“Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.”
Alice May Brock
Eat like the Greek? The traditional Greek diet particularly that of the Island of Crete is extremely impressive, flavorful and has added health benefits. Original Mediterranean cuisine is overall satisfying, easy to prepare and nutritious. The secret to a successful Greek dinner party is to use authentic, fresh ingredients and have plenty of wine on hand.
Important as the first paragraph of a good book are the appetizers. Simple yet flavorful, Greek appetizers can consist of different styles of bruschetta, crostini or toasted pita bread and hummus. The appetizers should give your guests just a small example of what lays in store for the complete meal. You may then choose either to have just a main course with a side followed by dessert or to also have a first course (soup or salad) before the main course. These recipes can give you a head start on some ideas for your Greek dinner party.
APPETIZER
ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS (6 servings)
2 tbsp roasted garlic
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup fresh parsley sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp dark sesame oil
Dash of hot sauce
Toasted pita bread chips or fresh vegetables
*Prepare the garlic. To roast garlic-cut off top third of 1 large garlic head to expose the cloves. Do not use the root end. Place the garlic head, trimmed end up on foil. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Close the garlic head tightly in the foil. Roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. When cool, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the skin.
*Place all ingredients including garlic into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Serve with the pita chips and/or fresh vegetables.
FIRST COURSE
CANNELLINI BEAN STEW (5 servings)
6 plum tomatoes (16 oz)
4 tsp olive oil (divided)
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups fat-free vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
*Preheat broiler. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side up on the baking pan.