Category: Greek

Tonight’s Potato Salad

Tonight I made the potato salad without really paying attention to the fact that I had promised to post the recipe.  I just made it on “auto-cook”.

So here’s what I think I did using…

16 – 19 small red skin potatoes – scrupulously cleaned and cut in equal sizes
1 red onion – sliced in half moons and separated
3-4 large hard boiled eggs – sliced
One head of celery @ six or seven stalks – diced
1 tbsp of oregano
1 tbsp of basil
1 tbsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of salt
Pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes for 12 minutes in salted water until done.  They are done when a fork or knife can be easily removed after inserting.
Drain potatoes and set drain in ice bath to stop cooking for 5 minutes. Drain again.
In a large bowl mix potatoes, celery, onion and eggs.  Add oregano, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and mix.
Dressing
In a jar mix:
1 1/2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of lemon juice
1 tbsp of mustard
Put the lid on the jar and shake until the dressing is emulsified.
Pour on potato salad and mix.

How to make a Greek Salad

1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 Romaine lettuce
3 large tomatoes
1/2 red onion (or you can substitute with green scallions)
1 large cucumber rinsed and peeled (I prefer seedless greenhouse)
1 lb of Greek or French feta ( I prefer French sheeps milk feta )
1 can of sliced beets
@20 Black Kalamata olives – pitted

Into a lettuce spinner add iceberg lettuce, ripped by hand into small pieces. You can cut the romaine lettuce with a knife because it doesn’t bruise/brown like iceberg. Add cut Romaine into lettuce spinner, rinse well, drain and spin until all the moisture is gone.

Into a large bowl add both lettuce.  Cut the peeled cucumber in thin halved slices and add.  Cut the tomatoes in small wedges  and add.  (Be sure to remove the circle core at the top of the tomato.) Cut the red onion into half moon slices and add. Drain and rinse the beets. Cut the beet slices in half and add. Add the olives. Cut the feta into small cubes and add. Toss gently.

Greek salad dressing
Into a jar mix:
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp of dijon mustard (acts as an emulsifier)
Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until blended.
Add dressing to the salad to your taste and toss again. Any dressing left over can be kept in reserve in the jar. (I like my salad drenched!)

A recipe for life

2 cups of Friendship
4 cups of Love
2 cups of Forgiveness
3 cups of Loyalty
3 spoons of Tenderness
5 spoons of Hope
6 quarts of Faith
2 barrels of Laughter

Take Friendship and Love and mix with Tenderness
Blend thoroughly with Loyalty, add Hope and Faith
Sprinkle with Forgiveness
Serve daily with abundant laughter.
This is from Holy Cross Salad Cookbook by the Ladies Auxiliary of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church June 9 1983

Roast Chicken with Potatoes

5 to 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
(I prefer hormone and antibiotic free)
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of water or white wine
6 to 8 small red skin potatoes cut in quarters (with peel but scrupulously cleaned)
Juice of one large lemon
One large crushed and diced garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder
Oregano, Basil and Salt and Pepper

Place chicken in a small roasting pan. Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in the pan around the chicken. (Sometimes I put the potatoes under the chicken.) Drizzle olive oil on chicken and potatoes.  Sprinkle with garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Pour lemon juice, water or wine all over chicken and potatoes. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour. Baste occasionally with pan juice.