Spaghetti With Brown Butter and Feta (Μακαρόνια με βούτυρο και φέτα)

Last weekend was a busy one. I had a full social calendar, things to do around the house, work on a revamped "Kalofagas" website and attend a Superbowl party on a Sunday evening that's usually spent quietly at home.

Oh yeah...I was also in the thick of baking, enjoying and sharing artisan bread in five minutes! As a reminder, you have until this upcoming Friday (by noon) to leave a comment and be elligible for a draw to win this fabulous bread making cookbook.

As if bread weren't enough carbs, I had a craving for pasta but something stripped down, focusing on good ingredients and what the Hell, I was feeling nostalgic.

One of my favourite dishes my mom would serve is a plain spaghetti (Makaronia) that was tossed in butter until slightly browned, then the pasta was drained and tossed in the brown butter with crumbled Feta cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to cap the dish.

Brown butter is a sauce unto itself and in my opinion, under-rated. The next time you're feeling for pasta yet you want something light, try a spaghetti with brown butter and Feta. Whip up a salad and call it a nice, light dinner where you'll get to eat Makaronia the way momma made it.

In case you're wondering, that's plain white pasta in the photos, the brown butter has given the dish a warm nut-brown colour.

Spaghetti With Brown Butter and Feta (Μακαρόνια με βούτυρο και φέτα)
(per serving)

2 Tbsp. of butter
1 clove of garlic, smashed
handful of dry spaghetti (Misko brand)
extra-virgin olive oil
grated Kefalotyri or Romano cheese
crumbled Feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Get a pot of water boiling on your stovetop. When aboil, add a good amount of salt, add your spaghetti and cook according to packet's instructions.
2. In a small pot, add your butter, a little olive oil and the smashed clove of garlic over medium heat. Keep your eye on the melting butter and soon you will see the milk solids begin to foam and quickly dissappear...THIS is where you have to watch carefully.
3. Your butter will turn from a golden yellow to a chestnut brown very rapidly. Your goal is to get a nut-brown colour to your butter. Once you have that nut-brown butter, take off the heat, take the clove of garlic out and keep cover to keep warm until your pasta is done.
4. When your pasta is cooked to an "al dente", strain and place in the pot with your brown butter. Toss the pasta to coat and if the spaghetti appears a bit dry, add some olive oil into the mix. Add some grated Kefalotyri cheese and continue to toss until the cheese has blended in with the butter.
5. Take off the heat, add some crumbled Feta, a turn of fresh-cracked black pepper and top with some more crumbled Feta and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

The richer, creamier cousin to this dish can be found here.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

A Simple Greek Sandwich

Roast some red peppers. Place in a paper bag to sweat for 30 minutes or so and peel the charred skins off. Season with sea salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Get yourself a slab of Greek Feta cheese.

Toast a homemade sesame seed bun and place some roasted red peppers in the bun, with a slab of Feta. Sprinke some dried Oregano and enjoy one of the easiest and tastiest sandwiches will ever have.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

If I Owned a Steakhouse in Greece

I would serve up something like this.

Steaks aren't really part of the traditional Greek diet. There isn't much by way of aged steaks like we know here North America. Beef and veal are most used for braising, stews and mince.

There are some butchers who have know-how to butcher cows with an eye towards steak cuts and they even have their own aging and hanging rooms for the beef. These butchers cater to the steak houses in Athens, Thessaloniki and some of the jet-set Greek islands.


Having spoken to butchers about how they butcher cattle differently from their North American colleagues, the consistent reply I get is that although they (Greek butchers) know how to butcher for steak cuts, there is little demand for it in the Greek market.

Another thing one should know is that many (perhaps most) Greeks like their meats well-done. There's a generational gap between myself, cousins and our parents as us younger folks like our meat medium to rare and our parents like their beef well-done. It's a cultural thing, no right or wrong - that's just how it is.

On to the dinner. The flavours and ingredients used for this dish are used in Greek cooking but none of the dish can be really characterized as "Greek food". Greek-inspired, yes. Greek recipe - NO. I can't say that anything here is derived from recipes of our forefathers or even from a Greek cookbook per se.

The steak is inspired by my dad's treatment of a steak....coarse salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried Greek oregano.

The mashed potatoes utilize Yukon Gold potatoes, roasted garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, scallions and crumbled Feta.

The beans are simple...a quick saute of sliced mushrooms with some roasted garlic and olive oil and blanched green beans get tossed in at the end to warm through. This pairing was inspired by a recent beans and mushrooms recipe posted over at my dear friend's Kalyn's Kitchen.

Put the steak, mashed potatoes and green beans with 'shrooms and you have a wonderful steak dinner with "an eye towards Greece".

Pull up a chair, let me fetch a bottle (or two) and please do, have a seat. You're having steak at my place tonight. Let's sip some wine, talk food, think about summer vacation plans and enjoy a wonderful steak dinner!

Pan-seared Steak With Roasted Garlic and Oregano
(for 4)

4 New York Strip steaks, 3/4 - 1 in. thick
olive oil
unsalted butter
coarse sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
garlic powder
dried Greek oregano

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta
4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 bulb of garlic
4 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
the green tops of 2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
approx. 1 cup of milk
crumbled Feta cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mushrooms and green beans
4 handfuls of green beans, trimmed
1 cup of Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 cloves of roasted garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. Peel and cut your potatoes into quarters. Place inside a pot and cover with water and reserve. Preheat your oven to 375F. Cut the top off your head of garlic and place in some tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up, place in a oven-proof vessel and roast for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool. You may also use this time to boil your beans in salted water (until al dente) and then shock by placing in a icy water bath. Drain and reserve.
   
2. Bring your steaks to room temperature for cooking. Drizzle some olive oil on both sides of the steaks and season with coarse salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and dried Greek oregano. Start your pot of potatoes by boiling them in salted water and cook until fork tender.
3. Place your skillet on the stove-top over high heat and add a couple of pads of butter and some olive oil. sear your steaks in batches until both sides are a deep brown colour and reserve on a baking tray (reduce heat to medium-high).
4. When the steaks are all seared-off, place the baking tray in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (for medium), remove from the oven, place on a plate and tent with foil. Allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving.
5. In the meantime, your potatoes should be ready to make your mashed potatoes. Strain the water from the potatoes, add butter and all but 2-3 cloves of the roasted garlic (for the beans and mushrooms). Add the milk, sun-dried tomatoes, and mash up some more. Now using a wooden spoon, mix in the crumbled Feta and scallions and then taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper. Reserve & keep warm.
6. In a skillet, add a few turns of love oil and add your sliced mushrooms over medium-high heat. Stir to coat the mushrooms with oil and season with some salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook off for another 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the beans and the remaining 2-3 roasted cloves of garlic. Toss to mix and and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and keep warm.
7. Divide the mashed potatoes by spooning a big scoop onto the middle of each plate, place a steak on top of half the steak and place a mound of beans and mushrooms on the side.
   

PLEASE NOTE: You may certainly grill the steaks on your outdoor if it's warm enough in your part of the world.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Chicken & Halloumi Souvlaki

We're about a week into January and I'm still eating leaner dishes, avoiding butter (mostly) and trying to be a good boy this January.

Tonight's dish is another way to kick-up the sometimes boring chicken breast. Cut it up, marinate it, grill it and pair it with something else delicious. In this case, chicken and Halloumi cheese are the elevated to "dymanic-duo" status.

Most souvlaki shacks in Greece and abroad now offer a chicken version of this skewered meat and although I often choose pork or lamb, the chicken option is great when I'm in the mood for lighter fare.

When you add Halloumi cheese into the mix, chicken souvlaki's stock immediately rises in the foodie's Bourse. For those unfamilar with Halloumi, is a firm cheese that is made in Cyprus, Lebanon and enjoyed throughout the Middle East.

It's made from a goat & sheep's milk blend and when it's chewed, it often squeaks against your teeth (which I find neat) and it's best trait, it's delicious.

The reason I've chosen Halloumi cheese here is that it's a cheese that holds up well over heat. Be it fried or grilled, Halloumi holds together and for the purpose of this take on souvlaki, it's your best bet.

This dish can be completed on your outdoor grill or one of those grilling pans you place on your stovetop. Being quite aware that there are Northern and Southern hemisphere readers of this blog, again this dish works for both!

This Chicken & Halloumi souvlaki was eaten in the context of a meze, an appetizer or part of a succession of Greek bites between sips of Tsipouro, a winter green salad tossed in a light vinaigrette, some warmed pita bread and some fruit for dessert.

The chicken breasts are cut into pieces that are the same size as your Halloumi pieces (so that they cook in the same amount of time) and the chicken is marinated for a couple of hours in flavours native to Greece, such as thyme, bay leaves, honey and red wine vinegar.

Chicken & Halloumi Souvlaki
(makes meze for 8 or 4 light main servings)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts,
cut into cubes

Marinade
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
8 bay leaves
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 sprigs of lemon thyme
1 Tbsp. of honey
1 shot of Ouzo
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

salt and pepper
approx. 500 gr. of Halloumi cheese,
cut into cubes
(same size as chicken pieces)
warm pita bread
wedges of lemon
wooden skewers

1. Rinse and pat dry your chicken breasts and then cut them lenghtwise in half. Now cut them across into cube-sized pieces and set aside.
2. In a zip-lock bag, all of the marinade ingredients and stir to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning and then add your pieces of chicken into the bag. Seal and squish the contents to coat all of the chicken pieces. Marinade in the fridge for 2 hours and then bring back to room temperature before grilling.
3. Cut your pieces of Halloumi cheese into pieces that are the same size as the the chicken. Strain the marinade (and discard) from your chicken pieces and alternately skewer a piece of chicken and Halloumi onto each skewer.
4. Pre-heat your outdoor grill (or indoor stove-top grill) to a medium-high heat and ensure the grill surface is free of residue and lubricated with a vegatable oil before grilling. Season your skewers with salt and pepper.
   
5. Grill your chicken and Halloumi skewers for about 2 minutes a side and serve on plates with beds of warm pita bread and wedges of lemon.

NOTE: The wooden skewers do not need to be soaked in water prior to grilling as they are not apt to burn while on the grill for such little time.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

This is my first post for 2009 and I would like to wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year!

My New Year's Eve was spent at one of favourite eateries in Toronto and I dined, laughed and drank with eleven good friends...right into the wee hours of January 1st.

The dinner was delicious, the company provided laughs (as always) and the memories....priceless. The next day (New Year's Day) could have been a really rough day but I stuck with a menu that I'm very comfortable with and as always, tested out a few new recipes prior to going "live" with the dishes.

One dish which is symbolic of New Year's for Greeks, seasonal and of course delicious, was this salad I made of mixed greens with a vinaigrette made of pomegranates.

Pomegranates are a part of Greek New Year's traditions as many families will smash a pomegranate in front of the home and hopefully disperse alot of seeds over a wide area. The more seeds are dispersed, the better the fortunes for the home.

I first tried this salad for our Christmas Day dinner and although it was delicious, the mere presence of just pomegranate juice leaves the dressing a little runny. I fine tuned the vinaigrette by adding some pomegranate molasses into the mix.

Pomegranate molasses can be found at a Greek or Middle Eastern market and if neither of those shops are near you, one could reduce the pomegranate juice into a thicker syrup.

Everyone at the table loved the simplicity of the dish, it's easy on the eyes and the contrast of crumbled Feta and pomegranate seeds bejeweling the salad made each forkful of salad a delight.

I don't have any specific measurements here but I can tell you now that my preferred method of making salad dressings is with a squeeze bottle that looks like those you find at a diner with ketchup or mustard in them. The one I use is opaque so I can easily eyeball the measurements of the vinaigrette ingredients.

Mixed Greens With Feta & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

seasonal mixed greens, washed and pat-dry (salad spinner)
juice of 1 pomegranate
seeds of 1 pomegranate (for garnish)
approx. 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
approx. 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut your pomegranate in half and using a wooden spoon, smack the skin side of each half and place a bowl underneath to catch the falling seeds. Ensure none of the bitter pith falls into the bowl. Place your pomegranate seeds into a blender or food processor and whiz into a liquid. Pass through a strainer and discard the seeds.
2. In a squeeze bottle or jar, add the pomegranate juice, the garlic and eyeball how much olive oil you should add. Basic vinaigrette rule is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid (your pomegranate juice is the acid in this instance).
3. Add some salt, pepper and the Dijon mustard and shake to emulsify. If the vinaigrette is too runny for your liking, add some pomegranate molasses, shake and again taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Place your salad in a large bowl and squirt some pomegranate vinaigrette into the bowl and gently toss the salad until fully coated.
5. Divide among the plates, squirt some more vinaigrette, sprinkle some crumbled Feta and some pomegranate seeds for garnish.

PS. Lydia of the Perfect Pantry just wrote a wonderful article on Pomegranate Molasses, pomegranates and some background. There's even a recipe to make your own!

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Leek and Cheese Pie - Prassopita (Πρασόπιτα)

Another year is behind us and I would be lying if I told you it was a great year for most. With these trying economic times, we're seeing the flipside of globalization. Local events can and are being affected by economic factors halfway around the world from where one lives.

We all seem to be in step with trends, fads, news and we're wired closer to each other but we're also tethered by economic forces that affect us all.

It's a time for reflection, a time to again give thanks for what we have and what matters to our lives, our families and our loved ones. As us Greeks say, health above all. If you don't have your good health, you have NOTHING! I'm thankful for what I have, where I am and content that I can direct my future. Not so many are this fortunate. Remember this and live your lives accordingly.

Tonight, New Year's Eve, I will be joining a party of 14 friends for what will be a sumptuous meal at one of my favourite eateries in Toronto and we'll usher in the New Year with bubbly, good wine, hugs, kisses and lots & lots of laughs.

There's no way I'm cooking tonight, even I need a break from the kitchen but tomorrow's another story. We're having folks over for a New Year's Day dinner but the menu is iron-clad, no surprises and it will allow for me to sleep in and practically prepare the meal in my sleep.

I'll be roasting another Prime Rib, whipping up some mashed potatoes, green beans with slivered almonds and crispy bacon, a salad with greens and a Pomegranate vinaigrette, a fine-tuned cream of mushroom and chestnut soup and the return of the Quince Bougatsa with the season's last of the quince.

As is customary for Greeks, a Vassilopita is also usually presented after dinner to be blessed and then cut into pieces and divided amongst the guests. Like many other cultures, celebrating New Year's "properly" is to assure one of entering the NewYear with some good fortune, and good health.

The Vassilopita's recipe varies from home to home but you can have a look our family's take here. The Vassilopita contains a coin hidden in it and whoever gets the piece with the coin is annointed "the one" with the good luck in the coming year.

This year, our family's decided to take the Vassilopita tradition back to my early days as a boy where my mom would hide the coin in one of her Spanakopitas or Tyropitas.

Recently, my mom and I managed to share and cook in the same kitchen without starting a Third World War and banging out some pretty awesome food. I continue my apprenticeship of making homemade phyllo and beyond watching or reading the instructions from a recipe, the key here is practice, practice, practice.

Another family favourite in the repotoire of savory phyllo pies is the Leek and Cheese Pie or, Prassopita. If you have friends from the northern province of Macedonia, you might be lucky enough to try a piece of this savory pie, generous with a filling of sauteed leeks, zucchini, Feta and fresh Myzithra (ricotta) cheese.

My mom & made the homemade phyllo, just like we did when we made Spanakopita and just ued the filling for the Prassopita (Leek and Cheese Pie). Once again, homemade phyllo requires practice but if you're adept at handling store-bought phyllo, that would work great here too!

I would to wish all of you a Happy New Year, continued prosperity and good health to all. See you next year!

Prassopita (Πρασόπιτα)

Filling
500gr. fresh Myzithra (ricotta) cheese
500gr. crumbled Feta cheese
1 bunch of leeks (3-4), cleaned, chopped & sauteed in olive oil
2 zucchinis, peeled and grated
3 eggs
1/2 bunch of chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the green parts off the leeks and save for a soup or stock. Cut down the length of the leeks, almost to the root and open the layers of leeks with your fingers and run through cold water.
   
2. Finely chop your leeks and place in a large skillet with a few turns of olive oil and saute until softened and translucent. You may now quickly peel your zucchinis and grate them and add them to the already sauteeing leeks. Add some salt to help draw out the moisture and saute on medium-low heat (covered for about 30 minutes).
3. Allow the leek mixture to come to room temperature and then add the remaining ingredients (eggs, cheeses, salt and pepper, chopped dill).
4. Prepare the dough and phyllo as per the Spanakopita recipe and add leek and cheese filling. Bake as per instructions.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2008 Peter Minakis

Heads &Tales: Astoria By day and Molyvos at Night

After my big night on the town in New York with a long-awaited arrival in my bed at 4:30am, Sunday greeted me all too quickly and despite the lack of sleep (early riser here) I was determined to continue my tour of New York.

One of my curiosities was to visit Astoria. It's known as New York's Greektown and the Greek population of the New York City area is rivaled only by that of Melbourne, Australia.

My goal was to see if the Greeks in Astoria had a larger availability of Greek products than what I can find in Toronto's Greektown (Danforth) and to conduct some quick price comparisons.
By and large, Toronto has all that New York offers by way of Greek products, some prices in New York were cheaper but nothing was really out of whack pricewise and, I breathed a sigh of relief (many Greeks in Toronto feel they pay exorbitant prices).

I felt very much at "home" in Astoria, walking among my peeps, chatting with shop owners in Greek and feeling comfort that Greece does exist beyond it's geographical borders. Hellenism is an ideal.

Fast forward to Sunday night and I didn't have any firm plans with anybody but hey, I'm a big guy and I can handle myself in the city. Armed with my New York City guide, I flipped through the dining pages and found some Greek restaurants I've been meaning to try out.

Tonight Molyvos was on the dance card. I assume the restaurant got it's name from a town of the Greek island of Mytilini (Lesvos) and the restaurant has been around for years and despite my dining on a Sunday, business at this centrally located eatery was brisk.

Jim Botsacos is the chef and partner and somewhat of a media darling when it comes to Greek cooking in the media. One only has to Google this fellow to see that this guy gets around.

Upon entering Molyvos, one is put to ease with the warm, dark wooded decor and you're immediately greeted and seated by the hostess.

The service here is prompt, efficient and one never gets the sense that they are being rushed. I was given a wine menu, an appetizer/meze menu and a dinner menu...all on offer on this cool New York City night.

For starters, I opted for a glass of Babatzim Ouzo with ice and I was given some complementary Roasted Red Pepper Dip to hold me until my orders arrived.

I opted to try their "Garides Saganaki" which was refreshingly different from the way I serve it. The Molyvos approach to the Greek classic was to (of course) serve it in a two-handles Saganaki vessel but the sauce was more of a broth than a thick, tomato sauce.

The use of butter and olive oil was obvious, diced tomatoes, some chillis rounded out the sauce and the 'must have' shrimp and feta finished off the dish. This "take" on Garides Saganaki was a pleasant surprise as the addition of Greek basil was the star heb (usually oregano).

For my entree, I chose the skate wing with pastourma and a walnut avgolemeno with a bed of rice pilaf. The skate wing was pan fried, a bit of corn meal was detected in the crust and the thins slice of pastourma sandwiched between the two skate wing pieces gave the dish a wonderful and earthy taste.

My dinner was enjoyed with a pairing of a white Assyrtiko from the island of Santorini and it also paired well with my dessert. I capped the evening with a well-made Greek coffee (made by a non-Greek) and served with their Revani with kumquat preserve and whipped cinnamon cream.

Molyvos delivered value for money (I was actually full), the service prompt and courteous and they offered some nice twists to Greek cuisine without alienating it.

Once again, the highlight for me was the Garides Saganki and if you want to see my usual approach, have a look here but if you want the Molyvos-inspired version...here's my take on a bread-dipping heavens-to-goodness Garides (shrimp) Saganaki.

Molyvos Inspired Garides Saganaki
(serves 4)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 pads of unsalted butter
1/4 cup diced onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 hot chilli
1 pint of roasted cherry tomatoes
(halved)
1 small red pepper, diced (1/3 cup) 1/4 cup dry white wine
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. dry Greek Oregano
1 shot of Ouzo
a few leaves of Greek basil
1 cup of Greek feta, cubed
salt to taste
extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a saucepan, add your oilve oil and butter and over medium-high heat, add your onions, garlic and peppers and saute for a minute or two then reduce to medium and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Now add the wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil and then reduce back to a simmer and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
2. Take off the heat, adjust seasoning (very little salt needed as Feta will finish the dish), add your Ouzo, parsley and oregano and stir in.
3. Set your oven to the Broiler setting and begin assembling your Saganaki vessels for baking. Using a ladle, pour the sauce equally into each baking vessel and then divide the shrimp into each serving. Top each serving with the cubes of feta and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the the shrimp have turned pink and your cheese is golden.
4. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and place some basil leaves in each bowl and serve with some wedges of pita bread.
   

Miskotini With Feta

I've been enjoying Greek-made pasta of late. The folks at Misko who make an array of pasta were kind enough to send me samples of their Greek pasta varieties.

Most Greeks will acknowledge we didn't invent pasta but most Greeks will assure you (and demonstrate if you like) their love of eating pasta.

I'll be heading off to New York City tomorrow but upon my return, I plan to showcase some more Greek pasta dishes. We have noodles from Asia, everyone loves Italian pasta, the Spanish have been enjoying in for ages and the Greeks round-out the roster with age-old dishes, enjoyed by generations.

One such combo is a simple delight of eating pasta with Feta cheese. I can remember my mom boiling some spaghetti, browning some butter and finishing the dish off with some crumbled feta.

I'd assume most Greek families enjoy this quick, easy and delicious dish and yes, it's been done for awhile...for as long as feta has existed.

For anyone who's bought a large quantity of feta, you'll know that crumbled pieces of Feta are usually to be found at the bottom, when you've reached your last slab of cheese.

With Greeks pursuit to "waste not - want not"...even those lonely last remaining feta pieces get consumed...for pasta with Feta!

You may certainly crumble your own Feta to make this easy dish but this is a frugal dish that stretches the ingredients boundaries...using those last bits of feta at the bottom.

The most common approach to this dish is browning some butter, adding the cooked spaghetti in to the skillet and tossing the crumbled Feta which slightly melts and coats the pasta with Feta goodness.

Here, I've upped the ante by adding some roasted garlic, cream, black pepper, parsley and some Greek oregano into the mix.

As soon as you toss the ingredients into the boiled pasta and smell the aroma from the skillet, you'll know this is a winner!

Miskotini With Feta
(serves 4)

500 gr. packet of Miskotini pasta
4 cloves of roasted garlic
approx. 200gr. crumbled Feta
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
salt and pepper to taste
some reserved pasta water

1. Get a large pot of water to boil. Add a good amount of salt and cook your pasta according to package instructions.
2. In a small saucepan or "briki", add your cream and roasted garlic and mash it into the cream. Add the crumbled Feta and over medium low heat, stir until most of the cheese has melted and melded into the cream. Turn heat off and keep warm.
3. When your pasta is cooked, reserve some pasta water and drain the pasta. Pour the pasta back into the pot, add the Feta/cream mixture and toss to coat. If the sauce is too dry, add some pasta water.
4. Now continue to toss by adding the chopped fresh parsley and dried Greek oregano and adjust seasoning with some ground black pepper (salt rarely needed).
5. Serve immediately.
   

Doing the Big Apple

I'm going to New York City! Yes...it's been quite a few years and I'll be visiting the Big Apple next week and I'll be spending one glorious week there.

For those that haven't been to New York, bump your travel itinerary up to include a visit to one of the world's best (if not best) cities in the world.

New York is multi-cultural, it's hospitable, quite safe for a city of it's size, culturally vibrant, beautiful, a food lovers paradise and full of energy.

I'll never forget the first time I landed in New York: it was night and I never before had seen a city lit up so brightly by lights. Maybe it's just me but my body is constantly a'rush from adrenalin, being in the action, amid so many people and feeling the pulse of this great city.

While in New York, I'm going to further explore the city and many of it's storied neighborhoods, check out the Greektown in Astoria, the exciting restaurants that are part of the "new wave" of Greek cuisine and with some good fortune, meet some fellow food bloggers who live in the New York City area.

If you're in the area, contact me via email and I'd love to meet you ...this would be a highlight of my trip!

Since we're on the topic of the Big Apple, I made a elegant dessert using quince. Us Greeks call quince "Kydonia" and the French call them Pommes de Cydon.

Quince look like an rugged apple and the flesh is quite firm - not edible raw. Quince are used in sweet and savory cooking and it's often paired with pork or made into a preserve or this case, poached.

The first attraction one has to quince is it's aroma. One only needs to walk past a tree of ripe quince or pass a fruit stand to know that some quince are nearby.

Plutarch reports that a Greek bride would nibble a quince to perfume her kiss before entering the bridal chamber, "in order that the first greeting may not be disagreeable nor unpleasant" (Roman Questions 3.65).

Inspration for this dish came from Angela's Food Love. About a month ago she shared a poached pear dish that immediately made me perk up and bookmark this dish. Angela usually posts one dish per week and each and everytime I get notice of her dish, I'm never disappointed, often delighted. I encourage you to visit Angela's blog...tell her "Kalofagas" sent ya!

Taking inspiration from Angela's dish, I applied some Greek ingredients (including quince) and poached it an aromatic bath of Greek red wine, spices and I made a mixture of strained Greek yogurt, Manouri cheese and honey and piped it into the center.

The photo is self-explanatory...the dessert was a hit!

Poached Quince With Manouri
(serves 4)

1 bottle of good Greek red wine
4 quince, peeled and cored
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 whole cloves
1/2 cup Petimezi
1/2 cup honey
splash of vanilla extract


Manouri Filling
8 oz. of room temperature Manouri cheese
1 cup strained Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp. of Greek honey
1 shot of Ouzo

1. Into a pot large enough to hold your quince, add all the ingredients of your poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and gently drop your quince and poach your quince for about 20-30 minutes or until fork tender (you may have to flip your quince to poach both halves).
2. Carefully remove the quince from the poaching liquid, strain the the liquid to remove the spices and return to your pot. Reduce over medium heat until you have a thick syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
3. In a small bowl, add the Manouri cheese, strained Greek yogurt, Ouzo and honey and mix well with a spatula or a hand mixer. Spoon the contents into a piping bag or make your own with a disposable plastic bag and snip a small hole in one of the bottom corners.
4. Assemble your dessert by spooning the wine syrup onto the plate's bottom and then set the quince on top. Now pipe the Manouri filling into each hole in the middle of the quince and serve.

NOTE:

Petimezi is a syrup boiled down from the grape must during the wine harvest. Italians have a product called Saba and similar products can be found in Mid-Eastern stores called "grape syrup".

Manouri cheese is made from the whey leftover from the cheese making process. It's a young cheese that's cross between a firm ricotta and mild but still tangy cream cheese. It works wonderful for savory and sweer dishes.

Artichoke Pie (Ταβερνίσια αγκιναρόπιτα της Τήνου)

Another island in the Cyclades of Greece is Tinos. Tinos is the island just before reaching party-central Mykonos.

The contrast in vacationers that attend both islands is that of the late nights of Mykonos, loud thumping Techno & House and all-nighters and the more normal Tinos with vacationers seeking the beach, idlyllic town life, a fine taverna and it's popular religious attraction of Church of Panagia (Virgin Mary).

One of the holiest days in the Greek-Orthodox calendar is August 15th and many pilgrims visit Tinos to crawl up it's long incline of steps in hopes of being one of the blessed with a miracle from the icon of Panagia.

Tinos is also famous for it's artichokes and in keeping with the Greeks' natural ingenuity, taverna owners have come up with creative ways to showcase this local produce in an array of dishes.

I found an interesting recipe from Diane Kochilias who has written many cookbooks on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

She describes this dish as being inspired by the taverna owners' many renditions of their Artichoke pie. The Greek island of Kefallonia (on the Ionian side of Greece) also has their own Artichoke pie but we'll chat about that another time.

This dish stood out for me because one of the main ingredients here is bread slices. I have a feeling the origins of this dish are very peasant and in keeping with the Greek tradition of stretching your ingredients to utmost limit.

I'm sure day-old bread was used to make Artichoke Pie (you can too) but I've found that lighter, less dense bread works best here for absorbing moisture and flavour in the end result.

In this dish I used preserved, jarred artichoke hearts, some grated Graviera cheese (sheep's milk Grueyere), Bechamel sauce and some fresh thyme.

This dish is easy, great offering for a buffet, part of a light lunch or serve a wedge as a snack. It also came in handy as I was able to use up a jar of artichokes staring at me in the fridge and it hit the spot for wanting a light lunch with a salad on the side.

Artichoke Pie (Ταβερνίσια αγκιναρόπιτα της Τήνου)

a buttered 13X9X2" bakiing dish
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large loaf of rustic bread, crust removed & cut into thick slices
2 tsp. of fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
approx. dozen artichoke hearts, cut into bite-sized pieces (poached if fresh, I used jarred)
1 1/2 grated Graviera cheese (Gruyere is fine)
3 cups of Bechamel Sauce (or 1/2 of my recipe)
thyme sprigs for garnish

1. Melt the olive oil in a large skillet and add your onions and garlic and saute over medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add your fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool and set aside.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F. Now make your Bechamel sauce as per my instructions with the 1 cup of grated Graviera and set aside and keep warm.
   
3. Spoon some Bechamel Sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and lay your first layer of bread slices. Now spoon half of your sauteed onions over the bread, followed by half the artichoke pieces, some Bechamel sauce and some grated cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order.
4. Bake until tender and the top is golden-brown, about 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, slice into portioned squares and serve.
   

Chicken With Spinach and Feta ( Κοτόπουλο με σπανάκι και φέτα)

First off, I like to thank all those who took the time to view my cooking piece and to comment, offer advice, discourage and encourage.

I see the wisdom in most of what was said but one can't be all things to all people and I think it's best for one to be themselves.

The next time I'm presented with an opportunity to film a piece, I think the best approach is to just be oneself, treat your audience as you would your house guests and everything will be fine and most importantly, have fun!

On that note, I had a joy making this easy dish of chicken breast and two of Greece's favourite ingredients: spinach and Feta.

Greek cuisine has brought you Spanakopita (spinach & cheese) pie but here, I take a similar filling and spruce-up an otherwise bland piece of meat - the chicken breast.

This meal makes for a good date offering or a snazzy weekday meal that will please adults and kids alike and...you get to sneak some good' spinach into the meal.

The is chicken with spinach and feta is easy, big on taste, easy on the wallet and simple enough to jot down on a cocktail napkin.

Chicken With Spinach and Feta
(Κοτόπουλο με σπανάκι και φέτα)
(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of water
75 gr. crumbled Feta
75 gr. ricotta cheese
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh chives
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 pads of unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
sweet paprika
2 Tbsp. of flour
1 clove of garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp. minced shallots
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Trim your chicken breasts of any excess fat. Wash and pat dry and set aside. In a bowl, mix your spinach, chives, dill, Feta and ricotta and mix well with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
2. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into the side of the chicken breast and fill with the spinach mixture. Secure with one or two toothpicks. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper and some sweet paprika.
   
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium/high heat and brown side of the chicken (3-4 minutes a side). Remove the chicken and reserve.
4. In the same skillet, add the wine to deglaze the tasty brown bits and reduce over medium heat for a couple of minutes (the wine has nearly evaporated). Now add the shallots, garlic and flour and saute for another minute or so, just enough to cook the rawness out of the flour.
   
5. Now add your chicken stock along with the chicken breasts, bring to a boil and then cover and, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes.
6. At this point your sauce should begin to coat a wooden spoon. Remove your breasts and keep warm. Add the cream to the sauce and simmer until the sauce is thick and you can draw a line into the skillet with your wooden spoon. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add the chopped fresh parsley.
7. Cut each breast into slices, fan onto the plate, serve with your favourite rice dish and spoon the cream sauce over the sliced chicken breast. Serve immediately.
   

Tagliatelle of Wild Mushrooms

One of the most wonderful ingredients in the fall has to be mushrooms. Many people's tastes change but ever since my childhood I've love mushrooms.

Here in Canada, Gordon Ramsey's the "F-Word" is now showing and although it's been viewed in the UK for a few years now, it's finally reached our shores.

The "F-Word" stands for food and clearly the intention of the show is to show the kinder, smiling and more cordial Gordon Ramsey to the public.

I'm of the belief that the personalities that appear on television as nicey-nices are usually A-holes in person and the "bad guys" on TV are really the calm, friendly and cordial ones.

I've heard from many sources that Gordon Ramsey is kind in interviews, always signs autographs for fans and even takes a moment for a little chit chat. I've heard little flattering about more "popular" food celebs.

So, the "F-Word" also shows more of Gordon Ramsey's cooking and earlier this week I was captivated by a mushroom & pasta dish he cooked up in his restaurant.

He used a mixture of fresh wild mushrooms but knowing that this could be out of reach for many, I've taken a more accessable route to reproducing this recipe.

Last night I used a combination of Cremini, Oyster and dried Porcini mushrooms. If you have access to fresh Porcini...please go ahead and enjoy them but for most of us, the dried variety are easier to find and here and one even gets some mushroom stock out of it!

This dish is easy on the sauce but large on flavour. As one diner at Gordon's restaurant attested, "you can taste each ingredient with each bite" and that's what I was going for here.

Let the ingredients come out, keep the cream to a minimum and enjoy this aromatic, flavourful and hearty pasta dish.

Note: the Oyster mushrooms are added towards the end as they are very delicate, do not take long to cook and become tough (like seafood) if overcooked.

Tagliatelle of Wild Mushrooms
(for 4)

4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 pads of butter
3 large scallions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 ounce of dried Porcini mushrooms
1 cup of chopped Cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup Oyster mushrooms, stem removed and chopped
(rinsed if gritty)
1 tea cup of hot water
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups of chicken/vegetable broth
1 500gr. package of Tagliatelle
(plus reserved pasta water)
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
splash of heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Place your dried Poricnis in a tea or coffee cup and fill with boiling water, Cover with a saucer and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, place a large pot of water on your stovetop. When it comes to a boil, add your salt and pasta and cook to under "al dente" or about 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and add your scallions, garlic and Cremini mushrooms and saute for 3 -5 minutes. Add the wine, reduce to medium-low and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated.
3. Now add your re-hydrated Porcinis, the Porcini broth and your stock and bring to a boil. Now lower to medium and simmer for another 5-7 minutes (reduced to about half).
4. Add your chopped Oyster mushrroms, half of your chopped tarragon and parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes while stirring, remove the cloves of garlic and reserve and keep warm.
   
5. Add your pasta into the mushroom sauce along with a splash of heavy cream, the remaining chopped parsley and tarragon and toss over medium-low heat (if yor sauce is too dry, add some pasta water). Keep tossing until the sauce has thickend and is absorbed by the pasta.
6. Serve in bowls immediately and top with shaved Parmesan cheese.