Greek Stuffed Peppers

Greek Stuffed Peppers

Dave DeWitt August 30, 2015 Recipes Leave a Comment

Piperies Gemistes me Feta may be Greek to you and me, but to a Greek, it means “Greek Peppers Stuffed with Feta.” Because they’re broiled, not battered and fried, these stuffed peppers are somewhat healthier than traditional chiles rellenos. Read the entire article about chiles rellenos here.

Ingredients

6 fresh New Mexican red chiles, unpeeled, cut open along one side to remove the seeds
9 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 egg yolks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Arrange a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and set your oven to broil. Put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until just soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer peppers to a rack and let cool.

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the feta, oil, yogurt, parsley, zest, oregano, and egg yolks; season with salt and pepper. Make a lengthwise cut from the stem to the tip of each pepper and stuff each pepper with some of the feta filling; transfer to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the peppers with grated Parmesan cheese and broil them until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about 6 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a platter and serve hot.

Greek-Style Braised Lamb Shanks

Dave DeWitt August 1, 2015 Recipes Leave a Comment

Lamb shanks are comfort food… succulent lamb with rich, vegetable-laden, savory gravy. Shanks are much less expensive than chops or roasts, so they are a good value. Each shank makes one serving. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable or salad.

Ingredients

2 lamb shanks (each about 1 1/4 pounds)

Olive oil

Coarse kosher salt

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

2 cups red wine

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

10 to 12 thyme springs tied together in a bundle

3 to 4 cups water or beef stock

4 bay leaves

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Gremolata, for garnish (recipe follows)

Gremolata:

1 orange, zested (about two tablespoons)

1 lemon, zested (about one tablespoon)

1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish

1 small garlic clove, minced

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all the gremolata ingredients and set aside until ready to use. (Gremolata is best made fresh, as it will only keep for one day.)

Trim the silverskin and excess fat from the shanks.

Coat a Dutch oven generously with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown the shanks well on all sides.

Remove the browned shanks from the pan and transfer them to a plate. Discard any excess fat from the pan. Add a little more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the vegetables. Season with salt. Sauté the vegetables until they are slightly browned and aromatic, about 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and brown, stirring, for five minutes. Stir in the wine, rosemary, oregano and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.

Return the shanks to the pot and pour in three to four cups of water or stock. The shanks should be submerged, if they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves and mint to the pan, cover and return to stovetop or put in a preheated 400 degrees F. oven. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the shanks are tender. Turn the shanks over halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much add more water or stock. Skim the fat frequently.

If cooking in the oven, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to further brown the shanks. Transfer them to a warmed plate and tent with foil. Strain the liquid, reserving both the sauce and vegetables. Remove the thyme springs and bay leaves. Purée the vegetables in a blender, adding a little sauce if needed; return the sauce and puréed vegetables to the pan and add mushrooms. Cook for three or four minutes. Place the shanks on a warmed serving plate. Drizzle some of the sauce over the shanks and serve any remaining sauce on the side. Garnish with Gremolata.

Heat Scale: Mild

Italian Sausage Sandwiches with a Greek Twist

Dave DeWitt August 1, 2015 Recipes Leave a Comment

Sizzlin’ Sauces’ Mojo’s Tapenade blends Kalamata olives with sun dried tomatoes into a great spread that goes wonderfully with not just French bread but also burgers and dogs. If you want something sweeter, try the Razing Cane Garlic Relish. It’s sweet, sour, and has just a hint of habanero. Recently, Mark Masker snuck some of each into the Italian sausage sandwiches he was grilling up before a game for some friends and they loved it.

Ingredients

6 Italian sausage links
3 green bell peppers
6 bolillo rolls (cut open)
Sizzlin’ Sauces Mojo’s Tapenade and/or garlic spread
Gorgonzola cheese
Olive oil

Instructions

Heat your grill to medium high.
Gut the peppers, cut it them half, and place it and the sausages on the grate, close the lid, and turn the sausages in three to five minutes.
Close the lid and repeat the process until done.
You’ll want to turn the pepper halves once their color goes to a more olive green.
Once the peppers and sausage are done, remove them and slice the pepper halves into thirds.
Drizzle the cut open rolls with a little olive oil.
Spread either the tapenade or the garlic spread on each and place a sausage in the roll, then top it with gorgonzola cheese.

Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki)

Dave DeWitt August 1, 2015 Recipes Leave a Comment

This is a traditional Greek sweet bread adorned with colored eggs. It’s not spicy, but it is gorgeous to look at! Read the entire article “Why NOT Eat the Easter Bunny?” by Kelli Bergthold here.

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
¼ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25-ounce) package active dry yeast
2⁄3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 whole raw eggs
5 whole raw eggs, dyed if desired
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.

Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and ½ cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1½ inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden.