Tangy Oil and Lemon Dressing

Apart from basic vinaigrette, this is the most commonly used dressing in Greek cuisine. It makes baked potatoes, chicken, fish and lamb mouth watering. It is a must for green salads and steamed vegetables. You may vary the quantity of oil and lemon to suit your taste.

¼ cup olive oil (60 ml);
juice of ½ a lemon, strained
½ tsp salt (2 ml);
¼ tsp pepper (1 ml);
1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
1 minced garlic clove

 Option: Replace oregano with mint, dill, marjoram, rosemary, or basil. If fresh herbs, double the quantity.

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. It’s that simple! In addition to green salads, use it as a marinade for raw vegetables, barbequed meats and fish.

Tzadziki
(Cucumber and Yogurt Dip/ Salad)

Admit it, it’s a lot easier to pronounce than Spanacotiropita.* This dip goes well with broiled/barbequed chicken, lamb, beef or pork. If served as a salad, the cucumber should be sliced thin instead of grated. Tsadziki is the traditional Greek spread served on pita-bread rolled sandwiches.

Approximately 3 cups

2 ½ cups yogurt (750 ml)
½ an English cucumber, peeled, grated and squeezed dry
½ bunch of dill, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil (60 ml), 1 tbsp white vinegar (15 ml)
salt and white pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Chill for a few hours before serving. Garnish with olives. To make the dip thicker substitute ½ cup of yogurt with sour cream.

* I won’t keep you in suspense; Spanacotiropita is Greek for spinach and cheese pie (pita)

Greek Village Salad
(Horiatiki Salata)

This salad is best when local garden vegetables are available. Avoid imported tomatoes which are tasteless, picked green, and often gassed to give them a ripe colour.

Serves 4

4 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 English cucumber, pee led, cubed or sliced
1 red/green bell pepper, sliced into thin rings
1 small cooking onion, sliced thin, or
2 green onions, tops included, chopped
1 garlic clove minced (optional)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (30 ml)
¼ cup olive oil (60 ml); 1 tsp oregano (5 ml),
½ tsp salt (2 ml)
4 oz feta cheese cut into ½" cubes, or coarsely crumbled (115 g)
handful of Kalamata olives

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and oregano. Set aside. Put tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and onions in a salad bowl, toss gently. Drizzle with dressing, toss again gently. Top with feta cheese and olives.

Variations: Replace oregano with a handful of fresh basil leaves torn into pieces by hand. (Basil turns black if cut with a knife.) For a heartier salad, add sliced boiled eggs, anchovy fillets and bite-sized pieces of Romaine lettuce.

Horiatichi Lentil Soup
(Greek Village Style)

A steamy bowl of lentil soup will satisfy the heartiest appetite. In Greece, soups are a meal in themselves. Instead of croutons, Greeks like to add bits of crusty or oven-dried bread to thicken their soup. To add some spunk to your bowl of lentil soup, add an extra tbsp of red wine vinegar.

Serves up to 8

2 cups lentils (soaked overnight) (500 ml); 1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, strings removed, diced; 1 carrot, diced
1 beef bouillon cube; 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
¼ cup red wine vinegar (optional) (60 ml)
salt and pepper to taste; ½ tsp dry dill (2 ml)
2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp tomato paste (15 ml)
¼ tsp nutmeg (1 ml); 1 tsp marjoram, rosemary or savory (5 ml)
2 large tomatoes, skinned, cored, and coarsely chopped
about 2 quarts (2 l) water or beef broth

Cover lentils with water and let stand overnight, discard water. In casserole, add oil, onions, beef cube, bay leaves and ladle full of water. Cook over medium heat until onions are transparent. Stir in carrot and celery, continue cooking and adding water to prevent ingredients from sticking or burning. Add lentils and continue cooking for five minutes adding water as needed to prevent ingredients from sticking. Add seasonings, vinegar, tomato, and one litre of water. Bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes, add remainder of water and then let simmer for half an hour, or until lentils are soft tender but not mushy. Soup is always best the next day.

Bruschetta

Italian crusty bread or French baguette, cut in half lengthwise
large garlic clove
olive oil
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced or 14 oz (398 g) canned tomato chunks
2 or three sprigs of fresh basil
¼ tsp salt (1 ml)
¼ tsp pepper (1 ml)

Set the oven to 375°F (190°C), toast the bread lightly, remove and rub with garlic while still hot. For more flavour, spread finely chopped or crushed garlic on cut-side of bread. Top with sliced/chunk tomatoes and shredded fresh basil . Drizzle generously with olive oil. Return bread to oven for 2 minutes. Slice and serve hot.

Variations: For a cheesy garlic Bruschetta, sprinkle some shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese before placing back in the oven. The basic recipe may also be enhanced with additional toppings such as olives, feta cheese, prosciutto ham, cooked Italian sausage, marinated artichoke slices, chopped fresh peppers, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, mushrooms or fine salami.

Hummus
(chickpea dip)

Hummus is easy to prepare and should be chilled overnight to let all the flavours meld together. It is a must for pot-luck lunches, barbeques, and picnics.

Makes 2-3 cups

19 oz can (approx. 500 ml) cooked plain chickpeas, drained
4 tbsp tahini (sesame-seed paste) (60 ml)
juice of 1/2 lemon, strained; 4 tbsp olive oil (60 ml)
2 garlic cloves, minced; salt to taste
2-3 sprigs parsley or corriander; few black olives (garnish)

Mix all ingredients except olives in a food processor to make a smooth and thick purée. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Garnish with black olives. Serve with pita bread, raw vegetable sticks, nacho or potato chips.