In Greek: αρνί με κυδώνι, pronounced ahr-NEE meh kee-THOH-nee This recipe dates from the Middle Ages, and quince are a favorite cooked fruit on the island of Crete. The lamb and quinces are cooked separately first, and then stewed together to meld the tastes. Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 3/4 pounds […]

In Greek: αρνί με φασολάκια, pronounced ahr-NEE meh fah-soh-LAHK-yah This is a favorite stovetop casserole with leg of lamb (bone in or boneless), stewed with tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans. This recipe can also be made using a pressure cooker. Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Ingredients: 4 pounds of leg of lamb, bone in (or […]

In Greek: αρνάκι κοκκινιστό, pronounced ahr-NAH-kee koh-kee-nee-STOH Any kind of meat and poultry can be cooked in a traditional tomato-based red sauce (kokkinisto) and for this recipe, I added sweet red and green peppers to add a greater depth of taste, and some color. (See below for an alternative with onion and cloves.) Serve this […]

In Greek: αρνί φρικασέ, pronounced ar-NEE free-kah-SEH The Greek definition of “fricassee” may differ from what you know in your kitchen, and this is a Greek classic. Lamb fricassee with avgolemono (a traditional egg-lemon sauce) is a favorite in Greek homes. It’s an easy recipe to make and a celebration of taste. It is equally delicious made […]

In Greek: κουζού ντολμά, pronounced koo-ZOO dohl-MAH The combination of tastes in this recipe are straight from Kappadokia, brought to Greece by ethnic Greek refugees. The recipe comes from Nea Karvali, a small town near Kavala in northeastern Greece, and is a favorite Easter alternative to whole spit-roasted lamb. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Total Time: 3 hours, […]

I like to make this recipe with a leg of lamb because it makes such a pretty dish on the table, but it can also be made with lamb roasts. This is an easy dish to make, tastes delicious, and the aroma is wonderful. The key to the recipe is the fresh herbs. Ingredients: 1 […]

In Greek: λαχανοντολμάδες ορφανά, pronounced lah-hah-no-dol-MAH-thes or-fah-NAH The word “orphana” means “orphaned” and in Greek cooking, usually means a dish that can be made with meat, but in this case is made without. Cabbage is a favorite winter food, and this meatless recipe is delightful and a Lenten favorite. These cabbage rolls are delicious as […]

PASTELLI The Peloponnesos used to produce enough sesame to cover its needs for the production of one of its most famous local confections, pastelli. The sesame-seed brittle is a sweet whose roots clearly go back to the seed-and-honey and nut-and-honey desserts of the ancients. In these parts the confection is bound indelibly to one old local producer, Pastelli Lambo, who has a […]

In greek: Spetsofai The choice of peppers is yours, but unless the sausage is extremely mild, red bell peppers are always a good choice. For mild sausage, try Greek pepperoncini or other mildly hot pepper. In this recipe, I used our local homemade sausage which has enough spice to make my eyes water, so I […]

RAFIOLIA In the pastry shops of Monemvassia, the beautiful Venetian fortressed port on the east coast of the Peloponnesos, these little crescents are a main attraction. I love the name—clearly Venetian, although the pastry itself is as Greek as one can get. Rafiolia are a specialty throughout this whole southeastern region of the Peloponnesos, all the way down to Neapoli. This recipe […]