Tag Archives: feta

Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken with Feta and Olives

25 Aug

Necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, I had recently purchased a pack of chicken thighs, without a clear idea of what to do with them — except that now I was home from work and dinner time was looming, I needed an easy solution, and a fairly quick one. So I opened the fridge and cupboards to see what my options were. I guess I could have asked ChatGPT to come up with a recipe, but that would have meant inputting the available ingredients into a prompt, which 1) I was too lazy to do, and also, 2) I like to think that the non-artificial intelligence center within my cranium is still capable of putting 1+1, or 2+3, together to come up with something to eat. (But ask me next week…).

The result of my kitchen scan? I had cherry tomatoes that definitely needed using and some yellow squash from the garden that was now languishing in the crisper bin. Hmmm. What else was in the fridge? There was feta, kalamata olives, and cream. And rosemary outside. An idea began to form. So, what follows is a non-recipe recipe, without actual amounts. I’m confident that no matter how you yourself approach this dish, you can’t go wrong. The ingredients combine into something really, really good!

Mediterranean Chicken with Feta and Olives

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Olive oil (I used garlic-infused olive oil)
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Yellow summer squash (or zucchini if you have it), diced
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese (cubed or crumbled)
Heavy cream
Oregano (dried or fresh)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180C).
  2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary.
  3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, saute the thighs in olive oil over high heat until they are no longer pink on the outside and have picked up a bit of color.
  4. Place the thighs, and any juices or crispy bits from the pot, into a casserole dish large enough to fit the thighs in one layer.
  5. Sprinkle the olives, tomatoes, squash, and feta around the thighs, drizzle with some cream, and sprinkle a little more salt, pepper, and oregano over top.

6. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes and squash are soft.

    You can serve this multiple ways: with crusty bread to soak up the creamy, tomato-ey broth, over quinoa or rice, with potatoes or other roast vegetables, etc.

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Recipe: Roasted Beet and Red Onion Tart with Feta and Walnuts

    14 Mar

    I realized a bit late that today is Pi Day, 3/14 (March 14). Our daughter is a huge fan of Pi Day baking, so I wanted to see if I could come up with a savory pie without having to go to the grocery store. Luckily, beets can keep in the fridge for a long, long time, and I recalled that two of them had been living in our crisper drawer for at least a month. Were they still good? Yes, they were. That meant the main ingredient for my pie was set. What goes beautifully with beets? Feta and walnuts. Both were miraculously on hand. As was a red onion that needed to be used, too, lending itself nicely to the red theme. So far, so good. Then I checked the freezer. Excellent: the puff pastry I thought I had in there was there, so I took it out to thaw. Pie ingredients all available!

    Like most things involving pre-made puff pastry, this is a pretty easy recipe. The most complicated step (which is not hard, just messy) is peeling and dicing the raw beets. Prepare them on a plastic cutting board or a surface that will not stain. And beware of your hands. I washed my hands with soap and water after peeling each beet, then after dicing each beet, and then a final time for good measure–and my hands escaped unblemished. You could also use gloves. Or you could not worry about it, and then have time (on your hands) to admire a potent natural dye….

    Roasted Beet and Red Onion Tart with Feta and Walnuts
    6-8 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 pkg. (17.3 oz./490 gr., usually comes with two sheets) puff pastry (pasta sfoglia, pâte feuilletée)–thawed
    • Two large raw beets (about 1.1 lb./ 500 gr. total), peeled and diced into medium-sized pieces
    • 1 large red onion, cut in half, then each half cut into about 5-6 wedges
    • olive oil, dried thyme
    • 1 cup (135 gr.) feta cheese, crumbled
    • 1/2 cup (about 118 ml.) heavy cream
    • 1 egg, lightly beaten
    • 1 garlic clove, crushed
    • 1 tbsp. dried chives, or 2 tbsp. fresh chives, finely chopped
    • freshly grated black pepper
    • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
    • small handful walnut pieces
    • 1 tbsp. dried parsley
    • fresh parsley if available, as garnish

    Preparation

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
    2. In a medium bowl, toss the diced beets with 1 tbsp. olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and 1/4 tsp. thyme.
    3. Lightly oil a large baking sheet (I used a half sheet) and spread the beets onto 2/3 of the sheet.
    4. Place the red onion wedges on the other 1/3 of the baking sheet. Brush the onion wedges with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and more thyme.

    5. Bake the vegetables for about 25-30 minutes or until the onions are soft and look slightly grilled. Carefully remove the onions and place them on a plate to cool. Roast the beets for 10 more minutes until they are soft and golden looking (ie, about 40 minutes total), then place them on a plate to cool slightly, too.
    6. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F / 190 C.
    7. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper (I used another half sheet pan, but if you do not have one, you can use two smaller baking pans) . Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets and arrange them on the parchment paper to fill up the pan as best as possible. Note: Depending on the size of your baking pan, this will require some cutting and pressing to fill the pan properly. With a sharp knife, score the edge of the pastry all the way around, creating a 1/2-inch border, but don’t cut the pastry all the way through. Here’s what my pastry looked like when I was done (if you aren’t in the mood for jigsaw puzzles, you could also place a puff pastry sheet on each of two smaller pans):

    8. Make the feta base. Combine the feta, cream, egg, garlic, chives, and black pepper, and mash together. Prick the pastry, then spread the feta mixture over it, being carefully not to go past the border.

    9. Arrange the beets and onion wedges on top of the feta mixture, sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan), then scatter the walnuts around. Sprinkle dried parsley and more ground pepper over the top. If you really love cheese, you could spoon some extra crumbled feta over the top, too.

    10. Bake the tart for 30 minutes or until the edges and bottom are golden. Let cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with peppery greens (like arugula, though a spring mix would do, too) drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

    Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

    Recipe: Marinated Feta

    14 Feb

    A jar of marinated feta in the fridge will more than earn its place there, especially since it takes 10 minutes–at most–to prepare it. That doesn’t count marinating time, but once you’ve introduced all the ingredients to each other, you can step back and let the magic happen on its own. Marinated feta is good with bread and crackers, in sandwiches and salads (including pasta salads), and as that little something extra in many other dishes. And the leftover olive oil is fantastic in a Greek salad dressing or tossed with vegetables prior to roasting. Amazing to think that a mere 10 minutes of matchmaking leads to so many happy returns.

    MF2
    Marinated Feta

    12 oz. feta
    4 oz. sun-dried tomato halves, in oil
    1 tbsp. dried oregano
    1 tsp. coriander seeds
    1/2 tsp. chili flakes (can add more if you like extra heat)
    freshly ground black pepper
    3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
    extra-virgin olive oil

    Preparation
    1. If the feta is wet, pat it dry. Cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Cut each sun-dried tomato half into four pieces.
    2. Transfer half of the feta and half the sun-dried tomato pieces to a canning jar or glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle the feta and tomatoes with half of the oregano, coriander seeds, chili flakes, and ample black pepper. If using a canning jar, place the rosemary sprigs upright around the edges of the jar; otherwise, scatter them about. Add the remaining feta and tomatoes and sprinkle with the remaining spices. Pour the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes over top, then add enough extra olive oil to cover the feta.
    3. Tightly cover/seal the jar or bowl, and refrigerate the feta for at least a couple days (and ideally, for one week) to let the flavors marry–if you can wait that long. The olive oil will solidify, which is normal — it will return to liquid form at room temperature (allow the feta to reach room temperature before serving).

    MF1

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    Recipe: Turkey Burgers with Tomato Jam, Feta, and Kalamata Olives

    26 Aug

    Feta and kalamata olives–a match made in gastronomic heaven. Great on a mezze platter, divine in a Greek Salad, and a flavorful way to jazz up turkey burgers. Paired with a Greek Salad to keep the flavor theme going, this is a nice, light meal that pops. Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe.

    Turkey Burgers with Tomato Jam, Feta, and Kalamata Olives
    Makes 8-10 burgers

    Burgers
    2 lb. ground turkey
    ½ large onion, chopped fine (red onion is nice)
    6 oz. feta, crumbled
    ½ c. chopped, pitted kalamata olives
    1 tbsp. olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1-2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
    salt and freshly ground pepper
    extra chopped, pitted kalamata olives and crumbled feta

    Tomato Jam
    1 tbsp. olive oil
    ½ large onion, chopped fine
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 (14-oz.) cans diced tomatoes in juice (I used petite diced)
    1 tbsp. sugar
    ½ tsp. dried thyme
    ½ tsp. salt pepper
    freshly ground pepper

    1. BURGERS: Mix all ingredients together and shape into patties. Grill on griddle, using olive oil.

    2. TOMATO JAM: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium-high heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Cool. Serve burgers with tomato jam on top, and sprinkle with more chopped kalamata olives and crumbled feta.

    Tags: , , , ,

    Recipe: Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Feta

    22 Jan

    Eggs are a miracle food in many ways, but what I most appreciate about them is that they make for a quick, nutritious meal any time of the day. These scrambled eggs are great for breakfast, brunch,  lunch, and even as an after-school snack for ravenous teenagers. And if I am ever on my own for dinner, these scrambled eggs often make an appearance.

    Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Feta
    Serves 2

    4 eggs
    pinch salt, freshly ground pepper
    1 tbsp. olive oil
    1/4 onion, diced
    1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach
    1/4 c. crumbled feta

    Preparation
    1. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork. Add a pinch of salt, and freshly ground pepper.
    2. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil, add the onions, and cook over high heat until soft and beginning to turn golden at the edges.
    3. Reduce heat to medium and layer the spinach on top of the onions. Pour in the eggs, top with the crumbled feta, and gently scramble until set.
    4. Serve immediately.

    Tags: , , , , , ,