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blopez34

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I am thinking to prepare a Greek-style pork dish for my Christmas meal. How do people usually do it? Is it a roast? I was thinking of marinating the roast meat in a ladolemono overnight and roasting it with potatoes...

What types of sides do people serve with this, besides the potatoes?
 
I am thinking to prepare a Greek-style pork dish for my Christmas meal. How do people usually do it? Is it a roast? I was thinking of marinating the roast meat in a ladolemono overnight and roasting it with potatoes...

What types of sides do people serve with this, besides the potatoes?
My vote is to use ladolemono, but what do others think? That's what I would do to marinate it. In terms of sides, how about horta, fasolakia, maybe some moussaka?
 
Ladolemono is an awesome idea. As for sides, a pita, tiropita would be the easiest, tzatziki to accompany the pork, lahanosalata for salad. Xorta usually is not served at Christmas in Greece traditionally, that of course doesn’t mean u can’t?
 
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I always associate Horta with summer so I am not sure I would serve it at this time of year. Greeks eat seasonally so lahanosalata makes more sense because of the time of year and also because it seems to taste great with pork. Tzatziki would be delicious!!! I love the idea, too, of serving it with potatoes. This sounds like a great meal!
 
Ladolemono is an awesome idea. As for sides, a pita, tiropita would be the easiest, tzatziki to accompany the pork, lahanosalata for salad. Xorta usually is not served at Christmas in Greece traditionally, that of course doesn’t mean u can’t?
Thank you! I ended up serving pita and Lahanosalata and I skipped the Horta. You're right, it didn't make sense. :)
 

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

Do you put potatoes in your briam?

I've noticed that there are quite a few variations of briam, especially when it comes to which vegetables people include. One ingredient I'm particularly curious about is potatoes. Do you always put potatoes in your briam, or do you prefer making it without them?

I usually think of briam as a combination of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of olive oil. I love how the potatoes absorb all those wonderful flavors as everything slowly roasts together in the oven.

However, I've seen recipes that leave the potatoes out entirely and focus more on the summer vegetables. I imagine that makes the dish a little lighter.

I'm also curious whether there are regional differences in how briam is prepared throughout Greece. Does your family have a particular way of making it? And what vegetables do you consider absolutely essential?

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?
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