Spanakopita Tart of Caramelized Onion Spinach Mushroom & Feta

The key to this delicious appetizer is to score and bake the puff pastry sheet first.  This raises the edges, leaving room for the filling.  Caramelizing the onions well drives a deep umami flavor, so sweet and rich.
1 13x9-inch puff pastry sheet
3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 lb feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup heavy cream

1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp milk or cream
1 green onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F. Thaw the pastry and lay out on an oiled baking sheet.

Caramelize the onions by sautéing in a large skillet in butter and olive oil. Cook over medium low heat, stirring often for about 30-45 minutes - the onions should become nice and brown, sweet and soft.

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in the butter and oil in a large skillet until they give up what water they will and begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

While the mushrooms cook, wilt the spinach in a large pot in a dash of olive oil. Let all the water steam off, or remove with a spoon. Stir in the nutmeg, feta and cream. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Score a rectangle about 1-inch from the border with a sharp knife - don’t cut all the way through, just enough to leave a permanent line. This will make a puffy border for the tart. Prick the area inside the rectangle on the puff pastry with the tines of a fork all over.

Bake pastry for about 10 minutes, just until the edges begin to puff up.

Remove pastry from oven and fill center rectangle with spinach. Top with the mushrooms and the caramelized onion. Brush edges of pastry with the egg mixture. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes or so, until the tart is nicely browned and everything is heated through.

Remove from oven and garnish with green onion.

Makes one 9x13-inch tart.

Greek Pasta Salad

This is a bright, fresh salad, which is just the ticket on a hot summer day.
8 oz favorite pasta shape
8 oz favorite marinated olives
palmful fresh basil leaves
1 15-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 large fresh ripe tomato, diced
4 oz goat cheese

Dressing:
juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
1/4 cup olive oil
dash salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain, toss with a dash of olive oil and allow to cool to room temperature.

When pasta is cool, mix together with the olives and basil. Gently fold in the artichokes and tomatoes.

I used Trader Joe’s olive marinated in lemon and herbs and tossed the whole package in, including the marinade. So I used only a dash of the dressing. If you don’t have a marinade, you can dress the salad with the dressing. Don’t use olive brine as a dressing - too salty.

Gently fold mixture together and dot with the goat cheese.
Serves 4 as lunch or 6 as a side salad.

Spanakopita Roll with Artichoke

1 lb phyllo dough, thawed and unrolled
5 oz baby spinach leaves
1 can artichoke heaters, drained
2 small or 1 large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan or Gryuère cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375F.

Stir fry the spinach leaves in a larges skillet until wilted.

Set aside. In the same skillet, add the leeks with one tablespoon water and a dash of olive oil. Cook the leeks for about 5 minutes until the water evaporates and the leeks soften. Add the artichokes and let them begin to brown just a bit - about another 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and the red pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spinach with the artichokes and mix well.

Carefully unroll the pyllo dough.

Spread the cream cheese evenly onto the phyllo dough.  Scatter the veggie mixture on top. Top with the grated cheese.

Then top with the feta cheese.  Whisk together the egg and the water. Roll up the dough and brush with the egg mixture.

Sprinkle roll with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from oven, slice and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Greek Moussaka

A classic rich Greek dish combining eggplant, potato, lamb, tomato sauce and Greek spices.  The Italians have lasagna, the Greek have moussaka.
Béchamel sauce:
2 Tbsp canola oil plus 1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
dash freshly-ground nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)

2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced

1 large sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash red pepper flakes
palmful fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
1/2 lb mozarella (and/or Pepper Jack) cheese, sliced

1 large eggplant sliced 1/4-inch (12-14 slices)

1 lb ground lamb
1 28-oz jar favorite tomato sauce

2 large fresh, ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese (or a good mix)

Prepare the Béchamel (white) sauce. Pour the canola oil and butter into a medium saucepan and add the flour. Cook the flour in the oil for about 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly as the flour bubbles. Raise the heat to high and immediately pour in all of the milk. Salt and pepper lightly. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Reduce to the lowest simmer, whisking every so often.

Preheat oven to 400F. Pour a third of the sauce into an oiled 9x13-inch casserole. Lay the potatoes in overlapping layers on top of the sauce. Cover with just a dash more of the sauce - reserve half of the sauce (covered) for the topping. Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes. You want them to be about half cooked, just yielding to the tip of a sharp knife.

Lay the eggplants on a large oiled baking sheet and spray or brush with some olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes, until the slices brown and char a bit in places.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in a large skillet in a bit of olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic, red pepper oregano and half the basil, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Set onion mixture aside in a bowl. Remember to check the eggplants and remove from oven when done.

Heat a dash of olive oil on high heat in the same skillet as the onions. Tip in the lamb and brown for about 10 minutes. Return the onions along with the remaining basil.

Add the tomato sauce and just bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the oven to 375F and start assembling the moussaka. Lay the cheese slices on top of the potatoes.

Then pour the lamb mixture on top. Layer the eggplant slices over the lamb mixture.

Then layer on the tomato slices. Pour the remaining Béchamel sauce over the tomatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining basil leaves.

Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. It’s not a bad idea to put a rimmed baking sheet on the shelf below the casserole in case it drips a bit. Remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the moussaka is brown and bubbly.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes to re-distribute all the juices. Slice in large wedges and serve.
Serves 6-8.

Cook's Note:  This is a more traditional preparation, very much like what I enjoyed cafe-side in Athens.

Moussaka in Athens cafe

Evening view from Athens cafe

Greek Roasted Sheet Pan Chicken

Mediterranean herbs, a sprinkle of feta cheese and a dash of yogurt.  Toss on some Calamata olives and you're good to go with a Greek sheet pan dinner that's a one shot wonder.  You can toss this in the oven or on the cooler side of a hot grill.
2 lb chicken - 3 thighs, 3 legs, trimmed
1/2 lb polish kielbasa, sliced
1/2 lb small potatoes, sliced 1/8th inch
2 Tbsp rosemary, crushed
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 leek, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup yogurt
1 Tbsp lite seasoned rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped cured pitted Calamata olives

Preheat oven or grill to 425F. Toss together the chicken, kielbasa, potatoes, the spices and the oil in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, toss together the leeks with the olive oil.

Mix well and then tip out onto a rimmed baking sheet pan.

If you are using a grill - turn off the grill on one side and place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill.  Leave the other side on high and close the cover.  Roast the chicken for about 20 minutes. Toss the potatoes and then scatter on the leeks. Continue roasting about another 30 minutes, skating the pan from time to time and checking for evenness of cooking.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove sheet from oven or grill and scatter on the feta cheese and a dash of the sauce. If desired, scatter some Calamata olives over the chicken as well.

Serves 4.

Moroccan Eggplant with Lamb and Tomatoes

Celebrate summer's tomatoes and eggplants with a savory dish, much simpler but reminiscent of a Greek Moussakka.  Lamb, seasoned with Moroccan spices, is a natural complement to summer's best, and this dish can be cooked up quickly without overheating the kitchen.

1 large eggplant
1 lb ground lamb
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Ras el Hanout Moroccan spice, or other curry/masala powder
about 8 fresh basil leaves, julienned
1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 6 thick slices
1 Tbsp fresh chives, finely diced
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely minced

Heat the grill to high.  Slice the eggplant into 6 slices, lengthwise and spray with a bit of olive or canola oil.  Grill eggplants for 5 minutes on first side.  Spray second side with oil and flip.  Grill another 5 minutes. Remove to a cookie sheet.

 

Turn off grill and heat oven to 375F.

Meanwhile, brown the lamb and onion in a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook until the lamb is well browned and the onion is softened and beginning to color.  Add the tomato paste and spice powder and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add a dash of water if the mixture seems too dry.  Stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste.

At the same time, heat a bit of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.  Lay the tomato slices into the hot oil and cook the tomatoes over high heat for about 5 minutes, just to caramelize one side.  They should be bubbling and aromatic, but not falling apart.

Now construct the casserole by distributing the meat in small piles evenly amongst the eggplant slices.  Smooth out the meat to cover one half of each slice.  Fold over the other half of the eggplant and place in a large 13x9-inch casserole.  Carefully transfer the tomatoes on top of the eggplants.  Sprinkle with the chives and parsley and place in oven.  Bake about 20 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

Serves 4.

Greek Chicken with Lemon Potatoes

When we lived in Toronto, we enjoyed many of the restaurants in Greek Towne. I remember the chef in the cafeteria of my company, who happened to be Greek - we shared many cooking stories together. I loved his Greek lemony potatoes, which I also had several times in restaurants. He claimed they were 'classic Greek' and I do him homage with this lemony dish.
1 roasting chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
3 large red or white waxy potatoes, peeled and halved
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
Palmful fresh parsley, chopped
Dash red pepper flakes
2 tsp Herbes de Provence or Italian herbs

Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange chicken pieces in a large oiled roasting pan. Nestle the potatoes among the chicken pieces. Pour the lemon juice all over the chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle the garlic, herbs and red pepper over the chicken and potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake uncovered for half an hour. Baste with pan juices, and reduce temperature to 350F. Sprinkle zest and parsley over chicken and potatoes. Bake another 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, and juices run clear. Serve chicken and potatoes with lemon jus. Serves 4.

Lentil Moussaka

I use these beautiful small olive-green and black Puy lentils my sister-in-law Julie gives me from her coop in Vermont. They are outstanding; firm texture for a toothy bite and deliciously subtle, not so strongly 'veggie' as larger green lentils can sometimes be. Try them - they are worth searching out in a natural foods store.

Lentils:

1 cup Puy (small olive/black) lentils

2 medium carrots, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 onion, finely diced

1 tsp. cumin powder
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp Dijon mustard

2 cups chicken stock or water
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

1 large or 2 small eggplants
1 8-oz package cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
¼ cup half and half
1 egg
1 cup Ricotta
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced



Sauté carrot, celery and onion in a bit of olive oil for about 10 minutes, until they soften and melt down a bit. Add the garlic, cumin and cook another 2 minutes, with stirring.

 Add the lentils, chicken stock and mustard, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, until lentils are beginning to soften. Stir occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste and add the tomatoes. Return to a boil, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Cook another 15 minutes or until lentils are soft.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450F. Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch slices and lay out on a jelly roll pan. Spray with canola oil spray, and salt and pepper them lightly. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until will browned. Reduce oven to 400F.

In a small food processor, mix together the cream cheese, half and half and the egg until creamy. Tip into a mixing bowl and mix with the Ricotta, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg.

Oil a 9x13-inch casserole pan and lay half the lentils on the bottom. Layer half the eggplant on top, then half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining lentils and eggplant. Then pour the Ricotta mixture on top of the eggplant and dot with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, until the top of the Moussaka browns nicely.

Green Goddess Tsatsiki

Palmful fresh parsley leaves
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic
1/3 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1 rounded Tbsp good real mayonnaise
½ Tbsp lemon juice

Pulse the first 3 ingredients in a small food processor until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Chill.

Swai Fillet with Roasted Veggies and Feta

Swai is becoming more and more common in the States and I think it is just a fantastic white fish. It is much more delicate that a Catfish, but moister than Tilapia (both favorite fish of mine!). My wife, who really dislikes American Catfish, really liked Swai.
1 large ripe tomato, cored, diced and drained
1 large red pepper, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 jalapeno or serano chili pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large Swai fillets, or 3 Tilapia fillets, about 1.5 lb
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oven to 450F. Toss everything but the cheese and the fish with the olive oil in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Turn out onto a rimmed jelly roll baking pan. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes. Tip half the veggies into a baking dish large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Spread evenly on the bottom. Turn oven down to 400F. Place fish fillets on top of veggies and scatter remaining veggies on top of fish. Next, scatter the cheese on top of everything. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through.

You can do many different fish fillets and veggies: here is Sole on Roasted tomatoes, leeks and artichoke hearts. Treat in same manner as above.

Tsatsiki - Yogurt of the Gods

No wonder Zeus, Apollo and all those Greek Gods were so powerful and so beautiful - I'm sure they they ate Greek yogurt! The health benefits of yogurt are well known and if anyone, the Nepalese demonstrate the value of this simple, life-sustaining food. I recently had fantastic Tsatsiki in Athens and Delphi and now am hooked on creating varieties on a theme. The base must be Greek yogurt - a much, much thicker, richer preparation, even in low-fat or non-fat version. Do not compromise for Tsatsiki - it MUST be made with Greek yogurt, or you will have to strain your yogurt through a coffee filter for an hour or two, at best. The traditional version has grated cucumber, but ion Greece I had many variations. You can mix all sorts of things in to make a world or variations - olives, herbs, capers, anchovies - experiment and have fun! I add a touch of really good mayonaise to make a creamy sauce in this variation.
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp good real mayonnaise
2 tsp capers, minced
1 clove garlic, minced through a press
2 tsp fresh dill or other fresh herb such as tarragon, chive, lavender or mint
dash ground Cayenne red pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. Allow to meld for half an hour before serving.

Easter Lamb Souvlaki

For me, lamb is a tradition for Easter. My brother-in-law, Tommy and I would roast up a leg every Easter, studded with garlic and dressed with rosemary (see earlier Easter blog entries below). But with kids in school and a new interstate job relocation, no time for a leg of lamb roast this year. No problem - kebabs with boneless lamb is a great second choice. Very simple and quick to prepare, this is still an elegant and festive enough treat, even for guests.

I renamed this Lamb Souvlaki because after posting, I was on a recent trip to Greece, and I had this exact dish! I was so surprised, and satisfied when I ordered Lamb Souvlaki to get a plate with gorgeous cubes of lamb, separated by yellow pepper, marinated with fresh herbs, and served with lemon on the side. I realized the kebabs I made several weeks before were actually souvlaki.
2 lbs boneless lamb, cubed
1 yellow pepper, diced into ½-inch pieces

Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tsp Kosher salt
lots of fresh ground pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lavender or other early spring herb, minced
1 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
Jest of one orange

Mix the marinade and toss with the lamb. Allow to marinate at least an hour, or even better, all day in the refrigerator. Light the grill. Skewer the lamb alternating with the peppers. Grill for about 2 minutes on each of four sides. Serve with couscous and fresh lemon.