Monday, March 9, 2009

Papa's Lamb Shanks


The staple of Greek cuisine is Lamb. An outstanding Greek Restaurant is rated by its Lamb Dishes and lamb sandwiches. This Lamb Shank dish is the "King" of Lamb dishes. This recipe was cooked in our family's kitchen mostly on holidays especially Easter. This particular recipe is prepared with rubbing herbs and spices on each leg shank placing in oven with potatoes prepared the same way in large wedges. The lamb must be in the oven for over 5 hours at 300 degrees. This would be planned from the night before since it takes so long for cooking. It is also covered for the first 4 1/2 hours and the last 1/2 hour the lamb cooks without a cover for color. Serving this with vegetable is a good option since it tends to have a lot of meat on the bone. Each lamb shank is usually over 14 oz before cooking. This is also served with lemon dill sauce that makes it a great treat. This is Lamb dish should be "falling off the bone" to be a great success as a meal and and a great meal to remember as a Greek food favorite.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Strawberry Cheesecake Baklava


Everyone loves desserts or pastries. Not as much in the U.S., but in Greece there is a pastry and homemade ice cream shop in each corner. It is the neighborhood favorite. In Montreal, my wife's hometown, there is three pastry shops within a block of each other. In general people love baklava but they might go outside the box if it looks and sounds good. This Baklava gets creative and goes outside the box without the the walnut with cinnamon baklava that you would be used to seeing in a baklava. I start with the homemade cheesecake and topped it with the strawberry glaze. Wrap it inside the fillo with some buttered layers, and bake it til it's golder brown, then drizzle it with honey syrup when coming out of the oven. When it cools off I sprinkle some powder sugar on top and then you dive in. This to die for. This piece is made for two "this way you can share with your better half" and still feel satisfied at the end.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Falafel Greek Salad


For the Falafel itself, I start out with Fava beans, ground them down, mix the cilantro, fresh green onion,
and the mix of spices, then we fry the falafel golden brown. This of course is not a mix out of a box.
This is an authentic Egyptian falafel recipe that I have. It is one of the few recipes that I have that is not Greek from our region. The Greek Salad itself is mixed with the Iceberg and Romaine lettuce and surrounded by sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, banana peppers, and topped with crumbled feta cheese and kalamata olives. The falafel is set on top and a side of the Greek dressing to pour over and enjoy. Try this! It is a great alternative to a meatless salad with flavor you have been waiting for. Most guests I talk to cannot believe I use actual Fava beans and it is not a mix.

Pecan Birdsnest Baklava



Roasted Pecans have this great deep delicious flavor when are eaten with a little honey syrup. This baklava is filled with homemade custard and swirled, then on top go the roasted pecans with some cinnamon and our special recipe of pecans with a drizzle of honey syrup. It is recomended that you would warm this baklava up because it brings out the flavors and makes the custard on the inside more tasty. Check it out! It is a pretty big size piece. I would not pass it up.