Last week I was given an advance copy of New York Chef Michael Psilakis’ first cookbook, “How to Roast a Lamb”. It turns out my copy wasn’t so advanced. Yesterday, I popped into Toronto’s “World’s Largest Book Store” and there it was!
For those not familiar with Michael Psilakis, here’s a recap: 
Michael is a 1st-generation Greek-American who grew up in Long Island New York and he currently is the Chef and co-owner of Anthos, Kefi,Gus & Gabriel, Mia Dona and the newly minted Eos in Miami.
Michael has also appeared on Iron Chef America and this past March he cooked for the Obama family at the White House on the occasion of Greek Independence Day.
In just a few hours, I will be heading down to Toronto’s Greektown (the Danforth) for our other parade, OXI day where Greeks stood up and said, “NO” to the fascist invasion of Greece in the period of WWII.
How to Roast a Lamb is different from other cookbooks as it includes chapter by chapter narratives from the chef himself. You get a sense of what it is to grow up Greek. Our customs, our way of living, our rituals, our celebrations. In each instance, food and drink are a big part of our lives.
The book will satisfy those looking for recipes as well. There are mezedes (appetizers), soups, sides and salads, fish & shellfish, beef, pork & poultry, lamb & goat, dairy & pasta and finally game.
One glaring omission is desserts. I would have liked to have seen some of his dessert creations. I predict another cookbook devoted to Greek desserts.
If you’re already familiar with Greek cuisine, this book will make for a wonderful edition to your Greek cookbook collection. Michael puts his spin on many of the Greek classics (like this pork sofrito) but never does he stray from the flavours we as Greeks grew up with.
Case in point is his Pork Sofrito With Spicy Pepper & Cabbage. Sofrito is a dish with it’s origins from the island of Corfu and it’s traditionally made with escalopes of beef or veal.
The ingredient list might read like it’s alot and your should have your ingredients on the “ready, set, go” (mise en place) for this dish. It’s quick, worth the effort and flavours just pop in your mouth.
From looking at these pics, it’s not a hard-sell that the dish also dances on the plate. Head over to your favourite bookstore and pick-up How to Roast a Lamb. You’ll get a better grasp of what it is to be Greek and in the end, eat a little more like a Greek.
Pork Sofrito With Spicy Peppers & Cabbage
(recipe adapted from Michael Psilakis)
serves 2
For the side salad
1/4 cup of cracked, green olives (Tsakistes), pitted and chopped
1 cup of savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup of thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 orange, peeled and cut into segments (no pith)
1 Tbsp. of roughly chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. of dill
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or red wine vinegar)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Pork Sofrito
2- 1/2 inch slices of pork loin, cut into 1/2 rounds
all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. of olive oil
2 Tbsp. of chopped shallot (or red onion)
1 Tbsp. of capers (drained)
1 pepperoncini (pickled hot yellow pepper), sliced
1/2 cup of white wine
1 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. of roasted garlic puree (or finely minced garlic)
1 Tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
capers for garnish
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the salad and toss with the olive oil and lemon juice (or vinegar). Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Pound each slice of pork between two sheets of plastic wrap until the meat is about 1/4 inch thick. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper and dredge in all-purpose flour.
- Place a large skillet on your stove-top over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, the the pork and and saute for a minute or so on each side or until a light brown. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
- Reduce the meat to medium and in the same skillet, add the wine and and lemon juice and reduce the liquid by two thirds. Add the garlic and stir into the sauce. Add the remaining dill and taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the pork cutlets back into the skillet and gently swirl the pan with the sauce to coat the meat and to heat the meat.
- Transfer to a platter along with the juices and serve with the fennel and cabbage salad.
- Serve with a Vatistas Malagousia white, perfect for fish or white meat, like this briny pork sofrito.
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
33 Responses
what a beautiful dish! It looks so tasty and mouthwatering…
Cheers,
Rosa
Interesting how the word ‘sofrito’ spans several cultures. I’m looking forward to seeing Michael’s book. Meantime, I just returned from food shopping and luckily I have all the ingredients noted…so I know what tomorrow’s supper will be. Thanks!
I am so looking forward to this book Peter! Sometimes chef’s recipes can be a bit tedious for the home cook, but this is a rather straightforward dish. I have never had the real soffrito, but I like this as a recipe for pork. Has been bookmarked!
yum…love the mixture of veggies…especially the fennel within the mixture…YUM
Recently discovered your blog…you give me much to aspire to. Gorgeous photos and recipes both.
File mou, this recipe looks awesome…I’m definitely going to stay updated, you have some great stuff on here!
enjoy your parade – it’s all happening on the day here of course!
thought he looked familiar from Iron Chef. I’m hooked on that show.
I love when an unknown chef gets a cookbook published, it means the good stuff is in there’ the stuff that really has true creative recipes, you know?
that’s one good-looking, juicy hunk o’ meat, and i’m not talking about psilakis. :)
Delicious !
Oh man. I fell in love with just the side salad, by the time I got to the pork, I was his. I am sooo getting this book. My no-more-cookbooks pledge is officially over.
Those are the plumpest, juiciest looking capers! The dish looks magnificent.
I’ve never tried lamb. Enjoy your day and the parade.
Never before has cabbage looked this good and the Sofrito sauce with the pork is just perfect to keep the pork tender and moist. Divine cooking!!!
I’ll be sure to look out for this, Peter, if the beauty of this sofrito is any indication of how good the book is! :)
Wow beautiful.You woudn’t believe if i tell you i am drooling so much that i am really ashamed.
DELICIOUS.
Mou aresei afti h parallagi tou sofrito, egw to klassiko kanw panta, me poly skordo kai poly maintano !
Kali evdomada Peter!!
Yummy, sounds like this might be a good book to add the the Christmas wishlist
Yes this dish dish does dance on the plate Peter.
Sometimes, I wish I was Greek. :)
I am craving pork for dinner now, but not sure I could pull off a nice dish like that.
Peter, the sofrito looks very delicious! I love the salad of cabbage, fennel & orange…..very fresh. Cheers!
I love cookbooks that have that little bit of extra in them such as stories about where the food comes from or how the chef thought of the dishes etc. This sounds like a lovely book, although I do have an overdose of new cookbooks lately… :)
Wow – the flavours in this dish sound awesome! Like the Mediterranean sun on a plate :)
This Pork Sofrito is quite a bit different to the one you made back in April, which I HAD to make and it was so delish I blogged about it remember?
I loved your original recipe but this one looks soooo good! I will have to give this a go.
I’m loving the salad you put with it too. Great pictures Peter!
the spicy topping looks juicy and delicious.
I’ve never tried the original sofrito either Peter but I love this version. I’ll have a look for his book as well…it sounds quite interesting. Anything with Greek food and a little spin on the traditional is good in my book!
I LOVE pork and that looks FANTASTIC!
Sweet always on the lookout for new cookbooks especially those that deal with Greek food.
Looks and sounds awesome now time to go eat my yogurt :-(
There are so many great flavors in this dish – it looks amazing.
This combination of flavor is irresistible! I have never done it before and now I have to!
Hi Peter: I lurk a lot but wanted to say that your blog is fantastic.
The Psilakis book is also great – I recommend it highly. I bought it last week and have already made 6-7 recipes from it. The chickpea confit is to die for (I threw some turmeric into mine as well for a pretty colour).
Kali orexi!
Kristina
very nice…