Feta popcorn happens to be my go-to snack when I get those crazy late night cravings. With the saltiness of the feta and lemon flavorings it makes a perfect treat. As I experimented with the actual popping I decided to use extra virgin olive oil, then proceed with the spices and feta. I threw in some lemon zest and boom, it worked. Pull out “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and have yourself a wild Greek movie night .
How-To Pop Corn in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
In a heavy medium pan place two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once it starts to slightly bubble pour in 1/4 cup popcorn kernels and place the lid on the pot. Shake until all the kernels have popped. This makes about 4 cups of popcorn.
Place the popcorn in a bowl and add the
crumbled feta , dried Greek oregano, and lemon zest.
I know what you’re thinking…Italian dessert for a Greek site. Well, I happen to love my version of Rosemary Panna Cotta. Playing with and adding flavors to a newly created dish is my all-time favorite past-time. Melissa’s Produce happen to ship me these Muscato grapes and I instantly thought of preserving them for another time. So I made jam. But, I still had plenty leftover for a new dessert. Muscato grapes are very special, they deliver a deep wine flavor perfect for a fancy dessert! As the days went by, I began thinking of what flavor combinations I could use and frankly I’m a huge fan of the herb, rosemary. I planted three bushes just so I would never run out. So, I tried it and loved the earthiness it brought to the panna cotta. Fall brings grapes and rosemary to our gardens so I felt they were a good match. I hope you enjoy this basic recipe and use it all year long varying the herbs and jams. Suggestions for new flavors may include peaches, plums, nectarines, figs, and strawberries.
Use this basic Panna Cotta for the perfect dessert when planning ahead for a dinner. Use herbs of your choice and top with any jam and create this elegant presentation.
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
California Greek
Keyword
dessert, muscato grapes, panna cotta
Servings6
AuthorMary Papoulias-Platis
Ingredients
1cupheavy cream, room temperature
1vanilla bean, split
1/2cupsugar
1 6-inchsprig fresh rosemary
1tablespoonlemon zest
pinchsalt
1 1/4teaspoonunflavored powdered gelatin
1 1/2cupsbuttermilk
1cupgrape jam, recipe below or store bought.
Grape Jam
1/2poundsof dark grapes, I use Muscato grapes
3tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1cupgranulated sugar
pinchsalt
Instructions
Panna Cotta
Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan.
Scrape all the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the cream. Add the sugar, basil, lemon zest, and salt. Cover over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, and set aside for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean.
Bring mixture to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin.
Strain the mixture, through a fine strainer, into a clean bowl. Discard the rosemary and zest.
Add the buttermilk to the mixture and mix well.
Pout into 6 individual glasses. Cover the glasses with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Serve with grape jam.
Jam Instructions
Combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium pan over high heat.
Cook, stirring until grapes begin to break down. About 10 minutes.
Stain through a fine sieve.
Place the juice in a pan with the sugar and salt bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer until temperature reaches 220 degrees on a thermometer and thickens.
Place in a bowl, cool and place in refrigerator.
Carefully, place chilled jam on top of the panna cotta .
Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Just changing up the glass can give you a more formal look for a special dessert.
Other combinations to use: peaches and mint, strawberry and basil, cherry and thyme.
Bechamel sauce is one of the staples in the Greek kitchen, often used in multiple traditional dishes. Growing up I cannot forget the many instances my mother and aunts couldn’t get it right. Why? It’s not just a simple white sauce. There are details you must remember to make a creamy-nutty sauce, with no remaining after taste from the flour. Bechamel sauce is the basic white sauce used in the Greek cuisine it is used as a topping for casseroles in which eggs are added to the basic recipe. Cheese can be added for a cheese sauce, along with herbs, spices, relishes, white wine, or sherry for added flavors. Once you mastered this sauce you no longer need to purchase any canned soups again. Bechamel Sauce can be used in the following dishes:
Moussaka, Pastitsio and casseroles such as mac and cheese, tuna casserole, lasagnas.
Ladled over open-face sandwiches with cheese-choice and then broiled.
Used as a filler for any type of turnover or phyllo triangles.
Creamed spinach, baked cauliflower, endive au gratin
Bechamel sauce is a mother sauce to add to your kitchen basics. This is one of the most versatile sauces for making many delicious dishes. Master this sauce so you never have to buy canned soups again.
Course
sauce
Cuisine
Greek
Keyword
bechamel, Greek, Sauce
AuthorMary Papoulias-Platis
Ingredients
2tablespoonsbutter
2tablespoonsflour
1cupmilk
salt and pepper
Greek Bechamel Sauce
Make the above sauce and add ingredients below.
1-3egg yolks
cheese - optional for certain dishes
dash of grated nutmeg
Thinner Sauce: for Moussaka, Pastichio, Baked Dishes
Reduce the butter and flour to 1 tablespoon per cup of milk
Thicker Sauce: for stuffing vegetables, stuffed meats
Use 3 tablespoons of butter and flour per cup of milk
Professional Use
10parts milk with 1 part roux, 10 ozs. to 1 ounce
Instructions
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Slowly add the flour, continue whisking until blended thoroughly.
Add the hot milk slowly whisking continuously until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat.
Greek Sauce
When using eggs with sauce, temper the eggs by adding a little bit of the white sauce to the eggs and whisking until blended.
Add egg yolks, salt and pepper to white sauce and blend thoroughly.
Note: When doubling the sauce, do not double the eggs.
Recipe Notes
Sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. To reheat, place sauce in a double boiler, stirring constantly.
In case you interested in making other sauces, here are a few more:
These Apple-Feta Phyllo Pies, are made by layering phyllo squares into free-form hand pies. Apples and cheese have been a favorite combination in American cooking for many years. This is nothing new. But let’s give it a Greek twist by adding apples and feta to this apple-feta pie using phyllo for the crust. These Apple-Feta Phyllo Pies, are made by layering phyllo squares into free-form hand pies. Easy and handy for ballgames, parties or picnics. I added pepito seeds for the topping (pumpkin seeds) adding an autumnal crunch to the dessert. Once you get this down, you can add any fruit, chocolate, pudding…to this free form pie.
The Many Varieties of Apples
Frieda’s was kind enough to send me four heirloom varieties of apples. Check out the names above and look for them in your local stores, a reminder how smacking- good these fresh heirloom apples can be!
I served my pies warm from the oven , um….
or serve at room temperature for more of the cheesy feta taste…
I took two of my favorite flavors, beans and Greek yogurt and developed this Fall salad, Avocado Salad Stuffed with Chickpeas. My dear friend and fellow blogger Mimi Holtz, from Mimi Avocado met us at the door for our weekly meeting with a bag filled of fresh Reed Avocados from her ranch. They happen to be my favorite avocados of all because of their buttery and creamy texture. Reeds have a very short season, so take a look at your local farmer’s market and snatch up a few for yourself or you will miss them! It’s a refreshing dish that can be served for lunch or for a nice side dish. Besides, we can use a healthy kick to start off to the week. And the added plus of the chick-peas are fortified with protein and fiber. Try to keep two cans of chickpeas in your pantry for last minute ideas like this one. You can change up this recipe by using berries, fresh tomatoes, or roasted vegetables.
Melissa’s sent me lovely fall fruit this week to use in my posts, so I included them in my avocado recipe for a touch of a pomegranate twist!
This Greek -semolina custard is a staple eaten quite often in the Greek home. There are many versions of this, one that you may be familiar with is the dessert pastry “Galatoboureko”, which is custard layered between phyllo dough. This recipe is a simpler version. Once you bake it, the smell alone brings everyone into the kitchen. Served with cinnamon and sugar on top, this dish can be served the same day once cooled or refrigerated and eaten cold for breakfast the next day. Try serving this with fresh berries – one of my favorite combinations. If you cannot find semolina in your stores you may substituted farina. For individual serving, use buttered ramekins and place in a water-bath before baking. You may need to adjust the baking time as well.
Boil milk over medium heat, stirring continuously.
In a mixer have eggs beating until thick and creamy, as you boil the milk.
When milk comes to a boil add sugar, milk and butter and whisk until blended.
Add semolina slowly and whisk until thick, and the back of your spoon is tested. (run your finger across the back of a wooden spoon and if it's stays clear it's done)
Remove from the stove and let cool for a few minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to low and temper the eggs by adding 1/2 cup of warm milk to the mixture. Add another 1/2 cup,then slowly add the remaining milk.
Strain the egg mixture through a seive as you pour into the baking dish. (to catch any egg and bits)
Pour into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes until lightly brown on top. Test with a toothpick.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sugar then cinnamon.
When cold, cut into squares and serve.
If this recipe is too large, feel free to cut the recipe in half and place it in a smaller pan like I did here.
This last Sunday was the perfect morning to head over to Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe for Deborah Madison’s book signing and celebration of her new book Vegetable Literacy. I’ve been to these events before and there is something magical about it’s location and the wonderful people who work hard to make this happen. We were served refreshing drinks alongside this delectable serving of Deborah’s coconut corn and rice dish served with a shisito grilled peppers. By her side sat her dear friend Amelia Saltsman , author of the cookbook The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. A wonderful double-hitter in our town!
What a fantastic and quick corn recipe from Vegetable Literacy!
Course
Vegetable
Cuisine
American
Keyword
corn, coconut, vegetables
Servings4
AuthorDeborah Madison
Ingredients
2tablespoonghee
1teaspoonbrown mustard seeds
1teaspooncurry powder
2bay leaves
1jalapeno chile, seeded, for less heat, diced
1teaspoonpeeled and grated fresh ginger
3cupscorn kernelsplus scrapings
1/2cuplight coconut milk
sea salt and ground pepper
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
slivered basil, plus whole leaves and flowers to finish
4green onions, including an inch of the firm greens, slivered diagonally
Instructions
Heat the ghee, mustard seeds, curry, bay leaves, chile and ginger in a wide skillet over medium-heat.
Cook until the mustard seeds start to sputter and pop,then add the corn and stir in the seasonings.
Pour in the coconut milk and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few turns of the pepper mill. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice and the basil, then taste for salt.
Turn the dish into a shallow bowl and scatter the green onions, basil leaves and flowers over all.
Serve with Coconut Basmati Rice or Tofu
Recipe Notes
To make coconut basmati rice, I substituted 1/2 the water for the remaining can of coconut milk and followed the package instructions for the cooking instructions.
Chino Farms served grilled Sisito peppers on the side after being toasted on this amazing Japanese grill. This grill is going on my Xmas list for sure.
The aroma from this corn was unbearable with the additional of fresh basil and sweet potato leaves from Chino’s.
If you enjoy vegetables as much as I do, don’t pass up this detailed reference guild to vegetables from a gardening classification. The rainy days cannot come early enough so I can cozy up to this 500 page cookbook!
Keep this book in mind as a perfect gift for your home cook, culinary student, vegetarian, or book lover! By the way, the photographs in the book were shot by my all-time favorites, Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton from Canal House.
It’s fall and I turn to this Feta with Pita Panzanella salad without lettuce quite often assembles in my home for a quick salad for dinner. In Greece, you can expect to get salads without lettuce, which is the traditional salad called “Horiatiki”, meaning village salad. But, I kept this salad with a traditional-style, but added my California Twist with the addition of lots of feta! You can also make your own pita, adding spices you love and a splash of evoo. Recipe is below.
The addition of pita bead bread is similar to the traditional Italian salad, but I added toasted pita wedges and avocado for my Greek twist. I love to plate my salads (make them up ahead of time on individual plates) to get those beautiful vegetables looking their best!
This is my fall version of a Greek salad which includes toasted pita bread- don't skip this step because it brings the salad together by gathering all the juices in the bowl.
Course
Salad
Cuisine
California Greek
Keyword
california greek, feta, pita, salad
Servings6
AuthorMary Papoulias-Platis
Ingredients
Pita
3-4rounds of pita bread
2-3tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1teaspoondried Greek oregano
Salad
4large tomatoes, cut into wedges
2cucumbers, peeled and sliced in rounds
2each of red and yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2poundfeta cheese, thinly sliced
1cuppitted Kalamata olives
2avocados, peeled and sliced
Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
1cupextra virgin olive oil
1/2cupred wine vinegar
2garlic cloves, minced
1teaspoonDijon dressing
1teaspoondried Greek oregano
1teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
Instructions
Pita
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the pita bread in 6 wedges per piece. Cut once more in half. Brush both sides with olive oil.
Sprinkle with dried Greek oregano.
Place on a sheet tray and bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, turn and continue baking until golden brown. Set aside.
Dressing
In a small bowl add vinegar, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper and whisk together.
Slowly add olive oil and continue whisking until blended.
Salad
In a large serving bowl gently combine the tomatoes, peppers, onion, cucumbers, and olives and pita wedges.
Add the avocados on top with the feta slices.
Toss gently with the dressing or serve on the side.
Don’t skip this step – if you need to save time you can :
Make these chips 2 days ahead of time and store them in a plastic bag.
Purchase pita chips at your grocery store.
Important to know: I just added extra-virgin olive oil and oregano to these chips to reduce salt intake.
There is only one Greek Festival in California for October in Temecula, California. If you’re in Southern California, take a leisurely drive with the family to this historic town and enjoy many great bites from the Greek cuisine. In the fall season, Temecula offers spectacular weather and the harvest season is celebrated throughout the town. Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will be sponsoring this event at the City Hall Grounds in Old Town Temecula. Bring the kids and enjoy children’s games, while you listen and dance to live music. Don’t pass up their mouth-watering Greek pastries with a cup of traditional Greek coffee for the road! See you there!
Hello from California Greek Girl. I’m the owner of Ethos Culinary located in the beautiful city of Carlsbad. Join me as we explore California’s bounty of foods, farmlands, and culinary experts. I’m looking forward to bringing you Greek, Mediterranean and Plant-Forward Cuisines. OPA!
Hello from California Greek Girl. I’m the owner of Ethos Culinary located in the beautiful city of Carlsbad. Join me as we explore California’s bounty of foods, farmlands, and culinary experts. I’m looking forward to bringing you Greek, Mediterranean and Plant-Forward Cuisines. OPA!
