We have written quite a lot about Greece. There was Corfu, there was Santorini, there was Rhodes … God in Heaven knows why we have not yet touched on a topic so important for this region, which is the KITCHEN. It is meals that gather all the household members at one table in the evening, for whom the supper celebration is an extremely important element of family life. Greek cuisine is the embodiment of the sun and health, which are enclosed in fresh fruit, vegetables and well-prepared meat. The flavor is complemented, of course, by a few drops of heavenly olive oil. What does Greece taste like? How can the local cuisine change your life? You will learn everything after reading … Enjoy your meal!
Greek cuisine: the sun closed on a plate
Greeks can boast of the history of their civilization, which is several thousand years old. Ancient Greeks are not only the fathers of our civilization, pioneers of democracy or the founders of the foundations of science, but also thanks to them we can eat dishes from probably the healthiest cuisine in the world. Can we talk about homogeneous cuisine in the Mediterranean basin and in Greece itself? Definitely not! It has developed over the centuries and is full of influences from various parts of the world. To this day, the influences of Roman , Turkish , Persian , Arabic , Balkan < / strong> and even Slavic . Many of the dishes inspired by foreign cultures function under their original names … Maybe the kitchen has evolved over the years, the accents changed, but it is worth noting that ALWAYS you could meet the “holy” triad: wheat, oil and wine, which are the fruits of the earth and the work of human hands. Let’s add to this all the characteristic flavors, such as cheese, eggplant, seafood, lamb, tomatoes, oregano and spinach – we will see a wonderful mix from which you can make an infinite number of delicious compositions.
What else can surprise us Greek cuisine? Certainly the temperature of the dishes served. Dishes are eaten here in the summer state or completely cold, and not – as we are used to in our native country – hot and steaming to such an extent that the meal ends or begins with a burned language. It is known that in Greece, as in most Mediterranean countries, the culmination is a dinner consumed at a fairly late hour, which often turns into a few hours of wine and richly sprinkled with feasts. Don’t be scared by the Greek etiquette at the table, but rather the lack of it. If someone starts slurping right next to you, eating a salad from a plate, dancing on the table, it is not surprising … Since we already know what to expect at the table, it is worth taking a look at Greek cuisine, where dishes are prepared as masterpieces of taste – although the compositions are not complicated. Strength in simplicity!
Greek cuisine: never move without fish
You also need to know that Mediterranean cuisine (including Greek cuisine) cannot exist without fish . From this we can not imagine not presenting you at least one dish with fish in the lead role. Of course, this will not be the famous “Greek fish”, which is the domain of Polish tables. In Homer’s homeland, one of the most-liked fish is hake, which is the main menu item on every anniversary of the Greek Independence Day. It is this species of fish that is the basis for the preparation of a dish with a familiar sounding name: Bakaliaros skordalia (Μπακαλιάρος σκορδαλιά) . They are prepared by frying fillets in deep oil in a delicious, crunchy coating called kourkouti , and is served obligatorily in the company of skordalia , which is mashed potatoes with a lot of garlic. This dish is also very popular on days when Orthodox Greeks have fasted meat, and there are many more such dates on their calendar than on the liturgical calendar of Catholics. Lick your fingers, and yet trivial to do!
Lamb for the brave, i.e. Kokoretsi (Κοκορέτσι)
Of course, lamb is the showcase of the meat face of the Greeks, and basically it reigns in many forms on the local tables. Our proposal is a dish for people with strong, culinary nerves who are not afraid of experimenting on the plate. This dish consists of those parts of the animal that many seem to be unable to swallow. Kokoretsi are the spleen, heart, liver and other lamb offal, wrapped tightly in carefully cleaned tripe and slowly baked on a rotating skewer of a grill or hearth. This dish almost always appears on the Easter table, but taverns specializing in roasted meats serve it all year round. Kokoretsi is served sprinkling only with a pinch of oregano, often also in the company of tzatzki . Crunchy, toasted rind, soft center, so different in taste from all well-known meats – kokoretsi is one of the most interesting dishes that Greek cuisine can serve us.
Not just a dandelion
Who would have thought that there are countries where boiled dandelion, commonly called dandelion, is one of the most liked appetizers. In Greece, you can easily buy it at the market, but most often housewives pick it themselves, from their own garden or surrounding meadows and hills, which grows wild especially in early spring. Prolonged cooking does not deprive it of its characteristic bitterness, which is condensed by lemon juice and olive oil. Horta (Χόρτα) served with dinner serves as a salad, very healthy and valued by adults and unfortunately disliked by children. This is one of the dishes that you MUST try!
Italy on a Greek plate
Pastitsio (Παστίτσιο) is the most characteristic example of Italian influence in Greek cuisine. It is a bit similar to mousaki, because just like it consists of minced pork meat, it is covered with béchamel sauce and baked in the oven. However, in this dish eggplant and potatoes are replaced with thick tube-shaped noodles, which might remind you of the famous lasagne. This dish is very filling, one piece of pastitsio with a portion of Greek salad is a dinner, after which hunger does not come until late evening hours, and after preparation it can be stored in the fridge for several days.
Greek cuisine: and one soup will be found …
Revithia (Ρεβύθια) is one of the few soups in Greek cuisine. Very filling and warming, which is why it is served only in winter . For lovers of traditional Polish soups it may seem defective, because it is prepared only from chickpeas cooked in water with previously fried onions. Its simplicity is only appearances, and the culinary experience will reach the heights of pleasure, because its taste and aroma are really brilliant, and a little lemon juice and a few drops of olive oil already added on the plate gives this dish a truly Mediterranean character. It can be prepared both on the stove and in the traditional way, in the oven, in a closed heat-resistant dish.
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