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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.
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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
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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
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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)
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