Baklava

Baklava is something I've wanted to make for years.  For some reason it seemed somewhat intimidating to me so I just put it off.  Repeatedly.  Well, I finally got around to making it and let me tell you...it was easy.  A little time consuming, but easy. 

In fact, making baklava is easy enough to be dangerous.  Dangerous because it is probably one of my top ten favorite things to eat of all time. All those flaky layers of phyllo dough dripping with a spicy honey flavored syrup and jam packed with nuts.  It's total heaven.  Messy, sticky, crispy, crunchy heaven. If I don't find someone to share it with I will totally eat the whole pan myself. 

 Baklava

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

Makes About 30 pieces

Syrup:

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoon honey

juice of 1/2 lemon

strip of lemon peel

2 or 3 small cinnamon sticks

Baklava:

1 cup walnuts, crushed but with some texture

1 cup pistachios, crushed but with some texture

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

22 sheets phyllo pastry

About 2/3 cup (1-1/4 sticks) butter, melted to golden brown (I had to use a tad more)*

30 or so whole cloves for decorating (optional, but I omitted)*

Preheat the oven to 350F.  To make the syrup, put the sugar, honey, lemon juice, lemon peel and cinnamon in a saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring.  Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, then take off the heat and cool.

Mix the walnuts, pistachios, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.  Have the phyllo sheets ready, covered by a dish cloth to prevent them from drying out.  Brush the base of an 8-1/2 x 12-inch baking dish with butter.  Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on the bottom and brush with butter.  Cover with another sheet, brush it with butter and continue in this way until you have a neat stack of 10 sheets lining the bottom of the dish.  Spread half the nut mixture over the phyllo, patting it down firmly and leveling the surface.  Cover with another 2 sheets of phyllo, buttering each one.  Scatter the rest of the nuts over evenly and press down gently.  Now lay down the last 10 sheets of phyllo, buttering each one, of course, and finishing with the last layer buttered.

Using a small sharp knife, cut diamonds on the diagonal of about 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches.  Cut all the way through the layers of phyllo, as this will make it easier to lift out the pieces when serving.  Flick just a little cold water over the top to prevent the layers from curling up.  Stud the enter of each diamond with a clove (if using).  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until gently golden on top.    Gently pour half the syrup all over the baklava.  Wait for it to be absorbed, then pour over the rest.  Leave to cool totally before serving.  Will keep, unrefrigerated, for at least a week, covered with a dish cloth.

*I used Athens brand phyllo sheets and there were exactly 2 rolls of 22 sheets phyllo each. 

Getting a Little Nutty, or Seedy!

Garides Saganaki (Shrimp with Feta and Tomato)

This is one of those recipes that you make, devour, and then think of little else until you make it again. In the past my favorite way to enjoy shrimp was simply with garlic and butter.  After eating this dish I will tell you that this recipe is every bit as good as a simple dish of shrimp with garlic and butter, if not better.  For me, it is perfection! Shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, a little bit of green onion, and lots of feta cheese, both melted into the sauce and sprinkled on top.  Tangy, salty, garlicky, and tender.  I just love this dish.

In Greece this dish is served as an appetizer, commonly referred to as mezze, but in my home it's more like a main dish.  My Mom and I loved this so much we devoured it all.  Thank God no one else was around.  Things become rather messy and unladylike.

If you enjoy shrimp I highly recommend this recipe.

Garides Saganaki 

(Shrimp with Feta & Tomato)

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

Serves 6-8 as a mezze/appetizer

Serves 2-4 as a main course

About 15 medium raw shrimp

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 green onions, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper

4-1/2 ounces feta, crumbled

Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact, and devein them using a toothpick.  Heat the oil in a wide nonstick pan that has a lid and saute the onion on medium-low heat until softened.  Add the garlic and fry until it smells good, then add the tomatoes, half the parsley and some salt and pepper.  Put the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Add the shrimp to the pan and turn through to cover all of them with sauce.  Simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes.  Scatter the feta in, put the lid back on and cook until the feta just softens, about 5 minutes, rocking the pan once or twice.  Serve with a good grind of pepper and the remaining parsley scattered on top, and some lovely Greek bread.

Theme: Mezze Madness

Kokkinisto (Reddened)

 This recipe, otherwise known as Kokkinsto or Reddened, is a fantastic Greek version of Pot Roast that is flavored with red onion, red wine, tomatoes and a pinch of cinnamon. It is simply outstanding.  Quite possibly one of my favorite Tessa Kiros recipes that I've tried so far.  Of course, I will tell you that I'm really partial to any variation of pot roast, so I'm probably a bit biased.  

There are a few things that set this dish apart from your standard pot roast.  First, the roast is cut into 6 slices and each slice is browned until golden.  I gotta say it.  This is brilliant.  Instead of browning and seasoning an entire roast, you brown and season each individual slice resulting in perfectly seasoned meat.  Additionally, each slice held up to the cooking and made for a really nice presentation when serving.  No worries about trying to slice a roast afterwards! 

Next up is the red wine and tomatoes.  They create a deep rich flavor and after cooking away in the oven for 3 hours the tomatoes get all jammy.  Lastly, is the cinnamon.  It's just a pinch, but just enough to deepen the flavor and contribute some complexity to the dish.  We're talking flavorful, tender, and deeply satisfying.  And, to top it all off, Tessa suggests serving the roast with pasta or french fries, which is definitely a break from the standard mashed potatoes.

So, if you're looking for a different way to serve up roast this season then I highly suggest making this recipe.  It's fantastic!  A huge thanks to my friend Michelle of Ms. en Place for pointing this recipe out.

  Kokkinisto (Reddened)

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros

Serves 4-6

Tessa says, "This is called Reddened because, quite simply, the meat is cooked in a tomato sauce.  Simple meats like this with tomato, and the lemonato on the opposite page, are very popular standard food in Greece.  They would be served with some pasta on the side, or with french fries, which I love.  The fries in Greece often get an unusual sprinkling of cheese, which is wonderful and casual."

6 tablespoons olive oil

6 (9-ounce) slices beef for stewing (I used a 4lb. chuck roast)

salt

1 large red onion, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

14 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used about 1/4 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

freshly ground black pepper

3 thyme sprigs 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven and fry the beef until deep golden on both sides.  Salt each side as it's done.  Remove the beef and set aside.  Add the rest of the olive oil (3 tablespoons) and saute the onion until softened.  Add the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated.  Add the crushed tomatoes and the paste, the cinnamon and parsley, and season with a little salt and black pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, smoothing out any big bits of tomato with a wooden spoon.  Scrape over the beef.  Fill the tomato can with water and add this to the pot. Add the thyme, cover with the lid and bake for about 2 hours, turning the meat a couple of times.  Add an extra 1/2 cup of water, then bake for 30 minutes more.  At the end of this time, the beef should be very tender and the sauce thick and jammy but abundant.  If necessary, add a little hot water toward the end.  Remove from the oven and serve.

Note:  I cooked my roast for 2 hours covered and realized that the sauce wasn't getting as jammy as I'd like it to.  I removed the lid and cooked it for at least another hour and the sauce did achieve a jam-like consistency.  Next time I might cook the roast uncovered for the entire time and see what happens.

Theme: A Study in Scarlet

Halloumi Bites

Thank you to Nigella Lawson for inspiring me to try these wonderful fried cheesy bites! They are my first submission to a fabulous new cooking club, I Heart Cooking Clubs! I am especially excited to participate in this new cooking club because we are currently celebrating Nigella Lawson. I adore her and think she is fun and unadulterated. This is a another great cooking club which allows you to chose your own recipe based on a theme each week. This week's theme is Party Treats! I poured and poured over my copy of Nigella Express. So many recipes to choose from and it really gave me something fun to think about. I decided on these Halloumi Bites. How can you ever go wrong with fried cheese?

Over the weekend I went to the Mousetrap, a fabulous cheese shop in Lexington. It's almost embarrassing to admit the sheer excitement I get when going to the Mousetrap. They have every cheese you can possibly imagine. They also carry all sorts of gourmet foods and cookware. I am truly inspired each time I go there. During this visit, I was able to buy four great imported cheeses: Halloumi, Camembert, Fontina, and Romano. So exciting!

Here is a picture of the Halloumi I bought. Halloumi is a cheese made in Cyprus and is used in Greek/Mediterranean cooking. It's very versatile and can be grilled, grated, fried or served in a salad or sandwich. It is a staple in Mediterranean cooking as it features the texture of mozzarella with the briney moisture of a feta. At my local store it was $8.99 for about half a pound (8.8oz). I urge you to try this cheese if you have not. It is worth the price, packs a punch, and can be used for many recipes.
This is what it looks like when you remove the packaging. I was expecting it to be fragile, like feta, but it was more smooth like a mozzarella. It was easy to slice for the Halloumi bites.

This is one of those recipes that you can throw together in five minutes. It was SO easy and very delicious. I ate some plain and then I put some inside a pita and it was awesome!

Halloumi Bites - Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
1/4 cup garlic oil *(I used chili oil)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice
good grind of pepper
3 (8 oz.) blocks halloumi cheese, drained *(I used about 1/3 a package for 2)

Combine oil, parsley, lime juice, and pepper in a large shallow dish. Slice the drained (I didn't have to drain mine) halloumi into 1/4 inch-wide pieces, and then cut each slice in half again. Don't worry if they splinter as you cut. Heat a dry skillet and dry-fry the slices of cheese until golden on both sides. This should take only a minute or so in a hot pan. Put the fried halloumi into the shallow dish of other ingredients as you go, and then turn the halloumi about to coat each piece before turning into a serving dish.

I am excited to say that I have leftover Halloumi cheese and will be trying some more recipes later this week. I like the idea of making a Mediterranean pizza, putting the Halloumi on a skewer, and also grating it into pasta or even an omelet!

Enjoy!!