Greek Vegetarian Meal

I was asked to give some recommendations for full Greek meals based on the recipes given here. So I'm starting with a possible Greek Vegetarian Meal.

A lot of people, when they think about Greek food, immediately think of souvlaki, roast lamb etc. In fact, Greece has a lot of wonderful vegetarian dishes. Below is just one possibility for a meal. I will try to regularly post possible meals (not just vegetarian) based on the recipes given in this blog. Requests are most welcome.

All of these dishes (apart from the cake) should be placed on the table for everyone to help themselves. This meal would be suitable for 6 people.

Vegetarian Moussaka

I find this an excellent main dish and many non-vegetarians have said that they prefer it to the Moussaka with the meat.

Artichoke Pie
(Agginaropitta)

A light, healthy accompanying dish.

Below are tasty side dishes from which people can help themselves to as much as they want.

Eggplant Dip
(Melitzanosalata)

Tzatziki

Tirokafteri
(Spicy Cheese Dip)

Stuffed Green Peppers With Feta Cheese

You can also include a traditional Greek Horiatiko (Village) Salad. This is really simple and consists of roughly chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, feta cheese and olives. You can also add chopped onions if you wish (I don't!). Add salt and olive oil and sprinkle some oregano on top if you want.


After the meal and after you have digested (partly, at least!), you can have some delicious Walnut Cake (Karidopitta) to go with your coffee.

Eat And Enjoy!

N and O are for ...

Continuing the series with food and drink glossary in Greek. Once again, the accent is shown by the letters in bold italics.

nectarine - nektareenee

nuts - xeeroos karpoos

nutmeg - mos-hokarido (soft d)

oats - vromi

octopus - htapodi (soft d)

oil - ladee (soft d)

olive - elya

olive oil - elyolado (soft d)

onion - kremeedi (soft d)

orange - portokali

oregano - reegani (soft g)

oyster - streedi (soft d)

Greek Fried Pork With Leeks

Again, this is a popular dish in the vilages. It can be served as a meze - one of several side dishes to accompany drinks - or served as a main dish in itself with pilaf rice. It's a very simple and easily prepared dish.

Ingredients

1kg pork chopped into small pieces

½ kg leeks (the white part) sliced

120ml olive oil

60ml red wine

½ cup lukewarm water

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Fry the oil in a shallow pan and add the meat.

Fry for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the warm water.

Add the leek slices and seasoning.

Simmer for 1 hour, letting it absorb all the liquid.

If you've tried this recipe please rate it!

Eat and Enjoy!

Greek Easter Cookies

Unlike the other Christian Churches, Greek Easter is this weekend. You will find Easter cookies in all the houses these days. They're easy to make and a nice accompaniment for your coffee. You can make them into whatever shape you want, but I have shown the most traditional in the photo at the bottom of the post. You might also like to check out the recipe for Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki) that I previously posted.

Ingredients

1 kg soft flour

4 medium size eggs at room temperature

350g sugar

350g butter at room temperature

60ml orange juice

3 tablespoons brandy

30g baking powder

Grated rind from 1 orange

For the egg wash

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of vanilla essence

Preparation

Beat the butter and sugar really well in the mixer.

Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating for 4 minutes.

Add the orange rind, orange juice and brandy and continue beating for another minute.

Sift the flour in a large bowl and then sift in the baking powder.

Make a hole in the centre and pour in the mixture from the mixer.

Combine them all gently – do not overhandle this dough as the butter will start to come out.

Form the dough into a ball and remove small portions and shape them into cookies – you can see the most common forms in the photo at the bottom.

Arrange them in buttered trays and brush them with the eggwash.

Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or until they turn golden brown.


If you've tried this recipe please rate it!

Eat and Enjoy!

Greek Mince Roll

This is a popular dish in the villages - you can see it in a typical village oven dish at the bottom of the post. It has Greek ouzo in it, which you should be able to get most places in the world.

Ingredients

For the roll

½ kg beef mincemeat

250g pork mincemeat

1 large onion grated

1 egg for the dough

5 hard-boiled eggs

1 teaspoon oregano

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves crushed garlic

100g breadcrumbs

50 ml olive oil

½ teaspoon soda

20ml ouzo

For the accompanying potatoes

1 kg potatoes

3 cloves garlic cut in two

½ teaspoon oregano

60 ml olive oil

Salt and pepper

120 ml water

Preparation

Dilute the soda in the ouzo.

Mix all the ingredients for the roll – apart from the hard-boiled eggs – in a large bowl.

Knead the mixture really well with your hands for at least 10 minutes.

Cut the potatoes into 4cm cubes and place them in an oven dish 35cm diameter.

Add the remainder of the potato ingredients to the oven dish.

On a smooth surface spread the mince ‘dough’ into a rectangular shape – 30cm x 15cm.

Remove the shells from the hard-boiled eggs and place them in a line along the centre of the dough.

Fold the dough into a cylindrical shape with the eggs in the middle.

Turn it upside down carefully and place in the centre of the oven dish with the potatoes on both sides.

Cover the mince roll loosely with aluminium foil and roast in a pre-heated moderate oven for 1 hour.

Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting for about 15 minutes – until the potatoes are nicely coloured and there is no liquid remaining in the dish apart from the oil.

If you've tried this recipe please rate it!

Eat and Enjoy!

M Is For ...

Continuing the Greek food and drink glossary series. The letters in bold italics show where the accent is.


mackerel - skoobree

margarine - margareenee

marjoram - mantzooranna

marrow - kollokeethee

mastic - masteeha

meal - yevma

meat - kreas

melon - pepponi

milk - galla (soft g)

mince - keemas

mint - deeosmos (soft d)

mullet (red) - barbooni

mushrooms - manitaria

mussels - meedia (soft d)

mustard - moostarda (soft d)