California Greek Girl

What Do I Make with Tomatoes?

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

When it’s summer season and tomatoes are abundant, in the stores and farmer’s markets, sometimes it’s overwelming just thinking about what to cook or how to store them once you bring them home. One quick tip I learned, is that tomatoes should be stored on your countertop, and not in the refrigerator, so try and buy just what you need, for in hot weather tomatoes can spoil quickly. One quick solution if you have a big crop or bag of tomatoes, freeze them until you are ready to use them. How? Slip your tomatoes whole in resealable plastic freezer bags and freeze them for another use. When ready, place them in boiling water, and their skins will slip off instantly. I have listed a few ways to use up your tomatoes above in the photo, and as you know they all don’t come in all at once in your garden. So, I outlined a few more tips below, for you to follow for quick preserving your fresh tomatoes at home. To purchase organic heirloom tomatoes and more, here is the link for your local farmer’s markets in your area, Farmer’s Market Programs.

Here are a few tips to use up your tomatoes!

Make a Tomato Coulis – This is a lightly cooked tomato sauce for topping pasta, pizza, fish or grilled vegetables.
3 tablespoons EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
2 basil sprigs, pinch of salt and sugar
In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over low heat and saute the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and sugar, increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 -5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and discard the basil. Press the tomatoes through a sieve into a bowl. Let cool. Can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days. Makes 2 cups.

Tomato Water – This is a clear tomato juice, often used in soups, and sauces to intensify flavor .
1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
Place the chopped tomatoes in a sieve set over a bowl and let drain for about 2 hours, or until tomatoes have no more dripping. To further clarify the juice place through cheesecloth. Makes about 1/2 cup. Use the remaining tomatoes for a sauce.
Oven-Dried Tomatoes-
Use your ripest tomatoes to oven-dry them. They become intensified in flavor for your salads, pastas, and stews.
2-3 pounds of cherry or plum tomatoes or 5 pounds of full-sized tomatoes
salt
olive oil
Cut the cherry or plum tomatoes in half. Salt them lightly on cut side. Arrange them cut-side down on a oiled baking sheet. If using full size tomatoes cut them into thin slices, salt them lightly. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees F. Cook the tomatoes in the oven until their color darkens and they feel dry to touch, about 6-8 hours. Store them in a cool, dark place in glass jars or plastic. Makes 1 quart.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes from my blog and search above for many more recipes.

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice

Tomatoes Al Greco

Greek Tomato Fritters

Cold Tomato and Zucchini Soup with Ginger

I hope you have an abundance this season and enjoy your harvest,

Don’t forget to head over to my culinary school at Ethos Culinary. We have culinary classes, team-building and private events, for you and your friends to enjoy as a special occasion. And please sign up for my newsletter above and get the latest news and classes/events sent to you. Thank you.

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Greek Stuffed Green Peppers with Potatoes

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

This dish is one of my favorite family comfort foods for the Fall. Many Greek households have large gardens where their priority is to grow enough tomatoes, peppers and zucchini plants to stuff throughout Spring, Summer and the Fall. When you’re ready to make these Stuffed Bell Peppers give yourself time to bake them thoroughly and not to be rushed. It takes extra time when making a stuffed vegetable like this, to taste it several times to determine when it’s ready. Poke the potatoes with a small knife to check for doneness. You can be creative by mixing your vegetables in one dish. You can add zucchini to this dish and trade out the potatoes. I tend to grow bell peppers in my garden, just for this reason. You can always find them today in your local supermarket, which is very handy when choosing to make this recipe.

Here are more stuffed recipes from my blog for you to try!

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Rice

Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers

Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Let’s Get Started!

For this recipe, we like a more heavy substantial meal for the Fall, so we have used ground beef and rice as the stuffing. Together, they are a complete meal and often served alone, or with a salad or potatoes, which is very traditional, in Greek homes. Once you make this recipe you can change it up any way you choose. You can also substitute lamb for this dish. Once, you have your filling ready, you’re ready to stuff.

The bell peppers need to be prepped, and you can do this before or after you make the filling, allowing it to cool before adding it to your pepper.

When prepping the peppers, cut off about 1/4 – 1/2 -inch of the top. Make sure you keep them together, as you assemble the dish.

Fill your peppers to the top, and place the lid on exactly as they were. I added potatoes for two reasons, one for keeping the peppers in place and upward while baking, and seconds for a more complete side dish. Greeks love their potatoes in every way possible. I used white potatoes here, and sliced them lengthwise. Any potato will do.

A close up on the filling and the top removed.

This are ready, when the potatoes are soft and the peppers have roasted and browned nicely.

Here is the final baked peppers and potato dish ready to serve.

Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a perfect Greek main dish to serve to your family on any given night. Prepping can be made ahead of time and baked when you get home. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. This recipe has been in our family for years, tried and true.

Course Main Course

Cuisine California Greek

Keyword bell pepper, Greek, meat, stuffed

Servings 4 people

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

6 large peppers, cut in half, seeds removed
1 large onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground meat or lamb
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine - optional
1 cup rice of your choice
3-4 sprigs fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
2-3 teaspoons olive oil (drizzle on top)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Wash and dry the bell peppers. Using a sharp knife cut off 1/2-inch of the top of each pepper. Clean out the inside flesh of each pepper ands replace the tops.
If using potatoes, wash and dry them, and cut them lengthwise into six pieces and again if needed. Set aside.
On medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet and add the onions. Add a large pinch of salt to the onions. Saute until softened not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add more olive oil if needed.
Add the ground beef, tomato paste, wine, and cook until the meat is brown and the juices have evaporated.
Add the rice, pine nuts, golden raisins and herbs and continue to cook slowly for 15 minutes on low to par-cook the rice. Taste for seasoning, if needed. This step is very important to taste as you go. You may need to add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water to the mixture. Taste the rice for doneness. Cool the meat mixture slightly before adding it to the peppers.
Stuff the peppers to the top. Replace the lid. Snugly place the peppers in a 9x13 baking dish. If using potatoes, add them between peppers to prop them up and hold them in place. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of water to the bottom to cook the peppers and potatoes.
Drizzle peppers and potatoes with olive oil and finely chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to the potatoes.
Bake covered with foil or parchment paper in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees until peppers are soft. Remove cover and bake for 10-15 minutes longer until pepper tops are lightly brown in color and potatoes are done.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with any remaining sauce from the pan. You can also serve this dish with Greek yogurt or sour cream on the side. (optional)

Recipe Notes

You can make this ahead and freeze it before baking. Or you can prep it ahead of time, refrigerate and bake that evening. Make the meat mixture the day before and refrigerate and bring to room temperature before stuffing.

Welcome to my blog, and thank you for visiting! Hop on over to my website and culinary school, Ethos Culinary for information on classes and events.

Kalo Mina,

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What Do I Make with Summer Squash?

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

In our hot summers here in California, our most abundant fruit/vegetable in our garden is always the summer squash. It takes over my vegetables boxes as it rambles on and on with it’s long rough tendrils. One of the most giving and unique gift from this plant is the many blossoms you can pick and stuff. Other than that, be ready to cook, grill, and stuff these squashes for the many dishes you can prepare on this list. The squash family includes many varieties from zucchini to pumpkins. Squash are available year around, so consider adding them to your menus, with the ideas I have listed above in my picture. I also have many recipes for summer squash since it is a primary fruit for the Greek Diet. Here are a few dishes you can enjoy!

Here are a few health benefits of squash;

High in fiber and nutritional density.
Can improve your blood pressure, supporting gut health, and decreasing your risks for other diseases.
They are full of vitamins including antioxidants.
And there are over 100 varieties of these fruits! And yes they are fruit.

What are the best squash to eat for improving your health?

Acorn squash has vitamin C and A to help with bones and blood vessels.
Butternut Squash has large amount of fiber to help with a healthy weight and bowel movements. The beta-carotene can also improve your eye health.
Pumpkins has Vitamin A that can improve your eye health, reduce the risk of cancer, and boost your immunity to prevent seasonal illnesses.

What are the varieties of Summer Squash?

Summer squash is great for growing in the Spring. The many varieties includes zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan squash. These squashes have a tender skin, soft flesh, and mild flavor. Ideal for grilling, sautéing, or even eating raw in salads.

Winter Squash varieties are also available.

Winter squash is harvested later in the year. Varieties such as butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash fall into this category. They have a hard outer skin and dense, sweet flesh, making them ideal for roasting, baking, or creating warm soups and stews.

These are a few recipes on my blog for you to enjoy.

Feta Zucchini Patties

Greek Browned Butter Spaghetti Squash

How to Stuff Squash Blossoms

Chocolate Zucchini Olive Oil Bread

Enjoy gardening or shopping this summer for your fresh produce!

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Four Summer Salads from Ethos Culinary

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

At my last Summer Market House, everyone requested a copy of the four recipes for my salads. I’m more than happy to share them with you, and I encourage you to use them and enjoy them as much as I have. They were all summer salads and all very different in color, texture and flavor. I try to keep in mind what is also currently growing in my garden. The watermelon salad recipe came from America’s Test Kitchen. It was fresh and quite surprising with a Mexican touch. My Kale Caesar salad came from my garden, as I love kale in many of my dishes. This salad came from Martha Stewart’s 100th cookbook. Another spin on the traditional Caesar salad. The cabbage salad came from my dear friend Madeline, who claims this is simply made without a recipe. I loved the addition to balsamic vinegar with her two colored cabbages. The Three Bean Salad is a favorite in our family with a Greek twist for a dressing. I made this salad with my favorite beans at Rancho Gordo. Thank you to close friend PJ Puterbaugh for taking picture of the salads and event.

Tips for Making Summer Salads

Make ahead salads are the best. Try and cut up all vegetables and prep main ingredients and place in the refrigerator. Don’t dress the salad until it’s time to serve.
Make dressings that are citrus, olive oil and vinegar based.
Keep everything refrigerated and serve your salads cool.

Madeline’s Cabbage Slaw Salad
One of each red and green cabbage
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
1 or 2 red or yellow or red bell peppers
Salt and Pepper

Begin by shredding the cabbage or cutting it very thinly and placing it in a large bowl. Chop or slice the bell peppers and add to the salad. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then lastly add the salt and pepper.
That’s it! No recipe required, because you will make this over and over, because it’s great for outdoor parties.

This recipe is fantastic and such a new twist with watermelon and refreshing for any table. You can use different color melons as well for a touch of variety. This is easy to assemble and can be made ahead of time. Just add the cheese right before serving if you’re going outside with it.