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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Greek Culinary: Great Greek Culinary

By Robin Sanders

Greece produces a vast collection of geologically produced foods as in fruits, nuts, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Greece's climate is ideal growing for lemon and olive trees. The favourite meat in Greek cooking is lamb while the favourite vegetables are beans and eggplant.

Greek cooking continues to be influenced by other cultures. It's "fusion" cuisine can be traced back to such cultures as Rome and Turkey. Conventional Greek cooking uses fresh ingredients therefore it's normal to shop daily for best results. Cooking is kept simple by allowing the taste of fresh ingredients, herbs and spices to shine through instead of covering them up. Grilling, baking, roasting, frying, and stewing are a few of the popular cooking methods.

Both meat and vegetables are cooked utilizing tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, onions and herbs like sweet basil and oregano. Meals are mostly cooked in olive oil. The everyday Greek salad is made with raw vegetables and may include celery, onions, peppers and cucumbers. Oregano, salt and pepper may be added to the salad as a seasoning along with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice. The salad will have black olives and a soft salty cheese called feta. Lemon juice and olive oil is usually added to salads and then seasoned with salt and pepper.

Lentil and pea soups are very popular in Greece and are sometimes served along with the main course. Bread is usually dipped in the soup and salad is used as a side dish. A type of chicken soup called avgolemono is very popular too and is often laced with lemon and served.

Lamb can be cooked in many ways and the Greeks have some really awesome ways of cooking lamb that brings out its tastes like no other cuisines. To make a Greek shish kebab pieces of lamb are marinated in olive oil, wine and lemon juice. Salt and pepper and a little oregano are added. The lamb is then put on skewers and grilled. While cooking olive oil is rubbed over the meat.

Moussaka is amongst the most popular dishes in Greece. This baked dish comprises layers of fried eggplant and ground lamb. It is seasoned with tomato, oregano and bit of cinnamon. Grated cheese and white sauce and is added to the top then it is baked in the oven.

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