Recipes - Mediterranean

Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 001

Greek Potato Salad
 
Ingredients     
2 lbs red potatoes, boiled and quartered
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced into half moons
2 scallions, thinly chopped
24 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 Tbsp Spice Appeal DILLWEED
1 Tbsp Spice Appeal OREGANO, Whole
2 oz olive oil
½ oz red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt
A pinch of Spice Appeal BLACK PEPPER, Ground
      
Description     
In a medium salad bowl, combine the potatoes, onions, scallions, olives, dill, and oregano.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Pour over the salad and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 002

Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
 
Ingredients     
2¼ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup butter
2 eggs
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp dry yeast
¾ cup water
¾ cup milk
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 pinch of Spice Appeal MAHLEBI, Whole , freshly ground
1 pinch of Spice Appeal CINNAMON, Ground
¼ cup of sultanas
beaten egg for egg wash
3 hard-boiled eggs, dyed red
      
Description     
In a mixing bowl place the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt, yeast, water, milk, orange zest, mahlebi, mastic and cinnamon. Mix together well and form into a dough. Knead for four minutes on a lightly flowered surface. Return dough to bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour

Add the sultanas to the dough and divide dough into 3 equal parts. Form the three dough portions into three strands and braid together to form a 3 strand braided loaf.

Brush with beaten egg, place on a lined baking sheet and set aside to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Place the red-dyed eggs evenly down the center of the plait, pressing their bases into the dough.

Bake the loaf for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 003

String Cheese

Ingredients     
1 lb Mozzarella
A dash of Spice Appeal MAHLEBI, Whole
A dash of Spice Appeal NIGELLA (BLACK CARAWAY SEED) Salt
      
Description     
Pick up hot cheese in a lump, and make a hole in the center to resemble a doughnut. With both hands, stretch and turn the cheese to form a large loop. Double the strand of cheese, making two strands of cheese of even length. Repeat, stretching and looping; the more you stretch the stringier the cheese becomes. Repeat stretching several times. Twist ends in opposite directions and intertwine rope into a braid. Place one end through the loop of the other to lock it.

Set cheese aside to dry thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze.

To serve, open braid, cut one loop and pull cheese apart into thin strands. Serve with pocket bread.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 004

White Bean Dip with Herbs
 
Ingredients     
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 tsp Spice Appeal Sage
½ tsp Spice Appeal Rosemary
Two 19-oz cans cannelloni beans, drained
2 Tbsp water
Salt
Pinch of Spice Appeal Cayenne Pepper
Pita chips, for serving
      
Description     
In a medium skillet, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, sage and rosemary and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant and the garlic is just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the beans and toss to coat.

Transfer the cannelloni beans to a food processor. Add the water, season with salt and cayenne and process to a fairly smooth puree. Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl, drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil on top and serve with pita chips.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 005

Grilled Shrimp Salad
 
Ingredients     
⅓ cup olive oil
2½ Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Spice Appeal Greek Celebration
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp Spice Appeal Ground Black Pepper
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 bags (5 to 6 oz.) baby spinach leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
      
Description     
Heat grill. In a small jar with a tightly fitting lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, garlic, Greek seasoning, salt and pepper. Shake to blend. Transfer 1½ Tbsp to bowl, add shrimp and toss. Combine remaining dressing with garbanzo beans.

Grill shrimp, turning once, until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. In a large bowl, toss together spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and grilled shrimp. Toss with marinated garbanzo beans and dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. 

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 006    

Greek Tortellini Salad
 
Ingredients     
1 package (20oz) of fresh cheese-filled tortellini
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp Spice Appeal OREGANO, Whole
1 tsp Spice Appeal GREEK CELEBRATION
1 lb baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup red onion, slivered
      
Description     
In a sauce pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook, stirring occasionally until tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, oregano, and Greek Celebration blend. Add cooked tortellini and mix to coat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day ahead of time.

Add spinach, feta cheese, and onion to tortellini and mix gently.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 007

Za’atar Lenten Pies

Ingredients     
2 pounds flour
½ cup oil
1 packet cake yeast
1 Tbsp salt
About 3 cups of lukewarm water
½ tsp Spice Appeal MAHLEBI, Whole
4 Tbsp Spice Appeal ZA'ATAR
Olive Oil
      
Description     
Mix the ingredients and knead with water. Cover and let rest in a warm place for about one and a half hours. When the dough rises, cut into small sections 3 inches in diameter. Cover with cloth and allow to rise again for 30 minutes. Then flatten with your hand to thickness of pie dough.

Mix za’atar with just enough olive oil to make a paste. Spread za’atar paste on pieces of dough (open face pies, or fold over as triangles).

Bake in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes, then place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve hot or cold.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 008

Yalanchy Sarma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
 
Ingredients     
Prepare all ingredients beforehand and allow at least 2½ hours.
For Rice Filling:
1 cup rice, extra long grain
½ cup pure olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
2½ lbs onions (chopped - equiv. to 5 heaping cups)
1 Tbsp salt
¼ tsp Spice Appeal BLACK PEPPER, Ground
¼ tsp Spice Appeal CRUSHED RED CHILI PEPPER
1½ cups water
½ cup fresh lemon juice squeezed and strained
1 Tbsp pignoli nuts
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp Spice Appeal DILLWEED
      
Description     
Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan (stainless steel). When piece of onion sizzles then add pignoli nuts and all of onion. Mix well, then stir in salt, black and red pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring all the time. Do not brown onion. Cook until soft or until color changes from pure white to off-white.

Now add washed and drained rice. Mix well. Add chopped parsley and dill mixing well with ingredients in pan. Add 1½ cups water and cook approximately 15 minutes, stirring often so bottom and sides won't stick to pan or burn. Now add lemon juice. Mix well. Remove from heat.

Empty ingredients into open pan. Line bottom of another 4-quart stainless steel pan with grape leaves. (This helps to prevent burning.)

Wrapping leaves: (1 cup rice uses up a 9 ounce grape eaves). Cut stems off leaves and unfold. Fill grape leaves with rice mixture using tablespoon. Mix rice occasionally so oil will be evenly distributed. Hold leaf on left palm with stem side away from you and vein side up. Place tablespoon of rice on top end near stem. Now fold top down and the two sides over, then roll towards the inside of your palm covering all the rice. Make a firm roll in shape of cigar. Lay wrapped grape leaves end to end in circle in bottom of pan, covering first the bottom, then start 2nd row continuing in circle pattern. when all wrapped leaves are
arranged in pan, add 2 cups of water and cover pan with inverted 10" plate over sarmas and cook until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat and cook ½ hour. Turn off heat and let set for approximately 15 minutes. Remove plate. Let cool.

Using same system of arranging in cooking pan, empty rolled leaves carefully and place on shallow serving dish or pyrex bowl. Cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temperature. Garnish with lemon wedges or parsley sprigs.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 009

Fiery Carrot Dip

Ingredients     
2 lbs carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp honey (optional)
1¼ tsp Spice Appeal Mediterranean Heat
1½ tsp Spice Appeal Ground Cumin
½ tsp Spice Appeal Ground Ginger
¼ lb feta cheese, crumbled
3 pitted black olives
      
Description     
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Transfer the carrots to a food processor. Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, honey, Mediterranean Heat Spice, cumin and ginger and process to a smooth puree. Season the dip with salt.

Scrape the dip onto a platter or into a bowl.Sprinkle the feta cheese and olives on top and serve.

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Category: Mediterranean  
Recipe #: 010

Roasted Halibut with Green Olive Sauce
 
Ingredients     
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
Six 7-ounce skinless halibut fillets
1 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice
½ cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot, minced
6 Spice Appeal Whole Muntok White Peppercorns , plus a pinch of Spice Appeal Ground Muntok White Peppercorns
1 Spice Appeal Bay Leaf
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
½ cup green olives, such as Picholine, pitted and chopped
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
      
Description     
Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large, shallow dish, mix 2 Tbsp of the lime juice with the olive oil. Add the halibut fillets and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

In a medium skillet, combine the fish stock, wine, shallot, white peppercorns, bay leaf and the remaining 2 Tbsp of lime juice. Boil over high heat until reduced to ½ cup, about 6 minutes. Add the cream, bring to a boil and simmer over moderately low heat until reduced to ⅔ cup, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan.

Season the halibut fillets with salt and white pepper and transfer them to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the upper third of the oven until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Add the olives to the cream sauce and bring to a boil. Pour in any accumulated fish juices. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter until incorporated. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and white pepper. Set the halibut fillets on warmed plates, spoon the sauce on top and serve.