Lamb Kleftiko

Lamb ‘kleftiko’ means lamb ‘stolen’, and the name of the dish is said to have originated from lamb or goats stolen by klepht – highwaymen turned self-appointed armatoloi, anti-Ottoman insurgents and warlike mountain-folk who lived in the countryside exercising a type of guerrilla warfare when Greece was under Ottoman rule.

The would steal the meat and then cook it in hidden underground ovens to seal the aromas of the meat while avoiding detection.

A rustic dish, it is cooked in parchment paper along with potatoes, wine sauce and the aromas of garlic, sweet onions, peppers and tomatoes and is cooked until the meat is soft and melts in the mouth.

When the lamb is slow-cooked it becomes super tender.

You can use leg whole or cut it into pieces.

Ingredients
1.2-1.5 kg lamb leg (2 with bone)
2 onions
2 peppers
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp mustard
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
200 grams gruyere cut into cubes
5 potatoes
1/2 ripe tomato sliced
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper

Method
1. Wash and slice the leg of lamb.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Slice onions, dice peppers, cut garlic, and put all the veggies in a bowl along with the lamb. Soak in olive oil, white wine, lemon juice. Add mustard, garlic cloves and seasoning. Mix everything and leave to marinate for at least two hours, and preferably overnight so that the lamb can soak in the Mediterranean aromas.
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and cut potatoes.
4. Wrap the lamb in parched paper, and with potatoes in the middle. Cover in marinated sauce, add seasoning and oregano. Tie the top of the parched paper with string and place in a pyrex. Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
5. Unwrap the parchment paper, turn the heat to 220C for another 20 minutes. Shake around the potatoes and cook some more to get the potatoes nicely coloured and crisp on the outside before serving.

Bakaliaros kai Skordalia

The annual celebration of 25 March marks Greek Independence Day, but also has religious significance as the Annunciation of the Theotokos (Evangelismos).
It is the day when Archangel Gabriel gave the Virgin Mary news that she would give birth to Jesus. To celebrate this day, Greek Orthodox Christians consume bakaliaros (cod), mainly due to its easy access to those living by the sea, and the ability for cod to be preserved in salt and also a practical option for those who lived in mountainous areas and had to have it transported.
They would accompany it with skordalia, a mashed potato and garlic dipping sauce.

Skordalia

Ingredients:
800 g potatoes
5 large garlic cloves
1/2 tea cup of fish stock, preferably some water from the pot in which you have cooked salted cod
1 wine glass of extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Place in a large pot of water and bring to the boil.
2. Boil the potatoes for approximately 15 minutes (time will depend on the size of the potatoes) until a knife pierces through with little resistance.
3. While the potatoes are boiling, peel the garlic and place in the food processor with a pinch of salt. Blend to a puree.
4. Once the potatoes are ready, drain the water and add some of the potatoes to the food processor along with a tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoons of the fish stock and the juice from the lemon. Blend until the potatoes, oil, stock, lemon juice, and garlic form a thick paste. Repeat the blending process with the remaining potatoes, stock, and olive oil until all the ingredients are combined.
5. Once blended, mix in salt to taste, and drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the top.
6. Using your mortar and pestle, add the garlic with a little sea salt and pound into a thick creamy paste. Once the potatoes are ready, drain the water and then add the potatoes, a little at a time with a tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoons of the fish stock and the juice from the lemon. Blend until the potatoes, oil, stock, lemon juice, and garlic form a thick paste. Repeat the blending process with the remaining potatoes, stock, and olive oil until all the ingredients are combined.

Recipe Notes:
While skordalia makes a great meze, it is more traditionally served as a main meal, family style, in a large bowl in the centre of the table along with the fried salt cod.

Courtesy of Mulberry Pomegranate, a blog dedicated to Greek food and lifestyle. For more, visit http://mulberrypomegranate.com/