Spanakopita
Spanakopita or Spinach Pie is a wonderful Greek savory pastry with a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese and other ingredients wrapped or layered in a phyllo pastry and baked to a golden brown. Spanakopita is mostly eaten as a snack in Greece. In rural Greece, smaller amounts of spinach are used, with the missing part substituted with leeks, sorrel and/or chard.
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Frozen Spinach
9 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
2 Cups Crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Grated Romano Cheese
¼ Cup Chopped Dill
1 Cup Freshly Chopped Parsley
2 Cup Sliced Scallions
½ Cup Sliced Onions
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Mint
8 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Cups Melted Unsalted Butter
1 Pound Phyllo Dough (Freezer Section at the Grocery)
Thaw and drain the frozen spinach. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the melted butter and phyllo dough. Brush the butter over the bottom of a 24×12 baking pan. Layer 10 sheets of the phyllo dough in the pan, brushing each sheet generously with the melted butter. Spread the spinach mixture over the phyllo dough and top it with another 10 phyllo dough sheets brushed with butter. Neaten up the edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Using a serrated knife, score the spanakopita into 15 squares, cutting about ¾ of the way through it. Sprinkle the surface with cold water to prevent curling and bake until golden brown for between 45 to 60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 15 pieces
I love beets and I love cabbage. This dish is easy to make and a real winner. If you want to make this borscht completely vegetarian then use vegetable stock instead of the beef stock
Borscht
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Butter
¼ (2 Pound) Sliced Head Green Cabbage
2 Sliced Carrots
2 Sliced Celery Stalks
1 Diced Onion
1 Pound Peeled & Cut Beets
15 Ounces Tomatoes In Puree
15 Ounces Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Celery Leaves For Garnish
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cabbage, carrots, celery and onion. Cover and cook. Stir frequently until tender and browned. Cut the beats into small bits. Add the beets, tomatoes with the puree, broth, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 ½ cups of water. Heat to a boiling over a high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally. Spoon 2 cups of the soup into a blender and blend at a low speed until smooth. You can also do this in a food processor. Return the mixture to the Dutch oven and heat through. Garnish with celery leaves and sour cream. You can serve hot or cold. Serve with pumpernickel bread. Serves 4
This recipe is dedicated to my old friend Michael. I miss you very much!
Oysters Rockefeller
INGREDIENTS
1 Dozen Scrubbed Oysters
Rock Salt
12 Ounces Spinach (Usually 1 Bunch)
1 Tablespoons Plus 2 Teaspoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne
1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Pernod
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoon Plain Dried Bread Crumbs
Lemon Wedges
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Shuck the oysters and release the meat from the bottom of the shells. Remove any pieces of the broken shell. Place the oysters in the bottom shells in a jelly roll pan on ½ inch of rock salt. This will keep the oysters flat. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Wash the spinach. In a medium saucepan cook the spinach with water clinging to its leaves over a high heat. Stir and cook until wilted. Drain well and chop very fine. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until tender. Stir in the spinach, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and Pernod. Add the cream to the mixture and cook over a high heat. Stir and cook until reduced and thick. Remove from the heat. In a small saucepan melt the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter and stir in the bread crumbs. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly on top of the oysters. Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 10 minutes and serve garnished with lemon wedges. Serves 4 as an appetizer
Pickled Red Cabbage
I find pickled cabbage is best eaten within a few days of being made as it does begin to lose its color and can become soft if kept too long. I love the fresh taste of newly pickled cabbage!
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Red Cabbage
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Water
2 Pints Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger (Bruised)
1 Ounce Whole Black Pepper
Take off the outer cabbage leaves and cut the cabbage into quarters. Remove the stalk, wash and then cut into very thin slices. Lay the sliced cabbage on a plate and sprinkle with the sea salt. Cover and leave sit for 24 hours.
After the cabbage has been sitting for 24 hours put the cabbage into a colander to drain. It may be necessary to wipe the cabbage clean. Place the cabbage into pickling jars and put aside. Now put the bruised ginger and peppercorns into a muslin bag and tie with a cooking string. Pour the vinegar into a saucepan along with the muslin bag and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remove the muslin bag and pour the cooled vinegar into the pickling jars. Cover the jars with vinegar proof lids. Serves 4
Summer Pasta Salad With Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Corn & Basil
A simple pasta dish that offers a winning summertime combination of tomatoes, corn, basil and fresh mozzarella. It is great for any backyard food affair because it goes with just about everything. Dress this salad just before serving as the pasta absorbs the dressing and you may need additional lemon juice or oil.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Penne Pasta
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Fresh Corn
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 ½ Cups Fresh Mozzarella (Cut Into Tiny Cubes)
4 Tomatoes (Cored & Diced)
Zest From 1 Lemon
1 Cube Basil Leaves (Rinsed & Dried)
Dressing
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Aged Red Wine Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Finely Minced Garlic Clove
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil For Pasta
½ Teaspoon Salt
Bring the water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the pasta. About two minutes before the pasta is done add the corn. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente. Drain both the pasta and corn. DO NOT rinse. Add 1 tablespoons olive oil to the cooling pasta to keep from sticking. Shake to distribute the oil and set aside to cool.
To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, olive oil and salt. Before serving, combine the pasta and corn with the fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and lemon zest. Mix in the dressing and gently slice the basil into thin strips and add to the salad. Serve immediately. Serves 10
Cold Watermelon Soup
More and more farm stands and supermarkets have a variety of melons in the summer. Watermelon is one of the ultimate tastes of summer.
INGREDIENTS
4 Pounds Juicy Watermelon
½ Cup Chablis
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Mint
Lime Slices For Garnish – Optional
Cut off the watermelon rind. With a melon baller, but out 8 balls of watermelon fruit and reserve them for garnish. Remove all the seeds, cut the watermelon into rough chunks and spin them in a food processor. Add the wine, lime juice and chopped mint. Puree until smooth. Chill for several hours. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with reserved melon balls and lime slices. Serve 4
Haricots Verts, Almonds, Cherry Tomatoes & Goat Cheese Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Haricot Verts
2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
½ Cup Sliced Toasted Almonds
2 Thinly Sliced Shallots
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
¾ Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
Steam the beans over boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove immediately and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain well and lay on paper towels to further dry. In a large serving bowl combine beans, tomatoes and toasted almonds. In a small bowl combine shallots, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk well and pour over haricot vert mixture. Gently combine and top with goat cheese. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6
**To Toast Almonds – Toast In A 400° F. Oven On A Cookie Sheet For 4 Minutes.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Never refrigerate tomatoes as the cold temperature dulls the flavor and changes the texture.
INGREDIENTS
1 Small Sliced Very Thin Red Onion
¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Pounds Quartered Mixed Color Heirloom Tomatoes
½ Cup Chopped Chiffonade Basil
½ Cup Shaved Ricotta Salata
In a serving bowl, combine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and sliced red onion. Combine and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. This will soften the onion. Combine the chopped basil and top with shaved cheese and serve. Serves 6
Lobster Chowder
This Lobster Chowder is more like a Lobster Bisque. With the lobster meat and fresh corn added it is delicious!
INGREDIENTS
3 Lobster Shells
6 Cups Water
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Celery Heart
1 Chopped Carrot
2 Sliced Leeks
1 Chopped Onion
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne
1 Cup Fresh Cooked Corn
½ Cup Lobster Meat
2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaved Parsley
To make the lobster stock you will need to crack the lobster shells up a bit and throw them into a food processor a few pieces at a time. Pulse them until they break up into small pieces. Put the shells into a pot and cover with water. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes. Strain so that you have no remaining shells. This should give you about 4 ½ cups lobster stock.
In a heavy saucepan melt the butter and sauté the celery heart, carrot, leeks and onion for 5 minutes. Do not overcook these vegetables. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute constantly stirring. Now add the lobster broth and whisk until smooth. Gently cook for 20 minutes over a low heat until the vegetables are tender. Remove the mixture and put into the food processor and puree. Return to the saucepan and add the cream. Stir. Add the salt and cayenne and stir. Finally add the corn and lobster meat and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and ladle equal amounts into 4 warm bowls. Sprinkle with the chopped flat-leaved parsley. Serves 4
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes probably didn’t originate as a Southern dish, but have become a Southern classic over the years. It is thought that they were introduced in the Midwest and Northeastern parts of the United States by Jewish immigrants. By the early part of the 20th century, Fried Green Tomato recipes began popping up in newspapers, magazines and restaurant menus (for breakfast, lunch and dinner).
INGREDIENTS
8 Slices of Bacon
1 Large Egg White
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Cornmeal
¼ Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Medium Green Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Chives
Cut the tomatoes into ½ inch thick slices and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Crumble the bacon and set aside the skillet with the bacon drippings. In a pie plate beat the egg white and salt together. On a piece of waxed paper combine the cornmeal and ground pepper. Dip the tomatoes in the egg mixture, pressing so the mixture sticks to the tomatoes. Place on a separate piece of waxed paper. Heat the bacon droppings in the skillet over medium high heat. Cook the tomatoes for 1 ½ minutes on each side, in batches, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Place tomatoes on a serving platter and top with the bacon and/or chives. Serves 6
