Greece
By Lisa Zweig-Vandenengel
Greek cuisine is said to have four basic elements: fresh ingredients, judicious use of herbs and spices, Greek olive oil and basic simplicity.
At home, Greeks usually cook one-pot meals combining a variety of locally grown ingredients like lamb, zucchini, tomatoes, lemon juice, herbs and spices. Greek food is traditionally served warm because eating hot food was deemed unhealthy.
Olives and Olive OilThe most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cooking is olive oil, which is used in almost every dish or as a dipping for crusty bread. It is produced from trees prominent throughout the region and adds to the distinctive taste of Greek food.
Ancient Greeks ate ripe black olives and believed they were good for one's health, preserved in vinegar and seasoned with fennel. The most famous are Kalamata olives, which come from the area around the town of Kalamata in Messenia in the southern Peloponessos.
Kalamata olives are often eaten whole or added to stews, salads and as a garnish for seafood dishes.
VegetablesVegetables play an important part in Greek cooking, adding fresh taste and colour to a variety of dishes. The most famous export is the Greek salad, also known as a Village salad. A Greek salad is a standard component of a traditional meal and is made from tomato, onion, cucumber, oregano, olives (usually Kalamata), feta cheese and olive oil. Lettuce is never used in an authentic Greek salad.
Other vegetables commonly found in Greek cuisine include eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes and onions.
CheeseCheese constitutes the main source of protein in the Greek diet. The Greek day starts with fresh bread and a piece of cheese washed down with strong black coffee.
The most popular Greek cheese is Feta. Feta is traditionally made from goat or sheep's milk and stored in barrels of brine. Greeks eat feta in different ways; in salads, baked in pies, crumbled on an omelette, stuffed into fish or flavoured with olive oil and a pinch of oregano on top.
Other popular Greek cheese includes:
Haloumi: Made in Cyprus, this cheese is similar to ricotta.
Telemes: A variation of Feta cheese but made from cow's milk.
Manouri: Soft in texture and unsalted. It’s made from full fat sheep's milk and is mainly used for sweet pies.
Appetizers
In Greek cuisine, appetizers (or meze) are an important part of a meal because they are shared, enhancing the dining experience. Popular appetizers include:
Melitzanosalata: A purée of mashed eggplant, garlic, onion, oil and lemon juice. Sometimes the eggplant is charred to give the dip a smoky flavour.
Tzatziki: A favourite in Greek restaurants worldwide, tzatziki is made from yogurt, cucumber, garlic and salt. Often accompanied with pita bread for dipping.
Taramosalata: A thick pink or white purée made from fish roe, breadcrumbs (or potatoes), oil and lemon juice.
Skordalia: A garlic dip made from puréed garlic, potatoes and olive oil.
Greek Pies
The ultimate Greek snack, pies are flaky creations made from phyllo pastry and filled with everything imaginable—from cheese to vegetables and meats. Some favourites include: Kremidopita (onion pie), Tyropita (cheese pie), Spanakopita (spinach pie) and Kimadopita (meat pie).
Meat and Seafood Dishes
Because the Greek terrain is more conducive to raising goats and sheep than cattle, beef dishes are not predominant in Greek cooking. Meat is not usually consumed on a daily basis and when served is generally roasted on a spit, grilled on skewers or chopped and combined with vegetables.
Moussaka: A traditional three-layer dish with one layer of eggplant sautéed in olive oil, a second with ground beef, lamb or pork, vegetables and herbs and a third with a cheese-flavoured béchamel sauce or egg custard.
Dolmades: Grapevine leaves stuffed with rice, vegetables and meat.
Souvlaki: A popular Greek fast food made from small pieces of meat served on a skewer, in a pita sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onions and tzatziki, or on a dinner plate, often with rice.
Gyro: Meat roasted on a vertical rotisserie. It can be served with pita bread, tomatoes and tzatziki. The meat used in a traditional gyro sandwich is pork, chicken, beef or lamb.
Desserts
Baklava is one of the most recognizable Greek pastries and every area of Greece (and sometimes every family) has a favourite recipe. It’s a rich, sweet pastry made layers of phyllo, nuts (typically almonds and walnuts), sugar, cinnamon and honey.
Try it today:
Greek Feta and Olive Omelette
Christine's Souvlaki
Sue's Village Greek Salad
Lamb Moussaka
Cashew Baklava
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