Summer Farmer's Market Menu and Recipes

Summer Farmer's Market Menu

Appetizers

Spanakopites

Melitzanosalata with Crostini & Fresh Vegetables

Entrée

Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

and/or

Falafel

Side Dish

Tabbouleh

Salad

Horiatiki Salad

Dessert

Raspberry Meringues

Sika Sto Fourno

Watermelon Granita

Refreshments

Appetizers:  Papa Johannou Assyrtico

Entrée:  Boutari Nemea

*Present this menu at Apollo’s Liquor for a 10% discount on the featured beers.

*Adjust recipes as needed for the size of your group*

Melitzanosalata (Eggplant dip):

[serves 4-6]

2 lb eggplants

3 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt

1 small yellow onion, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

5 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Prick the eggplant in several places.  Bake the eggplant in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until soft.  Peel and discard the skins and scoop out the flesh.  Chop the flesh while still warm, removing some of the seeds if too numerous.  Place the garlic cloves and a little salt in a mortar.  Crush with the pestle until the garlic is puréed.

Put the eggplants, garlic, onion, vinegar and parsley into a food processor.  Blend until smooth, slowly adding the oil while the blades are running.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Serve with Crostini (recipe below), and fresh veggies like sliced zucchini and yellow squash, and other hardy veggies. 

Crostini
4 garlic cloves, halved
1-2 baguettes, sliced

Preheat the oven broiler.  Place bread on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted on top, then turn the slices over, and repeat.  Total time:  about 2 minutes.  Remove from broiler and immediately rub one side of each slice with the garlic cloves.

Spanakopites (Spinach pastries):

[serves 4-6;  makes 12 pastries]

8 ounces spinach, washed

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

4 green onions, including green stems, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh    dill

1 egg, beaten

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

4 sheets commercial filo pastry

Olive oil or melted butter

To make filling:

Briefly blanch the spinach in boiling water and drain in a colander.  Combine with feta cheese, green onions, dill, egg, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl and mix. 

To make Spanakopites:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Unroll the filo pastry and cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.  Lay 4 filo sheets out on a flat surface and cut into 3 strips lengthways, each strip about 4 inches wide.  Brush filo strip with a little oil and place a heaping teaspoon of the filling about 1 inch from the end nearest you.  Fold the corner of the strip over the filling so that its edge meets the other edge and makes a triangle shape.  Continue folding at right angles, to make the triangle shape, until it meets the end of the filo strip.  Brush with oil and place on a baking sheet.  Continue the process with all the other strips.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.  Serve hot.

Tabbouleh:

[serves 6-8]

1 cup (6-ounces) medium-fine bulgur

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste, at end

5 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large bunches of fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, stemmed and chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint

5 large tomatoes, diced into ¼-inch pieces

2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice

6 green (spring) onions, including tender green tops cut into slices ¼ inch thick

Place the bulgur in the bottom of a large salad bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, the 1 cup lemon juice, the garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Pour over the bulgur and toss well.  Layer on top of the bulgur in the following order:  the green onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers.  Season the cucumbers with salt and pepper and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.  (Do not stir.)

Refrigerated for at least 24 hours or for up to 48 hours.

Bring the salad to room temperature.  Toss the ingredients together, then taste and adjust the seasonings with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary. 

Horiatiki Salad:

[serves 4-6]

4 ounces feta cheese

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 English cucumber, halved and sliced in half-circles

5 tomatoes, sliced

Handful of Greek black olives or Kalamata olives

Salt to taste

1 head of romaine lettuce, torn

1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Freshly ground pepper

Olive oil for dressing salad

Red wine vinegar

Assemble cheese and vegetables in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with oil and vinegar and serve. 

Lamb burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

[serves 8]

3 lb. ground lean lamb

2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 ½ cup fine fresh bread crumbs

½ cup chopped fresh mint

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste

½  teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 large tomato, diced

6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

8 whole-wheat “pocket” pita breads

2 cup alfalfa sprouts

In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, bread crumbs, mint, garlic, cumin, coriander, the 1 ½ tsp. salt and the cayenne. Using your hands, mix gently but thoroughly.  Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form each into an oval patty, about eight ½ -inches long and about 3/4 inch thick.

In a small bowl, stir together the tomato and cilantro and season with salt. Let the patties and the tomato mixture stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. If refrigerated, remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over high heat.

Grill the burgers over the hottest part of a charcoal fire or directly over the heat elements of a gas grill, turning once, until nicely charred and cooked to your liking, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium.  About 1 minute before the burgers are done, place the pita breads along the edges of a charcoal grill where the heat is less intense, or on an area of a gas grill with lower heat, so they can warm.  Make the “pockets” using the majority of the pita by measuring about one inch from the edge and cut a small strip off, creating the opening.  

To assemble the sandwiches, coat the pockets of the pita breads lightly with some of the Tzatziki sauce, then slip a lamb burger into each pita. Add the tomato mixture, sprouts and the remaining Tzatziki, or serve these condiments on the side.

Tzatziki Sauce:

[serves 4-6]

*Greek style yogurt is available at specialty stores.  First, ask your local grocer.  Otherwise, substitute plain yogurt.

*To eliminate the possibility of a strong garlic aftertaste, simply crush the garlic to a paste with a mortar and pestle before adding it to the other ingredients.

*Chopped dill or mint is often added.

2 English cucumbers

6 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt

2 lbs (4 cups) Greek-style yogurt

2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill or mint (optional)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

Grate the cucumbers and place in a colander, weighted down, with a plate for 15 minutes, so that some of their liquid drains out.  Gather up in a cheese cloth or dish towel and squeeze any remaining liquid out.  Place the garlic cloves and a little salt in a mortar.  Crush with a pestle until garlic is puréed.

Put the cucumber, garlic, yogurt, vinegar and pepper into a food processor.  Blend until smooth, slowly adding the oil while the blades are running.  Stir in the optional fresh dill or mint.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Falafel:

[serves 5-6, makes roughly 20 balls]

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
6 Pita “pocket” bread (same number as guests)

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained. (See tip below.)

Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the mixture forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.

Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, and diced green pepper.

Drizzle with Tzatziki sauce (see recipe above).

Canned Beans Tip:  If you use canned beans (soaking the dry ones is better), your moisture content will be much higher and the beans require MUCH less processing in the food processor. Add the following: When using canned beans, add onion, chopped garlic and pepper flakes to food processor first. Process a bit until the size of eraser heads or a bit smaller. Add beans, herbs and pulse, stir, pulse until pieces are about the size of large pin-heads. No further. Turn the results into a bowl, add cumin, salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir to combine. Do not use the food processor for this step unless you are very careful with the pulse button. Also, note: Smaller food processors are not appropriate for this recipe. You need a regular full sized one otherwise it's "pulse once stir once" for many minutes. You really don't want a "dough", and if you are using more than 4 to 6 tablespoons of flour you are making dough.  If you need more than 4 tablespoons, your recipe with be dense.

Raspberry Meringues:

[serves 6]

*Follow these golden rules for perfect meringues:  Use a clean, grease-free, dry mixing bowl for maximum volume, use room-temperature egg whites, and beat them to stiff glossy points. (Once you think you are done beating them, beat them some more.)

4 organic egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 ½ cups Raspberries

1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks with 1 tsp sugar and vanilla

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 275°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the room temperature egg whites with cream of tartar, and vinegar at medium speed until frothy.  Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla extract.  Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meringue is thick and glossy with stiff peaks. 

Scoop the meringues into six, 3 ½ inch mounds on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in center of oven for 1 hour until crisp and lightly golden but still chewy on the inside.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.  When room temperature, transfer to a wire rack.

Transfer to serving plates.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream, raspberries, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Prepare ahead:  The meringues can be made the night before and stored in an air-tight container, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper.  Careful not to layer too close to the top of the container or they will break.  Assemble up to half an hour before serving.

Sika Sto Fourno (Baked figs with red wine):

[serves 8]

24 ripe figs, washed

4 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons red wine

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Score the tops of each fig with a sharp knife.  Place on a baking dish with walls.  Sprinkle each fig with sugar and drizzle with red wine.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until soft.  Transfer 3 figs to each serving plate and spoon the thickened red wine sauce over the figs. 

(Optional:  serve with yogurt or cream.)

Watermelon Granita:

[serves 16, makes 8 cups of scraped granita]

*Fresh fruit, such as watermelon, is a common summertime Greek dessert.

One 3-lb watermelon

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

Chilled serving glasses or bowls

Remove the rind of the watermelon and discard.  Chop the flesh into 1 ½ inch pieces (about 5 cups of fruit).  Purée the watermelon in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth.  Strain through a sieve and discard the pulp; you should have 4 cups juice. 

Add the sugar and lime juice to the watermelon juice.  Stir with a large spoon or whisk until the sugar has dissolved thoroughly. 

Pour the mixture into a 9-inch-square shallow baking pan.  Put the pan in the freezer on a level surface.  Stir every 30 minutes with a large dinner fork, being sure to scrape the ice crystals off the sides and into the middle of the pan, until the mixture is too frozen to stir, about 3 hours, depending on the individual recipe and on how cold your freezer is.  (Some granitas can freeze in as little as 1 hour.)

Cover the pan with plastic and freeze overnight.  When ready to serve the granita, place a fork at the top of the dish and pull it towards you in rows, moving from left to right and rotating the pan as well.  Scrape up the shaved ice and fill your chilled glasses or bowls.