BIANCO Makes 4 to 6 servings Another Corfiote fish recipe with an Italian-sounding name. Bianco is pungent with garlic and is called “white” because it is made without tomatoes. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced 8 to 10 garlic cloves, to taste, chopped 6 to 8 […]

Stuffed Little Meatballs POLPETES APO TIN KERKYRA Makes about 24 meatballs What the rest of Greece knows as keftedes or by the diminutive, keftedakia, Seven Islanders call polpetes, delicate little meatballs. In the Ionian area these days they are apt to be the mint-doused rendition common throughout all of Greece. This particular recipe, borrowed from Ninetta Laskari’s excellent book on Corfu, […]

SARTSA – frangokota Guinea fowl in the Ionian region might have an interesting history—or, at the least, an interesting etymology, if one is to believe historian Waverley Root. The Zakynthians call it frangokota, or “French chicken,” while in Corfu it is called faraona, after the Italian gallina faraona, or pharaoh’s turkey. Root says that the bird, indeed a native of Guinea in […]

Pastitsatha was the traditional Sunday meal of Corfu’s well-to-do. It was almost always made with free-range cock or with turkey, which Corfiotes hold in particularly high esteem. Thick tubular spaghetti is needed for this dish. According to island cooks, a proper pastitsatha requires no fewer than 9 spices: allspice, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Makes 4 to […]

Ingredients: 15 bergamot oranges 2 kilos of sugar Juice of 2 lemons 3 cups of water 2-3 leaves of sweet- Arbaroriza – Kiouli – Scented pelargonium (optional) Juice of 1/2 a lemon for the finish Spoon Sweets Method: Wash the bergamot well, and dry with a towel. Grate the peel with a fine grater without reaching […]

GARIDES PILAFI ME KARI A strange and very un-Greek recipe, since this unusual dish has existed in Ithaca for the last three decades. It is the product of two historical forces—the British domination of the island from the end of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth and the economic circumstances that forced husbands, brothers, and sons to take […]

Many Greek recipes call for the traditional combination of olive oil and lemon juice added just before serving. The combination – mixed or separate – is simple, healthy, and delicious. Some recipes say mix them (into “latholemono” sauce) and some call for them used separately. How do you figure out when to use which? The […]

Question: What Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs Are in Season Now? Traditional Greek cooking is based on what’s in season at the moment. Meals are often planned at the last minute, depending on what looks irresistible at the market! So what’s in season now? Answer:In today’s world of refrigeration and hothouse-grown produce, the distinction among seasonal produce […]

Unfortunately, most recipes are geared towards families of four to six. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, leftovers can be good. And when you’re cooking for one or two a freezer can be your best friend. Nevertheless, there are times when you want to reduce a recipe and fortunately, that’s not particularly difficult. Difficulty: Easy Time […]

Frozen squid is a great choice even when fresh is available. Freezing and thawing helps break down some of the tough muscle fibers and the squid may be more tender. Frozen squid is sold as tubes (cleaned bodies) and tentacles, or already cut into rings for frying or other recipes calling for rings. Follow these […]