I discovered a variation of this recipe during my research for Nistisima (my previous book) in a book called Culinaria Greece by Marianthi Milona. I’d never heard of prawns being cooked with honey and was intrigued. In addition, fish sauce was something I had never seen used in Greek food before. After much research I realised it probably referenced “garum,” a fermented fish sauce that was used in Ancient Greece and Rome. There are people today who make their own versions, and it seems like it isn’t too dissimilar to the commonly found fish sauce used in south-east Asian cooking (or even Worcestershire sauce). This truly delicious, genuinely speedy recipe has become a new staple in our house.
These deliciously sweet, totally vegan stuffed eggplants from season 2 of My Greek Table are a riff on a classic dish, Imam Bayldi, eggplants stuffed with onions and tomatoes. It’s one of the great ladera (olive-oil-based) dishes of Greece, and one of my favorite stuffed vegetable dishes. If you have access to a wood-fired oven, try baking it in there, which is what I like to do in our village on Ikaria in the summers, when the eggplant harvest from our garden overflows.
This is our spin on a classic American tuna salad. It can be enjoyed plain, with crackers, on a sandwich, or over a bed of crisp lettuce as a salad.
Who says Greek salad is only for summer? By using winter veggies, but keeping the same feta-oregano flavour profile, you can easily extend this salad’s seasonality and eat it year-round. I love the combo of bitter leafy radicchio with the sharp, creamy cheese and fragrant, anise- like flavour of the fennel. Almond feta is a vegan nut cheese (sourced from speciality organic shops) - even if you’re not vegan, it’s a delicious swap in any dish requiring a soft white cheese.
Not an authentic keftedes recipe, but (a hugely popular) one I developed for my half pescatarian family. It combines the Greek love of fritters and meatballs with mustard sauce – a common addition to souvlakia or gyro.
They know us by name at Mr. Gyro’s here in Seattle. I love its falafel sandwich and the kids all love the chicken gyro. For dinner one evening, I completely wowed my family by making my own version of their favorite takeout. It has since been requested for birthdays and dinners on a regular basis. The whole thing freezes beautifully, so consider doubling the recipe while you’re going through the process. This recipe usually lasts us a couple of meals. Fried up in the morning with a side of soft scrambled eggs is our favorite.
Sometimes we feel like a substantial salad that is a meal in itself with all the elements of good food—plenty of greens, crunchy raw pepper, and loads of flavor. This is also a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. Serve with a tzatziki dressing and tomato salad. This is our friend Anne Hudson’s method of preparing the wonderful Greek yogurt and cucumber dip, which she learned to make the local way when living in Greece. You can also enjoy the tzatziki with bread or as a dip for vegetables. (Gluten-free if using quinoa or brown rice.)
Greeks use this condiment, known as tzatziki, on just about everything. It's one seriously flavorful and healthy sauce.
Normally, keftedes are made with ground meat (they're basically meatballs). These vegetarian alternatives are packed with flavor.
Really a main dish cheesecake wrapped in incredibly buttery phyllo, the genius is in the shape -- a Bundt ring that stands golden and proud.