Easy skillet potatoes with leeks and cheese

A delicious vegetarian Winter-time recipe to enjoy as a main meal along with a salad or to accompany nicely a chicken or beef fillet

Amaranth greens (vleeta) and roasted Summer vegetables salad served with creamy garlic dip

This is a super Summer recipe to enjoy some of the most tasty seasonal greens and vegetables! "Vleeta" greens are very popular in Greece and my favourite summer green salad. In the past I have posted another recipe and showed you how we usually cook and eat this sweet type of "horta". In today's recipe they work together with some roasted vegetables and served with "skordalia", the traditional garlic dip. All this ultimately makes this recipe an ideal side dish to accompany various meat and fish dishes. You can omit, if you want, the garlic dip and then the recipe becomes a classic salad, drizzling on top with olive oil and lemon juice or malt vinegar

Easy and fast Greek yoghurt-based aubergine salad-dip

In Greece recipes like this we often call them "salads" but what most of them actually are is a dish closer to the consistency of a dip or a spread. Aubergine salad is very popular and it can be found in various versions. Others are more chunky and others more like a smooth spread. They are served all year round either as a side dish to various meat and poultry dishes or as an appetizer. But aubergine salad is especially popular during the warm months and a great dish to serve next to ouzo or chilled wine. Today's recipe differs a bit than the customary version thanks to the precious Greek yoghurt which makes the recipe even creamier and more refreshing. Best served along with grissini, crispy toasted bread drizzled with olive oil or crispy pitta bread wedges

Velvety cheesy mashed potatoes garnished with caramelised onions

An unusual but very tasty version of mashed potatoes which can accompany various meat and poultry dishes but which can be also served as it is for a light meal! The feta cheese inside gives a slightly tangy but nice taste and the caramelised onions on top give a subtle sweet flavour which balances perfectly with the rest of the ingredients

Greek-style cauliflower gratin with creamy cheese sauce and cumin

A luscious and slightly different way of cooking the cauliflower in the oven with a nice aromatic crust on top. The classic "cauliflower au gratin" in the Greek way using Greek cheeses and cumin which gives an extra kick to the final result. A tasty recipe to serve as a first dish or to accompany various meat, poultry and even fish dishes

Skillet aromatic, crunchy potatoes with cheese, garlic and parsley

Serve this really delicious potato dish as a side dish or as a main vegetarian meal along with a green crispy salad. It is so easy to prepare but so tasty although not too many ingredients are involved. Just choose any day in the week and go "meatless" for a change and I promise you, you won't regret it!

FESTIVE SEASON 2013-2014: Christmas crusty layered rice pilaf

A colourful and impressive side dish for any roast meat and poultry to make your Festive table even more enjoyable! Fragrant spices and dried fruits work together perfectly for a delicious stuffing for this unusual dish

FESTIVE SEASON 2013-2014: Baked baby potatoes flavoured with citrus fruits

A different but delicious version of the classic side dish which can be served next to the Festive turkey or other roasted meat during the Holidays but which, of course, are perfect for every season and occasion!

FESTIVE SEASON 2013-2014: Baked quinces with rosemary make a great side dish!

Quinces are already in season and here we have a simple but delicious side dish to accompany various meats. It is an easy recipe to put together and it is a great idea to use it as a side dish for your Holiday roasted meat and poultry meals

RICE WEEK: Baked tomato rice with raisins, pine nuts and fresh herbs

An old Indian proverb says that "grains of rice should be like two brothers - close to each other but not stuck together".... The sure thing is that in our every day cooking life we need to know which type of rice suits better to each recipe. Like this dish today which is a very hearty and delicious rice pilaf with, probably, the most popular variety of rice in Greece, the yellow long grain one. The sweetness of the raisins and the crunchy pine nuts give an extra flavour. A good company to various meat or poultry dishes

PUMPKIN SEASON : Warm salad with marinated baked pumpkin and other root vegetables

A different way to enjoy some Autumn and Winter-time vegetables with a great taste. A delicious and nutritious salad which gets a special flavour after marinating the ingredients. It also works great as a side dish next to various roasted meat and poultry dishes

Sauté mushrooms with wine, parsley and garlic

Very easy way of cooking mushrooms and use them as a side dish or even as a warm salad next to various roast or grilled meats and fish. Cooked in medium heat they have the chance to absorb the flavours of the wine and the rest of the ingredients and they are really very tasty

Grilled aubergines with sweet tomato sauce and yoghurt dressing

This is an excellent example of how versatile the aubergines are! An easy recipe to make with simple ingredients. The combination of the hot tomato sauce with the cold yoghurt gives a delicious contrast of tastes and the parsley keeps everything so refreshing. Another delicious dish from the Greeks of Asia Minor. A great idea for the Summer-time gatherings to accompany most grilled meat or poultry

Baked fennel with crunchy bread crust

A very tasty and light side dish to accompany any type of meat, poultry or even fish. Especially if they are roasted or on the BBQ! Simple ingredients for this recipe but with such a nice and delicate flavour! You can substitute the Kefalotyri cheese with parmesan or pecorino

Mellow baby potatoes cooked in mild spices and wine sauce

Simple, easy but very tasty recipe! These potatoes can become one of your favourite side dish to various meats but also a light main meal if served with a green salad. Baby potatoes are the best choice for this recipe. Not only do they cook faster but they are also very tasty and good looking! Just be thorough with their cleaning since they are cooked with the skin on

Florina red peppers chutney

A nice recipe to accompany any cold or grilled meat or to enrich other sauces with. Florina peppers are Greece's finest and famous for their sweetness and their distinctive aroma and we use them in Greece in many recipes. They also peel very easily. You can always substitute with pimento peppers or red bell peppers

Baked mashed potatoes

A delicious side dish to accompany any type of roast or pot cooked meat. A nice alternative to the classic mashed potatoes

Flat-leaf parsley and garlic salad-dip

A tasty green salad/dip that can accompany many different dishes or just some toasted pitta breads. Based on a traditional recipe from Syros island

Warm Spring asparagus with garlic dressing

A nutritious and very tasty vegetarian recipe to serve as a side dish next to any roast meat. It is based on a traditional recipe from Paros island, where the "wild" asparagus ("Kalfa" as the locals call them) grow. In many cases this recipe is also served as a warm salad at the Easter table. The locals, though, use to serve these asparagus boiled along with "skordalia" (the traditional garlic-based dip) any day throughout Spring time. The version we have today is a more simplified and lighter one but still delicious and a great idea to be served next to your Easter Sunday roast!

Potatoes "Adinahtes" - Traditional Cypriot recipe

A really special recipe to cook the potatoes, creating a super tasty side dish to accompany various meats and especially pork! The word "adinahtes" comes from the verb "antinasso" which in Cypriot dialect means "to shake" and you will see further down why this happens... Just a few simple ingredients and an easy way of cooking are enough for this delicious dish! Don't go cheap on the wine, a very good choice for this recipe is to use a Cabernet Sauvignon