Although I may not be Greek — the last name, Akis, might sound Greek but in fact my dad was Latvian — that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy Greek things, especially the food.
In the summer, one of the standard meals my wife and I like to serve to a crowd of friends is a Greek-style dinner.
We like to serve it family style, with all the dishes being set on the table for diners to help themselves.
If that sounds appealing, I’ve got a treat for you. Today we have a menu of recipes for such a meal that will serve eight, and I include a few make-ahead tips.
I call this a Greek-style dinner because all of the recipes are Greek-inspired, but not completely traditional.
They include juicy, grilled meat patties, which are kind of like Greek-style meatballs but flattened out and cooked on the grill.
The meat patties are accompanied with minty tzatziki sauce, a tasty twist on hummus, lemony roast potatoes and what I call a deconstructed Greek salad.
To make the latter, instead of tossing everything together, you individually and artfully arrange the salad ingredients on top of lettuce. When ready to serve, you then drizzle all with flavourings, creating a stunning summer side dish.
On my menu I’ve also included pita bread and dolmades, which are stuffed grapes leaves. I did not include recipes for those as you can buy them at some supermarkets and Mediterranean-style food stores. Allow two dolmades per person and at least one — but get more — pita.
I didn’t include a dessert in my menu, but I think most Greeks would approve of finishing off the meal with some fresh fruit, cheese and nuts.
During the evening, also serve some Greek wine and ouzo and your guests will be saying “Opa!” before you know it.
Deconstructed Greek Salad
In this recipe, instead of tossing the salad ingredients together, they are artfully and individually arranged on top of lettuce, drizzled with flavourings, and then served.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: none
Makes: 8 servings
1 medium head romaine or head lettuce, chopped
16 cherry tomatoes, each halved
1 medium green bell pepper, cubed
1/3 English cucumber, cubed
1/2 medium red or yellow onion, diced
24 to 32 kalamata olives
125 grams feta cheese, broken into small nuggets
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh oregano
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or wine vinegar, or to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Spread the lettuce on a large platter. Arrange the tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion, olives and feta on the lettuce. (Salad can be made to this point two hours before needed; cover and refrigerate until ready to finish and serve.) Sprinkle with the oregano. Now lightly drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. Season salad with salt and pepper and serve.
Minty Tzatziki
This cool and tangy condiment is strewn with bits of cucumber and mint.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: None
Makes: 1 3/4 cups
1Ú2 medium English cucumber
1 1Ú4 cups thick, Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1Ú2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and white pepper to taste
Set a fine sieve over a bowl. Coarsely grate English cucumber into the sieve. Firmly press on the cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid. Put the drained cucumber in the bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Transfer to a decorative bowl. Cover and refrigerate tzatziki until needed; can be made several hours before needed.
Hummus with Red Pepper and Basil
Earthy hummus sweetened with red bell pepper and flavoured with basil.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: None
Makes: 2 cups
1 (19-oz/ 540 mL) can chickpeas, drained well, rinsed in cold water, and drained well again
1 large roasted red pepper, coarsely chopped (see Note)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp tahini (see Note)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• olive oil for drizzling
Place the first eight ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Season the hummus with salt and pepper. Transfer to a decorative bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed; can be made several hours in advance. Drizzle top of hummus with a little olive oil before serving.
Note: Roasted red pepper and tahini are available in jars at most supermarkets.
Greek-Style Grilled Meat Patties
Oregano- and garlic-flavoured meat patties that can be made with ground beef or lamb.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes
Makes: 8 servings (2 patties each)
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef or lamb
1 large egg, beaten
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil for the grill
Place all ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl and gently mix to combine. With cold-water-moistened hands, form the mixture into 16, 1/2-inch- to 3/4-inch-thick patties. (Patties can be made to this point hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until needed.)
Preheat a barbecue or indoor grill to medium-high. Oil the grill. Grill the patties 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Lemony Roast Potatoes
Tender and splendid Greek-style potatoes, roasted and richly flavoured with lemon, garlic, olive oil and herbs.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 75 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/4 lbs. Yukon Gold or other yellow-fleshed potatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place all ingredients, except potatoes and parsley, in a bowl and whisk to combine. Arrange the potatoes in 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour the stock mixture evenly over the potatoes.
Roast, uncovered, turning and basting the potatoes with pan juices occasionally, for 75 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and tender enough to be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday. [email protected]