Little Cooking Tips - serves 4

Preparation Time:

30 minutes

Cooking Time:

This winter was milder than usual here in Greece. Not much snow like other years, relatively high temperatures and lots of sunshine. When the calendar showed March 1, the spring seemed to have arrived already. This meant that we could start again our long walks in a grove nearby, breathing fresh air, enjoying the scent of pines. It’s so relaxing and therapeutic, walking with your other half, discussing, sharing, dreaming, isn’t it?

We also took the opportunity to visit an Athenian beach, pictures of which you can see in this post. We were the only people there during this season and really enjoyed the uninterrupted sound of the sea. To get there, we drove up the mountain Penteli, where the view of the city below on one side, and the bay on the other, was breathtaking.

This weather is perfect for celebrating Easter, which is a few days away. Most of us take a few days off to visit the countryside during this period. Last year, we published an extensive post for Greek Easter traditions in this recipe for Tsoureki sweet bread. We think you’ll really enjoy reading it if you missed it. Also, if you’re looking for a classic Greek recipe for lamb (that’s very popular in Easter), you can find it in this post.

Fusion cuisine: using the best of each culture

In the last month, we cooked various new recipes. We wanted to invent new ways of cooking classic dishes of various cuisines and see what happens. We tried a lot of spices and techniques and some of the results were truly amazing!

Of course, we know that most of the people who visit the blog prefer the traditional Greek and Mediterranean recipes, so we’ll keep this as in focus, but from time to time we’ll share some of these fusion recipes. We think you’re going to love some of them!

Sweet orange-glazed shrimp recipe with cardamom

In one of our experiments, we wanted to see if we could take a classic Asian-style recipe for shrimp and use Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern/Indian ingredients to make it. The result surprised us; it was one of the best recipes for shrimp. Ever.

The recipe is similar to some “firecracker” shrimp recipes we had tried in the past. However, the flavors are quite different. We used balsamic vinegar, which adds depth of flavor to the dish and its tang balances out the sweetness from the -also added- honey. We also used orange juice and zest, for its fruity, fresh flavor. These three are classic ingredients of the Mediterranean.

The Middle-Eastern/Indian ingredient was cardamom. Cardamom is an amazing spice that was used in ancient Greece but nowadays you will rarely find it in any Greek recipe. In India and the Middle East, however, it’s still present in many dishes. Cardamom has a sweet, complex scent, with floral, clove and pepper undertones. If you haven’t used it before, you’re in for a treat! It’s perfect for savory dishes like curries or stews and it’s amazing for baking as well (cardamom cakes are fantastic with tea). You can buy cardamom in pods, crush them open and grind the seeds with pestle and mortar. This is the best way to enjoy its flavor and takes less than a minute to prepare. You can also buy it already ground, but we find this less aromatic.

We used shrimp for this recipe, as we were on Lent, but you can definitely use the same sauce with a diced chicken fillet or a chicken fillet cut into thin strips. Shrimp is a healthier choice though and we think it also tastes better with this sauce.

The recipe can be used as a quick, delicious appetizer or a main dish. Just cook and fluff some rice first and serve the shrimp on top. Basmati and Jasmine work best. It will be an ideal super-fast weeknight meal that will put a smile on your face. If you’re having this as a main, and you’d like more sauce, you can easily double the ingredients (except the shrimp and cornstarch).

So, let’s see how to make this sweet, aromatic, orange-glazed shrimp with cardamom!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 45g / 1.6oz (6 tablespoons) cornstarch
- 125ml (1/2 cup) fresh orange juice (1 large orange)
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) balsamic vinegar
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) honey
- 5-6 cardamom pods (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- salt, pepper
- vegetable oil for frying

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Preparation:

Rinse the shrimp and pat dry using paper towels.

Use pestle and mortar to crush the 5 cardamom pods (pic. 1, pic. 2). Extract the seeds (pic. 3) and grind them to powder (pic. 4).

Add the cornstarch (pic. 5) in a large bowl; place the shrimp on top, adding salt and pepper (pic. 6). Mix well to coat well with cornstarch. In case they turn out a little soggy at this point, do not worry. They will fry just fine.

Pour vegetable oil in a frying pan (about 1.5cm / half an inch) and place on medium-high heat. You can also use a nonstick pan for better results. Once the oil is hot, fry the shrimp in batches (pic. 7), about 2 minutes, then flip them (pic. 8) and continue frying for about a minute and a half more. They are ready when they’re golden brown on both sides. Once they all fry, set aside.

Glaze:

Pour the orange juice into a medium-sized saucepan and add the balsamic vinegar (pic. 9). Add the honey (pic. 10).

Add the ground cardamom (pic. 11) and the garlic (pic. 12), salt and pepper.

Use a whisk to mix the ingredients (pic. 13) and place over medium heat, for 7-10 minutes (depending on the heat), stirring from time to time, until it’s reduced, at least by half. You can reduce it to your desired syrupy consistency, thicker or thinner. At this point, add the orange zest (pic. 14) and mix.

The result will be a thick sauce, like the one in the pic. 15. Dip the shrimp in the sauce in batches and serve over a bed of rice, garnishing with extra orange zest.
Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can make this sauce as thick or thin as you prefer. The first try you make this try to reduce the original volume of the sauce at least by half.
2. You can also use ground cardamom, but freshly ground seeds from pods are always more flavorful.
3. In case your shrimp-cornstarch-salt-pepper mix turns out soggy do not worry. It happened to us sometimes in the past and the shrimp fries just fine.
4. Prefer basmati or jasmine rice to serve this shrimp.

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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:

Cooking Time:

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)

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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:

Vegetarian

How to make Greek Traditional Chicken Soup Avgolemono (with egg-lemon sauce)

littlecookingtips — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:26:30 +0000

Photo and text by Mirella Kaloglou and Panos Diotis.

Calories (per serving):

370

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

50 minutes

This week the cloudy, grey skies of the last days, finally cleared up. A glorious sun showered Greece with much-needed warmth and sunshine, to help coping with a recent natural disaster.

We won’t go into much detail –as this makes us really sad, because there were casualties- but a rare phenomenon, a Mediterranean hurricane hit Greece in mid-November. The outskirts of Athens were hit really hard by the storm, and now that it’s over households and businesses affected, have the difficult task to start assessing the situation in order to heal their wounds, if possible.

We don’t want to write much more about this; it’s really a painful situation. In this blog, we prefer to write about the positive things in life, to celebrate food and tradition. As you have noticed through the years, we don’t write about the Greek financial crisis or anything similar. We rather write about the beautiful things that life has to offer. This blog is all about memories, traditions, culture and –of course- food.

So -taking a big breath- we’ll focus on these. Most of us got to enjoy the autumn and the cool weather. Ourselves, we got the opportunity to walk in nearby groves and make small excursions in the country. The setting with the yellow, orange and red leaves is so majestic, isn’t it? And walking (or driving) in the country, offers a panorama of emerald-green meadows and dark woods, that you gaze in awe, in their autumn splendor. The other day, while taking photos, we noticed how a scene of nature in the fall, is as beautiful as the work of an impressionist painter, don’t you agree?

Harvesting Olives

In November, we have the olive harvest, here in Greece. It’s a tradition that hasn’t changed for thousands of years and the process is still more-less performed in the same manner. The olives are hand-picked by the workers -but also to a large extent- by families who own smaller olive groves. During the last years, most people opt for cold-pressing the olives, which means that they have a lower yield of oil, but the quality is higher. Organic groves are also on the rise, which is also great news, as the olive oil produced in them has both an amazing flavor and is free of any trace of pesticides.

Some of the best, chubby olives, are selected for pickling. These will become edible after a simple brining process, as olives are naturally very bitter. After brining, they are stored in olive oil and herbs, to accompany the meals in the months to come. There’s nothing like having selected your own olives and enjoying them in your table. There’s a link here with one’s past, with people who did this before, and people that will follow and continue this tradition.

Winter is coming :)

As November nears to an end, the festive period of Christmas and the New Year is gradually getting closer. The scents of orange, cinnamon, and clove from making melomakarona and diples will start filling the air in Greek households. The aroma of the flower water from buttery kourabiedes will put a smile on everyone’s face.

As mentioned in the kourabiedes post, regarding Greek Christmas, pork is the most popular choice as the traditional meat of the season. But it’s not the only one. Another popular dish for Christmas is the Greek chicken soup avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce). This soup is often the meal at the Christmas Eve dinner, or the first course at the main meal on Christmas.

Both of us have wonderful memories of Christmas past, sitting on the table with the family to enjoy this warm, delicious chicken soup, while the fire was crackling at the fireplace and the discreet music in the background was playing carols or Sinatra (or anything similar from the Rat Pack), staring at big piles of melomakarona, awaiting us for dessert :)

The chicken soup avgolemono

This soup is -of course- also popular all year round and is definitely one of the best and simplest dishes of the Greek cuisine. It’s also one of the most beloved Greek comfort foods. Perhaps that’s why we got many requests for this specific soup from our visitors and friends. These requests especially increased during the last year; as we noticed, this chicken soup is also getting a lot of attention from people abroad, being so easy and delicious as it is. So, we were waiting for the weather to cool down, in order to share it on the blog; and the season right before Christmas seemed to be the perfect time to post this.

Traditionally, this soup is made with a whole, free-range chicken. That is why olive oil was rarely added to the soup (usually only a drizzle when serving it), as free-range chickens have natural fat and one does not need to add more. You can make the soup with a whole chicken, cut into 6 or 8 pieces, in which case we suggest you double the rest of the ingredients of this recipe, as a whole chicken will weigh about 1,5 -2 kg / 3,5-4,5 lbs.

Being more practical, we preferred to use chicken thighs for this recipe. Buying boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs is far more convenient and easier to handle for most people so, we tried both and then adapted and tested the recipe, with just (500-700 gr / 1-1.5lb) of chicken. We found that the thighs work better for this soup, as they do have a little fat and come out tastier in the end, in comparison to chicken breast. Of course, feel free to use whichever part you prefer.

There are countless variations of this recipe. This version is the traditional way our parent’s families make it and a very popular version in general. Plus, it’s really simple. You start by making a broth/stock, simmering the chicken and the veggies with peppercorns and bay leaves. When ready, you remove the chicken and the veggies and keep them aside, to chop and add them later on, when you’ll serve the soup. The broth is strained and then simmered with starchy rice until it softens. And the final step is making and adding the magic ingredient: the avgolemono (literally meaning egg-lemon) sauce.

This sauce is so delicious, that many people abroad are calling this soup simply “Avgolemono”. That’s not very proper though, as the same sauce is added in other dishes as well. For instance, one of the most popular Greek winter (and Christmas) dishes is a pork and celery stew called Hirino me Selino and it’s quite common to add egg-lemon sauce to this. Magiritsa, a traditional Easter soup, is also served with avgolemono, even in its vegetarian version. So, it’s better to call this dish “chicken soup avgolemono”, to distinguish it from other Greek dishes that also contain the avgolemono sauce.

What is avgolemono?

Now, what is the avgolemono sauce? It’s a very simple sauce, where eggs (whole or yolks) are beaten until creamy and fresh lemon juice is then added to them. While whisking vigorously, one starts to add slowly warm broth into the mixture. The purpose is to raise the temperature of the egg-lemon mixture to almost the same level as the broth in a soup. This way, the eggs won’t curd, they won’t become scrambled in the soup. They will turn into a creamy sauce that adds a wonderful silky texture to the soup. You won’t believe that you got this texture without using cream. And it’s really simple to make.

You can use whole eggs (not just the yolks) if you prefer a sauce with more froth. In this case, when you add the sauce in the pot (in the final step), simply hold and swirl the pot, don’t stir. It comes out better this way. Some people also like to beat the egg whites into foam separately, and then mix them with the yolks and the lemon juice. Then they temper the whole thing with the warm broth.
In this recipe we added just the yolks, as we believe that this soup looks better with less frothy sauce. It’s entirely up to you, to use the yolks or whole eggs. It’s simply a matter of preference.

In this post, we share a trick used by many cooks that helps a lot when reheating this soup. If you do this, the reheated soup will look much better. The trick is to add a little cornstarch in the lemon juice and then add this to the beaten eggs (or yolks). If you plan to serve the whole thing at once, you don’t need to do this though.

You can easily make this soup a day ahead without the egg-lemon sauce, and the next day reheat it well, make the sauce and add it to the soup right before serving it. It will be as delicious as it was freshly made.

You can also add more rice if you prefer a thicker soup. This is only suggested if you serve the whole soup at once. If you plan to serve it on the next day, the rice will continue to absorb the broth and the soup will be very thick, with almost no broth, so keep that in mind when you want to add extra rice.

So let’s see how to make this yummy chicken soup with avgolemono!

Ingredients:

- 500 – 700g / 1 – 1.5 lb (2 large) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in 2 or 4 large pieces *
- 1-2 carrots, peeled
- 1 stalk celery, cut into two pieces
- 1 large onion, peeled
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 chicken stock bouillon (optional)
- 2 lt / 8 cups / 2qt water
- 1/3 cup medium-grain rice **
- salt, pepper

For the egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce:
- 2 egg yolks (from large eggs)
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, but highly recommended)

* You can also use chicken breast
** Choose a starchy rice, like Arborio, Carnaroli

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Preparation

Place the chicken, the carrots, the celery, the onion, the bay leaves, the peppercorns and the bouillon in a large pot and cover with 2lt/qt of water (pic. 1). Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once it starts simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low.
In case white foam forms on the surface, using a slotted spoon, skim off and discard (pic. 2).

Simmer covered, for 30 minutes. Then remove the chicken (pic. 3) and the veggies with a slotted spoon and place on a plate (pic. 4).

Place a fine sieve/colander over a large bowl and strain the stock from the pot (pic. 5). Pour the strained stock back into the pot, place over medium-low heat, and add the rice (pic. 6), salt and pepper (season well). Simmer for 20-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice you chose. Taste some of the rice to see if it’s soft (not chewy). When ready, remove the pot from the stove and set aside.

Add the cornstarch in the lemon juice and stir to dissolve. This is optional, only if you use cornstarch (which is highly recommended). In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the yolks until creamy, for a couple of minutes (pic. 7). Add the lemon juice (pic. 8) while whisking continuously.

Start adding broth from the pot (keep whisking continuously), one ladleful at a time (pic. 9). Add broth from the surface of the pot, to avoid adding much rice. It’s ok if the broth you add contains a little rice.
Add very slowly the first two ladles with broth, whisking vigorously (pic. 10). You will need about 3 full ladles to warm the sauce up. The whole point is to increase the temperature of the egg-lemon mixture to that of the level of the broth. This way, the yolks won’t become solid.

Once hot, pour the frothy sauce mixture into the pot (pic. 11), and stir. Ready to serve (pic. 12)

Shred the chicken (it’s now cool enough to handle) with your hands or chop it with a knife, and serve the soup with it, adding some chopped carrots or celery as well if you like, and freshly crushed pepper and/or finely chopped parsley.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can make this dish with chicken breast, or even a whole chicken, cut into portions. If using whole chicken, simply double the ingredients, it will come out amazing.
2. The reason for suggesting the use of cornstarch is that it helps when reheating this soup to avoid cooking the yolks.
3. You can make the soup a day ahead without the egg-lemon sauce, and the next day reheat well, make the sauce and add it to the soup right before serving it.
4. You can also use whole eggs (not just the yolks) for a sauce with more froth. In this case, when you add the sauce in the pot (in the final step), simply hold and swirl the pot, don’t stir.
Some people also like to beat the egg whites into foam separately, and then mix with the yolks and the lemon juice.
5. You can add more rice if you prefer the soup thicker (like a stew) or less if you prefer a clean, broth-like soup.
6. You can also try this with any short pasta, like orzo, or couscous. It’s not the traditional way to make it, but it does make for a great soup.

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

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Main Ingredients:

Special Characteristics:

Low Calories/Diet

Mediterranean oven baked fish with tomato sauce and paprika

littlecookingtips — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 03:47:11 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

405

Servings:

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Is it really October?

It’s early October as we’re writing this post, and looking back, with the exception of short periods of rain, the last month has been practically another summer month. It takes a while for Autumn to get here. Lots of sunshine, high temps and people rushing to the beaches, especially on the weekends, to get some comfort.

In the last few days though, the temperature dived about 10 degrees, and now we all feel that it’s really October. Lower temps mean we can concentrate easier on things we enjoy at home. One of them is cooking. Another is blogging. Like we’re happily doing now.

Visit to Epidaurus

One of the things we especially enjoyed this summer, was a daily visit to Ancient Epidaurus. It’s one of the places we always wanted to visit, that’s also close to Athens, but for some strange reason, we never had so far.

So, at the beginning of our summer vacation, one morning we woke up early, had a small breakfast and drove to Epidaurus. After using the highway, there’s a hilltop road (paved of course) for about an hour, but the scenery with the olive trees and then the pine trees make the trip enjoyable. The day that we visited was windy, which was great, as it helped us to cope with the high temps.

Arriving at Ancient Epidaurus, we bought a ticket which is valid for visiting everything at the site. We visited the Ancient Theatre, which is still operational today, with performances every summer and thousands of spectators.

The theatre can accommodate up to 15.000 spectators and was constructed in the 4th century BC. The amazing thing about this site is the unique acoustics. The theatre is constructed in such a way that one can hear perfectly what the actors say on the stage, regardless of one’s sitting and without using amplifiers.

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Near the theatre, there’s a wide flat place with many ruins. In these ruins one can see what’s left of the walls of the -once glorious- Asclepeion. The Asclepeion was a sanctuary devoted to the healer-god Asclepius, son of Apollo. It was a sacred and highly spiritual place, where ill people came to get advice for their ailments. Healing mineral springs nearby were believed to help one cure and the priests guided and helped the sick with various practices.

At its height, there were so many people visiting, that they also built a huge restaurant/banquet hall, called hestiatoreion (to this day the word means restaurant in Greek) with a majestic entrance, right next to the Asclepeion, to feed all the visitors. If you’re following us on Instagram you might’ve seen our relative Story :)

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Finally, we visited the marbles and the statues in the Museum. It was a great collection, and we loved reading ancient Greek and understanding some of the sentences. So wonderful to be able to communicate through time with the people who lived there thousands of years ago, isn’t it? The building of the Museum was rather outdated though; definitely, needs a renovation and lights. We hope someone will take a look at this at some point.

Sun and sea

After spending a few days in Athens (we also visited the Zoo which is close to the Athens airport and had a lot of fun!), of course, we went to Evia, to visit our favorite Aegean beaches and enjoy the garden of Panos’ parent's house in the country.

We went to Korasida, Cheromylos and of course, Mourteri/Agios Merkourios. These three beaches are among our favorites, and we try and visit them every year. Especially the last one, which is a 5km long beach, with very few visitors, so you can enjoy the sea without any noise or people close to you if looking for a calm place. The first half of the beach is called Mourteri, and the second half is called Agios Merkourios. A cliff divides the beach in two, separating the more touristically developed Mourteri from, the more deserted, but calmer Agios Merkourios.

When we want to visit these beaches, we keep an eye on the weather, to see which days the winds are not so strong, as these beaches are exposed to northern winds, and there are a lot of waves on windy days. If you ever visit Evia and want to swim there, here’s a tip: a great indication for the waves is the weather of Kymi ( a nearby town). Also, always visit early in the morning when the winds are low.

This summer we used a lot our diving masks and snorkels. This way, we had a lot of fun observing the amazing marine flora and fauna in the area. The waters on the Aegean side of Evia are crystal clear, and you can see beautiful cuttlefish on the sandy or pebble bottom, shells, shellfish, and sea urchins on rocks; and of course, a plethora of fish :) It was truly magical diving in these blue waters.

The organic garden

As we mentioned many times before, one of the things we love about visiting Evia is the fact that Panos’ parents have a big organic garden there. Even though during the summer people don’t cook as much as in the winter, there’s so much produce there, you can’t help it trying out new recipes, new ways to enjoy it.

As you have probably guessed, we made countless Greek salads, fried huge stacks of zucchini fritters, dipped them in tons of tzatziki, baked pans and pans with gemista, had a lot of kagianas for breakfast or lunch, made moussaka when in need for comfort food, used the eggplants with pasta or made melitzanosalata and went on and on. We couldn’t and wouldn’t stop, as long as there was produce in the baskets :)

What we wouldn’t use, we sliced, grated, chopped and did whatever necessary to preserve for the winter. So now our freezer is full of in-season-out-of-season frozen produce. :) And that’s a great practice for everyone, in order to enjoy tasty veggies. Buy them when in-season, and especially when on sale, chop or grate and freeze in ziplock bags. This way, you can make a magnificent marinara in the middle of the winter, with the flavors of an August’s tomato. Isn’t that great?

In the evenings, we loved sitting on our veranda to enjoy a cantaloupe, a watermelon, some apricots or peaches, and -in late August- some grapes and figs. Figs are so awesome. If you never had them before, buy a few when in season and eat fresh, preferably on the same day. You really have to try them: soft and silky on the outside, with dark red, soft flesh on the inside and crunchy tiny edible seeds. Just cut one in quarters and put it on some Greek yogurt. Drizzle then with honey: heaven! It’s the perfect dessert, plus it’s super healthy!

One pan baked fish

During the summer, people don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. That’s understandable, with all the outdoor activities one can enjoy during the season. So, one pan, easy recipes, are a perfect choice. Since we shared our summer memories in this post, we thought we should share one of the one pan recipes that only need a few minutes to prepare. Plus now that it’s October, you probably have a ton of things to do on weekdays, right?

And this is one of the easiest fish recipes out there. A dump and bake, one-pan baked fish that we make very often on weekdays, when the time is precious, being busy with all day-to-day activities and our household.

Fish is a great source of lean protein, and also contains a lot of heart-healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids) that are good for one's heart. So, pairing it with a vinaigrette lettuce salad or brown rice it makes for a complete, filling AND healthy meal. Isn’t that great?

As mentioned, one of the things we love about this baked fish recipe is that it’s very easy and therefore convenient. You don’t need a lot of prep time. You simply turn on the oven, prepare the onion and the tomato, mix the ingredients for the sauce, dump it in a pan, dip the fish steaks in it and then lay them over and bake. As simple as that! And while it’s baking, you can prepare the salad or the rice (or both).

We call this recipe “Mediterranean fish” and not “Greek fish”, even though it does contain ingredients used it the Greek cuisine, just like in this very old “fish plaki” recipe on the blog (Please excuse us for the terrible photo, it was published years ago when we first started blogging LOL).

The reason for not calling this recipe “Greek”, is the secret ingredient: smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is a classic ingredient in the Spanish cuisine, not the Greek one. It’s a spice we love to use in many of our recipes (like in mac 'n cheese for instance), and has a very distinct, unique flavor. You can also use smoked Hungarian paprika, of course, that’s equally delicious; whichever is available around your area.

The type of fish we suggest using in this recipe is any large white fish. Fish steaks or fish fillets cut into large pieces would both work excellent. We have tried this with cod, haddock, swordfish and large sea breams. You can use whichever you prefer or is on sale. The sauce will provide all the flavor in this recipe, so don’t hesitate to buy a cheaper, more affordable piece of white fish.

Frozen fish steaks work well too, but make sure to thaw them properly. Place them (covered with film) in a bowl in your fridge, and let them thaw for up to 24 hours. Then rinse, and pat dry with kitchen towels. You will need a lot of towels, as frozen fish is watery. But it will work just as well as fresh. Perhaps it will take a little time more to bake, that’s all.

The combination of the smoked paprika with the extra virgin olive oil and the oregano is amazing. Plus, adding a good wine will enhance the flavors, creating a delicious dish. Make sure to dribble some of the juices from the pan on top of the fish when serving it. And a little extra virgin olive oil as well.

So, let’s see how you can make this easy fish in the oven!

Ingredients:

- 3-4 fish steaks or fish fillets (cod, haddock, swordfish) cut into large pieces, about 1Kg / 2lb
- 1 medium sized tomato, 250-300gr / 9-10oz
- 1 medium-sized onion, 130-160gr / 4.5-5.5oz, finely chopped or sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon paprika, preferably smoked
- salt, pepper
- a little finely chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

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Preparation:

Rinse and pat dry your fish steaks (or fillets). If using frozen fish, thaw in the fridge for 24hours, and then pat dry with a lot of kitchen towels, as it’s quite watery. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of each steak.

Grate the tomato (pic. 1) and strain it, using a fine sieve (pic. 2) to remove some of the water.

Add the tomato in a large bowl and add the olive oil (pic. 3) and the wine (pic. 4).

Add the thyme, the oregano and the paprika (pic. 5), salt and pepper, the onion and the garlic (pic. 6).

Mix well with a spoon (pic. 7) and empty the bowl’s contents in a baking dish, large enough to accommodate your fish steaks (pic. 8).

Press each fish steak into the sauce, flip and lay on top (pic. 9). The steaks will look like the ones in the pic.10.

Bake in a convection oven, at 200C / 390F for 30-40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steaks and whether they’re fresh or frozen and thawed – in which case they’re usually waterier).

The fish is ready when most of the liquid has evaporated. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to absorb the flavors of the surrounding gravy.

Serve with a simple vinaigrette-lettuce salad or rice. You can also serve this with French fries, if not looking for a healthier option :) Dribble the juices and some extra virgin olive oil on top for extra flavor.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. As mentioned, if using frozen fish, thaw for 24 hours in a bowl in the fridge and then pat dry with kitchen towels. Makes sure it’s dry enough, as frozen fish tends to be watery.

2. You can use cod, haddock, swordfish, sea bream or any other firm white flesh fish for this dish. Skip tuna or salmon in this recipe.

3. Try to get some high quality smoked paprika for this. It will define the flavor of the dish. You can use it in countless other recipes as well: in stews, to rub chicken or steaks for grilling, you can sprinkle it with salt on fries, you can use it in dips/sauces …you get the picture :)

4. You can try this dish with fresh, finely chopped fennel fronds (or dill) and skip the thyme, the oregano, and the paprika. It’s a different, equally delicious variation that’s better served with French fries.

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Oven Baked Meatballs with Roasted Potatoes

littlecookingtips — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:17:23 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

1058

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

What a great season to get inspiration from! The fall is here, with all its beautiful colors. We are so glad that we’ll get to taste all the wonderful vegetables of the season, once again. An abundance of pumpkins and squash, carrots and cabbage, potatoes and beets, cauliflower and broccoli, lettuce and young onions. Fresh herbs like fennel and dill are back on the table, our pots and pans adding flavor and color.

What a joy it is going for a walk in the fall. Exploring new places in the countryside is truly magical during this season. The explosion of colors in parks, gardens and groves is a feast for the senses. It regenerates and makes one happier, putting a smile on one’s face.

Of course we couldn’t miss visiting again our family’s garden in Evia (also known as Euboea) island, to experience this wondrous transformation. Getting back in touch with our true roots; touching the soil and smelling the rain in the ground creates a feeling we wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

It was so wonderful to see the new plants in the garden. To see the new fruits ripening on the tree branches. To see the olives, ready to be harvested for the winter.

As the nature is getting ready for the new winter season, it was time for us as well, to get back to blogging, after a few months’ absence. We missed all of you out there, and we missed sharing our passion for real, homemade cooking.

One of the first recipes we’d love to show you is a rustic, delicious and easy Greek food which is perfect for any Sunday meal with your family. During the last season, we published a traditional recipe for Greek meatballs (keftedes or keftedakia), which are fried and usually served with French fries or Greek baked potatoes, a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki on the side. As it turned out, this worked really well for so many of our readers and soon became one of our most popular ground beef recipes in the blog.

Taking this into account, we felt that we had to share another version of a Greek meatball recipe (keftedes), only this time they are baked in the oven with potatoes. The inspiration for the recipe came from a real life experience, a couple of winters ago. We have always loved the flavor and aroma of fenugreek.

Fenugreek is a plant whose leaves and seeds are often encountered in the ingredients list of an Indian recipe. It’s also used to flavor cured meats like pasturma. Even though it contains the term “-greek” in its name, we didn’t find fenugreek in modern Greek recipes or meals our mothers cooked while we were growing up. Nor was it used in foods prepared in restaurants.

Well, a couple of winters ago, Panos’ yiayia (grandma) Katina while sitting by the fireplace was sharing her memories of old recipes and ingredients she used to cook with, back in the 50s, when she was in her teens. Between others, she mentioned “tsimeni”, a word we once heard before. She started to describe how this spice was used in old recipes which she cooked back in the day and how it is still used today in…pasturma!

Since we love pasturma, we looked up “tsimeni” as soon as we heard that. Apparently, tsimeni was a word for a paste whose main ingredient is fenugreek, also called trigonella in Greek (or moshositaro, meaning fragrant wheat!). Looking more into trigonella, we discovered that it was a plant used in Southeastern Europe for millennia. So there was something Greek in fenugreek after all!

Unfortunately, perhaps because of its strong flavor and aroma, it was abandoned in the last decades, to the point that most Greeks (ourselves included) had no idea what it was. So, we had to experiment and try fenugreek in many Greek recipes. The end result was a variety of delicious dishes and marinades. For instance, try to add some fenugreek in a lemony chicken marinade, along with dry oregano. You’ll be surprised by the delicious result.

Back to our homemade meatballs now; as mentioned, we wanted to share another easy meatball recipe (keftedes). One of our most successful uses of fenugreek is in keftedes. Just like with biftekia (Greek burgers) which are also baked in the oven, these Greek meatballs are a great idea for a Sunday lunch. This is a food that’s even better when shared with your family and friends.

Our memories are filled with our parents hosting a Sunday lunch, with our cousins, aunts and uncles, under a gorgeous sun. Even on the coldest days of the fall, we are blessed with lots of sunshine here in Greece; and sharing a table with mezedes (appetizers), oven baked meatballs (or biftekia burgers) and good wine with your family, is truly warming for the soul. You probably have similar memories as well, having experienced magical moments like that.

In this recipe, we baked the meatballs on a bed of potatoes. Those golden wedges are slowly roasted in olive oil, enhanced with the citrus flavor of the coriander, the spicy taste of the cumin and the mild ginger-like taste of the turmeric. If you’re reading this blog often, you are already familiar with our obsession for turmeric. Turmeric adds a wonderful color and enhances the taste of every food it's added to. If you don’t have any turmeric, you can also add a little mustard instead, for a different, but equally delicious result.

The potatoes in this recipe are roasted until tender and soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. And their flavor is truly unique. Even if you don’t want to have meat, you can try and just bake the potatoes of this recipe. You can serve them then with feta and/or tzatziki, for a delicious vegetarian meal.

Keftedes and potatoes are best served with a fresh salad on the side. We often serve this dish with a simple lettuce and vinaigrette salad, or coleslaw. It’s also great with a horiatiki Greek salad and tzatziki.

If you want to serve something totally different and delicious, perhaps for Thanksgiving, this recipe is something you should probably look into; served with fragrant mashed carrots on the side, this is maybe one of the most delightful choices.

Full of aroma, filling and rustic, these oven baked meatballs are among the best comfort foods you can try. Plus they’re very versatile, since you can add or substitute the spices according to your liking, and create countless variations of your own. The possibilities are endless.

Another advantage of this recipe is that it’s a great make ahead recipe. You can easily prepare it a day before, allow it to cool to room temperature and then cover the pan with film and store it in the fridge. The next day, you simply remove the film, pop it in the oven for 15 minutes in 200C/390F and you’re ready to serve! Do not reheat in microwaves though; baked potatoes are tastier (and still crunchy on the outside) if you reheat them in a conventional oven.

So let’s see how to make these beautiful oven baked meatballs!

Ingredients:

For the meatballs(keftedes):
- 500gr / 17.oz / 1lb ground beef*
- 100gr/3.5oz (2 slices) bread, preferably stale
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (you can add a spicy Dijon if you prefer)
- 1.5-2 teaspoons ground fenugreek**
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper

*You can also use ground turkey for a leaner version or ground lamb for stronger flavor
**If you can't find fenugreek anywhere then try fennel (in any form, a small minced piece of the bulb, toasted seeds, fresh chopped fronds) for a different but equally interesting result

For the potatoes:
- 1kg / 2.2lb medium sized potatoes (3-4 potatoes depending on their size), peeled
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric*
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 375ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
- salt

*If you don't have turmeric, you can also use 1tablespoon of mustard

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Preparation:

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

Put the potatoes in a baking pan and add the olive oil (pic. 4) and the spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper, salt). Mix well/toss with your hands to coat the potatoes with the oil and the spices (pic. 5). Set aside.

Remove the crust from the bread slices and cut into chunks (pic. 6). Dense, stale bread is far better for this step. Add the bread chunks into a food processor and pulse to create breadcrumbs (pic. 7). Sometimes (depending on the bread), you may need to shake the food processor a bit, to get the process started.

At this point preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius/390 Fahrenheit. If using convection oven (fan baking) set at 180 degrees C / 370 F.

Add the breadcrumbs, the ground beef, the egg, the olive oil, the mustard and the fenugreek in a large bowl (pic. 8). Season with salt and pepper. Knead, using your hands, for 2-3 minutes. When everything is well incorporated, shape large meatballs with your palms (pic. 9). They don't have to be perfect, don't worry. This is a classic rustic recipe, where imperfections are perfect! :)

Arrange the meatballs on top of the potatoes and cover the pan with foil (be thorough).
Bake in the middle oven rack for 1 hour.

Then remove the foil, and keep baking for another 30 minutes (depending on how golden or brown you like the potatoes).

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Serve with a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki and/or a Greek beetroot spread (pantzarosalata)
2. Feel free to try other types of ground meat as well, like lamb or turkey (or mixes of ground meat). This recipe is especially good if you’re looking to make turkey meatballs.
3. If you cook for more than four, make sure to double (or triple) the ingredients, as this recipe is just for four portions.
4. If you prepare this meal a day ahead, store in the fridge (covered with film) and reheat in a conventional oven for 15 minutes (at 200C/390F) the next day.

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Spicy

Greek-Indian one pot vegetarian meal (spring ladero)

littlecookingtips — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 21:11:43 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

982

Servings:

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

The spring is finally here! What a strange winter that was for most of the people in the Northern hemisphere. A lot milder than usual, with just a few bursts of colds in most places. Greece had a very warm winter this year as well, we only got to see a little snow for 2-3 weekends in Central-South and it didn’t last long.

Most of February was unusually warm and sunny. The March was rather rainy though, to verify a very old Greek saying which goes like this “Martis gdartis kai kakos paloukokaftis”. It means that March is the most unpredictable month of the year and may lead to burning whatever you may desperately find around, in your stove, to keep you warm, since you didn’t expect such cold weather in this month.

But now April is here, and so is spring, on full swing! We have A LOT of sunshine, the daylight saving time started, which means we get to enjoy the sun for 1 more hour each day and this definitely helps lifting our spirits! We celebrated the Aprokries (which is the Greek Halloween, which is about fun, costumes and partying, much like the Brazilian version) and then the 40-day Lent started on Clean Monday.

Clean Monday (called Kathari Deftera here) is a day we celebrate the beginning of Lent. Families gather together and feast on taramosalata, pickles, fasolada, and shellfish/mollusks, like octopus, shrimp, squid, mussels and clams, cooked in various ways. Halva (a dessert made with tahini), is also a must. On Clean Monday children and their parents fly kites in various shapes and colors, a tradition that also marks the beginning of spring.

Fish is not allowed in Greek Orthodox Lent, with the exception of the 25th of March which is a big holiday. We celebrate the Greek Independence Day and the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. On that day specifically, you will find fried cod and skordalia in every Greek household and every tavern all over the country. This year for some strange reason we ate so much of the stuff, we were bloated until late at night :)

The good thing with Lent is that it’s a great opportunity to detox by abstaining from dairy and any meat (except shellfish/mollusks like we mentioned). A lot of pulses/legumes are served in this 40 day period and a lot of veggies. Vegetables play a pivotal role in the traditional Greek diet. They’re not blunt though. Cooked with extra virgin olive oil, herbs and usually tomato, they’re not served as a side but as a main course.

This type of vegetable dishes are called ladera (or lathera), literally meaning “oily”. People always enjoy them with a lot of bread to soak up the oil and the sauce which has concentrated all the flavors of the vegetables and the spices. Examples of ladera dishes are: green beans (fasolakia) dishes, spinach and rice (spanakorizo), cabbage and rice (lahanorizo), leeks and rice (prasorizo), peas (arakas), artichokes (agginares), tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice (gemista) and okra (bamies/mpamies).

During the summer, there are many ladera dishes that combine different vegetables. One very popular dish like that is briam/mpriam, which is the Greek version of ratatouille. We love the yumminess of this dish, and many times we experiment with different combinations of veggies.
We didn’t had a similar delicious dish with spring veggies though and the summer is still 2 months away. So, instead of waiting we tried a different combination, with vegetables that are abundant during the spring: mushrooms, potatoes, onions and scallions and sweet long red peppers which are essential for this dish.

Instead of cooking this the classic Greek way, with olive oil and tomatoes (and perhaps some herb like dill), we chose a different path though. As you may have noticed from some of our other recipes, like this one or this one, we LOVE using Indian spices. This humble peasant dish needed something to enhance its flavors. And what could be better than some turmeric and garam masala? If you never tried those before, you’re definitely missing out! Those two elevate every stew/ladera to a whole new level AND they’re excellent for your body. Especially the turmeric, a spice which comes from the dried root of the turmeric plant, has many fantastic benefits for your health and may also help you lose some weight since it makes you feel full.

In fact, research continues to prove how great that stuff is for you every time they put it to the test. It seems that it has anti-cancerous, anti-depressant and anti-aging properties, it’s a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, plus it also lowers your cholesterol levels. Isn’t that amazing? Look it up and ask your physician or nutritionist, you’ll be amazed by it.
As for the garam masala, if you can’t find it, you can easily make your own. See under the list of the ingredients below how to make garam masala at home.

Anyway, let’s get back to cooking though; The combination of Indian spices with EVOO and the veggies was a revelation. If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, you’ll definitely enjoy this recipe! If you like dairy, serve this with a side of feta or simply sprinkle a bit on top. You won’t believe how amazing that is!

Did we mention that this is a one-pot recipe? Yep! No big fuss here, simply chop the veggies on your wooden board, place a pot/pan on the stovetop and you’re good to go! In about 30-40 minutes you’ll be having a really taste vegetarian dish and no one will be complaining for the absence of meat. To ease the pain of the hardcore carnivores add the feta (cubed or crumbled) on top (like we mentioned) and they will devour the whole thing and ask for more bread to clean the sauce from their plate :)

So let's see how to make this simple vegetarian dish!

Ingredients:

- 4 sweet red peppers (450-500gr/16-17.5oz), sliced or diced in 2.5cm/1in pieces
- 2-3 scallions (160-180gr/5.5-6.5oz), thinly sliced
- 1 large (or 2 smaller) onion (200-250gr/7-9oz), thinly sliced
- 1-2 medium sized potatoes (450-500gr/16-17.5oz), diced in 1cm/0.5in pieces
- 250gr/9oz common mushrooms (you can also use Portobello)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
- 2-3 tablespoons (45-70gr/1.5-2.5oz) tomato paste
- 3/4 cup (375ml) olive oil
- 2-3 teaspoons dry oregano
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala*
- 1 tablespoon paprika (preferably smoked)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup hot water
- a little crumbled/diced feta for topping (optional)
- a little fresh dill for topping (optional)

* 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.

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Preparation:

Add the oil in a medium sized pot or a large, deep pan (preferably non-stick), on medium to high heat. Once hot, add the onion and the scallion (pic. 1). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until they’re softened. Add the potatoes (pic. 2) and reduce the heat to medium. This is very important, as potatoes take some time to be cooked and we don’t want to burn them on the outside or mash them. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the peppers (pic. 3). Continue cooking for another 5 minutes (stirring often again). Add the mushroom slices (pic. 4) and continue cooking for another 5 minutes (stirring often).

Add the garlic (pic.5), stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the oregano, the turmeric, the garam, the paprika, salt, pepper (pic. 6) and stir well. Cook for 1 minute more.

Add the wine (pic. 7), the tomato paste (pic. 8) stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Finally, add the cup of hot water, stir, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, until most of it has evaporated and sauce has thickened.

That’s it. You can serve this with olives and some crusty bread on the side, and you can sprinkle some dill and/or feta on top as well. Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Try to use smoked paprika in this recipe, it’s so much flavorful than common paprika.
2. Be gentle when stirring if you want your veggies to keep their shape, otherwise you will mash some of it.
3. If using a non-stick pan, make sure to also use a wooden spatula to stir, to avoid scratching its surface.

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Vegetarian

Greek Octopus with Ouzo, Fennel and Olives

littlecookingtips — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 15:17:42 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

772

Servings:

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

This summer, for our vacation, we went to Panos’ parents place in Evia island (also known as Euboea). Evia is the second largest Greek island and isn’t much advertised abroad.

Since it’s a large island, you’ll need a car in order to visit the dozens available beaches. Some roads are old and full of curves, because Evia has a high mountain ridge in the middle. So, in order to visit some great Aegean beaches you have to climb this ridge, called Dirfys. The beaches you will visit on the other side, if you take the time to drive there, are…simply put, beyond any description! They definitely worth the effort.

Panos’ parents have a cottage in the central-south part of the island. They have a large organic vegetable garden and lots of trees which produce an abundance of lemons, oranges, tangerines, olives, pomegranates, prunes, sour cherries, figs, quinces, medlars, blackberries, apricots…you get the picture!

Panos reading some recipes on the veranda and my shadow as I take this picture.

As you can guess, such place is simply… a paradise for any foodie! That’s why we visit the place all year round, during weekends, taking the opportunity to enjoy seasonal vegetables and fruits and get in touch with nature.

So our time was divided between harvesting veggies and fruits, tasting new recipes, cooking classic homemade Greek dishes, driving through the mountains to discover new beaches and …taking some time off work to fill our bucket! It was really quality time spent.

Beach on the Aegean side of Evia. On the top right, the mountain roads leading there.

Enough with our constant daydreaming though! Time to get back in our kitchen and our recipes Do you remember our Poll back in July? Well, the second recipe voted in the Poll was octopus with olives and ouzo. 28% of the people voted for this one, much to our amazement. We always thought that octopus is a bit intimidating as an ingredient, for people who don’t live in the Mediterranean, East Asia, Central and South America.

On the other hand, our blog’s statistics for our two other octopus recipes (Stewed baby octopus in tomato sauce with rice and Roasted octopus with vinegar) as well as your votes in the Poll have proven that octopus is starting to become popular in other parts of the world as well, including the United States, Central Europe, Russia and Australia!

Panos checking the pomegranates. Not ripe yet, but grown and getting there!

So let’s talk about the octopus recipe you voted for: Octopus with ouzo, fennel and ouzo! This is a wonderful recipe for any season, but we prefer cooking octopus in the summer. The reason is that in the summer you can also enjoy a small glass of ice cold ouzo in a sunny veranda or a garden, to enjoy the octopus with. Plus, it’s the perfect meze (appetizer) for a seafood dinner if you’re having some friends or family over. In order to really enjoy ouzo, you need a view of the sea or at least a wonderful green garden, someplace open, to gather with friends, chat and serve meze.

Here in Greece, ouzo is always traditionally served with some food. The food is usually meze. Meze (plural mezedes) are small plates of appetizers, shared among the people around the table. And this octopus recipe is a prefect meze for ouzo.

Picking up some peppers straight from the plants. On the right, a zucchini turned to squash. No harm done, we used it for a savory pie!

To cook octopus, you have to clean the inside of the sack. If you buy fresh octopus, ask your fishmonger to clean the octopus’ sack for you. If you buy frozen you don’t need to do that as it’s already cleaned up. By the way, octopus is one of those ingredients where frozen is better. Why is that? Because freezing the octopus actually makes it tender!

But even so, an octopus needs to be cooked for a long time in a pot, to become soft and tender enough. You always need more than an hour of braising/boiling. In this recipe, it will take about an hour and a half.
Another factor that makes some people thinking twice before buying octopus is its preparation. They don’t know how to cut this thing!

Defrosted in the shade, the octopus before we start cooking it.

Well, we are here to help! In this recipe, we posted many photos showing in detail how to prepare an octopus. It’s really easy. You discard a few parts and cut the rest in chunks. If you’ve never done this before, follow our instructions and you’ll definitely succeed. Feel free to send us an email if you need any clarification and we’ll gladly get back to you.

What are the ingredients used in this recipe? Well, ouzo and fennel are two main ingredients. Ouzo, like mentioned in this post for shrimps with ouzo is anise flavored and fennel is very similar to anise. So it’s a perfect combo! The fennel bulb used in this recipe also provides extra texture and is suitable for the long cooking process needed for the octopus. The other key ingredient is the Kalamata olives. We use whole organic olives and pit them ourselves. This way, they smell and taste better in comparison to the pitted olives sold in jars (usually in brine).

The fennel bulb was more tender than expected!

A little red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard along with some bay leaves, garlic and onion complement the dish and enhance the flavors. Feel free to add more or less of those, once you cook the dish, according to your preferences.

You can serve this delicious dish with some fresh crusty bread and ouzo, as an appetizer. Serve the ouzo in short old-fashioned glasses, over ice and add some water as well. Smell it first, to enjoy the aroma and drink a small sip. Then grab a bite of the octopus dish. Heaven!
You can also serve this with some French fries or short-cut pasta like macaroni or ditalini as a main dish. It’s up to you.

We hope that all of you took some time off work this summer to relax and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones!

Kali Oreksi and have a beautiful Winter Season (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) and a lovely spring to the lucky guys in the Southern Hemisphere!

Ingredients:

- 1-1.5kg / 2-3.5lb octopus*

- 250-280gr / 9-10oz onions (2 medium sized), in large slices or diced

- 125ml (1/2 cup) ouzo**

- 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

- 200gr / 7oz fennel bulb (1 medium sized), in thin slices

- 60gr/2oz whole Kalamata olives (about 15 olives)***

- 3 garlic cloves, in thin slices or minced

- 3 bay leaves

- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

- 1 tablespoon strong mustard

- 0.5lt (2 cups) warm water

* if using fresh octopus, ask you fishmonger to clean the octopus for you.
If you using frozen, it’s clean already.
** if you can't find ouzo, you can try sambuca or vodka. The taste is a bit different, so try to find the real thing online;)
*** if using pitted, sliced olives, then you need 50gr/1.7oz

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Preparation

If using whole olives, then slice them with a paring knife and remove the pit. Don't chop the slices in small bits. You need large olive chunks for this recipe.

Let's see how to prepare the octopus now.

The octopus

Put the octopus on your cutting board, with the sack on one side and the tentacles on the other (pic.1). Cut the sack (pic.2) and keep it aside. Make the slice at the bottom of the sack, right above the eyes (the eyes are at the middle section of the octopus).

Grab and hold the tentacles section and slice the middle section of the octopus off (pic. 3). This is the small section with the eyes. Discard it.
Remove the beak from the hole (pic. 4) between the tentacles. Discard it.

The hole must be free (pic. 5). Slice the sack in the middle (pic. 6). We always add the sack in the food, it's clean, delicious and there's no reason to discard it.

When you slice the sack open, you may notice some membranes/parts on the inside (pic. 7). Slice those off and discard.
The next step is optional. Some people (us included) like to remove the membrane on the outer part of the sack. It's very easy, simply grab a sack piece with one hand and pull the membrane with the other (pic. 8). Do that for both the sack pieces you sliced before. If you find this part a bit tricky, you can also leave the outer membrane on the sack. It won't matter that much.

Then slice the tentacles section in half (pic.9) and then cut the tentacles apart.
Finally, make cuts 3-4cm/1inch apart the length of each tentacle (pic.10). Keep the thinner end point of each tentacle in a larger piece preferably (2 inches long).
That's it.

We know it sounds and looks a bit intimidating. But it's actually VERY easy. Trust us on this! Once you try to cut an octopus, you will succeed, and you will do it again and again with confidence.

Cooking the octopus

Add the octopus pieces in a large pot and place over medium-high heat (pic.11).
In about 3 minutes, the octopus will start releasing its juices. Stir often at first, until the juices start to add up (pic.12).

Reduce the heat medium-low (slow simmer) and let it cook for 40-45 minutes. Stir often towards the end of this period, when the juices evaporate (pic. 13). Don't be alarmed if some pieces left traces at the bottom of the pot. We will deglaze these. Add the olive oil (pic. 14) and stir to coat.

Increase the heat to medium and add the fennel and the onions (pic. 15). Cook for a few minutes until the onions and the fennel start to soften.
Add the ouzo (pic. 16) and using a wooden spatula scrape off any traces left on the bottom of the pot (deglaze).

Add the bay leaves (pic. 17) and the water (pic. 18). You can also use the water to deglaze any traces on the bottom of the pot.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for another 35-40 minutes. As before, towards the end of this period, when the water is less, stir very often.

When the water has almost completely evaporated, remove from heat, add the vinegar (pic. 19), the olives (pic. 20) and the mustard (pic. 21).

Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Grind some fresh pepper and serve!

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. This is a perfect meze for ouzo!
2. Do not add any salt in this recipe, the juices from the octopus are salty enough.
3. You can also serve this dish with some fresh finally chopped fennel fronds.
4. You can use a non-stick pot for better results. Always stir with a wooden spatula to avoid scratching the pot.

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Greek Burgers with Feta and Olives

littlecookingtips — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 20:39:38 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

528

Servings:

Preparation Time:

1 hour

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

Here in Greece, we love burgers. But they’re quite different from the US version; plain ground meat is rarely used for burgers.

The traditional Greek burgers are beef patties called biftekia/mpiftekia (pronounced beef-tek-ya). They are made by mixing minced meat with herbs and/or spices, onion, bread and olive oil.

Just like similar Greek recipes, there are countless variations for biftekia as well. Each family and each restaurant or tavern serves its own version. But the above mentioned ingredients are always included in the patties! The ground meat is usually beef, but mixtures of beef and pork or beef and lamb are also not uncommon.

The authentic Greek bifteki recipe includes ground beef, onion, bread, olive oil and some herbs like parsley, oregano or mint. Sometimes all these herbs and even more are added. Those are the burgers you’ll find in any Greek tavern if you ever visit Greece during the summer. They’re usually served with freshly cut French fries. People also order tzatziki and horiatiki Greek salad as side dishes. If you 've never tried Greek burgers before, you really don’t know what you’re missing! IThey are perfect for any backyard BBQ. The flavor and the aroma when you grill those delicious patties on a charcoal grill (the classic way of grilling meat in Greece) are really hard to describe. Simply put, it’s amazing!

Greek burgers are thicker than their US counterparts, and are almost never served in burger buns; they are served with fresh crusty bread slices, often brushed with olive oil and oregano and grilled right next to the burgers for a few minutes. Greek pitas (those used in souvlaki and gyros) are also quite common.

Biftekia can be also baked/grilled in the oven of course and that’s the way our mamades (mommies) used to cook them for us; especially during winter, when BBQ was out of the question. Many times those oven roasted burgers were accompanied by roasted garlic lemon potatoes and a simple lettuce-spring onions-dill salad, with a lemon-extra virgin olive oil dressing.

When you use the oven to cook biftekia, you can either roast them in a baking pan (brushed with olive oil or lined with parchment) or grill them using the oven grate. It’s up to you. If you choose the latter, make sure to put a pan under the grate for any drippings from the patties.

Ten days ago we put five recipes up in a poll. We asked our friends and audience to choose which ones they’d like us to cook next, but never expected such a landslide (44%) in favor of the recipe for Greek burgers. The recipe chosen was a variation of the classic biftekia, enriched with feta and olives!

There are many recipes for feta stuffed burgers, or burgers combined with feta in some other way. The combination is indeed delicious. There are also a few recipes for burgers with olives. This recipe was created one day that we decided to include both the olives and the feta in our beef patties; the result was so delicious we ended up making this again and again, and one day we wrote the recipe down and measured the ingredients to share it with all of you through our blog. It would be a shame not to do so!

Our biftekia recipe include: lots of fresh mint, which is in our humble opinion the key ingredient for Greek burger patties, onion, bread, extra virgin olive oil, a little garlic (you can omit this if you don’t like it) and one egg, which helps keeping the shape of the patties and adds flavor. We also add a little red wine vinegar. This is something common in the Greek cuisine both in biftekia recipes as well as in keftedakia (Greek meatballs) recipes; it helps the ground beef to become a bit fluffier. Plus, the vinegar and the herbs help reducing health risks from grilling the meat in high temperatures.

And of course we added the other two ingredients that make this recipe different from the classic biftekia: Kalamata olives and feta. We prefer to buy whole Kalamata olives and remove the pits ourselves, as they taste better this way. The reason is that the flesh of the olive isn’t exposed directly to the brine like in pitted olives. We also used a good quality barrel-aged feta. This one was cubed in order to incorporate it into the patties, but you can also use crumbled (as long as the crumbs are bit thick and aren’t mashed).

A simple way to serve biftekia is with red onion, mixed with fresh parsley and some ripe tomatoes. Add some pitas and tzatziki and the result is fantastic!
Preparing these delicious Greek beef burgers, with feta and olives is very easy. Let's see how.

Ingredients:

- 500gr/17oz/1lb ground beef

- 60gr/2oz (half medium sized) onion, finely chopped *

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 100gr/4oz bread (about 2 slices from a dense loaf) **

- 5gr/0.2oz (20 leaves) fresh mint, finely chopped

- 60gr/2oz whole Kalamata olives (about 15 olives) ***

- 100gr/4oz feta, cubed or crumbled

- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

- 1 egg

- salt, pepper

* or grated and strained

** if using the classic super market bread (suitable for toast), then use 4 medium sized slices

*** if using pitted olives, then you need 50gr/1.7oz

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Preparation:

Remove the crust from the bread (pic.1). Fill a medium sized bowl with water, add the bread and let it soak (pic. 2).

Slice each olive open (pic.3) and remove the pit (pic. 4). Chop them into small pieces (pic. 5).

Drain the bread (squeeze well with your hands to remove any excess water). Add all the ingredients except the feta in a large bowl: ground beef, onion, garlic, bread, olives, mint, egg, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (pic. 6).

Knead the mixture (pic. 7) for at least 3 minutes. You need to continue mixing even though it seems that everything is incorporated in the first minute. Keep a timer nearby and continue kneading for the 3 minutes mentioned. This is the secret for tasty Greek style burgers (mpiftekia/biftekia).

Add the cubed feta (pic. 8) and fold it into the mixture (pic. 9). Do not overmix here, you simply want to incorporate the feta in the mixture. You don't want to mash it. Cover the bowl with film and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop.

Remove from the fridge and form the burger patties (pic. 10). Keep them in a bowl/plate/pan (pic. 11), cover again with film and put it in the fridge for at another 30 minutes to help them keep their shape.

When this time has passed, you can brush your oven grate with olive oil (pic. 12) and add the burgers (pic. 13).

Put a baking pan under the grate for any drippings and bake in preheated oven, at 200 degrees Celsius/ 390 Fahrenheit, using the fan setting. Bake the patties for 40 minutes flipping them halfway through.

Serve with tzatziki (here's the authentic Greek tzatziki recipe if you want to make some ahead) and/or French fries. You can also serve those with some garlic lemon roasted potatoes, it's a delicious combo!

Ourselves, we like using pitas instead of bread to serve them (like in the photos at the top) and red onion mixed with fresh parsley.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can use any type of bread you like: white bread, whole wheat, multigrain etc.

2. You can also bake them in a pan (brushed with olive oil) or on a pan lined with baking paper.

3.These patties are not as dense as their American cousins, so please be gentle handling them over the grill. Only flip them once with a metal spatula halfway through cooking.

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No bake sour cherry cheesecake in a glass

littlecookingtips — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 08:53:18 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou

Calories (per serving):

627

Servings:

Cooking Time:

20 minutes

This is one of the oldest recipes we shared through our blog: No bake sour cherry cheesecake in a glass! Checking our site’s stats, we‘ve noticed that this recipe has always been popular.

The photo was taken by an old inexpensive camera, wasn’t one of our best shots and the text was one of the first ones typed in English in the blog. We like to think that our blogging abilities have improved since then, so we decided to take some fresh photos, take another look at the text and share the recipe again!

So, how did we get the inspiration for this recipe? Cheesecake in a glass was a relatively new thing here in Greece back in 2011 when we tried it. We always like new ideas and this approach seemed to be quite handy, as you have ready-made cheesecake servings for any of your guests in individual portions in the fridge.

Why sour cherries? Well, sour cherry spoon sweet is one of the most popular Greek spoon sweets. What the heck are those spoon sweets you might ask? Well, they're similar to canned fruits in syrup, only the syrup is much thicker and it’s also flavored with some herb, usually marjoram. And since they’re very sweet, the quantity served is always just a tablespoon.

Back in the old era, people wanted to preserve the ripe, seasonal fruits for the next months, and one of the methods used was turning them to sweets and preserving them in jars. Those spoon sweets are served usually as a dessert or as a side for your afternoon coffee. It’s the traditional homemade sweet that all grandmas served for decades. We both grew up with our yayades (grandmas) serving us quinces, sour cherries, grapes, bitter oranges and many more fruits as a treat. Fortunately, in the last few years this dessert made a comeback and now many villages are collectively producing those again. And by the way, they’re among the best toppings for Greek yogurt!

But enough with the daydreaming; let’s get back to our cheesecake now! We tried this recipe with sour cherries spoon sweets and they were delicious. But since this isn’t a sweet that’s always easy to find, especially for the people abroad, we decided to alter this a little. So, instead of spoon sweet sour cherries, we used canned sour cherries in syrup! Those are available on all supermarkets here in Greece AND abroad, so this seemed to be the way to go.

The result was a fluffy lemony creamy cheesecake, with cookie crumbs as the base and a sweet cherry topping! We don’t add melted butter in the crumbs, and here’s why: we always like to make a mess while eating this, meaning that we dive the spoon in and mix the cookie crumbs with the cream, picking also a couple of cherries, before landing the spoon in the mouth. :)

So the glass/jar stops being as presentable as it is here in the photos, but we really don’t care since it’s so delightful! But you can go ahead and add a little butter in the crumbs if you like a thicker base for the cheesecake.

One of the benefits of this recipe is that you can make this cheesecake ahead of time so it’ll be ready for serving in some party/family gathering in the next day. Keep in mind though that the result is much fluffier if you serve this in the same day.

Another advantage is that they are very nice to look at, as you can see the layers of sweetness through the glass.

You can also use another canned fruit in syrup if you don’t like sour cherries, or if want to try something else, making this a very versatile recipe.

And did we tell you that they’re super easy to put together? And you only need a few minutes of your time? Well, it’s true. If you never tried cheesecake in a glass before, this is one of the first recipes you should try. You’ll see for yourself how quick and easy it is.

Now regarding the term; some people are calling this dessert “cheesecake in glass” while other prefer the term “cheesecake in a jar”. Our opinion? Use jars, glasses, whatever you find handy and beautiful. We sometimes served those in glasses, sometimes in jars. For this post, we took pictures with glass and we also filled up a small jar so you can see the difference for yourself.

You can make a single layer of cookie crumbs, a layer of cream and add the cherries on top, or you can add multiple layers of cookies and cream. Ourselves, we usually do that, adding two layers of cookies and cream and top it with the cherries. But feel free to express yourself :)

So enough with our rumbling; let’s see how we can make this easy, delicious dessert!

Ingredients:

- 300gr/10.5oz cream cheese
- 200gr/7oz (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 125gr/4.5oz digestive biscuits/graham crackers, in crumbs (see preparation)
- 200gr/7oz drained sour cherries in syrup (canned) *

* you can also use regular pitted cherries in syrup for a different equally delicious result

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Preparation:

To make crumbs from the biscuits, pulse in a food processor (or use a blender) until they're finely ground (pic. 1, pic. 2).

Put the cream cheese and the sweetened milk in a large bowl (pic.3). Using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer) beat until you get a smooth and fluffy result (about 2 minutes). Start at a lower speed and turn it up as the cream thickens (pic.4). Add the zest and the lemon juice and continue to mix for half a minute (pic.5).

In a short glass or jar add 2 tablespoons of crushed biscuits (pic.6), then 2 tablespoons of cream (pic.7).

Repeat the process (pic.8) and garnish with 2 tablespoons of sour cherries (pic.9).

Do the same in 3 more glasses and put them all in the fridge at least for 20 minutes.

As simple as that! Enjoy!

Tips:

1. The more you leave these cheesecakes in the fridge the thicker they get. So keep that in mind and serve according to your preferences.
2. You can choose any canned fruit (in syrup) you prefer for garnishing.

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Greek Traditional Meatballs (Keftedakia)

littlecookingtips — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 20:11:47 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

366

Servings:

Preparation Time:

30 minutes

Cooking Time: