RECIPE MAGIC!

The quest for modern Mediterranean food is unrelenting. Cookbooks abound. Our favourite is Emily Lycopolus' Greek collection. The cuisine of Greece is always on trend both at home and in restaurants. Emily's fresh homemade dips beat store bought, hands down, every time. And her appetizers are perfect, anytime fusion foods.

TZATZIKI (tuh-zee-kee)

Emily claims that no store-bought can match the freshness of homemade. Using Garlic infused oil instead of fresh garlic means the garlicky taste won't overwhelm your sauce. Tzatziki is cool, refreshing and the perfect fusion with any one of your summer dishes, especially locally harvested veggies.

MAKES 3 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 seedless English cucumber, peeled or unpeeled
1 tbsp Kosher salt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt 
2 tbsp Garlic olive oil
6 large mint leaves or sprig of dill
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Place a fine strainer over the top of a large bowl. Grate the peeled cucumber. For a more chunky sauce do not peel. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and toss gently. Let sit in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge, then squeeze out any remaining liquid. Transfer to medium bowl. Add yogurt and ollive oil, then mix well. Roughly chop mint or dill and add to bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with extra mint leaf or dill sprig. 

SANTORINI TOMATO FRITTERS (DOMATOKEFTEDES) 

Tomato pancakes anyone? A classic Santorini Island treat, fried in the freshest extra virgin olive oil. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups fresh extra virgin olive oil 3 medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped with seeds and pulp 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 tbsp fresh mint or basil, chopped (dried works two, reduce by half)
1/2 tsp Kosher saltFresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:
Chop the tomatoes (do not deseed, use the whole tomato) and place in a bowl.
Chop onion and add to tomatoes. Add cinnamon, mint, oregano, dill, and pepper to tomato mixture and mix well. Mix in a bowl the flour and baking soda and add to the tomato mixture and mix well. Let the mixture sit for abut 2 hours. The batter should be soft like pancake batter, and should fall off the spoon when tilted. In a pan heat the olive oil about 2 cm high at medium high heat, the oil should cover the patty half way. Once the olive oil is ready, add about one heaping teaspoon of batter for each patty, fry for about 1 -2 minutes on each side, flattening just a bit so that they cook inside. Make sure the olive oil is hot enough otherwise the patty will absorb more oil and not be crispy. Place on paper towels and serve immediately. Drizzle olive oil. Fabulous with TZATZIKI! 
PATATES TIGANETES (GREEK FRENCH FRIES)
Fried hand-cut potatoes are one of the most loved foods in Greece. They are definitely not your fast food variety. The borrowed flavours from olive oil and crispy-outside, soft-inside texture will have you making this recipe every weekend. Serve with a salad for a quick meal.  
INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise, unevenly

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
1/2 to 1 tsp Kosher salt
Garlic olive oil for drizzle
Feta (optional)
Lemon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes in bowl of water for one hour. Drain and place in bowl, then add salt and toss until completely covered. Add oil to high-rimmed skillet, about 1 inch, and heat to medium (330 degrees). When the oil is sizzling, place potatoes in one layer. Fry for 5 minutes. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then lower heat to medium low and fry for another 5 minutes. Then increase to high heat for a final 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Stir gently a few times so that the potatoes do not stick. After that, lower the heat and continue frying for another 5 minutes and then raise the heat slightly and fry for 2-3 minutes more until you have a golden colour. Serve with lemon and feta, and drizzle with Oregano olive oil, or one of your favourites.

WARM & CREAMY GREEK FETA DIP

Warm and delicious, Emily's Baked Feta is a sensational summer appetizer before any meal. Crusty bread, pita, or veggies makes this one a pleasing prize. 

SERVES: 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS: 
1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes or plum
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 medium red onion, sliced horizontally
1/4 cup Garlic infused oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon) or Sicilian Lemon balsamic
2 tsp fresh oregano leaves finely chopped
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 container (450g) block of Feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add tomatoes and onion to medium bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice (or Lemon white balsamic), then toss gently to coat. Place feta in shallow baking dish lined with parchment paper. Pour mixture over feta, piling it high and allowing some to fall to the side. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until tomatoes are starting to caramelize and the feta has softened. It won't melt but as it warms it will soften and become spreadable. Serve with sprigs of fresh oregano.

EXTRA CREAMY LEMON GARLIC HUMMUS

Emily's Hummus is super delicious. The trick, according to her, is lots and lots of Garlic olive oil. Emily is pretty serious about removing the skin of the chickpeas, but we've made this with skins on. Consistent, mellow, creamy...what more can you want for a simple dip. Serve with anything you're serving as a condiment, as a sauce or a straightforward dip for veggies.

MAKES 4 CUPS
INGREDIENTS: 
1 can (540ml) chick peas reserving 1/3 cup liquid (called aquafaba)
1/2 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup Garlic olive oil plus extra for drizzle
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or Sicilian Lemon white balsamic)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Sea Salt for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Drain and rinse chickpeas. If you are peeling the chickpeas follow directions below this recipe. Set liquid to the side. Place chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in blender bowl. Blend until the hummus is soft and creamy, scraping down sides as necessary. If you wish an extra smooth version, add the aquafaba until the desired texture is reached. Spoon hummus into a serving dish and use a knife to make some dips and valleys in the surface. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  

BRIAMI: GREEK RATATOUILLE

Who doesn't love French ratatouille? Or a Sicilian Caponata? And then there's the Greek version of roasted veggies called Briam. Our defining ingredient? Garlic. This Briam recipe celebrates our gorgeous roasted Garlic infused olive oil. And, of course, the bounty of a fresh tomato harvest with sweet red onions, zucchini, eggplant and new potatoes. All thinly sliced, then roasted in a round baking pan. It makes a dinner for four with fresh bread and your choice of tangy cheese on the side. It takes a bit of time to slice the veggies, but then it's in the oven and the only thing left to do is wait for the flavours to mix.  Briam is classic Greek but it's the perfect fusion-side to accompany rice, pasta, a juicy rib eye steak or a topping on a grilled burger. With a generous drizzle of Rosemary or Gremolata EVOO. YUM!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Garlic olive oil
4 medium new potatoes, peel on 
4 medium tomatoes, fresh harvest
2 medium red onions, peeled
2 eggplant, stem removed
3 medium green zucchini (or a mix of yellow and green)
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, leaves only (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup Rosemary or Milanese Garlic olive oils for drizzle and garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut vegetables crosswise in equal 1/4 inch slices. Place in large bowl. Add 3/4 cup of Garlic olive oil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss vegetables gently until covered evenly with oil and herbs. Place slices in a round baking dish or cast iron pan, alternating vegetables one at a time. Cover with a foil tent. Place in oven for one hour. Take out of oven and remove foil and return for another half hour until the top is caramelized. Using large spoon (not slotted), place on plate or shallow bowl, then serve with your favourite cheese and crusty bread. Have Rosemary olive oil on hand for an extra fragrant drizzle.