Greek Avgolemono Soup

Here is a quick, easy recipe for my favourite Greek soup. Translated, it means something like egg-lemon soup. It is sort of like the Greek version of Grandma's chicken soup, but with a creamy, lemony twist. In the recipe I mention cooked chicken and chicken broth here...the old school way is to make the broth and shred up some of the chicken you boiled in it, but just like chicken soup, the quicker way is to get yourself some leftover or bbq chicken and something like Bovril Chicken base, which is the closest thing to real that I have found.

Servings: About a third of a big soup pot full.

Ingredients: This is what happens when you get a recipe from my Greek father in-law.... We're talking about a man who sometimes gives measurements in juice glasses.... you sort of get used to this European way, you just have to taste a lot and make it to your liking.

Broth to fill a big soup pot up about half way, diluted with some water since it will cook down (something like 20 cups or so, depending on the pot).
1 cup or so of plain long grain rice or orzo
1 medium carrot, quartered lengthwise then sliced into small pieces
2 eggs
2 heaping soup spoons corn starch
lemon to taste (LOTS!)
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken (boil it in the broth if it's not cooked already and then top off the pot with more water)
a sprinkling of dill
salt to taste

Directions:

Bring the broth to a boil, add the rice and carrot and boil until cooked.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, lemon and corn starch. When I say lots of lemon, I'm not kidding. I'm sure I used at least half a cup in this big soup pot. You almost can't put too much. It's really important that you temper the egg by slowly drizzling in big spoonfuls of the hot soup and stirring constantly, just about until the egg mixture is hot. Then you slowly stir that mixture into the pot. Be very careful about this, because otherwise the egg just cooks right up and turns into wispy scrambled eggs in the pot... not what you are going for.

While you let the soup cook for a couple of minutes, maybe 5 or so, add the chicken and seasonings. That's all! This soup is soooo good and warm, it's all you want to eat after a week of over-eating. I myself have a big container of it in the fridge, and it's lunches for the week.

Have a great day!

Greek Horta

Horta is a Greek word used generally for greens. It is a real staple in Greek cooking, and generally speaking is a pretty standard recipe, although the greens used are really interchangeable, and basically depend on what's available. I used vlina, a form of Amaranth. It's what is known as callaloo in the Caribbean. It's somewhat spinach like in taste, but a lot stronger, as it takes much longer to cook down. I found it in my local Greek grocery store, and a HUGE bunch (like a foot by a foot) cost 99 cents.

Other popular substitutes are rapini, dandelion greens, or beet leaves. Anything green and leafy, basically.


The recipe couldn't be simpler.

You'll need:

1 large bunch of vlina, or other greens
a splash of vinegar
salt
lemon juice
olive oil
a clove of garlic, thinly sliced (optional)

Pull the leaves and smaller stems off of the bigger pieces of stems (I'm not a huge fan of those parts, you can chop them up and use them if you want), and put the leaves into a large bowl filled with cold water and a splash of vinegar. Let them sit, and if necessary change up the water until the greens are clean. 

Boil some water in a large pot with a good amount of salt (2-3 tsp). Add in the greens to the boiling water, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until they are good and wilted.

Drain the water, add a few good splashes of olive oil, the garlic (optional - this is my own personal taste) and a big splash of lemon juice. Taste, and add salt if you think it needs it.

This is great as a side dish, or even as a lunch with some tzatziki and bread. Yum!

 Have a great day!

Greek Salad



When I first thought about venturing into the concept of this blog, this recipe, however simplistic, was the one that kept popping into my head as a perfect fit, and I couldn't wait to share it with you. Here's my take on Greek Salad, and I must say, it's my personal favourite. You see a lot of variations on Greek Salad, or Horiatiki, but mine is the traditional. To this day, whenever I enter a restaurant and see a Greek Salad on the menu, and right next to it a picture of a big pile of lettuce with a few mealy tomatoes, onions and an olive, I get this little twinge of wrongness. It's not to say that Greeks don't use lettuce in their salads, on the contrary, they do all the time. But when you're talking about an authentic Greek House Salad, this is the one.

You may notice that it has an unusual oil to vinegar ratio - 1:1. But I just don't find this salad needs much oil. As you wish, though. I will say that many people don't even put anything acidic on it, but personally I find it really needs it. This recipe, as most European recipes go, is one that you should just learn to eyeball so you can just dump it in the bowl. I happen to be pretty good at doing this, and this is what I put in. If you can find the real Greek feta, pay the extra for it. Bulgarian or Sheeps/ Goats milk feta are great, more affordable alternatives.

Recipe (Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main meal):

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges or about 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups cucumber, quartered and then sliced
1/2 a green pepper, chopped (optional - I usually don't do this, but some people do)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Greek feta
a handful of olives
1/4 of an onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp regular white, or red wine vinegar
1/2 clove minced garlic - optional
a good amount of salt

Literally, dump it all in. That's all! You do need to taste and see if the seasoning is to your own liking, because everyone is different. If you want to be fancy, save a little feta, olives, oregano and oil, and after mixing it all up, sprinkle it on top. At least, I think it looks nice that way. Here you go!

Great with souvlaki, chicken, salmon, my zucchini patties, or pretty much anything. Or, can be a great meal along with some baguette, tzatziki and a great glass of red wine. Heaven!

Have a great day!

Greek Frappé

So, today I'll be sharing a traditional Greek family recipe that I have passed along to many people. Frappé is the Greek version of iced coffee. It is super cheap, couldn't be quicker, and not to mention DELICIOUS! In Quebec, we are in the middle of a heat wave, and today the temperature is supposed to reach 44° C with the humidex, or about 111° F. What a scorcher! So this past week, I've been going for this icy option instead. Greeks are a VERY proud people (I can say that, as I'm married to one) and they are extremely proud to show off this recipe. I must say, though, that all of the ingredients are to my own personal preference. As with a hot cup of coffee, this amounts you use for this coffee should be modified to your liking. 



As for the coffee used in this recipe, let me just reassure everyone that I am SO not an instant coffee kind of girl when it comes to hot coffee, so don't through away the idea if you're not either. I am a 100 % drip coffee always with cream and sugar girl all the way. But in this case, it totally works. No blender, no freezing ice cubes, immediate results! There is a special instant coffee made for Frappé that you can check out here, but I haven't tried it out. Actually, there's even a book about it. One day I'll splurge, but everyone I know seems to use Maxwell House for this recipe. Currently I have this blend, but I must say my brother in law uses the regular strength, and I like it better. It's less bitter. But here you go:

You'll need:

• A drink shaker, or any sturdy jar with a tight-fitting lid
• 1 heaping tsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp sugar
• 5ish ice cubes
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup skim milk

I could give you pictures of me adding in each ingredient... but I think you're all better than that. Dump 'em all in! Shake, shake, shake!  I use a shaker like this one:



A word of warning - on more than one occasion, I've been super happy about the upcoming Frappé and started busting a move, letting one hand off the shaker. Needless to day, I found coffee stains all over my white and grey kitchen, actually all the way into the hall and the bathroom for about a week after. As much as I cleaned, the stains kept magically appearing!!! So two hands people, learn from my mistakes. Anyway, this is what you end up with:

I think there's something about that instant coffee that foams right up, especially if you use skim milk. You could also add some ice cream, but I leave that for a special treat, not a regular. Not so conducive to the Mediterranean Diet - although certainly not outlawed. Moderation, people.

If you're going to try just one of the recipes I've posted up to now, I sure hope it's this one. It is a huge staple in my family, and I've converted many friends as well. I hope you enjoy it, I'd love to hear if anyone tries it out at home!

Have a great day, and enjoy the summer while it lasts!