Greece: White Beans with Kale Dish, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Easter Bread and Coconut Cake

For last nights meal my husband chose Greece. My first thought was beautiful Mediterranean views and healthy cuisine! The white bean and stuffed grape leaves dishes were delicious and vegan (except for the optional feta cheese with the white bean dish). Once again for some of the recipes I made alterations. I left out onions in the white bean and stuffed grape leaves dishes (since my husband is allergic) and traded coconut milk for whole milk in the cake and bread. One of the ingredients for the bread - Mahlab, was difficult to find. I asked someone at the market and they led me to a section where they kept hookah bongs and cigarettes. The guy opened a locked cabinet and handed me the Mahlab. It had me worried that I was buying something I maybe shouldn't be buying haha, so I double checked online to see what this ingredient was exactly. Mahlab is a spice from the seeds of a certain cherry named the Prunus Mahaleb. So don't worry if that happens to you... it is OK to eat! Haha. On this culinary journey I've realized how much I love cooked kale! So, don't be afraid to make the bean and kale dish. The cake is moist and delicious. The bread tastes like it could be a dessert. As you can tell... this was a very yummy dinner! Enjoy!

White Beans with Kale

Serves: 8

1 Lb. Dried Great Northern Beans

1 Lb. Kale, chopped

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Large Onion, diced

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

Salt, for taste

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

Pepper, for taste

2 Large Tomatoes, chopped

Juice From 1 Lemon

Feta Cheese for Topping (optional)

Soak the beans overnight. Drain and rinse the beans. Place the beans in a pot and cover them with water at least 1 inch high. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes (test to see if they are cooked enough). Once they are done, drain and rinse the beans and set aside. 

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes so the kale starts to wilt (you may need to add about a 1/2 cup of water). Once done, add in the tomatoes and turn the heat down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

Once done add the beans and drizzle with the lemon juice. Serve and add in feta cheese if you like.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Serving: About 30 pieces (or as many as you can make)

30 Grape Leaves or 1 Jar (which will have more than 30, so make as many as you can)
- TRY: California Grape Leaves -Orlando 2lb jar, DR.WT. 16oz
Salt and Pepper for taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 Cup Olive Oil
5 Large Onions, chopped
1 1/2 Cups of Uncooked Long Grain Rice
1 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
3/4 Cup Pine Nuts
- TRY: Kirkland Signature Pine Nuts - 1.5 lbs
4 Tbsp. Fresh Mint, chopped
Juice of Two Lemons

For this recipe I recommend watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjwZXdrf7E

I didn't follow this recipe, but it gave me a visual on how to work and roll the grape leaves.

Rinse the grape leaves. If you got fresh ones, boil them in water for 3-5 minutes. Once boiled, rinse and set aside. If you got them from a jar, just rinse them.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, use half of the olive oil. Saute the onions for 5 minutes. Then add in the rice, pine nuts, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add in the lemon juice. Then allow to cool.

In a large saucepan, place a few grape leaves on the bottom (I used the ones that were broken).

To roll the leaves: Place a grape leaf with the stem towards you. Make sure the veins are facing down (smooth side is up). Cut off the stem of the leaf. Then place a spoonful of the filling into the grape leaf. Fold the sides in and then roll the leaf away from you. Make sure not to roll too tightly because the rice will expand.

Place the grape leaves in the saucepan, with the seam facing down.

Pour the rest of the olive oil over the stuffed grape leaves. Then fill up the pan with water so the stuffed leaves are covered. Place a heatproof plate over the rolls to keep them submerged in the water. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 50-60 minutes. Let it cool and then take the stuffed leaves out of the pan to serve.

Easter Greek Bread

Yields: 4 Braided Loaves

8 Cups of All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1 1/2 Cups Milk, warm
3 Envelopes Dry Yeast
1 2/3 Cup Sugar
1 2/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
Zest 1 Orange
Zest 1 Lemon
1 Tbsp. Mahlab (Mahlepi)
- GET IT HERE since it is hard to find in stores: Traditional Greek Mahlepi (Mahlab) - 10g
5 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. of Water
Sesame Seeds for Sprinkling on Top
- My FAV: One 16 oz Bob's Red Mill Brown Sesame Seeds
4 Red Eggs - they are dyed (optional)

Mix the flour and salt together, set aside. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Once dissolved, add 1/2 cup of the flour and 1 tbsp. of sugar. Mix and then cover and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Mix in the sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and mahlab. Remove from heat and stir in the 5 beaten eggs. Let it cool.

Place the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl (I put it in a large saucepan since I didn't have a bowl big enough at the time). Add the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Then mix in the flour slowly until it forms a smooth dough. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 2 hours. It will double in size.

Place the dough on a floured counter/board and punch down. Separate the dough into 4 equal parts and shape into rounds. Let the rounds rest for 10 minutes. Then divide each round into three pieces shaped like long ropes (about 12 inches long). Braid them together and place onto a baking sheet to rise again for 30 minutes (or longer - so it has risen to about double its size).

Brush each loaf with the egg/water mixture and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. If you are using the red egg (I did not), place it in the upper part of each loaf gently. Bake in a oven at 280°F degrees for one hour.

Greek Coconut Cake

Serves: 12 Pieces

4 eggs, separated
Pinch of Salt
2/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Coconut
- My FAV: Bob's Red Mill Medium Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, 24 oz
Syrup:
2 1/2 Cups Water
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
Juice and Zest 1 Lemon
6 Cloves
1-2 Tbsp. Cinnamon
Pan:
Butter
Flour
Topping:
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut

Mix the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. 

Heat the oven to 340°F. 

Beat the egg whites with the salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, butter, and sugar together until it is creamy. Add in the milk. Whisk the flour and baking powder together and then add in the mixture. Stir in the coconut and egg whites.

Grease the baking pan with butter and sprinkle some flour on top. Pour the batter into the pan evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cut in pieces. Pour the syrup over the cake evenly. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded coconuts and allow the cake to cool.

Uruguay: Matambre (rolled stuffed steak) with Essence Spice, Grilled Eggplant, Salsa Criolla and Alfajores with Dulce De Leche

Last night I made a meal from Uruguay. This is a country I have always wanted to visit so I was excited to cook these recipes. A few of these recipes are somewhat time consuming so make sure to prepare and start early or make some things the day before. I made the spices and salsa the day before and the dessert the morning of. One piece of advice about making the salsa: don't chop the pepper and then take your contacts out.... this equals spicy eyeballs!! Haha. Also, you might have noticed that I leave out a certain ingredient regularly, which is onions. My husband is allergic to onions so unfortunately I cannot cook with them unless I want to make two dishes, which I don't haha. Enjoy!

Matambre: Rolled Flank Steak with Essence (spice mix)

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 Lbs of Flank Steak
2 Tbsp of Essence (recipe to follow)
- or TRY: Emeril's Original Essence, 1 X 2.8 Ounce
3 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 cup of Spinach
2 Large Carrots, grated
4 Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
4-6 Pieces of Bacon
1/2 Cup of Sliced Onions
3 Bay Leaves
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Thyme
1 Cup of Argentine Red Wine
6 Cups Beef Stock
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish

Prepare carrots, spinach, garlic, eggs and Essence spice mix. Season both sides of the steaks with Essence. Place the steaks on a clean surface with the grain horizontal toward you in order to slice the rolled steak across the grain. Scatter half of the garlic over steaks and cover with spinach leaves. Next layer with eggs and carrots, then sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Tightly roll the meat and secure with kitchen string (I forgot to buy these and my steaks fell apart slightly).

USE: RSVP 185-Foot Biodegradable Kitchen String

 

In large pan, cook the bacon. Then remove and drain on paper towels. Place the rolled steaks to the bacon fat in the pan. Brown on all sides, then remove steaks and place on side. Cook onions in pan with the rest of garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Place the steaks in the pan and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook the meat until tender (about 1 hour) and turn halfway through cooking. Once done remove steaks and let sit for 10 minutes before removing the string and slicing meat.

Continue to cook the sauce by bringing to a Boil. Cook until it is reduced and thickened. Remove from heat and add bacon. Serve sliced meat with the sauce and onions. Garnish with parsly. Serve with the Salsa and Grilled Eggplant (recipe to follow).

 Salsa Criolla:

1 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
3 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
3 Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
2 Onions, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley 

2 Hot Green Pepper, Seeded and Finely Chopped

Mince and mash the garlic with the salt to form a paste. Add the red wine vinegar and stir. Then stir in the olive oil and add the black pepper. Add the tomatoes, onions, pepper and parsley. Mix well and serve with steak.

Grilled Eggplant

2 Eggplants
2 Tsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Basil
1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Oregano
2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Slice eggplant and toss with salt. Let sit for 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Heat the grill. Mix the olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes together. Toss eggplant in mixture. Then grill until both sides are golden brown on both sides. (I also added some of the Essence mix to the eggplant).

Essence Spice Mix

2 1/2 Tbsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme

Mix all together. 

 Alfajores

Serves: A lot! haha

1 Cup Cornstarch

3/4 Cup of All-Purpose Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp. Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1/3 Cup of Sugar

2 Large Egg Yolks

1 Tbsp. Brandy (I used a substitute - cherry juice)

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Dulce De Leche, recipe to follow

Place the cornstarch, measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine and set aside.

Mix the sugar and butter in a bowl until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. Then add the egg yolks, bandy and vanilla until well mixed. Then gradually add the flour mixture and mix well.

Place the dough onto a piece of plastic and shape it into a disk wrapped tightly. Put in the refrigerator for at least a hour.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness (the dough may crack but can be patched back together). Cut out 24 rounds (or as many as you can), rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, at least 1/2 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are firm and pale golden on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on each. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving. 

Dulce De Leche

1 Quart of Milk (I used coconut milk)

1 1/2 Cups of Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean, Split and Seeds Scraped

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the baking soda and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a simmer. Stir occasionally. Continue to cook for 1 hour. Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1 cup (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours). Strain the mixture and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Next up: Uruguay!!

Coming this week is food from Uruguay... I'm excited!!

Algeria: Algerian Beef and Veggie Soup & Algerian Charlotte (Dessert)

This past Sunday I made Algerian food! I was excited to try these recipes. For our entree I picked Algerian soup. It was delicious and had an exciting combination of flavors such as mint and tomato paste. For the dessert I made Charlotte cake. It is suppose to be similar to the French Charlotte Cake. If you read my previous posts you know that I'm not very good at making cakes haha, so this was interesting!

Algerian Beef & Veggie Soup:

Serves: 8-10

1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 - 1.5 lbs Beef
1 Large Onion
1 Large Potato
1 Large Zucchini
1 can (aprox. 15 ounces) Chickpeas
Salt & Pepper to Taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
3 Tbsp. Dried Mint or a handful of fresh mint leaves
6 Cups Boiling Water
1/2 cup Egg Noodles, broken (I used more than 1/2 cup)
- TRY: Organic Pappardelle Egg Pasta, 8.8 Oz 2Pk
1 Can of Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup of Peas

To prepare chop onion, potato and zucchini. Brown meat in pan with oil. Transfer the meat to a large pot. Add rest of oil, onion, zucchini, potato, chickpeas, salt, pepper, mint, and water to pot. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 30 minutes (covered). Then add the egg noodles and peas, and cook for another 5-7 minutes uncovered. Stir in the tomato paste, simmer for another 5 minutes and then serve hot. Enjoy!!

Algerian Charlotte

Serves 8

1 Cup Dates
- TRY: United With Earth Organic Medjool Dates, 16-Ounce Containers (Pack of 4)
Juice of 1 Orange
1 1/2 Cup Water
3 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Gelatin
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Almonds, Sliced
2 Chopped Dates
2 Tbsp. Almonds, Sliced
1/2 Grated Orange

Remove pits from dates. Cut them into quarters. Squeeze the juice from the orange. Put the orange juice into a saucepan with water and honey. Add the gelatin. When it dissolves, add in the quartered dates and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 30 minutes. Then let mixture cool. once it is cool, strain and keep the liquid (I kept some of the left over mixture and added it into the final product - it was my favorite part of the dish). 

Whip the cream until it stands in peaks. Add the almonds into the cream, along with the date liquid. Stir and then spoon into a dish. Decorate with the leftover dates, almonds, and grated orange. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.

**As you can tell from the picture, it doesn't look like a typical cake, but I followed instructions and this is what I got - more of a ice cream pudding, but it was very yummy!!

Germany: East German Paprika Chicken, Kale and Sausage, and Black Forest Cherry Cake

Last night I made German food! It turned out delicious! I started some cooking and preparation the night before. You have to marinate the chicken for 24 hours and I started making a layer of the cake. For the chicken, I had to leave out the onions since my husband is allergic and I substituted coconut milk for dairy milk (since I don't drink cows milk). 

East German Paprika Chicken:

Serves 2-4

Chicken Marinade:

2 chicken breasts (or 4 - depending on how many people you are serving)

1/2 tsp. Salt

- TRY: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

1/4 Tsp. Pepper

1 Tbsp. Paprika (Hungarian)

- My FAV: Simply Organic Paprika Ground Certified Organic, 2.96 Ounce Container

2-3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley

1 Onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. Oil

Sauce:

• Oil
• 1 Onion, Sliced
• 1 Tbsp. Paprika
• 1 Cup Apple Juice
• 1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers from a jar
• 1 Tbsp. White Vinegar
• 1 Cup Milk (I used coconut milk since I don't drink dairy milk)
• 1-2 Tbsp. Flour
• 1 Apple, Grated

Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate up to 24 hours.

Heat oil in a large pan. Add in chicken with the marinade (you can slice chicken or leave it whole). Brown chicken in the pan. Remove chicken and add in onion slices and cook for a few minutes. Add in apple juice, roasted peppers and chicken. Cook until the chicken is done. 

While that is cooking, mix the milk with the vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. 

Once chicken is done, remove it. Mix the flour with some of the milk to make a paste. Add in the paste, milk, and grated apple to the sauce. Boil for a few minutes and then serve with the chicken. 

Kale and Sausage: Gruenkohl und Pinkel (North German):

Serve 4-6

• 12 Oz. Kale, cleaned and Chopped
• 2 Pieces of Bacon, Chopped
• 1/2 Onion, Chopped
• 2 Tsp. Beef Bouillon
• 1 Tbsp. Mustard
• Pepper
• Sausages (6-7, or however many you want!)

Blanch the kale for 1 minute in boiling water, then drain. Brown the bacon in the pan, and saute the onion. Add in the kale and cook for a few minutes. Add in water and beef bouillon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Add in the mustard and stir. Put the sausages on top of the kale and simmer for 30 more minutes. Add Salt and Pepper to taste once it is done cooking. 

This dish turned out wayyy better than I thought kale could be. Enjoy!

Black Forest Cherry Cake:

So, I'm not very good at making cakes. I've only made a few cakes in my life and they turned out pretty yummy, but not too pretty. Once again, my Black Forest Cherry Cake did not turn out anything like what it is suppose to look like. I really don't get why I suck so bad at making cakes because I follow instructions, but I've learned to accept it haha. I'm too embarrassed to post the picture of my cake because it looks really weird. The cake was kind of complicated (at least to me) so I will be posting the links to the recipe I followed. Hopefully you make a prettier cake!

Black Forest Cherry Cake

Here are additional links for separate recipes for the cake layers and the cream filling:

Torte Cream

Biskuit Torte