The National Herald NOVEMBER 18, 2006 GREEK www.thenationalherald.com Food&Wine California Dreamin’: Westcoast Byzantine Greek Fusion Food Let’s Toast and Boast About Greek Wines Why is Greek Food so Healthy? A Unique Group of Women: The Recipe Club of St. Paul’s Never Too Early to Start Thinking About the Holidays 2 Greek Food & Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 2006 THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 2006 Greek Food & Wine 3 4 Greek Food & Wine THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 2006 By Jim Botsacos least 3 hours or overnight. Chef/Partner of Molyvos 2. When ready to cook, combine chicken stock, butter, 2 tablespoons Vasilopita extra virgin olive oil, salt and pep- New Year Cake per to taste. In a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Cook for 5-6 INGREDIENTS: minutes, then reserve, this will be 4 1/2 cupsAll Purpose Flour your basting liquid. 1 tsp Salt 3. Place a medium sauté pan on ? tsp Baking Soda medium high heat, add 2 table- 1 tsp Baking Powder spoons of oil, remove breast from 5 Eggs, separated marinate and season with salt and 1/2 cup Milk pepper. Place in pan skin side 3/4 cup Orange Juice down. Brown on all sides equally – Zest of 3-4 Oranges approximately 6-8 minutes to 8oz Butter brown on all sides. 1 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar 4. Place seared turkey breasts in Confectioner’s Sugar the roasting pan, skin up. Top with One Silver Coin basting liquid, basting every 15 minutes until the turkey is cooked 1. Preheat oven to 350ΓF. and the internal temperature reads 2. Butter and flour a 10”spring 155ΓF with thermometer, approxi- form pan. Bloom the baking soda mately 40-50 minutes. Let rest 5-6 in the orange juice and milk. Sift minutes before serving. the flour, salt and baking powder together. Fit an electric mixer with Turkey Gravy a paddle attachment and cream the butter and sugar until light and YIELD: 2 QUARTS fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a INGREDIENTS: time taking care to incorporate well 2 Quarts Brown Turkey Stock each time. Alternate adding the 8 ozs. Flour flour and liquid, starting off with 8 ozs. Butter plus 2 Table- the flour and finishing with the spoons flour. 1 Bay Leaf 3. Whip the egg whites to medi- 1 tsp Granulated Garlic um peaks. 1 sprig Thyme 4. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1 sprig Sage the whipped whites into the batter, 1 cup Heavy Cream then fold in the orange zest. Pour the batter into the mold; spread it 1. Place a heavy gauged stain- evenly with the spatula. Drop a less steel sauce pot over medium clean coin into the batter* and bake flame. Add the 8 ounces of butter 40 – 50 minutes, then lower the and cook until melted. Using a temperature to 300ΓF bake for an wooden spoon slowly stir in the additional 15 minutes until a tooth- flour to create a roux. The butter pick inserted comes out clean. will absorb the flour and become 5. Sprinkle with confectioner’s thick. Cook over a very low flame sugar or create a stencil with the stirring occasional for 6-8 minutes. New Year’s Date and sprinkle the 2. Using a wire whisk, slowly sugar over the stencil, then remove. whisk in the two quarts of turkey stock. Raise the heat, allow coming *Since this a soft batter, the coin to a boil, lower to a simmer and will likely fall to the bottom. You can skimming off any impurities. Let put the coin in after the cake is baked simmer for 5 minutes. to avoid this. 3. Using a wire whisk slowly whisk in the heavy cream until it is The person who gets the coin in Jim Botsacos Shares His Recipes... all incorporated. Add the aromat- his or her slice will have good luck ics and the granulated garlic, sea- for the New Year. son lightly with salt and pepper and 2 whole turkey legs with skin, on the turkey. Transfer to the refriger- be at a bare simmer throughout the 1 cup extra virgin olive oil allow to simmer 10-12 minutes, Slow Roasted Turkey the bone ator and let marinate for 2 days. baking. If it bubbles rapidly, lower 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until the gravy is the proper consis- a la Grecque 2 lbs lard or goose fat (see note) 3. Unwrap the turkey, rinse un- the heat as you don’t want the legs 1 Tbs Greek oregano tency and the starch is cooked out der cool running water and pat dry. to cook too fast. 1 zest of lemon from the roux. Rice, Sausage & Chestnut Stuffing 1. Combine the garlic, thyme, 4. Place a wire rack on baking 7. Remove the legs from the 1 juice of lemon 4. When ready to serve whisk in Wild Greens Pie, Fall Fruit Spoon Sweets oregano and sage with the allspice, pan. Place the turkey on the wire oven and set aside to cool in the fat. 2 cups turkey stock, recipe follows the remaining 2 tablespoons of but- cloves and cinnamon sticks in a rack and refrigerate for at least 8 When cool, refrigerate, covered (or canned chicken broth) ter, adjust the seasonings, strain YIELD: 4-6 small bowl. Stir in the lemon hours or overnight. This allows the with plastic film, until ready to use. 3 Tbs butter and serve. TO MAKE THE TURKEY CONFIT 2. Place about 1 tablespoon of turkey legs to dry out somewhat. The confit will keep covered in the salt and pepper – to taste INGREDIENTS: the salt in the bottom of an 11-inch 5. Preheat the over to 375oF. rich fat for up to 2 weeks. Note: You may add any reserved 5 cloves garlic, peel on, smashed rectangular glass baking dish. Place the lard in a heavy-bottom 8. When ready to use, pull the 1. In a stainless steel mixing pan dripping from the turkey but 5 sprigs fresh thyme Sprinkle half of the herb/spice mix- sauce pan over low heat, heating meat from the skin and bones. bowl, combine 1 cup of extra virgin they must be reduced and 5 sprigs fresh oregano ture over the salt. Lay the turkey just until melted. Shred the meat and discard both olive oil, garlic, Greek oregano, strained. 3 sprigs fresh sage legs skin side down, in a single lay- 6. Transfer the turkey to a bak- the skin and bones. lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper 12 allspice berries er on top of the seasoning. Sprinkle ing pan. Pour the warm lard over To Assemble: to taste. Using a piece of butchers Turkey Stock 6 whole cloves the remaining herb/spice mixture the turkey legs and cover. Place the twine, tie around the turkey breast 4 cinnamon sticks over the top followed by the re- pan on a cookie sheet. Place in the FOR THE TURKEY: to help hold its shape. Repeat with The stock can be made up to 3 1 lemon, well washed and cut maining salt. Cover with plastic preheated oven and bake for about 1 14-16 lb. Turkey – legs the other breast. Place in a non-re- days ahead. To remove all excess crosswise, into thin slices film and place another heavy pan 2 1/2 hours or until the turkey is and thighs removed, breasts de- active pan, cover with the mari- fat, place stock in fridge until 1/2 cup coarse salt (approx.) on top of the dish to weight down falling off the bone. The fat should boned, carcass reserved nade and place in refrigerator for at chilled, then remove the fat from THE NATIONAL HERALD, NOVEMBER 18, 2006 Greek Food & Wine 5 the top of the stock with a ladle. low heat. Add the onion and leek to 30 minutes to soften fruit. Strain along with a pinch of salt. Cover fruit, save liquid, weigh the fruit, YIELD: 2 QUARTS and cook, stirring occasionally, for weigh out an equal amount of sug- INGREDIENTS: about 10 minutes, or until very soft ar. Place fruit and sugar in alter- 1 turkey carcass and translucent. nating layers. In a pot add all of the 4 quarts cold water 2. Raise the heat to medium- liquid, bring to a boil, reduce, then 2 onions, diced high and add another tablespoon of simmer, add sachet, cook 15-20 1 carrot, diced the olive oil. Add the kale and cook minutes. 2 ribs celery for 2 minutes. Add the dandelion Remove from heat, let fruit sit in 2 bay leaves greens and season with salt and syrup about 2-3 hours. Return to 1 sprig thyme pepper to taste. Add the lemon heat, bring to a simmer for 5 min- 2 garlic cloves, smashed juice, Herb Tea, and 2 tablespoons utes, pull off the heat and add 4-5 black peppercorns, of the remaining olive oil. Lower vanilla extract and touch of lemon, whole the heat to medium and cook for 15 cool. pinch of salt to 18 minutes, or until all of the liq- uid has evaporated. Remove from TO MAKE THE TURKEY STOCK: the heat and transfer to a baking Roasted Leg of Lamb with sheet to cool. Herbed Tomatoes 1. Using a heavy chef’s knife or 3. When cool, transfer the mix to cleaver, take the turkey carcass and a stainless steel bowl, fold in the Fe- cut the body up into 5-6 medium ta cheese, Kefalotyri cheese, scal- INGREDIENTS: size pieces.