Nostos = nostalgia

I'd been hunting for an interesting place to take my family for dinner when they visited and was pleasantly surprised to find Nostos, a new Greek restaurant, a mile from our front door.  Talk about convenient and it turns out, delicious too.

With certain groups of adventurous friends, I don't mind trying new places blindly.  However, my family tends to be a little less adventurous.  That means that before I take them somewhere, I test drive it.  This is especially true of Greek restaurants, as my father is genetically programmed to critique them.  So a couple of weeks before my family came to town, N and I spent a Friday night exploring the menu and trying some of the simple mezze to get a feel for just how well this place does Greek.

Turns out, they do it pretty well.  For our test meal, we ordered kolokithakia, zuccini sliced thin, battered and fried; tiropitakia, individual cheese pies made with kasseri cheese and dill; avgolemono, a simple chicken based soup made with egg, rice and lemon; horiatiki salata, a traditional village salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives and feta, and; Tzatziki, a dipping sauce made with yogurt, cucumber and dill.

Even in this small field there were standouts and small disappointments.  The kolokithakia was perfect. Light and crispy, this mezze made me heartsick for days spent on a Greek beach with my whole extended family.

 The presentation of the kolokithakia was an added benefit for this dish.

Further standouts included the bowl of avgolemono that elegantly balanced the chicken and lemon flavors and the horiatiki, which while quite small for the $9 price, used exceptionally ripe tomatoes and the exact right amount of oregano.

 A good sized block of feta never hurts!

The final two items, the tiropitakia and the tzatziki were a little disappointing for me.  This was not entirely their fault though.  My chief complaint was the amount of dill used in each.  I don't care for it and I've never had to get used to it because my hillbilly people (my family is from Southern Greece) don't cook with it.  The addition of dill in these dishes marks them as from the islands.  Objectively, there was nothing wrong with them. They were well composed and for someone without a dill bias, probably delicious. 

Since our test drive panned out positively, with only personal taste complaints to speak of, I locked in the reservation for my family's visit.  And our evening proved to be as memorable as the one N and I had shared, with some new additions.  For our first course we ordered some of the same mezze N and I had tried before - kolokithakia, horiatiki, avgolemono and tiropitakia.  But we added in some new dishes as well including saganaki, a hard Greek cheese doused in Metaxa (Greek Brandy) and then set aflame table side; a cheese plate that included feta, kasseri and (my favorite!!!) kefalograviera and; haloumi, a mild Cypriot-made goat cheese, gently grilled.  Everything was great and everyone had their favorites.  My brother cannot eat in a Greek restaurant without saganaki, so he was thrilled.  Kefalograviera cheese is VERY hard to find in the US.  So my dad and I both ate far too much of it far too fast, but it was SO good!! And finally, to my surprise, my father had never tried haloumi, which he also came to love.

Everyone was getting full by the time the main course arrived.  Knowing that will always be the case for me, I chose nothing by a bowl of avgolemono as my entree.  My dad, brother and B all choose the arni youvetsi, a lamb shank braised in tomato sauce and wine, served over orzo pasta.

 Arni Youvetsi

According to all three, it was delicious. The meat was fall off the bone tender. But B also added that while it was good, it was no better than mine.  Yay!!!  This is a hillbilly Greek dish that I make at home a few times a year and apparently I do it well.  Not that I didn't love him already, but compliments like that never hurt!

My mom, who inspite of nearly 40 years of Greek affiliation, has never developed a taste for lamb.  She chose a chicken dish, kotopoulo skaras, a simple grilled, marinated chicken breast served with oven roasted potatoes and fasolakia, green beans with garlic and tomato sauce.

Chicken always makes me nervous in restaurants since it is so easy to dry out, but she said it was extremely juicy and well prepared.

By the time we were done with mains, everyone was too full for dessert.  But with risogalo on the menu, a rice pudding made thick and delicious, we had to at least take some home. When we cracked into it the next day (at breakfast, ha!), it was the BEST part of the meal. Creamy and thick and just sweet enough!

All in all, I've had two great experiences with this place and would go back or take friends back again!

Spiced Lamb Kebabs with Cucumber Salad

Since neither B nor I are big Easter celebrators, we didn't do anything on Easter Sunday.  But we decided we couldn't be denied some of the tasty lamb that many of our friends and family would be partaking in that day.  This little recipe was a perfect solution.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed

Combine yogurt, cumin, paprika, and garlic in a bowl. Cut lamb into 24 (1-inch) cubes; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Combine lamb and 1/2 cup yogurt mixture in a zip-top plastic bag (refrigerate the remaining yogurt mixture); seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Remove lamb, and discard marinade. Thread 3 lamb pieces onto each of 8 (10-inch) skewers. Heat the grill to medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Arrange 4 skewers on the grill; cook for 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning frequently. Remove from the pan. Repeat with remaining skewers. Serve with remaining yogurt mixture.

 Prepped lamb kebabs, awaiting the grill

Getting grilled

We served our grilled lamb kebabs with a cucumber salad, made with cucumber, scallions and feta.  The proportions are discretionary, although I suggest a ratio of two cucumbers to one scallion to one ounce of feta.

Dress the mix with this lemon vinaigrette recipe.

Ingredients

The juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Pinch of salt
Fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup Olive oil

Place first four ingredients in a bowl.  As you whisk these ingredients together, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Whisk until emulsified. Dress the salad.

Zay it loud, Zaytinya tastes great

In addition to all the travel that comes with my job, it also somethings brings people to our DC office.  This week, one of my most favorite coworkers, Dawn, came to town.  Ashley and I decided we couldn't let her visit go by without showing her some of what the District has to offer.  Combine the three of us with Hector, one of our favorite bosses, and you have a recipe for a great night on the town.

Our first stop was Poste for happy hour. Housed in the Hotel Monaco in the heart of DC's Penn Quarter, the restaurant and bar are known for their commitment to sustainability and support of the locavore movement.  After walking by their open air kitchen, I would be interested to eat there, but I wasn't wowed by their happy hour.  Service at the bar was so-so (I don't like having to beg for a happy hour menu), but the wine specials were good for the price and, being a Wednesday night, the bar was quiet enough to actually allow us to talk (and laugh).

After about an hour and a couple of drinks we headed over to Zaytinya for our dinner reservation, still in the Penn Quarter.  Zaytinya is one of my favorite DC meal spots.  In part it tastes like home, taking advantage of many of the Greek flavors I grew up with. But this mezzedes-style restaurant also leans on Lebanese and Turkish roots and flavors to create a consistently delicious and interesting collection of small plates with a more high-brow feel than the village classics I ate as a kid.

Let me say now there are no photos because I was too busy eating and enjoying the company to be bothered.  And for good reason, this was one seriously delicious meal shared with three people who all make me smile, laugh and in one case, nearly cry laughing.

They suggest three to four plates per person to make a meal and since all the plates are perfect for sharing we went about our dinner in rounds. 

First up, Labneh, a salty, tangy strained yogurt served with a pool of olive oil and za'atar (in this case, a combo of thyme, oregano and basil) perfect for dipping the warm fresh pita served liberally to every table; Keftedes Kapama, mini-meatballs made with a combination of ground lamb and beef and served in a rich, homestyle tomato sauce laced with cinnamon and allspice; Lamb Bahar, six perfect nuggets of grilled lamb cut kebab-style served over a healthy bed of tabbouleh and tahini and; Octopus Santorini, tender young octopus marinated and grilled, served over a bed of split pea puree with capers. 

And the winner is? Hector's choice, the Octopus Santorini.  I have to assume the octopus was marinated in citrus and barely touched the grill because it was so tender, lacking any of the chewiness found in ill-prepared versions of similar dishes. Combine the perfectly prepared main ingredient with the smooth, creamy split pea puree and capers (perfect little salty explosions) and you have an absolute standout in our first round. So much so we debated ordering a second plate.  But it's important to note that all three of the other dishes were superb, well seasoned and executed in such a way that even your most snooty foodie could find little to complain about.  And this was the case for the rest of the meal!


Round two began with Kolokithokeftedes, shredded zucchini mixed with mild, sweet cheese and pan fried, served with a lemon caper yogurt that amps up the whole dish; Garides Saganaki, five tender, juicy shrimp sauteed with tomatoes, topped with kefalograviera (a hard, tangy Greek cheese) and flambéed with an ouzo accelerant; Adana Kebab, ground lamb, compressed and skewered before being grilled with sumac, onions and tomatoes and; Urfa Biftek, beef sirloin grilled to medium rare seasoned with cumin and urfa peper and served over a bed of micro greens. 

And the winner is? Dawn's choice, Garides Saganaki.  I really have no idea how the ingenious chefs flambéed the shrimp without it getting tough, but it was perfect and juicy with just the right amount of salty bite from the cheese.  I should probably mention that this particular cheese is to me, the world's most perfect food. I used to eat it every morning at my Aunt's house in Parga, my favorite place in Greece - my happy place.

Round three, our final round, was comprised of Kotopoulo Youvetsi, kebab-style chicken mixed with orzo pasta, a light tomato sauce and grated kefalograviera cheese; Patates Tiganites me Yaourti, allegedly crispy potatoes topped with greek yogurt and caper salt; Sea Scallop, a huge seared scallop served over a tasty dill yogurt sauce and; Shish Taouk, breast meat chicken served kebab-style with grilled tomatoes, onions, garlic and sumac. 

And the loser is? Yes, there was a loser in this round. One of my choices (Dawn made me pick several this last round), the Patates Tiganites were mushy and really should have been described as french fries, "crispy potatoes" was a touch misleading.  But there was a winner too! This round was a hard to choose the biggest standout, in part because we were all getting so full we weren't salavating to try every dish the way we had been the first two rounds.  But I think Ashley's choice, the Sea Scallop, wins out in the end.  It was perfectly prepared, lightly seared and tender.  Alone it might have been bland, but with the creamy dill yogurt sauce (not unlike a very light tzatziki) it was delicious. 

12 dishes, 11 winners and three big winners.  Those are stats any restuarant should stand behind.  All in all the seafood really made its mark on our table and now Zaytinya has been labeled a must for future out of town visitors!

Finally, I can't close this post without saying that great food, in and of itself can make a night, but this night was made by the company.  There are days when I get very frustrated with my job, days when I wonder why I do it.  But the answer comes even quicker than the question. It's the people (or most of them anyway) that make the job worth it everyday.  And I got to share my evening with three of the people that top the list of why I get up and go to work every morning. I am tremendously priveleged to share my day-to-day with the smart, charismatic and compassionate people that are Ashley, Dawn and Hector.  Thanks for a wonderful night out to all three of you and for reminding me every day why it's worth it!

Seared Petite Lamb Chops with Rosemary Balsamic Reduction

Sunday night was all about relaxation - I did, well, nothing, and it was great!  Being the master chef he is, Ben was happy to take the cooking reigns and make us a delicious dinner.  What follows is the recipe for the protein portion of our meal that, thanks to Ben's care and attention, was fantastic!!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
6 (4-ounce) double lamb rib chops (2 ribs) with bones attached, ribs frenched
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 large or 2 small rosemary sprigs
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, rosemary, and garlic. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.
Set a 12-inch oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the black pepper. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil to the saute pan and place the lamb, fat side down, in the pan. Sear the lamb until the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook the lamb, turning to cook evenly on each side, about 2 minutes each side. Baste them with the herb and oil mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the lamb is rare, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can grill the lamb chops.

Make the balsamic drizzle while the lamb is cooking: Set a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots to the pan and sweat until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the garlic to the pan and sweat for 30 seconds. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and bring to a boil. Add the rosemary and allow the balsamic to gently boil and reduce until only about 1/4 cup of balsamic remains, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter into the pan. Remove the rosemary sprigs before using.

When the lamb is rare, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. To serve, slice each double chop in half, and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Grilled Lamb Burgers in Pita

We've been looking for recipes that fall into the "quick and easy" category since we're both working and busy. This recipe is the perfect blend of quick and delicious. And the best part? It's a Weight Watchers Recipe! B was surprised to learn this was courtesy of WW, since he can usually tell by his tastebuds when we're eating these lower fat options. (And it's a stock photo, I don't get credit for the beautiful presentation!)

3/4 pound lean ground lamb loin
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (if you don't have mint you can use fresh basil or a third the amount of dried basil)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 and 1/3 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1 small bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1/3 cup plain fat-free greek yogurt
4 (6-in) whole wheat pitas, warmed

Gently mix the lamb, onion, mint (or basil) coriander, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 4 patties, each about a 1/2 inch thick.

Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; preheat the grill to medium-high or prepare a medium-hot fire. Place the patties on the rack and grill, turning once, until and instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each patty registers 145 degrees for medium, about 10 minutes.
Divide the lettuce, bell pepper, lamb patties, and yogurt among the pita breads and serve at once.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking and Assembly time: 15 mins
WW Points: 6