Category Archives: GREEK DISHES

QUICK AND EAST FLATBREAD

Leave a reply

Your inspiration for today:

“Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread. Without it, it’s flat.” Carmen McRae the jazz singer

“A loaf of bread, the Walrus said, is what we chiefly need: Pepper and vinegar besides are very good indeed.” Author Lewis Carroll

Having pretty much stated the obvious, there should be no doubt in your mind that I am, always have been, and will continue to be an ardent bread lover. And when the bread is as easy to make as this one, well all I can say is BRING IT ON!

So, the other afternoon I decided to try, for the umpteenth time, making baba ganoush that was not only palatable but downright delicious. And I succeeded. (See my recipe under Oven Baked Baba Ganoush.) And just because there are certain foods that are perfect together, I made some hummus too. (Also, several recipes on site for hummus.)

But then, what to serve these two amazing dip/spreads with besides crudité? (Raw veggies are always great, but perfect flatbread or naan is not only a compliment but a foundation.) (Hard to keep baba ganoush on a carrot stick!)

So, with these three middle eastern dishes in front of us, we feasted in style.

And the flatbread had been so very easy to make. In fact, the preparation really could not have been more effortless. No mixer involved, and simple straightforward ingredients. And the result – perfect base for hummus and baba ganoush. And this flatbread will be perfect next time I serve Ground Lamb Patties w/Rosemary and Thyme, Ćevapčići (Serbian Grilled Sausages), or Grilled Lamb Patties w/Tzatziki. (All 3 recipes on site.)

So, I am absolutely thrilled to be able to share this recipe with you. And I hope you like this flatbread as much as I do.

Well, it’s sunny and warm here today. While I am inside writing this post, Mr. C. is power washing our driveway. Which is both steep and long. So, while I am doing what I love, he is doing what needs to be done. Therefore, the only fair thing to happen in a situation like this is to 1) thank him for all his effort and 2) build him something he loves. And I’m thinking some kind of bar cookie would do the trick. So, on that happy note, I will bid you farewell for today, and get off my duff and into the kitchen!

Peace and love to all.

½ c. warm water

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. instant yeast

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

3 T. milk

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on flatbread

In a small mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, flour, milk, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the yeast mixture. Stir to combine until dough comes together. (I use a regular table knife to stir the dough.)

Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece in a ball with your hands. Arrange the balls on a small parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat.

Roll the dough balls out on a floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness and place 1 at a time on your ungreased heated skillet. Cook the flatbread until it starts to bubble. (And no, the bubbles won’t pop.) Flip the bread and brush the cooked side with olive oil. Cook the second side for another minute or two or until the bubbles are nicely browned.

Remove to a baking sheet or plate. Serve warm. (I love to serve this simple flatbread with hummus and baba ganoush.)

Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature. Heat flatbread a bit before serving if not enjoying it immediately.  

OVEN BAKED BABA GANOUSH   

Leave a reply

Baba ganoush with flatbread and hummus

So, if you are like me, then you know how hard it is to make a really good baba ganoush. At least, after many tries, I had never made one that I wanted to make again, much less share with all of you. Until the day before yesterday, that is.

I think one of the mistakes I kept making was grilling the eggplant to get that lovely smokey flavor that is so important to a great baba ganoush. Which invariably resulted in the flesh semi-burning at the surface before the rest of the eggplant tenderized.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I am much better at using an oven than I am at grilling. So, based on several recipes I perused, I decided to take the advice of cooks much better and wiser than myself, and put my oven to work rather than my grill. And then cheat a little by adding a couple of smokey ingredients to offset the lack of the smokiness that comes with grilling.

In truth, I started by leaving the baba ganoush chunky. It tasted OK, but I kept chewing on small pieces of roasted garlic that I found less than appealing. (Hard to smash up roasted garlic using a potato masher.) The rest of the mix was delicious, so I decided, what the heck, and got out my small food processor. This resulted in a lovely, smooth dip which made all the difference. The garlic was still evident, but only in a good way. And with just a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkling of smoked paprika on top, the baba ganoush was a winner.

I served the baba ganoush with hummus (several recipes on site under Hummus a Tune Mr. C. and my new favorite Quick and Easy Flatbread. (Find recipe below.)

So, if you too are an ardent fan of baba ganoush, I hope you give this recipe a try. It is simple to prepare, but it does take a bit of taste testing along the way to reach perfection. So, try very hard not to eat the whole batch before it is made available for others to also enjoy.

And as always, dear friends, peace and love to all.  

2 med. eggplants

extra-virgin olive oil

4-5 lg. cloves of garlic

2 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

3 T. tahini, or more to taste

pinch ground cumin, or to taste

¼ tsp. baking soda (if baba ganoush is bitter)

smoked paprika, for garnish

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Halve the eggplants lengthwise. Brush the cut side very lightly with olive oil. Place the eggplant halves on the prepared pan, cut side down. 

Cut off the top of the garlic cloves. Place garlic onto a square of aluminum foil. Pour a little olive oil over the exposed tops of the cloves and wrap tightly in the foil. Place the garlic packet on the baking sheet with the eggplant.  

Roast the eggplant and garlic in a preheated 425-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

You will find that the baked eggplant has a darkened skin on the cut side from baking flesh side down on the baking sheet. I advise you to carefully cut around the edge of each eggplant half with a paring knife. Then carefully lift the burned skin off the eggplant and scrape off as much of the unburned flesh as possible into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. (And no, the burned part will probably not come off in one nice piece. No one is that lucky! So be patient. This step takes a bit of time. But it’s important.) Discard the burned parts. Then scoop out the remaining flesh into the strainer. Discard the skins.  

Let the eggplant sit in the strainer for a few minutes to release some of the unwanted liquid. Remove any blackened parts that might remain. Then stir the eggplant a bit. This will help get rid of any residual liquid. Transfer the flesh to the bowl of your food processor and discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

Gently squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their peels and into the food processor.

Add the lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Process until smooth. Taste and add additional salt, lemon juice, tahini, or olive oil. (You will probably need more salt Or even some of each ingredient.) If your baba ganoush is a bit bitter, try adding just a smidge of baking soda and give the whole thing another whirl. Taste again and make further adjustments as required.

Scoop into a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before serving, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika.  

Great served with my Quick and Easy Flatbread, pita chips, and/or crudité.

QUICK AND EAST FLATBREAD

½ c. warm water

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. instant yeast

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

3 T. milk

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on flatbread

In a small mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, flour, milk, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the yeast mixture. Stir to combine until dough comes together. (I use a regular table knife to stir the dough.)

Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece in a ball with your hands. Arrange the balls on a small parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat.

Roll the dough balls out on a floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness and place 1 at a time on your ungreased heated skillet. Cook the flatbread until it starts to bubble. (And no, the bubbles won’t pop.) Flip the bread and brush the cooked side with olive oil. Cook the second side for another minute or two or until the bubbles are nicely browned.

Remove to a baking sheet or plate. Serve warm. (I love to serve this simple flatbread with hummus and baba ganoush.

Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature. Heat leftover bread a bit before serving.  

GROUND LAMB PATTIES WITH ROSEMARY AND THYME

Leave a reply

I’m not known for keeping my opinions to myself. You should be quite aware of this if you are in the habit of reading my blog. There just doesn’t seem to be any way for me to keep my innermost, private, terribly biased, and probably offensive to some, thoughts inside my head where they belong. So, here goes another blast from me that shouldn’t be said, or in this case written down for everyone and their grandmother to read! But I’m going to say it anyway! “In my opinion, those who loudly proclaim that they hate lamb but have never even tasted said critter, should be made to ride the “It’s a small world” Disneyland ride for 10 hours straight!” (And no real offense to whomever is running the show for the Disney corporation now.  But whoever you are, I’d be willing to bet you couldn’t stand this ride for 10 hours straight, even if they doubled your yearly salary!) (I rode it once when I went to Disneyland with daughter Paula and kids. Once! And even then, I was almost screaming by the time the poor ride attendant “helped” me to the exit.) So, that’s how strongly I feel about the subject of lamb! And I stand behind my comment!

Now, for those who have tasted lamb, but don’t like the slightly gamey taste, that’s a different story. But just to arbitrarily decide that lamb is icky before even giving it a chance, well that’s just not right! I mean it’s not sea urchin or parsnips for goodness sake!

OK, I feel better now. And I know I am preaching to the choir about the marvels of lamb because you wouldn’t be reading this post if you weren’t interested in preparing a ground lamb dish. Of course, you could be just reading this post to find out what I felt compelled to rant, advise, or sweet talk you into today! Either way, I feel I have adequately fulfilled my responsibility for every type of reader.

But, if it’s a great recipe for ground lamb you are after, this recipe should make you happy. One thing you should know. I compiled this group of ingredients based on ease of preparation. I plan to serve these patties while traveling in our trailer. Because dried seasonings and herbs are much easier to use when I am trying to fix dinner in an area roughly the size of a linen closet. Without the shelves, of course! (Not complaining here, because I love our trailer. But too much of my hacking and slashing can become hazardous to Mr. C.  as he tries to navigate his way past me from the dining/reading/game playing area of the trailer to the bathroom or the bedroom area. (And I hope you realize that I am delineating both “bathroom” and “bedroom” very loosely in this context.) 

So, for trailering, it’s mostly dried herbs and spices all the way. But you will find that I have also listed fresh equivalents, which I too will be using when I have the luxury of a larger “kitchen” in which to prepare these lamb patties.  

As always, keep having fun. Laugh at yourself when it’s appropriate. And find the joy in everything you do. Peace and love to all.

1 lb. ground lamb

2 tsp. Montreal Seasoning

1½ tsp. granulated garlic or 1 large garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed or 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary  

¼ tsp. granulated onion or 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh onion

¼ tsp. dried thyme or ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Mix all together and form into 3 patties. Grill or pan fry in a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Great served with Hummus or Tzatziki. (Or both!)  

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA, FRESH VEGETABLE, AND FETA CHEESE SALAD

Leave a reply

I go through cycles. For several weeks I can find myself drawn to brown rice, for example. Then all of a sudden, it’s egg noodles, or grits, or lentils, or like at present – quinoa. Why I can’t happily diversify better when it comes to side dishes, I might never know. But it is what it is. And like I stated, I seemed to now be on a quinoa kick. And more power to me, I say. Because quinoa is a very healthy seed and a better choice for a side dish than say, white rice, or even brown rice. And I do have to admit, I love me a good side dish.

What I was really hungry for the other evening was a hearty salad to go along with our entrée. But frankly, I was too lazy to make both a side dish and a salad. So, why not a combination dish that contained some kind of grain, dried beans, lentils, or rice and a plethora of fresh veggies!   

So, I decided to make a salad that was kind of a Greek salad meets tabbouleh mash-up. But one of the main requisites for whatever I was going to build, was that I had to have all of the ingredients on hand. No going to the store for this gal for only one or two ingredients! So, this is what I came up with. And yay, we both loved this salad/side dish. And after we had eaten our fill, we still had enough left over for me to serve it again with Ground Lamb Patties with Rosemary and Thyme (recipe coming soon), Hummus, and Tzatziki (recipes already on site) the next day.  

Now for those of you who have never cooked or even tasted quinoa, you are in for a treat. Quinoa is quick and easy to cook, and it plays well with other ingredients. You want to serve it plain, then simply cook it in broth. You want to add other ingredients, you will never hear it complaining. Quinoa is nothing if not versatile. And I must state this fact: Quinoa is a healthy alternative to most other grains. It’s rich in fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and all nine essential amino acids, which makes it one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet. And – it tastes good! What more could you ask? So, do yourself and your family a favor. MAKE SOME QUINOA SOON!

As always, play with your food. Eat what you know you like, but don’t forget to try new things too. And stay safe. Both Mr. C. and I are now fully vaccinated. But that doesn’t stop us from wearing our masks in public. And like some people still believe, wearing a mask does not infringe on our personal rights as American citizens. But it does have a lot to do with the rights of others. Every person has the right to remain healthy. And that can’t happen until every person shows consideration for those around them. There’s no republican or democrat under those masks. There’s no one who has been stripped of their personal freedom by wearing a mask. But donning a mask is still the best way to demonstrate that the wearer cares about themselves and others. And so what if it’s a bit uncomfortable wearing a mask. Big deal. The sooner we can all put this pandemic behind us, the sooner we can see everyone’s beautiful smile again. And I for one will be glad for that day. I miss smiles. And I miss hugs. I miss my kids, my relatives, and my friends. But mostly, I don’t want to miss people who have lost their life because of another person’s ignorance. So, please do your part. And get vaccinated. No, it may not be the perfect solution, but it’s what we have to work with right now. So, please be part of the solution. Read what experts have to say on the subject, not what some television personality sitting behind a script has to offer.

And no, I can’t help myself from sharing my beliefs with you. I’m not just a cook. I’m a wife, mother, old friend, and new friend who wants the best for every person who is now living or is yet to be a resident of Mother Earth. If we don’t care about our planet and how to save it, and don’t value the lives of others, what have we really given to the world? I’d rather be remembered as a good person than as a good cook. (OK, I’d like to be remembered as a good cook too.) But upper most – a decent human being. That’s what really counts. And what I strive for daily.   

Peace and love to all.  

1 c. quinoa *

2 c. chicken broth  or 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons chicken base

3 T. extra virgin olive oil   

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. halved grape tomatoes

1 c. diced English cucumber

½ c. diced red, yellow, or orange bell pepper

⅓ c. minced red onion

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

½ c. sliced pitted kalamata olives

1 c. chopped feta cheese, or more to taste

Pour the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water for at least 1 minute. (See why below.) Combine the rinsed quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered until the quinoa has absorbed all of the broth, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the pot from heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set aside.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a large salad bowl. Gently stir in the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and slightly warm quinoa. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Chill in refrigerator, 1 to 4 hours.

*Quinoa is coated with a naturally occurring toxic substance called saponin.  So always rinse quinoa before cooking. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over it until the entire soapy residue has been washed away. You can taste test a few seeds; if they still have a bitter taste, run more cold water over them.

If prepared correctly, the flavor of quinoa when cooked in just water is a somewhat nutty combination of brown rice and oats. But when cooked in broth, the seeds will take on the flavor of the broth. And as you can see if you look up my other quinoa recipes, I always cook the seeds in broth.    

GREEK SALAD (KINDA SORTA)

Leave a reply

What is there about the combination of Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and fresh tomatoes that for me always evoke happy memories of sunshine, warm water, coastal breezes, and good times? Oh yah – I remember now. It’s the wonderful vacations we have taken along the Mediterranean Ocean and the Adriatic Sea. So for one of our most recent JazzVox pre-concert meals, I decided to serve some dishes from that part of the world. So of course, the meal had to include a Greek salad.

Now the reason I named this salad Greek Salad (Kinda Sorta), is because I included romaine lettuce in the mix. And everyone who is anyone knows that the number one rule when fixing a traditional Greek salad is “thou shall not use lettuce or any other leafy green in the making of this salad”. So up to this point, I had never even considered making this culinary faux pas.

But I’m older now, and frankly I don’t give a flying fig if I break established rules or not. (That is if the rules aren’t illegal, immoral, or irreverent!) So, I decided to add some romaine, not only for the color, but also for the crunch. And in all honesty, I think the romaine added a lot to the salad. It was perfect with the other ingredients, and helped create a freshness that I have often found missing in more traditional Greek salads.

So the moral of this story is to never fear thinking outside the box when you are cooking. Yes you may end up flying in the face of the traditional way a dish is prepared. But who cares? Cooks experimenting with new methods and ingredients is the only reason we have the amazing dining choices we have today. I mean really. Can you even imagine a world without guacamole, lemon curd, or milk chocolate? Gives me hives even thinking about it!

So have fun in your kitchen. Break away from tradition. And try this salad. It really is yummy!

Dressing:

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 T. chopped Italian parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

Salad:

5 c. chopped romaine lettuce

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes

¼ red onion, cut into thin slices

½ English cucumber, partially peeled, cut in half, seeded, and cut into thin half rounds

½ green pepper, diced

18 Kalamata olives, halved, or more to taste

½ c. crumbled feta cheese, or more to taste

Place the lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, green pepper, and olives in a salad bowl. Dress with salad dressing. Gently toss in the feta cheese. Serve immediately.

  

GREEK ARUGULA SALAD

Leave a reply

This is a recipe for the perfect salad. Original recipe by Michael Symon. A couple changes by Patti Carr.

It has most of the basic flavors associated with a traditional Greek Salad, but takes about 1/3rd the time to prepare. (I like that in a salad.) No cleaning and chopping greens (I use packaged baby arugula that has been triple washed), no tomatoes, cucumbers, or green peppers to wash and cut up, no lemon to juice, and a very simple salad dressing that takes about 5 minutes to prepare.

So all and all, a quick, easy, and delicious salad that’s perfect with almost any entrée.

So do yourself a favor. Make this salad in the near future. You will thank me – I promise!

And sorry about no picture. I was simply brain-dead from booking our September trailer trip to think any further than just getting dinner on the table. And yes, the next time I make this salad I will post a picture. Or, if you make the salad, please send me a picture and I’ll post it and give you credit. Seems a win/win for both of us. You get to eat this wonderful salad, and I get a picture! Love it when a plan comes together.

  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. dried dill
  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 T. red wine vinegar
  • 2-3 T. chopped red onion
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
  • ¼ c. coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
  • ¼ c. crumbled feta cheese  
  • 2-3 oz. baby arugula
  • 15 or so garlic croutons, opt.

Whisk the salt, pepper, dill, olive oil, and vinegar together in a small salad bowl. Stir in the red onion and garlic. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir in the feta, then toss in the arugula and croutons. Serve immediately.

   

   

TABBOULEH

Leave a reply

OK, sometimes in my haste I don’t even follow my own recipes to a tee. And this past Sunday morning was no exception. (This is happening more and more as advancing years have their way with me!) So, instead of reading my recipe on how to soften the bulgur for this salad, I followed the Red Mill basic cooking instructions on the package. Huge mistake. I basically made porridge. (BTW, not Bob’s mistake. The instructions were perfect if you wanted a soft cereal.)

So what do you do when you realize your mistake and it’s 10:00 am and you have 37 guests coming for a meal at 1:00 pm? Well I’ll tell you what I did. I carried on as if no faux pas had occurred. So the salad was a little soggy, it still tasted just fine. But I knew it could have been better. (Sometimes you just have to suck it up and hopefully learn not to make the same mistake again! In my case, I’m not holding out much hope that it won’t happen again. But I have confidence in you, so not too worry!) Anyway, the salad was still delicious.

So next time you want a wonderful, nutritious, and different salad to serve to your family and friends, I suggest you make Tabbouleh. It’s perfect as a part of a Mediterranean menu, or just as a nice change of pace beside a simple meat entrée. And it keeps really well. Perfect for lunch the next day, be it in your home or in your office lunchroom.

So moral of this story/confession. Stuff happens. You simply have to make lemonade out of the lemons. And – you don’t need to tell anyone about your little mess-ups in the kitchen. Most of the time no one will notice anyway! Happy cooking.

FYI: Bulgur is the traditional grain of the Levant. And since you wondered, the Levant region includes Syria, Lebanon, and southern Turkey.

  • 1½ c. med. sized bulgur (I use Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Red Bulgur)
  • 1½ c. boiling water
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 English cucumber, partially peeled, seeded, and cut into small chunks
  • 8 green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 c. chopped Italian parsley, or more to taste
  • ½ c. chopped fresh mint, or more to taste
  • 6 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
  • 6 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. crumbled feta, or more to taste
  • ½ c. coarsely chopped Kalamata olives, or more to taste 

Combine the bulgur and boiling water; soak for one hour. Drain the bulgur in a fine sieve, pressing firmly to release any excess water. Place on a plate, fluff a little, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile prep the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, garlic, parsley, and mint as described above.

When the bulgur is cool, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add the bulgur and toss until every grain is coated. Then gently stir in the cut veggies. Finally add the crumbled feta and Kalamata olives. Taste and add more of this or that until you reach the desired taste you want.

Tabbouleh is best if it has an hour or so to meditate in a cold place before being served.

BAKED CHICKEN SHAWARMA WITH GREEK YOGURT SAUCE AND BAKED RICE

Leave a reply

When we lived in Bellevue, we used to eat at the Mediterranean Kitchen on Bellevue Way. It was renowned for being partially subsidized by the garlic growers of America (just kidding). But they did use an exceedingly huge amount of garlic in their dishes. And their Chicken Shawarma was no exception. OMG. We would come home from dinner and both of us would reek of garlic. Leftovers, and there were always leftovers, would cause the entire refrigerator to smell like the kitchen of the restaurant.

But, it was worth it! Because the shawarma was wonderful. Marinated strips of chicken breast in red wine vinegar, spices, and garlic. Grilled with onions, green onions, red cabbage, and tomatoes, served with a tahini sauce. Oh my. Lovely.

So let’s leap forward 10 years.  

As much as I love garlic, my golden years’ stomach will no longer tolerate that much garlic! But I still love shawarma. So I went on line to see if I could make a shawarma a little tamer than Med Kitchens version.

And I located this recipe (at least the one for the chicken) on Tory Aveys’ site. (Wonderful recipes on her site as I’ve stated several times before!)

The yogurt sauce and rice recipe were compilations based on recipes from several wonderful cooking blogs.

So next time you get a hankering for middle-eastern food but either don’t have a Mediterranean restaurant close by, or the strength to leave home to find one, this is the meal for you. Chicken prepared with warm, savory spices and herbs, a sauce that has all the flavors you associate with middle-eastern cuisine, and a delicious and simple rice dish as the base for all this goodness.

Καλή όρεξη! (Good appetite in Greek.)

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts  
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. allspice
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
  • pinch cayenne
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • nonstick cooking oil spray
  • Greek Yogurt Sauce (see recipe below)
  • Baked Rice (see recipe below)

Cut each chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Place in a glass or plastic bowl. Whisk the olive oil, cumin, paprika, allspice, turmeric, granulated garlic, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Pour the spice marinade over the chicken pieces. Stir with a spoon till all the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the marinade.

Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. (Overnight is fine.)

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the sheet.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through (no pink).

Take the chicken out of the oven and transfer, complete with pan juices, to a large skillet. (If there are no pan juices, use about a tablespoon of olive oil to grease the pan.) Over medium-high heat, sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken start to turn brown and crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning. Can be made ahead.

Serve warm over Baked Rice and dolloped with Greek Yogurt Sauce.

GREEK YOGURT SAUCE:

  • 1 c. plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. Store covered in the refrigerator until needed. Can be made ahead.

Note: If you are a tahini lover, try adding a tablespoon or two to this sauce. You might need to add a bit of water to the sauce to thin it out.

BAKED RICE

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. chopped yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 c. long-grain white rice
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

In a heavy covered pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until each grain of rice is well coated. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Cover with lid or aluminum foil, if your pan does not have a lid. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, covered for 5 minutes before fluffing and serving. Can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.

GREEK GROUND CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH TZAZIKI SAUCE

Leave a reply

Sometimes dishes get served before I have a chance to take a picture. That’s exactly what happened at a recent pre-concert JazzVox meal. Before I could take a picture of these meatballs based on a recipe from the Juicy Bites website and the tzatziki sauce (my recipe from about 25 years ago), they were history.

So the next time I serve this delicious combination, I will take a picture. But for now you will just have to content yourself with a mental image of light colored baked meatballs, smothered with a white sauce with green things in it, aka – tzatziki.

Now most of you know that I love chicken and serve it a lot. But chicken can be a bit boring. Well I’m here to tell you, there is nothing boring about these meatballs. The mint and the dill give the dish a unique flavor, and when slathered with tzatziki, well frankly, there is just nothing finer. (Actually, I think dog kibbles would taste good if they were slathered in tzatziki. But I’m not going to stand behind those words; just offer them up as a lazy summer afternoon rumination.)

So next time you want to serve ground chicken or turkey (I use ground turkey as much as I use ground chicken), give this recipe a try. Serve the meatballs and tzatziki with a savory pilaf, a crunchy Greek Salad, and a beautifully chilled bottle of white wine, and you will have captured the wonderful flavors and essence of Greek dining. Huh? Maybe Greece should be our next overseas adventure. Time to buy a couple travel books and see if Greece meets our criteria as a perfect travel destination. We love to visit countries with an ancient culture, beautiful art and architecture, interesting museums, pleasing climate, fun and friendly people, and of course – fantastic food. Wait! I don’t need a travel guide to tell me that Greece would be perfect for us. I already know all of our travel desires would be met in Greece. So, time to make a plan and present it to Mr. C. I know, I’ll serve up my idea along with a meal as described above, and I’ll bet you he’ll be searching our calendar for dates within an hour. Wish me luck! And enjoy the meatballs.

At the bottom of the post you will find 2 pictures of our orange cat Miles. The first picture shows Miles sound asleep on our catwalk. No problem, right? Wrong! The second picture shows why his sleeping at the end of the catwalk is of concern. It’s 9 feet down if our little darling were to fall. And since that part of the catwalk is above the bottom of the stairway, there is no way for either of us to fetch him. And no, when I designed our home Max and Miles were not even a glimmer in their papa’s eyes. We had another pair of orange brothers who were very coordinated and we never worried about them falling.

A little background. Miles and his brother Max are two of the least coordinated and skittish cats we have ever had the pleasure of owning. They can fall off the back of a couch and land on their backs at the slightest movement that might be threatening, like Mr. C. turning a page in his book, or me walking by with a glass in my hand. So the thought of either one of the brothers being startled awake while on the catwalk and reacting quickly to a perceived threat always scares the pickles out of me. And since I’m sure you want to know, Miles survived his nap and my heartrate is back to normal.

  • ½ c. panko bread crumbs
  • 1/3 c. whole milk
  • 1 small onion, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ¼ c. finely chopped Italian parsley
  • ¼ c. finely chopped mint leaves
  • 3 T. finely chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano (Mexican preferably)
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • zest and juice of 1 small lemon
  • 2 lbs. ground chicken or turkey

Pour the milk over the panko bread crumbs in a large bowl and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, mint, dill, oregano, salt, pepper, eggs, olive oil, and lemon zest and juice. Mix together with a fork until well blended. (I use the large serving fork that came with my silverware set. Works great!) Add the ground chicken and stir with the same fork until just blended. (Do not overwork the meat.)

Using a small ice cream scoop, shape the balls and place on a baking sheet lined with foil and coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes until just done. (Do not overbake or the meatballs will be dry.) Serve with tzatziki sauce. Recipe below.

TZATZIKI  

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 c. plain Greek Yogurt
  • 3 small or 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1½ tsp. chopped fresh dill or ½ tsp. dill weed
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 English cucumber, partially peeled, seeded, and grated

Combine all ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garlic trick:

If you are using fresh garlic in a recipe, but would like to reduce a bit of the “garlic bite”, place the peeled garlic cloves in a small bowl and cover with milk. Warm the cloves in your microwave, but do not cook them. Then remove the cloves from the milk and slice or mince according to your recipe. You will find that the flavor is still there, but the bite has mysteriously disappeared.

 

BRIAM (GREEK VEGETABLE BAKE)

Leave a reply

For any of you who routinely hear “you should eat more vegetables” or say to yourself “hey dummy – you really need to start eating more vegetables”, this is the dish for you! This Greek favorite is sooooo tasty that you or any vegetable challenged family member or friend who might be partaking at your table won’t even notice that this dish contains 6 different types of vegetables and two healthy herbs. (Oregano – contains potent antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties, as well as fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin E, calcium, omega fatty acids, and vitamin K. Parsley – vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and iron.) They will be so busy gulping it down, that before you can ask if they like the dish, they are going back for seconds.

And the best part, the dish is actually better the day after (or two or three days after) it is prepared. Perfect for someone who wants to do a bunch of cooking on the weekend for dinners throughout the week. Also perfect for dinner parties when other dishes you are planning might require last minute attention.

You just throw this dish in the oven for a short time before you plan to sit down to dinner. Lovely.

So do yourself and your family and friends a favor. Go Greek for an evening. Fix some Greek Ground Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki, Hummus, Pita Bread, Briam, and Greek Marinated Olives. Spread your table with a cheerful table cloth, and sit down for a leisurely meal together. (No cell phones, etc. allowed!) If you can eat “al fresco” – all the better! And even if you make this dish just for yourself, consider yourself blessed. You get to eat every delicious morsel of this veggie dish all by yourself. (Kind of like me with fried zucchini. But that’s a story for another day!)

  • ¾ c. extra-virgin olive oil, divided plus more for drizzling
  • 1 lg. red onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice (Italian, if possible)
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 T. finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  • 2 peeled Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
  • 2 medium sized zucchini, sliced ¼-inch thick diagonally
  • 2 small eggplants, partially peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • ½ basket cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • crumbled feta

Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the onion. Cook gently until the onion is tender and translucent, about 20 minutes. Add the salt and pepper; stir in the garlic. Cook for another minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ½ cup olive oil, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. You may need more salt. (Don’t worry if the sauce appears oily. That’s what you need for this dish.)

Lightly oil a deep (approximately 9×13-inch) baking dish. Spread a very thin layer of the tomato mixture in the baking dish and top with half of the potato slices, half of the zucchini, and half of the eggplant. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the veggies. Repeat the layering – again ending with the sauce. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes over the top, cut side down. Finish by drizzling a small amount of olive oil over the cherry tomatoes, followed by a light seasoning of salt and pepper.

    

Cover with foil or a lid and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 75 minutes. Remove the foil or lid and bake uncovered an additional 30 minutes, or until the potato slices are tender.

Cool to just above room temperature and serve, or refrigerate overnight. (Best served slightly warmed the next day.)

Wonderful sprinkled lightly with crumbled feta cheese.