Attn: Rhonda Greek and Mediterranean Recipes

Tsatziki
Serves 6


2 cups yogurt
1 Cucumber
4 cloves Pressed garlic
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tspn Vinegar
Diced dill
Salt
Pepper
Grate the cucumber and strain tightly using a cloth until very dry. Mix in all the other ingredients .

Serve with pita bread.

Dolmathes (Stuffed grape leaves)
Serves 4


1/2 lb Grape leaves
1 lb Finely chopped onion
1 cup Rice
1 cup Olive oil
1 batch Finely chopped dill
1 batch Finely chopped mint
Juice from 1 lemon
Briefly dip grape leaves in boiling water then rinse them with cold water and wipe dry. Mix the onions with half the olive oil. After a while, mix in the rice, 250mL hot water and the remaining ingredients, except for the oil and the lemon juice. Boil the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes. Wrap one tablespoon of the mixture with a grapeleaf and repeat until completed. Carefully place the dolmathes in a pot with some space between them. Cover the dolmathes with a plate a add the rest of the oil and the lemon juice with 500mL of water. Boil at low heat for 30 minutes, until some water is absorbed and the rice is done. Serve cold with slices of lemon

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
Serves 6


2 lbs Spinach
2/3 lb Diced green onions
1 batch Diced dill
1 Finely chopped leek
2 Eggs
1 1/2cup Olive oil
1 lb Filo pastry
Salt
Pepper
Clean and boil the spinach lightly. Strain it well and chop it. Brown the green onions and the leek lightly in a pot using half the olive oil . Remove from the heat and add the dill, the eggs, the spinach and salt & pepper. Oil a pan and spread half the sheets of filo sheets. Spread the spinach mix on top and then cover with the other sheets. Oil the top and bake in medium oven for about 1 hr.

Tyrokavteri
(Spicy Red Pepper Cheese Spread)


8 oz package cream cheese
1 lb feta, crumbled
1 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground White pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup half&half
4 roasted red peppers, diced
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Soften cream cheese in large bowl with mixer. Add feta, lemon juice, and white pepper. Slowly add olive oil until all og the oil is absorbed. Mix in half&half until the miture is smooth and soft. If the mixture is hard, add a little more half&half to soften. Add roasted peppers. Serve with bread

Gigantes (Lima Beans)
Serves 6


1 lb Lima beans
1Sliced onion
3 cloves Chopped garlic
3/4 cup Olive oil
4 Ripe tomatoes
Chopped parsley
Salt
Pepper
Soak the beans in water overnight. Boil them until soft and strain them well. Peel and chop the tomatoes and add the salt, pepper, olive oil and parsley. Spread the beans in a pan and cover them with the mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Homus


2 cups Chick peas (cooked)
1 tbsp Tahini
1 Whole pressed garlic
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together in your food processor. Serve with warmed pita bread.

Chicken Manestra


1 Chopped onion
Chicken pieces
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Crushed Garlic, to taste
4 Water
3 Tbsp Tomato paste
1/2 Cup Orzo
Salt
Pepper
Saute' Onion in Olive Oil. Brown chicken pieces. Add water and tomato paste, simmer chicken for 30 minutes. Add Orzo, stirring with a watchful eye until Orzo is tender.

Moussaka
Serves 6 - 8
3 large eggplants
2 lbs potatoes
1 onion (diced)
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tomatoes
parsley (diced)
salt & pepper
some corn oil (for frying)

“Beshamel” sauce
4 cups warm milk
8 spoons flour
3 spoons butter
salt & pepper
a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg

Prepare the “beshamel” sauce
Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and mix thoroughly. Turn the heat down to minimum and add the milk carefuly a little at a time, mixing continiously. Keep mixing until it settles. Add the salt, pepper and cinnamon or nutmeg.

Moussaka

Wrap the eggplants in alluminum foil and bake until they are soft. Slice them in thick slices. Peel the potatoes, slice them and fry them lightly. Brown the onion and the ground meat together in the olive-oil. Grate the tomatoes and add them in along with the parsley and the salt & pepper. Simmer for 15'. Layer the potatoes, the ground meat mix and the eggplants (in this order) in a deep pan. Cover with the beshamel. Bake in a medium oven for 30'-40'.

Pilafi (Greek Style Rice)
Serves 6


2 cups Long grain rice
3 1/2 cups Chicken broth
1 Chopped carrot
1 Chopped onion
1 stalk Chopped celery
Chopped mushrooms (optional)
Salt
Paprika
Boil the rice following the normal cooking directions, but using the chicken broth instead of just water. Add the vegetables and the paprika.

Theepless
4 cups Self-rising flour
4 tbsp Sugar
1 cup Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Rinded lemon
2 tbsp Oil
Oil for cooking
2 cups Honey
Cinnamon
Coarsely chopped walnuts
Place the flour in a big, deep bowl. Mound the flour and make an opening in the middle. Meanwhile, beat eggs with the sugar, lemon rind and oil. Place the egg mixture in the opening and knead the dough until firm. Divide the dough equally many times and roll each division into thin pieces. Cut the pieces in triangle sections. Heat the oil well, and stick the dough strips in the hot oil one by one. Quickly, using two large forks roll each strip of dough in a cylindrical shape and cook the pieces until golden brown. Take them out, and place somewhere to cool. Heat the honey with one cup of sugar until boiling. Spoon out the froth that forms, and lather the ready theepless with the honey syrup, and sprinkle cinnamon and walnuts as a garnish.

Loukoumades (Greek Style Doughnuts)


4 tspn yeast
2 cups flour
1 short tspn salt
Oil
Thyme honey
Cinnamon
Sesame seeds

Thin the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix the flour with the salt and put it in a deep ball. Add the yeast and an extra cup of warm water and mix well until you make a uniform thin paste. Cover and leave in the shade for ~1 1/2 hour until it rises and forms bubbles under the surface. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and pour your mix in, one large spoonfull at a time. The mix will form round dumplings. Remove them with a strainer/laidle when they darken a little. Pour honey over them, cinnamon and the sesame seeds.

Maddymoo, have I ever mentioned that I LOVE you?!? :-)

These all sound great, I'm feeling the urge for some Mediterranean food soon. Maybe I'll experiment while DH is out of town next week.

Baklava

1 lb fyllo pastry
7/8 lb almonds (ground)
2 tspn cinnamon
A pinch of clove
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup thyme honey
lemon juice
2 tspn vanilla

Mix the almonds, cinnamon and clove. Butter a pan and place 4 buttered sheets of fyllo. Spread a thin layer of the mix and then two more sheets of fyllo. Repeat until you have 4 sheets left, which you use for the top layer. Cut the baklava in squares, all the way to the bottom of the pan. Top with the remaining butter and bake in medium oven for ~45 minutes.
Mix the sugar, honey, vanilla, lemon juice and 1 1/2 cup of water in a pot and boil for 5 minutes. Remove any froth off the top and pour over the baklava. Serve cold.

Hey Girl,

Not sure how many will be to your liking, but I know that you love Mediterranean food as much as me. Hope at least 1 is a good one if you try any!