1 - 5 of 5 Posts

d_kakavouli

Active member
Does anyone know if Greeks cook with asparagus? All my traditional Greek family recipes use vegetables like tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, okra... I have nothing that involves asparagus! Is this because Greeks really don't use it, or is there another reason?

Now that they are coming to be in season where I live, I want to start experimenting. I just roasted some and finished it with ladolemono. It was delicious. What else can I do with them?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Laura48
Does anyone know if Greeks cook with asparagus? All my traditional Greek family recipes use vegetables like tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, okra... I have nothing that involves asparagus! Is this because Greeks really don't use it, or is there another reason?

Now that they are coming to be in season where I live, I want to start experimenting. I just roasted some and finished it with ladolemono. It was delicious. What else can I do with them?
A while back my husband made a puff pastry tart with asparagus, minted pea purée and red onions. It was absolutely delicious and I suppose filo could be used for a more Greek experience.
 
Does anyone know if Greeks cook with asparagus? All my traditional Greek family recipes use vegetables like tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, artichokes, okra... I have nothing that involves asparagus! Is this because Greeks really don't use it, or is there another reason?

Now that they are coming to be in season where I live, I want to start experimenting. I just roasted some and finished it with ladolemono. It was delicious. What else can I do with them?
Asparagus is not so mainstream in Greece. That dosent mean that they don’t use asparagus in dishes. Until recently asparagus was foraged. Greece didn’t have asparagus cultivated on its land, I remember my Papou would go out in the fields and come back with various xorta plus Asparagus. They were very thin and not hefty like the ones we are accustomed to in the United States. My grandmother would usually make them into an asparagus omelet. Now a days, you can find asparagus in the supermarkets, but they tend to be very expensive. Cultivating them is still not so main stream. There are very few cultivators usually in the northern part of Greece.
 
  • Like
Reactions: d_kakavouli
Asparagus is not so mainstream in Greece. That dosent mean that they don’t use asparagus in dishes. Until recently asparagus was foraged. Greece didn’t have asparagus cultivated on its land, I remember my Papou would go out in the fields and come back with various xorta plus Asparagus. They were very thin and not hefty like the ones we are accustomed to in the United States. My grandmother would usually make them into an asparagus omelet. Now a days, you can find asparagus in the supermarkets, but they tend to be very expensive. Cultivating them is still not so main stream. There are very few cultivators usually in the northern part of Greece.
This is interesting - I suspected it wasn't common but wanted to check. I remember hearing about foraging and finding asparagus. Do you know if it is native or if it escaped from gardens? If it's available in Greece now it probably came from elsewhere, like Germany?
 
I have never seen it at all in Greece, but I always wondered if it was because I hadn't been in Greece when it was in season!
 

Best way to make saganaki?

I went to a restaurant the other day and they lit the saganaki on fire! When I make saganaki at home, I don't do that - mainly because my recipe doesn't call for it.

How does one incorporate the fire into creating the dish?

From what I can tell, the restaurant prepares the saganaki and then before they bring it out, I think they douse it in ouzo and let it with a torch on the way to the table.

It's a fun thing to watch. It kind of freaks me out at home - mainly because I would be merely guessing at this point. Any ideas?

Making Greek lemon potatoes?

I just had lemon potatoes at a restaurant and although I know how to cook Greek food, somehow I have never made this!

I took my best guess (I didn't look up a recipe) and it didn't taste great. Basically, I made a Ladolemono, drizzled it on the potatoes, and roasted them.

They never really got crispy - so my next thought is that I put too much of the ladolemono.

So the next time I made them, I put less of the ladolemono. I couldn't really taste the lemon.

Next, I am going to look up a recipe, but meanwhile I am curious what you guys do to make these.

How to Make Greek Yogurt at Home?

I have a yogurt machine and have been making yogurt with varying degrees of success. I decided I wanted to try making Greek yogurt! Now what? Some questions:

  • What kind of milk should I use?
  • What starter should I use?
  • Do I have to strain it?
I can't think of anything else to ask. I am also thinking of calling the yogurt machine company and asking them...

greek-yogurt.jpg

Most common seafood in Greece?

What is the most common seafood in Greece?

I recall having an abundance of delicious, fresh caught seafood but I can't remember the names of most of the fish. I had delicious octopus and that's the only thing I remember for sure.

I am going to Greece again - I thought I would try to figure what are some fish and other seafood, besides octopus, that I should look forward to?

I see octopus everywhere. I think I may have eaten fresh sardines at one point. Maybe some calamari and a different kind of lobster, too...

Bougatsa Recipe to Try

I went to Greece and loved the Bougatsa I used to buy on the street. I thought I would share a recipe I found. I have never made it before. Does this look like the real deal? I don't want to dive in, only to realize the recipe was flawed from the beginning.

Ingredients​

For the Custard:​

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup fine semolina
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

For the Assembly:​

  • 1 package (about 1 pound) phyllo dough, thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Instructions​

Preparing the Custard:​

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and half the sugar over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and semolina. Add the eggs and whisk until the mixture is smooth and pale.
  3. Gradually temper the egg mixture by adding a cup of the warm milk while whisking constantly. Then, slowly pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continuously.
  4. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest (if using), and set aside to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.

Preparing the Phyllo:​

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Carefully unroll the phyllo dough. Cover the sheets with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
  3. Lay one sheet of phyllo in the prepared dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering and buttering each sheet until you have used about half of the phyllo.
  4. Pour the custard over the phyllo layers, spreading evenly.

Assembly and Baking:​

  1. Continue layering and buttering the remaining phyllo sheets on top of the custard.
  2. Using a sharp knife, score the top layers of phyllo into pieces – this will make cutting the bougatsa easier after baking.
  3. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp.
  4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  5. Before serving, sift generously with confectioners' sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon to taste.
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