As our Lenten journey continues, we’re adding dessert to our menu. One of our absolute favorites, these fried Greek puffs—crisp on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside—are drizzled with honey, sprinkled with sesame or nuts, and dusted with cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar.

Loukoumades look like zeppoles but have a completely different consistency, resembling that of ​doughnuts. The following Loukoumades recipe has been adapted to make it appropriate for Lent, as well as other fasting days throughout the year. Get ready to add a sweet finish to your meal!

The key to making these puffs tender and airy on the inside is allowing the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place. They should be fried in small batches so they don’t stick to each other, as well to keep the oil temperature constant—crowding them will lower the temperature and a lower temperature means the puffs will absorb more oil, making them greasy, not crispy.
 
PREP TIME: 2 hours 15 minutes (plus about 2 hours rising time)
COOKING TIME: 15 to 20 minutes
MAKES: about 40 loukoumades
 
2 cups lukewarm water (about 100°F), divided
1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Greek brandy (or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
*
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
Honey, for drizzling
Toasted sesame seeds, sliced almonds, or walnuts, for topping
Cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
 
1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup lukewarm water and the yeast. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until dissolved.
 
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixer bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, the yeast mixture and brandy until all of the flour is incorporated. Beat on medium speed until batter is smooth and free of any lumps. Remove from mixer, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dry kitchen towel, and place in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. (If you don’t have a warm spot in your home, heat the oven to 80°F. Turn OFF the oven, make sure the rack is not hot to the touch, and place the bowl in the oven to rise.)
 
3. Fill a deep saucepan with enough oil to reach 4 inches up the sides. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking (350°F on a deep-fry thermometer). Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil temperature constant. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.
 
4. Carefully drop 1 rounded teaspoon of batter (using another teaspoon to slide the batter off) into the oil for each puff (if the puff doesn’t sizzle, the oil isn’t hot enough). Add 4 or 5 more spoonfuls of batter, as space allows so they’re not crowded, to the oil. Using a slotted spoon, turn the puffs and fry until golden brown on all sides. Transfer, in a single layer, to prepared baking sheet to drain. When done, transfer the puffs to a swerving platter, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with sesame or nuts, and dust with cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.
 
Recipe by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style  
 
More about Greek Orthodox Lenten cuisine can be found in our blog, Lenten Cuisine~A Faith Inspired Journey.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s Lenten dessert. Recipes for other Lenten foods can be found in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks. Stay tuned for future blogs on foods and customs relating to this Holy season of fasting and spiritual awakening.

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly
 
Resources
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Great Lent

​Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

​As our Lenten journey continues, we give you Lagana (λαγάνα), a flat bread eaten on Clean Monday and throughout Lent. In Greece, you’ll find this bread in various forms at bakeries year round, showcasing the county’s love of sesame seeds. With it’s myriad of dimples, Lagana has a distinct resemblance to Italian focaccia but of a different consistency altogether.

This simple and delicious recipe is a wonderful accompaniment to olives, halva, and an assortment of Lenten spreads and dips (recipes in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks), like Taramosalata, Hummus, Skordalia, and Olive Spread. If avoiding olive oil for Lent, substitute with grapeseed or other vegetable oil.
 
PREP TIME: 30 minutes (plus about 2 hours rising time and 10 minutes cooling time)
BAKING TIME: 30 to 40 minutes
MAKES: 1 bread, 4 to 6 servings
 
1 to 1½ cups warm water (about 100°F), divided
1 envelope (¼ oz) active dry yeast
2¼ cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or grapeseed or other vegetable oil), plus more for coating
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, white or a mixture of black and white
 
1. In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup warm water and the yeast until dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes.
 
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, and thyme (if using). Using a wooden spoon, stir in the yeast mixture and oil. Gradually kneed in just enough of the remaining warm water to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and kneed about 5 minutes, until dough is soft and elastic. Form into a ball.
 
3. Coat a large bowl with oil and place dough ball in bowl, turning once to coat the top.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
 
4. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. On a floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes, then gently stretch out to form an oval or rectangle, about 1 inch thick. If the dough resists stretching, let stand about 30 seconds, then stretch again. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, reshape, and firmly press fingertips all over into dough to create indentations or dimples. Lightly brush dough with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
 
5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. Uncover bread and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made ahead. Cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a resealable heavy-duty plastic storage bag and freeze up to 1 month.)
 
Recipe by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style  
 
More about Greek Orthodox Lenten cuisine can be found in our blog, Lenten Cuisine~A Faith Inspired Journey.

I hope you enjoy making this week’s bread for the spirit. Recipes for hummus (four varieties) and other Lenten spreads, dips, and foods can be found in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks. Stay tuned for future blogs on foods and customs relating to this Holy season of fasting and spiritual awakening.

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly
 
Resources
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Great Lent

​Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

Artichokes are a popular vegetable in Greek cuisine—from baby hearts used in an artichoke-and-rice dish to artichoke stew with peas, carrots, and potatoes to whole artichokes simmered in olive oil—but their preparation and cleaning is a mystery to some and tedious to others. For this post we’ll cover the two basic procedures (for hearts and whole) with tips to help take your artichokes from market to pot in a few simple steps.

1. Start with fresh artichokes that are in season.
 
2. Look for firm round artichokes that are green without brown spots or stems that look woody (a sign that they’re not so fresh).
 
3. Prepare a very large bowl with acidulated water: combine the juice from 1 fresh lemon with 3 to 4 cups of cold water.
 
4. Cleaning the artichokes: rinse well under cold running water, then proceed as below for hearts or whole artichokes.

Artichoke hearts: Snap off the tough outer leaves and discard. Using kitchen scissors, trim the sharp tips off the remaining leaves (a) and snap each off, saving to use in a soup or stew (if saving for a future use, transfer the leaves to a freezer bag, press out all the air, seal and freeze up to 1 month; if using the same day, transfer to the acidulated water). When you get to the choke, hold the heart firmly in one hand and, using a spoon, scoop out the choke and discard (follow along with this video). Proceed to step 5.

Whole artichokes: Snap off the tough outer leaves and discard. Using kitchen scissors, trim the sharp tips off the remaining leaves (a). Using a sharp knife, cut off the top one-third of the artichoke and discard. Trim the stem to 1 inch beyond the base of the artichoke and, if tough, peel off the outer skin. Hold the base firmly in one hand and, using a spoon, scoop out the choke in the center and discard  (follow along with this video) or cut the artichoke lengthwise in half and scoop out the choke from each half (b). Proceed to step 5.

5. After cleaning each artichoke, immediately transfer to the acidulated water, submerging completely (c). This will keep the vegetable from discoloring and turning brown (this method also works for fruit and other vegetables as well).
 
6. Leave the artichokes in the acidulated water until ready to add them to your recipe.
 
Our Warm Artichoke-Salad Spread recipe can be found in our Spreads & Dips cookbook, available on Amazon.
 
I hope you enjoyed this week’s how-to post. Stay tuned for more Greek cooking techniques in upcoming blogs.
 
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday.
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

As our Lenten journey continues, we turn away from chicken and instead look to the versatile chickpea to provide plant-based nourishment with a variety of recipe options. Chickpeas are nutrient treasure troves abundant in fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A, E, and C, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, carotenoids, and protein. All that and deliciousness wrapped up in these hearty legumes! You can simply add them to green salads, wraps, or soups, or take a little time to make hummus or our quick-and-easy salad (below).

This salad goes all out with fresh ingredients that elevate the flavor profile of chickpeas to a whole new level. Included are optional additions to help you to customize this into your own creation, and tossing in shellfish (or chicken, if not fasting) will turn this salad into a substantial main-course meal, serving six. If adding shellfish (or chicken), make 1 1/2 recipes of the dressing (or more, to taste). Our recipe will also work with other legumes (if using dried, make sure to soak and cook before adding to the salad).
 
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes plus chilling
MAKES: 4 servings
 
DRESSING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 
SALAD
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1 plum tomato, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1 celery rib, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 scallion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
*
Crusty bread or pita, for serving
*
Optional additions:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved or sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup sautéed shrimp (or other shellfish)
1 cup diced cooked chicken (if not fasting)
 
1. Make dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
 
2. Make salad: In a large serving bowl, gently toss together all of the salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss to combine well. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving. Serve with bread to soak up all the savory juices.
 
Recipe by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style  
 
More about Greek Orthodox Lenten cuisine can be found in our blog, Lenten Cuisine~A Faith Inspired Journey.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s chick…pea inspiration. Recipes for hummus (four varieties) and other Lenten foods can be found in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks. Stay tuned for future blogs on foods and customs relating to this Holy season of fasting and spiritual awakening.

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly
 
Resources
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Great Lent

​Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

The discipline of fasting during Great Lent and other religious occasions is to bring about cleansing and spiritual awareness in preparation for the Resurrection at Pascha (Easter). 

In times of fasting, the Greek Orthodox abstain from foods that come from animals containing blood, which include beef, poultry, eggs, dairy, and most seafood, shellfish being the exception because it contains no blood. During the strictest fasts, olive oil and wine are also abstained from. Traditional Lenten foods, as well as our own recipes we developed for fasting, are plentiful and delicious, and some might say that you’re not giving up anything if you’re enjoying your meal. The thing is, when you’re preparing these foods, you’re taking extra care to make suitable substitutions for the foods you can’t eat, which reminds you of why you’re doing it. In turn, you become spiritually aware and the fast is “serving” its purpose.

Clean Monday, or Kathara Deftera (Καθαρά Δευτέρα), marks the launch of Great Lent for the Greek Orthodox and the entry of a unique collection of appropriate meals. A cross-section of Lenten foods that have become staples in our diet during this period include the following.

Taramosalata (ταραμοσαλάτα): A coral-colored, mousse-like dip containing red carp (fish) roe. (Recipe in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks.) For more on this dip and its many uses, check out our blog Taramosalata~Beyond Meze.

Revithosalata (ρεβιθοσαλάτα): A chickpea salad with red onion, cucumber, tomato, and fresh herbs.

Fakes Soupa (φακές σούπα): A protein-packed lentil soup that gets its Greek twist from vinegar.

Lagana (λαγάνα): A flat bread that gets its “dimples” from fingertips pressed into the surface.

Horta Vrasta (χόρτα βραστά): A boiled variety of leafy greens. A dressing of lemon juice and olive oil give this side dish flavor and enhance its nutritional value.

Dolmadakia Gialanzi (ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί): Grape leaves filled with rice and flavored with lemon. (Recipe in our Meze cookbook.)

Gigantes Plaki (γίγαντες πλακί): Giant beans in a tomato-based sauce.

Htapodi Sharas (χταπόδι-σχάρας): Grilled octopus.

Garides sti Shara me Lemoni (γαρίδες στη σχάρα με λεμόνι): Grilled shrimp with lemon.

Loukoumades (λουκουμάδες): Light and fluffy puffs drizzled with honey.

Koulourakia made with wine (κουλουράκια με κρασί): Perfect for dunking when you want something subtly sweet.

Halva with oil (χαλβά με λάδι): A Lenten favorite, this homemade version of halva is made with semolina or farina and butter, but when fasting, the butter is replaced with canola oil. Once cooled in a form, the halva is unmolded and dusted with ground cinnamon, then cut into slices.

Halva/Halvah with tahini (χαλβά με ταχίνι): Very different from the homemade version, this store-bought halva, popular throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, is made with tahini (sesame paste) and comes in blocks with varietal options that include plain, with nuts (pistachios or almonds) or raisins, marbled with chocolate, and marbled with chocolate that’s coated completely in dark chocolate (my favorite!).

The photos in this slideshow demonstrate our Lenten menu on any given day of our 40-day fast. This is the kind of “fast” food that fuels our bodies and souls.

I hope you enjoyed our Lenten tasting. Recipes for these foods and more will be featured in our upcoming cookbooks (those noted above can be found in our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks)! Stay tuned for future blogs on foods and customs relating to this Holy season of fasting and spiritual awakening. 

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.

Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!

Until then~
Kali orexi!  Good appetite!

Kelly

Kukla's Kouzina blogs on the Greek foods and faithful customs of Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha:
Greek Cheesefare Week
Fasting & Feasting…Greek Foods for Body & Soul
Lenten Kouzina Made Easy
Greek Holy Week & Pascha~Easter Foods
Greek Foods of Lent
​
Source
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos