Going Greek

There is an incredible Greek restaurant in Dunkley Square called Maria's. On death row their Spanakopita, Lamb with Artichokes and Ouza and Vegetarian Moussaka are high on the list. Last Tuesday I went there with Jean and Fabs. And they didn't have the lamb. Let me say that again. They.Did.Not.Have.The.Lamb. This is like going to Pisa and they say sorry, we don't have the leaning tower today. I was deeply offended.

By Thursday I'm still thinking of the Damn Lamb. And OK. There's also The Situation. Which I'm not ready to discuss but suffice to say, I'm kind of going through something right now. And it's hell. And horrible. And what's left of my mind is making calls to travel agents to book flights outta here. Put the two together and the obsession starts. You know those weirdos that claim they get twitchy if they haven't been to the gym in 3 days? That's me. Only with cooking. (I must say, one of life's great mysteries is why I don't fit in their jeans...)

So I decide to make my own Damn Lamb. And the Spanakopita. Because by this time I can feel the runaway train in my brain. And what I know, what I know for sure, is that once I've made this food, which is complicated and time consuming, I will have shed whatever sadness and fear and anger I had before I started. And in the spirit of full circle, I pass the food to my loved ones, friends and neighbours. And I feel better for it.

(But, in the spirit of full circle, it would be kinda nice if one of them loved ones passed me a Greek. So I could have something for dinner, too.)

xx
J

PS - Please note I don't put stupid stuff in my recipe ingredients. If you don't have olive oil, butter, maizena, bay leaves etc etc you must be lost. Or my mother. Either way, not my problem. 

SPANAKOPITA 

1 onion, chopped
1 kg spinach
200g crumbled feta
150ml cream cheese
3 eggs
15ml chopped dill (dry is fine but use half)
10ml chopped oregano (dry is fine but use half)
10 sheets phyllo
100g butter

Add spinach to pot with little water and wilt. Squeeze as much water out as you can through sieve. Chop. Add olive oil to pot and stir fry onions until soft. Allow to cool then add feta, cream cheese, eggs, herbs, salt & pepper. Take a sheet of phyllo and cut in half with a knife. Brush a third with butter. Fold over. Brush. Fold over. put a fat tablespoon of spinach mix on left corner. Take bottom left corner of phyllo and move to top right. Take top left corner and move to bottom right. Continue consertina until you have a triangle. Brush with butter and put in pan. Repeat for rest. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes but keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too dark. 

LAMB WITH ARTICHOKES AND OUZO 

1.5kg (ish) leg of lamb
3 garlic cloves, quartered
2 lemons
20ml tomato paste
50ml ouzo (non-drinking people can use star aniseed but I haven't tried it because I, like, drink)
250ml cream
1 can artichokes

Debone the lamb. You don't need a degree. Find the bone. Stick your knife in and saw and saw until you find your way around it. You can hack to your heart's content it doesn't have to be pretty (pretend it's HIM). Once it's done you can whack it with a kitchen hammer if it's thick (pretend it's HIM). Then squirt a lemon over it, salt & pepper it and splash some olive oil. Now take some string and tie into a secure unit, once again, it doesn't have to be pretty. Repeat lemon/s&p/oil. Put in the oven on 200C for 20 minutes. Wrap the baking tray or whatever you have it in tightly in foil, turn down the oven to 150C and let it go for at least 4 hours but 6 is even better. Allow to cool (I usually do this part the day before). Slice or break up the lamb. Put a big knob of butter in a pan and a crushed clove of garlic. Add the tomato paste, ouzo and cream. Add the lamb and artichokes. Simmer to heat through. Maria's serves it with roast potatoes and a Greek salad. I usually hand out/finish mine before I think about a side dish. The picture isn't great but trust me. This is food for the gods.