Flavorful, colorful food appeals to the tongue and eye
Some of my favorite foods come from around the Mediterranean Sea. That includes not only Italian, but also Greek, Tunisian, Spanish, Syrian and others.
Actually, I like dishes that come from warmer climates, in general. That’s because they have access to sumptuous spices and fresh ingredients almost all year. So, into my “favorites” mix you can throw Indian, Ethiopian, Mexican, Szechuan, Cambodian and a long list of others.
What can I say? I just like flavorful and colorful food. It appeals not only to the tongue, but also to the eye.
Greek cuisine, for instance, is based on good olive oil, the olives themselves, cheeses made from sheep and goat milk, yogurt, mint and other flavorful herbs, seafood (logical, with all that coastline), honey (baklava, anyone?), nuts, fruits like lemon and apple, and fresh vegetables like eggplant and tomatoes.
Mizithra is one of my favorite Greek cheeses. This dried and salted cheese can be grated. But mizithra can be made soft and without salt, much like ricotta. In that case, it has a sweet, fresh, milky flavor and is served with honey. If you find halloumi cheese, slice it up and toss it into a pan on the grill or stovetop. It has a high melting point, so you can brown the surface and serve it as a snack or as a topper for salad. When it comes to meat, Greeks do use beef. But they’re best known for lamb and goat dishes because the Greek terrain doesn’t lend itself to raising cattle. Goat and lamb are often served roasted, but ground lamb is included in stuffed grape leaves, moussaka, meatballs, or other dishes.
Doesn’t all this make you happy that “lamb season” is coming up? Lamb is defined as any sheep younger than a year old, while mutton is older than a year. Because of its tenderness and milder flavor, lamb is often preferred over mutton. Think of lamb chop “lollipops.” Mutton, on the other hand, is better in a stew or another dish requiring braised or stewed meat. This moist cooking helps to break down and tenderize the meat.
And let’s not forget the Greek talent for creating tissue-thin phyllo pastry sheets—the basis for tiropita, spanakopita, baklava, and many other treats. You can find recipes for homemade phyllo, but I prefer to find it in the freezer case!
If you’d like to try a flavorful Greek dish, I’ve included a recipe here. It’s easy to make within an hour, and Gary gave it several “forks up.”
Boiled Eggs, Anyone?
You’d think that boiling an egg would be straightforward. But no. I’ve boiled them. I’ve let them sit in hot water. I’ve cooled them slowly. I’ve dunked them in ice water. But sometimes I still get imperfect eggs, or the shells won’t slide off. Instead, they cling to the egg for dear life.
TheKitchn.com tried several ways to hard boil eggs, and they found some clear winners. First, about those clingy shells. Fresh eggs are more prone to do that, so let them sit in the fridge for about 10 days before cooking. You’ll have better luck.
OK, about the cooking method. At the bottom of the list was placing the eggs in muffin tins and baking them at 325F for 30 minutes. Some eggs scorched. Some shells stuck. Results were really uneven.
Another blah result came from starting with cold water, bringing it to a boil, and removing from the heat to let the eggs sit for 12 minutes. Then the eggs were plunged into ice water. Well, peeling was a problem once again.
One of the best ways was doing them in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Put the eggs on a steamer rack in the pot, add a cup of water, and pressure cook on low for 6 minutes. Release pressure, and place the eggs in ice water to cool. Peeling was a breeze, and the eggs were perfectly done.
But the best method was to bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, lower 6 eggs in, boil 30 seconds, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 12 minutes. Drain and place in an ice bath for 15 minutes. Apparently, starting with boiling water instead of cold water forces the whites to shrink away from the shell.
Bingo! A flawless peel!
Tip of the week
Banish hard water spots on your glasses! Pour white vinegar into the rinse-aid compartment of your dishwasher. It will neutralize those mineral deposits.
Recipe of the week
These heavenly meatballs come from Denise Ward and Mirella Savegnano’s cooking class. Serve them as an appetizer or with orzo or polenta.
Greek meatballs with spiced tomato sauce
Makes 12-15
For the Sauce:
• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 1sprig rosemary
• 1 chile de arbol, crumbled (or a few shakes of chili powder)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• A pinch each of cumin, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 14-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice, plus 3-inch strip of zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper
1 . Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat for 1 minute. Swirl in about 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the rosemary and chile. Heat another minute.
2 . Add the onion, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and bay leaf. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a potato masher. Add the sugar, orange juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Cook 8-10 minutes until thickened.
For the Meatballs:
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1/4 cup chopped flatleaf parsley
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/4 cup panko crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil •
2 ounces feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons sliced mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper
1 . In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, cream, egg yolks, cinnamon, cumin, crushed chilies, and cayenne.
2 .Place lamb in a separate mixing bowl. Season evenly with salt and pepper. Add the panko crumbs and parsley. Add the onion and spice mixture. Combine well with your hands. Shape into golf ball-sized balls.
3 .Heat a large frying pan to medium-high. Swirl the olive oil around the bottom. Place the meatballs carefully in the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until nicely browned. Turn the meatballs over, browning on all sides.
4 . Transfer meat to the pot of tomato sauce. Simmer until lamb registers 145F on a meat thermometer or until cooked through. Serve with a topping of crumbled feta and slivered mint leaves.