Kopanisti - Greek Feta Spread

The other day I showed you a great Greek recipe for Chicken Souvlaki.

Chicken Souvlaki.

A wonderful dish to go with this is Williams-Sonoma's version of Kopanisti.  This is a Greek Feta Spread.  Kopanisti is really a type of cheese however, it also means beaten.  And this dish is just that....beaten.  You add a few ingredients to a food processor and "beat it"!

This version uses pepperoncinis as the wow factor.  Many versions use roasted red peppers, however the use of the pepperoncini gives this dip a definite kick!  Not for the person that likes things mellow, but if you can take a little heat, then this will put some zip in your step!

Easy to make, and goes perfect served with the chicken, along side, or used as a spread with pita.  Try topping the chicken with it too!  It's perfect anyway to try it.

Hope you enjoy this dish!  More to come later in the week.

Kopanisti - Greek Feta Spread

by Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Greek or French feta cheese
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh mint or 1 tsp. crumbled
   dried mint
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
• 6 Italian peperoncini (pickled green peppers),
   chopped, plus more as needed

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the cheese, olive oil, garlic, mint, the 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and the 6 chopped peperoncini and process until smooth. Taste and add more red pepper flakes or peperoncini, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Chicken Souvlaki

We just love to grill in the summertime.  

I think that MGG and I do most of our cooking on the grill.  It keeps the house cooler, and the food just tastes so darn good.  It allows me to create different marinades, experiment with different cuts of meat, and try new flavors.

This dish is just perfect for grilling.  Since Memorial Day is fast approaching this would be a great dish to add to your menu.  I recently took a class at Williams-Sonoma where we spent a day on Greek food.  This was just one of the many dishes we made.  

What's better than chicken kabobs?  They are first marinaded and then simply grilled.  Nothing fancy, it's all about the flavors.  Serve with a fresh vegetable salad and some Greek dips and you are set. We grilled them on skewers and then removed them for serving.  You can leave them on.  For our purposes they were just a little easier to serve and eat with the pita and dips when removed from the skewers.

You have to take the time to try this.  Trust me, it's that good!  You can swap the chicken for beef or lamb if you like, however the chicken is so lean and juicy it's hard to pass this up!  

Kitchen Tip:  If using wooden skewers make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.

Stay tuned for the salads and dips that go along with this main course.  I'll be posting them throughout the week.  Enjoy!

Chicken Souvlaki

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Small Plates, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998)

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. dry white wine

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup minced yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 bay leaves, broken or chopped into tiny pieces

1 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces

Lemon wedges for garnish

Flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

In a bowl, stir together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to overnight.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. If using bamboo skewers, put 6 skewers in water to cover.

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and drain the bamboo skewers, if using. Thread the chicken pieces onto the bamboo or stainless-steel skewers, dividing the pieces evenly among them. Place the skewers on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire or place in the hot pan and grill, turning once, until the chicken is opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a warmed platter and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Grecian Style Steak with Lemon Pepper Potatoes

Let's go Greek

Food that is!

And, just in time for your Memorial Weekend cookout!

Why not put a little international flavors into your menu for next week.  Designing your menu around a certain region's food and flavors will put zip and tastiness in your tummy!  

I've been making quite a few Grecian inspired dishes lately.  I just finished a series of cooking classes that had a whole day dedicated to Greek or "Greek inspired" cuisine.  The food is made with the freshest ingredients.  A lot of the dishes are put together without cooking, which is perfect.  From store to table with little preparation.  Others are cooked with ingredients that you will recognize and put together simply to form iconic Greek flavors.

First up, is a wonderful steak dish accompanied by perfectly roasted potatoes.  The steaks can be made on the grill (indoor or outdoor) if you plan to get your grill on this weekend!  Or, they can be cooked simply in a skillet.  Either works fine. Choose your favorite cut of meat and start from there.  I chose filet mignons because they are lean and tender (and they are my fav...).  I also cooked them in a nice cast iron skillet on the stove.  A must have workhorse in my kitchen.  However, a nice stainless steel or non stick skillet will do in a pinch.

The side of roasted potatoes top this meal off well.  You'll love the flavors of lemon and pepper on the potatoes.  They make the usual "roasted potato" into something special.  

 All in all this is a simple dish to make for the a crowd or the family.  It's quick and easy to put together, and will only take about 30 minutes start to finish.  Don't you just love that?

I'll be bringing some other Greek dishes throughout the week, so stayed tuned.  Opa!  





Grecian Style Steak with Lemon Pepper Potatoes

Serves 2
Time:30 Minutes

1 tsp lemon pepper
2  filet mignons
1 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
2 T crumbled feta cheese
1 T chopped kalamata olives
2/3 lb of baby golden yellow potatoes, diced
1 T olive oil
2 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
 
Set steaks out 30 minutes prior to cooing.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Sprinkle lemon pepper onto both sides of the steaks.

Place potatoes in a bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat.  Sprinkle with lemon pepper, tossing to evenly coat.  Place potatoes on a baking sheet spread out evenly.  Cook for 20 minutes stirring halfway through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon zest.  Serve along with steaks.


Meanwhile, add oil to a large skillet; over medium heat.  Allow to heat up until the oil shimmers.  Add steaks and cook 10 to 14 minutes or to desired degree of doneness, turning once. Remove from skillet and drizzle with lemon juice.  Top each steak with cheese and olives.