

For the pitas:

- 4 medium sized (or 2 large) thin Middle Eastern style pitas*

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

- 1/2 tablespoon paprika (preferably smoked)

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* if you can’t find thin pitas then use tortillas instead. You can also use Naan or Greek style pitas (for souvlaki and gyros). The Greek pitas are a bit thicker and they’ll need to bake for a few more minutes.

For the hummus:

- 500gr / 17oz / 1lb cooked or canned chickpeas*

- 200gr / 7oz Greek yogurt

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 2-2 1/2 teaspoons garam masala **

- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

- 1 teaspoon paprika (preferably smoked)

- 60ml (1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

*if using dry chickpeas you will need about 220gr / 8oz / 0.5lb (about 1 cup). Soak them in cold water overnight. The next day, drain and let them simmer in 8 cups of water (2lt) for 1,5-2 hours, until they’re soft. You can also cook them for 25-30 minutes in a pressure cooker, to save time and energy!

** You can make your own garam masala (it’s very easy). Mix: 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. Store in sealed container in a dry place.

-Advertisement-:

Preparation

Pita chips

Add all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl (pic. 1). Whisk for a few seconds (pic. 2).

Brush each pita bread (just one side) with the mix from the bowl (pic. 3). Stack each oiled pita on top of the others.Hold the pitas and cut them into 8 triangle shaped wedges (pic.4).

Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet (pic. 5). Bake in preheated oven at 200 C / 390 F for 12-15 minutes, until they’re crispy. Preferably, use the oven fan setting. Remove and set aside to cool, for a few minutes. Very easy, wasn’t it? Let’s move on to the hummus now.

Hummus: Drain the cooked garbanzo beans and add them in a food processor. Add the lemon juice (pic. 6).

Add the olive oil (pic. 7). Pulse for a few seconds to get a thick, smooth result. Empty the food processor’s contents in a large bowl and add the Greek yogurt, the garlic, the turmeric, the paprika, the garam masala, a little salt and pepper (pic. 8).

Stir with a large spoon until all the ingredients are blended. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to develop.

Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the pita chips! Deee-licious!Kali Oreksi!

Tips:

1. This is the perfect appetizer/snack if you have people over. Plus, it’s healthy!

2. it’s better if you make the hummus in the previous day. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge. The next day, it will taste even greater!

3. You can store the pita chips in a sealed container like a cookie box and serve them in the next day as well.

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Legumes / Pulses / Rice

Dough/Pies/Pizzas

Special Characteristics:

Greek rice with Leeks (Prasorizo)

littlecookingtips — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:19:01 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

830

Servings:

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

This is a wonderful, simple, old fashioned dish: Prasorizo. One of the most common vegan Greek dishes, prasorizo literally means "rice with leeks".

Like spanakorizo (rice with spinach) and lahanorizo (rice with cabbage), those dishes are among the ones you won't prefer as much as a child, but you'll definitely appreciate much much more when you grow up.

The Greek version of the Mediterranean diet considers those dishes important. Plus they can become a full meal with some help from a good chunk of barrel aged feta and some fresh, crusty, artisan bread and contain lots of nutrients.

Indeed, the combination of this prasorizo (and spanakorizo or lahanorizo) with feta is fantastic! If you have to have some meat however, then by all means use this recipe for a side dish. Especially if you are having a barbecue with grilled sausages! It's really so good, combining those two! A match made in heaven :)

But let's go back to our humble but nutritious meal: Prasorizo (and spanakorizo, and lahanorizo) are the Greek cuisine risottos. The rice used is Karolina, a short/medium grain variety that's locally grown in Greece. You can use Arborio or Carnaroli abroad, the result is equally creamy.

Since the rice is high in starch, this dish doesn't take long to cook and requires your attention. Because of the starch, if you don't stir the food often, the rice tends to stick at the bottom of the pot (just like with the Italian risotto). So, for those 30 minutes it will take to cook, be around the kitchen and take care of the food, so it'll take care of you in return.

In this dish, we used parsley. Others may prefer dill, or fennel leaves. The end result is different and equally interesting, so feel free to try either one. Many people also cook this dish adding a bit of grated tomato and/or tomato paste. We provide the simplest version here, which is served with a few drops of fresh lemon juice. You can also try adding some tomato to get a different (equally tasty) result. In this case, add the tomato along with the water.

Make sure to find the best quality feta to accompany this dish (unless you're a vegan), and some good crusty bread. Sprinkle a chunk of feta with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper or dry oregano and serve the creamy, soft rice with leeks.

Ingredients:

- 600gr / 21.1oz/ 1.3lb leeks (2 large ones), sliced in half lengthwise and cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces (see preparation below)
- 180gr / 6.3oz onion (1 large onion), roughly chopped
- 100gr / 3.5oz spring onions (2-3), sliced in thin slices
- 160-170gr / 5.6-6oz (2/3 cup) Karolina or Arborio or Carnaroli rice (or any other short/medium grain rice)
- 25-30gr / 0.8-1oz parsley, finely chopped
- 250ml (1 cup) olive oil
- 750ml (3 cups) water
- 250ml (1 cup) white wine
- 2-3 garlic cloves (optional)
- 1-2 tsp coriander powder
- salt, pepper

-Advertisement-:

Preparation:

Cut most of the green part of the leeks and the root end. Slice lengthwise and then chop them in 2.5cm/1in slices. Put the pieces in a colander and rinse thoroughly to remove any dirt that may be trapped in the green part (pic. 1).

Pour the olive oil in large pot and put it on medium to high heat. Once hot, add the onion and the spring onions (pic. 2).

Sauté for 3 minutes, until they become soft and then add the leeks (pic. 3). Cook for about 10 minutes, until they soften well, stirring often.

Add the rice (pic.4), stir for half a minute and pour the wine. Allow most of it to evaporate, about 2 minutes, and then add the water (pic. 5).

Once the water starts simmering, reduce the heat to medium/low and cook for about 20 minutes. You must cook the food in a low simmering. Stir often, especially during the end when there's less water left in the pot.

At this point the prasorizo is ready (almost all of the water must have been absorbed). Turn of the heat and add the parsley. Stir for 1 minute and add salt and pepper. Be generous, this food requires lots of both.

That's it! Sprinkle some fresh parsley and fresh lemon juice on each dish and serve with feta and good crusty bread. Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. As mentioned above, don't be afraid to add a bit more salt and pepper in this food, it requires it.
2. You can also use dill or fennel leaves instead of parsley.
3. You can use this dish as a side for sausages or grilled burgers.
4. You can also add grated tomato and/or tomato paste along with the water for a different result.

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Legumes / Pulses / Rice

Special Characteristics:

Delicious Mashed Carrots Side

littlecookingtips — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:14:15 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

256

Servings:

serves 2

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

This side dish is a very special one. It has a unique, exquisite taste, that makes it the perfect companion for holiday or Valentine's dinners: Fennel scented, delicious mashed carrots!

This mashed carrots recipe, is fantastic for accompanying roasted turkey/chicken, rotisserie chicken, roasted pork, and fish steaks or fillets. Of all the previously mentioned combinations, our favorite one is the one with the fish.

We often grill a simple cod fillet, sprinkled with salt, lemon and olive oil and accompany it with this amazing carrots puree. Of course it's also great with a salmon steak.

Since the Christmas season is almost here, we think you 'll find dozens of uses for this recipe! It's really worth trying, and the best part is, it's really easy to make. You simple simmer the carrots with the ingredients mentioned and mash them with a bit of butter. As simple as that!

Of course this also a healthy side dish, full of antioxidants, and suitable for vegetarians. It's so much better for you to use this puree instead of the classic mashed potatoes side. Besides, this is also so versatile!

So let's see how to make this delicious side!

Ingredients:

- 500gr/17.5oz/1.1lb fresh carrots, peeled, sliced in 3cm/1in width pieces and then in the middle (large half-moon sized pieces)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoon butter (you can use margarine if you're vegan)
- 500ml/2 cups vegetable stock (you can also dissolve 1 stock cube in the same volume of warm water)
- 250m/1 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges needed)
- A little fresh parsley for serving

-Advertisement-:

Preparation:

Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized pot and put in on medium-high heat.Once the butter starts foaming add the fennel seeds. Toast for 20 seconds. (pic.1)

Add the carrots and stir for 30 seconds more. (pic.2)

Pour in the stock (pic.3), the orange juice (poic.4) and stir.

Once it starts simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 30-35 minutes (pic.5). Stir every few minutes.

Add the rest of the butter (pic.6) and using a hand blender, mash and stir until you get a smooth result (pic.7).
You can also use a food processor to achieve the same.

Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve!

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. If the water has evaporated before the 30 minutes, and the carrots are still not soft enough, then add 1 cup of warm water and continue cooking until it evaporates.

2. You can also add 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream when you mash the carrots with the hand blender for a richer result. Alternatively you can also add 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt as well.

Meal:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Greek zucchini and feta fritters (Kolokythokeftedes)

littlecookingtips — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 16:43:53 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

847

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

THis is another comfort food recipe that's extremely popular in Greece, especially during the summer. Kolokythokeftedes (don't try to pronounce them; yes, we know it's impossible) literally means zucchini balls.

However, these are usually shaped in patties and aren't round like meatballs...

These zucchini patties are one of the top Greek appetizers served in the summer, along with fried eggplants, French fries, tzatziki and Horiatiki Greek salad. These patties are also a main dish, if served with some salad and tzatziki (and lots of fresh crusty bread). Even though gyros and moussaka are very popular abroad, the Greek cuisine has many many vegetarian dishes. It's a common misconception that we eat that much meat here in Greece. This may be the case for the last couple of decades mostly, when many people deviated from the traditional Greek diet.

So, this is one of the vegetarian "treats" everyone enjoys during the summer. Those feta zucchini fritters are very common in family gatherings and backyard parties and are also among the top selling dishes in taverns and restaurants. The combination of wonderful herbs (dill, parsley, mint) with feta, zucchini and eggs (especially free range eggs) is simply divine! Ask anyone who ever tried them and you'll see a gluttonous smile painted on his/her face.

The great thing about this recipe is that it's also very simple! You just grate the zucchini, drain their juices, and mix them with the rest of the ingredients to form patties. Then all you have to do is fry them. It takes about 15-20 minutes to fry them all and the result is superb!

Of course -like in many similar recipes- the simpler the recipe is, the better quality ingredients you need. So, we suggest using free range eggs, organic zucchini and a mature barrel-aged sheep (real) feta for this recipe. The result will have a far superior taste this way.

So let's see how to make those delicious Greek zucchini-feta fritters!

Ingredients:

- 1kg / 2lb zucchini (4-5 medium sized)

- 2 eggs, lightly beaten

- 250g / 8.8oz feta

- 15g / 0.5oz (4 tablespoons) mint, finely chopped

- 15g / 0.5oz (4 tablespoons) parsley, finely chopped

- 15g / 0.5oz (4 tablespoons) dill, finely chopped

- 100g / 3.5oz (3/4 cup) all purpose flour

- 1 cup (250ml) olive oil (for frying) *

- salt, pepper

*You can also use another vegetable oil, but olive oil is highly recommended because of its flavor

-Advertisement-:

Preparation:

Slice off the two ends of each zucchini; discard them. Coarsely grate the zucchini, using a hand grater (preferably a classic box grater). (pic.1)

Place in a colander, add a generous amount of salt (about 1-2 teaspoons), mix well with your hands and let this drain for at least 20-25 minutes. (pic.2)

Squeeze the grated zucchini with your hands, to remove as much water as you can, and add them in a medium or large bowl. (pic.3)

Add the eggs, the parsley, the dill, the mint, pepper and the flour (pic.4). Mix with a large spoon or your hands (kneading for a few seconds).

Add the feta (pic.5), crumbled and fold it into the zucchini mix (pic.6). Be careful to avoid breaking the feta into very tiny bits, as much as you can.

Add the olive oil in a large heavy skillet and put it on medium to high heat.

Once the oil is hot, form patties with the zucchini mix and place them in the skillet. Each batch will be consisting of about 4-5 patties. Do not overcrowd the skillet. (pic.7)

Fry for 3-4 minutes per side (until golden brown) (pic.8) and place them on paper towels for a few minutes before serving them (to absorb the excess oil).

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. The batter of the zucchini mix is not very thick, so the patties will be a bit loose when you add them in the pan. Don't worry about this, they will come out just fine.

2. Only flip once during frying. After 2 minutes, lift a bit each patty (carefully) to see if this side is already done, in order to flip it.

3. Feel free to add more flour if you want a thicker mix, but in our opinion this will affect the taste and texture of the patties and should be avoided.

4. You can add more feta (up to 350g / 12oz) if you prefer more cheesy patties.

5. It's highly recommended using olive oil for frying those zucchini fritters; this will add a Mediterranean flavor to the dish. Make sure to use medium-high heat; don't allow the olive oil to become extremely hot (smoking point).

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Fast&Easy

Low Cost

Vegetarian

Garlicky roast pepper dip/spread

littlecookingtips — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:07:01 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

240

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

Dips are very easy to make at home. Most of them can be prepared in 10 minutes maximum, by blending fresh ingredients in a food processor. They taste better than the store-bought; they don’t contain any preservatives and artificial colors, and you can adjust the taste to match exactly your preferences. So there's no excuse for not making your own!:)

This specific dip is always a huge hit when we serve it in backyard parties. It’s a delicious, soft, smooth and creamy dip, making it the perfect appetizer. It’s served with toasted bread, crostini, rusks, crackers, breadsticks or even veggies cut in strips/sticks. And if you’re not worried for the calories, yes, you can also have French fries with this dip. And yes, it’s a DIVINE combination!:)

The ingredients are very simple: a couple of Italian sweet peppers (you can also use red bell peppers if you can’t find those), garlic, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, some olive oil and paprika (preferably smoked).

You can use a jar of roast peppers if you have limited time, in order to prepare this appetizer in less than 5 minutes. But if you use fresh Italian sweet peppers, it will taste better! It takes about 30 minutes to roast them, and you don’t have to do anything except putting them in the oven wrapped in some foil. Peeling and seeding is very easy afterwards.
This is quite a garlicky version of the dip. If you don’t like garlic that much, you may omit it, or just use less.

So let’s see how we can prepare this delicious, easy appetizer!

Ingredients:

- 240g/8.5oz (2) Italian sweet peppers, raw *
- 100g/3.5oz cream cheese
- 100g/3.5oz Greek yogurt
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- salt

* you can also use a jar with roasted red peppers, in which case you will need about 100gr/3.5oz of the prepared peppers.

-Advertisement-:

Preparation: Wash the peppers, pat them dry, and wrap them in foil. Put them in preheated oven at 200 C / 390 F and let them roast for 30 minutes.
Remove them and open the foil. Be careful as it will be hot. The peppers will be a bit charred, soft, and they will have expelled some water.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and discard the juices. Remove the skin (pic.1) and pull of the stalks. Most of the seeds will be removed along with the stalks. Slice them lengthwise, to open them. Scrape off any remaining seeds with a spoon or the side of a fork to clean them pic.2). Cut in thick pieces (pic.3).

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Kali oreksi!

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Traditional Greek Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes (Patates fournou)

littlecookingtips — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 20:34:08 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

441

Servings:

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Also known as "patates psites" (baked potatoes) or "patates ladorigani" (patates with olive oil and oregano), this is a staple in every Greek home.

In Greece, everyone has a beautiful memory of a sunny Sunday family lunch with oven roasted potatoes and some chicken, lamb, pork or beef. It's one of the ultimate Greek comfort foods!

One of the tastiest sides (ever), these lemon-garlic roasted potatoes are used to accompany...pretty much every grilled/roasted meat. They are amazing with grilled meats like lamb, pork, veal/beef or chicken, but they 're also often served with fish.

If you want to serve these garlic lemon roasted potatoes as a side dish besides grilled meat, we have some other delicious suggestions as well: traditional Greek meatballs, Cajun pork steaks, pork roast with plums and dark beer, Greek roasted leg of lamb, Greek burgers with feta and olives, Mediterranean turkey burgers, or fried chicken (Schnitzel)!

Some people are also having those tasty flavorful potatoes as a main dish with some salad, especially during Lent ("Sarakosti"). So this recipe, is a fantastic choice for vegetarians as well. Patates psites are also amazing with some good ol' real (sheep) feta. It's the perfect side…for this side!:)

In this recipe, potatoes are slowly roasted in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and oregano, until they are tender and soft in the inside and a little crispy on the outside. Some people prefer them soft on the outside as well, so we'll tell you how to do that in the tips section.

One of the reasons this is such a popular recipe, is the simplicity of it; it contains 3 of the most basic ingredients of the Greek cuisine: olive oil, lemon and oregano. It's very important to select Greek dry oregano (or Italian which must be more-less similar). The quality of the oregano will determine the final result.

If these potatoes are cooked together with meat (in most cases they do), they soak up its flavor and they are… yummmm...divine! If you plan to do that, consider the time you will need to roast the meat, in order to arrange placing the meat or the potatoes in the baking pan at the appropriate moment, so that they are ready at the same time.

So let’s start making them-baking them!

Ingredients:

- 1kg / 2.2lb medium sized potatoes, peeled
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano
- 125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- salt, pepper

-Advertisement-:

Preparation

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius/390 Fahrenheit.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (pic.1), and do the same with the two pieces (pic.2). Then cut them horizontally to form wedges (pic.3).

Put the potatoes and all the other ingredients in a heavy baking pan (uncovered casserole dish / ceramic is preferred) (pic.4-8).

Mix well with a spoon or your hands (pic.9).

Cover the pan with foil (be thorough) and put it the oven (middle rack).

Bake for 1 hour, then remove the foil, and keep baking for another 30-40 minutes (depending on how much golden/brown you like the potatoes).

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. If you don't like a crispy result on the outside (we never got why some people don't, but then again there's no rule to each one's gastronomical preferences), remove the foil after 1 hour and 15 minutes and then bake for 15-20 minutes more.
2. You can also add 125ml (1/2 cup) of chicken broth if you want to add some meat flavor in the dish.

Did you like this recipe?
Enter your email and get more authentic recipes like this, as soon as they're published; directly in your mailbox.

By subscribing, you also get FREE printables to help you organize your kitchen and your shopping!

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Tomato Mozzarella & Arugula Crostini

littlecookingtips — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 18:56:49 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

195

Servings:

8 slices/pieces

Cooking Time:

What is crostini you might ask? Crostini is a traditional Italian appetizer. It's made from toasted or grilled bread slices. The slices are usually small, cut from a ciabatta bread loaf.

Another suitable bread loaf for crostini is the French baguette, which is the one we used in this recipe. Any thin long loaf of bread will do.

The simplest form of Crostini is toasted bread slices served with some salt & herbs, or with a sauce/dip/spread.
The most popular way however, for serving Crostini is with various toppings like cured meats, cheese, vegetables and even seafood.

In this recipe, we suggest a Crostini version we really love and make very often at our home. It's usually the star of the appetizers we serve when we have people over. We combined cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, baby arugula, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic and created a fresh and creamy result which gets all the intensity it needs from the vinegar and garlic dressing. This is one of the simplest appetizer recipes, but take extra care when selecting the ingredients. Select fresh ingredients, if possible organic, as the taste greatly depends on the quality of materials used.

This tomato mozzarella crostini, is a simple appetizer and also one of the healthiest snacks you can treat yourself any time of the day. As mentioned, it's great when you have guests, and perfect for any cocktail party. It's simple and yet elegant, it's made easy and fast and has a fantastic taste! So let's start making those lovely tomato-mozzarella bites!

Ingredients:

- 8 slices from a French baguette, half-inch (1cm) thick (you will need about 1/4 from a baguette)
- 100gr/3.8oz fresh mozzarella cut in 8 slices
- 4 cherry tomatoes (100gr/3.3oz), sliced in 3-4 slices per piece
- 1 handful baby arugula (15gr/0.5oz), coarsely chopped
For the dressing:
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 15ml (1 tablespoon) balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt & pepper

-Advertisement-:

Preparation

Start by toasting the bread slices:

Line a baking sheet/pan with some foil or parchment paper (pic.2) and place the bread slices on top.
Broil for 2 minutes on the first side, flip and continue for 1 more minute.
Remove and set aside (pic.3).

Slice the tomatoes (pic.1-2), chop the arugula (pic.3) and then slice the mozzarella (pic.4). Set aside.

Prepare the dressing: In a medium sized bowl pour the olive oil (pic.1), the balsamic vinegar (pic.2), add the minced garlic (pic.3), salt and pepper (pic.4).
Whisk until combined (pic.5) and add the arugula (pic.6). Mix with a spoon .

Assemble the crostini:
Add on each bread slice a slice of mozzarella (pic.1).
Continue with half a tablespoon of arugula&dressing (pic.2).
Add 2-3 tomato slices (pic.3).
Repeat the process for all 8 crostini.
Drizzle with a few drops from the dressing before serving.

Meal:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

The authentic Tzatziki recipe

littlecookingtips — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:44:02 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

240

Servings:

serves 4-6

Preparation Time:

15 minutes

Cooking Time:

10 minutes