Today is the last day of Carnival in the Greek calendar. Tomorrow will be “Clean Monday” and the start of the Great Lent. Clean Monday acquired it’s name from long ago: it was the day on which the housewives cleaned all their kitchen untensils so as to rid the last traces of the Carnival food.
Clean Monday is a preparation of Lent and old traditions live. In Greece, family and friends head to the mountains or seaside and a banquet of Lenten dishes is laid out for the taking.
Salads, seafood, olives, array of pickled vegetables, beans and potatoes are just some of the foods that regularly appear on the Lenten table. Devout followers of the Greek-orthodox calendar will follow a diet that will contain no meat or meat by products. Shellfish and other seafood with no blood are allowed and lucky for me – that means more seafood!
One the centerpieces of the Clean Monday table is the “Clean Monday” loaf or, “lagana”. It’s shaped much like a foccacia and baked with a good amount of sesame seed topping and a “must have” at the “Clean Monday” table.
It is also traditional for the the children to fly kites on Clean Monday. The kids are always accompanied by parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents but with the “kefi” or spirit lingering from the revelry of Carnival, it’s hard to tell who soars higher…the kites or the adult Greeks celebrating another feast for the eyes and belly!
Let’s take a walk around and have a peek at the array of Lenten dishes I prepared for “Clean Monday”….
Deep-fried mussels…a specialty from the culinary rich city of Thessaloniki
Baked beans or “Gigantes”…just like my grandmother made them
Mussels and rice (Midopilafo)…another specialty from Thessaloniki, Greece
Boiled Amaranth (Vlita) and steamed zucchini with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice 
Dolmades Gialantzi, the vegetarian option with just rice, fresh herbs olive oil and lemon juice 
Chickpea soup (Revithosoupa), a specialty from the Greek island of Sifnos 
Artichokes a la Polita, a braised artichoke dish from the city Byzantine City of Constantinople 
Shrimp with lots of garlic, boukovo, olive oil, wine and parsley 
Ladenia, a specialty of the island of Kimolos that pre-dates pizza 
A potato salad from a new monastic cookbook I just bought 
Stewed cuttlefish with onions, olive oil, oregano and lemon juice, another dish from the new monastic cookbook 
A Greek Lenten table wouldn’t be complete without Taramosalata, a whipped caviar dip from carp roe (eggs) 
Mom’s very own olive bread with “throumpes” olives, sauteed onions and rosemary 
Octapus “Ksidato”, braised in it’s own juices and finished with extra-virgin olive oil, wine vinegar and dried Greek oregano 
Mavromatakia salata or black-eyed pea salad 
Here’s a closer look at the “Clean Monday” loaf, the Lagana 
Braised whole octopus, dressed with Greek (Kalamata) extra-virgin olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice 
A Lenten Spanakopita, just spinach, scallions and homemade phyllo 
Finally, a little decadence leftover from Carnival, some boiled whole crab 
In coming days, I’ll review the dishes and share the recipes with you. These and other Lenten dishes will be featured in future posts right up to Greek Easter.
I would like thank Ryan Stern and the Foodbuzz team for giving me the opportunity to present this Lenten banquet to you. It was all very last minute but I think you will agree, the result was most delicious.
I must (again) thank my mom for providing me with alot of help in the kitchen, her invaluable kitchen wisdom has made me the cook that I am and I’m the luckiest man alive to be taught by the best Greek cook…thanks mom!
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at https://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis
What a feast! I am stuck for words – that ALL looks amazing Peter!
I love Gigantes but I’ve never made it myself. It looks like one fantastic day of cooking and eating you had!
Loving the black-eyed pea salad too. Great post and heres to your next 24-24-24!
I think if I leave now, I could be at your place in time. This feast looks AMAZING!!!
Incredible Peter!!! What a huge feast you and your Mom put on! I cannot wait for the recipes.
all i can think of to say is WOW. what an amazing array of food.
What a table ! I was cooking all day for tomorrow, but your table is bigger than mine !
I love this day !
Kisses
Oh my Peter, this looks absolutely superb!!! I look forward to the recipes for these wonderful dishes.
I live in the mid-west United States and so many people here think if there is no “meat and potatoes” on the table then it’s not a meal. I’m sending them all a link to this page!!! Not just a meal, but the best meal I’ve seen in a long long time.
What an absolutely marvelous spread. There is an art to cooking a dish well, but there is another level when one is able to serve that many awesome dishes at once. I am so very impressed Peter. Congrats on the 24,24,24. Lovely tribute to your mom too. I look forward to hearing about each individual dish, especially octopus!
LL
My jaw is on the floor in amazement at all of that food! Everything looks fabulous!! I can’t wait to hear more about this amazing feast! Nice job!!!
Wow, Peter! It is hard to decide what to try first – everything looks delicious! Certainly an awesome feast! You and your mom did a great job!!!
WOW!!!! That all looks AMAZING!!!
Wow, stunning! I’d love to sit at that table in order to enjoy all these scrumptious dishes! I’m drooling….
Cheers,
Rosa
Well that is what i call a table fit for royalty.
You indeed had a feast.
Why didn’t you invite me over.
Thank your mom from me, for all her work she has done for this beautiful delicious spread.
I cant wait for the recipes. Especially your Moms bread and fried mussles. You need a restaurant sir!
What a feast. Would love to join.
Are we witnessing the “mother of all feasts”? I am flabbergasted at all that food! Whoever said “nistisima” foods were boring was def wrong!
OMG! What a beautiful feast. It looks so good I think I’d even eat the fish. I love that pizza thing. And the breads!! The spanikopita! I am seduced.
Wow – What glorious food! I love octopus and that would be the first platter I’d sample.
Love the pizza-like dish and the black eyed pea salad. MMMmmmm giant beans!!
<3 Chiffonade
That is an amazing spread! Absolutely amazing!
DAMN is that one incredible spread – wow everything looks so off the charts amazing – How great to share such a meal with friends and family.
What a feast for the eyes as well Peter:D
This Italian gal is homesick for Greek food! WOW! I was blessed as a teenager by finding a “Momma #2” who happened to be Greek, and she had tables like these. Oh, the memories! I “heart” your table spread! I want to cry… it looks like such priceless family memories and treasure all over that table…
Peter this is simply amazing! Wow… your lucky family and friends! This hardly seems like Lenten “fasting”, however… ;-)
Peter,
I am speechless (& you know that’s rare!).
That food is GORGEOUS!
Fit for a king!
what a feast Peter. I’ll parrot what Stacey said: fit for a king!
All looks delicious Peter. I will be checking back for the recipes.
Oh my… Firstly I am amazed at the variety and quantity of food! Did you invite a small army to eat all of this? You will have leftovers for weeks! Secondly how many days were you and your mom cooking for this feast? Truly exceptional!
Peter! I’m so hungry after looking at this amazing feast!! Any leftovers? Cheers!
Look at this feast! It looks like you aren’t eating at all for 40 days. lol. Everything looks SO good and now I really want some gigandes. I have a really hard time finding them here, unfortunately. I heard about a new greek market today, though, so I may check it out tomorrow.
Peter, what an amazing spread. How may days did it take you to make all of this?!
I’m not saying the rest of the food doesn’t look good, but, um, can I have that whole platter of spanakopita please? It looks just how I like it – stuffed to the gills with spinach and seasonings. *DROOL*
Man, these 24 things are so much work. But it’s worth it, no? Steamed crab is worth the trouble in its own right.
of course this look nothing less than a feast, and if you exclude the shellfish, it’s all vegan
Oh mon dieu. What a wonderful feast Peter.
I am a mussel freak! do you have a recipe for the deep fried mussel dish -PLEASE?
That is quite a feast! Can I come over?
What a feast!
Looks Great…..
What a great post am salivating! Kali Sarakosti!
I love your blog, all your posts make me hungry! This feast is incredible, I will be waiting for the recipes, everything looks so healthy and delicious. That olive-onion bread looks very good, and the rest too. Congratulations, it must have been a pleasure.
Wow Peter that is one amazing feast. I always think of fasting & sacrificing at Lent & this is so far from that!
Everything looks amazing Peter!!! I know I’ll be checking back for a lot of those recipes!
The mussels, made both ways, and the artichoke dish looks delish. What a spread.
Peter,
What a feast!!!!
You have made this girl from Thessaloniki very but very homesick. But will be there next week. I am in the process of making my own lagana. Καλη ΣαÏακοστη!!!
Can’t wait for the recipes to come. Awesome pictures – lucky you (and your family/friends) who get to eat those dishes!
Peter, I’m anxiously awaiting the recipes for this incredible feast.
You never disappoint this gadding granny!
I bet there were no leftovers left!!! What a fantastic spread Peter :D. Yes, you are lucky to have your mom there with her help and good advise!
Can’t wait to see the recipes in detail :D
Wow, what else can I say? This feast is just amazing! Your mom and you are fabulous! It’s nice to do these things together and you learn everything from her. Look forward to your recipes.
Peter, surely there was enough for me?
My invite, lost in the mail again… sniff..
It all looks so lovely, great job Peter and Peter’s Mom!
unbelievable freakin’ food…
don’t tell heather but i like this spread way better then hers.
peter, your food is over the top. it’s overall, the food i dream of. and i am serious as can be. why are we not neighbors? why? but i am in nyc the first week of may and you should come too!!!
before i die, i would love to take part in a greek feast like this. i’m officially adding that to my bucket list. :)
ps – i apologize for being such a shitty blogger friend… i am so behind in commenting but you’re so prolific and i am catching up by reading all your posts that i’ve missed!
What I would have given to eat that feast – it all looks amazing, especially the mussels.
You knocked this one out of the park, Peter!
I would happily clean all the utensils for you, your mom, your neighbors, cousins, etc. just to get a seat at that table!
Chronia polla and Kali Sarakosti. Everything looks delicious.
I can’t even find the right word for all of this delicious food you had, WOW! I couldn’t imagine how long you spend your time in the kitchen to make them?
I can not wait for the recipe, especially the recipe for the squid.
Cheers,
Elra
*drool* *drool* A fabulous spread, Peter. Excuse me while I mop my computer up…
Whant an incredible feast! I am looking forward to these recipes.
Greek Orthodox traditions regarding Lent are very fascinating. As a Roman Catholic, we observe Lent in somewhat simialar and different ways.
Peter I am speachless!!!
WOW oh WOW this one gorgeous greek feast!
I never thought that someone can out do my family on “big eating”! Wow, what a fantastic feast???
How do I become Greek?
Well, first I thought I wanted to move in with Heather. Now I think I want to move in with you!! OMG, Peter, this is beyond the beyond! I’ve always adored Greek food, but this is beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.
Drool….;-)
Oh my goodness Peter! That is one serious feast! How wonderful – and I see you have the octopus in there! I still haven’t picked one up, probably cooking it on Wednesday. I love the look of that artichoke dish too – scrummy.
That is some feast… I am sick with flu & have no energy to cook. These pictures are like a tempting devil:-)
A feast of all feasts!! Everything looks so appetizing!!!
What a fabulous feast of food, Peter! I wish I was there: hmm, maybe I should convert? ;)
How many people enjoyed this spread?
What a completely spectacular array of dishes. Each one is more amazing than the one before it. How in hell did you do it all? Can’t wait for the recipes on these babies.
The mussels, ledenia, spanikopita. A vertible feast! You must’ve entertained the entire family. GREAT 24 post!
mmmmmmmm. i could totally get into clean day! it all looks so, so good, but i think my tastebuds are most excited by the spanikopita, the black eyed pea salad and the stuffed grape leaves. mmmmm.
errr… clean Monday….
holy crap,peter… are you KIDDING me with this spread!? how many people did you feed? i can’t even begin to tell you which food i want first – octopus? chickpea soup? crabs? my head is spinning here – GREAT JOB. why didn’t you invite us?
Amazing! Cant wait to see the recipes of some the dishes that I am not familiar with. I guess most of us are curious as to how long did it take you to prepare this feast! Kali sarakosti!!
Picture me with my jaw dropping!!
I don’t even know what to say! Except you’re amazing! (and mom too!) I want to dive into the artichokes and the fried mussels first!
Your spread looks delicious! I’ll definately have to try out some of your dishes once I begin fast.
I’m lost for words – what a spread! You are one imaginative cook with a traditional leanings – hang in there and spill out the beans one at a time. You’ve got me hooked – shrimps, cuttlefish, crabs and Oysters all on one table! Good for you.
That’s a grogeous table Peter! The food looks amazing … that octopus and your mom’s olive bread would be enough for me!
Another great entry into this Foodbuzz event!
Oh my gosh, Peter! What a gorgeous table! Everything looks spectacular.
Peter- that’s the most amazing and well put together meal I’ve ever seen!! So impressive. Wish I had been there to experience all of that wonderful food!
I am simply boggled at the site of so well-presented ,wide variety of Food.Very nicely captured too :-)
Wow!!
I wish I could have a bite!!
Και του χÏόνου!!
Wow Peter! I’d observe Lent only for food like this, LOL. Amazing job!
oh my good god! this looks incredible. now I understand why they don’t accept my little 24, 24, 24 submissions ;)
Hey Peter, WOW! I mean you will definitely need the 40 days of lent after this one :-)
Oh my gosh, Peter, this is a feast beyond compare! I will forever and always think about this spread whenever the Lenten season begins. I recognize some of the dishes, but others are new to me. I look forward to the recipes! How wonderful that you and your mom prepared this together. I bet she’s an amazing cook! Kali Sarakosti! (I hope I said that correctly!)
“A Lenten Spanakopita, just spinach, scallions and homemade phyllo” Just. Just. JUST! Homemade phyllo. Peter that is amazing. Mamma mia what a feast! I appreciate all the work that went into cooking and presenting this meal. It is lovely and I am very impressed with your talent. I am looking forward to seeing the recipes and learning more about Greek culture during lent and Easter. Thanks for sharing!
Oh I forgot to ask. Do you have a favorite dish that stands out from all of the above, something that you just can’t live without during this time? Just wondering as there is so much to choose from.
Oh… WOW. Peter, it’s fabulous. I’ve never seen a Lenten feast that can quite compare with this. I absolutely can’t wait to see the recipes.
That’s what I like to see! A table so full there’s no room for the dinner plates! Everything looks delicious :)
Lent? LENT?
Peter, Peter, Peter… This look like feasting at its best, not fasting… I’ll come back for the recipes though…
Holy, moly, what a spread. Phenomenal. The braised octopus, homemade phyllo for the spanakopita, all of the mussels! Incredible. Great, great job. Todd.
Amazing table Peter!!!
Have you a good recipe for lagana??
I am sure you have!!
Beautiful! What a glorious spread you made – a real feat. Everything looks like perfection.
Congrats on 24,24,24. That is a lot of food. I like!
Im not sure how to wish it but here goes, Happy Lent! :)
This is beautiful. It makes Lent look crazy good!
I don’t even know where to start, Peter! This is positively fabulous! Though I must say your mom’s olive bread is making me salivate.
Bravo Peter, I really wish I could join your “clean Monday” table… all the dishes look fantastic and tasty!
I love coming over here to look at what you’re up to. Your feast for clean Monday looks fantastic! Way more than we had over here! :) Great, great job. I love your site.
Whenever I came to Greece we were in a little town of Sarti. And there was this bakery with olive bread that looks just like your Mom’s :) Will there be a recipe?
Oh. My. Gaw. Now THAT is a FEAST!! I don’t even know where to begin. Those little octopus (octopi?) look adorably delicious! And I’ve never had mussels deep-fried before, but they look divine. What a lucky bunch of friends and family you have! (And your mom obviously taught you well!)
Crab, Mussels, and Shrimp…3 of my favorites! Great Post!
What a wonderful fb24 feature, everything looks so delicious!