Octopus Meatballs
The first time I saw or heard of octopus meatballs were from Maria’s blog at Kali Orexi (BonAppeti. Maria is a Greek blogger resided in the NYC suburbs and she shares dishes she’s created or ones inspired by her ancestral homeland of the island of Kalymnos. For those not familiar with Greek geography, Kalymnos is […]
Burnt Ends From Leftover Kontosouvli
One of my favourite things to slow roast is Kontosouvli – chunks of pork butt on the rotisserie. When I make this, it’s a big batch and usually there are some leftovers. Such was the case recently, having leftover Kontosouvli and besides making pork gyros out of it, I wondered what else I could do […]
Roasted Beets With Greek Yogurt, Pistachios and Chives
I first made this appetizer a few years ago for a Supper Club organized for the local Cretan Association. Seeing chive blossoms in my garden triggered this memory and I want to share this easy and delicious appetizer you can serve. Strained Greek yogurt is spread on the bottom of a platter. wedges of roasted […]
How to Make Pita Bread
Original post appeared Nov. 11, 2009 One of the most well-known foods in Greek cuisine is pita bread. It’s used to scoop-up dips that are usually included in the mix of mezedes (Greek appetizers). We wrap souvlaki in them, we wrap gyro in them, we use pita bread to scoop Taramosalata, Melitzanosalata, Tzatziki, Red Pepper […]
Kataifi Cheese Balls
Here’s an appetizer I served up a couple of years ago at my last Mother’s Day Luncheon: cheesballs made of Feta and Graviera, rolled in kataifi pastry and lightly fried until golden. Pop, pop, pop…guests devoured them! Warm, gooey cheese surrounded by the crunch of kataifi. Yeah I get it! Kataifi pastry is sold at […]
Grilled Eggplant Sicilian Style
I have Italian neighbors that have lived next to me for most of my life. The husband from Puglia, the wife from Sicily. We’ve invited each other to come over for a drink, snack or to eat on countless occasions. For some reason, this grilled eggplant recipe came to my head and I’ve had a […]
Bacon Wrapped Halloumi
With recent news of Halloumi cheese earning PDO designation as a unique product (produced in Cyprus), I was looking through older notes and photos of Halloumi dishes I’ve created. I stopped at this one – cubes of Halloumi cheese, wrapped in bacon and grilled or baked until the bacon is crisp. It’s as if the […]
Round-Up of Halloumi Recipes
Recently, Halloumi cheese earned it’s place in the culinary world as a PDO protect – Protected Designation of Product. This means that only Halloumi made on the island of Cyprus can be stamped with this status. A testament to the Cyprus’ unique method of making this popular cheese. Sure, there will be mock Halloumi cheese […]
Blistered Shishito Peppers With Feta
About a decade ago, while vacationing in Greece, my Mom came back from the “Laiki” (farmer’s market) with what they call “Pikantikes Piperies” or spicy peppers. These small green peppers were mild in heat, pan-fried and served as a meze. They are sweet, savory, a touch of heat…tolerable for even the most timid. Here in […]
Feta Brulee With Honey and Sesame Seeds
I’ve been looking back at the dishes I served and some of my Greek Supper Clubs and this one is a standout. It’s a piece of Feta cheese with honey but the twist here is that I took a kitchen torch and bruleed the top. The look is stunning but it also gives the cheese […]