How to Roast a Lamb_ New Greek Classic Cooking - Michael Psilakis [16]
If you make this dish in the winter, you can use it with frozen petits pois and even add a little tomato paste and cinnamon—a very different dish but perfect for cool weather.
8 ounces small button mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large shallot, chopped
8 ounces whole pearl onions, peeled, or thawed frozen pearl onions
½ cup white wine
2 cups water (1 cup only if using frozen pearl onions)
1 large sprig thyme
10 ounces shelled English peas, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water, then shocked in an ice water bath, and drained
20 leaves fresh mint
¼ cup small, picked sprigs dill
2 whole scallions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Rinse the mushrooms in a bowl of cold water, swishing them around. Immediately drain and spread on a towel. (If they’re larger than bite-size, halve or quarter them.)
In a braising pan or large, heavy skillet, warm the olive oil. Add and sauté the shallot until just softened, then add the mushrooms and pan-roast until slightly golden, shaking the pan. Add the pearl onions and cook for a minute, then deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the appropriate amount of water and the thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer gently over low heat until the onions are soft, 15 to 20 minutes (5 to 10 minutes if using frozen pearl onions). Check occasionally and add a little more water if it’s all evaporated. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
In a bowl, fold the peas and mushroom–pearl onion mixture together. Add the mint, dill, and scallions, and drizzle liberally with extra-virgin olive oil. Toss, season generously with sea salt and cracked pepper, and squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Toss again.
STEWED STRING BEANS, ZUCCHINI & POTATO
FASOLAKIA LADERA ME KOLOKYTHAKIA KAI PATATES
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A SIDE DISH, OR MORE FAMILY-STYLE, AS PART OF A LARGER SPREAD
This is a one-pan dish that my mother would serve alongside any sort of red meat, especially in the early fall, when all these vegetables are at their best. Cook the quartered potatoes and quartered green zucchini in the tomato broth until they’re soft, then add blanched and shocked string beans. You end up with another traditional vegetable side, in a reduced tomato-cinnamon broth, or sauce. This dish is suitable for Lent, because it is completely meatless—it’s actually vegan.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large Spanish or sweet onion, sliced into rounds
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and then halved crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons dry Greek oregano
2 large sprigs thyme
1 (15-ounce) can plum tomatoes
4 cups water
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise, and then halved crosswise
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
6 ounces fine French beans
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add and sweat the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Then add the cinnamon, oregano, thyme, canned tomatoes (squeeze them a little as you add to the pan) with about half their juices, and water. Add the zucchini quarters to the stew. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pan, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks.
While this is happening, prepare an ice water bath and bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Blanch the green beans for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size; then immediately plunge into the ice water bath. Drain well and reserve.
When the potatoes are fork-tender, add the blanched beans and let them