It’s Greek to Me

I have explained before in an earlier post written about Passover, that I grew up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood and gained a deep respect for the Jewish faith and  traditions, and love for Jewish people.   But prior to moving to that neighborhood, one of my closest friends was Greek.
I went all through grade school with a Greek girl, Kathy Vasila, whose mother was a good friend of my mother and whose brother was my younger brother’s friend.  When we moved to the Jewish neighborhood across town, Kathy’s family had already moved to the same neighborhood so she was there awaiting me on my first day of junior high school and introduced me to some of her other friends who were also Greek.  So before having multi cultural relationships was the politically correct thing to do, I was experiencing what it was like to know and appreciate some traditions and customs that were very different from those of my family.  Little did I know then, that my Jewish and Greek friends were providing me with a cultural education that was in many ways a preparation for what was to come in my life.

Fast forward some 35+ years.  Who could have known that all that understanding of these two cultures, and the love and respect I had developed for them, would come full circle when my oldest daughter would marry a wonderful Jewish man from a truly delightful family, and my youngest daughter would marry a Greek man whose parents just happened to be some of our closest friends.  Isn’t it interesting how God weaves the threads of the tapestry of our lives into beautiful pictures we could never have imagined or seen coming?

Connie, (my sweet Greek friend whose son is now my son-in-law) and I used to meet each Tuesday morning to pray for our children and their future spouses not knowing then whom God had planned for each of them to marry.  This started long before any of our children were married, never dreaming that two of our children would marry each other!

In a most lovely turn of events, I was blessed to become a part of the extended families from two cultures I love.  Randy and I like to say we are an equal opportunity family….we have embraced the Jews and the Greeks…..and, oh yes, the Dilleys….no really…..our other son-in-law is a mid-westerner who is literally a Dilley….that’s his last name but also quite descriptive of who he, and his family are:)

This Sunday is Greek Easter and though most of us celebrated this most holy of days in the Christian calendar last Sunday, Greeks all over the world will gather to celebrate this weekend.  The family time, the festivities and of course the food will all be rich.  It seemed only right to share a few of the Greek delights we have come to love in our family.  And along with my Greek family and friends I proclaim “Khristós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!” …Christ is risen! He has risen indeed!

Love, joy, and much abundant living to you and yours 🙂

Mezza Plate
Dolmas -stuffed grape leaves. I buy these ready made and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.
Tomatoes – Quartered and drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper and dried oregano
Kalamata Olives
Fresh Greek Feta – this creamy, salty delight is even better when like the tomatoes it is drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

1 whole chicken
1 lemon cut in half
2 cloves of garlic smashed
1 handful of flat leaf parsley

6-8 potatoes, white rose or yukon gold

Rub for chicken and potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
juice and grated rind of 2 lemons

Chicken
Rinse chicken and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels, then place in a low sided baking dish.  Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the cut lemon, parsley and smashed garlic cloves.  Combine olive oil, lemon juice and rind of 1 lemon along with seasonings in the blender until completely mixed.  Pour half of this mixture over chicken and rub to completely coat the skin of the chicken.  Sprinkle lightly with a bit more Kosher salt and oregano leaves.  Roast in a 375 degree oven for about an hour.  Check chicken after one hour.  Skin should be crisp and browned and the leg of the chicken should move easily when wiggled.  Allow chicken to set for 10 minutes before slicing.

Potatoes
Rinse potatoes and cut into chunks.  No need to peel.  I have some great little helpers for this:)

Cook in boiling salted water for five minutes.  Drain completely and pour into a baking dish or baking sheet large enough so that potatoes are lying in a single layer.  Pour remaining olive oil rub over potatoes. Squeeze juice of lemon and add grated lemon rind on potatoes and mix to evenly coat.  Sprinkle with a bit more salt and roast in the oven with the chicken for 1 hour, turning the potatoes once or twice to brown and crisp on all sides.  Allow the potatoes to continue cooking as chicken sits for 10 minutes so that they are really crisp and hot when ready to serve.  Place chicken on a platter and surround with potatoes.

Greek Salad

Romaine lettuce
tomatoes
green pepper
cucumber
onion
olives
feta cheese, crumbled
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
oregano

Chop and combine all the vegetables.  Drizzle liberally with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper and oregano and toss.  Add lemon juice and splash with red wine vinegar.  Toss again.  Taste and adjust the amount of oil and vinegar and seasonings.

Pastitsio
2 lb ground turkey or beef
1 large onion, chopped
Large handful of chopped Italian parsley
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 lb. pasta, long macaroni
1/2 cup melted butter
3 beaten eggs
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Bechamel sauce*

Saute meat in some olive oil. When barely browned add onion, garlic, parsley, cinnamon, wine, and tomato sauce.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Cook macaroni in salted water.  (In Greek specialty food stores this type of pasta is referred to as Greek #2 pasta.  It is a long hollow noodle somewhat like a straw.  If this is not available where you live, you can substitute long macaroni which is essentially the same thing.)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Drain pasta, cool and then add butter, eggs and 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese.

Place pasta in a buttered baking dish.  Layer with meat sauce and then top with bechamel sauce*.  Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.  Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees until top is browned and bubbly.

Bechamel Sauce

Melt 1/2 cup butter and stir in 6 Tablespoons of flour.

Cook butter and flour mixture, the roux, until lightly browned.  Heat 4 cups of milk and add to the roux stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

Add salt and pepper and a dash of cinnamon to taste.

Greek Easter Bread

Greek Easter Bread is essentially the same recipe and calls for the same ingredients as the Italian Sweet Bread.  While some recipes use the anise seed used in the Italian bread, others use a spice called mahlab which comes from cherry seeds.  It can be purchased at grocery stores that carry Mediterranean products or on line at Penzeys.

Red Eggs

No Greek Easter is complete without dyed red eggs.  The tradition is for each person to hold a red egg and smash it against the egg another person is holding, cracking the shell.  The first person says, “Khristós Anésti!” (Christ is risen) The second person replys, “Alithós Anésti!” (He is risen indeed).

To make the red eggs, boil the skins of 12 -15 Spanish onions in 6 cups of water and 1/4 cup vinegar for 20 minutes.  Allow water to cool.  Remove skins and add 12 -15 eggs and boil for 15 -20 minutes.  Remove eggs and drain.

Lamb Cake

There is nothing truly Greek about carrot cake but anything with a lamb just screams Easter and who could resist this adorable and delicious confection!  And besides, my daughter Amanda, (who is married to the Peter, the Greek man), made this cake, so it is a little bit Greek I guess 🙂  This little lamb happens to be a carrot cake, but you could use any cake recipe you like.

Carrot Cake  (from Lee Bailey’s Country Desserts)
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 cups finely grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour Wilton’s Stand Up Lamb Pan Set.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice.  Set aside.

Beat together oil and sugar until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.  Beat well.

Fold in carrots and nuts, combining well.  Then pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
approximately 1/4 cup cream

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla and slightly less than 1/4 cup cream.  Beat until very smooth.  Add more cream if icing is too stiff. It should be firm but soft enough to pass through a piping bag to make “curls” on the lamb.  Follow instructions for decorating on Wilton’s Stand Up Lamb Pan Set.

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