Easy Recipes for Lent

Lent is quickly approaching. This year Clean Monday falls on March 2nd, the kick off day for seven weeks of fasting (until Easter). Now living on my own, I have been working to remain responsible about upholding my family’s traditions. Not to mention without Ma ma’s cooking, I have been avidly working to not only learn to cook but be able to recreate my Yia Yia’s classic recipes with all the homemade tastes they are known for (quite a feat). Throughout my cooking adventures when deciding what recipe I should explore next, I have found holiday-related dishes to be a good starting point. Lent especially has a lot of restrictions, so dishes tend to be simpler. Here are a few dishes to try out during this lent season.

Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

Tomatoes
Red onion
Cucumber
Vinegar
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Orégano

Core the tomatoes and cut them lengthwise into 4 to 6 wedges. You do not want to slice them to thin because they make the bulk of your salad. Slice your onion and cucumber and add them with the tomato. Sprinkle on salt and oregano. Drizzle on vinegar and olive oil and toss together. The portions are simple to judge per serving and easily vary to preference. This dish also tastes great with fresh bread.

Lemon over Boiled Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 pounds of shrimp
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Parsley, sea salt, pepper to taste

Remove the shells and veins from the shrimp. Add shrimp to boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain from water. In a separate bowl blend the olive oil, lemon, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the shrimp.

Simple Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

½ lb. small lentils
1 lb tomatoes, pureed
4 cups water
1 onion, minced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
Sea salt, pepper to taste

Mix the water, tomatoes, bay leaves, onion and garlic and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and olive oil and simmer covered for one hour, or until lentils are done. Take off heat. Remove bay leaves from soup and add salt and pepper. Serve with fresh bread.

Simple Taste of Greece

Cooking is a huge part of the Greek culture, and for me there is no reason why the younger generation of Greek-Americans should not keep it up. Here are a couple recipes I recently tried. Both versions of the classic dishes are simplified down from how Yia Yia would have made them but a great way to get a taste of home and keep up your cooking skills when you’re tight on time and money.

Soupa Avgolemono

Ingredients:

One can of chicken broth
½ can of water (using chicken broth can)
½ cup orzo
1 egg
Lemon juice as preferred
Pepper

Bring chicken broth and water to a boil. Add orzo. Continue to boil until orzo is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off burner.
In a separate bowl whip egg white until it peaks. Add egg yolk and lemon juice beating continuously until combined. So you do not curdle the egg, temper it with one cup broth adding the broth in a slow constant stream into the egg mixture while whisking. Return entire mixture into broth. Add pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings and great with fresh bread.

Calamaria

Ingriedients:

1 package frozen squid
1 8 once can tomato sauce
1 can water (use sauce can)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 onion
2 tbsp. virgin olive oil
Garlic powder, pepper and salt to taste

Thaw and rinse off squid. Cut squid into rounds of about a half inch wide. Add the virgin olive oil and onions to pan on medium heat. Cook until onions are browned.
While onions are browning mix tomato sauce, water, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a separate pot. Bring to a boil and cover.
Add onions once browned and squid. Cover again and let boil for another 20-25 minutes until squid is tender. Great just with bread but can be served over rice pilaf for a traditional presentation, or orzo or pasta. Makes 2 servings.

Enjoy!