diane kochilas

There are so many great recipes all over Greece for braised or baked giant beans, called gigantes. These butter, comforting beans marry well with everything from tomatoes to feta and spinach. This recipe is one of my favorites and may be served as an appetizer, vegetarian main course, side dish or meze. You can also enjoy it hot, warm or at room temperature.

Baked Gigantes With Honey and Dill

lb. / 450 g dried Greek giant beans

/ 125 ml Extra-virgin Greek olive oil

onions

garlic

carrot

bay leaves

Plum tomatoes (peeled, seeded, chopped)

tbsp. Ikarian or other Greek pine honey (divided)

dill (chopped)

Greek balsamic vinegar (to taste)

tomato paste

Salt

Pepper (freshly ground)

Soak the beans overnight in ample water. Drain the next day. Place in a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, skimming the foam off the top. Simmer beans for 1-1 ½ hours, until tender but firm.

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

Remove beans from heat and drain, but reserve the water.

Place beans in a large baking pan with 6 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil. Mix the the onions, garlic, carrot, bay leaves, and the tomatoes. Stir in about 1 ½ cups of the bean cooking liquid, just enough to barely cover the beans. Stir in half the honey. Mix thoroughly. Cover the pan with parchment then aluminum foil and bake for about 1 – 1 ½ hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thick and creamy. Add more water throughout baking, if necessary, to keep the beans from drying out.

Fifteen minutes before removing from oven, add vinegar, tomato paste, salt and pepper. As soon as the beans come out of the oven, stir in additional honey and vinegar to taste as well as the chopped dill.

Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, sprinkled if desired with crumbled feta and drizzled with additional olive oil.

Beet salad, patzarosalata in Greek, is an all-time favorite. Earthy beets pair beautifully with garlic and the acidity of good vinegar. You’ll find this salad on tables everywhere, the perfect match to fish recipes like fried cod croquettes and retsina.

Beet Salad

beets

garlic (chopped

extra virgin Greek olive oil

Greek red wine

Cut the greens off the beet roots and rinse very well in cold water, then leave to drain. Bring to a boil in a pot of salted water and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and drain.

Scrub the beet roots very well and trim off the root and stem ends. Place in a pot of cold salted water and boil gently for about a half hour to 45 minutes, until tender. Alternatively, place the beets in a roasting pan, cover and roast at 400F/200C for about 1 hour, until tender. Let the beets cool slightly, to handle, then peel. Cut the beetroots into rounds about 1/8-inch thick.

Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar or balsamic, garlic and salt. Toss the beetroot slices in the dressing and place in the center of a serving platter. Strew the greens around the beets and dress with additional olive oil, vinegar and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This retro-stuffed grilled calamari is a taverna classic and one often found in the seaside fish eateries along the Athenian Riviera. You can use frozen squid for this, but  make sure the tubes are large enough to fill.

Baked Feta-Stuffed Calamari

(450 g) squid, preferably

extra-virgin Greek olive oil (plus more as needed)

onion

garlic (finely chopped)

(225 g) crumbled Greek feta

cheese

(120 ml) fresh anthotyro

(25 g) chopped fresh dill

(25 g) chopped fresh mint

lemon

pink peppercorns

Salt and black pepper

bread crumbs (as needed)

lemons (quartered)

Keep the cleaned squid in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until

wilted and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool.

Add all the cheeses, dill, mint,the lemon zest and egg to the bowl with the onion and toss to combine. Season with the pink peppercorns and salt and black pepper to taste. (The mixture will likely be salty enough with the feta, so you may not need to add any.)

Stir in 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs to help bind the mixture. Test it by shaping a

small ball with your hands; if it is still too loose to hold its shape, add more of the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until firm enough. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to help firm it up.

Remove the squid and filling from the refrigerator. Stuff each of the squid tubes with enough of the filling to come up to about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the top so that when the stuffed squid shrinks during cooking, it doesn’t burst. Using a toothpick, secure the open end of the tube closed.

Heat a grill until quite hot or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the grill grates or pan

with a little olive oil. Place the stuffed squid and tentacles (separately) on the grill or in the

hot grill pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning with kitchen tongs a few times, until lightly

browned all over.

Serve as is or, for a more dramatic effect, using a sharp knife score the top of each squid tube so that the surfaces fans open a bit, revealing the cheesy filling. Remove the toothpick and serve, garnished with lemon wedges and pink peppercorns.

The iconic Greek recipe for spanakopita is all about a timeless combination of ingredients, and these definitely find a place beyond being nestled between layers of crispy phyllo pastry. Here, an embellished combo of Greek feta and spinach crown sweet potatoes thus morphing into a dish both festive and good for every day, the perfect example of delicious Mediterranean Diet flavors that are both indulgent and healthy. I serve this often on Thanksgiving, but love it for a weekend meal, too.

Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Spanakopita

sweet potatoes (about 8 to 10 oz each, unpeeled and scrubbed clean)

spinach

olives

tomatoes

parsley

oregano oregano (chopped)

Greek feta cheese

nutmeg

Sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place them in a shallow baking dish and bake until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and cooked through, about 45-60 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the spanakopita topping: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onion until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach just to wilt. Set aside to cool. Mix in remaining ingredients and set aside until the sweet potatoes are done.

Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center to expose cooked insides, top with spanakopita mixture and serve.

Artichoke moussaka is one of several variations on the moussaka theme in the Greek country kitchen. This version is a delicious, meatless rendition, made sweet by the copious amount of caramelized onions that are layered in the pan.

Artichoke Moussaka with Caramelized Onions and Feta

unsalted butter

onions (coarsely chopped)

artichokes

Strained juice of 1 large lemon

potatoes

bread crumbs

thyme

(chopped basil)

flat-leaf parsley

(chopped oregano))

Salt and pepper

feta

all-purpose flour

milk

heavy cream

Greek Kefalotyri

Greek fresh anthotyro or ricotta

eggs (lightly beaten)

Caramelize the onions: In a large wide pot or deep skillet heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter begins to bubble softly. Add the onions, reduce heat to low and cook for about 40 minutes, until the onions acquire a deep amber hue.

While the onions are cooking, clean and blanch the artichokes: Squeeze one lemon into a bowl with 3 cups of water. Trim the artichokes: cut away their tough outer leaves, leaving a little of the stem intact. Trim its tough exterior with a paring knife. Using a teaspoon scrape out the purple, fuzzy choke. Rub the artichokes with lemon and place in the acidulated water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drain the artichokes from the acidulated water and blanch for one minute. Remove and drop immediately into a large bowl filled with ice.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the potato slices for a few minutes, just until softened. Turn once.

Make the béchamel:  In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter  until it bubbles. When it stops bubbling, add the flour and whisk for about 5 minutes, untiul the flour is golden. Pour in the  milk and cream, whisking until thick, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add the eggs, whisking vigorously. Mix in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Toss the herbs together in a small bowl. Preheat the oven to 350°F/170°C. Oil a large baking pan.

To assemble the moussaka: Oil a large roasting pan. Sprinkle a handful of breadcrumbs over the bottom surface. Layer half the potatoes in one layer. Salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a handful of breadcrumbs. Add about a third of the onions and herb mixture. Layer half the artichokes evenly over the surface. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with another handful of breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with half the feta, one-third more of the herbs and a third more of the onions. Repeat the layering process in the same order.

Pour béchamel over the surface. Bake uncovered until lightly golden (approximately 55 minutes to 1 hour). Remove, cool slightly, cut into squares, and serve.

Nothing refreshes like this Greek salad of citrus, pomegranate and mint. It’s the perfect foil for any rich meal and a wonderful example of the vibrant but simple Mediterranean Diet. Remember to use extra virgin Greek olive oil and sea salt for the best flavor!

Citrus – Pomegranate Salad

navel oranges

blood oranges

grapefruit

pomegranate

Greek honey

lemon juice vinegar

Smoked Greek sea salt

Black pepper

mint leaves

Peel the oranges and grapefruit. Cut the citrus into rings and set aside.

Cut the pomegranate in half across the middle and place the cut side in the palm of your hand. Have a bowl ready. Using a tablespoon, tap vigorously on the exterior of the fruit, letting the arils fall into the bowl.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, smoked or regular sea salt and black pepper until smooth.

Set the citrus slices decoratively on a platter, alternating between the colors of the orange, blood orange and grapefruit. Scatter the pomegranate over the top. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with the mint. Serve.

There are many traditional Greek recipes for vegetables and rice as a main course. This simple Greek recipe, made with eggplant and seasoned with fresh herbs, makes a delicious vegetarian main course, but can easily be served as a Greek meze and as a side dish to simple grilled or pan-seared meat or fish. Extra virgin Greek olive oil brings everything together and makes this unique Greek island plant-based specialty very craveable!

Melitzanopilafo - Eggplant Pilaf

/ 60 to 240 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil

red onions (finely chopped)

eggplants

100 g long-grain rice

350 g peeled (seeded, and finely chopped tomatoes)

chios souma (tsipouro, or dry white wine)

450 ml water

oregano

tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large, wide pot heat l/4 cup/60 ml of the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions until soft and pale gold, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and stir for a few minutes to soften. Add the eggplant chunks and cook until they begin to soften.

Stir in the rice and toss to coat in the oil. Pour in the tomatoes and the water or wine. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer until the rice and eggplants are tender, stirring occasionally.

About 5 minutes before removing from the heat, add the oregano and parsley. Just before serving, stir in all of part of the remaining cup/180 ml olive oil, if desired.

This Greek recipe for garlicky baked eggplant is a traditional dish of the Ionian islands and a perfect example of great Mediterranean Diet vegetable cookery. The characteristic sweet-sour flavor imparted by the use of vinegar in the sauce is a local favorite.  It’s a wonderful plant-based Greek recipe, one of the most delicious in the whole range of Greek vegetarian dishes.

Skordostoumbi - Zakynthos Garlicky Eggplant

eggplant

Salt eggplant

extra-virgin olive oil (as needed)

garlic (to taste, peeled and crushed)

black pepper

sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar (or to taste)

honey ((optional))

Salt the eggplant slices lightly inside a mixing bowl. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and lightly brown the eggplant slices on both sides, in batches, replenishing the olive oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 350F/170C.

In the same frying pan, add the garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, just to soften. Add the tomato, cook it down a bit over medium heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the honey and vinegar. Simmer gently until thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Place a few tablespoons of the sauce on the bottom of a medium sized baking dish and drizzle in a little olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on top, sprinkling with herbs and a little cheese, if desired. Spread a little sauce over the eggplant and continue layering in the same manner until everything is used up. Press down with a spatula and sprinkle a little vinegar on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, remove, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve, with creamy polenta or feta, or both.

Savoy cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable named after the Savoy region in France, where it’s believed to have originated. It’s a versatile cabbage that even though it isn’t as crunchy as the green cabbage, it keeps its texture when cooked. It has a full flavor and can be enjoyed raw, cooked, pickled and roasted as well.

Savoy Cabbage Bean Soup

450 g medium-sized dried beans

1- inch 2.5-cm strips orange zest

water

savoy cabbage

rice

Tbsp white wine vinegar

long chile pepper (cut in thin slices)

Soak the beans overnight. The next day, rinse and drain them.

Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large pot over low heat and cook the onions until softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the beans and toss to coat in the oil. Add the orange zest, bay leaves and water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let the beans simmer, skimming the top, for about two hours, or until the soup is thick and creamy and the beans and vegetables very soft.

About half way through cooking the bean soup, add the cabbage and 15 minutes before the soup is ready add the rice. About 10 minutes before removing from heat, season with salt and pepper.

If desired, using an immersion blender, puree a little bit of the soup (about 2 cups out of the entire pot), to make it thicker and creamier. Add the vinegar, and stir in the parsley. As soon as you remove the soup from the heat, pour in the remaining olive oil.

Serve hot, with the peppers.

Plenty of Greek traditional flavours are used in this dish: earthy Greek giant beans baked with healthy spinach and traditional Greek feta. A traditional dish, appetizing in both taste and texture! To find authentic Greek giant beans as well as olive oils, herbs, tomato products and many other carefully curated Greek artisinal foods, visit my online store here.

Giant Beans Baked with Spinach and Feta

beans

flat-leaf spinach (trimmed, chopped, and washed well)

dill

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

leek

extra-virgin Greek olive oil

feta cheese (preferably goat’s milk)

bread crumbs bread

Place the drained beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 3 inches/8 cm and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans until al dente, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place the spinach, herbs, and leek in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Rub and press the mixture between the palm of one hand and the holes of the colander, almost in a kneading motion, so that the greens exude liquid. Do this for 10 minutes, then place a weighted plate over the greens and leave them to drain for 1 hour.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook the onions, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.

Combine the drained greens with the cooked onions and 1 cup of the feta. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups of the hot liquid. Toss the beans with the greens and 1 cup of the tomatoes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if desired, and pepper. Place the beans-and-greens mixture in a large ovenproof glass or ceramic baking dish and mix in a ¼  cup of the remaining olive oil and 2 cups of the hot cooking liquid. Pour the remaining 1 cup tomatoes over the surface of the beans and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup feta and the bread crumbs on top. Drizzle ¼ cup olive oil over the surface and bake, covered with a sheet of aluminum foil, until the beans are very creamy and soft but not disintegrating. Depending on the age and condition of the dried beans, this could mean anywhere between 1 and 2 ½ hours of cooking. Add more liquid to the pan if necessary during lukewarm, or at room temperature.

The best Greek giant beans are from the north, especially from Prespes and Kastoria, as well as from a region of the northern Peloponnses called Feneo. When cooked, they are creamy without being mushy, and that's the way gigantes -giant beans- should be. You can also substitute butter beans for this dish. To find authentic Greek giant beans, honey and olive oil to use in this recipe, go to my online store here.

Giant Beans Baked with Honey and Herbs

tbsp. honey

red wine vinegar

In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin Greek olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions, stirring frequently, until wilted and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

Place beans in a large baking pan with 6 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil, the onions, tomatoes, a little of their own water, and honey. Mix thoroughly. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 – 1 ½ hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thick and creamy. Add more water throughout baking, if necessary, to keep the beans from burning. Fifteen minutes before removing from oven, add dill, vinegar, tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with crumbled feta, if desired, and serve either hot, warm, or at room temperature.

These lovely little open-faced tomato and onion pies, called ladenia, are almost like pizza and make for what is arguably the best-known dish on Milos. They are typically made and sold by local bread bakers. Served with a fresh greens salad they make a great light lunch or buffet dish. To find some of the artisinal Greek products you'll need to make this, visit my online shop here, where you'll discover a host of lovingly curated Greek ingredients.

Ladenia - Vegan Pizza-Style Flatbread from the Cyclades

active dry yeast

½ cups warm water (or more as needed)

bread flour

salt

extra virgin olive oil

(firm, ripe tomato, cored and diced)

Preheat the oven to 160˚C /325˚F.

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and cover with a kitchen towel. Let stand for 5 minutes or until it starts to bubble. Combine the two flours and salt. Slowly add the flour to the yeast mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon until a dough mass forms. Add a little more water as needed if the mixture is too dense, or, add a little more flour if it is too loose. Knead in the bowl until smooth and pliant and the sides of the bowl come clean. This can also be done in a mixer with a dough hook on medium speed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour to rise.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until most of the liquid has cooked off. Remove from the heat.

Oil a large, preferably square or rectangular baking pan. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the plan and place inside. Cover and let the dough rise for 15 minutes.

Spread the tomato-onion mixture evenly over the dough. Season with salt, pepper and oregano and bake for about 1 hour or until the dough is crisp and the topping is caramelized. Remove, cool slightly and serve.

Top 12 diane kochilas recipes from across the web

The most viewed diane kochilas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Baked Gigantes With Honey and Dill

Beet Salad

Baked Feta-Stuffed Calamari

Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with S...

Artichoke Moussaka with Caramelized...

Citrus – Pomegranate Salad

Melitzanopilafo - Eggplant Pilaf

Skordostoumbi - Zakynthos Garlicky ...

Savoy Cabbage Bean Soup

Giant Beans Baked with Spinach and ...

Giant Beans Baked with Honey and He...

Ladenia - Vegan Pizza-Style Flatbre...

Top 12 diane kochilas recipes from across the web

The most viewed diane kochilas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Baked Gigantes With Honey and Dill

Beet Salad

Baked Feta-Stuffed Calamari

Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with S...

Artichoke Moussaka with Caramelized...

Citrus – Pomegranate Salad

Melitzanopilafo - Eggplant Pilaf

Skordostoumbi - Zakynthos Garlicky ...

Savoy Cabbage Bean Soup

Giant Beans Baked with Spinach and ...

Giant Beans Baked with Honey and He...

Ladenia - Vegan Pizza-Style Flatbre...

The most viewed diane kochilas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine