Greek Night: Roasted Lemon Potatoes + Biftekia
Roasted Lemon Potatoes + Biftekia
Serves 4
Over the last few months I’ve been doing my fair share of cooking, but really less than my fair share of writing. Preparing meals for my family has been a joy; playing with ingredients and creating memorable moments too. The gift of time has been a blessing in my life and, truly, not one that I’ve taken for granted. And while time, and how I’ve decided to spend it, is important, I also got to thinking about the gift of food and how we learn to share love.
When I close my eyes I can still smell red sauce cooking in my grandmothers basement kitchen, red pepper flakes and heat tickling the inside of my nostrils, as my mouth watered in anticipation of tasting her earthly talents. She cooked for me, as did my mother, my aunt and even my father. In our home and family, food was an undying symbol of care, the nod that no matter where we were, how little money we had or how angry we might be with one another - a meal would never let us down. We could be united, at anytime, and forever, around the table. Well, even if we still fought around the table.
As children we were fed, cared for and nurtured by this food our family made for us. But somewhere and somehow, as time passes, these moments become less frequent. We grow up, live alone, we learn to feed ourselves and, then, if we’re lucky, our own families and children. I still have not married or had children of my own and this impasse in life, which once caused me great distress anger and regret, has turned into my moment to return the gift of food and love to my family through time. Time I wouldn’t have were I married with children or working a full time corporate job, as I did in the past.
My reading of food magazines, books, going to restaurants - often alone - and experimenting in my kitchen might have been the best use of my time over the last 22 years; far more useful than swiping, online dating and learning that I could drink 3 Negronis on an empty stomach before getting sick. Yes, I was that woman. Through food I nurtured a curious desire to replicate a meal through taste and smell. I replaced controlling my weight loss with creativity and color. 22 years living in Astoria and I must have eaten well over 250 meals in various Greek restaurants, so much so that I think I bleed olive oil and my heart has morphed into a big, bright, red tomato. Go figure, I am filled with food and a story.
And, now, it’s my time to give that back to my parents, aunts and uncles. It’s my time to cook for family and to feed their souls as they’ve fed mine. With their age has come dementia, surgeries, moments of needed rest and a want to do for them as they’ve done for me all of their life. Fresh and bright, I made this meal for my mother and father over the summer and, now, in the fall, for my aunt and uncle. Simple, tasty and tangy, this Mediterranean meal is simple and understated but also impressive and an explosion of flavors.
How do you give back to yourself and others? Can you find comfort, color, creativity and curiosity in cooking? Are you willing to put your time into it; to do for others as they’ve done for you? I pray this will be a year of cooking greatly for all of us. I pray we all can make a choice to use some of our time here to serve those who have served us.
Lemon Potatoes
6 large potatoes, peeled & sliced into wedges
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 T drIed oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Biftekia or Greek Burgers
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs; plain will also work because there is plenty of seasoning in the burgers themselves
1 large egg
3 T red wine vinegar
3 T extra virgin olive oil + 2 tsp for cooking
1 medium onion, diced
1 T garlic powder
1 T dried parsley
1 T dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Greek Salad
1 hot house / seedless cucumber cut into half moons
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half or campari tomatoes, sliced in half *you can also use roma tomatoes or any tomatoes that are in season
½ of a red onion, thinly sliced
6-8 oz high quality feta cheese, cut into thick slices
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar
Add all ingredients to a large salad bowl, spinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil, toss and adjust to taste
Tzatziki
2/3 cup of 2% or whole Greek yogurt
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of a cucumber sliced with a peeler and then sliced thinly with a knife
2 tsp (heaping) sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until incorporated, put aside
Instructions for Lemon Potatoes & Biftekia
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees
Place the potato wedges into a large baking dish and toss to coat with olive oil, lemon juice, zest, oregano and salt
Bake potatoes for 25 minutes *see remaining instructions at step 7
Now, begin to prepare the biftekia by placing the ground beef in a large mixing bowl
Add breadcrumbs, egg, vinegar, olive oil, onion and all dried spices and mix with your hands to combine
Form the meat mixture into 6-8 patties depending upon how large you want them to be. Create a ball and then flatten with your hands.
Once the potato wedges have been baking for 25 minutes, turn on the broil setting and allow them to brown for 10 minutes while the biftekia is cooking
Heat a large non skillet with 2 tsp olive oil and place over medium low heat, add the burgers and cook on one side for 5 minutes, then flip and cover until done - approximately 4 more minutes
Serve lemon potatoes and biftekia with Greek Salad and Tzatziki