Help, please, o wise ones...

fressca

Active member
I've been asked to bring a side dish to a party tomorrow night... the hostess is making pastichio, roast leg of lamb, a green salad and a savoury cheese pastry (she's Greek, could you tell?) The side dish should be easy to eat (30 people, plates on their laps). I'm stressing a bit, all I can think of is green beans, for some reason! Any good ideas? I know there will be, you guys are phenomenal.

 
How about the zucchini gratin that I posted recently. It would go well with the menu and is easy to

make and eat from lap. It's very portable and stays well until baked on the spot.

Zucchini Gratin

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

 
Rec Broccoli with Dorsa(?) Sauce - sounds good but not T&T

8 oz chopped Italian tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic
4 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp each of paprika, salt and black pepper
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 medium sized broccoli, trimmed into florets

Boil or steam broccoli in salted water until it is cooked but still crisp. This should take about 7-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the finely chopped garlic in oil in a separate pan for a minute or so until it starts to turn golden. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika and chilli powder and mix together. Turn the heat down and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.

Drain and add it to the sauce, turning it over and allowing it to heat through for 5 minutes or so. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little of the water in which the broccoli was cooked.

 
Other ideas, don't know who much time you have left

-grape leaves stuffed with rice
-spanakopita (spinach wrapped in puff pastry and cooked)
-tabouleh
-sauteed eggplant with garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt, mint, and parsley (a take-off on babaghanoush, but no "dippers" needed)
-onions, green/red peppers, potatoes, or cherry tomatoes grilled on a skewer (pretty, fun, and different!)


Enjoy - sounds like fun.

 
What about a vegetarian Moussaka to keep with the Greek theme?

4 large eggplants, peeled
Olive oil for frying
1 1/4 cups short-grain brown rice
1 lb canned tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbls chopped parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbls sunflower seeds
3 tbls pine nuts and/or 1/2 cup currants
3 tbls grated cheese
4-5 cups Bechamel sauce

Cut each egplant lengthwise into slices just under half inch thick. Place in a container with plenty of water and salt (1 tso salt per pint of water). Alltherm to soak a minimum of 30 minutes to remove any bitter juices. Rinse well, dry with paper towels, then fry in olive oil.

Was the rice well, cover by about 1 1/2 inches of cold water and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, with their juice (having first sliced the tomatoes with a sharp knife); also add the onion and parsley, the olive oil and garlic, salt & pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally. When all the water has evaporated, remove from the heat and add the seeds, pine nuts, currants and grated cheese.

Form a layer with half the eggplant in a rectangular baking pan so that they cover the bottom. Make a second layer with the rice mixture. Spread it gently and evenly. With the remaining eggplant, make another layer on top of the rice. Finally spread a thick layer of bechamel evenly on the top.

Place in a preheated 425 degree oven and cook until the surface turns golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting into portions.

This is adapted from Alkmini Chaitow's "Greek Vegetarian Cooking." Its said to make 8-12 main dish servings. So if you double it you should have plenty for the party.

 
Roasted asparagus with viniagrette and parm, if asp. looks good.

Green bean bundles--wrapped in red pepper strips or green onions or prosciuto(can't spell today)and steamed. Drizzle with browned butter and herbs or a viniagrette.

 
I second this one. I made it for the first time yesterday, and I am planning on making it

again this weekend. Very very good.

 
I'd second this...it is very good, and easy. BUT be sure to use a good Gruyere...I used baby Swiss,

and it was kind of bland.

 
Thank you, everyone; I think I'm going with the briami

I forgot to say in my original post that I think I may have little/no access to the oven once I arrive at my friend's home (I live only 10 minutes away from her, though). So the briami is probably a good choice, it won't suffer if not served piping hot (I am right about this, right?!) The skewers of tomatoes and the dates sound great, but no can do because of the oven issue; and same thing with Marg's zucchini, although I plan to make that one for Sunday's dinner here at home! Many thanks, everybody.

 
fressca, note the amount of cheese is 1/3 pound. I left the recipe

for my husband to make one day and he read 1/3 cup, which is much less.

I've never found either of the greek cheeses Evelyn mentions...just used a good parmesan and we were happy!

PS: Anything left over is delicious as an omelette filling. Even lazier...just scramble some eggs and warm the leftovers. Good stuff.

 
Thanks for the reminder...

I've got myself a huge honkin' block of parmesan, and I'll make sure to use the scales and not the cups! Will let you know how it all goes.

 
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