Amy’s Tzatziki

Spin Cycle
My sister’s washing machine blew up a few weeks ago, which is never good. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to wash your clothes, she now has to deal with getting the repair person out, having them figure out what’s going on, and all the rest of the hassle. The good news is that she lives five minutes from me which is so much better than the laundromat. And, it is why we found ourselves having a throwback Sunday family dinner while she did a few loads of laundry.

Growing up, Sunday nights meant dinner at my grandmother’s house—which I loved and hated at the same time. I loved having dinner with my grandparents because the food was fantastic. But, I almost always was dragged kicking and screaming. I didn’t want to stop playing out in front of our house with my friends, not to mention having to shower and put on decent clothes.

Anyway, when I got the call from my sister asking to use my washing machine, I immediately started planning for a Sunday dinner a la Gammy which meant some sort of roasted beast. I opted for a leg of lamb. Now, a leg of lamb isn’t cheap. And, normally it wouldn’t be my first choice. But, I had ulterior motives.

I knew that a leg of lamb would be too much for the number of people eating. But, I also knew that the leftovers would be great the next night wrapped in warm pita bread with tomatoes, sliced onions, and one of my favorite things in the whole world, tzatziki.

I love tzatziki and have been known to have just that with some fresh pita slices for dinner. You can buy pre-made tzatziki from the store and it will be tasty. But, it is so worth the minor effort it takes to make it fresh. Plus you have the opportunity to customize it to your liking. I go pretty heavy on the garlic. Thankfully, my husband likes it that way too. Otherwise, we would be sleeping in different bedrooms because of lingering garlic breath…

Amy’s Tzatziki recipe is good on so many things like lamb meatballs, kababs, and sandwiches. Use it as a veggie dip or chip dip. Any way you can think of to get some in your mouth will work. Bonus…because it’s made with yogurt, tzatziki is pretty good for you, too.

Amy’s Tzatziki Recipe
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip or sauce made from simple ingredients that are both tangy and garlicky. It is made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon, and sometimes fresh herbs. A full-fat Greek yogurt works well in this quick-to-prepare recipe. Read more…

Fish a la Spetsiota

It’s Greek To Me
If you ever feel like you’re in a cooking rut, take a Saturday and go through your cookbooks. As you weed out the ones to be donated, you will discover books you forgot you had. The ones you loved at one time but since have languished on the shelf are desperate to see the light of day.

This was me last Saturday.

Because my love of cookbooks (read: addiction) exceeds the amount of room I have to store them, it became necessary for me to cull the herd, as it were. Some books were easy to remove. Those were the books I acquired as editorial copies during my Barnes and Noble days and frankly never really used.

Then there were the books you never get rid of even if you don’t use them on a weekly basis. The Art of French Cooking (my grandmother’s copy) for example or The Joy of Cooking. Anything by James Beard or the 1941 copy of The Escoffier Cookbook (also my grandmothers…you get the gist).

The hardest decisions were made with the regional cooking books. I was shocked to note that I have just as many Cajun/Louisiana cookbooks as I do Mexican cookbooks, and I have a lot of Mexican cookbooks. I couldn’t bring myself to part with any of those. There were a few French ones that I just didn’t really need anymore but France is still well represented as are Spain and Italy. I was surprised, given the fact that I love the cuisine, that I didn’t have a wide selection of Greek cookbooks. I have a number of Mediterranean cookbooks but only a few that are specifically Greek.

One of the books I do have is The Glorious Foods of Greece by Diane Kochilas. It is a fantastically comprehensive collection of recipes from across all of Greece and its many islands. I recommend it highly. Diane Kochilas is an authority on Greek and Greek American cooking and her books are a must-have for any well-rounded library.

Apparently, I need to do a little work on my well-rounded library….

Maybe it’s because spring is right around the corner or maybe it’s because it’s been a while, but after my spring book cleaning I find myself with Greek food on the brain. The bright fresh flavor of lemons, olives, and olive oil are calling to me in a big way. But first, I need another Greek cookbook or two…I wouldn’t want all that new shelf space to go to waste….

Fish a la Spetsiota
Adapted from Diane Kochilas
Yields 4 Servings

This classic Greek Fish a la Spetsiota recipe comes from the island of Spetses off the eastern coast of the Peloponnese. This dish has many versions and this simple one is a favorite. Read more…

Garlicky Turkish Lamb Shank Stew

Stewing in Comfort
This is the time of year when I have visions of something savory bubbling on the stove or slow cooking in the crockpot ready to warm me up when I walk through the door at the end of the day. I am particularly partial to anything that makes use of dried beans, some variety of meat shank, and has a rich gravy-like broth. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The shank possibilities are endless, from beef to ham. All of them are tasty. Although, if I am thinking beans and shanks, I generally choose lamb shanks. This recipe for Lamb Shanks Osso Bucco is a definite favorite of mine, and I make it regularly.

However, when on a search for something a little different, I came across this recipe for Garlicky Turkish Lamb Shank Stew. I was intrigued by the addition of pepperoncini which should add some nice acid and flavor to what can normally be a rather rich dish. Not to mention the Aleppo pepper for some zip…

Not only does this recipe fall into the weekend project category, but this recipe also makes quite a lot. So, feel free to half it or freeze some for an easy home-cooked meal another night.

If you cannot find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute a blend of two parts sweet paprika with one part cayenne…

Garlicky Turkish Lamb Shank Stew with White Beans
Adapted from Real Stew by Clifford A. Wright
Yields 8 to 10 servings Read more…

Strawberry Hibiscus & Honey Ice Cream

Something Totally Different
I have been overwhelmed with recipes since starting my journey into the flavors of Africa. Unfortunately, there are too many wonderful options to consider—and not enough time.

The recipe below for Strawberry Hibiscus & Honey Ice Cream is one I definitely want to try but just haven’t been able to get to. So I am passing it on to y’all in the hopes that someone out there is willing to give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.

Dried hibiscus flowers can be challenging to find. As an alternative, I recommend using hibiscus tea as a substitute. If you go that route, let me know what tea you use. I thought the Tao of Tea Hibiscus Ginger might be fantastic for this.

Strawberry Hibiscus & Honey Ice Cream
Adapted from Africana by Lerato Umah-Shaylor
Yields about 1 Quart Read more…