Monday, July 28, 2025
Yes, food…
Of course, if you follow me on my personal Instagram account or you’ve read older posts, you’ve probably already figured that out… but let’s take a look at 3 alternative ways to cook one of the most unique and favorite dishes—and I’ll tell you which one I used in the photo above.
But which one else? The traditional way…
1. Vinegar-braised octopus
(a classic mezze)
One of the most traditional dishes in Greek cuisine.
With this method, the octopus is first cooked slowly over low heat in its own juices until tender—no added water. Then it’s cut into pieces and brought together with vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf.
Keep in mind that octopus completely changes character depending on how you handle it. The result here is tangy and sharp in flavor, perfect as a mezze, and one of those dishes that actually gets better the longer it sits…
2. Grilled octopus
(for a clean, smoky flavor)
Here, you can’t hide behind sauces—if you get it wrong, it turns rubbery.
The secret is simple: first boil or slowly cook it until tender, then finish it over high heat on the grill for a few minutes so it gets that signature smoky flavor and a slightly crisp texture on the outside.
Serve it simply: olive oil, lemon, and maybe a little oregano.
3. Tomato-braised octopus with pasta or orzo
A bit heavier, more of a proper main dish (not exactly what we’d call mezze back in Greece). This is where the sauce takes over.
The octopus is first sautéed, then slowly cooked with tomato, wine, onion, and spices (usually cinnamon or bay leaf).
It can be served over pasta or cooked in the same pot with orzo, similar to a Greek-style giouvetsi. It’s a dish built on deep, rich flavor rather than simplicity, with a sauce that thickens and turns almost slightly sweet.
So maybe this wasn’t meant to be a recipe post after all—but if you found yourself craving octopus by the end of it, I guess I did something right.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
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| A favorite dish, especially in Greece during summer (since it can also be eaten cold), is stuffed vegetables. |
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| There are lots of ways to cook this dish. I went with the easiest method (no ground meat) and used just a few spices because I wanted to keep the meal light. |
One of the favorite homemade dishes in Greece, especially during the summer months, is Stuffed Vegetables (aka ‘gemista’). This dish can be enjoyed cold, making it perfect for hot weather. There are various ways to prepare gemista, but I chose the simplest method without ground meat and with minimal spices for a lighter meal. First, I boiled the rice, and then I cut the peppers (unfortunately, I couldn’t find larger ones) and tomatoes, keeping the tops for “lids” and scooping out their insides.
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| First, I boiled the rice, cut the peppers and tomatoes. |
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| I scooped out the insides of the tomatoes and used a blender to make a tomato sauce. |
Please note that I’ve mentioned this before in another post and even in a comment under a TikTok video. I don’t usually follow recipes exactly as written, and when I do try them, I tend to modify the ingredients and steps to better suit my personal taste and cooking style. For example, when I make stuffed vegetables, I prefer the rice to be slightly mushy to create a softer bite and better absorb flavors. My version of the dish doesn’t include onion, as I enjoy a more subtle flavor profile, and the dishes I share with you are always alternative takes or adaptations that reflect my culinary preferences.
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I added some salt, pepper, and a bit of basil then mixed the tomato sauce with the rice and stirred everything together. The next step was to stuff the vegetables. I added potatoes and water with oil, and put them in the oven… |
I reserved the insides of the tomatoes and pureed them with a mixer to make a tomato sauce. I added only salt, pepper, and a bit of basil 🌿, then mixed this tomato mixture with the rice. The next step was to stuff the vegetables. I added potatoes and water with oil to the baking dish, and voilà!
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