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Monday, 16 December 2024 07:00
Traditional Homemade Kourabiedes
Merry Christmas with these amazing festive sweet butter cookies! If you haven’t tried kourabiedes (Greek Christmas butter cookies) before, then you are certainly missing out. Soft, buttery, and fluffy with a crunchy bite and rich almond (or pistachio if you are feeling adventurous). This delicious kourabiedes recipe will definitely get you in a festive mood!
Kourabiedes are a delicious traditional Greek treat, packed with the aromas of fresh butter and roasted almonds and garnished with luscious layers of icing sugar - they are the ultimate Christmas cookie!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 45-50 Cookies
Serves: 45-50 Cookies
Ingredients
- 500 g butter, at room temperature
- 220 g icing sugar
- 1 g vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon(s) rosewater
- 30 g bitter almond liqueur, or brandy or rum
- 200-280 g almond slivers or coarsely chopped, unsalted and toasted
- 900 g all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon(s) rosewater
- 300 g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180ο C (350ο F) set to fan.
2. In a mixer’s bowl add the butter, the icing sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment at high speed, for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and white.
3. Add the vanilla powder, the rosewater, the bitter almond liqueur, and keep beating. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
4. Break down the almond slivers with your hands, in order to crumble them, and add them to a bowl. Add the flour, the salt, and put them in the mixer’s bowl.
5. Mix the mixture with a serving spoon, very softly so that it does not lose its volume. As soon as the ingredients are homogenized, mix with your hands.
6. Shape balls, 30 g each, and transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Lightly press the center with your finger and bake for 20-25 minutes.
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Greek Food & Diet
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Monday, 08 January 2018 07:00
Boiled Greek Coffee May Be The Secret To A Longer Life
Many studies have advocated drinking coffee to receive numerous health benefits – and now a new study suggests that Greek coffee may be the key to living a longer life.
Researchers from the University of Athens Medical School in Greece analyzed the link between Greek coffee and its potential benefits on cardiovascular health and found those who drank boiled Greek coffee had significantly better heart function, Counsel & Heal reported.
According to the study, only 0.1 percent of Europeans live past the age of 90. However, on an island off the coast of Greece called Ikaria, the number of people living past the age of 89 is 10 times higher than the rest of the European population. The Athens Medical School researchers were curious to understand if the islanders’ coffee consumption played a role.
To read more, please visit: Fox News
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Greek Food & Diet
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Thursday, 28 January 2016 07:00
What You Need To Know About Greek Raki (Tsikoudia)
If you’ve ever been to the Greek island of Crete, or if you have ancestors that are from the island, chances are pretty good that you’ve had a spirit called Raki. In other parts of Greece, it’s known as Tsikoudia or Tsipouro. In Italy it’s called Grappa, in Spain it’s referred to as Oruja, and in the country of Georgia it’s called Chacha. To Americans, it’s often considered a form of moonshine, especially when they learn how it’s made.
Though it isn’t readily available in the United States, Greeks are eager to send travelers home with their homemade Raki. They usually put it in clear water bottles so that it can be easily transported. So, what is Raki exactly and why are Cretans so proud of it?
Raki comes from grapes
Simply put, Raki comes from byproducts created from the wine making process. After the grapes are pressed and the juice is stored so that it can begin fermenting, there’s a lot of leftover plant material. Greeks are resourceful people and they don’t let anything go to waste!
The resulting skins, twigs, and mash, which is referred to as pomace, is stored for around six weeks before it’s distilled into Raki. In fact, as long as the plant material is edible, it can eventually be distilled into Raki. Pictured here is an old fashioned distiller that is still used today to make this alcoholic beverage in many parts of Greece.
To read more, please visit: Greek Boston
Raki comes from grapes
Simply put, Raki comes from byproducts created from the wine making process. After the grapes are pressed and the juice is stored so that it can begin fermenting, there’s a lot of leftover plant material. Greeks are resourceful people and they don’t let anything go to waste!
The resulting skins, twigs, and mash, which is referred to as pomace, is stored for around six weeks before it’s distilled into Raki. In fact, as long as the plant material is edible, it can eventually be distilled into Raki. Pictured here is an old fashioned distiller that is still used today to make this alcoholic beverage in many parts of Greece.
To read more, please visit: Greek Boston
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Greek Food & Diet
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Wednesday, 06 October 2021 07:00
How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Greek Coffee
Greek coffee is a strongly brewed coffee that can be found all over Greece, a staple of the Greek diet, and an integral part of the country's culture. According to studies, Greek coffee has major health benefits, going as far as to say that drinking a cup of Elliniko kafe a day can increase your lifespan!
To make Greek coffee, you'll need a briki, a metal (copper is best) pot with a long handle. Brikis come in many different sizes–anything between 2 and 6 cups is acceptable. However, keep in mind that if you're serving more than 6 cups at a time, you'll need to do it in stages.
To make Greek coffee, you'll need a briki, a metal (copper is best) pot with a long handle. Brikis come in many different sizes–anything between 2 and 6 cups is acceptable. However, keep in mind that if you're serving more than 6 cups at a time, you'll need to do it in stages.
What You'll Need
1. Greek Coffee
2. A briki
3. Water
4. Sugar
5. Demitasse cups
How To Make It
Step1: Take however many demitasse cups are needed and fill each with water. Then, pour the water from each cup into the briki. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of Greek coffee into the briki for each demitasse cup.
Step 2: Add sugar as needed: 1 teaspoon for metrios (medium) 2 for glykos (sweet)
Step 3: Put the briki on a gas burner and turn it on to medium-low heat.
Step 4: After a few minutes when it starts to get warm, continuously stir the mixture until it dissolves. Once all is dissolved, stop stirring.Continue to slowly heat and watch for the foam to rise and take it off right before it begins to boil. (This foam is called kaïmaki) and the richer the foam, the better the coffee.
Step 5: If it’s just one cup, pour and enjoy. However, if there is more than one, pour a little into each cup, then go back to the first, and fill up each cup to the top. The reason for this is that you spread the foam to each of the cups so it will be present in each person's coffee.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your coffee!
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Greek Food & Diet
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Thursday, 18 February 2016 07:00
Apple Cake / Milopita
Milopita (Μηλόπιτα) or apple cake is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast in Greece. So moist, chock full of sweet, juicy apples and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, milopita is a delicate breakfast or dessert that will become a fast favorite in your house!
This simple to bake recipe is a great way to use up apples that might be a little too bruised or old to eat on their own. And you can choose to mix in chopped walnuts or golden raisins for an apple cake with even more texture and tastes.
The apples for this cake are sliced, baked and chopped to your preferred size. Apple cider adds another layer of yum and helps to make milopita light and airy. I always like to freshly grind the cardamom seeds as they bump up the flavor and are the perfect complement to apples.
To bake your apples, just peel, core, thinly slice and layer in a baking pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. This is about 5 minutes less than you would bake them for Oven Baked Apples and leaves your milopita apples with a little bit of crunch and a bit more texture.
You can do this step ahead and keep your baked apples covered, refrigerated for 3-4 days.
To read more, including Ingredients, please visit: Greek Vegan
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Greek Food & Diet
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Friday, 12 February 2016 07:00
Stuffed Tomatoes Filled With Love - For Valentine's Day
The perfect Valentine’s Day meal may very well be Greek stuffed tomatoes (ντομάτες γεμιστές). Simply delicious, gorgeous red and filled with love.
The crunch of the pine nuts and sweetness of the red currants in this recipe are just amazing and bring so much to the dish so do try and find both, if possible. It’s also a good idea to take an extra minute in the grocery store to choose large, meaty tomatoes all of approximate similar size and shape. This will help to ensure even cooking and will be prettier on your plate!
You can easily make the filling ahead up to 5 days and keep covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Just remember to bring filling to room temperature before filling.
Ingredients
•8 medium/large tomatoes
•1 cup chopped onion
•1 cup (uncooked) rice
•1⁄2 cup olive oil
•1⁄4 cup currants
•1⁄4 cup pine nuts
•1⁄4 cup fresh mint
•1⁄4 cup fresh dill
•2 cups water
•1 1⁄2 tsp salt and pepper
•1 cup of tomato insides, mashed
•3⁄4 cup warm water (in addition to 2 cups above)
To read more, and Instructions on how to prepare, please visit: Pappas Post
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Greek Food & Diet
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Tuesday, 23 February 2016 07:00
Revithia Sto Fourno / Baked Chickpeas
Revithia sto fourno, baked chickpeas, is something everyone MUST make at least once – it’s just that good. Using only five of the most ordinary of ingredients, this positively perfect authentic, rustic peasant dish is a cinch to make for the modern home cook.
Two big time-savers include subbing in canned chickpeas (good quality, of course) for dried and making your caramelized onions up to 4 days ahead. Fresh chopped rosemary, olive oil and salt/pepper round out your shopping list for this one so seriously, give it a try – YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
Of course, when you have the time, it’s always good to start with dried beans and boil your own so I’ve included the boiling directions below. As I mentioned above though, it’s absolutely acceptable to substitute canned chickpeas here. Either way you go, remember to RESERVE either 2 cups of boiling liquid or 2 cups of the canning liquid to use in the recipe. It helps give an really nice, extra creaminess to the beans.
And caramelizing the onions is easy to do especially with the oven method shared here. It’s honestly just a matter of setting aside the time to peel and slice the onions. The amount written may seem like more than you need but the thing is the onions really shrink down to a fraction of their original volume. Their sensational sugary, golden brown goodness infuses right into your chickpeas while they’re baking so they’re a KEY ingredient here. Just jump right in, start with one onion and they’ll just fly, you’ll be finished in no time!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried chickpeas (soacked and boiled until tender) or four 15oz cans
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 cups reserved boiling liquid from chickpeas, or liquid from can
- 1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups caramelized onions
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Greek Food & Diet
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Sunday, 03 April 2016 07:00
Tahini & Chocolate Mousse
This guilt-free dessert is perfect for lent and all the health-conscious chocolate lovers out there. It's easy to make, dairy-free, and full of healthy fats and antioxidants. The avocado and tahini combination may seem questionable, but it adds a unique element that will surely please your taste buds.
Serves: 2
Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 TBS tahini
¼ cup almond milk
1 TBS chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 TBS cacao powder
8 drops liquid stevia
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
Spoon mousse into a glass jar or cup and chill slightly before eating.
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Greek Food & Diet
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Tuesday, 12 April 2016 07:00
Vegan Olive Oil And Orange Cookies
Not all desserts have to be chocolate, right? Try these vegan olive oil and orange cookies, which align perfectly with the healthy mediterranean diet. This recipe is a great way to give in to your sweet tooth without feeling guilty.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 200 g olive oil
- 120 g orange juice
- Grated zest from 1 orange
- 200 g granulated sugar
- ½ cup cognac
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 600 g flour
- A generous amount of sesame seeds (optional)
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Greek Food & Diet
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Monday, 16 May 2016 07:00
Traditional Greek Bulgur Salad - Pligourisalata
There is no better time than Spring to make a traditional Greek Bulgur salad as a tasty and light meal. Kiki Vagianos, from The Greek Vegan, shares a favorite vegan dish that uses the traditional Greek bulgur and is similar to tabouli. This bulgur salad is loaded with nutrients, filled with fresh vegetables and herbs and dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil.
Kiki says bulgur salad is one of her favorite quick lunches. With a pita pocket stuffed with hummus and a few big spoonfuls of bulgur salad – you’ll never feel that 3pm slump with this for lunch, she promises you!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried bulgur (soaked in 1/2 cup water for 1 hour)
- 3 cups chopped parsley (just under a bunch)
- 2 cups chopped cilantro (approx 1/2 bunch)
- 1 cup chopped mint (1/3 of a bunch)
- 2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 tsp salt/pepper
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
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Greek Food & Diet
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