Fish a la Spetsiota

Photo of Greek Cookbooks on a bookshelf for 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…

Salmon Chowder

Photo of ingredients to make Salmon Chowder

Books Of Life
I am a bookworm. I love everything about books. I like to read them. I like the smell of them. And, anytime I get to be in a room with a lot of books I feel centered.

For that reason, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite places in the whole wide world is Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, Oregon. Anytime I find myself in Portland for either work or leisure, I try to carve out just a little bit of time to go to Powell’s.

To be fair, anywhere I go, I somehow end up in a bookstore whether I plan it or not. And, without fail, I will find myself in the cooking section of said bookstore because my addiction to books most vividly manifests itself in my cookbook collection. Cookbooks are my favorite souvenirs. To me, the best way to remind yourself about a place, its people, and its culture, is through its food.

I have spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest during my lifetime, so I don’t need more souvenirs when I visit. But, I almost always find something new at Powell’s. One of my best finds was a book by Naomi Tomky called The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook. The title of the book sounds pretty straightforward. But, it is an excellent collection of recipes that teaches the reader some interesting ways of cooking the amazing variety of fish and shellfish that come from the waters off of the coast of Washington and Oregon.

One of my favorites is this Salmon Chowder which is super easy to make for a midweek dinner. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a clam chowder that has substituted the salmon. This recipe is more of a very fish-forward, thick stew with great flavors that will transport you north.

Salmon Chowder Recipe
Yields 2 to 4 servings
Adapted from The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook by Naomi Tomky Read more…

Pork Tonkotsu Broth

A bowl of Pork Tonkotsu Broth with ramen, eggs, greens, pork and green onions

Using Your Noodle
Ramen is having a moment. It’s been in the moment for quite some time. But, it seems like there are more and more ramen shops popping up. Going for ramen is what the hip kids are doing, I guess. Last year my daughter was all about meeting up with her friends to get Boba. This year it’s all about ramen.

Full disclosure, I like ramen, but I prefer an udon or pho to ramen. That does not mean, however, that I don’t reach into my pantry every once in a while and grab a packet of ramen for lunch.

Gone are the days of college-style ramen. No more hot water and using just the seasoning packet that contains a year’s worth of sodium in one serving. More often than not, I use the noodles but make the rest up on my own.

One search on the internet will tell you that I am not alone in my ramen makeovers. Eggs are an immensely popular add as are fresh green onions. Some people add peanut butter for that peanut sauce effect. Dried and fresh mushrooms are great. Kimchi is a good one as is Chinese sausage. The key, no matter what you put into your ramen, udon, or pho, is the broth.

Let’s be real, if you are looking for first-rate ramen your best bet is to go somewhere and order it because the best ramen places have taken the time to make good broth. This means hours of simmering bones and aromatics to achieve a rich and flavorful base for the ramen.

Most people don’t have the time to do it themselves or just don’t want to hassle with it. I get it. But, because I am weird this way and wanted to challenge myself, I decided a couple of weeks ago to take the time one Saturday and make enough Pork Tonkotsu Broth to freeze and have on hand for whenever I need it. Here’s what I discovered.

The Tonkotsu Broth I made was great. The flavor was spot on. Was it that much better than what I would get from takeout? No. Is it nice to have some in the freezer for later when you have an emergency ramen craving? Absolutely. Would I make it again? Maybe.

It is a time-consuming all-day thing that I would encourage you to try on a weekend when the weather outside is frightful and it’s looking like a movie marathon is in your future. Instead of feeling like you did nothing all day, at the end, you would have dinner!

Pork Tonkotsu Broth Recipe
Yields approximately 8 cups Read more…

Garlicky Turkish Lamb Shank Stew

Garlicky Turkish Lamb Shank Stew bubbling on the stovetop

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…