Shrimp Saganaki with Tomato Pilaf

The trick to this dish is to buy whole shrimp with their heads and make a flavorful broth with the shrimp heads, shells and tomatoes. Then use the broth to cook the pilaf. The same method can also be used for lobster. Mussels and clams can also be steamed open in white wine add their liquid used for cooking the rice.

2 lb. medium sized shrimp (heads and shells removed and reserved)
4 tomatoes chopped
1 cup dry White Wine
2 cups water
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme or marjoram
1 ½ cups of long-grain rice
½ lb feta cheese (crumbled)

Preparing the Shrimp Broth:

Combine the shrimp heads and shells with the tomatoes in a food processor and puree for the 30 seconds. Add the wine to get the shrimps to move around. Add the water and the wine, shrimp and tomato mixture in a sauce pan and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. If you end up with less than 3 cups, add enough water to make 3 cups.

Cooking the Rice:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat ½ cup of the olive oil in heavy ovenproof pot, over medium heat. Stir in the onions, garlic and thyme and continue stirring until the onions turn translucent, about 10 minutes. Pour in the rice and stir for about 5 minutes more, until the rice starts to turn milky white. Pour the shrimp broth over the rice and stir quickly, scraping the bottom of the pot. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot, place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Cooking the Shrimp and Serving the Pilaf:

When the rice is ready, sauté the shrimp in the remaining olive oil. Season with pepper and add the crumbs of feta cheese.

Mound the pilaf in an oval bowl and arrange the shrimp over the rice.
Serves 4.


Kali Orexi

Chef Gregory Zapantis

GALAKTOBOUREKO

5 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup semolina flour
1 tsp. Vanilla powde
5 pc. Large eggs
1 lb (20 pc) fillo sheets
½ lb butter, unsalted melted


In a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan over medium flame, add milk, sugar, vanilla and stir in 2-3 Tbsp. of the farina. Remove from heat and stirring continuously, adding the remaining farina. Return to flame and continue stirring to boiling point. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl and while stirring vigorously, slowly add to the semolina mixture. Continue to stir mixture over heat until boiling point and then remove from flame. Add butter and set aside stirring occasionally to prevent from forming a crust.

Lightly brush a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Line the first layer with sufficient length of phyllo so that phyllo sheet is hanging over the sides of pan. Butter generously and repeat process with layers two and three. Continue layering bottom with seven more layers of phyllo, buttering between every layer. Pour custard evenly in the pan over the fillo.
Fold the overhanging fillo over the custard buttering the overlapping corners. Layer eight more sheets of fillo, buttering between all layers with the top 3-4 layers being complete sheets fitting the dimensions of the pan. With a sharp knife, score only the top 2-3 layers of the fillo with small perforations to make square or diamond patterns, and brush generously with butter.
Bake in a pre-heated, 325 degree oven, for 45 minutes, or until fillo is golden and crispy.
SYRUP

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Peel of 1 orange or lemon
2 Tbs. brandy
6-8 pc Cloves
While custard is baking, prepare syrup by boiling sugar, water and orange or lemon peel for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add brandy and set aside.


Remove the Galaktoboureko from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over the entire pan, particularly the edges. Cool thoroughly before cutting and serving.


Kali Orexi


Chef Gregory Zapantis