AY Magazine / May 2012 /  Create: It's Greek To Me

Create: It's Greek To Me

The things that I like about Greek food are: it can be simple or complex; it is delicious in warm summer months; it is comforting in cold winter weather; it makes great use of fresh lemon in all its many aspects; it builds on great flavor combinations, like feta cheese and spinach or honey and nuts; it is very down to earth; it reminds me of Greece and sunshine; and Greek food pairs well with wine.

Here’s a menu that is perfect in late spring and summer. The dolma and baklava can be made in advance. I suggest you create an appetizer tray to enjoy with a glass of wine while the chicken is baking. Sit back and let the flavors transport you to a faraway place. 

 

 

 

 

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Menu:

 

Appetizer plate: Pita bread, Feta cheese, Hummus, Olives, Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes  • Dolma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)  •  Lemon Chicken with Rosemary, Garlic, Olives and Prunes  • Baklava  •  Red Grapes

 

I’m sure I have said this before, but absolutely do not be intimidated by these recipes. One of my favorite celebrity chefs, Nigella Lawson, recommends: “Read through the recipe calmly, first to see how easy it is.”

 

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Dolma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

 

Filling:

To Cook The Dolma:

Make The Filling:

Heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large, straight-sided skillet with a cover. Cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon zest and the pine nuts; continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring so the pine nuts do not burn. Add cinnamon, salt, black pepper and rice. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ cup chicken stock or water, stir to combine, cover and reduce heat to very low. Simmer gently for 5 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove the lid — all the water should have been absorbed. Stir in parsley and dill. Remove to a bowl, and set aside to cool. 

 

Stuff The Leaves:

Separate the vine leaves, and place them in a large pot of simmering water for 5 minutes. Drain, pat dry and trim the stems. Place one leaf, vein side up, on a mat and put a tablespoon of the rice mixture near the stem end. Make sure your hands are clean and dry. Fold the stem end over the filling. Neatly fold in the edges of both sides. Wrap into a cigar shape. Don’t overfill and don’t fold too tight as the rice will expand during cooking. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

 

Cook The Dolmas:

Line bottom of a large skillet with any damaged grape leaves and place the rolled dolmas seam side down, side-by-side, in a single layer on top of the leaves. Pour over the chicken stock or water, lemon juice and olive oil. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour without lifting the lid. Brush with any extra olive oil and lemon juice and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Adapted from mediterrasian.com 

 

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Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Rosemary, Olives & Prunes

 

Ingredients

 

Preparation:

Trim excess skin — but do not over trim. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and marinate chicken in 4 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar and garlic for 1 to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator, wash and pat dry. Coarsely chop olives and prunes together — not too finely. Wash and dry rosemary and strip leaves from stems.

 

Cooking:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet on high heat. Sear chicken in the hot oil to brown skin well. Remove chicken from pan, and add minced garlic. Cook for a minute or so, then remove from heat; add chicken to the pan, skin side up. Place olives and prunes in open spaces and crevasses in the pan, packing loosely. Push rosemary into open areas and joints in the chicken, laying larger sprigs on top. Sprinkle on paprika and cumin. Squeeze over juice of one lemon. Place the skillet in the oven, and roast until chicken measures 140 degrees on meat thermometer and juices run clear. Serves four to six.

Submitted by Barry Goldberg, Little Rock, AR

 

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Baklava

 

Filling:

 

Syrup:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 6-by-10 baking dish. Chop nuts coarsely, either by hand or pulse 2 to 3 times in a food processor. Toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut the whole stack to fit the baking dish. Cover and set aside the scraps for another use. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth, to keep it from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in the dish, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons of nuts on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 to 8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife, cut into 24 pieces, all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp. Make syrup while baklava is baking (instructions below). Remove baklava from oven, and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. Leave uncovered, as it gets soggy if wrapped. Freezes well. Makes 24 pieces.

 

Make The Syrup:

 

Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add remaining ingredients and simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside until baklava comes out of the oven. 

Submitted by Barry Goldberg, Little Rock, AR

 

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Questions? Reach Faith via e-mail at info@kidscookarkansas.com.