When it comes to fantastic Mediterranean cuisine, no choice is better than a Greek meal. The diet coming from the land of Greece is basic and full of robust flavour. Proteins are generously and artfully combined with vegetables, whole grain breads and olives. Herbs are almost always put to good use for enhancing food with rich flavors and aromas. Have you ever eaten Greek food at a restaurant? If you love Greek food, you can make it at home for yourself and your family.
1-2-3 Meal
Three easy components make a meal that is not complicated but richly sumptuous to the palate and so satisfying. For a meal featuring the cuisine of Greece, simple and fabulous foods and flavors come together. These three are starters called meze, marinated and grilled meat as the main course and an easy dessert.
Start with Meze
The starters or meze are small individual dishes with attractive small servings in them. You can serve more than one if you or your family like more variety with the meal or have a big appetite. One option is to slice or dice fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and onions into small bowls and sprinkle generously with vinaigrette.
Another meze is a wedge of feta cheese on a small plate and garnished with olives and tomato slices. Vinaigrette is also drizzled over this feta cheese meze. A third easy meze option would be a small saucer or plate of two or more olives with carrot sticks and some radishes with the vinaigrette topping them.
Greek Vinaigrette
Common Greek vinaigrette is a mix of extra virgin olive oil, a small amount of lemon juice and herbs. Whole and fresh herb leaves are best, but dried herbs will do. The main herbs for rich and traditional Greek flavour are garlic, mint, basil and oregano.
Marinated & Grilled
Poultry, lamb or goat meat and fish are the common main proteins consumed in Greece. Any of these will work fabulously for a Greek dinner feast. Cuts of choice are marinated.
The marinade is made with ingredients like the Greek vinaigrette consisting of olive oil, a little lemon juice and herbs. Slices of lemon are excellent added with the marinade. Marinating overnight is ideal, but at least give an hour or more for full flavor enhancement. After the marinating process, grill the meat on a hot grill until properly cooked at safe meat cooking temperatures.
Hot Bread
If bread is desired to eat with the meal, you can warm whole wheat rolls or flatbread with a little extra virgin olive oil on them. Serve them warm from the oven. You do not have to, but you could infuse a little olive oil warm with fresh crushed garlic and serve it with the hot bread.
The Dessert
Of course, baklava is a popular Greek dessert. An uncomplicated way to prepare is to purchase phyllo dough and paint softened butter in between every two layers, add a prepared mixture of chopped nuts, cinnamon and honey and repeat to about six layers of the phyllo. Bake in an oven preheated to 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45-50 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cut in squares or triangles, you can serve baklava hot or cold.
An even simpler dessert is based on Greek yogurt. Top a few scoops of plain yogurt in a small dish with a fairly lavish drizzle of honey and sprinkle of nuts like walnuts. You can garnish the dish with fresh figs or other pieces of fresh fruit.
Simply Pleasant & Delicious Mediterranean
1-2-3 you have a wonderful Greek dinner that is very easy to make. Make the dinner a happy occasion. You and your family can be transported to the Mediterranean with a little mood music and this delicious spread of fine food from the country of Greece.
