The Kitchen EcosystemGreek Cheese Pastries
Neni showed me how to make these wonderful little cheese pies right before she left New York for Greece. She told me she likes to make them before she goes on a trip because the recipe uses up… Read More
Zucchini with Mint
Neni is in Greece, tending her garden, writing, swimming, napping, and of course, cooking. She just sent me this recipe. “We ate this with grilled lamb chops, a quinoa taboule salad, an avocado salad, and yogurt with preserved figs… Read More
Braised Lamb with Springs Greens
The Greeks make a dish called Lamb Fricassee that is not a fricassee in the traditional French sense, but rather a delicate, savory braise of lamb and lettuce greens. I think they call it a fricassee because the… Read More
Stewed Mushrooms
I never associated mushrooms with Greek cuisine before, but Neni explained to me that they are frequently eaten in the north. I’ve been exploring some Greek wines lately, and at a recent tasting, I tried what could be… Read More
Lemon Spoon Fruit
I was surprised when I saw Neni setting aside the pith—not the zest, which is used in cooking, but that white bitter stuff we are always told to throw away—after juicing lemons. She makes this splendid spoon fruit… Read More
Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Preserved Lemons
Neni often eats a vegetable stew with homemade bread, maybe a piece of cheese, and a few cured olives. It’s a marvelous way to eat: light, inexpensive, healthy. I’ve gotten into the practice, too, and am sleeping better… Read More
Lemons: The Greek Staple
Neni goes through at least 12 lemons a week. They are her primary acid in cooking, used to brighten up the flavors of food, as well as lend the zingy taste that pushes her cuisine into the “I… Read More
Taramosalata
Neni saves leftover bread to make this dish. She cuts off the crust and makes breadcrumbs, and she freezes ½ cup sized hunks of old bread to makes this. Neni likes this dip smooth; her husband Stathis likes… Read More
Kumquat Marmalade and Kumquat Spoon Fruit
Kumquat marmalade is terrific with toast in the morning. But kumquat spoon fruit is a specialty of Greece. When I asked Neni how the kumquats—which are preserved whole in simple syrup, are served, she said on a spoon,… Read More
Neni’s White Bread
Neni’s husband Stathis says the only downside of homemade bread is you end up eating too much of it. He’s right. But it is so easy to make, using the Lahey technique that in my opinion is the… Read More