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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1977)
P2J3 4 third dimension tusKtey, msrch 1, 1977 A flavorful history lies behind Greek cooking. Its origins can be traced to 500 years before Chirst. Greek cuisine is original, contrary to popular belief that it is Turkish or Italian in origin. Greece was under Turk rule for four centuries, so cooks were forced to give Turkish names to their dishes. Traditionally, priests were also cooks. Only they knew the secret of butchering animals for rites. For centuries men were the chefs of the family. Men exchanged recipes rather than women. Eating and cooking were considered an art, and men's gourmet groups existed to exchange information on foods, both native and foreign. The world's first cookbook was by Archestratus, who became known as Hesiod of the Epicureans. That means leader of luxurious living and one with discriminating taste in food and wine. The Romans owe their civilization, high standard of living and appreciation of food to the Greeks. It was a practice for ancient Romans to hire the Greek scholars not only to educate their children, but to cook their famous banquet feasts. During the Middle Ages, Greeks escaped slavery by tak ing refuge in monasteries where they cooked for the monks. To identify the cooks from the monks, the cooks had to wear tall white hats. The custom persists today, identifying the wearer as master chef. (DK By Casta Today, Greeks still bear fierce pride in their hcri,,-. They descend from men like Aesop, a slave cook, who left volumes of poetry. " When you undertake Greek cooking, you should think like a Greek. Don't consider it a chore, but an art. If you have decided to cook with a Greek flair and your city does not have a Greek grocery store, inquire for ingredients at any gourmet counter in a supermarket. Or call the Greek Orthodox Church in your community. Someone there can tell you where to find Greek food, be cause the Church is the center of Greek social life. Traditionally, a Greek meal usually does not start with Meze (appetizers), but it is the custom of robust eaters to nibble on appetizers with their wine. They range from coldcuts to hot seafood or nuts to olives and cheese. The Greeks knew that Meze has a sobering effect during the cocktail hour. A typical Greek assortment of nuts includes hazelnuts, walnuts, shelled pistachios and almonds. The nuts usually are sprinkled with salt. Grilled sausages and salami are national favorites. These appetizers are simple to prepare and make a delicious course for a meal. Tarama salata (fish roe appetizer) is rich, smooth fish roe. The principal ingredient is tarama, the salted, pressed roe of gray mullet, cod or carp. If you can't find tarama, try red caviar or salted salmon roe. Tarama Salata Spread this on fresh rye or your favorite dark bread and sit back to enjoy with a glass of wine. 3 oz.H.rr.a (salted fish roe) 2 boiled potatoes, diced 1 eric.-, finely chopped 2 lemons 1 cup olive oil Using a mortar and pestie. pound tarama, potatoes and onions to make a fine pasta. Still using pestle, alternate adding olive oil and lemon juice to the paste slowly until all is used. The tarama salata must be smooth, creamy and thick (not like a sauce). Scoop (KLXDLK the tarama salata into a serving dish and surround with half slices of fresh bread. Skewered Fish 1 lb. white fish lemon juice dash of rosemary and salt Bone fish or buy it boneless. Cut into small chunks. Dip in lemon juice and put four or five pieces on individual skewer. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt. Broil five minutes, turning on all sides. , Shrimp in Mustard 1 lb. shrimp in mustard sauce crackers Place shrimp in bowl with sauce in which they were canned. Serve with crackers. Soups in Greece originated with fishermen or the peasants. Sheepherders devised barbecued meat on a stick, while fishermen invented stews and soups. Greeks take full advantage of fruits, vegetables and fish. Eggs and lemon juices are added to soup, just after it cools slightly, so the egg won't curdle. You can taste a distinctive flavor in the soup when this is done. Chicken-Egg-Lemon Soup 8 cups chicken stock V4 cup uncooked rice salt and pepper to taste 3 medium-size eggs, separated f - jrl:::' i miT juice of 1 or 2 lemons In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil, add rice and bring to boil again, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to moderate, cover pan and cook until the rice is soft, 1 5 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove saucepan from the fire. Put the egg white in a shallow bowl with one teaspoon of water and beat them with a fork or an electric mixer until they peak. Add the yolks and beat for five minutes longer until eggs are fluffy and light yellow. Slowly and continuously beating with a fork, add the juice of one lemon to the eggs and then, while still beating, add one-half cup of the stock a little at a time; this must be done to keep the eggs from curdling. Pour the egg mixture into the soup and stir gently; taste it, and if more tanginess is desired, add more lemon juice. Serve immediately. Serves six. Spinach and Lentil Soup 1 lb. fresh spinach leaves 1 mashed garlic clove 1 cup dry brown or green lentils tsp. ground cumin cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste 5 thinly sliced scai. Cut the spinach leaves in half, wash and set aside to drain. In a larger saucepan, cook the lentils in approximately four cups of water over moderate heat, cover, for 30 minutes until they are soft and mealy. Heat the dive oil in a small skillet and saute the seal! ions until they are tender, then add them with the oil to the lentils. Also add the garlic, cumin and spinach leaves. Cover the pan and cook the mixture over moderate heat for 15 minutes and when the spinach settles, add salt and pepper, mix thorouchly. The souu can be made to the desired thickens by adding more or less water. Serve it very hot as part of the main meal. Serves four. Salads are an important course in Greek dinners. The variety is endless. No matter what the season, you can always enjoy a Greek salad. If you grow your own veget- Variety a necessary spice to any cook's life. The many ethnic cooking tips that folllow should make you a connoisseur of fine foods. It to ables, do as the Greeks do. Pick vegetables that have not quite matured and boil them for your salads. Any of these salads will add a spicy variety to your meal. Mizithra Cheese-Stuffed Tomatoes (Savory Cottage Cheese) 6 large, firm tomatoes 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup of Mizithra cheese or cottage cheese3rated Parmesan cheese 3 oz. Kefalotiri cheese or 1 tbs. finely chopped Cheddar cheese, grated' ' " parsley 18 tsp. salt 1 8 tsp. oregano Cut the tomatoes in halves and remove the pulp. Mash with a fork and combine with the Mizithra and Kefalotiri cheese. Blend in the lemon juice, salt and oregano. Add the chopped tomato halves with cheese mixture and garnish with the chopped parsley. Serves six. , Baby Lima Bean Salad 2 cups cooked lima beans 1 Ibsp. combined chopped parsley V cup olive oil . dill and mint juice of one lemon 6 whole scallions, chipped fine 1 clove garlic, mashed 2 ripe, medium tomatoes tsp. salt 2 hard-boiled egg; 1 8 tsp. ground pepper In a large salad bowl, put the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and beat until completely blended. Put in the cooked lima beans and stir thoroughly. Sprinkle on the tablespoons of parsley, dill 8nd mint. Cut the tomatoes in small chunks and add with the scallions. Cut hard-boiled eggs in halves and add to the saiad. Serves six. Potatoes are a popular vegetable dish, and are easy to prepare. They are usually boiled in water and then sprinkled with oregano or roasted alongside the meat dish. Before Christianity was accepted in Greece, oregano was sprinkled on the sacrifical animals that were offered to the gods. It is still a widely used spice today. But it was essential for the meat to have oregano on it or the gods would not have considered the next properly prepared. Here is a recipe with a mint taste. New Potatoes with Mint 2 lbs. small potatoes pepper to taste 1 tbsp. salt cup chopped fresh mint cup melted butter Wash and scrub the potatoes, but leave the skins on. Put them in a saucepan and cover them with water and salt. Bring them to a boil, reduce the heat, then simmer covered until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain water and keep warm in a pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan, add it to the potatoes, season with pepper and sprinkle the mint over tham. Stir the potatoes gently with a wooden spoon to coat them with the butter and seasoning and let stand a few minutes before serving. Serves six. Potatoes to be fried are cut into round coin shapes to resemble the silver drachma coin (worth a little more than an American cent). ' Drachma Fried Potatoes 2 large potatoes, per person 2 cups oil for frying salt Peel potatoes and slice into half-inch rounds. Dry with towel. Heat oil in a large frying pan until hot. Gently place potatoes in oil and dry 10 minutes or until ready. For very crisp ptoetoes, fry only five minutes. J) r
