Sunday, September 30, 2012

Fetie (lamb meat with pine nuts, almonds, rice, yoghurt and toasted pita bread)

Fetie (Lamb Meat with rice, yoghurt, pine nuts, almonds and toasted pita bread)

This is a dish you can prepare beforehand, the combination is out of this world and you never have leftovers! My sister in law, Portia makes this perfectly, she says the secret to this dish is using a LOT of spices, more than you think you need. The first time I made it, it was quite bland, David remembered it having a lemony tang to it so I added some lemon juice and a LOT more spices to the left overs and it tasted far better!

Ingredients

2 loaves pita bread
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 lbs Lamb Meat(lean lamb from the
leg or lamb shanks)
(you can use chicken breasts
or 2 lbs lean top round London broil beef instead)
5 cups Greek Yoghurt
1/2 cup Pine nuts
1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
1 can Campbell's Beef Broth
1 tablepoon Tahini
2 cloves Garlic
2 Lemons squeezed


Directions

This dish is layered in a pyrex dish starting with rice at the bottom and ending with toasted pita bread on the top, the bread tends to become soggy if placed on the bottom layer.

                                                    Toasted Pita Bread
                                       Pine Nuts and Slivered Almonds
                                                     Yoghurt Mixture
                                                              Meat
                                                              Rice
                                 _________________________________

1 The first layer is rice. You need 2 1/2 cups cooked rice. Prepare rice with chicken broth.

The second layer is lamb meat (you can also use beef or chicken)You need approximately 3 lbs lamb meat. Cook the meat in a saucepan with 1 can beef broth and 1 cup water until very tender, add more water if needed. While simmering add 1 tablespoon salt,1 teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons allspice.

The third layer Greek Yoghurt. Make a mixture using  5 cups yoghurt, 2 large cloves garlic mashed,1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoons tahini. In a bowl mash the garlic and salt together using a pestle. Stir in the yoghurt and tahini. Refrigerate until needed.  Do not heat this until last minute, heat yoghurt very slowly as it can curdle, keep stirring. You can also just bring the yoghurt mixture to room temperature instead of heating.

4.Toast pine nuts and slivered almonds in oven or saute in olive oil. Keep a close watch to make sure they do not burn. To toast the nuts, place on a baking sheet lined with silver foil and bake in a preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for approximately 5 minutes until they are golden brown. Or saute in melted butter until golden brown. Set nuts aside.

The top layer is 2 loaves pita bread  toasted at a low temperature in the oven whole, do not separate the layers. Place bread on a baking sheet lined with silver foil. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Check for crispness. Break into pieces.
Set nuts aside 

Have everything prepared, the bread toasted, the pine nuts and almonds toasted or sauteed, the rice and the meat cooked,  both rice and meat can be reheated before serving. Squeeze the juice of two lemons over the rice.Just the yoghurt mixture has to be heated at last minute. Take an oblong pyrex dish and layer each ingredient.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Aunt Nan's Relish

Ingredients

12 large cucumbers not peeled and seeds removed
8 large onions
1 small cabbage
6 carrots
3 sweet red peppers
2 tablespoons salt
6 cups sugar
6 cups white vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons mustard seed

Directions

Put 12 large cucumbers not peeled and seeds removed, 8 large onions,1 small cabbage, 6  carrots and 3 sweet red peppers through food grinder. Mix in 2 tablespoons salt. Let stand overnight. Drain in the morning.

The next morning, put the ground cucumbers, onions, cabbage, carrots and red peppers in a large pot.  Add 6 cups sugar, 6 cups white vinegar, 2 teaspoons celery seed, 2 teaspoons mustard seed and boil for 40 minutes.

Next mix in 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons ground tumeric, 2 tablespoons dry mustard and 1/2 cup cold white vinegar. Boil 5 minutes more.
Place in jar hot and seal.

Yields about 13 pints.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Marinade for Steak

Ingredients

1/4 olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions

Mix all above ingredients together and put steaks in the marinade for at least 2 hours.

Either barbeque or saute steak.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes


Ingredients

15 Ripe Tomatoes
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 Gianelli Sweet Sausage
2 Onions
3 sprigs Fresh Basil
2 sprigs Fresh Oregano
5 Stalks Parsley
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 jar Classico Marinara Sauce
1 small can Tomato Paste
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions


Heat up a pot of water until the water is boiling. Drop  the tomatoes in the simmering water for 3 minutes, 5 at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Repeat until all the tomatoes are done. Leave aside to cool.

Chop up 2 Spanish Onions and saute in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

The tomatoes should be cooled down, with a knife, slit the skin gently around the outside of the tomato, then peel off the skin. Cut the tomato into chunks, discarding the hard part where the stem was. Place the chopped tomatoes in a large pot.
Add the sauteed onions.

Saute 1 lb ground beef until fully cooked. Add to pot.
Saute 1/2 Gianelli Sweet Sausage until fully cooked (break up the sausage as it’s cooking into small pieces)

Add to pot.
Take a large can of crushed tomatoes and pour into the pot.
Add 1 jar of Classico Marinara Sauce
I also add water to both the can and jar to get the left over sauce bits, and pour into the pot.

Stir all together, add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, shake of cayenne, 2 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano), 4 sprigs fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon parsley flakes) 4 fresh basil sprigs, a shake of garlic powder, and stir the pot.
Bring to boil over low heat, simmer for at least 2 - 3 hours, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasonings, adjust according to your taste.
In the last half hour, add a small can tomato paste, and stir well to make sure there are no lumps of tomato paste in the sauce.

You will have a large amount, use what you need with pasta and freeze the rest in separate containers. This sauce freezes really well.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Greek Salad with Feta Cheese



Ingredients


1 head Iceberg Lettuce
1 Tomato
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Red Pepper
15 Kalamata Olives
1 Red Onion
1 Cucumber
4 oz. Feta Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grey Poupon Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Lemon Juice
Balsamic Vinegar
Dried Oregano

Directions

Cut the tomato into large chunks, chop the yellow and red peppers, chop the iceberg lettuce, slice a red onion thinly, chop  the cucumber, slice the 15 kalamata olives. Place all in a bowl.

Crumble 4 oz. feta cheese, keep in a separate bowl until just before serving.

Mix together 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, shake of pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Add the dressing just before serving. Taste, add more lemon if needed.

Sprinkle feta cheese over the bowl of ingredients, the dressing and mix together. Nice with freshly baked baguette bread.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Corn Bread

Corn Bread

Given to my son by his friend, Adrian.




Ingredients

2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
4 oz. sour cream
4 oz. grated cheddar
4 oz. condensed milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter (melted)



Directions


Combine all wet stuff and add Jiffy Mix

Mix lightly
Pour into 9 x 13 pan
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes
To test corn bread for a perfect light fluffy slightly moist, not dry corn bread, wet your finger and quickly touch the base of the hot pan in the center, if there is a sizzling sound it is perfectly done! This is a tip from Sharon’s grandmother! Her grandmother used to say why waste a toothpick? This works for cakes and breads. Or use a toothpick.