Minced Meat Rissoles with Cummin - (Soutzoukakia Smirneika)

         INGREDIENTS

3 thick slices of bread, soaked in water 500 gr. finely minced beef 1 egg 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 teaspoons cummin salt and pepper 1 glass white wine 30 gr. flour, for frying 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoones olive oil 3 tablespoons tomato puree or 1200 gr. can tomatoes, liquidized roughly chopped parsley, to garnish Serves 4 persons as a main course! Serves 7 persons as a starter, allowing 2 per person!

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Soak the bread in water for 10 minutes and discard the crust. Squeeze the water from the bread and mix with the mince, egg, garlic, cummin, salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of the wine. (The best results for mixing are always achieved by using your hands.) When properly mixed make long thin shapes, like fat cigars, about the length of your finger (around 15 of them), roll them in the flour and fry in the vegetable oil on medium heat, making sure that they are crisp all over. In the meantime, put the olive oil in a saucepan and, when it is warm, add the tomatoes and the rest of the wine and cook slowly for 5 minutes, stirring and making sure it does not stick. Add the soutzoukakia as they come out of the frying pan, roll them in the torrato sauce, add a little more water if needed, cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. With its rich sauce it can be served with plain white rice, or mashed potatoes as a main dish. It can also be a very good starter for a dinner party. GREEK WINE SUGGESTIONS Enjoy these delicious soutzoukakia either with chilled RETSINA (for the traditionals) or with a  red of NEMEA AGIORGITIKO (for those who love easy going wines), or even with a classic  red from RAPSANI P.O.D. (blend of Xinomavro - Krassato - Stavroto) and/or a fresh CABERNET SAUVIGNON from Kavala region, North Greece, if a robust red is your taste! We are sure that you'll be amazed by those matches whatever will be your final choise! KALH PROTOMAGIA ( HAPPY MAY DAY) !!! 

LAFAZANIS WINES @ SIAL - SHANGHAI 2012

This is the second year in a row of Lafazanis Winery presence in SIAL International Food & Wine Fair in China / Shanghai.

You may find us at HALL No 1 - Stand G112 to have the chance to taste the full range of our wines already available in the Chinese Market.

For more info please contact us at : dseitanidis@gmail.com and /or +30 69 48 188 797

STELLAR IMPORTS...your reliable importer of fine Greek Wines in USA

www.stellarimports.com

A wide range of fine Greek Wines, available in USA

All sales inquiries and correspondence should be sent to the following  mailing address at:

Stellar Importing Company 166-23 17th Road
Whitestone, NY 11357

Tel. (718)352-1180
Fax: (718)352-0049

The office address and telephone number is :

Stellar Importing Company 14-34 150th Street, Suite 4
Whitestone, NY 11357

Tel. (718)747-2141
Fax. (718)352-0049

Greek Dessert wines withSokolatopita (Chocolate pie) by Maria Loi

Maria Loi is one of the most famous Greek chefs; today we have chosen one of her recipes to accompany our delicious Greek dessert wines....after the Easter's two day feast !!

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound Bakers Dark Chocolate
• 1/2 pound Unsalted margarine at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 6 Eggs at room temperature
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 3 tbsp Cognac (Greek Brandy)
• Chocolate Syrup to garnish
• Unsalted margarine for brushing
• Parchment Paper
• a round 9 inch springform pan

Directions

Brush pan with margarine and place parchment paper around the bottom and insides of the pan.

 

Now we will melt the chocolate "bain marrie". In order to do so, place chocolate in a large metal bowl, set on top of a saucepan with simmering water. Make sure that the bowl is not submerged in the water. Stir chocolate with wooden spoon till melted.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Put in the mixer's bowl the margarine and sugar and beat, until the sugar has melted and the mixture turns white. Then add the cognac, melted chocolate and mix to combine. Reduce speed to medium, add the eggs, one by one, and continue mixing, until well blended.

Reduce speed to low, slowly add the flour and continue beating, till absorbed.

 

Turn off the mixer and using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl to blend the mixture with the rest of the batter. Beat again with the mixer for another 1-2 minutes and transfer the batter into the 9" springform pan.

 

Place the springform pan into a larger baking pan, add enough lukewarm water to cover 3/4 of the springform pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes. Do not open the oven's door during this time. Then, turn off the oven and let the chocolate pie rest inside for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down. Turn it upside down on a serving platter and release the springform. Remove the parchment paper, cut into pieces and serve the "sokolatopita" garnished with chocolate syrup.

...and this "Heaven on Earth" recipe is complete with a glass of either - Greece's answer to Port - Mavrodaphne of Patras or the notorious Vinsanto from the island of Santorini.

Cheers !!

Ovelias –the Greek Easter Whole Lamb Roasted on the spit or "Souvla"

During the Easter holidays, almost  half the population of the major cities of Greece celebrate Easter at their villages or at their relatives’ villages.

The tradition in Greece for Easter is to roast a whole lamb in huge roasters in their yards.The preparation of the lamb is usually a man's  job.  It’s not an easy job to do and of course the women in the family help out as this is not a one’s man job to do.

The preparation of the lamb starts from the previous day.  It is washed, seasoned and tied on the spit so that it is ready early in the morning to go on the spit.  It is then covered with napkins and it is left all night, vertically on the spit, to drain and absorbe the flavours of the seasoning.

On the Easter Sunday morning, people get up early in the morning to prepare the fire. Olive tree logs are used for the fire and they are burnt until it has become charcoal.  The charcoal is then put in the roaster and the lamb starts to roast.

The lamb takes a lot of hours to cook but a lot of fun goes on while roasting.  Usually music is playing loud and a lot of mezedes are served through the whole procedure.  Quite often, people also prepare the famous kokoretsi, which is cut piece by piece directly from the spit.   It  never makes it to the table and disappears together with some ouzo or tsipouro.

the notorious OVELIAS

Spinning KOKORETSI

Ovelias – Roasted Lamb on the spit or Souvla

Ingredients:

• 1 lamb about 10 – 12 kilos

Lamb Dry rub:

• 1/2 cup oregano
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/8 cup black pepper

Ladolemono for basting:

• 1 cup olive oil
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 2 – 3 tablespoons oregano

The lamb is washed and is rubbed with a mixture of salt, pepper and oregano both inside and outside.Then the lamb is tied on a metal spit.The spit has to go in from the rear, through the body cavity and out through the head.The back legs are tied on the spit with a wire so do the front legs with the head.Also you must wire the lamb on the spit from the inside of the cavity around the spit and through to the back of the lamb, encasing the spit and the spinal cord so that it secured and it does not fall apart. The stomach cavity does not have to be sewn as it serves no purpose.

The whole roasting will take about five or six hours depending on the size of the lamb and at the beginning it should be placed on the highest level and once it is on fire it should be rotated continuously, at the beginning quickly so that the lamb will cook well all way through and not only outside.Gradually you can move the lamb downwards.You must not forget to baste the lamb frequently with the ladolemono mixture.The basting should continue until the lamb is done and the skin is crisp.

Useful tips:

If the charcoals are about to extinguish, remove the lamb and blow air on the charcoal by using a hair dryer to light up the fire again.

When some of the fat melts on the charcoal the fire may light up, so just put it out by throwing some coarse sea salt on the fire.

There should always be some backup wood burning to add to the roaster, in case it is needed.

Depending on how many guests you expect, plan on approximately 500 grams / 1.10 lbs per person).

Greek Wines &  Spirits pairing

NEMEA LAFAZANIS

RAPSANI CHRISOHOOU

MERLOT NICO LAZARIDI

TSIPOURO LAFAZANIS

 

RETSINA LAFAZANIS