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ssherie_

Active member
I love grilling in the summer - I tend to make whole meals on the grill! Baked potatoes, corn, vegetables, meats.... I don't always do Greek-style grilling but it is one of my favorites. I start by marinating the meat in an olive oil and lemon type marinade that I make from scratch. I don't always do this, sometimes I just rub garlic and put oregano, salt, and pepper on the meat and don't marinate it.

For vegetables I like to make foil packets with mixed veggies. I add olive oil, salt, pepper - I use whatever I have.

What do you guys like to do for grilling (Greek style or otherwise!)...?
 
I love grilling in the summer - I tend to make whole meals on the grill! Baked potatoes, corn, vegetables, meats.... I don't always do Greek-style grilling but it is one of my favorites. I start by marinating the meat in an olive oil and lemon type marinade that I make from scratch. I don't always do this, sometimes I just rub garlic and put oregano, salt, and pepper on the meat and don't marinate it.

For vegetables I like to make foil packets with mixed veggies. I add olive oil, salt, pepper - I use whatever I have.

What do you guys like to do for grilling (Greek style or otherwise!)...?
i love to grill in the summer. Even though there are some amazing summer dishes that need to be cooked in the oven like gemista or imam, but nothing can beat some chicken souvlakia and a side of tzatziki.
I usually grill chicken that has salt pepper and then I drizzle it with ladolemono. I grill eggplants and peppers and make that into a side dish with some fresh garlic salt, pepper, parsley and olive oil. Sometimes when I’m lazy and the kids want pizza I use the pita bread (not pocket) and I add some pizza sauce and cheese and grill that as well.
 
I love grilling pizza! I do the same thing with pita bread or I will even get one of those Boboli crusts. I like to grill meats (of course), and I also grill packets of cut up vegetables, corn on the cob, etc. I always have tzatziki around to go with the meat!
 

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

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?

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!
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