The Story Behind the RecipeWhen I cut up a chicken and do not need the skin, I save it in the freezer to render my own cooking fat. I also collect fat from other meats separately. In ramen, aromatic oil adds the finishing notes that support the broth and tare. Here, I use chicken fat with all three of my favourite aromatics. Try cooking fried eggs in it too. I have used different animal fats for eggs, and each brings its own flavour. D…

The Story Behind the RecipeI first tried this dish at a lovely little taverna I enjoy visiting, and I was hooked. It was so delicious that I had to recreate it at home. By trying different ingredients and adjusting the quantities, I reached the result I wanted. In the end, I may even prefer it to the version I used to order out. The chicken thigh stays juicy, the sun-dried tomatoes add intensity, and the feta brings the wine and chicke…

The Story Behind the RecipeMayonnaise potato salad is lovely, often made with onion, dill, pickles or capers. Personally, I prefer this version without mayonnaise. I think vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil and garlic work wonderfully with potatoes. For me, it is the best potato salad, although that is a matter of taste. If it sounds different from what you usually eat, I would love you to try it and decide for yourself. It is also a f…

The Story Behind the RecipeWe often have plenty of whole milk at home because someone I know works in the dairy industry. When I cannot use it all, I turn it into cheese for other recipes. That is how I started making this easy homemade anthotyro-style cheese. I prefer whole milk and strongly recommend the optional cream because the extra fat gives a creamier result. Draining lets us choose between a softer, moister cheese and a slight…

The Story Behind the RecipeThis is one of the easiest, most aromatic side dishes you can make in a pan. I am generous with the butter here: together with the garlic, it makes the mushrooms fantastic. Onion adds sweetness, white wine lifts the flavour from the pan and thyme finishes everything off. It does not take a complicated recipe to make a side dish that works with so many different meals.The TechniqueGive the onion a little colou…

The Story Behind the RecipeI enjoy recipes where you do the preparation and then let the oven do the work. These ribs are exactly that kind of dish. Mix the spices with olive oil, coat the meat thoroughly and leave it to marinate. Then cook it slowly in a covered roasting dish until beautifully tender and easy to pull away from the bone.I call them smokey, not smoked, because their smoky flavour comes from smoked paprika. The ribs them…

The Story Behind the RecipeI was never particularly excited about beef. Once I tried good-quality meat, the right cut and proper preparation, I realised how different the result could be. Picanha is my favourite beef cut for steak. Its fat, advance salting and careful cooking give me exactly what I want: a good crust outside and juicy meat inside. It takes a little knowledge and attention, but it is a cut worth learning to cook.The Tec…

The Story Behind the RecipeFor two or three years, I had noticed tender vine leaves growing near a beach I visit often. I kept meaning to pick some, but always forgot. This time I remembered, gathered them and decided to make dolmadakia. My father passed on the recipe as my grandmother used to make it. I had always thought of stuffed vine leaves as a stovetop dish, but he told me Grandma baked them in the oven. I used a covered roastin…

The Story Behind the RecipeAfter falling in love with tsigariasto, I started exploring other Cretan recipes that I wanted to try at home. Gamopilafo was one I definitely wanted to make.The idea is simple: good meat, flavourful stock and rice cooked in that stock until creamy. I used lamb shoulder for my version, though older lamb, known as zygouri in Greece, also works.Stakovoutiro, a rich Cretan butter, is optional. The stock already …

The Story Behind the RecipeRizogalo is one of the most familiar desserts in Greek cooking. It is a simple, affordable pudding made with easily available ingredients, and for many people it brings back childhood memories.It does not need complicated preparation to taste good. Rice, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon are enough. My main preference concerns the texture: I like it thick and creamy but still soft and moist. I do not want it …

The Story Behind the RecipeMy family roots are in Chania, but unfortunately I did not have a family village in Crete to visit while growing up. Even so, I have wonderful memories of my trips to the island.On one of my first visits, when I was little, we went to Argyroupoli in Rethymno. I remember the plane trees, their leafy branches almost covering the roads, the streams and the small waterfalls. We sat at a taverna surrounded by this…

Juicy prawns meet garlic, chilli flakes and smoked paprika in flavorful olive oil.The Story Behind the RecipeDuring a trip around several Andalusian cities, I tasted many wonderful dishes. Gambas pil pil became one of my favorites.I loved how a few ingredients could produce so much flavor: prawns, garlic, aromatic oil, paprika and a little heat. I wanted to recreate the taste I had enjoyed in Spain.The result made me very happy. This i…

A small whole tuna cooks in a sealed parcel with lemon, olive oil, garlic and rosemary, then finishes under the grill for color.The Story Behind the RecipeA fisherman friend gave me a small tuna from his island, and I wanted to prepare something easy, fairly quick and uncomplicated.Garlic, rosemary, olive oil and lemon seemed ideal. Cooking the fish in a parcel helps retain its juices, followed by a short grilled finish.This written re…

Cook the fish first, strain its broth and simmer the vegetables in it. Blending the vegetables gives this soup its velvety body without cream.The Story Behind the RecipeFish soup has always been a family favorite. Both my parents made it when I was growing up, each with a slightly different approach.This version combines influences from both, particularly my father. I love soups in general, and fish soup is my favorite, especially when…

Pieces of lamb offal are threaded alternately onto metal skewers, wrapped in caul fat and grilled with frequent turning.The Story Behind the RecipeThis experiment began with caul fat left over from making sheftalia and frygadelia. I also had a lamb pluck and wanted to try grilling some of it rather than cooking everything in a frying pan.I approached it like a shashlik-style skewer: similar-sized pieces of different organs, threaded al…

Mushrooms, leek, onion and white wine create a flavorful soup, finished with cream and a few separately sautéed mushrooms.The Story Behind the RecipeMushroom soup never particularly excited me until I tasted a creamy version that changed my mind. It made me wonder how such a familiar dish could taste so good.I could not find that particular recipe, so I began experimenting at home. I tried different versions, adjusting the vegetables, …

Well-cooked potatoes, butter and cream cheese make my favorite mashed potatoes. Add the rich ingredients gradually and taste as you go.The Story Behind the RecipeMashed potatoes never particularly excited me. I would eat them, but I did not consider them an especially memorable side dish. That changed when I tasted a version that made me wonder what could make a simple mash so delicious.Through experimenting at home, I discovered the c…

Fresh grated tomatoes, prawns and feta come together in a simple Greek saganaki. Crumbled feta enriches the sauce, while cubes added at the end keep their distinct texture.The Story Behind the RecipeMy father first tasted this version of prawn saganaki at a tavern. He enjoyed it so much that he tried to recreate it at home. After experimenting, he managed to reproduce the flavor just as he remembered it.This is his recipe. With so few …

A simple variation on homemade chocolate clusters, using dried fruit instead of nuts.The Story Behind the RecipeHomemade chocolates were among the sweets my parents prepared. As with the almond version, I grew up thinking they were a family invention.Later I discovered that these little clusters are widely known. I enjoy how the same simple method produces different results depending on what goes into the chocolate.Here I used dried pi…

Milk and real chocolate make a rich homemade drink that is easy to prepare and adjust to your preferred sweetness.The Story Behind the RecipeWhen I was younger, I did not drink coffee. At cafés with friends, I usually ordered chocolate, hot or cold, and enjoyed it very much.One day I tried a version that was completely different. It tasted wonderful and had a slightly creamy texture. I asked the waitress what made it so good, and she e…

Your favorite chocolate and almonds are all you need for little chocolate bites with a satisfying crunch.The Story Behind the RecipeMy parents always made chocolates like these at home. As a child, I thought they had invented them and that they were something specific to our family.Later I discovered that the idea is widely known. In Greek we call them vrachakia, or little rocks. They can be made with almonds, other nuts or dried fruit…

Milk, egg yolks and cream make a rich drink flavored with ginger, cinnamon and a little clove.The Story Behind the RecipeThis recipe began with a simple request. A fellow university student discovered my channel and asked me to make eggnog.That was the reason I tried it and filmed the recipe. Sometimes a suggestion like that is all it takes to cook something different.The result was a pleasant, rich winter drink. I serve it over ice, w…

A fragrant winter drink with cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom.The Story Behind the RecipeGlühwein reminds me of Greek oinomelo. Both are warm, sweet wines with spices, but this version uses sugar and a different combination of aromas.There are several ways to make it. You can dissolve sugar directly in the warming wine or begin with caramel, as I do here. I enjoy the extra flavor that this step brings.Although this recipe uses…

Pork collar slowly roasted with prunes, vegetables, red wine and warming spices.The Story Behind the RecipeMy family made various Christmas dishes, but I did not even know this one existed until I was older. I discovered it while looking for Christmas recipes and immediately wanted to try it.I could not believe there was a dish combining pork, red wine, prunes and all those aromas that we had never made at home.It became one of my favo…