Kalofagas - Greek Food & Beyond » Easter

Sfakiano Lamb With Yogurt

Peter Minakis — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:59:15 +0000

During last year’s visit to Greece, I visited the largest island in Greece (and Mediterranean), located south of mainland Greece. My journey to Crete began from the opposite end of Greece, in the northernmost province of Macedonia. I left our summer home in Halkidiki and headed towards Thessaloniki (30 minutes) then took a train south to Athens (4 hours +) then took a ferry boat from the port of Piraeus and traveled overnight to Heraklion, Crete. From Heraklion my friend and I drove two hours to our final destination…Hania in western Crete.

The trip was kinda’ tiring but then again it wasn’t. I’ve seen the passion of the Cretans who live in the Toronto area, tasted some of their food and I’ve read the many stories and been introduced to the unique cuisine of Crete. When one hears of the Mediterranean diet, the Cretans are perhaps the most disciplined when it comes to refraining from red meat, focusing on vegetables, legumes, grains, cheeses and fish and seafood. Let’s not fool ourselves, the Cretans do enjoy meat and some the tastiest lamb, goat and pork were enjoyed while I was there.

“Taste of Crete“

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I’ve not written much about my visit to Crete as I like to combine travelogue and recipes but the challenge with Cretan cuisine is recreating many of the dishes with local (Cretan) ingredients that cannot be sourced here. If there was a lesson to be learned from eating my way through Crete it was the re-enforcement of eating local, eating seasonal. I’ve moved my cooking towards this direction and I find I eat more economically and the food looks and taste better!

The dish I’m presenting to you today comes from Sfakia, on the south-western shores of Crete. Despite Crete being an island, I had a sense that the people were more tied to the land and mountains than the sea. Everywhere you go to in Crete, there are goats and sheep and lamb to be found. Practically every home has a pick-up truck to be used to trek into rougher terrain where the family’s herd or olive groves are. This dish is a riff on this recipe and I’ve made it a couple of times as a way to use up some of the leftover lamb from Easter Sunday.

Be it leftover lamb or fresh, this dish works either way and it’s an easy weeknight meal that can be whipped-up on your stove-top. All you need is lamb, olive oil, onions and scallions, some dry white wine, stock or water, salt and pepper, lemon juice, more olive oil, dried Greek oregano and the sauce is completed with thick & creamy, tangy Greek yogurt. I made this dish last night for my family (which included an aunt visiting from Greece) and the plates were returned clean! Serve with a rice pilaf, a Spring salad and dinner is done.

Sfakiano Lamb (Σφακιανό αρνί με γιαούρτι)

(serves 4-6)

approx. 2 lbs. of lamb (or goat), cut into chunks

coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 dry white wine

1 1/2 cups low sodium stock (or water)

juice of 1/2 lemon

extra olive oil

1 tsp. dried Greek oregano

2 scallions, thinly sliced

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup plain yogurt (room temperature)

Rinse your meat and pat-dry then cut into 1 inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper and pre-heat your skillet to a medium-high heat. Add the lamb in and saute, turning the meat to brown all sides. Now add the onions and garlic and reduce the heat to medium and allow them to sweat for about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and stock and bring to a boil then reduce back to a simmer, season lightly with salt and pepper and cover. Cook with the lid slightly ajar for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half and has thickened.
Take off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice, add the oregano, scallions and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir and add your yogurt in one Tbsp. at a time until the your desired consistency is achieved. Serve with rice pilaf and pair with a Douloufakis Enotria white.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

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© 2011, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

Greek Easter v. 2011

Peter Minakis — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:40:58 +0000

Another wonderful, spiritual and memorable Easter has come & gone. I do hope that the recipes I’ve featured on this site for Lent and for your Easter festivities have been helpful. I want to thank you all for visiting site, especially in the past 6 weeks as you’ve been searching high & low for recipes to serve to your family and friends.

Below is a slide show featured the dishes that my family enjoyed on Easter Sunday. Christos Anesti! Happy Easter!

“Greek Easter v.2011“

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Orthodox-Christian Easter

Peter Minakis — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:53:27 +0000

icon of Christ lying in Epitaph

This post is being written on Good Friday of Holy Week and I thought to write a post that enlightens you of how Orthodox-Christians and more specifically Greek-Orthodox spend the next few days until the culmination of Easter Sunday. The Great Lent began March 7th (Katheri Deftera) or Ash Monday and those that adhere to the fast would have abstained from eating any meat or meat by-products up until the stroke of midnight, when Easter Sunday arrives. Shellfish, cephelopods and cod-fish (on March 25th and Palm Sunday are allowed) and consumed with vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and fruit. It’s thought of as a spiritual and bodily cleanse and although I do not fast for the entire period of Lent, I do feel better – even after a week-long fast!

For the Orthodox-Christian, the run-up to Easter and the actual day itself are the most significant events in our religious calendar. The events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, death and resurrection are read out and re-enacted in church serves. Megalo Pempti (Thursday) and Good Friday are the most somber days of the Orthodox calendar. The mood in the church is akin to funeral service – that of Christ’s. On Good Friday during the day, parishioners pass by the Epitaph of Christ and pay their respects and then later in the evening we gather once again for as the Epitaph is carried out on the shoulders of men who carry it around a town, village or neighborhood. The Epitaph is made of solid oak, contains an icon of Christ, it’s adorned with many-many flowers and I’ve had the honour of carrying the Epitaph on a few occasions here at our parish St. Nicholas in Scarborough.

Megalo Savato (Saturday) is a day filled with preparations for Easter Sunday: the lamb is purchased, the Tsoureki (Easter bread) is made, Easter eggs are dyed, Koulourakia (cookies), cleaning of intestines, organ meats for an array of Easter Sunday appetizers and the must-have Magheritsa soup. Megalo Savato flashes by quickly and the family gets dressed to attend church for the evening mass. Candles are held by all and just before midnight the Holy Light is passed around and lit – illuminated the church and the area surrounding the church (crowds swell on Megalo Savato) and at midnight, the resurrection has occurred – Christ Has Risen! Indeed He Has Risen!

Magheritsa soup

Families head back for home and for many, they have been fasting for some 40 days and waiting for them is the Easter Soup called Magheritsa containing organ meat, lamb meat, intestines, lots of scallions, herbs and greens and made into a creamy Avgolemono-type soup. From a dietary sense, it’s recommended to eat this soup after the midnight mass so as to not shock the body from a fasting period to a feast on Easter Sunday. Easter eggs are cracked (traditionally dyed red to represent the blood of Christ) and rest is quickly on the minds of all as Easter Sunday awaits…lots of work, lots of celebration!

Easter morning usually starts out with a breakfast centered around more eggs being cracked (and eaten), Tsoureki is consumed with coffee, tea or warm milk and preparations for the day commence. Greeks will cook a lamb (or goat) in a variety of methods, depending on the traditions (or whim) of the family’s origins in Greece. The most famous is the whole lamb on the spit (rotisserie), there’s whole leg of lamb in the oven, sometimes a leg of lamb is roasted on the spit as well. Some Greeks from the Aegean islands will stuff the cavity of a lamb or goat and slow-roast it in the oven.

There’s preparation of appetizer meats, salads, dips, breads, ensure there’s enough water and wine, table settings, etc. Family and friends arrive for Easter Sunday. The home smells of Easter, spirits are high and the anticipation of the feast ahead is great. We snack all day until the main meal of lamb (or goat) is ready and then we eat some more! Greeks always cook for more than who we expect for attendance as family and extended relatives have an open invite to drop by and as we share in this remarkable day surrounded by the most important period in the Orthodox calendar – the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ.

Tsourekia

Kali Anastasi & Kalo Pasxa!

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Greek Easter Recipe Round-Up

Peter Minakis — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:25:24 +0000

Many of you have visited my Recipe Round-Up for Lent and I hope that I’ve helped you find some interesting dishes to break-up the monotony of the usual Lenten fare. We’re fast approaching Greek Easter and preparations are already beginning in my household! Greek Easter is centered around lamb or goat and the whole day is filled with celebration, eating, cooking, dancing, celebrating some more, drinking and eating some more!

Ouzo usually makes its rounds on Easter and I recommend you buy a bottle or two. The wine should flow on Easter and if there was ever a day you should drink Greek wine, Easter Sunday is a as a good of a day to try some wines out. If you’re looking for lamb, I recommend those living in the Toronto area to visit Kostas Meat Market. Kostas’ shop is in Scarborough and he brings in only farm-raised Ontario lamb.

Below are some links to recipes that I think you may want to have as part of your family’s Easter celebration. Greeks do Easter in a BIG way and I think you pull-off your own celebration just like we do!

Tsoureki (Greek Easter Brioche)

Easter Koulourakia

Magheritsa (Easter Soup)

Melitzanosalata

Htipiti

Asparagus and Roasted Red Peppers

Beans With Roasted Garlic, Capers and Parsley

Patsavouropita

Feta & Herb Pull-Aparts

Grilled Pork Steakettes

Grilled Pork Belly & Halloumi

Lamb Souvlaki

Pork Souvlaki

Grilled Lamb Chops

Roast Lamb in Parchment

Rack of Lamb With Lemon Verbena

Spring Salad

Raw Asparagus Salad

Vine-Leaf Wrapped Lamb

Lamb Lemonato

Rotisserie Leg of Lamb

Oven-Roasted Leg of Lamb

Lamb on the Spit (Souvla)

Creme Brulee with Mastiha

Lemon Merique Pie

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Roast Lamb (Ψητό-αρνί)

Peter Minakis — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:28:50 +0000

It’s already a week since last week’s Greek Easter Sunday andÂ would do it all over again just to delight into this centerpiece dish of roasted leg of lamb. Greeks enjoy their meats more on the cooked side. It doesn’t necessarily mean charred to a crisp but it certainly is nowhere near anything resembling pink.

That being said, this recipe of roast leg of lamb will please both camps…those that like moist, pink lamb meat and the Greeks who like it well done. Again, no pink meat here but this roasting method will give you consistentlyÂ moist, tender, fall-off-the bone lamb meat that’s aromatic from the herbs, the slivers of garlic that stud the meat will melt and flavour the meat even more.

Some coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper are the linch-pins to this winning dish and if you follow this method, your family will ask for leg of lamb every Sunday! Unctuous, juicy meat, the lamb’s fat has rendered and what’s left is a tender, flavourful leg of lamb that will conquer the lamb skeptics.

The other important factor in successfully cooking a leg of lamb is sourcing it. Here in Ontario, we’re lucky/fortunate to have a local product – Ontario lamb. Oh yeah, the New Zealand is available but our family loves Ontario lamb. Once again, we bought our lamb from Kostas Meat Market.

The other reason why this leg of lamb is flavourful and moist is because the meat is on the bone. I don’t think this method will work with a boneless leg. It would however, work with a bone-in lamb shoulder…not as pretty as the leg but just as delicious. Love ‘dem bones.

Finally, roast lamb demands a Greek-style roast poatoes and in this cooking segment, we even capitalize on the valuable and delish drippings that the lamb has gifted us. I strain and discard the leftover juices and then pour them into a gravy separator. Pour your separated juices back into the pan with your potatoes and add juuust the amount of fat you like into the mix. Roast the potatoes and your lamb will be resting, still warm when you carve it and the perfect marriage of roast leg of of lamb is yours for the taking.

Roast Lamb (Î¨Î·Ï„ÏŒ Î±ÏÎ½Î¯)

(serves 6)

1 bone-in leg of lamb (6 to 8 lbs.)

1 whole bulb of garlic, cut into slivers

1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (1/2 if dried)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2Â cup olive oil + 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 heaping tsp. of sweet paprika

2 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper

coarse sea salt

water for the drip pan

Pre-heated 450F oven

Roast potatoes

Approx 16 large Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

strained juices and drippings from the roast lamb

juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (according to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

Smash the bulb of garlic, peel and discard the skins and cut the cloves of garlic into slivers. With a sharp knife, insert into your leg of lamb and gently shift the knife to make a small opening. Slip the sliver of garlic into the hole and remove the knife from the meat. Repeat this step all over the area until nearly (or all the slivers) of garlic have been inserted into the meat. Add any leftover slivers of garlic to your marinade.
In a bowl, add any leftover garlic, your olive and vegetable oil, mustard, zest and lemon juice, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sweet paprika, black pepper and a couple of tsp. of coarse sea salt. Mix well and taste and adjust seasoning (you might like your marinade more tangy). Place your lamb in a large plastic bag or on a pan and pour the marinade over it. Rub the marinade all over the meat. Seal the bag or cover the meat and place in your fridge overnight.
The next day, remove your lamb from the fridge and place in on your baking tray that’s lined with a rack (the lamb must be elevated from the pan bottom). Use a couple of carrots and stalks of celery to make your own rack and place the lamb on top of them. Cover the top of the lamb with some of the marinade and discard the rest. Season your lamb very well with coarse sea salt and some fresh ground black pepper. Pour enough hot water in to the pan to cover the whole bottom (remember, your lamb MUST be elevated/not come in contact with the water).
Cover your lamb with foil and seal. Place the lamb in your pre-heated overn (middle rack) for 2 hours. After an hour, you may want to check to see if more water needs to be added. After two hours, check to see if the shank bone has any resistance when gently pulling it. If it’s still stiff, cover again and place in the ovenÂ for another half hour.
Lower your heat to 350F, remove the aluminum foil and place your lamb back in the oven and roast until the leg of lamb takes on a deep brown colour. Remove from the oven, transfer from the rack to a platter and cover with the foil and allow to rest.
In the meantime, crank your oven’s heat back up to 450F. Pour the lamb juices and drippings into a gravy separator and skim/remove as much fat as needed and strain and pour back into the roasting pan. Add your potato wedges back into the roasting pan along with some lemon juice and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning…salt and pepper to taste.
Place your potatoes into your pre-heated oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until they get just crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and serve with your roasted leg of lamb.
Garnish with some of the fresh herbs used for the marinade and some roasted garlic and grilled lemons. Encourage your guests to squeeze some grilled lemon juice on their lamb and smear some buttery roasted garlic.
Serve with a fabulous Greek red wine. Our family enjoyed the Skouras St. George (Agiogiorghitiko) from Nemea.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or atÂ http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

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© 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.