Taramasalata Dip
(Serves 6-8) |
8 oz tarama
6-7 thick slices crustless stale white bread (French or Italian)
8 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
2 lemons
1 medium-size white onion, finely chopped or grated
Kalamata olives for garnish
- Soak the bread in water.
- Squeeze out as much water as possible and leave on absorbent kitchen paper to dry
thoroughly.
- In the container of a food processor, place the onion, tarma, lemon
juice, vinegar, sugar and bread.
- Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container.
- With the processor running, gradually pour the oil through the feeder
tube. The oil must be added slowly enough so that it forms an emulsion.
- Taste, and add a little more vinegar, oil, and lemon juice, if
necessary. (If it is salty tasting or fish-like smelling, add lemon juice and oil
very slowly.)
- The finished consistency should be
something like softly whipped cream, just firm enough to mound slightly when dropped from
a spoon. The dip will get firmer as it chills.
- Scrape into a serving bowl and cover tightly.
- Chill for several hours before serving.
- Garnish with a few Kalamata olives. Serve with crusty bread or
pita wedges.
Taramasalata is available for $6.00/lb
at 
Market.
2 lb. minced beef
2 lb. eggplants, sliced
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 lb. grated kasseri cheese
1 onion
1 stick cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled
1/2 cup butter
4 Tbl. semolina
salt and pepper to taste
- Brown the beef.
- Fry the eggplants lightly.
- Brown the onion in a saucepan with the oil and add the
tomatoes, without the seeds, and the cinnamon.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir well and turn the heat off.
- Heat the butter in a different saucepan, add the
semolina and brown.
- Beat the eggs with the milk and pour in the saucepan.
- When set, turn the heat off and add half of the cheese.
- Arrange two layers of meat and eggplants and vegetables in an oiled baked pan.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Pour the cream over it and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake in a moderate heat for 45 minutes.
Mediterranean Scallops
(Serves 8) |
2 lbs. sea scallops
1 tbsp olive oil
5 minced clove garlic
½ cup onion chopped
9 large plum tomatoes, chopped
¼ lb Greek Feta DODONIS®
3 tbsp fresh basil, minced
3 tbsp Greek oregano
juice of 2 ½ lemons
4 tbsp GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté the garlic and onions until soft.
- Add the tomatoes, lemon juice.
- Sauté for approx. 2 minutes.
- Add the scallops and the remaining ingredients
until the scallops are soft and cooked through.
- Crumble some Greek Feta DODONIS
- Add the GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing
and serve hot.
Yannicos Crab Cakes
(Makes 8 cakes) |
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat fresh
(it's expensive around $20/lb but
well worth it)
10 tbsp Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs
or pic-a-pepper seasoning
4 eggs
4 oz. heavy whipping cream
- Mix the crumb meat with the the Progresso bread
crumbs or the pic-a-pepper spice (not both)
- Put the eggs in the mix, discard the whites,
add the whipping cream.
- If the mix is too soft
add some crumbled white dry bread.
- Form the crab cakes, it makes about 8, and place in the refrigerator to firm.
- Fry in a pan in light heat with butter until light brown.
- Serve with fries or cole slaw
Baked Ziti with Feta & Vegetables
(Serves 8) |
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
½ lb Greek feta
3 medium size carrots
1 green pepper
1 package 16 oz ziti macaroni
- Prepare ziti as described on the package label
- Cut green peppers, carrots, and onion into small pieces.
- In a non-stick skillet pour the olive oil and cook in
medium heat all the vegetables until lightly
browned.
- Stir approx. ½ cup of hot water and continue
cooking until vegetables are crisp and soft.
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Drain ziti; set aside
- In the same pot add the cooked vegetables, stir in the
crushed tomatoes, a little sugar salt and dry basil.
- Remove pot from the heat and place the ziti in the pot.
- In the pot stir some Parmesan cheese, and place
mixture into a casserole, break the fate cheese and
crumble over the mixture, mix.
- Cover and bake for about 30 minutes, or until feta has melted.
1 boneless pork loin (2- 2 ½ ) lb.
4 gloves garlic minced
3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 tbsp mustard
juice of 2 lemons
3 tbsp thyme
3 tbsp basil
2 tbsp GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing
2 pinches of salt
½ tsp red pepper
- In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, the garlic,
mustard, a little water, thyme, basil, sugar and
GLORIA™ Greek Classic Dressing, salt and pepper.
- Place pork in a pan and spread with the mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Place pork in a roasting pan.
- Roast for about an hour and continuously brush the roast with a mixture
of the lemon juice-oregano and extra virgin olive oil.
|
Faliron Marinated Swordfish Skewers
|
6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
4 large red onions finely chopped
5 garlic cloves finely minced
4 tbsp Greek oregano
1 tbsp sugar
8 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
3 lemons quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinade
2 ½ lb Swordfish steaks cut in cubes
¼ cup GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 ½ lemon
8 tbsp Greek oregano
- Place the Swordfish cubes in the marinade
and mix well. Put aside.
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add
onions and tomatoes, over medium heat for
2-3 min. or until they begin to brown.
- Lower heat to low and add the oregano, garlic,
salt and pepper and the sugar.
- Stir frequently
and add more oil if needed.
- Continue to simmer
until most of the juices have been evaporated.
- Prepare the grill.
- Thread the fish into skewers
and place over the grill for 3-4 min or until fish
is lightly brown.
- During cooking turn skewers
once during grilling.
- Remove from grill and place in a platter.
- Place a scoop of the tomato mixture in a plate
topped with the grilled skewers and pour the
GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing over it
- Garnish with parsley and some quartered lemons.
The version of Greek Hummus that we serve
at Café is somewhat different
from its Middle-Eastern "cousin"; it is thicker
and more pungent in garlic. Delicious with
either fresh JOUJOUS Pita Bread
or our homemade bread.
Hummus is available at Market
for $6.00 /lb.
4 cups chick peas
5 cloves of garlic very finely minced
juice of one lemon
¼ cup of tahini
¼ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Place chick peas in a large pot of water
and sit overnight.
- Drain the water in the morning.
- Return the chick peas to the pot
and add salt and fresh water.
- Bring to boil,
then simmer for about one hour until the
beans are soft and tender.
- Drain the water
and save the cooking liquid.
- Place the cooked beans in a food processor,
add the garlic, lemon, tahini and ¼ to a ½
cup of the cooking liquid.
- Add the oil slowly
until a smooth paste is formed.
Oven Baked Flounder Athenian
(Serves 5) |
4-6 Flounder steaks
¼ cup GLORIA™ Classic Greek Dressing
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tbsp Greek oregano
2 cloves garlic coarsely minced
Salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Rub Fish with olive oil, and lemon and sprinkle
oregano generously all over (both sides)
- Place fish in a baking dish, put the
rest of the lemon juice, olive oil,
garlic, and GLORIA™
Classic Greek Dressing.
- Bake for approx. 6 min.
- Remove pan from oven and squeeze a ½ lemon over the fish.
- Place fish on serving dish. Serve with Skordalia
(Greek garlic mashed potatoes)
Baked Salmon with lemon, onions and garlic
(Serves 4) |
4 salmon steaks
1 onion sliced in rounds
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon
6 tbsp Greek oregano
- Marinate the salmon steaks in GLORIA™
Classic Greek Dressing and sprinkle the oregano all
over the fish and squeeze plenty of lemon.
- Leave in marinade for about 4-5 min.
- In the meantime preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Place salmon steaks in baking pan and
pour all of the marinade over the steaks, squeeze
some lemon over it, drizzle the
rest of the Greek oregano.
- Bake for 10-15 min. or until the salmon is tender and soft in the center.
- Serve with a peasant Greek salad or tossed green salad.
Grilled Fish
(Serves 3-4) |
The grilled fish that we prepare at Nabeel's Cafe & Market is genuinely Greek! There is little that is done to the fish, except brushing it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and giving it a general sprinkling of oregano. On the table is a bowl of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lemon juice, and oregano with a little salt and pepper that has been mixed & stirred real well.
Ingredients:
3-4 whole fish (snapper, bass, sword fish, grouper fillets, cleaned gutted and scalled.
Lemon wedges
Marinade
1 cup Extra Virgin Oilive Oil
4 table spoons of oregano
3 lemons, cut in half
Preparation
Make 4 shallow diagonal slashes on each side of the fish (depending on size of filets). Mix the oil with oregano and lemon in a bowl and brush the fish, inside and out, with the marinade. Prepare the grill. Place the fish in a fish grill holder. Grill the fish for about 15 minutes by brushing the marinade every time you turn over (must turn over about 5 times in 15 minutes). If the tail is kind of burned-up do not be alarmed. Remove the fish from the grill and place in a platter and keep warm. Pour about 3/4 of the marinade over the fish on both sides. Serve with Greek peasant salad, Feta cheese and crusty bread.
Pickled onion rings (Greek style)
Serves 12-16 |
The Greeks are passionate about onions; big ones, little ones, red ones, white ones, raw or cooked in almost everything. If you like to nip on raw onions, you will love these crunchy rings just as they are on plates of assorted appetizers. The longer they marinate the less hot and more flavored with the marinade they become.
Ingredients
4 large red onions (about 6 ounces each) cut into ¼ inch and separate the slices into rings
3 cups of boiling water
1 ½ cups of red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
Chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf) for garnish
Preparation
Place the onion rings in a bowl. Combine the boiling water, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over the onion rings. Cover and set aside for 6 to 24 hours in a room temperature. When ready remove the rings with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes
Serves 10-12 |
If you ask any Greek what is his or her favorite dish is,
the reply will probably be "Roasted Lamb".
If you inquire further, they will start to describe the taste
and the crackling skin of the Roasted Leg of Lamb.
This recipe has been requested by several of our customers
and from two good friends of my wife's "Our Lady of Sorrows"
choir.
This is the food Greeks associate with religious and family
Feasts - Easter, Christmas and other joyous occasions.
Fragrant with garlic, oregano, and basted with fresh lemon
juice, which compliment the flavor of the lamb meat.
The potatoes cooked in the same pan, absorb all the flavors
and juices and become tender with crispy tops.
Ingredients
8 cloves coarsely cut
5 tablespoons of oregano
salt and pepper
1 ¼ cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup of water
12-15 pound bone-in leg of lamb
4-5 lemons
6-8 potatoes peeled and cut length wise
Preparation
Make about 15 slits with a sharp knife al over the lamb
and insert in sequence, garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and
oregano.
Do the same for all other slits.
Cut each potato in half and peel. Cut the half potatoes in long
slices and place in the pan.
Squeeze 2-3 lemons over the lamb and the potatoes.
Sprinkle oregano over the leg of lamb and the potatoes.
Pour the olive oil over the lamb and the potatoes.
Pour the water over the lamb and the potatoes.
Warm the oven to 350 F. Place the pan uncovered in the
oven and cook for approximately 1 hour. Periodically check
the lamb and baste with the juices.
With either a meat thermometer or a sharp knife check to see
if meat is done.
When meat is done turn the oven to BROIL at 450F, for
about 5 minutes, or until the surface is deep brown and
crackling. Remove from the oven, carve the lamb
and serve with the potatoes.
Basil Garden Pasta
Serves 14 |
Basil is the key ingredient in pesto sauce. Add to an ordinary salad-or French bread slices with tomatoes and mozzarella- and these appetizers become extraordinary.
Ingredients
2 lbs. plum tomatoes
3 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ lb. penne* or zitti*
1 cup basil leaves, chopped coarsely
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, TSITALIA*
½ cup of Fontina* cheese, diced
2 tablespoons pinenuts*, optional
* These items are available at Nabeel's International Market
Preparation
Dice plum tomatoes.
Place in a large bowl.
Mix in garlic.
Toss with kosher salt and let stand for 1 hour for juices to form.
Cook pasta
Toss hot pasta in the sauce.
Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with pinenuts.
|
Gnocchi di patate (potato Gnocchi) |
The best-known type of gnocchi are those from Northern Italy made with potatoes and little flour.
Preparation
To make 4 servings peel 1 ¼ lb potatoes and boil until very tender. Drain and mash until very smooth, then mix 1 egg and season with salt and pepper. Add 3 ½ -4 oz flour a little at a time, stirring well (with a wooden spoon) until you have a smooth sticky dough that forms a ball on the spoon. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes, until soft and smooth. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and with floured hands rolled these into sausage shapes about ¾ inches in diameter. Slice the dough into ¾ inch discs. Hold a fork in your left hand and press the discs against the tines just hard enough to make ridges, then flip them downward off the fork so that they curl up into elongated shell shapes.
Cooking Gnocchi
Gnocchi should be poached in a sauce pan of lightly salted, barely simmering water. Drop the gnocchi into the water in batches and cook for about 5 minutes; they will rise to the surface when they are done. Scoop out the cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
How to use
Gnocchi can be served like any pasta as a first course, or a side dish of a main course. Any pasta sauce is suitable for serving with gnocchi. My personal preference is with a creamy Gorgonzola sauce and a glass of Tsantali Cava red wine. If you do not want to go through the trouble to make them yourself you can buy an excellent quality of gnocchi at Nabeel's Market.
Uncle Cosmo's Grouper
Serves 8 |
Most of our recipes are recipes that we use at home, either
from my family (Krontiras), or my wife's family (Mastropasqua)
This one is from my wife's uncle Cosmo, that lives in
Toms River New Jersey. Thank you zio Cosmo, everyone loves it!
Ingredients
8 grouper filets (about 6-8 ounces each)
10 plum tomatoes, cut in cubes
3 cloves of garlic chopped
8 oz. capers drained (*)
4 bunches of parsley leaves (not stems)
1 ½ cups of extra virgin olive oil
TSITALIA® (*)
3 large onions chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
* these items available at Nabeel's® International Market
Preparation
Take all of the ingredients, tomatoes, garlic
capers, parsley, onions and put in a pot
and mix real well.
Pour in the extra virgin olive oil on them.
Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
Let all of these ingredients simmer, on medium
heat, for about 25-30 min. and right before it comes to a boil
remove from the heat and let it cool down.
Place fish fillets in a baking pan and pour
the vegetable mixture, evenly over the fish.
Cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 400° F.
for 35 minutes.
Serve hot in plates with plenty of mixture over
the fish and serve with crusty Italian bread.
Pollo con Biselli
(Chicken and Rice Casserole)
Serves 6 |
Most of our recipes are recipes that we use at home, either
from my family (Krontiras), or my wife's family (Mastropasqua)
This one is from my wife's family, my mother-in-law cooks
for us those time that she stays with us.
1 box(6-oz) quick-cooking brown rice (1 2/3 cups)
1 small onion chopped
3 Tbsp. TSITALIA® (*) extra virgin olive oil
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
1can (14.5oz) chicken broth
1 tsp. paprika
3 tsp. Greek oregano (*)
1 jar Bulgarian roasted peppers (*) (7.0 oz)
drained and chopped
1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
about ¾ lb.) cut in 1-inch pieces
4 bay leaves (*)
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
Salt, to taste
* these items available at Nabeel's® International Market
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In 2-quart casserole, combine
rice, onion, oil. Add tomatoes, broth, paprika, oregano, ground
pepper, roasted peppers, and bay leaves. Stir, then cover and
bake for 25 minutes. Stir in peas and continue to bake, uncovered,
for an additional 25 minutes or until the broth is absorbed. Add salt
remove bay leaves and serve.
Capellini with Garlic and Lemon
Serves 4 |
Ingredients
1 lb. capellini(*)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
½ cup TSITALIA® (*) extra-virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest from 2 lemons
3 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
¾ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain pasta in a colander. While pasta is boiling, cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in zest, then lemon juice, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the reserved water and bring to simmer. Toss pasta in sauce with parsley. If pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved cooking water.
Greek Honey and Lemon Pork Chops
Serves 4 |
Ingredients
4 Pork loin chops, ½ inch thick (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon all-purpose Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons honey Attikis (*)
2 pinches of oregano (*)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
Set oven to broil. Place pork on rack in broiler pan. Mix honey with the oregano. Mix remaining ingredients. Brush honey mixture evenly on top of pork chops (both sides). Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 7 to 8 minutes turning once and brushing with the honey mixture, until slightly pink when cut near the bone. Discard any remaining honey. Serve with salad using fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, tomatoes Kalamata olives and extra virgin olive oil, for a real Greek treat.
Penne with Grilled Tomatoes and Eggplant
Serves 4 |
Ingredients
- 1 1 lb eggplant, trimmed and cut into ½ inch rounds
- 1 lb tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons of extra-virgin (*) olive oil
- 4-5 springs of fresh basil
- 4 garlic cloves diced
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano (*)
- 10 oz. penne pasta (*)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Rub eggplant slices and tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper. In a barbecue grill, grill eggplant until brown and
tomatoes until charred, about 10 minutes, and then cool.
Cut eggplant into cubes, and tomatoes into about 1-½ -inch pieces.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, or
"al dente". Drain pasta and return to same pot.
Add eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and ¼ cup of cheese to
pasta and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve warm and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on pasta.
Grilled Polenta with Fontina
Serves 6 |
This easy side dish (takes about 8 minutes to prepare) begins with slices of precooked polenta from the supermarket. We add melted cheese and diced tomatoes for a tasty topping.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 package (24 ounces) precooked polenta, cut into 12 slices
- 3 tablespoons Tsitalia® extra virgin olive oil *
- 4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup) *
Preparation
I a small bowl combine tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper; set aside.
Brush both sides of polenta slices with olive oil. Place polenta on grill
over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until underside is golden.
Turn slices over and top with Fontina cheese. Cook polenta for about 5
minutes longer or until cheese melts.
Transfer polenta slices to platter and top with tomato mixture, the
remaining olive oil and serve.
Pasta with Kalamata Olives Pesto
Serves 6 |
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of spaghetti or penne pasta (I used penne)
- ¾ cup of Kalamata (*) olives (do not use the pitted ones;
take the pit out yourself--it makes a big difference in taste)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1½ cups of loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 oz. of Kefalotyri (*) or Reggiano Parmigiano (*) finely grated
- ½ cup TSITALIA® (*) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
Cook pasta in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, until al dente.
Place Kalamata olives (after you take the pits out), basil, garlic in a
food processor until finely chopped. Add cheese, salt pepper and oil
and blend to a thick paste.
Transfer the Kalamata Pesto into a large bowl.
Stir ½ cup of the cooking water (from the pasta) into pesto, and then
add pasta and toss until well coated. Serve immediately. Sprinkle
with freshly grated Parmesan.
* Instead of using the food processor I use a mortar and pestle.
Does this make it taste better? I think so. But since many of you
may not have a mortar and a pestle, that's why I have the food
processor on the recipe above.
Cappellini pasta with fresh arugula and walnuts
Serves 6 |
Ingredients:
- 1lb cappellini (*) pasta. Prepare (al dente)
- 4 table spoons of TSITALIA(*) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ bunches of fresh arugula
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (*)
- 4 tablespoons of coarsely chopped walnuts (*)
- Salt and pepper to taste
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
In a sauce pot, prepare pasta in boiling salted water.
Cut arugula in different sizes.
In a large serving bowl, toss together arugula, walnuts, extra-virgin olive
oil, and lemon. Add pasta, salt and pepper and mix all together until
everything combines.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
Spaghetti with tuna and parsley
Serves 4 |
Ingredients:
- 1½ lb spaghetti (*) pasta. Prepare (al dente)
- 2 table spoons of TSITALIA(*) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 oz butter
- Greek black olives* to garnish
Sauce
- 7 oz canned tuna, drained
- 3 oz anchovies, drained
- 10 fluid ounces TSITALIA(*) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water. Add olive oil.
When tender and firm to the bite (al dente) drain in a colander. Add the
butter and toss thoroughly, keep warm.
Remove any bones from the tuna and flake the flesh. Put it into a
blender with the anchovies, olive oil and parsley and process until the
sauce is smooth.
Pour on the sauce on the pasta and toss quickly using 2 forks.
Transfer to warm plates, sprinkle parmesan cheese and garnish with the
olives and serve warm, with Italian crusty bread.
Baked whole fish, Greek style
Serves 2 |
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole small fish about 2 ½ - 3 lb
(when available we use Tsipoura a
Mediterranean fish brought in by the
Fish Market (downtown Birmingham),
but you can use Snapper
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/ 2 cup * TSITALIA® Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 lb potatoes, thinly sliced
- ½ cup of oregano*
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
Buy the fish cleaned and gutted.
Slice the fish on each side in 3 places.
Sprinkle inside and out with oregano and salt.
Brush the inside and outside with the olive oil.
Place fish in an oiled baked dish. Arrange sliced potatoes
around the fish and pour remaining
lemon juice over potatoes and fish.
Pour the rest of olive oil over the fish and the potatoes.
Sprinkle remaining oregano on fish and potatoes.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
Cook in 350º F for about 35-40 minutes.
Remove cover and continue to cook for another 10-20 minutes
or until fish and potatoes are cooked.
(If the fish is cooked already, remove the fish and place in a platter) and
continue cooking the potatoes in the juices.
Serve immediately, with boiled green vegetables such as spinach or endive.
Another excellent variation ( from the island of Rhodes ) - in
the last 15 minutes of cooking add 3 tablespoons of drained
and rinsed capers, mixed with olive oil.
|
Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon |
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb spaghetti
- 4 tbsp TSITALIA® * extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz Feta DODONIS * crumbled in chunks
- Fresh parsley to garnish
Sauce
- 1/4 pint double cream
- 1/4 pint brandy
- 12 oz smoked salmon
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper*
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Over 1,500 Ethnic and gourmet items from the far corners of the world are available at Nabeel's Market, enabling you to make the most tantalizing recipes. So, visit Nabeel's Cafe & Market for a tour of the world! Soon selected items will be available on our web site for ordering!
Preparation
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted water
and add 2 tbsp of the olive oil. When the pasta is tender,
but firm to the bite (al dente) drain in a colander. Return to the pan
and sprinkle it with the remaining olive oil. Shake the pan well and
cover.
In separate small pans, heat the brandy and the cream
to a simmering point; do not let them come to a boil.
Combine the cream with the brandy. Cut the smoked salmon into strips
and add to the cream mixture. Season with cayenne pepper to taste and
stir in the chopped parsley.
Transfer the spaghetti to a warm serving dish-bowl, pour the sauce on
top and toss thoroughly using 2 large forks.
Scatter the Feta cheese over the pasta and garnish with parsley.
Serve immediately.
|
Galopou'la Gemisti' (Stuffed Turkey) |
Ingredients:
- 1 Turkey, 6-7 lbs. ( In Greece we prefer a hen)
- 4 lb. potatoes
- juice of two lemons
- 10 tbsp. of * TSITALIA® extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp. of Greek oregano*
- 3 tbsp. of thyme*
- butter
- water
Ingredients for stuffing
- 3 medium onions, finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 6 tbsp. of TSITALIA* extra virgin olive oil
- chicken liver thinly sliced
- 8 oz. long grain rice
- 1 lb pine nuts*
- ½ lb sultanas* (dried raisin)
- 3 tbsp. oregano*
- 3 tbsp. thyme
- Salt and black pepper
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation
Rinse and dry the turkey (hen). Season with salt and pepper all over as well as the cavity. Prepare the stuffing. Place the turkey (hen) in the middle of a roasting pan , breast up. Peal and quarter the potatoes, rinse them and arrange evenly around the turkey (hen). Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over the turkey and potatoes and sprinkle with the herbs. Pour a cup of water and roast in a preheated oven at 400 F. for 2.5 to 4 hours. A little water may be added if it looks as if it is drying up.
Stuffing
Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil. Add the livers and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the rice and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the hot water, salt and pepper and simmer slowly for 3-5 minutes until most of the water is absorbed but the rice should remain hard. Take off the heat and add the pine nuts, the sultanas and the rest of the herbs. Mix well and stuff the turkey, leaving a little room for expansion.
Ingredients:
- 3 lb sea bass gutted
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Garlic Sauce
- 2 teaspoons of coarse sea salt
- 6 tbsp of capers*
- 2 tbsp Greek oregano*
- 6 garlic cloves crashed
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 6 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp water
- 4 tbsp *TSITALIA® extra virgin olive oil
- Pepper to taste
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation:
Using a sharp knife, cut 4-5 diagonal slashes on each side of the fish.
Place a sprig or two of rosemary in the cavity of each fish and half the
lemon slices.
Place fish in a foil-lined dish brushed with oil and brush the fish with the
rest of the oil. Cook in a preheated oven at 375ºF 35-40 minutes until
the thickest part of the fish is opaque.
For the sauce, crush the salt and capers with the garlic in a mortar with a
pestle and then gradually work in the water. If the mortar and pestle is
not available put ingredients in a food processor and process until
smooth.
Bruise the bay leaves and remaining sprigs of rosemary and put in a
bowl. Add the garlic mixture, lemon juice and oil and pound together;
season to taste with pepper
Transfer the fish to a warm serving dish, and (if preferred) remove the skin.
Spoon the remaining sauce over fish and serve.
Serves 4
Today, it is very difficult to prepare a dish exactly as it was prepared in ancient times. We do not have the right utensils or the many different spices that were used by the ancient chefs to bind together the recipe. In the last few centuries many people, including chefs, philologists, archeologists, and botanists, have become interested in the art of ancient Greek cooking, starting from pre-historic times and the Greek years. By continually testing, modifying and improving, they have managed to give us some recipes that have turned the tide back toward the first flavors used. They are good recipes that are tasty and enjoyable. For us Greeks, as we will see further down, the continuing thread of flavors doesn't seem to have been cut. In forgotten corners of our country, one is pleasantly surprised by food that is clearly prepared as it was in centuries past.
Try the recipe below and let yourself go back the ancient culture of the Greeks. This recipe supposes to be over 2,000 years old!
Ingredients:
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
(use TSITALIA* extra virgin,
TSITALIA was not available then!)
- 6 pieces of tuna
- 8 leek cut in rounds
- 8 celery sticks finely chopped
- 1 full teaspoon rosemary
- 1 full teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper
- half of a medium sized cucumber cut in rounds
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups dry white wine
[ * these items are available at Nabeel's® International Market ]
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the leeks and the celery until soft. Add the herbs, the cucumber, the water, and the wine. Mix well and put the tuna slices on top of the vegetables. Cover the pan and boil on a low heat for 30 - 45 minutes, according to the thickness of the tuna. Serve with rice and a green tossed salad.
