Liver Pâté with Thyme, Orange, and Pistachios

Tuesday December 20th, 2016Tuesday December 20th, 2016 aglaia 6 Comments

A fast and easy pâté that I make with the flavorful innards from the free-range turkey or the rooster we get for our festive winter lunches.

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I no longer remember which pâté recipe served as the base for my adaptation. As is my habit, I start by sautéing the onions with olive oil, instead of butter or duck fat, adding orange jest and also pomegranate molasses, which give it a lovely, fruity flavor. I prefer to use unsalted pistachios, but if you cannot get them, salted are fine.

This pâté is an ideal appetizer or first course, served with a simple green salad, like the one we make from the Romaine and other lettuce leaves and arugula from the garden.

I am sure your friends will appreciate a jar of this homemade pâté, so you may like to double the recipe.

Serves 6-8, about 2 ½ cups
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QUINCE Pie Rolls with Almonds, Raisins and Honey

Thursday December 1st, 2016Thursday December 1st, 2016 aglaia Leave a comment

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Inspired from apple strudel, the stuffing I propose has no sugar; the fruit is simmered in sweet wine with raisins and honey. I just sprinkle it with light brown sugar and cinnamon as I roll the pies. If you like the pie sweeter, sprinkle each piece with confectioner’s sugar as you cut to serve.

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If you are familiar, or you want to try the traditional Austrian way of making the dough and rolling the strudel on a piece of cloth you can roll one or two larger strudels with that filling instead of four pie rolls. And if you have no quince, use apples, following the instruction for the thinly-sliced, raw apple filing that is used in the strudel.

Makes 4 pie rolls; about 16-20 pieces (more…)

Old-fashioned Pasticcio from Syros (Meat and Macaroni Pie)

Sunday June 19th, 2016Wednesday November 11th, 2020 aglaia Leave a comment

From my book The Foods of the Greek Islands.

Adapted from a 19c. recipe this pasticcio is enclosed in puff pastry and is quite different from the modern dish that is topped with a thick béchamel crust. Read HERE more about the history and variations of the dish.

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Makes 8 servings

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Octopus or Fish Pie

Thursday April 14th, 2016Thursday April 14th, 2016 aglaia Leave a comment

Adapted from The Foods of the Greek Islands

The filling of this delicious pie from Cephalonia is unusual. The salty taste of seafood is complemented by the fresh flavor of zucchini, tomatoes, onions and garlic. The pie needs long, slow baking so that the rice can absorb the moisture in the filling and cook. The result is unbelievable. Octopus pies, a typical Lenten dish, are also prepared on Lesbos and other islands of the Aegean, but I love this particular version because of the special fragrance the cinnamon gives it.

This is a large pie, but any leftovers keep well for about 3 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to 3 months, wrapped in aluminum foil and sealed in a zipperlock bag.

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I often make it into small individual pies, especially if I use our homemade phyllo. Leftover, charcoal-grilled octopus can also be used in the stuffing, and a bay leaf at the bottom of the pan makes the pies fragrant.

Makes 10 to 12 servings (more…)

Charcoal-Grilled Octopus, Marinated

Thursday April 14th, 2016Friday May 21st, 2021 aglaia 1 Comment

This is a much anticipated dish, always part of the various, seasonal meze we serve during the welcome dinner for our Kea Artisanal guests. It is quite easy to prepare, as you can blanch the octopus and keep in the marinade for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Just before serving heat the broiler or fire the BBQ and grill briefly over very high heat, just to caramelize the skin. Alternatively, you can grill the octopus on a non-stick skillet or stove-top grill, lightly coated with olive oil.

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Serves 6-8 as meze

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