Santorini, Greece
By Stacey Adams-Zier
If the Melteme winds had been wreaking havoc, as they usually always do in June, I would have sailed right by the Island of Kea and would have never had the chance to meet Aglaia Kremezi, an international authority on Greek foods. What I learned from her changed my way of eating and made me realize that food can be both sophisticated and uncomplicated and as seductive as the Greek islands.
I spent that summer sailing through the Agean Sea, all along the way eating my fill of rich Greek yogurt and honey, succulent grilled octopus, tender Lobster spaghetti and perfect Greek salads. But, it wasn’t until I landed in Kos, an island just west of Turkey, that I had grilled Haloumi, which put a whole new spin on grilled cheese.
I have yet to find a cheese that grills up as nicely as Haloumi. A light, golden-brown crust bubbles up on the outside of the cheese; the interior gets soft but, not quite runny. Don’t worry, grilling Haloumi is hardly difficult. Just slice some of the cheese into half-inch thick pieces, and then lay them into a hot grill that’s been brushed with a bit of olive oil (in fact you can even go without any at all if that’s your preference.) Grill until it’s lightly browned on one side, about two to three minutes and then carefully flip the slices to grill the other side. When the cheese is golden brown on both sides, it’s ready to eat.
Grilled Halloumi with Kalamata olives and fresh tomatoes
I like to serve it with oven-roasted tomatoes scented with mint leaves, cured olives and a caper spread. Even Bobby Flay, grill master of the Food Network, knows good grilled cheese. He grills Haloumi with a sprinkle of oregano and a squeeze of fresh lemon. I can’t think of a better cheese to serve for Memorial Day weekend.
Haloumi (hal-OO-mi), (a.k.a. halloumi, or hallum) the most famous sheep’s milk cheese of Cyprus, is a semi-hard, firm white cheese with a somewhat elastic texture, similar to mozzarella. It is firmer than feta and doesn’t crumble when sliced, making it excellent for grilling and frying. Haloumi is formed into blocks 6 x 4 x 1 inch thick and then cooked in hot whey. The blocks are then salted, folded, and submerged in brine. In the U.S. Halloumi usually sold in vacuum-sealed pouches either plain or sprinkled with mint. If it’s too salty for your taste, simply soak it in cold water overnight or rinse it under lukewarm water for a few minutes. Unlike most cheeses, haloumi can be frozen without losing its texture or flavor.
Feta (feh-TAH) cheese is a staple in the Greece diet. Authentic feta is made primarily from sheep’s milk, with a small amount of goat’s milk and is naturally very white in color with a tangy taste and a creamy texture. Most feta produced in northern Europe and the United States is made with cow’s milk and unfortunately, treated with chemicals to make it white. The flavor and texture is incomparable to the real thing, so read the labels carefully and buy only from a specialty grocer or cheese shop. In 2005, Feta earned DOP status which means that now only feta from Greece can be legally called “feta.” Because it’s shaped into large blocks or small square cakes, cured and stored in its own salty whey-brine for two months, feta is often referred to as pickled cheese. It’s best kept stored in its brine but if this is not possible, buy only a small amount at a time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator where it will last for 3 or 4 days.
From island to island, every Greek salad I ate came adorned with a huge slab of feta rather than the sprinkles or cubes you get here in the U.S. I suppose the Greeks understand that it’s all about the cheese.
If you don’t care for the tanginess of feta a neat trick is to warm it up to coax out the sweetness in the milk. This is one of the quickest appetizers I know that only takes a few ingredients and delivers a sensational presentation. Place a slab of feta on an oven-safe dish and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Place the dish under the broiler and cook until the feta becomes soft and takes on some brown marks. While it’s cooking heat a small saucepan with a cup of your favorite honey and anise seed. Remove the feta from the oven and drizzle the warm honey on top. Serve with crusty bread or even better, warm pita bread.
Greek Country Salad
6 oz. Feta Cheese in a block
3 Ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 Cucumber, peeled, sliced
1 Green bell pepper, sliced
1 Red onion, sliced medium
1/4 cup Kalamata olives
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Greek oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
Place the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onions and olives in a bowl. Cut the feta into large pieces, place on top of vegetables. Mix dressing in separate bowl, pour over salad. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.
Other Greek cheeses most readily available in the United States include:
Kefalotyri (kefa-lo-TEE-ri), is considered the ancestor of many hard Greek cheeses. It’s a sharp, pungent, hard aged cheese, and made from a combination of sheep’s and cow’s milk, often with the addition of goat’s milk. It has a salty and piquant taste and a unique rich aroma which is obtained after ripening for at least 3 months. Think pecorino-Romano from Italy or 12-month Manchego from Spain and you’ll get the idea of this style of cheese.
Arugula, Prosciutto and Kefalotiri
So simple, yet so delicious. The Kefalotiri really complements the flavor of the fresh arugula and the cured prosciutto.
3 cups Arugula, washed and dried
8 slices Prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
4 oz. Aged Kefalotiri cheese
4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Fresh lemon, cut into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Arrange arugula on platter. Cut prosciutto into 2 inch strips; layer over arugula. Shave the aged graviera with a vegetable peeler. Drizzle with olive oil. Place lemon wedges around platter for individual use. Grind black pepper on top. Serves 4
Myzithra (miz-EE-thra) Greek cheesemakers have been making Myzithra for thousands of years and is considered the ancestor of all Greek whey cheeses. Mizithra is manufactured from whey derived from ewe’s, goats’ or cows’ milk or mixtures of milks in the regions of Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia, Sterea Hellas, Peloponissos, Ionian islands, Aegean island and Crete island. Sweet, creamy and delicious, myzithra can be drizzled with honey and eaten with wheat biscuits or scones. The most common cheese of the islands, it is usually made by adding fresh milk to the whey left from the production of other hard cheeses. Full-fat sheep’s milk ricotta is a very good substitute but if all you can find is cow’s milk ricotta, simply strain it and add some heavy cream. Myzithra is also salted and air-dried to produce a firm cheese that’s wonderful grated on pasta or other savory dishes.
By Line: Stacey Adams-Zier is the Chef/Owner and Fromager of Tastings Gourmet Market and Artisanal Cheese Center located in Clock Tower Place, Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at 410.263.1324 or by visiting their website at http://www.TastingsGourmetMarket.com
