Sunday’s are best enjoyed at home with family and friends and it’s a fine to either stretch your culinary wings and cook-up a sumptuous Sunday dinner or shift-down in gears and prepare a home-cooked meal that’s easy, comforting and most satisfying. I chose the latter today  – I chose steak.

Go ahead, take a look in the search window of this blog and you’ll see that it’s been a long time since I’ve posted a steak recipe – that’s because it’s been awhile since I’ve had a steak. Rather than “go big or go home” I went “big and took the big steak home”. My favourite cut is the rib eye steak and if the bone is attach  – even better!

This steak is comes from the rib section of the steer. The front of the cow is the head, then there’s the chuck and next up comes the “sweet spot” of the animal – the rib, where this steak comes from and also a whole Prime Rib Roast. The Prime Ribs are from the 6th to the 12th rib – a naturally tender and delicious cut.

I could have used my gas grill today but for some reason I was feeling nostalgic: wanted to use my cast iron skillet to sear the steak then finish it in the oven. No de-glazing, no cream, no wine  – just a marinade and a little bit of acid (squeeze of lemon juice) and dried Greek oregano to finish the steak. I could have eaten the steak right out of the cast iron pan.

The other component of this dish was the marinade, simple flavours of olive oil, garlic, thyme and rosemary from my garden, cracked whole peppercorns, sweet paprika – all pounded into a paste with the olive wood mortar & pestle I found in Thessaloniki at an antique market this past summer. This mortar & pestle was nicely worked-in, as evidenced by how easy and how quickly the ingredients turned into a paste. The more you use your mortar & pestle the  more it gets worked-in, the easier it is to use and frankly, your food will taste better.

This rib steak is seared on the stovetop (along with an onion) then placed in a pre-heated oven for about 5-6 minutes then simply finished with a squeeze of lemon juice and dried Greek oregano to finish the dish. Allow the dish to rest about 5 minutes before cutting into and don’t waste that sauce in the pan. I would even suggest mopping it up with some good homemade bread.

Best Prime Rib Steak

1 Prime Rib steaks, bone in (about 1 1/2 inches thick)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

6 sprigs of thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. of rosemary leaves (half if dry)

4-5 whole peppercorns

pinch of sweet paprika

coarse sea salt

1/2 small onion

squeeze of lemon juice

dried Greek oregano

1. Add the cloves of garlic, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns and oil into your mortar and pound with your pestle until a paste. Ad paprika and quickly mix in. Empty in a glass baking dish and place the steak in the marinade and rub it all over the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and place in your fridge for 3-4 hours. Remove from the fridge and allow about 15 minutes to return to room temperature before cooking.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F, set middle rack into position. Place your cast iron pan on your stovetop over medium-high heat and add a couple of turns of olive oil. Season both sides of your steak with course sea salt and once the oil is hot, add the steak and onion, sear for 3-4 minutes or until a deep-brown crust has formed. Now flip the steak and place in your pre-heated oven for 5-6 minutes ( as soon as you see the blood on the surface of the steak, it’s medium-rare and I would take the steak out).
3. Carefully take the hot pan out of the oven (with a kitchen cloth) and place on your stove and squeeze with some lemon juice and top with a sprinkle of dried Greek oregano. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before eating.
4. Serve with roast potatoes, your roasted onion, a Caesar salad and pair Alpha Estate Xinomavro Red.

Note: You likely will cook more than one steak so, I recommend searing the steaks one by one in your cast iron pan then tranferring to a baking sheet and finishing in the oven.

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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.

smoked pork loin

My friends in Greece could use Siglino, the smoked pork that’s a specialty from Mani, Laconia and if you’re still stuck – some smoky bacon will work well too! The preparation for this dish is complete in the time it takes to pre-heat the oven. Peel the spuds, toss in oil, lemon juice, herbs, seasoning and place in a roasting pan. Toss the pork belly portions in salt, pepper, herbs and place on top of the potatoes. A head of garlic wedged in between the pork and potatoes will become mellow, buttery and perfect smeared on the pork or potatoes (or both).

Roast Pork Belly & Potatoes (Πανσετες στο Φουρνο με Πατατεσ)

(serves 4-6)

approx. 12 Yukon Gold (or other yellow) potatoes, quartered

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup hot chicken (or other) stock

2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

juice of  1 lemon

about 10 sprigs of fresh thyme

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 head of garlic

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 pork belly (bone-in preferred), approx. 3.5lbs.

3-4 tsp. of coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper

2 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. dried Greek oregano

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup diced smoked pork or bacon

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Peel and cut your potatoes (quartered) and place in a roasting pan large enough to hold them. Add the olive oil, stock, mustard, lemon juice, sprigs of thyme and rosemary and toss until well coated. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, toss again.
2. If using bone-in pork belly, ask your butcher to cut in half then to chop into 3/4 inch. slabs. Place in a bowl and toss in the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme leaves and mix well with your hands.
3. Place the pork belly on top of the potatoes, sprinkle the diced smoked pork (or bacon) all over and take a head of garlic, slice-off the top and wedge it in among the pork and potatoes.
4. Place in your pre-heated oven (middle rack) for about 30 minutes or until the tops of the pork belly are nicely browned. Carefully remove from the oven and flip the pork belly slabs over, sprinkle some sea salt and pepper and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the other side of the pork is nicely browned and your potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from the oven and spoon over drippings on pork.
5. Serve with sauteed mixed bell peppers with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve with a chilled Kir Yianni Akakies rose.

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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.

From Medieval times, the wealthy used to get to eat the tender, more expensive cuts and the rest of us were left with scraps, offal and tough cuts. Here’s where the Pot Roast comes in. Leaner, more muscular and tougher cuts of the steer are all ideal for a pot roast. A pot roast is best cooked slowly, with some braising liquid.

Possible cuts of beef ideal for a pot roast are arm roast, centre-cut chuck roast, eye roast and my personal favourite, the cross rib roast. The cross rib roasts we get from our butcher looks like a small American football with that butcher’s material binding it (looks like fishnet).

Cooking a pot roast is very straight-forward: season your meat, brown on the stove and place in a pre-heated oven with braising liquid and vegetables. A dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid are your mandatory vessels. Choose a vessel that will have enough room for the vegetables and liquid to surround your meat.

I love Pot Roast on a Sunday. It’s easy, economical, consistent results and always delicious. I always serve garlic mashed potatoes with a Pot Roast. What better to scoop the mashed potatoes with some of the sauce from the roast? For mashed potatoes, I use Yukon Gold potatoes and I add one clove of garlic (for each potato) into a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, season with salt and boil until fork-tender. Add your butter, milk and adjust seasoning with some salt and pepper. Throw in some chopped fresh chives to brighten up your mash.

Finally, splurge on a small bag of pearl onions. Most of the regular onions in the recipe will break down into the dish. Pearl onions brighten up the platter. This beef with be succulent, juicy, flaky meat that you should carefully carve with one of those electric knives. I made a open-face hot beef sandwich with the leftovers and you know what? Still moist and juicy.

Cross-Rib Pot Roast

(serves 4-6)

1 Cross-rib beef roast, 4-6 lbs.

1 bag of pearl onions (12-15 in bag)

2 large onions, peeled and quartered

3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into medallions

2 stalks of celery, cut into inch pieces

3 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. of tomato paste

2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves

1 cup of red wine

approx 1 cup of water

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable oil for searing

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Rinse your beef and pat-dry. Place your oven-safe vessel on your stove-top over medium high heat. Add 2-3 turns of olive oil into the pot. Season your beef with salt and pepper. Brown your meat on all sides and then reserve.
2. In the same vessel, lower the heat to medium and the quartered onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and tomato paste and some salt and pepper. Stir for a minute or so and then add the wine. Stir and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the wine and simmer for 5-7 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
3. Now add your beef back into the pot along with enough hot water to come up to the sides of beef, with about 1/3 of the beef not submerged in liquid. Add your thyme, bring to a boil and taste the liquid and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Put the cover on your vessel and place in your pre-heated 350F oven for 2 hours.
4. In the meantime, let’s blanche and peel the pearl onions. Have a bowl of ice water ready and place a small pot of water on your stove-top and bring to a boil. Rinse the pearl onions to remove any dirt on the skins. When the water comes to a boil, add the onions and after the water returns to a boil, cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the water and place immediately in the ice bath. Once the onions have cooled, drain and simply squeeze each onion to remove the skins (which are discarded).
5. After two hours, take your pot roast out of the oven and add your pearl onions. Place back in the oven (uncovered) for another 45-60 minutes. This step is going to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
6. In the meantime, peel and cut your potatoes into uniform size and add 1 clove of garlic for each potato into the water with the potatoes. Bring to a boil, add salt and then simmer until fork tender. Strain well and then add some butter. Now add some warm milk and mash some more. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and some ground pepper. Add a handful of chopped chives and keep your garlic mashed potatoes warm.
7. By now your pot roast should be ready. Take your beef out and allow to rest. Remove the vegetables (and bay leaves, discard) with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Is your sauce thick enough for you? If not, you can take a couple ladles of sauce along with some vegetables and puree in a blender and add back to the rest of the sauce to thicken it. Another option is to mash 1 Tbsp. of butter into 1 Tbsp. of flour and mix with a fork. Add to your sauce and simmer until it thickens.
8. Remove the netting from the beef and discard. Cut the beef into slices and arrange on a platter with the vegetables around the meat. Serve a ladle of sauce over the meat and serve with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.
9. Serve with a Papayianni Xinomavro-Cab. Sauvignon-Syrah, ideal for a Sunday roast.

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.

© 2007-2010 Peter Minakis

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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.

For this dish I used some bone-in goat meat. Goat is similar to lamb but it’s leaner. I marinaded the goat and then slow-roasted it until the meat turned to a deep brown colour that was tender to the fork and flaky and moist inside.

As an accompaniment, I made a scalloped potato dish using some Greek flavours like roasted red peppers and my home concoction of Kopanisti. Kopanisti is a smooth, briny cheese that has a mild “blue cheese” flavour to it and it’s made in the Cyclades islands. I had some blue cheese left in my fridge and the flavours melded well with the red peppers, potatoes and Bechamel.

The vegetable portion of the meal were some roasted Brussels sprouts. A friend of the family that hails from Laconia (Sparta) had brought back some “Siglino”. Siglino is a cured and smoked pork that first gets coated in coarse sea salt and then marinated in red wine and spices. Afterwards, the pork is smoked for two days and preserved in pork fat.

I wish I could source this stuff here in Canada, but I know this to be wishful thinking. A thick slab of smoked pork or bacon would also work well here.

There you have it…a wonderful and well-rounded Sunday meal. When choosing the goat or lamb…make sure it’s “bone-in”. The Kopanisti aspect of the potato dish can be simulated with blue cheese and red peppers and the Brussels sprouts classic is transformed into a wonderful side, using Siglino (cured pork), Greek honey and fresh thyme leaves.

Slow-Roasted Goat With Scalloped Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

(serves 4)

1 kg. of goat meat (bone-in), cut into chops (lamb is fine)

Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. of cumin seeds, ground

1 tsp of fennel seeds, ground

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. of paprika

1 small onion (1/2 cup) grated onion

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

4 sprigs of thyme

1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper

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1 medium onion, sliced

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup wine

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 sprig of rosemary

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

a couple of whole heads of garlic, tops sliced off

dried Greek oregano for garnish and lemon wedges

Scalloped Potatoes With Roasted Red Pepper and Blue Cheese

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thinly with a mandoline

1 roasted red pepper, peeled and seeded and chopped

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 1/4 cup of warm milk

2 heaping Tbsp. of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves

sat and pepper to taste

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Siglino and Greek Honey

1 lb. of fresh Brussel sprouts, outer leaves peeled and halved

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1/3 cup Siglino (or cured slab bacon/pork), diced

1 Tbsp. of Greek honey

4 Tbsp. olive oil (approx 1/8 cup)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and pat-dry your your goat and set aside. In a large bag, add all of your marinade ingredients into a large zip-lock bag and mix until blended. Have a taste and adjust accordingly (salt will be added later).
2. Marinade for 4 hours and return to room temperature before roasting. Pre-heat your oven to 350F and season your goat with coarse sea salt and some more ground black pepper. Place the goat + marinade, the bay leaf, rosemary, wine, stock, heads of garlic and sliced onions on top of the meat and into a Dutch oven or roasting pan with cover. Place in your pre-heated oven (covered) for an hour & half to two hours. Occasionally check if your liquid has evaporated. Add some more stock (1 cup) if necessary. Your meat is ready when it turns to a deep brown colour and it easily separates from the bone.
3. In the meantime, wash your potatoes and slice them thinly (I recommend a mandoline). On this occasion, I left the skins on. Reserve.
4. On to making a Bechamel. In a medium-sized pot, add your olive oil over medium heat and add your flour. Stir the flour the flour with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. Add your warm milk and garlic while stirring and increase the heat to medium. Continue to stir until the mixture thicken to a creamy texture. Add the roasted red peppers and crumbled Blue cheese and continue to stir until the cheese has amalgamated. Season with some salt and pepper. Take off the heat and keep warm.
5. Take a medium-sized casserole dish and spread enough Bechamel to cover the bottom. Lay out a layer of potato slices (slightly overlapping) and then some sliced onions, a little salt and pepper and some thyme. Add another layer of Bechamel and repeat process until your ingredients are complete. Cover with foil and place in your oven (along with goat) about 1 hour into the goat’s roasting time.
6. In the meantime, rinse your Brussel sprouts and then remove the outer leaves (one layer is fine). Now slice the stem (underside) of each sprout off and then cut them in half. Place in another baking vessel and reserve.
7. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, add your diced Siglino (smoked pork) and the sliced onions and saute for about 5-7 minutes or until the pork has crisped up and the onions are translucent (add some olive oil if too dry).
8. Transfer the pork and onions into the baking vessel with your sprouts and add the honey, the olive oil and season with some salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the sprouts and also place in your oven along with the goat and scalloped potatoes (1 hour into goat’s roasting time).
9. Remove the Brussel sprouts when they are fork-tender and slightly caramelized (should take about 45 minutes).
10. Around the time your goat is cooked, take the cover (or foil) off the potatoes and allow the top to turn golden-brown (about 15 minutes). Remove potatoes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
11. Divide the goat meat and spoon some pan juices over the meat. Sprinkle with dried Greek oregano and serve with some slow-roasted garlic (delicious smeared on the meat), a wedge of lemon and a helping of scalloped potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
12. Serve with a Vaeni of Naoussa Syrah.

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.

© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

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© 2009, 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.

Like any dish that turns out wonderfully, the key is in the selection of ingredients. Here in Ontario, we’re blessed with having a wonderful supply of Ontario lamb. New Zealand lamb is available here (and worldwide) but buying local is best, no?

Lamb chops are the most expensive cut of the lamb. Lean meat surrounded by delicious lamb fat. The lamb chops need little fussing over, a marinade for a couple of hours, grilled on high on your grill and cooked to order. Personally, I like my lamb chops a medium-rare to medium (pink).

The lamb chops are marinated in olive oil, a dab of Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, garlic, lemon juice and black pepper. They are seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper before hitting the grill and finished only with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, dried Greek oregano and fleur de sel.

When you have meat, you need potatoes, right? This recipe comes from Every Food (Martha Stewart) and you have small or new potatoes that are pan-roasted and flavoured with nothing but olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. Perfect for lamb chops, no?

Rounding out the meal is a salad of grilled sweet corn, diced red peppers, chives and Feta cheese. Add extra-virgin olive oil, a  squeeze of lemon juice, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You MUST try this side…a highlight of this summer’s cooking.

There you have it…a wonderful summertime menu that will definitely stick out in your and your guests’ memories. It’s easy, it’s a good splurge (the lamb chops) and it’s delicious!

Lamb Chops (Αρνίσια παϊδάκια)

(serves 4-6)

3 racks of lamb chops

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. of Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. of fresh thyme

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp. of fresh ground pepper

sea salt & fresh ground pepper

lemon wedges

dried Greek oregano

1. In a shallow glass baking dish, add all the marinade ingredients (olive oil, garlic, mustard, parsley, thyme, lemon juice and black pepper) and stir to blend. Pour off and reserve about 1/3 of the marinade (for finishing the lamb chops). Add the lamb chops and ensure all of the meat is coated with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for 2 – 4 hours.
2. Return your lamb chops back to room temperature before grilling and pre-heat your gas or charcoal grill to a high heat (you want the meat to sizzle when it hits the heat). Ensure your grill surface is clean by brushing it and wipe it with vegetable oil. Season your lamb chops with salt and pepper.
3. Grill your lamb chops for 3 minutes a side (medium/pink inside) and brush on the reserved marinade on by sides when cooked.
4. Squeeze some lemon juice over the chops, sprinkle some fleur de sel and finish with some dried Greek oregano.

Pan-Roasted Potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb. of small or new potatoes, halved

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 springs of rosemary

1/2 cup water + any extra water that might be needed

coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. In a large non-stick skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and add the potato halves (cut sides down) and the garlic. Cook the potatoes until they have become golden-brown and then toss occasionally to slightly brown the skin sides.
2. Add the water and and cover. Cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Add some more water if it evaporates before the potatoes are ready. Remove from the heat, strip the leaves from the rosemary stems and toss in the potatoes along with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm.

Grilled Corn Salad With Feta and Red Peppers

4 cobs of corn, husks and silk removed

1 large red bell pepper, diced to the approx. size of the corn kernels

2-3 scallions (or 1/2 cup chopped chives)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup of crumbled or diced Feta cheese

lemon juice to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1. Ensure all your ingredients for the salad have been chopped, diced and ready to use. Brush your corn with oil and grill over medium-high heat until all sides of the corn are caramelized and deep-brown.
2. Cut your cobs of corn in half and then vertically place them on your chopping board and trim the kernels off with a knife (cutting the cobs of corn is the safest way to trim off the corn kernels).
3. Place the warm kernels of corn in a large bowl along with the red peppers and cover with cling-wrap. Allow the warm steam to help cook and soften the diced red peppers for about 15 minutes.
4. Add your olive oil, chopped fresh chives and crumbled/diced Feta cheese. Add lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

I served the Kappa P62 Xinomavro/Syrah…perfect for grilled lamb!

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.

© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

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© 2009 – 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.