Classic Souvlaki

Yesterday, I was craving something from my homeland - Greece. Lately, I've been looking to other cuisines that I have neglected the fantastic flavours of Greece. My son has this thing with playing with my kitchen tools. The other day he uncovered the package of BBQ skewers I had hidden in the recesses of kitchen drawers. Usually this would get me all worked up but on this given day I was thankful because Alejandro gave me an idea on what to make for dinner. Skewers equal souvlakia. Souvlakia equal classic Greek meal along with Greek salad, rice pilaf and Tzatziki. Before making any definite plans I had to ensure that my Dad had enough propane in his BBQ tank and that my Mom would gladly take me to Highland Farms to buy quality pork for the souvlakia. Both answers were affirmative. Thus my journey back to Greek cooking commenced. The aroma of souvlaki grilling in the open air brought back memories of this little truck stop on the side of the mountain highway in between Veroia and Kozani. Everytime I would take the trip to my Dad's hometown from my Mom's hometown the bus would always stop in Kastania. Everyone would get off for a pee break and souvlaki take away. We would get 20 sticks and a bag of bread for a very low, low price. These souvlakia were loaded with oregano, garlic, lemon and salt. Mmmmm! There was nothing better. Yesterday, I recreated those souvlakia. Here's the recipe for the Classic Souvlaki.

CLASSIC SOUVLAKI

2 pork tenderloins, cubed
1 large onion, roughly chopped
juice or half a lemon
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
8 wooden skewers soaked in water

1. Soak the skewers in water for a few hours. This will prevent the sticks from burning while on the BBQ.

2. Place the pork pieces, onion slices and seasoning into a large bowl. Mix well and marinate for a few hours. If you do this the night before the souvlaki will be more tender.

3. For best results grill on a BBQ.

4. To make sure the souvlakia remain tender until you are ready to serve, squeeze another half a lemon the souvlakia and cover in a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting pan put them in a tin container but make sure you cover well. The steam from the hot meat and the lemon juice will allow the souvlaki to stay moist.

PERFECT TZATZIKI

The secret to the perfect tzatziki is to use Greek yogurt - which is rich, strained and tart. For years my Mother would strain her own 2% Astro yogurt whenever she wanted to make tzatziki. That is a time consuming method but it was the only way that she would get the perfect consistancy for the tzatziki. It cannot be too runny or too thick. The juices from the cucumber will soften up the stiff yogurt. Sometimes she would go to Sun Valley to buy the Greek yogurt which was costly at the time. Now with the onset of all these yogurt makers producing "Greek Yogurt" making the perfect tzatziki is foolproof. Here is the Perfect Tzatziki for the Classic Souvlakia.

500g Greek yogurt - I used Oikos but you can use any brand you like
1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
salt

1. Grate the cucumber and strain the excess water by placing the cucumber in a cheesecloth.

2. Add to the mixing bowl.

3. Add the minced garlic, yogurt and olive oil. Mix well.

4. Sprinkle in salt. Make sure not to make too salty. T

Moroccan Beef Stew with Quinoa

This next dish was inspired once again from one of my cookbooks - Quinoa 365. As usual, I take the main concept from the recipes from other cooks and I find a way to make it my own. Sometimes I add or omit an ingredient or I used a different method to achieve the same outcome. In this instant I have done both. The original recipe called for me to use a Tagine. Unfortunately, I don't own one of this wonderful cooking vessels. To achieve the same outcome I made the stew in a slow cooker. I love slow cookers! They are life savers. Also, the original recipe says to toast the almonds but I put them in directly with the quinoa. OK, enough exposition on to my take on on the Moroccan Beef Stew with Quinoa.

MOROCCAN BEEF STEW WITH QUINOA

2 lbs stewing beef
2 cups of tomato juice
3 large sweet potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 cinnamon stick
salt
pepper
1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of water
1 tsp garlic & onion powder combined
salt
pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Place all the ingredients for the stew in the slower cooker: stewing beef, sweet potatoes, onion, tomato juice and seasoning. Set the cooking timer to which ever setting you like. I set it for 8 hours.

2. In a medium size pot prepare the quinoa. For best results do this just before you are going to serve the stew.

3. Add the quinoa, water, oil, seasoning and almonds into the pot. Bring to a boil. Once the water starts bubbling lower the heat to low-medium. Let cook for 15 minutes with the lid closed. After 15 minutes fluff up with a fork.

To serve, put a good helping of quinoa on the bottom of a deep dish and the spoon on top the stew. If you have some nan it's even better to help you scoop up the juices.

Roasted Veggie Marinara Sauce with Meatballs

Roasted Veggie Marinara Sauce with Meatballs

Afternoon All! How is your Tuesday panning out so far? I wanted to post my newest recipe last night but I was so tired by the time I put Alejandro to sleep, I just wanted to hit the pillow. So here it is. This recipe was inspired by the BBQ veggies from last Friday. Last Friday, I barbecued Indian eggplant, yellow, orange and red peppers, vidalia onion, tomatoes and garlic to along with our burgers as an alternative to a cold salad. Rafael was reminded of a Greek dish called Tourlou. Since I dressed the veggies with simple olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, the olive oil preserved them really well. Yesterday, I was craving meatballs. Shoppers Drug Mart has a great line of calorie wise ready made foods like their lean Italian meatballs. 6 meatballs have only 150 calories. I can eat 12 of those to make up 300 calories along with a salad...BAM! I've got myself a yummy dinner. Ok, sorry back to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

8 Indian eggplants, quartered, (sprinkle with salt and vinegar)
3 yellow peppers
3 red peppers
3 orange peppers, all cored and quartered
1 large vidalia onion, sliced into discs
3 large vine tomatoes, quartered
1 large garlic heat
olive oil
salt, pepper, oregano
4 cups of tomato sauce

1. Let the eggplant sit in salt and vinegar until all the other veggies are prepared. This will take the iodine out of the eggplant. Sometimes, the iodine in the eggplant can irritated the gums.

2. Roast in an oven for 45 minutes at 450F. If you have a BBQ, barbecue them instead. The smoky taste from the BBQ adds another layer of flavour to the veggies.

3. Cut the top of the garlic, pour some olive oil on top and bundle up in a tin foil.

4. When all the veggies are brown and a bit crispy through them all together in a bowl with the dressing.

5. In a blender add all the roasted veggies and 1 cup of tomato sauce. Chop but to not puree. The sauce should be a little chunky.

6. In a medium sauce pan, heat the veggie sauce along with 3 cups of tomato sauce. Bring to a slow boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

You can eat this with pasta on its own or add meatballs or any other protein of your choice.

Tuna Casserole

My husband's lunch of  Tuna Casserole from last night

This next recipe is in my upcoming cookbook - Eleni's Cooking Journey; Volume One, Canadian Classics. It is a simple meal you can make in less than an hour and it is very comforting. My husband had two servings last night.

TUNA CASSEROLE

1 bag of kamut corkscrew pasta

salt

olive oil

3 cans of flaked tuna

200 g marble cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups of frozen peas

1 tbsp garlic and onion powder combined

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp nutmer

2 tbsp mayonnaise

juice from 1/2 a lemon

salt

pepper

1 cup of milk

1. Boil the pasta for 9 minutes in salty olive oil bath.

2. Meanwhile, shred cheese and drain tuna. Place the tuna and frozen peas in a casserole dish.

3. Mix lemon juice, milk, mayonnaise and seasonings into a sauce.

4. Drain the pasta but keep 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

5. Add the pasta to the tuna and peas. Mix gently before pouring the sauce in. Stir again and top with cheese.

6. Put the casserole dish in a preheated oven 400F for 30 minutes.

I served this dish with beet salad. You can pair it with a nice crisp Caesar Salad or a side of pickles.

Chaufa con Chicharron - Peruvian Fried Rice with Pork

Hola mis amigos! Como estas? Yo estoy muy bien cuando voy a cocinar. Ayer yo cocinando chaufa con chicharrón.

Okay, that's enough of my Spanish for now. I really need to brush up. Sorry if I have offended any of my readers Spanish speaking readers. Lo siento mis amigos!

Yesterday, I made a Peruvian Fried Rice with Pork. You can use any source of protein for this dish. It is a perfect meal to make when you don't have a lot of time. Plus it is very comforting.


CHAUFA CON CHICHARRON - PERUVIAN FRIED RICE WITH PORK

pork tenderloin, cut into cubes
2 tbsp soy sauce
juice of half of lemon
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp or garlic and onion powder combined
canola oil
sesame oil
2 eggs
1 cup of rice
2 cups of water
2 to 3 baby bok choy, thinly chopped
2 cups frozen veggies
1 tbsp fish sauce

1. Marinate cubed pork in the soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger and seasoning for a few hours.

2. Meanwhile boil the rice. For best results use a rice cooker. 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water is the perfect ratio. It will make about 4 cups of cooked rice.

3. In a very hot wok, heat the canola and sesame oil. Add the pork and stir continuously on high heat.

4. Once the pork is cooked through push to the side and crack the 2 eggs in the wok. Scramble vigorously. Add to the pork as the egg starts to cook.

5. Push the pork and egg to the side of the wok. Add the cooked rice along with the fish sauce and another generous dose of soy sauce. Reduce heat.

6. Start combining the rice, pork and egg. Add the bok choy. Stir continuously.

7. Last add the frozen veggies. It is a good idea to rinse off before adding to the wok. The water from the frozen veggies will add a little moister to the fried rice.

8. I like to serve my fried rice with steamed bok choy.

Bamies me Kota - Okra with Chicken

Good Morning Fellow Food Lovers! How are you on this Wednesday morning? Today's recipe comes from a dish that is well known in my Dad's hometown of Kouvouklia. The combination of okra and chicken is remininscent of dishes from Asia Minor, where my father's lineage originated from. For fellow Greek readers, you will know this type of cuisine as Politiki Kouzina - that came from the Poli - which is Constantinople.

Bamies me Kota - Okra with Chicken

BAMIES ME KOTA - OKRA WITH CHICKEN

6 chicken thighs, with the skin on
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp mint
1 cinnamon stick
2 to 3 bay leaves
salt
pepper
canola oil
olive oil
1 cup of white wine
1 large onion, diced
3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups of tomato juice
2 packages of frozen okra

1. Toss the chicken thighs in the seasoning before browning.

2. In a deep pan or dutch oven, heat the oils and brown the chicken on both sides. The skin should be crispy.

3. Lower the heat and add the white wine, cinnamon stick and bayu leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

4. After 30 minutes remove the chicken and place them in a pyrex. Keep the oven setting to warm and put the chicken in the oven.

5. Meanwhile saute the onions and garlic in the chicken juices. Slowly add the tomato juice and simmer for 5 miuntes.

6. Add the okra, stir in gently and cover to simmer for 15 minutes on meduim-low heat.

7. After 15 minutes replace the chicken thighs into the pan or dutch oven.

Serve with hearty bread, feta and olives.

Classic Chili

Classic Chili

This is a classic recipe perfect for those chilly fall nights. The ground beef and veggies is comforting. I like to eat my Chili with corn tortillas.












CLASSIC CHILI

2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
canola oil
olive oil
salt
pepper
cumin
paprika
chili powder
oregano
aji - hot yellow pepper paste
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow, pepper diced
1 orange pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cups of tomato juice
2 cups of water
1 can of black eyed peas
1 can of Mexican red beans
100 g marble cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Brown the onion and garlic in a mixture of canola oil and olive oil.

2. Add the ground beef and seasonings. Brown well. Set aside.

3. In ground meat juices saute the peppers, celery and mushrooms for 10 minutes.

4. Add the ground beef, tomato juice and water. Simmer for 30 minutes in medium-low heat.

5. Last add the beans. Stir in gently and simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. When you plate the Chili add a heap of cheddar cheese on top and watch the magic of melting cheese. Mmmmmm!

Shrimp Mediterraneo

This simple and delicious dish was inspired by my trip to New York City a few years back. Suzanne and I had went to an Italian Restaurant that was highly recommended by a friend, Tony Maloni's on 52nd Street. I'm we went there because the food was unforgettable. At Tony Maloni's you order al carte and the portions come in extra large sizes for sharing. Since it was my birthday we decided to have some seafood to celebrate. We ordered this scrumptious shrimp appetizer. The plate was full of large prawns and succulent artichokes and tomatoes that it was a meal all on it's own. I will never forget the mouth watering flavours of this dish. When I got back home I recreated this dish for my family. My father was really impressed and my sister asked for the recipe. Now, I have tranformed the basic concept and add a bit of a Greek touch.

SHRIMP SANTORINI

30 - 40 peeled and devined large tiger shrimp
1 can of artichokes, quartered
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
200 g crumbled feta
3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
salt
pepper
oregano
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Rinse the shrimp in a colander.

2. Meanwhile, quarter the artichokes if they are not already quartered.

3. Place the shrimp, artichokes, tomatoes, feta, lemon. olive oil and seasonings in a rectangular or square pyrex.

4. Preheat oven at 425F.

5. Bake in the oven uncovered for 25 minutes.

You can serve this as an appetizer or as a main on pasta or rice. I ate it on a bed of greens. Perfect for people on a diet.

Thanksgiving Turkey and Stuffing

Preparing a roast turkey is truly an act of love. Although, there is nothing more satisfying than turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, the cooking process is taxing. My Koumbara, Georgia asked me on Thanksgiving, "What time did you start cooking? You must have been in the kitchen all morning!" I chuckled because she was being kind. When I told her that I was preparing the turkey from the day before I think she nearly fell over. Ok folks here it is. The long awaited Roasted Turkey with Stuffing recipe.

Oven Roasted Turkey

OVEN ROASTED TURKEY

1 12lbs turkey
1/2 lemon
1 stick of butter, softened
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 celery stalks
2 onions, halved
4 to 5 garlic cloves, crushed
a few bay leaves
4 cups of white wine
salt
pepper




1. Whip the butter with the other seasonings until combined well.

2. After cleaning out the turkey wash the torso with the lemon.

3. Place the celery stalks, onions, garlic, bay leaves and wine on the bottom of the roasting pan.

4. Place the turkey on roasting rack above the vegetables. Smother the turkey with the seasoned butter both under the skin and on top. Make sure to get all the crevices.

                                                                                       STUFFING

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2 cups of long grain rice
1 package of Canadian bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
4 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 to 4 celery hearts, diced
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 parsley, thinly chopped
salt
pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
3 cups of chicken stock


5. In a dutch oven or deep pan prepare the stuffing.

6. Brown the bacon until slightly crispy. To get best results add a bit of water to keep from burning.

7. Push the bacon to one side and add the onion, garlic and celery. Saute gradually introducing the bacon into the mix. Season with sage, thyme, salt and pepper.

6. Lower heat. Add the rice, chicken stock and water. Simmer on medium low heat for 15 minutes. You want the rice to soften up a bit.

7. Add the pine nuts, cheese and parsley. Lower heat and stir gently. Let simmer for another 5 minutes.

8. Now for stuffing the big bird. You want to start by stuffing the cavity of the turkey first. Make sure not to over stuff because the rice will expand while cooking. Sew the cavity opening with needle and thread. Turn the turkey over very carefully to expose the cavity near the breast plate. Sew that together as well.

9. Cover generously with heavy duty tin foil. Make sure you get the entire pan covered if you don't have a roasting pan with a lid. You don't want your turkey juices to burn.

10. Place the stuffed turkey in the fridge for the night.

On the day you want to have your Thanksgiving Feast make sure you give the turkey enough time to cook properly and in a timely fashion. For a 12lbs bird you will need 6 hours of roasting time. My guests were arriving in between 2 pm and 3 pm. My turkey had to be ready at 1 pm so that it could rest and then be carved. I put my turkey in the oven at 6 am. That's right ladies and gentlemen! I'm surprised I didn't keel over half way through dinner.

11. Preheat the oven to 400F.

12. Uncover turkey and place in the preheat oven. Roast uncovered for 1 hour. This will ensure that the skin of the turkey crisps up nicely.

13. After the hour over, lower the temperature to 325F. Take the turkey out and baste with the juices from the pan.

14. Cover with the foil very well. Return to the oven and continue roasting for 2 hour stretches at a time. Each time basting as you go.

Six hours later you should have a golden, crispy turkey bursting with yummy goodness ready to carved and served.

* I highly suggest you invest in an electric knife. It really carves the turkey gently and precisely.

Thanksgiving Feast

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful time and I hope you eat a sumptious meal today. In a few hours, our condo will be full with family and friends. This year we are celebrating with four new people. Alejandro's Godmother and Godbrother, a Godmother's friend and my former student from Lac La Croix. It's going to be a full house but that's what I love.

Here's the menu for today.

Appies
Spanakopita
Tiropita
Fiery Feta Fondue - Tirokafteri

Mains
Roasted Turkey with Rice Stuffing
Roast Beef
Asparagus
Roasted Oregano Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Greek Salad

Dessert
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie

Thankfully my Mom's making the Roasted Oregano Potatoes, Koumbara is bringing the pites and my Sister made the dessert. God bless everyone who is going to contribute to today's meal. God bless everyone who is going to enjoy today's meal. I wish I had a bigger place to invite more people. Maybe next year I'll book the big party room downstairs. Anywho!

The recipes and photos for the Turkey and Roast Beef are coming soon.