A picture is worth a thousand words. That's the old saying, right? Well, what do you see when you look at my profile picture? Someone with long hair? Too much lip gloss? Maybe pretty eyes? What you most likely don't see in that picture is "Greek". There once was a time when one would look at a picture of me and the word "Greek" would slap them on the forehead. I once had a unibrow so thick that it looked as if a caterpillar was glued to my head. It's amazing how much plucking my eyebrows (and mustache) changed my life! Although I may not look as Greek as I once did, I still feel very Greek. I'm not 100% Greek, I'm an eighth. I also have Ukrainian, Cherokee, and Irish blood running through my veins... But, I got hit, and I got hit hard, with the Greek gene! From the shape of my face, to my thick hair, to my taste buds (my favorite food is pasistio), and my love for music that I can dance to(Love, love, love dance music especially with a Mediterranean flare)... I'm so Greek! So, tonight I embraced my maiden name, Sclavos, and had a Greek night! I drank a TINY bit of Ouzo tonight for the first time. Mark, the children, and I learned the Greek dance called "Syrto", and I made a delicious Greek dinner.
Ouzo is a very strong Greek alcohol. My husband and I do not drink, so this was VERY strong to us! However, I liked it more that he did... I guess it's in my blood. The smell of the alcohol is delicious! It smells just like licorice. I feels good when swirled in your mouth like a sip of good wine does. But, Ouzo is not an alcohol to savor, it's more so one to do as a shot. So, my mouth didn't appreciate the Ouzo resting in it for as long as I allowed it to once it was swallowed. Ouzo also leaves the strong after taste of licorice. So, I'd recommend trying this only if you like licorice, or cloves.
For dinner I made Kottopula kampama, or Chicken Kampama. I also made kortes plaki, or carrots plaki, and patates yiahni, which means braised potatoes. And for desert? I made a light delicious Greek cookie called koulourakia me sousame, sesame-seed cookies. My favorite part of the dinner had to be the carrots plaki. However, the chicken was also quite delectable! The chicken makes it's own sauce which was outstanding on the potatoes as well as the carrots. These recipes can be found in "Greek Cooking" by Ruth Kershner, or you can find them at the bottom of this post.
The dancing was oh, so fun! Although my husband is not the greatest dancer (he's cute when he tries), he caught onto the steps before I did. Actually, he was more of my instructor than the woman on the YouTube video. The YouTube video that we used to learn the Syrto dance can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAiv7Szt1NI . This is the link to the first of several lessons taught by our instructor, a woman named Maria. She goes slow, so this is an ideal video for a beginner. However, we also watched other YouTube videos on other Greek dances. I've posted several of the links below. Anyway, the dance Syrto is a traditional Greek-American wedding dance. It's fun, and simple! So, grab a handkerchief, and click on the link!
If you need a change from the everyday I encourage you to have a "Greek night"! Even if you're not as lucky as I am, and don't have the blood in your veins, you can still be Greek! Greeks are opinionated, stubborn, fun loving, and family oriented. If I've just described you, you're Greek! Just kidding. But, seriously having, or hosting a Greek Night would be a great idea if you want to try something new that you can share with friends and family. So, do something new, do something extraordinary and be Greek for the night!
Chicken Kampama
Kottopula Kampama
3 pounds chicken parts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 of a 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 sticks cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup red wine
In a large skillet brown the chicken on all sides in the butter and olive oil. Remove from the pan.
Brown the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and wine. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 1 to 11/2 hours or until tender. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Carrots Plaki
Kortes Plaki
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Parboil the carrots in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain. Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add the green onions, carrots, oregano, and salt. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve. Makes 4 servings.
~I didn't sprinkle the carrots with the lemon juice. The chicken has a very distinct taste with all of the spice. To keep the taste of the chicken more alive, do not add the lemon juice. Lemon juice lingers on the taste bunds.~
Braised Potatoes
Patates Yiahni
8 small new potatoes (I used what I had in the fridge, redskin potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano, crumbled
Scrub the potatoes and peel away a wide band of skin around the center of the potato, leaving the skin on the remainder of the potato intact. Parboil the potatoes in boiling salted water to cover for approximately 20 minutes or until barely fork-tender. Drain. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan or skillet until the foam from the butter subsides. Ad the potatoes and brown on all sides. Add the salt, pepper, and oregano, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender. Makes 4 servings.
Sesame-Seed Cookies
koulourakia Me Sousame
1 cup sweet butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
5 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
Cream the butter until light. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Sift the flour and add to creamed mixture to form a soft dough. Chill the dough several hours or overnight. To form the cookies, take a scant tablespoon of the dough and roll into a 3 1/2 inch long rope. Pink the 2 ends together to form a doughnut shape. dip in the sesame seeds and place several inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg beaten with milk. Bake at 370 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
Here are some links to learn how to dance Greek style!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAiv7Szt1NI
Maria the famous Greek dance teacher is teaching us syrto Lesson 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de0POh8F3DY
Greek dance lessons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU5Gq1SKyQs
This video shows the choreographer, Ira Weisburd, demonstrating his dance "Hassapico Souromenos". For information on where to purchase his Step By Step Instructional DVD/CDs to International Folk ...
Have fun and God bless!
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