Opa Burger

If you follow my blog, you must know by now that I love Greek food, and wines.  I try to incorporate typical Greek flavors in many of the food I make and when it came time to create a special burger to pair for a wine tasting, I opted for a Greek version of the American classic.

Burger Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 2 Tbsps. fresh mint, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp. each, salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsps. olive oil, preferably Greek
• 4 small pita pocket bread, often referred by the name Pitettes, sliced in halves horizontally

Topping ingredients:

• 8-ounce block of Halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices then lightly coated in olive oil
• 8 tsps. Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 1 heirloom tomato, cut into 4 slices

Directions:

1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the lamb, mint, garlic, salt and pepper and form into four medium patties. Be sure not to overwork the meat causing it to be tough after grilling.
3. Lightly coat the four patties with the olive oil, and then grill for 3 minutes on each side.
4. While lamb patties are grilling, place the eight slices of Halloumi cheese on the grill and sear for one minute on each side.
5. Lightly toast each of the Pitettes halves on the grill.
6. To assemble, place a lamb patty on a Pitette half, top the meat with two teaspoons of Tzatziki sauce, 2 slices of Halloumi and a slice of tomato. Top with another Pitette half.  Assemble the remaining three burgers.

Makes 4 burgers.

Notes:  Halloumi cheese is ideal for this burger but it can be replaced with crumbled Feta if unavailable.  There are many good quality Tzatziki sauces in the supermarket deli section, so don’t pass on making this burger because you don’t want to make a homemade batch.

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)?  Thought I’d share some of the recipes I’ve made recently that have earned me rave reviews.

5 recipes to treat your Valentine to:

1. Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Bacon in Sage and Danish Blue Cheese Sauce
2. Porcini Mushroom and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
3. Ragu alla Bolognese (Bolognese Sauce)
4. Grilled Salmon in Grape Leaves
5. Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Whichever dish you decide to prepare for your loved one(s) this Valentine’s Day, I hope your meal is paired with love.

Veronique

Galaktoboureko Pie

I was shown how to make this traditional recipe by a friend’s Yia Yia (Greek grand-mother) many years ago and below is her recipe (with a few variations).

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2-inch piece lemon peel
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Pie Filling Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup semolina, finely ground
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 6 cups of milk (not low fat)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Phyllo Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted
• 1 pound phyllo dough sheets, thawed

Glaze Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Add the lemon peel, reduce heat to low, and cook for 8 minutes.
2. Remove saucepan from heat, add the lemon juice and set aside to cool without stirring (can cool for up to an hour).  Discard lemon peel.

Pie Filling Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat on high speed, 2 eggs with 1/3 the sugar until light and frothy, about 3 minutes.  Add 2 additional eggs and another 1/3 of the sugar, and beat for 2 minutes.   Add last 2 eggs and the rest of the sugar and beat for 2 minutes.
2. Add the semolina, vanilla, lemon juice, and grated lemon zest.  Beat for 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk and the melted butter. Beat for 5 minutes on medium speed, until the mixture is light and fluffy (mixer bowl will be very full).
4. Pour the filling into a large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously with a whisk until the mixture thickens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool while assembling the phyllo in the pan, about 15 minutes.

Pie Assembling Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush the bottom and the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with some melted butter.
3. Using 1/2 of the phyllo sheets in the 1 pound package, lay one sheet of phyllo in the pan so that the sheet goes up to the rim on one side of the pan and overhangs on the other side.  Brush the first phyllo sheet with butter.  Continue layering the sheets until there are phyllo sheets overhanging on all sides of the pan – not forgetting to brush butter between layers.
4. Stir the cooled custard and pour into the pan over the phyllo sheets.  Using a spoon, spread the custard in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.
5. Fold in the overhanging phyllo over the custard, brushing butter between phyllo sheets until about 1/2 of the custard surface is covered with phyllo.  Brush top of phyllo with butter.
6. Using the second 1/2 of the phyllo package, lay each sheet over the top of the pie, brushing each with butter as you layer, to cover the whole pie.  Brush the top of the pie with butter.
7. Using a very sharp knife or a serrated knife, cut the pie in 16 slices, ensuring to cut all the way through the bottom phyllo layer.  You will break some pieces of the phyllo top layer, but this step would be impossible after baking.
8. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.
9. Remove the pie from the oven and pour the cooled glaze over the entire pie surface.  Cool pie completely, at least 3 hours before serving.

16 servings.

Notes: Rule of thumb when using phyllo, ALWAYS brush each layer with melted butter.  This ensures flaky pastry layers.  Also, ALWAYS keep a damp kitchen towel over the phyllo sheets you’re not using to keep the sheets from becoming brittle and dry.  Make certain to keep the pie on the cookie sheet through the cooling process as some of the glaze will seep out of the springform pan. Eat the pie within a day of making it as it’ll become soggy. I use the candied lemon peel as a garnish for the pie.

I had the pleasure of attending the New Wines of Greece in Manhattan this week and found the event fantastic. First – the people – exhibiting wineries, event coordinators and the catering staff were passionate about their destination and products, second – the wines I sampled were pretty outstanding, third – my favorite NYC chef and cookbook author, Michael Psilakis, provided the amazing food.

Here are some of the wines I sampled that were gems:

• 2009 Antonopoulos Moscofilero, Mantinia: a bold, fruit-forward, almost creamy wine. Long, perfectly dry, smoky finish.
• 2009 Domaine Katsaros Chardonnay: Low acidity, aged in French oak for 5 months, buttery (in a good way).
• 2009 Savatiano Papagiannakos: Light, palest greenish in color, fruity with a hint of tannins.
• 2009 Gaia Estate Assyrtiko: Rich honey and fruit notes without much sweetness. Refined, elegant wine that reminded me of a nicer white Burgundy.

As far as food was concerned, Michael Psilakis didn’t cut any corners. The ‘catering’ food he brought to this event was what he serves at his restaurant. My favorite dish from Psilakis’ Kefi, grilled octopus, was served on huge platters. Michael ensured that platters, bowls and dishes were filled to the brim and stayed fresh, and even served when a crowd amassed at certain stations.

Great event all around.

Koulourakia

I dated a Greek guy for three years when I was younger and absolutely loved the holidays at his parents’ home.  Tons of cooking and baking and I learned a lot about simple, tasty food from his mother and Yia Yia (his Grand-Mother).  Every Easter, his Yia Yia would come to the house and bake her Koulourakia cookies.  She didn’t have a recipe, just memories from the old country but was willing to let me write down the ingredients and her techniques for the enjoyment of the next generation.  I’ve come up with the measurements in the following recipe as I didn’t think many people would appreciate the “put enough flour so that the dough will be okay”.  These cookies are dry and almost tasteless, but are addictive and you’ll want a dozen at-a-time.  Here’s to Theodora!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 ounce of whiskey mixed with a pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• flour (approximately 3 1/2 cups)
• 1 large egg beaten with ¼ cup milk
• sesame seeds (approximately 5 tbsp)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, whip the butter until creamy, approximately 1 minute.  Add sugar and blend.  Add eggs, beating well after each one.  Add baking powder.  Add whiskey mixture and vanilla.   Add flour.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly-floured surface, form a tbsp of dough into a ball then roll it into a 7-inch long rope (sprinkle dough with some flour if too sticky).  Take the two ends of the rope, join them then twist to form a braid.
4. Line 4 cookie sheets with wax paper.  Place cookie braids about 2 inches apart on the wax paper-lined trays and brush tops with the egg and milk mixture.  Sprinkle the top of each cookie with sesame seeds.
5. Place two cookie sheets on the top rack of the oven and bake until tops of cookies are browned, approximately 10 minutes, then switch the cookie sheets from the upper oven rack to the bottom oven rack and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Repeat process with additional baking sheets.
6. Take cookies out of the oven and cool for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a kitchen towel and cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

Notes:  You’ll need 4 cookie sheets for this recipe (can cool and wash the first 2 cookie sheets after the first batch of cookies have baked).  You’ll likely need to re-refrigerate the dough after you roll and braid enough cookies for 2 baking sheets.  Not into braiding?  Koulourakia can also be made into a circle using a 7-inch long rope!  Do not store cookies before they’ve cooled completed or they’ll lose their crunch.