Athenian Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 cup rice
2 onions, ground
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 egg, well beaten
8 green bell peppers
6 cups water
5 medium potatoes, sliced

Preparation:

Combine meat, rice, onions, garlic, oil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon
pepper, oregano and egg. Wash green peppers; cut and remove seeds. Fill peppers with meat mixture;
place open side down in circle in roasting pan.
Combine remaining ingredients except potatoes; pour over peppers. Place potatoes in center of pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Artichoke−Parmesan Phyllo Bites

Ingredients:

3 (6 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
10 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

Preparation:

Drain artichoke hearts, reserving marinade; set marinade aside. Position knife blade in food processor
bowl; add artichoke hearts, 1/2 cup cheese and garlic. Pulse 4 times or until artichoke hearts are finely
chopped. Set aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on wax paper (keep remaining phyllo covered). Lightly brush phyllo sheet with oil
portion of reserved marinade; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of remaining cheese. Top with another phyllo
sheet; brush lightly with oil portion of reserved marinade. Cut phyllo sheet in half lengthwise. Cut each
half crosswise into thirds, making 6 sections, each measuring approximately 6 x 5 inches. Place a
heaping teaspoon of artichoke mixture in center of each phyllo section. Gather corners of phyllo over
filling, and gently twist to close. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat procedure with
remaining phyllo sheets, marinade, cheese and artichoke mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 14 minutes
or until golden. Serve immediately.

Apple Baklava

Ingredients:

Sauteing the apples first to let the water evaporate ensures a crisp crust.
6 Golden Delicious apples
6 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Nut Mixture
2 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
24 sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons honey

Preparation:

Apple Layer: Peel and slice apples. Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add apples, sugar and
cinnamon; cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and juices are evaporated, 15 to 20
minutes. Cool.
Nut Mixture: Combine all ingredients in small bowl.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim phyllo sheets to 13 x 9−inch rectangles; cover with plastic wrap. Brush a 13 x 9−inch metal
baking pan with butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet in pan and brush with some of the melted butter (keep
remaining phyllo covered). Layer 5 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter. Spread 2
cups nut mixture on top and repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets and butter. Spread apple
mixture on top; repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets and butter. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture
on top; sprinkle with bread crumbs and layer with the 6 remaining phyllo sheets and butter. With
sharp knife, cut lengthwise through pastry and filling into 1 1/2 inch−wide strips, then cut diagonally at
2−inch intervals to make diamonds.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Drizzle honey on top and bake 5 minutes more. Cool in pan on
wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped or ice cream.

Amigdalota (Greek Almond Macaroons)

Ingredients: 

1 pound ground almonds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Rose water
Confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:

Beat egg whites with salt until stiff, then add lemon juice. Add almonds, sugar and crumbs to egg
whites, folding them in gradually. Add vanilla extract.
Cut a brown paper bag to fit a cookie sheet and grease the paper. Drop teaspoon−size macaroons onto
paper and bake at 275 degrees F about 20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes so that Amigdalota don't
burn.
Brush cookies with rose water when they come out of the oven. Loosen them from paper by moistening
the paper slightly and lifting off macaroons. Sift confectioners' sugar over them and let cool.

Greek Potato and Almond Dip

Ingredients:
 

3/4 pound russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup coarse fresh white bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
3 to 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, warmed
Accompaniment: crackers

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cover potatoes with water in a small pot and season well with salt, then simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

While potatoes cook, toast almonds and bread crumbs separately in oven until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool.

With motor running, drop garlic into a food processor and chop. Add nuts and bread crumbs and finely grind. Pulse in water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Drain potatoes and coarsely mash with fork, then add to processor with oil and pulse to combine. Add lemon juice to taste and thin with a little water if desired.

Greek-Style Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 12- to 14-ounce lamb shanks
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 drained canned anchovies
2 cinnamon sticks
2 small bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
5 juniper berries or 2 tablespoons gin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 750-ml bottle Merlot
1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 14-ounce can low-salt beef broth

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil in large ovenproof pot (wide enough to hold lamb in single layer) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pot and sauté until brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer lamb to plate. Add next 10 ingredients to pot. Sauté until vegetables brown, about 20 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add wine and all broth; boil until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer; add any accumulated juices. Bring to boil.

Place lamb in oven and cook uncovered until tender, basting and turning occasionally, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to plate. Skim any fat from top of roasting liquid. Press all liquid and enough of vegetables through sieve set over large bowl to make sauce with gravy consistency. Return gravy to pot; add lamb. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.) Rewarm lamb over low heat. Transfer to platter and serve.