INTERNATIONAL: Caribbean Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce

LINK to recipe

INTERNATIONAL: GREECE: Part 4 A - Greek Islands

The Greek islands stretch from the Turkish Shore to east of Italy.  Greek sailors traveled all over the Mediterranean so the islands didn't lose touch with the main island.  Just imagine perched on rocky cliffs with picturesque, whitewashed buildings. There were many foreign invasions from the Minoans, Phoenicians, Spartans, Athenians, Romans, Byzantiums, Venetians, Genoese, Ottoman Turks over the centuries. Later, the Russians, French, English and Italians came.

Greece has an extremely large number of islands, with estimates ranging from somewhere around 1,200 to 6,000, depending on the minimum size to take into account. The number of inhabited islands is variously cited as between 166 and 227.

The largest Greek island by area is Crete, located at the southern edge of the Aegean Sea. The second largest island is Euboea, which is separated from the mainland by the 60m-wide Euripus Strait, and is administered as part of the Central Greece region. After the third and fourth largest Greek Islands, Lesbos and Rhodes, the rest of the islands are two-thirds of the area of Rhodes, or smaller.

The cuisine was affected by all of the invaders in the first paragraph above but there was no dominance by any of them. Greek cuisine was not complicated but simple where they used seasonal vegetables, leafy greens, grains, olive oil, beans, legumes, local cheeses, fresh or cured fish and meats.

Fennel, lemons, capers, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, wild saffron, pepper, and honey are major players in Greek Island cuisine.

WILD FENNEL

LINK to Fennel Pies or Marathopites

LINK to Fennel Cookies or Biskóta Máratho

LEMONS

LINK TO EPICURIOUS RECIPE FOR AVGOLEMOMO

 OR LEMON SOUP

LINK TO ALLRECIPES GREEK LEMON CHICKEN

 AND POTATOES 

OR ELLINIKI KOTOPOULO LEMONI KAI PATATES

CAPERS

LINK TO GREEK DIP OR SKODALIA RECIPE USING CAPERS

LINK TO GREEK CHICKEN WITH CAPERS RAISINS AND FETA

TOMATOES

LINK to Greek tomato soup recipe with orzo

OR Éllines soúpa ntomátas me kritharáki

LINK to Greek stuffed tomatoes

OR Ellinikí gemistés ntomátes

OREGANO

GREEK OREGANO

ITALIAN OREGANO

TURKISH OREGANO

A brief lesson: Oregano

Although they look similar Greek and Italian and Turkish Oreganos are different.  They are refered to as Mediterranean Oregano: 

• Greek oregano tends to be the most savory and earthy, 
• while Italian is milder 
• and Turkish is more pungent. 
• Used fresh or dry, Mediterranean oregano is the choice for dishes from this region, tomato sauces, pizzas, grilled meats, and other dishes with strong flavors.

SIDE NOTE:  There is also a Mexican Oregano which a relative of lemon verbena. Native to Mexico, it also grows in Central and South America and is sometimes referred to as Puerto Rican oregano. Although this herb shares the basic pungent flavor of Mediterranean oregano, it also has notes of citrus and mild licorice. Used fresh or dry, Mexican oregano pairs well with chile peppers, cumin, and paprika. Add it to Latin American dishes, Tex-Mex chili, and salsa.

There are more variations of oregano. 

LINK TO GREEK OREGANO CHICKEN WITH SPINACH ORZO AND GRAPE TOMATOES

LINK TO MOUSSAKA RECIPE

WILD SAFFRON

LINK to Greek Rice Pilaf with Leeks and Saffron

LINK TO GREEK RICE PILAF WITH LEEKS

or Croquetas de arroz con azafrán, guisantes y carne molida

LINK TO GREEK YOGHURT WITH HONEYED
 ORANGE FLOWER
or ellinikí-giaoúrti-me-melírryto-portokalí-louloúdi

LINK to Rick Steves' Travel Video on Greek islands

Ramp up Your Condiments for Upcoming Holidays - Part 3 of 4 - REPOST

Link to Part 1

http://internationalfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/ramp-up-your-condiments-for-upcoming.html#.UZ5gz4e1Grk

Link to Part 2

http://internationalfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/ramp-up-your-condiments-for-upcoming_22.html#.UZ5gqYe1Grk

Part 3

Maple BBQ Ketchup.   Stir in 2 TBSN maple syrup & a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce into 1 cup regular ketchup. Serve with chicken fingers or French fries.

  

Raspberry Mustard.   Puree 1 cup Dijon or yellow mustard with ½ cup raspberries & a TSP of honey until smooth.  Spread on ham or turkey sandwiches. (For a kick I would add 1 TSP freshly grated black pepper or multi-colored peppercorns.)

  

Tartar Mayonnaise.  Stir in 2 TBSNS sweet pickle relish. 1 TBSN chopped capers and a squeeze of lemon into a cup of mayo.  (I use Hellman’s Lite.) Serve with fried fish or crab cakes.

  

Sweet & Smokey Salsa.  Stir in 1 TSP. chili powder, ½ tsp. smoked paprika and 2 TBSN brown sugar into 1 cup of your favorite store-bought salsa.

  

Tzatziki Sour Cream. (This is similar to the type of sauce that they put on Gyros.)  Stir in 1 TBSN chopped dill, 1 minced garlic glove,  ½ cup chopped cucumbers & a squeeze of lemon (I would drain the cucumbers a little so sauce isn’t too runny) into a cup of sour cream, low fat sour cream or yoghurt or Greek yoghurt.  Serve with grilled lamb or fish and it goes great with pita bread too.  (I would add freshly ground peppercorns for a zippy taste.)

  

Chili Vinaigrette.  Whisk in 1 TSP each garlic and chopped red chili, (You can use the tube condiments, too) & 2 TBSNS chopped cilantro into 1 cup of vinaigrette.  Drizzle over grilled corn. Good for a quick lettuce tomato onion salad too. 

  

Easy Condiments 3

From Food Network magazine:  This series will focus on 

• ketchups
• mustards
• salsas
• sauces
• marmalades, chutneys, relishes, spreads and a slaw
• mayos

PREVIOUS POSTS ON CONDIMENTS:

PART 1

http://internationalfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/easy-condiments-1-bored-with-bland.html#.UZur-rW1EbM

PART 2

http://internationalfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/easy-condiments-2-from-foodnetwork.html#.UZusWrW1EbM 

THIS IS PART 3 ON CONDIMENTS

Jerk Ketchup

• Mix 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBSN jerk seasoning
• 1 TBSN pineapple or peach preserves
• and 1 TBSN lime juice

  

Honey Mustard

• Mix 1/4 cup each
• dijon mustard
• honey
• 1 TBSN rice vinegar
• salt to taste

  

Cucumber Salsa

• Make Pico de Gallo Pico de Gallo (pron. pee koh deh guy yoh)
  
  • Mix 
  • 3 chopped tomatoes
  • 1 diced seeded jalapeno (wear gloves)
  • 1 diced red onion
  • 2 TBSN chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
  • and salt, to taste
• Add 1 cup diced seeded cucumber (with skins on)
• juice of one lime
• 2 TBSN chopped mint.

    

Tangy Steak Sauce (looks like dark barbecue sauce so I have chosen photos of ingredients instead)

• Mix 2 TSPS lemon zest (yellow only)
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/8 TSP cayenne
• with 1 cup steak sauce

  

  

Buffalo Relish

• Mix 1 cup each crumbled blue cheese
• and diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 TBSN each chopped celery leaves
• and mayonnaise
• 2 TSPS hot sauce

Photo from food network: