Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Greek "Dips" for a Barbecue

1 - 8 of 8 Posts
K

knicks_fan87

Active member
I am serving a lot of Greek foods at a barbecue I will be hosting next month. I am starting to plan the menu now. There will be on the grill- lamb chops, chicken souvlaki, and loukaniko. There will also be Greek salad, fasolakia, and other miscellaneous dishes (I am not sure what yet). I like to have some dips and spreads laid out, both to accompany the grill foods, and to serve with bread.

Any advice? Definitely tzatziki, but was thinking of having something else, like kopanisti- but the issue with that is I am not sure I want to leave that outside.
 
Yes, I can see your dilemma, but wouldn’t the same apply for the tzatziki as well. I say make them both throw in there a melitzanosalata or a tarama dip and place the bowls on top of ice therefore no spoilage will take place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rízes Hellenic Genealogy
knicks_fan87 said:
I am serving a lot of Greek foods at a barbecue I will be hosting next month. I am starting to plan the menu now. There will be on the grill- lamb chops, chicken souvlaki, and loukaniko. There will also be Greek salad, fasolakia, and other miscellaneous dishes (I am not sure what yet). I like to have some dips and spreads laid out, both to accompany the grill foods, and to serve with bread.

Any advice? Definitely tzatziki, but was thinking of having something else, like kopanisti- but the issue with that is I am not sure I want to leave that outside.
Click to expand...
tirokafteri tzatziki taramosalata melitzanosalata htipiti and some kind of hummus
 
knicks_fan87 said:
I am serving a lot of Greek foods at a barbecue I will be hosting next month. I am starting to plan the menu now. There will be on the grill- lamb chops, chicken souvlaki, and loukaniko. There will also be Greek salad, fasolakia, and other miscellaneous dishes (I am not sure what yet). I like to have some dips and spreads laid out, both to accompany the grill foods, and to serve with bread.

Any advice? Definitely tzatziki, but was thinking of having something else, like kopanisti- but the issue with that is I am not sure I want to leave that outside.
Click to expand...
Skordalia is always a hit and easy to prepare
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rízes Hellenic Genealogy
I would suggest Melitzanosalata but not the one velvet spread but the more rustic version called "Agioritiki". The eggplants are grilled the red peppers also. You chop everything with a knife, add parsley, olive oil, vinegar, and of course garlic.
 
Not sure if you already had that BBQ but I would save the following:

- Melizanosalata
- Tzatziki
- Spicy Feta Dip (don't know the greek name)
- Fava Dip
 
k_tsoukalas said:
Not sure if you already had that BBQ but I would save the following:

- Melizanosalata
- Tzatziki
- Spicy Feta Dip (don't know the greek name)
- Fava Dip
Click to expand...
I like this idea! Thank you
 
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

What is the secret to making really good Greek lemon potatoes?

I've been making Greek lemon potatoes for years, and it's one of those dishes I make completely by feel. I don't measure anything, and I never really thought about how I make them because it's all second nature to me.

Recently, I tried teaching someone how to make them. Everything seemed straightforward while we were cooking together, but when they went home and tried making them on their own, all kinds of things went wrong! The potatoes weren't cooking evenly, the texture wasn't quite right, and the lemon flavor didn't come through the way it should.

It made me realize how much I rely on instinct when cooking traditional Greek food. I rarely write down recipes, so explaining every little detail is harder than I expected!

For those who make Greek lemon potatoes regularly, what tips would you give someone who's just learning?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top