Chestnut Stifado
If you’re familiar with Greek cuisine, then you’ve heard of Stifado. It’s a slow cooked dish usually containing lots of onions, spices and either rabbit or hare. In modern Greek cooking, beef or veal have also become a favourites. Like many cuisines, there are regional differences and such is the case with this Cretan inspired […]
Feta Brined Turkey Breast, Chestnut Stuffing and Make Ahead Gravy
American Thanksgiving is coming up this Thursday and Christmas is just over a month away. Both dinners center around a roast turkey plus whatever fixins’ and sides you may prepare plus some ethnic dishes that your family likes to serve on special occasions. Our holidays will be different this year – smaller gathering and that […]
Slow Cooked Succulent Salmon
I love fish and seafood. Here in Canada we have a good selection of local lake fish, then fish from the Atlantic and Pacific. Found all around the world, we also have wild-caught and farm-raised salmon. Pound for pound, fish cooks quicker vs. meat so it’s important not to overcook fish. Last year I discovered […]
Sea Urchin Pasta
This first time I saw sea urchins was in Halkidiki (where our family’s summer home is), clinging to rocks under the sea. Another sea urchin memory was eating them on the half-shell with a squeeze of lemon juice in Mykonos (summer ’92). Fast forward to 2009, first visit to Crete and I have a big […]
Politiko Baklava
I’ve been making this version of Baklava for a few years. There are many styles and varieties but this one is my favourite. A round tray is used, I have a diagram below that demystifies how to cut the baklava pieces into diamonds and when you look at the whole pan, it looks like a […]
Fried Chicken Sandwiches With Ranch Dressing
I love fried chicken (a few recipes already on this site) and currently, fried chicken sandwiches are a “thing”. Many opinions on which fast food chain serves up the best chicken sandwich. Some are really good, many are okay and some are just “meh” and don’t live up to the hype. While I may not […]
Quince Spoon Sweet
Quince…quinces for plural (for the record). Us Greeks call them “Kydonia” and they are part of the genus of fruits that also contain apples and pears. No wonder quinces look like a cross between the two fruits! This fruit, often referred to as the original “forbidden fruit” is ripe for picking in Autumn. They still […]
Crispy French Fries Every Time
As someone who cooks a lot for others, I want my food to turn out consistent. One I make something, friends or clients expect to get the same high quality result. Heck, I yearn for that when I am out at my favourite restaurant or eatery. Making French Fries can be a challenge, inconsistent results. […]
Carrot Salad With Ouzo Maple Dressing and Feta
Its Autumn and soon winter will come around and it can be a challenge to eat fruits and vegetables. One way to eat your vegetables is in a soup and the other way is to get creative with vegetables that aren’t usually salad ingredients. Enter the carrot, often part of a salad or cooked as […]
Porchetta
Put your hand up if you think “time” should be treated as an ingredient. For this recipe, time (patience) is important for this dish to be a success. I love pork belly and Italians do a great job of it in a Porchetta (pronounced “porketta”). Basically it’s a rolled and pork belly, tied up and […]