Kabobing with the Greeks

According to the calendar, the season of spring began on March 19^th this year, a day earlier than usual, and in a leap year as well.  Overall, the year 2020 has been a challenge for its first four months, and we’re all wondering where the reset button is.  Weather wise, many states, including Utah, were still seeing cold temperatures, snow and hail.

Then May 1^st came, Beltane, the midpoint between the beginning of spring and summer.  The ancient Celtic meaning is “bright fire”, so what better way to celebrate then to barbecue!  With the pandemic continuing, rules of engagement constantly changing, and challenging; it can be difficult to cope in a positive way.

Go outside!  Yes, you can still be safe, at home, but outside in your own backyard, or on the front lawn, on the balcony or patio.  But, go outside!  Look up, see the clouds, what forms can you imagine?  Look at the plant life, flowering buds on the trees, small leaves unfolding to capture dew drops and shafts of sunlight.

This is personal mental and emotional nourishment; food for the mind and soul.  With the body itself, time to fire up the grill and imagine the culinary possibilities.  Of cooking food…not your body!  Come on now, no one can possibly be at the point of cannibalism yet!?!

Let’s take it to the Greeks, and grill up kabobs, or what they refer to as Souvlaki.

Souvlaki (plural is Souvlakia) is a diminutive of the Greek souvla (spit), and there is evidence that cooking with skewers originated in Greece.  One excavation of the archaeological site Akrotiri, on the Greek island of Santorini,  revealed stone sets of barbecues for skewers (Greek: krateutai) used before the 17th century BCE.  Alright kiddies, quiz time, Akrotiri was a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini (Thera).  What mythological creature lived in a maze, underneath the king’s palace?  (Insert Jeopardy theme music)  Time is up!  The Minotaur.

Back to Souvlaki, small pieces of meat or poultry, sometimes vegetables are included, which are grilled on a skewer.  The grilled food can be eaten right off the skewer or pulled off onto a warm pita bread to make a sandwich.  If you are looking more for a dinner entree, place the souvlaki over rice or orzo (pasta shaped like rice).  The warm pita bread, broken into pieces, can act as a utensil.

This is a simple and easy meal that can be prepared for sports oriented children (once it begins again).  Get them home after their event and while they are cleaning up, you can be getting together this healthy meal for them.  Chicken, firm cuts of seafood, and pork can be used instead of beef.  Vegetarians can indulge by substituting tofu, or chunks of beefy tasting, Portobella (also spelled Portabella or Portobello) mushrooms, for the protein, plus adding a larger variety of vegetables.

The marinade for the Souvlakia is simply lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic. The lemon juice helps to break down the connective tissue in the proteins; tenderness is assured after grilling or oven roasting.  For my recipe, I added capers for a little twang on the tongue.

Beef and Vegetable Souvlaki

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef cubes, trimmed of fat

1 lb. mini sweet peppers, cut in half and seeded

1 large onion, chopped

½ lb. small button mushrooms

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

½ tsp. each of fine sea salt and ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. minced parsley

1 tsp. capers

Preparation:

In a large plastic container, combine all ingredients thoroughly; seal and refrigerate overnight.

If grilling, alternate beef cubes and vegetables on skewers. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes first to avoid burning.  Place on medium-high preheated grill; cook for 6 minutes before turning skewers; cook another 6 minutes before serving.

If roasting, preheat oven to 450F. Place beef, vegetables and remaining marinade into a large roasting pan, or onto a large jelly roll pan, in a single layer.  Cook for 3 minutes, turn beef; repeat; on 3rd turn of beef, also turn vegetables (this will allow for beef and vegetables to caramelize); turn beef a 4th time, cook for 3 minutes.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

By the way, we had this on May 12, 2020, and here are a few photos of that delicious meal.

Kabobs ready for the grill, Greek marinade for basting.

After Grilling

Kabobs, Squash cooked with salt, cracked black pepper and butter, Naan Bread, Feta Cheese

Roy's dinner plate is full.

Humble Hummus.

Since the pushing of healthy eating habits and finding alternatives for snacking, many items that used to be a "luxury" have now become an all-consuming fad; such is the case with Hummus.  Hummus is a puree of garbanzo beans (a legume) also known as chickpeas in the United States and England, or Ceci beans in Italy.  Their origin can be traced back to the Middle East, as far back as 3500 BCE; so they truly cannot be called a modern "fad" food item.  The other main ingredient needed to make hummus is Tahini; a sauce made from the puree of toasted sesame seeds and olive oil.  The other ingredients that go into the making of hummus?  That is a matter of taste.

Tahini has a very nutty scent and flavor to it and can be substituted for peanut butter which is great news to folks with a peanut allergy. If you can eat regular peanuts, then adding a dollop of Tahini to your PB&J brings out an awesome richness of peanutty taste and flavor. For baking, think about adding Tahini to a recipe calling for peanut butter; and don't forget its wonderful addition to Middle Eastern cuisine.   Tahini can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months in an air tight container.  Since oil is used in the process, it will rise to the top and solidify under cold temperatures.  Simply let the Tahini come to room temperature, mix the oil back in until you have a smooth sauce; sort of how you would work with the all-natural peanut butter spreads that are on the market now.  Tahini can also be frozen in air tight freezer containers or bags, but after six months it needs to be discarded.

How to Make Tahini

Ingredients:

3 cups sesame seeds

1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spread the seeds onto a clean jelly roll pan (baking sheet with a 1/4 inch around it); place into oven for 5 minutes.  Stir the seeds around and toast for another 5 minutes, but do not allow them to get brown in color.

Put the seeds into a food processor or blender; add 1/4 cup of oil and begin blending on high.  A paste will form; switch off the appliance and scrap down the paste with a rubber spatula.  Turn the appliance back on and slowly add in the remaining oil until a smooth sauce begins to form; sort of like a smooth peanut butter consistency; not all the oil may be required.

Makes 2 cups.

We have our Tahini, let’s continue on to making Hummus.  I'm going to give a basic recipe that can be used as a dip for toasted pita chips (Stacy’s is a great brand), or even a base sauce on a pita pizza (recipe will be given).  This basic hummus can be a simple canvas for making many types of dips by adding roasted red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, diced green onions, diced chile peppers, chopped herbs and the list goes on and on.  If entertaining and serving several varieties of hummus, don't just garnish each type with a teaspoon of an ingredient to identify its type.  Place a small bowl of the ingredient next to the bowl of hummus and let guests add to a plate with their portion of dip.  A garnish will be gone by the third guest, and how will anyone be able to identify the flavors then?  Also think about having slices of toasted French baguette besides the traditional pita chips, so guests can make their own version of a bruschetta.  Now onto the making of Hummus...

How to Make Hummus

Ingredients:

 

1 (16 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup Tahini sauce (or 1/4 cup if using a Tahini paste)

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

Mash the beans slightly and place inside a food processor or blender; add the Tahini, garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.  Set speed on puree and blend until desired consistency is achieved (slightly firmer than a sour cream dip is best); add more oil if needed.  Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of the appliance if necessary.

Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.

Note: During the puree process, a tablespoon of a flavoring ingredient can be added such as diced tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper, chopped herbs, etc.

Some folks enjoy a chunkier hummus, some, like me, enjoy a smoother consistency.  If you’re not sure which you prefer, make a small portion of both and do some taste testing.

I gave you a tease before about making a Pita Pizza, and here's the information I promised to give you.  Normally a pizza dough is made with a leavened bread which rises because of yeast, but it can also be made from an unleavened bread such as a tortilla, Navajo Fry Bread or pita bread. As a base sauce, the traditional red tomato sauce can be used or pesto, but I've found that hummus makes an interesting take on a pizza.  By pureeing tomatoes, red bell peppers or basil into a hummus, you can turn the traditional brownish coloring into the illusion of a red or green sauce; and have the flavoring too.

How to Make a Pita Pizza

Ingredients:

1 Pita bread (standard size to be cut apart, or single serving size)

1/4 cup Hummus (traditional or flavored), 1/8 cup for smaller pita

Now here's the fun part; the rest of the ingredients depends on what you want on it. If using any meats or poultry, it must be precooked. Don't add too much of any one ingredient, you want just enough that each item will be tasted when biting into the pizza.   I created one with diced tomatoes, diced goat cheese and spinach leaves; just a 1/4 cup of each spread around on a standard sized pita went a long way.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread hummus over pita; spread other ingredients over all, but not entirely to the edge.  Place the pizza directly onto the center rack of the oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until edges of pita darken.

A standard pita can be cut into fourths; a small pita eaten as is.

There is my adventure into the Middle Eastern world of Tahini, Hummus and Pita Bread; don't be afraid to have your own adventure.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

Tahini, Hummus and Pita Pizza; Say What!?!

Since the pushing of healthy eating habits and finding alternatives for snacking, many items that used to be a "luxury" have now become an all consuming fad; such is the case with Hummus.  Hummus is a puree of garbanzo beans( a legume) also known as chickpeas in the United States and England, or Ceci beans in Italy.   Their origin can be traced back to the Middle East, and as far back as 3500 BCE; so they truly cannot be called a modern "fad" food item.  The other main ingredient needed to make hummus is Tahini; a sauce made from the puree of toasted sesame seeds and olive oil.  Now the other ingredients that go into the making of hummus; well that has now become a matter of taste.

Tahini has a very nutty scent and flavor to it and can be substituted for peanut butter which is great news to folks with a peanut allergy. If you can eat regular peanuts, then adding a dollop of Tahini to your PB&J brings out an awesome richness of peanutty taste and flavor. For baking, think about adding Tahini to a recipe calling for peanut butter; and don't forget its wonderful addition to Middle Eastern cuisine.   Tahini can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months in an air tight container.  Since oil is used in the process, it will rise to the top and solidify under cold temperatures.  Simply let the Tahini come to room temperature and mix the oil back in until you have a smooth sauce; sort of how you would work with the all natural peanut butter spreads that are on the market now.  Tahini can also be frozen in air tight freezer containers or bags, but after six months it needs to be discarded.

How to Make Tahini

Ingredients:

3 cups sesame seeds
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spread the seeds onto a clean jelly roll pan (baking sheet with a 1/4 inch around it); place into oven for 5 minutes.  Stir the seeds around and toast for another 5 minutes, but do not allow them to get brown in color.

Put the seeds into a food processor or blender; add 1/4 cup of oil and begin blending on high.  A paste will form; switch off the appliance and scrap down the paste with a rubber spatula.  Turn the appliance back on and slowly add in the remaining oil until a smooth sauce begins to form; sort of like a smooth peanut butter consistency; not all the oil may be required.

Makes 2 cups.

 So now we have our Tahini and can continue on to making Hummus.  I'm going to give a basic recipe that can be used as a dip for toasted pita chips, or even a base sauce on a pita pizza (recipe will be given).  This basic hummus can be a simple canvas for making many types of dips by adding roasted red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, diced green onions, diced chile peppers, chopped herbs and the list goes on and on.  If entertaining and serving several varieties of hummus, don't just garnish each type with a teaspoon of an ingredient to identify its type.  Place a small bowl of the ingredient next to the bowl of hummus and let guests add to plate with their portion of dip.  A garnish will be gone by the third guest, and how will anyone be able to identify the flavors then?  Also think about having slices of toasted French baguette besides the traditional pita chips, so guests can make their own version of a bruschetta.  Now onto the making of Hummus...

How to Make Hummus

 

Ingredients:

 

1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup Tahini sauce (or 1/4 cup if using a Tahini paste)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

 

Preparation:

 

Mash the beans slightly and place inside a food processor or blender; add the Tahini, garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.  Set speed on puree and blend until desired consistency is achieved (slightly firmer than a sour cream dip is best); add more oil if needed.  Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of the appliance if necessary.

 

Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.

 

Note: During the puree process, a tablespoon of a flavoring ingredient can be added such as diced tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper, chopped herbs, etc. 

 

I gave you a tease before about making a Pita Pizza, and here's the information I promised to give you.  Normally a pizza dough is made with a leavened bread which rises because of yeast, but it can also be made from an unleavened bread such as a tortilla, Navajo Fry Bread or pita bread. As a base sauce, the traditional red tomato sauce can be used, pesto, and I've found that hummus makes an interesting take on a pizza.  By pureeing tomatoes, red bell peppers or basil into a hummus, you can turn the traditional brownish coloring into the illusion of a red or green sauce; and have the flavoring too.

 

How to Make a Pita Pizza

 

Ingredients:

1 Pita bread (standard size to be cut apart, or single serving size)
1/4 cup Hummus (traditional or flavored), 1/8 cup for smaller pita

Now here's the fun part; the rest of the ingredients depends on what you want on it. If using any meats or poultry, it must be precooked. Don't add too much of any one ingredient, you want just enough that each item will be tasted when biting into the pizza. In the photo above, I have diced tomatoes, diced goat cheese and spinach leaves; just a 1/4 cup of each spread around on a standard sized pita went a long way.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread hummus over pita; spread other ingredients over all, but not entirely to the edge.  Place the pizza directly onto the center rack of the oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until edges of pita darken.

A standard pita can be cut into fourths; a small pita eaten as is.

There is my adventure into the Middle Eastern world of Tahini, Hummus and Pita Bread; don't be afraid to have your own adventure.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, Opa!

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant

3500 E Main Street
Farmington, New Mexico, 87402    
(505) 326-2000                                                    

Website: http://www.eatmoregreek.com/

After reading many mixed reviews of this Greek restaurant in Farmington, New Mexico; we decided to give it a shot anyway.   The exterior is quite impressive and hard to miss; located at the entrance to the Best Buy/Home Depot shopping center.

The building has many windows to allow the bright sunlight to naturally illuminate the interior.  Beautiful Greek decor, including a long mural of the God of the Sea, Poseidon adorns the interior.  We were cheerfully greeted by the hostess immediately upon entering, and taken to one of the many booths in the dining area.  Our waiter didn't keep us waiting at all as he came to take our drink orders, and left us to peruse the menu.   Our entire party of four were definitely in the mood for Gyro, so latched onto that item as soon as we looked at the menu. After ordering and receiving our food, our waiter was very friendly, helpful with questions and attentive to our needs throughout the meal.


We began with a Calamari appetizer served with a mild cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. The Calamari included tentacles as well as the body rings; it was deep fried perfectly; not chewy nor still raw, but just right.

Three people went for the simple Gyro in a pita; two chose the Greek salad as a side while one person chose the Greek Fries. I chose the Award Winning Gyro platter. Gyro is a mixture of lamb and beef that is pressed into a form that can be placed on a spit.  It is roasted in a vertical manner, mildly seasoned and then carved into thin slices, placed in pita bread with veggies and tzatziki sauce.



The Gyro itself came in a soft, warm pita loaded with fresh vegetables and heavenly tzatziki sauce.  The Greek Fries cost extra as a side; they are shoestring fries with Feta and Parmesan cheeses with a lemon Dijon sauce.  The person who had this meal loved the Gyro, but was not impressed with the Greek Fries, "fries are fries" he stated.  Now on many reviews I read the biggest complaint was the Greek salad; however the salads served with the Gyros were excellent in taste, size and texture.  If you're going to go Greek, definitely get the salad; fries just don't have a place with them.

The Award Winning Gyro is a very generous portion of the meat with grilled zucchini, lemon roasted potatoes, wedges of pita bread and tzatziki sauce. I was blown away, and so were the others who tasted my meal...piece of meat, piece of zucchini, dipped in the sauce...absolutely divine! It was so good like that, I kept forgetting about the pita bread. The lemon roasted potatoes were so delicious, the person who had the Greek Fries said he would have paid extra for these potatoes instead of the fries.



The meal portions are very generous, so we decided to purchase dessert to go; and our waiter assured us that all desserts are housemade.  The Baklava Cheesecake is decadently rich and creamy; infused with honey and nuts.  The Baklava is loaded with nuts and honey while the pastry is very flaky.  Do not turn away from desserts at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant; get the full experience.

Overall we gave My Big Fat Greek Restaurant a 9 out of 10 rating, and that is only because we felt that shoestring fries have no place on a Mediterranean menu.  Whether you have had Greek food before, or this is a first time try; definitely try out this restaurant.  Opa!

Mary Cokenour

Kabobing with the Greeks

Souvlaki (plural is Souvlakia), is small pieces of meat or poultry, sometimes vegetables are included, which are grilled on a skewer. The grilled food can be eaten right off the skewer or pulled off onto a warm pita bread to make a sandwich. If you're looking more for a dinner entree, place the souvlaki over rice or orzo. The warm pita bread, broken into pieces, can act as a utensil.
This is a simple and easy meal that can be prepared for sports oriented children. Get them home after their event and while they're cleaning up, you can be getting together this healthy meal for them. Vegetarians can indulge by substituting tofu for the protein and adding a larger variety of vegetables.

The marinade for the Souvlakia is simply lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic. The lemon juice helps to break down the connective tissue in the proteins; tenderness is assured after grilling or oven roasting.  For my recipe, I added capers for a little twang on the tongue.

Beef and Vegetable Souvlaki

Ingredients:

1 lb beef cubes, trimmed of fat
1 lb mini sweet peppers, cut in half and seeded
1 large onion, chopped
½ lb small button mushrooms
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
½ tsp each of fine sea salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1 tsp capers

Preparation:

In a large plastic container, combine all ingredients thoroughly; seal and refrigerate overnight.

If grilling, alternate beef cubes and vegetables on skewers. (soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes first to avoid burning). Place on medium-high preheated grill; cook for 6 minutes before turning skewers; cook another 6 minutes before serving.

If roasting, preheat oven to 450F. Place beef, vegetables and remaining marinade into a large roasting pan, or onto a large jelly roll pan, in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes, turn beef; repeat; on 3rd turn of beef, also turn vegetables (this will allow for beef and vegetables to caramelize); turn beef a 4th time, cook for 3 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Mary Cokenour