Greek Nachos

Nachos with a Greek twist.  Pita chips topped with lamb, olives, tomatoes, and feta.

I've had this idea in the back of my mind for a while.  When I cooked Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and had so much left over I finally had the most important component of this dish.  The goal was to make this as much like regular nachos as possible but with a Greek or Mediterranean twist.  Instead of tortilla chips I used pita chips.  Instead of cheddar or Mexican blend cheese I used feta (and a little monterey jack cheese to hold things together). I used lamb, red onions, tomatoes, and olives and topped it all with a dollop of Tzatziki instead of sour cream or guacamole.  It was fantastic.  If you like Greek/Mediterranean dishes this is a different take on nachos that you will love.  These nachos make a great snack or dinner.

Greek Nachos

Ingredients:

Pita chips
Monterey jack cheese
Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb, chopped (or any kind of lamb)
Red onion, sliced
Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Olive slices
Feta crumbles
Tzatziki

Spread a single layer of chips on the bottom of a baking pan.

Top the chips with a thin layer of monterey jack cheese.  Then add  some lamb, onions, tomatoes, and olives.  Top with feta and another layer of chips.  Repeat this step once or twice.

Bake the nachos at 300F for 15-20 minutes then broil until the top layer of cheese is melted (feta doesn't melt but the monterey does).

Remove from oven and top with a large dollop of Tzatzikki.

Enjoy.

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Spiced Eggplant & Mushrooms Sandwich

Spiced eggplant & mushrooms wrapped in a warm pita with hummus and veggies.  An easy meatless sandwich with Mediterranean flavor.

I really love Greek gyro sandwiches of lamb, veggies, and tzatziki wrapped in a warm, soft pita.  So, when I had leftover Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms and fresh pitas I had to try making a sandwich.  This sandwich would have been great with tzatziki and tomatoes but I didn't have any on hand so I used some hummus, cucumbers, and green onions.   It was delicious, flavorful, and very filling and I can't wait to make it again.

Spiced Eggplant & Mushrooms Sandwich

Ingredients:

Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms
Pita
Hummus
Cucumbers, optional
Green onions, optional
Tzatziki, optional
Tomatoes, optional

Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around the sandwich.

Place a warmed pita on top of the aluminum foil, with 1/2 of the pita hanging off the foil.

Spread pitta with hummus then top with the spiced eggplant and any of the optional ingredients you want.

Gently fold up the foil wrapping the end of the sandwich as you go.

Enjoy.

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Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Eggplant, mushrooms, and rice cooked in Mediterranean spices and served over hummus.  A delicious, flavorful, and filling vegetarian one pot meal.

I was very impressed with my Spiced Lamb and hummus and wanted to make something similar.  The Mediterranean spices were just so flavorful I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I love the warm, earthy, spicy flavors of cinnamon, paprika, allspice and cumin (to name a few).  They brighten any dish.  I probably could have tried the same recipe with beef of chicken but I really wanted to make a vegetarian meal so here's what I came up with.  It was delicious and filling and very scoop-able.  I served the spiced eggplant and mushrooms on top of homemade Hummus with pita, cucumber slices, and broccoli (I love scooping hummus with cucumbers and broccoli).  It was a very satisfying meal I will make again.

Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2-4 Tbsp Mediterranean Spice Mix
1/4 tsp cayenne or hot chili powder (optional)
1 medium eggplant, cubed (about 4 cups)
1 onion, chopped
15 crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried red cargo rice (or brown or wild)
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a little olive oil in a large stock pot.  To the oil add the eggplant, onion, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Mediterranean spice mix.

Cook uncovered until eggplant has softened.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or two then add the rice.

Stir and mix the rice well and cook for a few more minutes then add the broth.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to and simmer until rice is cooked (about 30 minutes).

Taste for seasoning and add more spice mix, salt, and pepper as needed.

To plate:  spread 2 Tbsp hummus in a circle in the center of a plate.  Top the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.  Top this with spiced eggplant and mushrooms.

Serve with cucumber slices, broccoli, and pita.  Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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Greek Stew

A meatless stew inspired by Greek flavors.

I'm not Greek.  I had my first Greek/Mediterranean food after college and I instantly loved it.  I associate many things with Greek food such as lamb, chickpeas, eggplant, pita, hummus, feta, and certain herbs & spices.  This stew is not authentically Greek but I was inspired by Greek and Mediterranean flavors while making it.  I didn't know what to call this stew with out making a long name listing all the ingredients so I just simplified it by calling it Greek Stew.

No matter what this dish is called it is delicious.  It contains plenty of vegetables, chickpeas, and rice which give it lots of nutrients, fiber, and protein.  It's a meatless meal that is high in flavor yet low in calories and it fills you up without weighing you down.  And, it makes a huge pot of stew that will feed many or just one all week long.

Greek Stew

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
thyme, oregano, and rosemary
olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
4 mini sweet peppers, sliced (optional--I had them so I used them and they add pretty color)
salt & pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups cooked cargo or brown rice (1 cup dry, cooked)
2 cups cooked chickpeas

Toss the chopped eggplant and zucchini (you can either peel them or not) with the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, and olive oil.  Use enough olive oil and herbs to coat the veggies well. Maybe about 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of each (salt and pepper is to taste).

Spread the herbed vegetables on a sheet pan and roast at 425 F for about 20 minutes until nicely browned and very fragrant.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil, in a large stock pot, over medium heat.  Saute the onions, mushrooms, and peppers, with salt and pepper to taste, until soft.

To this add the roasted eggplant mixture, broth, tomatoes, rice, and chickpeas (with a little more salt and pepper).  Mix well and cook on low, covered, for at least 1 hour.

I made this on the weekend so I had plenty of time to let it sit and stew.  You could also put it all in a slow cooker and let it cook all day, or turn up the heat and it would cook in less time...just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Serve hot with any sides of your choice.  I had it with pita chips and tzatziki.  Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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Hummus

A creamy dip or spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil.  Great with vegetables or pita.

Hummus makes a great snack or accompaniment to just about any meal.  It's smooth, creamy, and so tasty.  I'm disappointed I didn't even know about it until I was in college.  After I tried it for the first time, though, I was hooked.  This stuff is delicious.  It's also simple to make your own and add all kinds of different flavors.  I was making this hummus for a middle eastern type meal so I kept the flavors traditional.

Making hummus is one of the reasons I purchased my food processor.  I tried to make it in a blender once and failed miserably.  It was one of the blenders that tapers toward the bottom and things got stuck.  Maybe some people can make it in a blender but it didn't work for me and took me a while to try again.  This hummus is great with pita, vegetables, or as a main component of my Spiced Lamb and Hummus.  Store bought hummus is easy but once you try homemade there is no comparison.

Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chickpeas (or about 1 can)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt

In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade, add the chickpeas and pulse until they are broken up and in small pieces.

Add the garlic, tahini, and lemon juice and pulse some more until well mixed (add salt to taste).

Then leave the processor on while adding up to 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a seal-able container and refrigerate or serve right away.  I think it tastes better as it sits and the flavors have a chance to meld but sometimes I just can't wait.

To serve drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle on some smoked paprika, and serve with pita and/or vegetables.

Makes about 6 servings.  Enjoy.

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Simple Carrot and Cucumber Salad

A 3 ingredient salad of carrots, cucumbers and lemon juice.  So simple yet so tasty.

I was looking for salad ideas to accompany my Spiced Lamb and Hummus.  Since I wanted to keep to the same Mediterranean theme I searched for ideas in a Greek cookbook that I have.  I knew I could make the usual Greek Salad but I wanted something different and simpler.  When I came across this salad I knew instantly that I had my salad.  What could be easier than only 3 ingredients (I guess only 1 or two, but...)?  I love carrot not to mention they add terrific color to any meal.  I was a little skeptical because the carrots are just tossed in lemon juice and I thought it would be too sour but the sweetness of the carrots blends with the tartness of the lemon juice to make one amazing flavor.  The cucumbers may seem like a random addition but they also taste great with lemon juice and add a different type of crispness to the salad.  I actually used the cucumbers to scoop up hummus and lamb.  Now my new favorite way to eat hummus is on a cucumber.

Simple Carrot and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

2 carrots, coarsely shredded
1 cucumber, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
salt to taste

I used my food processor to shred the carrots and I shredded them long ways to have longer strips of carrot (this adds to the texture of the salad).

Place shredded carrots, cucumber slices, and lemon juice in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Add some salt if desired (I think I forgot to add salt and it was still delicious).

Cover salad and refrigerate for about 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Makes 4-6 servings

Enjoy.

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Spiced Lamb and Hummus

Ground lamb cooked with Mediterranean spices and served atop hummus.

I saw this recipe about a year ago on The View from the Great Island.  Her recipe used cubed lamb and a Mediterranean spice blend and made my mouth water (did I mention that the pictures are awesome).  I love Mediterranean style foods so I pinned the recipe and knew I would eventually try it.

Well, lamb is pretty expensive out here and my usual store has a small selection so this recipe stayed in the back of my mind until my husband found some ground lamb on sale and brought it home.  I initially didn't know what to do with the ground lamb (I was thinking lamb burgers or something) because I was waiting for some kind of lamb roast to cube like the original recipe.  Finally, it just clicked that I could use ground lamb instead. I'm so glad I didn't wait for a lamb roast this was so delicious.  It has amazing flavor and is actually pretty light.  I served the lamb and hummus with pita, broccoli, and a carrot and cucumber salad.  It was great to just scoop some of the lamb and hummus with pitta or my favorite a cucumber slice.  I can't wait until ground lamb is on sale again.

Spiced Lamb and Hummus

Ingredients:
Modified from Hummus with Spiced Lamb | The View from the Great Island

2 Tbsp Mediterranean spice mix:
     2 tsp paprika
     1 tsp allspice
     1 tsp garam masala (optional)
     1 tsp coriander
     1/4 tsp cumin
     1/4 tsp cinnamon
     1/4 tsp turmeric
     1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 pound ground lamb
Juice of 1 lemon
Hummus
Toasted sliced almonds
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan cook the ground lamb over medium heat.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the spice mix on the raw meat and add a little salt and pepper.

When meat has browned pour off excess grease and taste for seasoning.  Add more spice mix if necessary and squeeze in lemon juice.

To serve dollop 1-2 Tbsp of hummus on the center of a large plate.  Smooth, with the back of a spoon, into a wider circle that is thinner in the center.  Place 1/4 lamb mixture on top of the hummus and sprinkle with sliced almonds.  Lastly drizzle on some olive oil.

Serve with pitta, vegetable, and/or salad.

Serves 4

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Two Cup Tuesday, Teach Me, Lou Lou Girls, Tasty Tuesday, Brag About it, Whimsy Wednesday, Wednesday Roundup, Full Plate, Eat Create Party, Freedom Friday, Pretty Pintastic, Best of the Weekend, Saturday Night Fever, Share it Sunday, See Ya in the Gumbo, Merry Monday




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