Kotosoupa Avgolemono: Chicken & Rice Soup with Egg and Lemon

In Greek: κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονο, pronounced ko-TOH-soo-pah av-gho-LEH-mo-no

This soup is a favorite with Greek families and frequently served as a first course at the Easter table. There are several variations, and the egg-lemon sauce (avgolemono) is so popular that there are some who make a quick soup in the microwave using canned soup or broth, just to have the opportunity to add the avgolemono sauce, which is the crowning glory.

I like to serve this with a pepper grinder on the table for guests to add to taste.

Sweet and Sour Turkey

This recipe was given to me by my Aunt Rena, a few years back before I started blogging and I didn’t think back then to ask her where she got this recipe from. Will ask her next time I call her. This is one of my girls favourite recipes and it’s one of those meals that you feel that you don’t need a dessert afterwards.

If you have leftover salsa, it makes a delicious pasta dish the next day.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour
Serves: 5 - 6

Ingredients:

· 1 kilo turkey breast, cut into small pieces
· 1 can (330 ml) beer

Salsa (sauce)

· 1 big onion, finely chopped, or in cubes
· 1/3 cup olive oil
· 2 cups bell peppers yellow, red and green
· 1 tinned pineapple 300 gr., together with syrup
· 3 - 4 carrots, grated or sliced
· the juice of about 4 - 5 oranges (1 cup)
· 1 tablespoon of honey
· 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 1 tomato juice (500 grams)

For thickening:

· 1 tablespoon corn flour (optional)
· ¼ cup milk (optional)

Directions:

1. In a saucepan heat half the olive oil and sauté the onion. Add the bell peppers, the pineapple each slice cut in eight pieces as well as the pineapple juice, the orange juice, the honey, the vinegar, the tomato, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

2. As soon as it boils heat the remaining olive oil in a bigger saucepan and sauté the turkey on all sides.

3. Pour the beer and wait until alcohol evaporates and then add the sauce (no additional water is necessary).

4. Cook for about 1 hour until the turkey is tender and the sauce is thick.

5. If the sauce needs thickening stir the corn flour (starch) with the milk and add, stirring for a couple of minutes.

6. Serve with Rice (basmati preferably).

Rice-Stuffed Grape Leaves: Dolmathakia Yialantzi

This meatless version of dolmathakia is a favorite both as a meze and as main course. The stuffing is a combination of rice and vegetables (yialantzi means there's no meat).

If anything, this version is more popular than others that include ground meat.
Serve stuffed grape leaves warm or at room temperature, and get creative with a condiment or sauce. They're great just drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil, or served with plain yogurt, tzatziki, or a béchamel sauce.

Preparation time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Servings: 5 - 6

Ingredients

· 60 - 70 vine leaves
· 2 cups of Carolina or Arborio rice
· 1 big onion, finely chopped
· 4 - 5 spring onions
· 1 cup of finely chopped parsley
· ½ cup of finely chopped dill (optional)
· 2 – 3 tablespoons of dried mint or 1/2 cup fresh mint
· ¾ cup of olive oil
· 3 - 4 grated ripe tomatoes
· 3/4 tablespoon salt
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
· 1 cup of water

Directions:

1. Wash the vine leaves and boil them for five minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain.

2. Wash the rice and place it in a big bowl.

3. Add the onions, parsley, mint, dill, salt and pepper, 1/2 of grated tomatoes and 1/2 of the oil and mix well. For instructions on how to wrap the dolmades you can see my step by step instructions given here.

4. Add the water and the remaining oil and tomatoes.

5. Place the lid on top and cook for half hour.

Wrap the rice mixture with the grape leaves. This is the most difficult and time consuming part, although after you are through it a couple of times you enjoy it the most. It is better if two people work on it simultaneously, talking, joking etc. You want to make them small in size (about 2 inches.) Discard the central stem of these leaves. You want to wrap the rice very tightly.

You place the rice in one end, fold from the wide end and the two sides and then roll while pushing the rice downwards to pack it really tight.



You have to do it a couple of times to understand. If they are not tightly packed they will unroll later. Also be careful to wrap totally, do not leave any holes.



You arrange the dolmadakia in a casserole, tightly. Make more than one layers. Add the lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil and 1 1/2 cups of hot water. Cover them with a plate or something to keep them in place. Let them simmer for 35 minutes.
Serve then cold, with strained yogurt or taramosalata. Enjoy.

Gemista (stuffed tomatoes)

Gemista, means “filled” or “stuffed” vegetables such as, peppers, eggplants, courgettes, onions etc. The filling can be a meat based one, usually with minced beef and rice but I sometimes prefer to make them vegetarian (or some of them) as I cook meat but I don’t eat it.

Gemista fall under the category ladera or “oily” food, as we call them but my version is a much lighter one, using not too much oil and are mostly “saucy” than “ladera”. The normal amount of oil used would be at least twice the quantity I use.
Gemista is a summer food, since it is the time when the tomatoes are ripe and as they are a light food they can be consumed during hot Mediterranean temperatures, as a slightly hot or cold dish. I really don’t mind baking during summer and if it’s unbearably hot, I prepare them in the evening and bake them early in the morning or just have the air-conditioning on. Although there are tomatoes year round now with the green houses, I seldom make them during winter, except maybe during Lent when we need to eat a variety of vegetarian dishes or whenever the girls ask for them.
Sometimes, I add thin slices of potatoes in between the gaps but as potatoes usually take more time to cook, I end up by over baking them, so now I prefer to half bake the potatoes separately in parchment paper, adding the same seasoning, and then add them to cook together or cut them in small cubes from the very beginning.
Gemista are one of my favourite dishes as it is a combination of so many tastes and aromas. Vegetables, oil, rice, potatoes, parsley and mint are mingled in our palate and all the sweet juices from the fresh ripe tomatoes should be mopped off the plate with fresh hot bread.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients:

· 9 large, ripe, tomatoes
· 1 large red onion finely cut
· 1 – 2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
· 1/3 cup top quality extra virgin olive oil
· 3 green bell peppers
· 150 grams short-grained rice (Carolina)
· 1 cup finely chopped parsley
· 2 tbsp dried Greek Mint or fresh if available
· salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 2 large Potatoes (optional), cut into thin wedges, seasoned with salt, pepper and dried oregano

Preparation:

Wash tomatoes and cut a horizontal slice off the bottom side of the tomato (not where the stem is) but do not cut entirely.
With a teaspoon, scoop out the contents of the tomato into a food processor and then blend them.
Wash the green bell peppers and cut horizontal the top side where the stem is entirely and cut out the seeds.
Put the tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish and sprinkle some salt inside their cavities.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a non stick sautéing pan and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent then add the rice and mix.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the blended tomatoes, lower heat and mix for five minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the parsley and mint, mix in and remove from the heat.
Fill in the tomatoes and peppers by ¾ full, leaving room for the uncooked rice to expand. Cover the tomatoes and the peppers with the lids.
Add the potatoes, the remaining olive oil and some tomatoe juice. (No water should be added)
Preheat oven at 180 degrees C.
Bake for about 1 hour thirty minutes. Baste the vegetables at least twice, in order to keep them moist on the top or cover with a silver foil and have it removed after the first hour.
In case no potatoes are used the baking time is less.

Kolokythanthoi Yemistoi me Ryzi: Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Rice

Zucchini blossoms (and blossoms from other squash) make a delightful appetizer, and they are often stuffed with mixtures similar to fillings used in stuffed leaves and vegetables. This vegetarian version calls for a mixture of rice, tomatoes, and herbs, and is served at room temperature.
Blossoms can be used from winter and summer squash. If picking your own fresh blossoms, pick early in the morning while blossoms are open. Separate from stalk.
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

· 20 zucchini blossoms
· 1 1/2 cups of long grain rice
· 1 medium onion, grated
· 3 tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
· 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
· 1/2 bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
· 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
· sea salt
· freshly ground black pepper
· 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil
· 1 cup of water
· 1/4 cup of olive oil

Preparation:

Rinse the zucchini blossoms individually, removing any external green leaves and internal pistil and stamen, using a sharp knife. Take care not to tear the blossoms. Once rinsed, place the bottom of each blossom into the opening of another to prevent from closing, and set aside to drain thoroughly. Pat dry before using.
Note: The pistil and stamen do not need to be removed, but most Greek cooks do take them out.

In a mixing bowl, combine rice, onion, tomatoes, parsley, mint, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil to help bind and mix thoroughly.
Carefully fill each blossom with 1 teaspoon of the mixture. Fold the open end of the blossom inward and turn underneath, and place in a wide pot or deep skillet. Continue until all blossoms are filled, and placed snugly in a single layer in the pot.

Add 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.
Yield: 20 pieces