California Greek Girl

Our Kitchen Gardens’ Kickoff was a Hit!

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

On Tuesday, we had our kickoff event at the Kitchen Gardens with the media and food professionals. We set up the area with tents and tables for our guests. We offered a walking tour, demos from our artisans, and a Fall Apple Menu.

Our facility was outdoors among beautiful gardens and shaded trees. Hats off to our volunteers as they worked in 90 degree weather. This was so unusual weather for the North County area. But they came through for us.

During the event we had local artisans showcasing their talent, which was quite fun for our guests. And a big thank you to our sponsors that came out and supported our efforts in getting the word out.

Take a look at our Culinary Events starting in October here on Eventbrite.

We had several main sponsors display their local products along with one artisan and one floral designer who joined us as well.

JR Designs produced a live floral centerpiece using Fall flowers and foliage from our local floral producer Melano and Company.

He offered tips and suggestions on creating his stunning tablescape. JR’s creations takes us by surprise each and every time!

Debra from Art with Debra had a creative spin on our Fall theme, by providing art instruction on painting on beach rocks! What fun our guests had.

Robert Schueller from Melissa’s Produce kindly arrived with an array of fresh Fall vegetables and gifts for our guests to enjoy and had on display during our cooking demo. Shopping bags were provided to carry off all those goodies. They also provided all the vegetables for our dishes. A big thank you to Melissa’s from the chefs and our team.

Our guests were also treated to freshly -squeezed apple juice, with the help of our sponsor Novis Vita Juicer. It worked beautifully and with ease, as it kept our guests hydrated throughout the day.

Temecula Olive Oil, a local olive oil farm here in San Diego, offered their local olive oils and vinegars for our tasting bar. They were enjoyed by our guests, and we were delighted to serve our dishes with their products. It made them even more tasty!

Chef Debbie used the Breville Skillet to complete her dish, and it provided us with this versatile cooking appliance to work with in our kitchen.

We had Katie from Barnraiser give a short talk introducing the Barnraiser concept of crowdfunding. Take a look on their website to see what you might be interested in creating or funding.

If you are interested in donating to our Barnraiser campaign , we could use your support!

We thank all of our sponsors, in creating this successful kickoff for our classes and crowd-funding campaign.

Get Creative, Cooking and Crafty!

Many Thanks,

Mary and the Team

Making Apple Butter

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

In the late summer as my apples come in, and I need to find new ways to use up my harvest. I do pass them out to friends and family, but some years my crop is very large. This is when I decide to make apple butter. My kids love this recipe. For many years, my next door neighbor, Connie would send over a few bottles for us to enjoy and we cherished every spoonful. One day she invited me over to watch her make her family recipe. Since then, we would make it our Fall trip up to Julian to buy freshly picked Jonathon apples. These apples are red with a very tart taste, which is needed for this recipe. After many years of doing this drive, I decided after three kids and a dog, I would buy and plant two of my own apple trees.

They bare enough apples for several pies, breads, and apple butter, which makes my family very happy. It’s amazing the look on my children’s faces to this day when I tell them I have apple butter for them. It’s all worth the time, work and patience it takes to make this butter, our family favorite!

The original recipe calls for Jonathon apples, which we had to drive up to Julian to find. Most markets or farmer’s markets now carry them. I used my “Anna” apples here, which are a tart apple.

Cook until thick, this will take some time, depending how many apples you used.

Pass through a food mill or fine sieve and measure before adding spices. After adding the spices cook down until thick.

Perfect and ready to can. prepare all your bottles and lids and sterilize in a hot water bath.

Strain and let cool on a clean towel.

Fill jars and place in a water bath. I use a large pot and place towels in between so the bottles do not touch. If you have a bottle rack this is not necessary.

For more information on canning, go to the Ball canning site for instructions and canning materials and a How-To guide.

Old-Fashion Apple Butter

This recipe is a family favorite made from all fresh apples and cinnamon. Use on your pancakes, toast, or as a dip.

Course Jam

Cuisine California Greek

Keyword apple, apple butter, jam, preserves

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

16 cups thick apple pulp about 1/2 bushel
4-6 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Core and slice apples into chunks. Don't peel.
Add to a large pot and add a little water to prevent scorching. Cook until soft.
Press through a sieve or food mill. Measure pulp it should measure around 16 cups .
Add the cinnamon, and sugar and cook until thick. Stir frequently, to preserve burning.
Pour into sterilized jars and process for 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

1/2 bushel makes 16 cups.

1 bushel is approx. 20 lbs of apples.

You can easily double this recipe.

Enjoy for Years to Come!

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Fall Apple Bread

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

This Fall apple bread has been in our family for quite some time. After finding this misplaced recipe the other day, I decided it’s time to make it again. I had the apples from my Anna apple trees. The only change I made was not to peel the apples, but to chop them in large chunks. This recipe was so moist and full of apple flavor everyone loved it! I just need to make sure not to lose this handwritten recipe again.

This recipe is so special to me because it is hand-written by my mother-in-law, Helen. She loved coffee cakes and sweets. She always wanted to have something on hand to serve up in the morning to a local passer-bye. You see, she lived on a busy corner where the town would drive by daily on their way to work. And she would get neighbors and friends dropping by all the time. She once told me she had a regular visitor who came and stayed for quite some time, and neighbors thought she was seeing him – if you know what I mean. He was there for a bite of whatever she had baked that day. Well, everyone just loved her cooking, and she was more than happy to share her pastries and desserts.

I planted several apple trees in my yard, and I especially like the “Anna” tree. It gives me a large crop twice a year. Working with apples gives me such pleasure because it reminds me of the many trips I have taken with friends and family to the Julian Apple Farms. Besides, what is Fall without apples and cinnamon.

This is my tree the “Anna” apple.

I decided not to peel my apples since all the nutrients are in the peel. Plus, I like things chunky, so I chopped the apples in 1/2 inch chunks.

Mise en Place (everything in it’s place and ready) is vital here since the recipe goes quickly and the topping must be ready as you complete the bread.

If I’m going to go to the trouble of bringing out the mixer, I like to double the recipe and freeze one for later. This is always my think ahead way of doing things in the kitchen.

Here, the topping is sprinkled on immediately to get it in the pre-heated oven right away.

Let cool on a wired rack for 15-20 minutes before serving. Freeze the extra one – if you double the recipe.

Fall Apple Bread

This is an old recipe we have cherished in our family year after year. It's a moist bread with fresh apples and spices.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple,bread,Fall,baking

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar ( I use apple cider)
2 tablespoons milk
1 3/4 cups apples, roughly chopped

Topping

4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9x5x3 loaf pan.
With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together.
Add the eggs and beat well.
Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Mix vinegar and milk and set aside.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternatively with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry.
Stir in the apple and nuts. Pour into the greased loaf pans.
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Happy Apple Picking Days!

Mary

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Corn Chowder and The Vegetable Butcher

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

I have been hearing about The Vegetable Butcher, for quite some time now. Her name was echoing through the food community, and I as I traveled to various conferences I was hoping to catch up with her at one point. When I attended the Housewares Show in Chicago, we ventured out to Chicago’s Eataly possibly taking the chance of running into her. But, we were told she was at the New York location and had opened a new restaurant.

It was just perfect timing when Melissa’s Produce invited me to attend a book signing and luncheon on behalf of Cara, introducing her new cookbook. I finally caught up with her, and it was worth the wait. Her knowledge in culinary and the handling of vegetables in the kitchen happened to be exactly what I was looking for. I chose the Corn Chowder recipe to feature today, because of the new cooking technique I learned when I read her cookbook. It surprised me the amount of flavor was gained from using the corn cobs in the soup stock. And the entire dish with the toppings was superb. This is a keeper in my recipe box. So, I do hope you take an afternoon off and make this incredible corn chowder for your family.

Enjoying a moment with Cara at Melissa’s.

Her cookbook, The Vegetable Butcher is worth buying not only for it’s unique layout design, but it’s collection of cutting techniques, recipes and culinary skills for anyone who enjoys cooking at home.

My favorites from the Cookbook.

: Creamy Corn Chowder

: Parsnip- Ginger Cake

: Turkish Potato Salad

: Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

Melissa’s luncheon included several recipes from Cara’s cookbook, and it was all so healthy and delicious!

Cara discussed the importance of owning a good knife, and handling vegetables with proper techniques for safety, as well as keeping food waste in mind.

Corn Chowder with Pepitas and Cilantro

This is one book for your bookshelf. It's a lovely photographed technique based book , for everyone. This recipe is clean and fresh with a crunchy topping you should not leave out.

Course Soup

Cuisine Vegetables

Servings 4 -6

Author Cara Mangini, The Vegetable Butcher

Ingredients

Kernels shaved from 6 large ears of corn reserve the cobs
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/4 -inch dice
1 garlic clove
11/2 teaspoons fine sea salt plus extra as needed
2 pinches of cayenne pepper plus extra as needed
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/3 cup freshly crumbled feta or goat cheese for serving
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
1/4 cup spiced and sweet pepitas for serving
Your best extra virgin olive oil for finishing
Lemon or lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Fill a large pot with 1 gallon of water. Add the shaved corn cobs, bay leaf, and peppercorns, bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down and simmer, partially covered, for at least 25 minutes and up to 60 minutes to impart as much corn flavor into the stock as possible.
Remove the cobs, bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep the stock on low.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, until the butter melts.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, corn kernels, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the cayenne.
Turn up the heat to medium high and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 4 cups of corn stock to, cover the pot, and bring to a simmer.
Adjust the heat to medium-low and uncover pot slightly.
Simmer until the corn and onions have softened, about 20 minutes.
Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter. Once it has melted, take the pot off the heat.
Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the soup until it is smooth. (this will yield a blended soup, with some texture; to get it silky smooth, puree it in batches in a high speed blender).
Return the soup to medium heat and add up to 1 more cup of the stock if needed to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
Add the lemon juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish each with cilantro, feta, freshly ground pepper and the pepitas, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve with lemon or lime wedges alongside.
Alternatively, let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more stock if needed to thin the soup;garnish and serve cold.

Step by Step for the Chowder

: Cut off kernels on towel.

: Add cobs to water.

: Stock is ready.

: Add to corn mixture.

Here is the recipe for the pepitas, and I suggest you do not skip these – they add so much to the soup.

Spicy and Sweet Pepitas

Top these pepitas for your corn chowder recipe above, and get that special crunch!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chowder, corn, pepitas

Author Cara Mangini

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions

Combine the oil, sugar, cayenne, cumin and salt in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts about 2 minutes.
Add the pepitas and cook, stirring constantly, until they are coated and begin to brown, 2-3 minutes.
Remove the seeds to a plate and allow the seeds to cool completely.
They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

These pepitas are from Melissa’s produce and can be found online or at your supermarket.

These have incredible flavor, they burn quickly so watch carefully.

The pepitas come from Melissa’s produce and can be found here online or in your local supermarket.

Soup’s On!

This post was from an even I attended at Melissa’s Produce. The vegetables were sponsored by Melissa’s.

One of my favorites recipes! Enjoy,

Mary

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Spiced Pickled Green Beans

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

All the rage nowadays is pickled everything! In your sandwiches, burgers, on salads, and on the cheese trays. I love pickled green beans for the same exact reason. It brings a totally new flavor to anything to make. Pick any seasoning you wish, exchanging the spices or the vinegar. These are so many various vinegars to choose from and one company I like to use is Sonoma Vinegar, or head to your local Olive Oil store for a complete selection. I used Bragg Live Foods apple cider vinegar, because I wanted a more earthy fruity taste for the fall. And if you desire a delicious fruit treat, try my pickled peaches on my blog.

Just cut off stems and string (optional) and boil just until soft. Remove and drain, add to sterilized jars.

In the meantime, gather your ingredients place in a non-reactive pan and bring to a boil. It’s just that easy!

I used apple cider vinegar in my recipe. Make sure to pack them snug, not above the 1/4 inch rim. I wanted to show you the ingredients in this picture, otherwise tuck them in neatly.

Spiced Pickled Green Beans

Add these green beans to your salads or pasta and get a fresh new flavor.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword pickled, green beans, vegetable

Servings 4 pints

Ingredients

2 quarts green beans
salt for water - (1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart of water)
3 cups white or cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tablespoon whole cloves

Instructions

Wash beans. Remove any strings. Not necessary on young beans.
Leave beans whole.
Cook in salted boiling water. (1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart water) until tender, 20-30 minutes.
Drain and place in sterilized jars.
Combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Pour over beans.
Seal and refrigerate.
Taste daily for flavor desired. Can last up to 3 months.

Try my pickled peaches…

Pickle away… Mary

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Fresh Corn Guacamole with Nigella Seeds

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Are you an avocado fan! Check out this new guacamole recipe I created using fresh seasonal corn. In our area avocados are readily available, so here in San Diego you can find them year-around. This recipe for calls for the addition of fresh corn to your Guacamole. We top our breakfast eggs with slices of avocado, stuff our tacos, and make guacamole weekly! I grew up on my uncle Mike’s avocado farm, and as kids we would play hide – and seek in the orchard, along with the rats and snakes. We played for hours but also ate lots and lots of avocados. As I visit my Leucadia farmer’s market weekly, I’m always on the hunt for seasonal produce for my recipes. Corn is in season, so why not add it to your avocado-guacamole. Melissa’s produce provided me with fresh avocados and all the fixins.

This is a great way to keep your guacamole fresh.

Use fresh avocados that are fully ripened.

Fresh corn can be easily stripped by using a sharp knife.

Cilantro the key to the best guacamole. If you’re not a fan, you can use parsley.

I like to mix up my presentation with a little healthy and a little naughty.

These are the organic chips I serve with all my dips. They can be found online at Cadia.

Fresh Corn Guacamole with Nigella Seeds

There's nothing like fresh corn anything! Add it to your guacamole and it's refreshing and sweet! This recipe can be easily doubled for a large crowd.

Course Dip /side dish

Cuisine California

Servings 1 1/2-2 cups

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

4 avocados, pitted
Zest and juice of 2 limes
1/2 ear of fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely diced fresh cilantro
sprinkle of nigella seeds
2-3 drops of Tabasco
salt and pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mash the avocados.
Add the remainder of ingredients.
Gently mix together.
Serve with chips or vegetables.
Taste for extra seasonings.

Enjoy my friends,

Mary

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Cold Tomato and Zucchini Soup with Ginger

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

I was in the garden over the weekend and noticed several of my tomatoes had ripened. I made myself a tomato sandwich which can’t be beat. But, it is very warm here this summer and I don’t care to use my oven everyday. I do love cold soups and decided to combine my fresh tomatoes with my zucchini and throw some dinner together. You can’t go wrong with this Cold Tomato and Zucchini soup! It’s all done in the blender and no cooking involved. Just plan ahead and refrigerate the soup, it so it’s chilled when serving. I like a little crunch with my cold tomato soup , so I added these nutty seeded crispbreads by Doctor Kracker. Oh yes!

My plum tomatoes are a smaller variety this year, so I didn’t bother to skin or seed the tomatoes. But, if you have larger sized tomatoes, do seed and peel them if you wish a smoother texture.

I thought I was planting the Italian zucchini variety, but I got this strange light striped version. Somebody switched the tags on me at the garden store!

As you can see here, I’m using what I have fresh from my garden. You can too!

Make sure you leave time to wash and chopped all the vegetables and herbs. It’s important to have your “Mise en Place” in order. Since, everything is going into the blender at the same time, it makes chopping much easier. You have to blend it in two batches, so I place half of all the vegetables at a time. Place in a large bowl add your seasonings and refrigerate until chilled. I like my soup chunky, but if you want a smoother texture, peel and remove the seeds of your tomatoes.

Cold Tomato and Zucchini Soup and Ginger

A no-cook soup the entire family can enjoyed during these hot summer months. Serve with a crunchy topping and you have a delicious supper. Or just crackers!

Course Cold Soup

Cuisine California

Servings 8

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

4 cups chopped plum tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cups chopped zucchini
1/4 cup each of fresh cilantro, parsley, and basil
2 teaspoons prepared organic minced ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, chopped
vegetable broth or water if needed
Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste .

Instructions

Combine the first 12 ingredients in a blender or food processor. You may need to do this in batches.
Pulse the soup to a coarse puree.
Pour the soup in a bowl. Add broth or water to slightly thin the soup.
Season to taste with the remaining seasonings. (Tabasco, salt, pepper)
Refrigerate. Garnish with croutons, cheeses, nuts, or add crackers.

Recipe Notes

I finished the soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

I usually make my recipes with fresh ginger, but many times I’m in a hurry and I’ll pull out a jar of prepared organic minced ginger by Ginger People. If using fresh add smaller amounts until you get your desired level.

Cool Off and Eat Up!

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Greek Zucchini Moussaka

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

In the summer when garden vegetables are at their peak, my zucchini is always out of control. I’ve chosen to make a Greek Zucchini Moussaka, that can be made for a quick summer meal. This recipe makes a large casserole size, perfect for company or leftovers. It’s fairly easy to assemble and baking time is short, only 30 minutes. Traditionally, Greek Moussaka is made with fried eggplant, so feel free to substitute it in. This zucchini moussaka dish is a lighter and fresher version for those hot summer nights. You can substitute ground meat, or go vegetarian by adding mushrooms and/or potatoes.

Zucchini Notes to Know

Did you know zucchini is a “fruit?”
Zucchini has been used in folk medicine to treat colds, aches, and various health conditions.
Zucchini is rich in several vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds.
To learn more visit this site: Healthline.

While the vegetables are cooking make sure they are browned lightly. This ensures the zucchini is cooked thoroughly.

In the same skillet brown the lamb/beef add the seasonings and add to the vegetable mixture.

Combine the egg and cottage cheese, and spread over the top. Sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. This is a short-cut method for weekly meals, traditionally we make a bechamel sauce for the topping. Try and find small curd cottage cheese for a smoother texture. Here, I only had the regular version which is just as good.

Zucchini Moussaka

Try this lighter summer version of moussaka, which also can be made as a weekly meal for your family. Double the recipe for company and serve with a green salad. Perfect for summer gatherings.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek, moussaka, zucchini

Servings 4

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

3 zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground lamb or beef
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup crumbles Feta or grated Parmesan

Instructions

In a a large frying or skillet add the oil over medium heat and saute zucchini slices and onion until slightly brown.
Remove and add to a shallow 2 quart baking dish.
Return pan to the stove and on medium heat and brown the lamb or beef. Pour off fat if any.
Stir in the tomato sauce, garlic, salt and cinnamon. Cook for 5-8 minutes to remove any extra moisture.
Top the zucchini with the meat mixture. Spread evenly over the vegetables.
Blend the egg and cottage cheese, and spread over the top.
Sprinkle with the cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Let sit for 10 minutes to cool.

You may want to try other Greek recipes from my blog:

Greek Orzo Summer Salad

Greek Spanakopita

Kalo Kalokairi ! Have a great summer~

Mary

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Greek Grilled Whole Fish with Greens and Lemons

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Living in San Diego, the perfect summer dish is Grilled Whole Fish with fresh lemon and olive oil, and always served with greens. This is one dish I do crave from my visits to Greece. If your fish is fresh, there’s no need for more than that. It’s that simple. This hardly calls for a recipe, but if you want to make a dressing for the fish, look up my Ladolemono sauce. Use on fish, chicken or meat dishes and use to broil or BBQ. Grilling whole fish with bones keeps the flesh moist and flavorful.

My mother and her family would shop down by the pier for fresh fish after church many Sundays here in San Diego. The fishermen would show up with their local catch of the day, which made it easy in selecting your dinner for that night. We would then take it home and simply prepare it with this sauce or even with just our pantry ingredients.

You can cut off the head and tail before grilling if you wish. When shopping for fresh fish here are a few simple tips to have in mind before shopping:

Try and but only local fresh seafood in your area.
Use the Seafood Watch website when selecting your fish. Download their Seafood App Here and take it with you to the market.
Look for bright clear eyes on the fish.
Look at the fish, does it shine? Does it look clean? It is dull, discolored? If so, don’t buy it.
Smell it. A fish should smell like clean water, or briny ocean water. Don’t buy a smelly fish.
Look at the gills. They should be bright red.

Visiting Greece was such a treat in the summertime because the weather insisted you eat out late in the evenings. After a very warm day, appetites were growing once the heat was gone and the cool evenings arrived. Down by the beaches the fishermen would pull up and offer their catch of the day. All the nearby the fishing villages, provided outdoor seating in which they would BBQ up your selection of seafood. Served with greens or a salad this meal is what we all craved for as we traveled Greece.

Make sure you oil the fish before placing them on a pre-heated, oiled, medium high grill. Watch the fish for it only takes a few minutes on each side.

You can use any greens, here I used both swiss chard and dandelions. Other choices may be spinach, baby kale, mustard greens.

Greek Grilled Whole Fish with Greens and Lemons

One of my favorite summer dishes is grilled fish on the BBQ. This doesn't call for a recipe , but take a look at the simple ingredients that I used and you decide. This is the perfect summer BBQ meal.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine California Greek, Greek

Keyword branzino, fish, grilled

Servings 4

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

Whole Fish

2-4 whole fish, trout, red snapper, sea bass, branzino
1/4 -1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3-4 fresh lemons
salt and pepper
sprigs of fresh parsley or dill

Greens

2-3 bunches of fresh swiss chard, dandelions, mustard greens, spinach - washed and trimmed
2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Instructions

I suggest you prepare the greens while the fish is cooking. Finish them off once the fish is resting.

Whole Fish

Rinse and pat dry the fish.
Lightly brush the fish with the olive oil on both sides.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the fish with thinly sliced lemons and sprigs of parsley or dill.
Squeeze 1-2 lemons on the fish.
Place on an oiled medium-heat grill and cook for 10 minutes and cover.
Turn and cover again for 10 minutes, or until flesh is opaque, and the skin is lightly charred.
Carefully, lift the fish with one or two spatulas and onto the platter. Cover to keep warm.
When ready to serve sprinkle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
I placed a few halved lemons on the BBQ, to serve alongside the fish.

Greens

Trim the stems of the tough greens and wash thoroughly.
Place the greens in a large pot , add cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the greens are tender.
Drain and place in a bowl. Finish the greens with a sprinkle with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper.