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axariotisxy

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I love making soups in winter and I thought I'd share with you my favorites. What are yours?

Avgolemono - A classic - my family used to make this once a week! The ultimate comfort food for me.

Fasolada - I will be making this soon - I found a bag of the white beans in my pantry.

Revithosoupa - this one is an easy supper for me - I use canned chickpeas, which I always have on hand.

Kakavia - I love to eat this and order it at restaurants when I see it. It's a lot of work to make, but when I do make it, it's totally worth it.
 
Mine is kotosoupa, which is, strangely, what Americans call Avgolemono.. if you ask for avgolemono in Greece you'll get the sauce that goes on dolmades.

Lentils, fasolada, and patsa are all a close second.
 
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I love making soups in winter and I thought I'd share with you my favorites. What are yours?

Avgolemono - A classic - my family used to make this once a week! The ultimate comfort food for me.

Fasolada - I will be making this soon - I found a bag of the white beans in my pantry.

Revithosoupa - this one is an easy supper for me - I use canned chickpeas, which I always have on hand.

Kakavia - I love to eat this and order it at restaurants when I see it. It's a lot of work to make, but when I do make it, it's totally worth it.
Avgolemeno and mageritsa (lamb tripe soup)
 
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These all sound great - I eat mageritsa once a year and love it - I have never made it though. Thanks for sharing ... And yes, I noticed that about kotosoupa - it also doesn't seem as common in Greece as it is in the United States? Unless I just didn't look for it in Greece...
 
These all sound great - I eat mageritsa once a year and love it - I have never made it though. Thanks for sharing ... And yes, I noticed that about kotosoupa - it also doesn't seem as common in Greece as it is in the United States? Unless I just didn't look for it in Greece...
Kotosoupa is just as common in Greece as it is in the United States. Giouvarlakia is another good one!
 
My favorites are lentil soup, avgolemono chicken soup, and the Greek tomato soup with orzo. Granted, the tomato soup doesn't taste as good this time of year as it does during the summer, but I still love it.
 

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?

What is your favorite Greek potato dish?

Potatoes show up in so many Greek meals, and I think they are often at their best when they soak up plenty of olive oil, lemon, herbs, and cooking juices.

Greek lemon potatoes are probably the first thing that comes to mind for me. I love when they are roasted until they are soft inside, a little crisp around the edges, and full of lemon and oregano. Potatoes cooked alongside chicken or lamb are also hard to beat because they absorb so much flavor from the pan.

I also enjoy simple boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and salt, especially with fish or grilled meat.

What Greek potato dish do you make most often? Do you prefer lemon potatoes, potatoes roasted with meat, fried potatoes, or something else? And is there a particular seasoning or family method that makes your version especially good?

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

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?

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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