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Braised Lamb Shanks & Beans

Peter Minakis — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 01:58:08 +0000

I had a steak earlier this week and it was just okay. I’m not eating as much meat as I used to and certainly less steak. At the same, I am greatly enjoying the tougher cuts of meat, the challenges in the kitchen to make them tender and relishing the triumph of tasting a delicious, slow-cooked cut of meat that is succulent and falls off the bone.

I had this sense of triumph (again) this afternoon after plating and tasting this lamb shanks with beans. Lamb and goat have been the primary proteins in Greek cuisine for eons and I’m delighted to pair the lamb with another olden staple in beans. This meal requires a little prep, some organization and a little patience. The navy beans have to be soaked overnight in water (then drained), prepping your ingredients (mise en place) will take away any stress in putting the dish together and finally, some time (patience waiting for the beans and lamb shanks to slow cook (braise) in the oven. This is a Sunday meal that will reward you with fall-off the bone lamb, tender beans that stick to your ribs and and aroma that will take you into a Greek kitchen.

Braised Lamb Shanks & Beans (Κοτσι Αρνιου με Φασολια)

(serves 4)

1 Dutch oven (or other oven-safe vessel with lid)

4 lamb shanks

flour for dredging (+ 1 tsp)

1 cup of dried navy beans (soaked in water overnight)

1/4 cup of diced bacon

1/4 cup olive oil

1 stalk of celery, diced

1 carrot, peeled & diced

3 medium onions (2 diced & one whole)

10 cloves of garlic, whole

6 whole allspice berries

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup tomato puree (pomodoro/passata)

1 + 1 cup of hot water

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. of fresh rosemary leaves

Place your Dutch over medium heat on your stove-top and add the bacon and a splash of water. The water will help render the fat and get it crispy. Once the bacon has crisped up, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add a couple of turns of olive oil if the pot looks a little dry. Season your lamb shanks well with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper and then dredge with all-purpose flour. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides (in batches if they all don’t fit in at the same time. Remove your shanks and reserve.
Add the olive oil diced celery, carrots, 2 of the three onions (diced). The third onion will be kept whole and you will stud it by inserting the whole allspice berries into it. Now throw this onion into the the pot along with the garlic, bay leaves, smoked paprika, some salt and pepper and stir to coat. Simmer while occasionally stirring for 5-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Now it’s time to add the wine and allow to reduce for about 3 minutes. Now add the beans (drained), the tomato puree, thyme, rosemary and stir in. Now add the lamb shanks and a cup of water (the liquid in the Dutch oven should almost cover the shanks). Cover and place the Dutch oven in your pre-heated oven for 90 minutes.
Remove from the oven and taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or if you would like more herbs in the mix. Add one more cup of hot water, stir in and place in the oven (again covered) for another 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, taste and adjust seasoning (if necessary).
Place a lamb shank on each plate and serve with the beans, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh ground pepper and a spring of rosemary for garnish.
This dish screams to be served with some good, crusty bread and some Kalamata olives on side. Scoop some sauce and beans with the bread, pop an olive in your mouth, have a sip of a Domaine Gerovassliou Evangelo Red and have a forkful of lamb & do it all over again.

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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© 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.

Fried Whiting With Makalo (Μπακαλιαράκια-τηγανητά-με-μακάλo)

Peter Minakis — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:23:19 +0000

Tomorrow is a double-celebration for Greeks. March 25th is a holiday in Greece where we celebrate Greek Independence Day. The inspiration is drawn from one of the most holy days in the Greek-Orthodox calendar, the Annunciation of the Theotokos. This is the day that Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear a child. Back in 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras seized the opportunity and led the charge for the beginning of Greece’s struggle for independence. An act of defiance after being under Turkish rule for some 500 years.

Cries of “ZHTO h ELLAS” (Long Live Greece) and “ELEFTHERIA h THANATOS” (Freedom or Death) are still heard today. These freedoms fighters (Klephts) sacrificed their lives for the freedoms Greece enjoys today. Kolokotronis, Nikitara, Karaiskakis, Bouboulina, Botsaris are just some of the heroes of Greek Independence.

You know the Greeks will always have a food angle with a holiday, right? In the old days, when there were but just caiques (traditional fishing boat) were used to haul in the catch of the day. Folklore has it that theÂ ‘fourtounes’ (storms) of the day caused the fishermen to remain docked and all that was available by way of fish was preserved salt cod.

Tradition dictates that battered and fried cod fish be served on March 25th, served with a side of a Skordalia, an aioli made with a base of with wither bread or potatoes. Many Greeks have been cooking up little twists here and there and I’ve also seen cod cakes being featured on some Greek cooking segments recently.

If you want to go old school, my Bakliaro with Skordalia is very popular and it’s been made and enjoyed by my family, friends and readers of the site.

You wish to go the cod cakes route? I recently posted a Spanish-inspired recipe where I avoid frying and make good use of the oven, removing the step of frying the patties.

Today, I have yet another way to eat some cod fish tomorrow. Fried hake or whiting, the smaller cousin of the cod fish. This mild-tasting fish is found in the Atlantic and is often labeled as whiting. In Europe and the Mediterranean, the species is known as hake. This fish is often found at your fish monger, it’s affordable an this slender, small fish is ideal for frying.

This has a flaky, white meat that’s light tasting and sure to be popular with adults and kids alike. Whiting also has a firm spine column and it comes out in tact with a light touch of your fingers. In keeping with the whole fish with a garlicky condiment, I’ve adapted another family favourite, Makalo.

Makalo is a kind of gravy that traditionally gets most of it’s flavouring from scraping up the brown bits of a skillet and making a type of gravy. It’s usually made to accompany keftedes/biftekia or serve as an accompaniment to eggs/poaching liquid. Makalo is enjoyed in many households of the Kastoria and Florina regions of Greece. In other parts of Greece it can be called “kourkouto”.

To match the fried whiting, the Makalo has a a backbone of garlic flavour, some tomato paste for colour and more flavour and some chopped fresh parsley to balance the garlic and brighten the sauce.

Finally, since you’re frying cod fish, might as well make some fries…also great for dunking in this Makalo!

(serves 4-6)

16 whole whiting (or hake), scaled, gutted and trimmed

coarse salt

fresh ground pepper

all-purpose flour

vegetable oil for frying

wedges of lemon

Rinse your gutted and scaled whiting in cold water and pat-dry. Season with coarse salt and pepper and let stand for 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, have a large bowl with all purpose flour, another platter lined with kitchen towel prepared and a large skillet to fry your fish.
Add about 1 inch of vegetable oil (I like sunflower) into your skillet and pre-heat the oil. A candy/oil thermometer is a good tool for measuring temperature. You want your oil to reach between 365-375F in temperature.
Dredge your whiting in the all-purpose flour and then carefully drop in your hot oil. Fry the fish for about 4-5 minutes a side or until crisp and golden. Reserve on the platter lined with kitchen towel and fry your remaining fish in batches.
Serve with wedges of lemon, Makalo for dunking the fish in and some fries on the side. Serve with a chilled bottle of Kechri’s “pine’s tear” Retsina, made of Assyrtiko grapes.

Garlic Makalo (ÎœÎ±ÎºÎ¬Î»Î¿ ÏƒÎºÎ¿ÏÎ´Î¬Ï„Î·)

1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. of tomato paste
2 1/2 cups of hot water (or stock of your choice)
4-5 clovesÂ cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley

Over medium-high heat, add the oil and flour to a large skillet and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to cook the flour and toast it a bit. Continue to stir until the roux has turned to a light brown colour.
Add the tomato paste and a pinch of smoked paprika and stir for a minute. Now add the hot liquid (water or stock) plus the minced garlic and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer with the occasional stir until you’ve achieved the desired thickness (enough to coat your wooden spoon).
Season with salt and pepper and add the chopped fresh parsley. Serve alongside your fried whiting and some French Fries.

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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Greek Food Gazette 12/03/2010

Peter Minakis — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:06:14 +0000

Octopi hanging to dry in the sun, Gytheio

Mellilotos is Athens is a family-run restaurant that serves up dishes made of seasonal organic ingredients
Cat Cora cooks at the White House for an early Greek Independence Day celebration
Spotlight Amorgos: more than just a rock in the Aegean
Toronto’s Greektown is alive and well
“Kalimera” is the new slogan for Greece’s 2010 summer season

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Peter Minakis — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:39:48 +0000

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Pumpkin Fritters

Peter Minakis — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:19:00 +0000

A friend of the family’s gave us the big, honkin’ pumpkin last year and the first thing to go were the pumpkin seeds. Salted and baked and snacked on whilst passing the time (passa-tempo). I then cut the pumpkin into large pieces and baked them in the oven until for tender. No need to remove the shell of the pumpkin. Simply spoon out the soft flesh, discard the rest and thank heavens that you didn’t have to endure the tedious chore of peeling a pumpkin.

I now have a few bags of frozen pumpkin puree on hand and this past weekend I made some pumpkin fritters. These fritters are a riff on a Greek fave, “kolokithokeftedes” or, zucchini fritters. Pumpkins are referred to as “yellow squash’ in Greek and are related to the abundant summer vegetable, the zucchini.

In both cases, the vegetable must be free of as much excess liquid as possible for a successful fritter. The most common shape of these fritters is like a hamburger patty but you may rolls these up into meatballs, if that turns your crank. These patties make for a wonderful meze or appetizer, a snack or part of a vegetarian or Lenten table. Greek Lent is fast approaching.

Zucchini fritters are usually shallow fried in oil but in this instance I’m baking them off in the oven. I discovered this method while flipping through Three Greek Sisters cookbook. The sisters share their family recipes, wrote all the copy of the book, photographed and self-published – that’s a girl power!

The Three Greek Sisters cookbook has a recipe for baked pumpkin fritters and I was immediately drawn to the method. There’s no frying, a huge reduction in oil use, less time to prepare and overall, a healthier fritter. There’s no baking powder in these, and although the Sisters’ recipe calls for some breadcrumb in the mix, I used none. I had squeezed almost all the water out of the pumpkin puree.

Beyond the usual egg as the binder, what would hold these fritters together you might ask? Potatoes. Par-boiled potatoes. I used Russet potatoes (starchy) and I boiled the potatoes with their skins on – retaining much of the starch needed for binding and most of it’s nutrients.

Flavourings for the pumpkin fritters were focused on my family’s favourites: chopped fresh dill, some mint and scallions. Add the crumbled Feta cheese and you have a balanced fritter with sweet pumpkin, tart Feta and the brightness of fresh dill.

I’m NOT frying Kolokithokeftedes anymore. This baked method is fantastic, saves time and it’s far healthier without sacrificing taste. Works for me!

Pumpkin Fritters

(makes 12-14)

1 large Russet potato, skin on

3 cups of cooked pumpkin puree (became 2 cups when squeezed of excess water)

4 scallions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 egg

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (1 Tbsp. if dry)

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

1 cup of Feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 tsp. black pepper

bread crumbs (optional)

olive oil for brushing/greasing pan

Pre-heated 425F oven

Place your cooked pumpkin puree in a colander (with a bowl underneath) and place in the fridge over night. Place a handful of pumpkin inside a cotton tea towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Place in large bowl and repeat with remaining pumpkin puree.
In the meantime, place a medium pot of water on your stove-top and when it comes to a boil, add some salt and carefully drop your potato in. Lower the heat to medium and parboil the potato for about 10-12 minutes. Remove the potato and place in a bowl with cold/iced water. As soon as it’s cool enough to handle, peel the skin off with the dull side of a knife. Now coarsely grate the potato into bowl with the pumpkin.
In a small skillet, add a couple of turns of olive oil add your scallions and garlic into a skillet over medium heat. Sweat the scallions & garlic for about 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool before adding into the bowl with the pumpkin.
Add the cooled scallion mixture, chopped herbs, egg, grated potato, crumbled Feta , black pepper and mix with a spatula. If the mixture is too coarse, get your hands in there and mix them well. If the mixture is too dry, add a little olive oil and if the mixture is too wet, add some bread crumbs. Mix again.
Grab a small handful of the pumpkin mixture in your hand and roll into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Place the patty on a baking tray that’s been greased with olive oil. Make the remaining pumpkin mixture into patties.
Brush the tops of the fritters with olive oil and set the back rack to the third position from the top of the oven. Place the baking tray in your pre-heated oven for ten minutes. Flip the patties and bake for another 1o minutes. Serve warm.
Pair with a Gaia Notios white from Nemea.

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