MEAT BALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH FRESH HERBS AND PINE NUTS

2 pounds ground meat, half beef and half pork
¼ cup cut up fresh coriander
¼ cup cut up fresh parsley
Fresh mint leaves, about 15
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 egg
½ cup plain breadcrumbs or four slices stale sourdough bread soaked in milk (better)
1 tsp. sea salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. cumin
¼ cup olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste

TOMATO SAUCE INGREDIENTS


1/3 cup olive oil
½ cup red onion finely chopped
½ tsp. spicy paprika, ½ tsp. cumin,  ½ tsp. fresh or dry ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg
5-6 saffron threads
4 cups cut up tomatoes fresh or canned
¼ cup red wine
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The secret to any kind of a good meatball is that you have to knead the meat with all ingredients for a long time. Air is accumulated in the meat and the meatballs turn out tender and smooth.

To make the meat balls mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Knead well for at least 7-10 minutes or place in your mixer with the hook attachment for 2-3 minutes.   Allow mixture to sit for about 1 hour in the refrigerator and then make small balls

Dredge in flour and sauté in a hot heavy sauté pan with ¼ cup olive oil. Do not expect the meatballs to fully cook since they will finish cooking with the tomato sauce. Just turn them around once. Place on kitchen paper and prepare the sauce.

Sauté onion in 5 Tbs hot olive oil, add all the dry spices and allow them to lightly toast. Add the tomatoes and ¼ cup red wine and allow sauce to simmer covered until it gets thick. Then place the meatballs into sauce and add toasted pine nuts on top. Cover and allow simmering for about 20-30 minutes until the tomato sauce is thick again and moisture has been evaporated. Serve with basmati rice or a Greek classic would be home cooked fries.

REALLY SLOW ROASTED PORK SHOULDER


You will have to start about 16-17 hours ahead of dinner time

A 6 pound boneless pork shouler roast

½ cup fresh orange juice

One orange cut in wedges unpeeled

6 garlic cloves pressed

4 TBS Worcestershire sauce

4 TBS honey

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ cup dijon mustard

Sea salt and pepper

Mix all above ingredients and marinate the meat for at least eight hours or overnight in a large container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. When you are ready to roast the pork remove from marinate and place on a cooking rack in heavy roasting pan. Pour the marinate juices over the roast, cover with roasting pan or cover with foil and bake at 140 degrees for 10 hours. One hour before ready to serve remove the foil or top and increase the temperature to 370 degrees so the roast will develop a nice crust and golden color. Place roast on a platter, cover with foil and sit in a warming drawer or in the oven. Strain the pan juices and return to the roaster. Place on stove top and add some more orange juice or red cooking wine. Allow simmering for 5-7 minutes and then add 1 TBS corn starch, diluted in ¼ cup water. Whisk well so not to have lumps and according to the thickness you wish you could add more orange juice until you achieve a velvety and whipping cream consistency sauce. In fact a splash of real cream can give a more velvety and appetizing color to the sauce since it is rich in butter. I prefer to slice the roast with an electric knife so to achieve thinner slices.

Just about every side dish is complimented by this roast. For example garlic, lemon roasted potatoes, basmati rice or simply a rich green salad with good sourdough bread. Enjoy…would love to hear from you as to the outcome of this dish.

COOKING CLASS AT SMYRNA

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FALL FIG AND BEET SALAD

A variety of salad greens

4 fresh figs

2 large cooked beet roots

Parmesan cheese shaved slices

Pine nuts

Pomegranate seeds

 Line a flat platter with salad greens. Peel the figs and cut them crosswise and open like flower. Place around the greens. Slice the beet roots and arrange all over the top of the salad. Sprinkle pine nuts and pomegranate seeds. Finally add the fresh parmesan slices on top.

Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegraitte
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbs honey
1 garlic clove pressed

2 Tbs dizon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix above dressing ingredients by whisking in a glass bowl the salt and vinegar with lemon. When salt is dissolved add the mustard, garlic, honey, pepper. Start whisking the dressing by adding the olive oil in a very steady but small stream. The dressing should now thicken almost like gravy. If the room is too warm it will not emulsify properly. Place it in the fridge for a moment and start adding oil again. Correct to your taste and make enough salad because there is something wrong with this dressing. Wherever you add it….there is not enough of it. Seriously.

ZUCHINNI TART WITH PHYLO DOUGH

3-4 zucchini (about 3 cups grated

1 tsp salt

4-5 TBS olive oil

2 green onions finely sliced

3 tbs finely chopped dill

4-5 roughly chopped mint leaves

3 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup fresh cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Grate zucchini and allow to stand and drain extra moisture. Mix with rest of ingredients and set aside.

Brush with olive oil an around deep pie pan. Line with 8 sheets of oiled sheets of phylo dough. Allow the ends to lay outside the pan and pour the filling into the pan. Then take the dough that hangs outside the pan and kind of fold it very gently, not tight, as you would with the ends of an ordinary pie dough. Tuck the ends into the filling as to not get them over cooked and brown while trying to cook the filling. Bake in the lower mid of the oven for about 1 hours in a 370 degrees oven.

AEGEAN SUN KISSED ORZO SALAD

1 pound orzo (rice shaped pasta)
½ cup olive oi
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup finely cut dried fruits (apricots, cranberries, figs, prunes)
¼ cup drained capers

½ cup finely cut green spring onion

½ cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but not soft. Rinse with cold water and allow to drain well. Transfer to large deep serving platter. Toss with half the olive oil immediately other wise it will stick together. Add all ingredients and toss, only keep the pomegranates to sprinkle on top along with the pine nuts.


DRESSING: In a metal mixing bowl mix juice of one lemon, 2 TBS balsmamic vinegar and salt, whisk well. Add 1 garlic clove pressed, 1 TBS mustard and 1 TBS honey in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.


Add dressing to orzo mixture and toss to mix. Correct to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

FRESH MANGO SALAD OR RELISH


A bunch of fresh roughly chopped coriander
3 mangos peeled and sliced
A few slices of fresh sweet orange
Wedges of red sweet onion
Toasted pine nuts
Thin slices grana padano Italian parmesan


Dressing: Prepare a mixture of ½ cup olive oil, 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, ½ tsp orange marmalade, a bit of pressed garlic and a splash of lemon, salt and pepper. Drizzle and toss to serve.