Adapted from Mediterranean Hot and Spicy (Broadway Books) 
Horiatiki, that has inspired the ubiquitous Greek Salad, is scented with dried, wild oregano or savory, and doused with plenty of fruity olive oil. It might also contain salted sardines, and was often made more substantial with the addition of stale bread or crumbled paximadia (barley rusks), which soak up the delicious juices.
Read HERE the story and roots of this iconic salad.
Serves 6 to 8
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.
Serves 6-8 as meze
This unusual recipe is inspired by one I found in the region of Pelion, in Central Greece. The green garlic version is deliciously milder but we can only make it in the spring, when we get the fresh, scallion-like garlic from the garden.
Skordalia is served traditionally with fried or grilled fish and seafood; also with fried or grilled vegetables. On its own it is a popular meze served with toasted bread, barley rusks or crackers, and with crudités.
HERE read how I make the Sour Grape condiment.
Makes about 4 cups
Traditionally prepared for Christmas, kourambiedes are supposed to be delicate melt-in-the-mouth treats. You find similar cookies in various Middle Eastern countries, often sprinkled with rose water or citrus flower water just before they are rolled in confectioner’s sugar.
The old island recipes called for lard, as butter was not a common ingredient, while the special lard from the belly of the freshly slaughtered pork was used for these, and other festive winter sweets .
In most recipes from the mainland and the north kourambiedes are made with the strongly-flavored sheep’s milk butter, while there are also also somre Lenten versions made with olive oil.
Today most homes and bakeries prepare the cookies exclusively with butter, or a combination of butter, often with some sheep’s milk butter. I do love this old, Cycladic version which you can try if you can get good lard.
Makes about 30 large or 40 small cookies. (more…)
The exact recipe for this wonderful and quite simple pie from Thessaly was given to me by the late Loula Baimpa, Costas’ aunt, one of the best cooks I have ever encountered. I deeply regret that I failed to record more recipes and advice from her!
I suggest you make the custard 1-2 days in advance, let it cool and refrigerate. Assemble and bake the pie a couple of hours before you start serving the meal, so that you can bring the pie to the table while still warm.
For a deep 9-inch pie dish, 8-10 servings (more…)
