Greek Stuffed Tomatoes (Yemista)

We learned how to make these in Kefalonia at the beginning of June and I have spent the entire summer trying to perfect my home recipe. Tomatoes stuffed with herbs and rice, what could be better? The tomato juice seeps into the rice and it absorbs so much flavor. I have been putting them in smoker to add another lay of deliciousness but the oven is fine too. We only had oven baked Yemista in Greece and they were great (hence why I’ve been trying to recreate them all summer). We had entree versions with ground beef baked inside and also had some with shredded zucchini. I’ve dumbed them down for a delicious side dish with very few ingredients. You can also make this recipe with green bell peppers which is the traditional accompaniment, they are often cooked in the same pan. I prefer the tomatoes.

What you need:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup medium grain white rice

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup freshly chopped herbs (basil, parsley, mint, and oregano or at least 3 out of the 4)

Salt

sugar

4-5 large slicing tomatoes

First preheat the grill or oven to 425° . Begin by slicing the tops off of the tomatoes and scooping out the center of the tomato with a spoon. Gently use the spoon to core and pull out the center of the tomato being careful to keep the exterior still intact. Drizzle a little olive oil into the bottom of each tomato and sprinkle a pinch of sugar and salt into the bottom. Set the tops aside until later.

Add the onions and a few tablespoons of olive oil to a saute pan and heat over medium heat. Begin to sweat the onions and stir occasionally for about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle about a 1/2 tsp of salt onto the onions. When the onions are translucent add the rice and herbs to the pan. I like to take the tomato cores and squeeze the juice onto the onion mixture as well and then discard the rest. Add a little more olive oil and some more salt. Begin to toast the rice gently but do not let it burn or brown. Stir gently for about 3 minutes until the herbs and onions have incorporated with the rice. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Place the tomatoes in an oven safe dish with high walls so the tomatoes won’t tip over and you can cover easily with aluminum foil. Fill each tomato with the onion and rice mixture leaving a smidge of room between the top of the filling and the rim of the tomato. It will reach the top when the rice puffs up during cooking. I made the mistake of over stuffing them several times and the rice would spill out and stay crunchy at the top. You want to be sure the rice is inside the tomato so it can fully absorb all the moisture. Drizzle a little more olive oil across the top. Sprinkle some more salt on the under side of the tomato tops and place them on top. Drizzle more oil across the tops of the tomatoes and add some salt around the exterior. You want to flavor the whole thing so you can enjoy every last bite. Cover with aluminum foil and bake or smoke for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 40 minutes up to one hour. When the tomatoes look like they are about to fall apart they are finished. Let them rest for 15 minutes before lifting them and serving. Lift carefully so they do not fall apart. These are excellent served slightly warm or even at room temperature. Tzatziki and fresh pita on the side make these even better.

Enjoy!

Kimchi Marinated Chicken

Kimchi juice makes the perfect salty brine for chicken and imparts so much flavor. If you aren’t familiar with Kimchi, its Korean fermented cabbage similar to saurkraut but with peppery/gingery flavor. I am all about eating fermented foods during the summer, something about the crunchy/salty/vinegary taste is so satisfying. I was in a bind about what to cook last night and had half a jar in the fridge and I realized I could use that and make a really tasty and easy meal. After straining the juice from the Kimchi jar to marinate the chicken, I sautéed the remaining cabbage with some summer squash for a delicious side. I felt the chicken needed a touch of additional seasoning so I added a little Shichimi Togarashi seasoning directly onto the chicken skin. If you don’t have Togarashi (though I recommend it as a household spice blend, really great on so many things including avocado toast). You could add a blend of dried ginger, red pepper, sesame, and salt if you don’t have it…won’t be quite the same but similar flavor profile.

What you need:

• 2 whole chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks (can be separated into 4 pieces)

• 8 oz kimchi

• 1 tbsp Schichimi Togarashi

• 1 tbsp salted butter

• 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

+

• 2 yellow summer squash

• 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp salted butter

Preheat the oven to 425° . Begin by patting chicken dry and sprinkling over the Togarashi. Place in a 9x9 baking dish and strain Kimchi juice over top of the chicken. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes but a few hours would be even better. Prepare vegetables by slicing the squash.

When you are ready to roast the chicken place 1 tbsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet and set in between medium and high heat. When the oil starts to jump and bubble place the chicken skin side down and sear for 3-4 minutes. Do not discard the marinade. When the skin is brown and crispy turn off the skillet and transfer: now skin side up, to the baking dish that you used to marinade. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. When an internal thermometer reads 165° the chicken is finished.

Meanwhile, use the large skillet that you just browned the chicken in and turn down to medium, low. Add the squash and a little more butter and canola oil if necessary. Allow the squash to soften for about 5 minutes and then add the cabbage that was leftover from straining the Kimchi. Stir occasionally. Add soy sauce about half way through cooking. It will burn if you add it too soon. Taste and salt if necessary. The veggies should be finished cooking by the time the chicken is done. Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes. Serving this with rice and all the pan drippings is highly recommended : )

Roasted Potato and Halloumi Chopped Salad

Sometimes, you just crave a giant salad for dinner. A good salad has got to be vibrant, fresh, and textural. This one has everything: salty creamy potatoes, crunchy red peppers, sweet corn, creamy yet bouncy Halloumi cheese, and a zingy balsamic drizzle. It’s really good. We had it for dinner last night and it was such a substantial meal despite being vegetarian.

I wish my daughter hadn’t come into the kitchen and annihilated the remaining Halloumi because I want to eat it again right now.

This salad takes a little extra time because you need to roast the potatoes and grill the Halloumi but it’s well worth it.

What you need:

3 large gold potatoes, cubed into 1 inch pieces

zest of one lemon

1 garlic cloves

1 tsp dried oregano

6-8 oz Halloumi, cut similar size to the potatoes

8 oz crunchy mixed greens

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 ears of grilled corn, corn sliced off the cob (frozen corn will work in a pinch but I seem to always have corn leftovers this time of year)

a few green olives, quartered

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

about 1/4 cup of olive oil + 1-2 tbsp extra

2 -3 tbsp balsamic reduction

salt and pepper

Begin by preheating the oven to 425°. Place chopped potatoes on a baking sheet and pour over 1/4 cup of olive oil. It’s a lot but the potatoes will soak it up. Sprinkle over some freshly ground salt and pepper. Don’t be shy with the salt. Now grate the zest of a lemon over the top and then grate the garlic clove as well. Add oregano. Stir everything well to combine. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned and pierce easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad. When the potatoes are cooked add them to a serving bowl. Keep the baking pan and do not clean it, put the Halloumi pieces right on the baking sheet that should still have some olive oil and seasoning on it. Add a little extra olive oil to the top of the cheese. Stir and place under the broiler for 2 minutes, stir and place back in for 1 more minute. Watch so the cheese does not burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. The cheese will be melty but still held together.

Add all of the lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and corn to the serving dish with the potatoes. Pour the cheese and pan oil onto the salad. Use a rubber spatula to try and get all the yummy garlic oil from the pan. Drizzle over some balsamic reduction. Toss the salad and enjoy.

**most stores carry some variation of Balsamic Reduction in a 8-9 oz bottle. It might appear pricey but a little goes a long way. One bottle usually lasts me the entire summer. Alessi or 365 are good brands.