When fried potatoes are just cooked, they’re usually nice and crisp. A few minutes later, they may be soggy. Make fries that stay crisp in the serving bowl until the last one is eaten: use good quality potatoes whether strips or rounds, cut in uniform size salt before frying fry in enough hot oil to […]

Dried beans and peas – limas, pinto, red, black-eyed peas, garbanzo (chickpeas), and Great Northern, to name a few – are favorites in Greek cooking, and easy on the family budget as well. Beans are easy to make, but often not especially quick since most need to be soaked for at least 6 hours, and […]

In Greek: χούμους με ταχίνι (pronounced HOO-mooss meh tah-HEE-nee) This dip is quick and easy to make, delicious, and healthy. No cooking involved. Just grab the blender and go. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and tahini (a paste made from roasted sesame seeds) combine to make a tasty appetizer to serve with wedges of […]

Sole is a delightful and versatile fish. Sole is often sold in prepared filets or already cleaned, but if using whole fresh sole, the skin needs to be removed before cooking. Here’s how to do it. Difficulty: Average Time Required: 3-5 minutes per fish Here’s How: Lay the fish on a cutting board. Cut off the head […]

Tomato-based sauces are a favorite in Greek cooking, and many recipes call for grated tomatoes (tomato pulp). Grating tomatoes is easy and less expensive than buying canned pulp, and the pulp (or pulp and juice) can be frozen to use when ripe tomatoes are not in season. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 1 minute for each tomato Here’s […]

Greek recipes, especially for cookies, are often made in large quantities. Decreasing the quantity is usually a simple matter of dividing ingredients, but what happens when the recipe calls for a number of eggs, egg yolks, or egg whites that doesn’t divide evenly? It’s easy. Measure them and divide by volume. Mix egg (white and yolk […]

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 […]

Melomakarona Yemista me Sousami Melomakarona (also called “phoenikia”) are a traditional Greek cookie, a favorite at Christmas. Most recipes call for the cookie to be dipped in a honey-based syrup, but this recipe calls for a powdered sugar, nut, and spice topping. Since they have no syrup, they can be easily stored in tins or plastic […]

Kourabiethes me Karythia In Greek: κουραμπιέδες με καρύδια, say: koo-rahb-YEH-thes meh kah-REETH-yah Kourabiethes (also kourambiedes) are sugared shortbread cookies made with nuts. In Greece,kourabiethes are served at special occasions and given as host/hostess gifts. This version calls for walnuts (or hazelnuts). Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of shortening 1 cup of confectioner’s […]

Kourabiethes Nistisimoi In Greek: κουραμπιέδες νηστίσιμες, pronounced koo-rahm-bee-YEH-thes nee-STEE-see-mes Adapting recipes to meet Greek dietary restrictions during Lent and other periods of “fasting” (as they are called in Greek) doesn’t mean giving up taste and texture. And it doesn’t mean not eating delicious foods. Kourabiethes, sugared shortbread cookies, are favorites at the holidays made with butter and […]