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 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 RecipeOne day I wanted to cook pork shank a little differently, so I tried this version with white wine, vegetables and thyme. Browning the meat first builds the flavour, then the covered roasting dish takes over. The pork slowly becomes tender while the vegetables combine with its juices. At the end, you can blend them into a smooth sauce that is every bit as enjoyable as the shanks themselves.The TechniqueBrown t…

The Story Behind the RecipeIt was Easter, and I had already prepared two lamb dishes: tsigariasto and gamopilafo. I wanted to make a third, so I decided on lamb fricassee.The beef fricassee recipe I have shared is one I learned from my mother. Here, I took a different approach, richer and heavier but full of flavour: thoroughly browned lamb, plenty of wine and lettuce cooked with the meat before adding the avgolemono.Using a different …

The Story Behind the RecipePork tigania was one of the dishes I enjoyed eating out and wanted to recreate at home. I tried recipes online, but for some reason the result did not always have the flavour I was looking for.Through experimenting, I realised that much of the savoury saltiness and lingering flavour I enjoyed came from the crumbled stock cube. When it goes into the pan with the meat and its juices, it adds a lot of flavour. M…

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…

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…

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 flavorful Greek meze made with a handful of ingredients. The caul fat browns over the coals while the liver stays juicy inside.The Story Behind the RecipeWhen I was making sheftalia, I bought plenty of caul fat because I did not know exactly how much I would need. Some was left over, and frygadelia seemed like a great way to use it.Both dishes use caul fat, but the results are very different. Here it wraps pieces of liver seasoned wi…

Pork neck is marinated in two different ways before grilling over charcoal. One version combines tomato, herbs, and apple cider vinegar, while the other uses milk and aromatic khmeli suneli seasoning.The Story Behind the RecipeI have eaten shashlik at many Russian and Russian Pontic restaurants and loved it so much that I wanted to make it at home.A friend knew how much I enjoyed it and asked his mother for her recipe. She shared it wi…

Charcoal-grilled chicken wings seasoned with anise, coriander, garlic, and paprika. A simple marinade gives the chicken a different character, with fragrant spices and delicious grilled flavor.The Story Behind the RecipeWhen grilling meat over charcoal, I usually keep things simple with salt. Every now and then, though, I want to try something different.I first came across the idea of anise-flavored wings at a grill shop on Lemnos and …

Juicy charcoal-grilled kebabs with pepper, onion, garlic, and fragrant spices. Thorough kneading helps the mixture hold its shape, while careful grilling keeps the meat flavorful and succulent.The Story Behind the RecipeI love Greek kebabs, but I also enjoy trying different versions. For this recipe I made my own adaptation inspired by Adana kebab, with a few adjustments to the ingredients.The result was so delicious that I immediately…

Roasted chicken frames, vegetables, and aromatics create a flavorful stock for soups, sauces, pasta, and everyday cooking. Making it without added salt gives you more flexibility when seasoning the finished dish.The Story Behind the RecipeI use stock frequently, so I wanted to make my own instead of always relying on ready-made products.The biggest advantage for me is controlling the salt. With a salted stock, adding more for a deeper …

Oven-baked chicken wings finished in fragrant butter with thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, and garlic. A homemade Italian-style herb combination makes these wings incredibly aromatic.The Story Behind the RecipeWe had grilled with friends the previous day and had some uncooked wings left over. I did not feel like lighting the charcoal again, but I still wanted to make something easy and delicious.That is how this oven version came togeth…

Ripe tomatoes, eggs, onion and garlic make a simple, quick and flavorful dish. Think of strapatsada as Greek scrambled eggs, with tomatoes adding a Mediterranean character.The Story Behind the RecipeFor me, strapatsada is one of the tastiest quick dishes in Greek cooking. Simple, Mediterranean and easy to prepare, it works as a side dish or a wonderful breakfast. I usually prefer it for breakfast.Scrambled eggs are familiar to American…

These oven baked anchovies are made with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. A little water in the pan helps keep them moist, while oregano is added as soon as they come out of the oven.The Story Behind the RecipeThis is a very easy anchovy recipe my father always made when we wanted something tasty and quick. A few ingredients, lemon and olive oil, and a short bake in a hot oven are all it takes for a simple, flavorful dish.Technique an…

Charcoal grilled sardines need only a few ingredients and a few minutes on the grill. Lemon, olive oil, salt, and oregano complement the flavor of the fish.The Story Behind the RecipeIn the video, I make another summer meze, this time with sardines over charcoal. The cooking is quick once the fire is ready.Technique and Flavor BalanceMix lemon juice and olive oil by eye and brush the sardines during cooking. Allow about 6 minutes in to…

Turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, and garam masala give these chicken legs a bold aroma and an Indian inspired flavor. Add a little chili powder if you want more heat.The Story Behind the RecipeOn busy days, these simple recipes have been useful because most of the work is done by the oven. I used a countertop oven in the video, but a regular oven works too. I prefer chicken legs with the bone and skin because I enjoy their tender tex…