%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% BASIC GREEK RECIPES Copyright: Vassiliki Milios, 1980, 1993 MEAT STEW IN TOMATO SAUCE ------------------------- 1 kg beef (remove the fat) 1/4 kg tomato juice salt, oil, butter 1-3 onions (whole) garlic Pour oil and butter into the pot. Heat the mix. Brown meat on all sides. Then drop in the rest of the ingredients and add water to cover the meat. With heat in High, let the water boil, and then cover and turn heat down to Simmer. After about 2 hours check whether the meat is soft (taste it), remove the cover and set heat to High and let it boil for about 5 minutes until a thick sauce is left. MEAT STEW IN LEMON SAUCE ------------------------ Same as meat stew in tomato sauce, but instead of tomato juice, add the juice from 1 - 2 lemons. At the end, after turning the heat off, add some oregano. BIFTEKIA (SPICED MEAT BALLS) ---------------------------- One large bifteki: 350 calories Broiling time: 20-30 mins. 1/2 kg ground beef 1 egg 1/2 cup soaked and strained bread or bread crumbs 2 cloves of pressed garlic 1 small onion (chopped) finely chopped parsley 2 teaspoonfuls of olive oil lemon juice, salt, pepper Mix the ground beef with the bread, garlic, onion and add the egg, oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Knead (work) the mix and shape it into several biftekia making them round and flat. Broil them on both sides and serve them with lemon. Instead of broiling, they can be: - boiled in a pot with potatoes and lemon or tomato juice - baked in the oven with potatoes BOILED BIFTEKIA Place potatoes (cut them in three or four large pieces each) in a layer, oil, salt, butter in the pot, and on top of them the biftekia. Add water and tomato juice or lemon to cover the potatoes only. Boil in medium heat. Halfway through turn over the biftekia. It takes about 40 minutes. BAKED BIFTEKIA IN THE OVEN Put a layer of potatoes (cut as above), mixed with salt, pepper and lemon. Add one cup of liquid (tomato sauce or lemon juice mixed with water). Place the biftekia on top of this. Halfway through turn over the biftekia. It takes about 1 1/2 hour. Temperature at 375 F. MEAT SOUP --------- 1 chunk of meat, cut in half, plus a couple of bones. 2-3 whole onions 2-3 potatoes 2-3 carrots 1 branch of celery salt, butter (in the end) 1-2 tomatoes or juice (optional) Water to cover everything Put all ingredients into a pot and boil in low heat. After about 2 hours, make sure that the meat is well cooked. Take the meat out and mash all other ingredients. Serve with lemon. Refrigerate the soup separately from the meat, but warm them up together. BEAN / LENTIL SOUP (VEGETARIAN) ------------------ 1 cup beans or lentils 1 onion 1/4 kg. tomato juice PLUS: ** for Bean soup 2-3 carrots 1 branch of celery some paprika or chili ** for Lentil soup 3-4 cloves of garlic or powder 2-3 bay leaves Leave beans or lentils in water overnight. Empty the water and rinse well. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Add the vegetables and the tomato and boil in medium heat. After about 1 hour, turn off heat, add salt and stir. Optional: A few minutes before turning heat off, mix in a bowl one level spoonful of flour with some water and vinegar. Pour into the pot and wait until the water boils again. Add some oregano after turning the heat off. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% KOYRKOYTOPHTA WITH ZUCHINI OR SPINACH (VEGETARIAN) ------------------------------------- 1 lb zuchini OR 1 bad spinach + 1 bunch fresh onions 1 cup flour (any kind) 1 cup grated feta cheece some grated parmesan cheese 1 cup milk with half teaspoonful baking soda 3 eggs some pepper finely chopped dill some pieces of butter or oil Grate zuchini in a bowl or finely chopped and pressed spinach + chopped fresh onions. Butter (or oil) a baking pan. Stir eggs. Mix everything together. Lay the mix flat in the baking pan. Pour some oil and spread it over the surface. Pour some grated parmesan cheese on top. Bake in *preheated* oven at 185 Celsius / 375 Fahr. for 45 minutes.