I volunteered to cook for a friend's birthday party, and she loves Greek food, so I had a go at it! Everyone says they loved everything, and while I didn't get pictures of it all (I finished cooking as they were arriving and by the time they left the food was gone!) here are the recipes:
Garlicky Eggplant2-3 Eggplants
1/2-2/3 C Olive Oil
8-10 cloves garlic
4-5 large tomatoes
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar (note: I had neither, I used white wine vinegar)
Slice eggplant in 1/2" thick rounds. Salt, and place in a colander to drain (place a plate and weight on top) for 1 hour. Rinse and pat dry. (note: I totally skipped this step, as I don't know how I can place anything in a round colander to drain, especially with a plate on top?) Heat 2-3 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over med heat and brown eggplant on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Preheat oven to 350*F. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in another skillet and cook the garlic over medium heat until soft. Grate the tomatoes, add to pan and season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Lightly oil a 10" square baking dish, layer eggplant slices and sauce, ending with sauce. Bake 40-45 minutes.
Stuffed Little Meatballs1 lb ground beef
1/2 C unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 C chopped parsley
1/2 C grates kefalotyri cheese (note: later a recipe said "or parmesan", so I used parmesan later recipe also spelled this cheese differently)
2 hard-boiled eggs
3-4 anchovies (not in oil) (note: all anchovies are packed in oil. I used anchovy paste)
2 slices Canadian Bacon (note: I used ham - it's basically the same thing?)
1 scant tsp curry powder
1 C dry red wine
1 C chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
Olive Oil
Flour
Salt
Mix ground beef, melted butter, egg, parsley, cheese and salt and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a small bowl, crush eggs, anchovies, bacon, and curry to a pulp. Form beef mixture into meatballs and hollow out a cavity in the center to fill with paste. Close securely. Dredge meatballs in flour and fry in 1" of oil in a heavy skillet. (note: I did forget to dredge) Drain on paper towels. Mix wine, tomatoes, and sugar in a pan with 1/2 C oil, bring to a boil. Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes.
Corn and Cabbage Soup3 C shredded cabbage
1/2 C olive oil
2 large red onions, chopped (note: I only used about half an onion)
6-8 C chicken stock
3/4 C cornmeal
salt and pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanche the cabbage. Drain cabbage. Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until wilted. Add cabbage and cook approx 8 minutes.
In a large soup pot, bring 6 C chicken stock to a boil. Slowly add the cornmeal and stir to avoid clumping. Simmer until thick and creamy, but still liquid. Add the sautéed vegetables and simmer for another 10 minutes. If soup is too thick, add up to another 2 C of chicken stock. Salt and pepper to taste.
Dolmades (grape leaf thingees)35-40 Good vine leaves
1 red onion, peeled (note: again, I only used about half an onion)
9 oz wild or cremini mushrooms (note: or, you know, just the regular button mushrooms you can get everywhere)
1 carrot, peeled
7 ounces zucchini
3 large tomatoes
about 1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C medium-grain rice
3 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1/2 Tbsp dried mint
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp shredded kefalotiri or parmesan cheese
If using store bought leaves, put them in a bowl of water to soak for a few minutes. Drain and pat dry. Using the large holes in the grater, grate the onion, carrot, zucchini, and 2 tomatoes, keeping them separate. (note: I messed up and grated all three tomatoes into the mixture) Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a wide pot and sauté the onion until golden. Add mushrooms, carrot, zucchini and rice and sauté for 10 minutes or so. Add the grated tomato, parsley, mint, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the kefalotiri.
Preheat the oven to 350*F. Wrap the filling in the grape leaves and place rolls in a baking dish. Grate the remaining tomato over the top and add one cup of water and drizzle the remaining oil. Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. (note: I forgot the water. It was late, I was exhausted...)
Lahanodolmades (Cabbage Rolls)3 1/2 pound savoy cabbage
7 ounces ground pork
7 ounces ground beef
1 C medium grain rice
1 large onion, grated
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 C chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp sweet paprika
4 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 C olive oil
4 eggs
Boil cabbage leaves until soft. Mix together pork, beef, rice (uncooked), onions, tomato, parsley, paprika, and the juice of one lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Roll filling in cabbage leaves, place in a large pot, drizzle with butter and pour in enough water to cover the rolls. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 40 minutes. Whisk eggs and the juice of the remaining 3 lemons and a little salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in a cup of the hot cooking liquid to acclimatize the egg, add to pot.
Traditional New Year's Bread8-10 C flour
3 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
8 eggs
1/2 C olive oil
1 C warm water
1/3 C ouzo
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder. Form a well in the center and add eggs, olive oil, water, and ouzo. Mix until combined, then kneed until silky, adding more flour as needed. Form into a ball and let rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400*F. lightly oil a 18"x3" round pan. Roll dough out to the circumference of the pan on a lightly floured surface. Dough shouldn't be more than 1" thick. Fit into pan and sprinkle the top with sesame seeds or almonds. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Olive Oil and Walnut Shortbread cookies(note: mine were Olive Oil and Almond Shortbread cookies)
2 C olive oil
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C ouzo
1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 C chopped walnuts (note: I used almonds)
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
4-5 C flour
powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350*F Whip oil and sugar until smooth. Add ouzo and dissolved baking soda and mix well. Add walnuts, zest, and cinnamon. Add flour in increments and mix until smooth. Line lightly greased cookie sheets with parchment paper and mould dough into unshelled walnut-sized oblong balls. Make until lightly brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire wrack, dust with powdered sugar.
And, last but not least, a link the THE MOST AWESOME cupcake recipe (Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes,m specifically requested):
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/car-bomb-cupcakes/
