The Menu
Aegean Lamb with Orzo (Slow cooker)
crusty bread
Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)
Revani – Semolina and Almond Cake
The Recipes
Aegean Lamb with Orzo
(Slow cooker)
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Traditionally prepared in an earthenware pot called a "youvetsi," this dish of slow-cooked lamb is a warming supper that couldn't be simpler. Start the lamb in a slow cooker, then leave it to simmer all day. When ready to eat, just combine feta and cooked orzo, a small grain-shaped pasta, with the juicy, fork-tender lamb.
Lamb shoulder is a less expensive cut, but you'll need to trim it well. Expect to lose about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of fat after trimming.
4 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, chopped
5 cups hot cooked orzo (about 2 1/2 cups uncooked rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Oregano sprigs (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)
Trim fat from lamb. Place lamb in an electric slow cooker, and sprinkle with oregano, rind, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in juice; top lamb with spinach. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Remove spinach and lamb from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid; cool. Remove meat from bones; discard bones, fat, and gristle. Chop meat.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag, and let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a large bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, lamb, spinach, orzo, and feta to strained drippings. Garnish with oregano sprigs and lemon slices, if desired.
Serve with crusty bread.
Greek Salad
(Horiatiki Salata)
Serves 4-6
* 4-5 large, ripe, tomatoes
* 1 large red onion
* 1 cucumber
* 1 green bell pepper
* 1/4 pound (113.5g) of Greek feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
* dried Greek oregano (rigani)
* sea salt
* top quality extra virgin olive oil
* 1 dozen Greek olives (Kalamata, green Cretan olives, etc.)
* pickled pepperoncini hot peppers (garnish)
* 1 tablespoon of water (optional)
Wash and dry the tomatoes, cucumber, and green pepper. Clean off the outer skin from the onion, wash, and dry.
Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized irregularly shaped chunks, removing the core. Salt lightly. Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices, cutting slices in half (whether or not you peel the cucumber is a personal choice). Salt lightly. Slice the pepper into rings, removing the stem and seeds. Salt lightly. Slice the onion into thin rings.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper and onion in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with oregano, pour olive oil over the salad, and toss. Just before serving, place the feta on top of the salad, either as a slice or crumbled, and toss in some olives. Sprinkle the cheese with oregano (and pepper if desired), mix the oil and water and drizzle over the top, and serve, garnished with hot peppers.
Revani – Semolina and Almond Cake
Makes 18 to 20 portions
This syrupy semolina and almond cake is surprisingly light and easy to make.
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cold water
1 small stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
zest of 1 orange
7 ounces unsalted butter (14 tbsp)
6 eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup + 2 tbsp fine semolina
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp brandy
Combine 1 1/3 cups of the sugar with the cold water in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then, add the cinnamon stick, cloves and orange zest and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft and light with an electric blender or hand whisk. Slowly add the remaining 1 cup sugar, then add the eggs individually, beating thoroughly after each addition. In another bowl, sift the flour, semolina and baking powder together. Add the chopped almonds and mix well. Gradually add this mixture to the batter, beating continuously. Finally, add the vanilla and brandy to the mixture and pour into a buttered 9 x 12 inch rectangular baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and score the cake into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Spoon the cooled syrup over the cake and allow to cool. Decorate each portion with a blanched almond.
Aegean Lamb with Orzo (Slow cooker)
crusty bread
Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)
Revani – Semolina and Almond Cake
The Recipes
Aegean Lamb with Orzo
(Slow cooker)
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Traditionally prepared in an earthenware pot called a "youvetsi," this dish of slow-cooked lamb is a warming supper that couldn't be simpler. Start the lamb in a slow cooker, then leave it to simmer all day. When ready to eat, just combine feta and cooked orzo, a small grain-shaped pasta, with the juicy, fork-tender lamb.
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Lamb shoulder is a less expensive cut, but you'll need to trim it well. Expect to lose about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of fat after trimming.
4 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, chopped
5 cups hot cooked orzo (about 2 1/2 cups uncooked rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Oregano sprigs (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)
Trim fat from lamb. Place lamb in an electric slow cooker, and sprinkle with oregano, rind, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in juice; top lamb with spinach. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Remove spinach and lamb from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid; cool. Remove meat from bones; discard bones, fat, and gristle. Chop meat.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag, and let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a large bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, lamb, spinach, orzo, and feta to strained drippings. Garnish with oregano sprigs and lemon slices, if desired.
Serve with crusty bread.
Greek Salad
(Horiatiki Salata)
Serves 4-6
* 4-5 large, ripe, tomatoes
* 1 large red onion
* 1 cucumber
* 1 green bell pepper
* 1/4 pound (113.5g) of Greek feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
* dried Greek oregano (rigani)
* sea salt
* top quality extra virgin olive oil
* 1 dozen Greek olives (Kalamata, green Cretan olives, etc.)
* pickled pepperoncini hot peppers (garnish)
* 1 tablespoon of water (optional)
Wash and dry the tomatoes, cucumber, and green pepper. Clean off the outer skin from the onion, wash, and dry.
Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized irregularly shaped chunks, removing the core. Salt lightly. Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices, cutting slices in half (whether or not you peel the cucumber is a personal choice). Salt lightly. Slice the pepper into rings, removing the stem and seeds. Salt lightly. Slice the onion into thin rings.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper and onion in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with oregano, pour olive oil over the salad, and toss. Just before serving, place the feta on top of the salad, either as a slice or crumbled, and toss in some olives. Sprinkle the cheese with oregano (and pepper if desired), mix the oil and water and drizzle over the top, and serve, garnished with hot peppers.
Revani – Semolina and Almond Cake
Makes 18 to 20 portions
This syrupy semolina and almond cake is surprisingly light and easy to make.
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cold water
1 small stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
zest of 1 orange
7 ounces unsalted butter (14 tbsp)
6 eggs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup + 2 tbsp fine semolina
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp brandy
Combine 1 1/3 cups of the sugar with the cold water in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then, add the cinnamon stick, cloves and orange zest and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft and light with an electric blender or hand whisk. Slowly add the remaining 1 cup sugar, then add the eggs individually, beating thoroughly after each addition. In another bowl, sift the flour, semolina and baking powder together. Add the chopped almonds and mix well. Gradually add this mixture to the batter, beating continuously. Finally, add the vanilla and brandy to the mixture and pour into a buttered 9 x 12 inch rectangular baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and score the cake into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Spoon the cooled syrup over the cake and allow to cool. Decorate each portion with a blanched almond.
