Large lamb and porc spit -Kontosouvli- (Greece)

1 K. Lamb 1 K. Pork 2 soupspoons full of oregano
Salt , Pepper , crushed onion , crushed garlic

Cut the meat into cubes ( removing any bone )
Mix meat with onions, salt , pepper and oregano .Allow to stand
overnight in the refigerator. Put the pieces of meat on a
spit(skewer) alternating porc and lamb and cook ( without the onion
and garlic) in medium to hot oven . Serv with lemon juice yoghourt
and pitta bread.

Hibiscus-Marinated Leg of Lamb (Egypt)

1 quart water 3 large garlic cloves , peeled and smashed 10 black
peppercorns , coarsely cracked 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
(egyptian
grecery store or mediterranean) 1 1/2 oz.
Red Zinger tea leave 1/4 cup sugar 1 leg of lamb (6- to 8-lb) ,with
aitch bone removed by butcher 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons
butter -- cut in pieces

Marinade:
Bring water to a boil with garlic and peppercorns.
Add hibiscus flowers and gently simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat
and
let marinade steep 30 minutes. Pour marinade through a fine sieve
into
a bowl, pressing on solids, then discard solids. Add sugar, stirring
until dissolved, and chill until cold.
Remove most of fat from lamb and put lamb in double layer of sealable
plastic bags with marinade. Marinate lamb, chilled, turning bag over
once or twice, 12 to 24 hours.

Remove lamb from bag, reserving marinade, then transfer to a roasting
pan just large enough to hold it. Rub with oil, then season with
salt
and pepper.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Put lamb in upper third of oven and reduce
heat
to 350°F. Roast about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer lamb to a platter, cover with foil, and let stand 15 to 25
minutes While lamb is standing, pour reserved marinade into roasting
pan.
Straddle pan across 2 burners and boil marinade, scraping up brown
bits, until reduced to about 1 cup.
Add any meat juices that have accumulated on platter and whisk in
jelly and salt and pepper to taste.
Add butter and swirl or shake pan until incorporated.
Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a sauceboat to serve with lamb.

ZARZUELA (Spain)

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium to large onion, 8 to 12 ounces 3
cloves garlic 1 green bell pepper 2 ounces serrano or prosciutto
ham 1/3 cup toasted almonds two diced tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon
saffron
threads 3 bay leaves Salt and ground black pepper to taste
12 mussels 12 ounces shelled shrimp 8 ounces sea scallops 8 ounces
squid parsley sprigs

Put the oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Chop the onion
and garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the saute pan and raise the
heat to high. Cut the the bell pepper into thin strips. Add to the
saute pan and stir.
2)Chop the serrano and almonds. Add them to the saute pan and stir.
Add the tomatoes and saffron (crushed between your fingers) , bay
leaves to the saute pan. Season Cover and bring to a boil over high
heat.
Rinse the mussels under cool running water and pull out the beards
(the threads that protrude from the seams). Add the mussels to the
saute pan. Stir, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the rubbery hinges from the sides of the scallops.
Halve the scallops if large. Cut the squid crosswise into rings about

1/2 inch wide. Add the shrimp to the saute pan, stir, cover, and cook

for 2 minutes. Add the scallops and squid, stir, cover, and cook for
2 to 3 minutes, or until all the seafood is cooked. (The mussels
should have opened and the shrimp, scallops, and squid should be just

firm. Discard any mussels that do not open.) Chop the parsley leaves.
Taste the zarzuela for salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaves.
Ladle
the stew into large soup plates and sprinkle with parsley.
Makes 4 servings.

Greek Potato Pancakes

2 cups cold mashed potatoes 2 eggs 1 tbl. onion, chopped 3 tbl. flour
1 tsp. fresh parsley salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 1/4
cup grated hard cheese olive oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Form patties and then fry in hot
oil until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
Alternate method: instead of frying, lay patties in an oiled pan,
sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees or broil
for approximately 10 minutes. Serve with yoghourt .
FLAT BREAD (like pitta)


1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tablespoon
brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon
baking soda 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients, then add
all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until smooth.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into a hot greased (preferably
nonstick) skillet. Lift and quickly rotate the pan so that the batter
covers the bottom. Return skillet to medium heat. Cook about one
minute or until light brown on the bottom. Flip. Cook on other side.
Repeat with all of batter. Remove to paper towels.

MEDITERRANEAN RICE

Serves 4.

1-1/2 cup rice, uncooked 1/2 cup olive oil 4 cups vegetable juice 1
lg
onion, chopped 1/2 green pepper, cut in strips 1 clove garlic,
crushed
3/4 lb bulk sausage
Salt, to taste
Brown rice in olive oil. Put juice in crock pot. Add onion, pepper,
and garlic. Carefully add browned rice to crock pot (an entertaining
sizzle results). Brown sausage and add to crock pot; add salt. Cook
on
high for 20 min, then cook on low for 5 min.

PICKLES

6 good-sized cucumbers 6 medium-sized onions 3 peppers-one each: red,
green, yellow Vinegar mix: 6 cups white vinegar 5 cups white sugar 1-
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 2 tablespoons mustard seeds 1-1/2 teaspoon
celery seed 1/2 teaspoon cloves
Slice onions, cucumbers, and peppers .
Place in a large enamel or plastic bowl in layers. Sprinkle each
layer
with salt. Cover with a weighted lid and leave for 12 hours. Rinse
really well.
Vinegar mix:
Heat all ingredients. Stir well until sugar is dissolved and spices
are well mixed.
Heat the vegetables in the vinegar mix and put into hot sterile jars.
Seal if you prefer.