The next phase of the Greek themed Thanksgiving Dinner involved soup and salad. As I’ve written before, I’m more of a soup guy when the cooler weather arrives but this is here is an autumn salad, featuring a blend of seasonal greens and a vinaigrette with a Greek ingredient that’s very ancient…Petimezi.
I first saw the dressing used here on a Greek food show called the Nistiko Arkoudi (Hungry Bear) and the show’s title is a play on a Greek saying, “the hungry bear never dances”. In the show’s intro, the bear’s dancing alright…a testament that the bear (and viewer are fed well).
The dressing is a sweet & sour combination involving Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and Petimezi. Petimezi is a grape syrup or mollasses that was produced and used in ancient times before the arrival of sugar on the scene. Back then, natural sweeteners like Petimezi were used.
The dressing was finished off with some minced garlic, salt and pepper and given a good shake in a jar to emulsify the dressing.
The salad ingredients are quite interesting too…bitter rocket leaves, red cabbage, leafy green lettuce and some Napa cabbage to round out the mix. The salad goes further with the sweet & savory theme with a topping of pomegranate seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and roasted red peppers.
I had this salad during my stay in Naxos this past summer and I promised myself to recreate this wonderful salad. On the menu it was listed as Smyrneiko Salata, homage to the Greeks who fled Smyrna in haste, but brought their wonderful recipes back to mainland Greece with them.
The soup course of the night involved beets. My original soup idea was a roasted red pepper soup but despite it’s wonderful flavour and result, it proved to be too good, a bold flavour especially since turkey and fixins’ were next on the menu.
The pureed beet soup proved to be a wonderful surprise to me (during it’s testing) and for my dinner guests. Everyone was expecting a very sweet soup – something more dessert than savory but this recipe makes it very much a savory soup with onions, potatoes, thyme and oregano to take the sweet edge off the soup.
Before I get on with the soup recipe, I must give due mention to the wine pairing for the soup and salad course: Steve Kriaris of Kolonaki Group recommended the Skouras Cuvee Prestige White.
The Skouras Winery is located in the northeast Pelleponese and the the wine is made from a 50/50 split of Roditis and Mosxofilero grapes.
Again, we agreed that a crisp, no oak white would complement the soup and salad course and I could detect the light florals as per the tasting notes from Skouras.
I’m really enjoying this Greek wine and food pairing and I’ll endeavour to showcase more qaulity Greek wines in future posts.
In the meantime, here’s that Beet soup recipe…
Beet Soup With Oregano
( serves 4, I doubled the recipe)
approx 400gr. of medium-sized beets
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large russet potato, peeled
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
chicken/vegetable stock
2 tsp. of ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. of dried Greek oregano
strained Greek yogurt
- Place your beets in some aluminum foil, wrap well and place in a pre-heated 450F oven for about 40 minutes. Allw to cool enough to be handled. With the help of a knife, peel away the skins, discard and cut the beets into chunks.
- In a pot, add your olive oil and over medium heat add the onions and garlic, bay leaf, ground coriander and saute for 15-20 minutes. Now using your box grater, grate the potato into the pot and stir and simmer for another5 minutes (add some water if too dry).
- Now add your beets and enough stock to just cover your beets and bring to a boil. Now simmer for another 30 minutes until thickened somewhat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat, take out the bay leaf and using your hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return to medium heat and simmer for another 15 minutes or until you’ve achieved your desired consistency.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and allow to cool a bit.
- Serve in bowls with a dollop of strained Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of dried Greek oregano.
the salad and the soup are so awesome, and looks delicious to me!
The soup and salad look so good. I could make a meal of just that!!!
That sweet and sour dressing sounds great. I wonder if you could substitute pomegranate molasses for the Petimezi? I don’t think I could find that around here.
Yum, I love beets so I can imagine how wonderful this soup is
I love the soup. I have come to appreciate beets lately. I have prepered a whole post about them too! The wine is one of my common choices when I have a dinner because it is very delicate and compliments many Greek dishes. It also helps that it costs 4.99 euro…
Your soup and salad look really good. I’m more of a soup person too when the colder days are about and your beet soup certainly reaches the comfort spot for me!
Both recipes look delicious.
Hey Peter, that salad looks divine! What I really appreciate here is the mention of this Greek wine.
I’d like to say I love Greek wines, but I’ve only had 3 varietals—2 were blush-style wines and 1 was white (but not the white you have pictured here).
Unfortunately, our nearest wine megaplex doesn’t carry many Greek wines. Can you believe that?! But I have spoken to the manager about carrying a few more and he’s actually looking into it. In my opinion, Greek wines are seriously underestimated here in the states, but to each their own. Perhaps that will change in the future.
The bear was dancing? LOL well then it is well fed :-p The dressing has intrigued me and red soup is so appetizing. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten beet soup.
I am so glad you are going into the details of your Thanksgiving dinner Peter!
Beet soup with oregano sounds like a wonderful combination.
I love fresh salads like that with the Greek dressing, and I will make the beet soup and give it a try. Everything looks delicious in your photos Peter. Keep it up!
OMG, I had sop and salad for dinner last night. But, it wasn’t really enough for me. By 2 am, my stomach started to rumble and asked for more food. Never really had beet soup before, but I am willing to try it one day. Sounds delicious!
I’m liking these ‘dinner installments’, Peter.
Love your autumn salad and beet soup with oregano? I might go for that. Not a big fan of beets in general, but this one looks savoury and delicious.
thanks for this installment – now i’m waiting for the primo piato!
Yummy yum yum! That soup looks good!
Beautiful salad. Nice twist on beet soup.
Everything looks perfect Peter. I have been craving beets and it is soup season. Such lovely colours in both dishes. Delightfully paired.
Peter never said I dont love you Im in a Internet place (because Im problems at home with internet)and I come to see you!!!!!Lovely soup and salad and I really love the wine look wonderful,xxxxxGloria
(I hope tor return soon at blogger world)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
They strike me as a meal in and of themselves. (and the soup might double as a cloth dye.)
Peter, I like that you are talking about the wine pairing. We missed a good Thanksgiving Dinner. I never heard of Petimezi. It's always interesting to learn something. Great salad & soup.
this beet soup is kind of like a borscht. i like that you ‘greeked’ it up w/ some greek yogurt.
Love the salad Pe’er – especially the little pomegranate bits in it. Beets of course are on my top 10 and I could eat that soup hot or cold.
I like the fact that this turned out to be more of a savoury version…great pairing with the Greek wine too Peter!
I am really starting to appreciate beets, they are a great food item. Under-rated, I think.
Seriously, I could probably walk to your house, given enough time – why am I not there to eat all this fabulous food, drink your wine and fall asleep on the couch?
I’m just catching up on all your dinner items. Sheesh-I don’t know where to start. It all looks so darn good. I think I could make a meal out of that salad and soup. I hope you’re going to be famous soon so I can buy your book.
The dressing on the salad sounds yummy — more sweet than sour? I’ve only had beets once, so this would be another way for me to widen my horizons. Like they’re not wide already. Still thinking about how great your dinner was…
Yay! I have all the ingredients for that soup right this very minute and was trying to think of a good use for the beets. I make borsch so frequently, and am frankly sick of it right now.
i was going to comment on the gorgeous colors of the salad, and then i saw the soup. although the salad is beautiful, it’s colors can’t compare to that of the soup. yum!
Wow – this looks great. I love a great stuffed turkey!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Ioanna, the Akakies is a fab wine…real crowd pleaser.
Sandie, you should have no problem ordering them from your preferred store. Ask, place and order…they will comply if they appreciate your biz.
Neverfull, borscht has cabbage in the mix and chunkier.
Helene, Petimezi is a syrup made from grape must…delicious stuff.
Prudy, you’re too kind…I hope that day comes soon!