In Greece they have a lot of dishes that are called “lathara” which basically means with oil…and lots of it. Olive oil is the oil of choice, unless you are making it as a lenten dish then vegetable oil is used.

Eggplant and potatoes in tomato sauce is another one of those easy Greek dishes that has a lot of yummy and healthy olive oil. This vegetarian dish can be eaten as a side or as a meal with a side of feta and olives and some nice crusty bread to slop up those yummy juices.

You can use any type of eggplant but I love Japanese eggplant, it is sweeter. You just cut it into about 2″ by 2″ pieces. OR…this time I found some little Indian eggplants. They are so cute and perfect to just slice in half, long ways, which makes it the perfect size.

You just need:

• 14 Indian eggplants, ends cleaned and sliced in half, long ways (or two globe or 3 Japanese cut into 2″ by 2″ pieces)
• 14 mini/small gold potatoes, cleaned and peeled, if you prefer, and cut in half (or 4 to 5 regular potatoes of any type cut into 2″ by 2″ pieces)
• 1/2 cup any type of oil (canola or olive prefered) for browning potatoes and eggplants
• 1/2 cup olive oil for dish
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 1/2 cup of diced canned tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2-3 cups vegetable or chicken broth or even water (enough to barely cover ingredients)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Add 1/4 cup of frying oil in pan and brown the eggplants on both sides, set aside and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add the other 1/4 of frying oil in pan and brown the potatoes on both sides, set aside and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat pot with 1/2 cup of olive oil and throw in onions to saute for a few minutes, then throw in garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Add in fresh chopped tomatoes or canned and cook for a few minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add in tomato paste, stir well and then the broth/water. Stir well and bring to a boil.
7. Set the potatoes and eggplants into the pot and nestle into the sauce. If you need a little more broth or water to cover, do so now. Bring back to a boil.
8. Cover pot and set heat to low and continue to cook until potatoes and eggplant are done and the sauce has reduced and gotten thicker.
9. Serve with feta cheese and olives and some yummy crusty bread.

Kali Orexi!

A lot of you are probably aware of the famous Greek lemon-egg chicken soup with rice, kotosoupa avgolemono, but are you familiar with another lemon-egg soup that is popular to make in Greece? It’s a meatball and rice lemon egg soup and it is just as delicious…AND…perfect on a cold winter day, as today, in the Midwest.

Traditionally it’s made with ground beef, but you can use ground chicken, or even ground pork or turkey, if you prefer. Pork goes wonderfully with the egg-lemon flavor, as a matter of fact there is another dish we make with the same sauce but with pork chunks or ribs and celery. Today I am making it with ground chicken, since that is what I have in my frig 🙂 . For the rice, you can use long grain or even basmati if you like that flavor better. If you use brown rice you will need to bowl the meatballs more, which may break them down…so pre-boil brown rice half way first and cool before adding to meat mixture if you prefer to use brown.

Oh, the smell when you mix the meat with the herbs and spices is sooo good. Dill is one of my favorite herbs. Some people may add parsley and/or mint to it too, but I like it with the dill only. Another version is instead of the egg and lemon juice to use yogurt with lemon juice. If you prefer this route then mix about 1 cup of Greek yogurt with the lemon juice and stir into broth.

The ingredients are simple. You just need:

• 1 pound ground beef, chicken or pork
• 1 medium onion, grated on larger grate or finely diced
• 1/2 cup white rice, reserving 2 tablespoons to the side
• 2 tablespoons olive oil and some for the bottom of pot
• 4 tablespoons chopped dill (and a few sprigs for garnish)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/3 cup flour, for coating meatballs
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups chicken broth and/or water (enough to cover meatballs)
• 1 large carrot, diced or sliced
• 1 1/2 to 2 lemons, juiced (1/3 cup worth of juice) and zested
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

Steps:

1. Add ground meat, onion, most of rice (other than 2 tablespoons), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped dill, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl and combine well.
2. Roll mixture into approximately one+ inch balls, about 28-32 balls.
3. Lightly coat meatballs in flour and gently place into pot that has been drizzled with olive oil. The flour helps to thicken the sauce and keeps the meatballs together. Discard the excess flour.
4. Gently pour the broth/water onto meatballs just enough to cover them and add in lemon zest.
5. Bring to a boil, then add reserved 2 tablespoons of rice and diced/sliced carrot and turn heat down to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Do not over cook, otherwise the meatballs may begin to break.
6. Turn off heat on meatballs and whisk your eggs well, until they are somewhat frothy, and then slowly add the lemon juice while you continue to whisk. Slowly temper the egg-lemon mixture by whisking in 2-3 ladles of the warm broth then pour the mixture into the pot and wiggle pot around to combine everything.
7. Turn on heat to medium-low and bring back to a simmer for a few minutes and then it’s done.
8. Add to bowl and garnish with a dill sprig and 2 extra lemon wedges. Serve with feta cheese (or any cheese if you don’t have feta 🙂 ) and crusty bread to soak up all those wonderful juices!

Kali Orexi!

Yummy, enjoy!

Now this is a real simple recipe and a staple in Greece. You will find it as an accompaniment with other main dishes or eaten as a meal with some nice crusty bread straight from the bakery…or you can make your own! Even if you think you can’t do anything in the kitchen, you can make this. It’s as simple as cutting the vegetables and throwing some kalamata black olives and chunks of feta on top, and the dressing is just as simple!

You will need:

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, you can use roma, campari or smaller varieties if you prefer, cut into medium chunks
• 1 medium English cucumber, cut horizontally and then chopped in large chunks. Traditionally the cucumber is peeled but I like using it all
• 1 small green pepper, sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 4 oz feta cheese, cut in chunks
• 1/4 cup of Kalamata black olives, pitted or not
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt, to taste
• 1 loaf of Italian or French bread, or make your own rustic bread.

Steps:

1. Add your tomatoes to a nice salad bowl and top with cucumber, green pepper, white onion, feta cheese and black olives and top with oregano.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and then the vinegar. Toss well to combine and add salt to taste.
3. After the juices from the tomatoes have macerated with the olive oil and vinegar it makes for a wonderful tasting juice. Make sure you dip some of that bread into the juices as you eat the salad!

Kali Orexi!

Horiatiki Salata

Greek Village Salad

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Course Salad

Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

  

• 2 large ripe tomatoes you can use roma, campari or smaller varieties if you prefer, cut into medium chunks
• 1 medium English cucumber cut horizontally and then chopped in large chunks. Traditionally the cucumber is peeled but I like using it all
• 1 small green pepper sliced
• 1 small white onion sliced
• 4 oz feta cheese cut in chunks
• 1/4 cup of Kalamata black olives pitted or not
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt to taste
• 1 loaf of Italian or French bread or make your own rustic bread.

Instructions

 

• Add your tomatoes to a nice salad bowl and top with cucumber, green pepper, white onion, feta cheese and black olives and top with oregano.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the top and then the vinegar. Toss well to combine and add salt to taste.
• After the juices from the tomatoes have macerated with the olive oil and vinegar it makes for a wonderful tasting juice. Make sure you dip some of that bread into the juices as you eat the salad!