Filipino Chicken (recipe by Amit Kmbrly)

Ingredients

4 -5 lbs. chicken thighs

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and marinate chicken for 1-3 hours. Bring to boil, then lower heat. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Fay's home made Mousaka

Ingredients:

3-4 eggplants, about 4 lbs. total  

1 lb. potatoes

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or lamb)

2 large onions, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs chicken powder 

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1 cup tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups plain breadcrumbs

2egg  lightly beaten for bechamel)

1 cup grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

1/2cup water

Bechamel Sauce:

1 cup salted butter 

1 cup flour

4 cups milk, warm

Pinch of ground nutmeg 

Preparation:

Prep the Vegetables 

Peel the potatoes and and slice the egg plant in 1/2 inch thick slices and put in separate large shallow trays and drizzle  with a bit of oil salt and pepper and roast them in the oven until they are just done and get a bit of colour.  They should not get too dark or soft, just cooked enough so that they no longer crunch. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

When eggplant and potatoes Has finished cooking, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Make the Meat Filling:

In a large sauté pan, brown the ground beef (or lamb) until the pink color disappears. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add to pan  with mince tomato paste chicken stock end allow it to sauté and reduce a bit before adding cinnamon, allspice, parsley, crushed tomatoes. Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for approximately 15 minutes so that excess liquid can evaporate. It should be a drier, chunkier, tomato sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper water and cook until reduced 

Make the Béchamel Sauce:

Melt butter over low heat. Using a whisk, add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth paste. Allow the flour to cook for a minute but do not allow it to brown.

Add warmed milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously.

Simmer over low heat until it thickens a bit but does not boil.

Remove from heat, and stir in beaten egg yolks and pinch of nutmeg. Return to heat and stir until sauce thickens.

Assemble the Moussaka:

Lightly grease a large deep baking pan (lasagna pan). Sprinkle the bottom of pan with breadcrumbs. Leaving a 1/4 inch space around the edges of the pan, place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Top with a layer of eggplant slices.

Add meat sauce on top of eggplant layer and sprinkle with 1/4 of the grated cheese. Top with another layer of eggplant slices and sprinkle once again with 1/4 of the grated cheese.

Pour the béchamel sauce over the eggplant and be sure to allow sauce to fill the sides and corners of the pan. Smooth the béchamel on top with a spatula and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until béchamel sauce is a nice golden brown color. Allow to cool for 15 – 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Vine leaves from Rhodes Island Greece

 Tradition Kalymnian and greek Islands Fila is a Sunday meal in every islander  house! I make two lots one with meant and egg and lemon sauce and the other traditional Kalymnien recipe with just mince onion tomatoes rice salt and pepper and they both my family love! You got to keep up the traditions my friends! Here us a recipe that us made in Rhodes

 

 

Ingredients 

300g vine leaves 

1 kg minced beef

59g pinecone

1 bunch Dill chopped 

1 bunch Parsley chopped 

2 onions diced 

3 cups of rice short grain 

1 cup of Olive oil 

Salt

 Black Pepper: freshly ground 

vegetable cube: 1 (optional)

Avgolemono: for serving (optional)

Method

Heat half the olive oil and saute the chopped onions for 3-4, until wilted. Add the pine nuts and continue sautéing for another 2-3. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.

In a bowl add the mince and then dill and chopped parsley, rice and mix with onions and pine nuts. Add salt and pepper and knead until homogenous materials.

Blanch the leaves in boiling water and drain. Put each leaf of a tablespoon filling and wrap tightly. Repeat the process, filling all leaves with the mince mixture. Post sarmadakia in wide circular pot. Pour the remaining oil and add 1 cup of warm water and vegetable cube. Cover the dish with sarmadakia and simmer for 1 hour 10. Serve warm, plain or with egg and lemon sauce.

Fay's Lamb Casserole with Risoni Pasta ( Manestra)

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lbs. shoulder lamb

1/2 cup butter or olive oil

1 finely chopped onion

4 tomatoes

Pepper

Salt

1 lb. Manestra (small pasta the size of rice)

1 cup grated Kefalotiri Cheese

Directions:

Cut meat into 5-6 serving pieces and put it in a casserole (yiovetsi) or in a slow cooker

Add butter, onion, peeled and diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and bake in a hot oven for 1 hour or until tender. Or in slow cooker for 4-6 hours on high for meat then add 6 cups of hot water and the Risoni and cook for 20 minutes on high  

For the oven Add 6 cups boiling water and manestra, and stir well.

Cover and continue baking for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve at once with cheese.

 

Melitzanes papoutsakia’ recipe – Variations ( Recipe by My Greek Dish )

To prepare this delicious Greek stuffed eggplant dish (‘melitzanes papoutsakia’ recipe), the eggplants are first seasoned and baked until soft and sweet and then stuffed with a delicious tomato based meat sauce, topped with a cheesy béchamel sauce and baked to golden perfection.. One can find two variations of this traditional Greek recipe, which are both included. The most well known is the Greek stuffed eggplant recipe using béchamel sauce, while the other calls for creamy potato based puree for the topping. Both are delicious, so it’s up to you to decide! Serve this impressive Greek stuffed eggplant dish (melitzanes papoutsakia) with a nice Greek salad and some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Ingredients

5 eggplants or mixture of Zucchini eggplants and potatoes 

500g minced beef (18 oz.)

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 glass of red wine

1 tin chopped tomatoes or tomato juice (passata)

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp oregano

100g grated kefalotyri or any hard yellow cheese (3.5 oz.)

olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 tbsps chopped parsley

For the mashed potatoes

4 large potatoes, boiled

50g milk (1.7 oz.)

1 tbsp butter

2 egg yolks

For the béchamel sauce

100g flour (3.5 ounces)

100g butter (3.5 ounces)

900ml milk (3 and 3/4 cups)

2 egg yolks

a pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

To prepare these extra juicy shoe-shaped ‘melitzanes papoutsakia’ recipe, cut the eggplants in two pieces and carve them crosswise (the flesh). Season the eggplants and place them in a colander for about half an hour. Wash them with plenty of water and drain them on some kitchen paper.

Preheat the oven at 200C. Season the eggplants with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place the eggplants (with the skin facing up) in a baking pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake the eggplants for 40 minutes, until softened.

In the meantime, prepare the meat sauce for the ‘papoutsakia’. Peel and chop the onions and garlic. Place a large pan on medium heat, add some olive oil and the onions and sauté, until softened. Stir in the garlic and sauté. Turn the heat up, add the minced beef breaking it up with your spoon and sauté. Deglaze with the red wine and wait 1-2 minutes to evaporate. Stir in the canned tomatoes, the cinnamon stick, a pinch of sugar, the oregano and season. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes, until most of the juices have evaporated. At the end, add 1-2 handfuls grated cheese and chopped parsley and stir.

Prepare the béchamel sauce for the Greek stuffed eggplant. Use a large pan to melt some butter over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in a steady stream; keep whisking in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat while continuing to stir. Remove the pan from the stove, stir in the egg yolks and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette!

If you choose to top these Greek stuffed eggplant dish with mashed potatoes, boil the potatoes in hot water for 10 -15 minutes, until soft. Add them in a food processor, along with the milk, butter, the egg yolks, freshly ground pepper and mix until smooth.

Layer the eggplants at the bottom of a baking pan, with the skin down. Remove some of the flesh, to make room for the filling. Sprinkle the eggplants with some grated cheese and spoon the meat sauce on top of each piece. Top with the béchamel sauce or mashed potatoes and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake the ‘melitzanes papoutsakia’ at 180C for 20 minutes, until nicely coloured.

Serve this delicious Greek stuffed eggplant dish as a starter or main dish with a nice Greek salad and some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Fay's Kleftiko

Materials

2 pounds, Lamb  cut into small portions

1/2kg Slice hard feta cheese 

1 cup Parmesan cheese , diced

Garlic: 6-7 cloves, cut into slices

Butter: 3-4 tbsp

Tomatoes: 3 medium, quartered

Salt: a little

Pepper: freshly ground 

Dried oregano

baking sheets: 12

Method: 

Wash the meat with plenty of cold water and allow to drain well. Then salt and pepper and sprinkle some dried oregano and leave aside.

Take a baking sheet and brush with butter. Place 2-3 pieces of meat, a little cheese, a little garlic, a small piece of tomato and 1 teaspoon butter and fold it so it shut the meat. Similarly created and the remaining packets by baking sheets, in order to use all materials.

Place the packets on a large pot or ovenproof dish. Pour 1 cup of warm water and put the pan in the oven at 170 ° C. Bake for 4-5 hours. Open packets carefully and serve hot food.

Fay's Fasolada ( Greek Bean Soup)

Fasolada ( Greek Baked Beans in tomato sauce) is a Greek peasant food which is always served with side dishes which include fried fresh anchovies, or salted Greek  salad feta cheese olives and fresh crusty bread. 

Here is the recipe for the Fasolada (Greek Baked beans) 

Ingredients

500g dry white cannelloni beans 

2-3 carrots, finely chopped

1 large red onion, finely chopped

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

130ml extra virgin olive oil (1/2 cup)

1 diced capsicum 

2 tbsps tomato paste

I tin of diced Tomatoes 

a pinch of paprika (hot or sweet, according to preferance)

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Instructions

To prepare the fasolada (Greek bean soup), place the beans in a slow cooker with plenty of cold water to cover them. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to medium and parboil for 30-35 minutes, until slightly tender. Drain in colander and set aside.

Finely chop the onion, celery and carrots. Add 3-4 tbsps of olive oil in a deep pan, add the chopped vegetables and blend. Sauté for about 2 minutes and add the tomato paste and continue sautéing for a minute.

Add the parboiled beans in the slow cooker and pour in enough boiling water to cover the beans and little bit more and blend lightly. Place the lid on slow cooker and simmer the fasolada for about 8 hours on slow until the beans are tender.

Towards the end of cooking time, pour in the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Boil for a few more minutes, until the soup becomes thick and creamy. Enjoy!

Italian beef-ragu

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic

2 celery stalks chopped

2 carrot chopped

4 rashers of bacon diced

1kg gravy beef

Big handful of herbs (oregano and basil)

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp beef stock

100g red wine

50g Worcestershire sauce

200g tomato puree

Salt and pepper to taste

Add carrots and celery to blender bowl and chop on Speed 5 for 2 seconds.  SET ASIDE.

Add onion and garlic to bowl and chop on Speed 5 for 3 seconds.  In a frypan Add bacon, 20g oil and celery/carrot mix all other veggies and sauté for 5 min 

Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and cook for 45 minutes at low heat 

Cook for a further 15 minutes on medium

Serve in Piadinas, with pasta or mash/vegetables.

Sausages with onion gravy & mash

INGREDIENTS

4 (about 600g) sebago (washed) potatoes, peeled, quartered

125ml (1/2 cup) milk

40g butter, softened

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 thick beef sausages

1 large red onion, halved, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon plain flour

60ml (1/4 cup) dry red wine

330ml (1 1/3 cups) beef stock

1/4 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley

Steamed broccolini, to serve

Steamed baby (Dutch) carrots, to serve or any veggies of your choice 

Method

Step 1

Place the potato in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Place over low heat, gently shaking the pan, for 2 minutes or until potato is dry. Remove from heat. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth.

Step 2

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Gradually add the milk and butter to the potato and mash until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Step 4

Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until combined. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the combined wine and stock. Return to heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Add the sausages and turn to coat in the gravy.

Step 5

Spoon potato among serving plates. Top with sausages and gravy, and serve with broccolini and carrots, if desired or any vegetable of your choice. 

Fay's Lamb shanks Casserole

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lbs lamb shanks 

1/2 cup butter or olive oil

1 finely chopped onion

  2 tbs Garlic diced 

 1 tin Diced  tomatoes tomatoes

1 Tbls of tomatoes paste

3 Tbls of chicken stock powder 

1 tin champions mushrooms sliced 

1 cup white wine

1 cup of water

 2 tbs Parsley 

Pepper

Salt

1 cup grated Kefalotiri Cheese to serve 

Directions:

Wash and dry shanks  and Heat casserole dish  and brown shanks in a little olive oil

Add butter, onion,garlic, mushrooms and diced tomatoes, salt and pepper parsley wine let alcohol evaporate then add water and  mix well, cover and cook in a  slow cooker on high for 4 hours or until tender.

This meal can be cooked also in a a sauce pan on a stove top

Serve at once with Chips or rice and toped  with grated Kefaloturi cheese enjoy!

Fay's Sausage mince n Veggie Rolls

Ingredients

500g sausage mince 

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tbs of Tabasco sauce 

2 tbs mustered 

1/2 cup of tomato sauce  

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 grated onion

1 grated carrot

1grated zucchini 

1/2 cup diced leak 

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk

 

Method Notes

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Step 2

Combine sausage mince , garlic, spices and herbs and veggies in a bowl and season. Press the pastry sheets together to form a long sheet, then halve lengthways. Divide filling between the pastry, shaping it into a log along one side. Roll up to form a roll, brush pastry edge with water and press to seal. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place, seam-side down, on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Fay's Stir Fried butter Chicken and veggies

 Ingredients 

1 pkt North Indian Butter Chicken sauce 

1 400g tin of chick peas

1 bunch of broccoli heads

1 large onion sliced 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 bunch of Asian greens

2 tsp of Garlic paste

2 tsp of Ginger paste

1 tray if sliced mushrooms 

250g fresh snow peas 

1/2 tsp of Fenugreek put through a blender 

2 Green Cardamon pots put through a blender

 600g Chicken sliced 

2 tbsp of chicken powder stock

2 tbsp veg oil

1 small tin  coconut milk 

Salt and pepper

Chilli flakes optional 

Cooking instructions

Marinade chicken with onion and garlic paste and set aside

In Wok add the vegetable oil and heat on high and add the spices let sauté then add marinated chicken and tosh until chicken is cooked then add all the veggies and tosh as well then add the Indian Butter chicken sauce and the coconut milk and stir until all combine. Let it cook for 10 min or until chicken is ready serve with jasmine Rice! Enjoy

Fay's Spanakorizo ( Traditional Spinach & Rice)

This is the traditional recipe for this delicious dish that is a warming and hearty meal in itself or it can be served as a side dish with a light entree. Try topping with a sprinkle of crumbled feta.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 pounds of fresh spinach, chopped, washed, drained

1 spring onion, chopped

1/3 cups of olive   

1 leek chopped 

1 1/3 cup of water

1 1/3 cups of long-grain rice

5 1/4 cups of water

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

PREPARATION

In a stock pot, sauté the chopped spring onion and leeks in the oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add spinach and 1 1/3 cups of water and cook until the spinach wilts, about 5-7 minutes. Add rice and 5 1/4 cups of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and salt, cook for another 5 minutes and remove from heat. Stir, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes until the dish "melds."

Serve with wedges of lemon and freshly ground pepper.

Chicken parcels with spinach and feta cheese

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

10 ounces spinach, fresh

1 teaspoon lemon, zest of

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 teaspoon table salt, divide

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

For the marinade 

1 lemon 

1/2cup of olive oil

2tbs dried oregano 

Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients and mix place the flattened chicken pieces to marinade for at least an hour meanwhile  

In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil; sauté onion until golden, 5 minutes.

Wilt spinach (steam spinach or heat damp spinach over medium heat in nonstick pan); stir in zest, feta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Set aside.

Divide spinach mixture between chicken breasts.

Roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.

Sauté  chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown and place in a baking tray and place in the oven and pore all of the rest of the marinade and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve with chips or steam veggies!

Fay's slow cooker pot roast

Ingredients 

 1 (5 pound) bone-in beef pot roast

 salt and pepper to taste

 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed

 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 8 ounces sliced mushrooms

 1 medium onion, chopped

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 1 tablespoon butter

 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1 tablespoon tomato paste

 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

 3 medium carrots, cut into chunks

 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks

 1 sprig fresh rosemary

 2 sprigs fresh thyme

 Directions

Generously season both sides of roast with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the top until well coated, and pat it into the meat. Shake off any excess.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the roast on both sides for 5-6 minutes each, until well browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in mushrooms and butter; cook for 3-4 minutes.

Stir in onion; cook for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and begin to brown. Add garlic, stir for about a minute.

Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons flour; cook and stir for about 1 minute. Add tomato paste, and cook for another minute.

Slowly add chicken stock, stir to combine, and return to a simmer. Remove skillet from the heat.

Place carrots and celery in the slow cooker. Place roast over the vegetables and pour in any accumulated juices. Add rosemary and thyme.

Pour onion and mushroom mixture over the top of the roast. Cover slow cooker, turn to high and cook the roast for 5-6 hours, until the meat is fork tender.

Skim off any fat from the surface and remove the bones. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pizza base made from left over greek salad.

Made too much of the greek salad? Don't worry now you can use it to make a lovely  tasty pizza base or bread! 

Here is what I have done! 

I placed all the left over salad in my bullet blender and made sure all the salad has liquefied! Let it stand for a bit to reach room temperature set aside.

Ingredients Specials

500g of plain flour

2 teaspoons (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast

Large pinch of caster sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt

310ml (1 1/4 cups) of salad liquid if not enough add some warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Olive oil, for brushing

Polenta, to dust

Select all ingredients

Method 

Combine flour, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir in salt. Make a well. Add water and oil. Stir to combine. Use your hands to bring dough together.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl with oil. Add dough. Turn to coat.

Cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size. Punch down dough with your fist.

Knead for 30 seconds or until dough is original size. Halve dough. Cover 1 portion with a damp tea towel. Roll out the other portion to 30cm.

Preheat oven to 230ºC. Dust trays with polenta. Ease the dough so it comes a little up the side. This forms a thicker edge during baking.

Use your fingers to press the base, avoiding the edge, to make indents. This stops it rising in the centre. Repeat with remaining dough place your favoured topping and bake!