SKORTHALIA, Greek potato sauce/dip with garlic

This is a delicious and simple Greek sauce that is traditionally used to top fried fish or as a dip with bread. It can be used to good effect as a topping for almost any steamed vegetable.  The texture should be creamy, smooth, and somewhat thick.  It is most easily made in a food processor; but, you can mash the potatoes by hand and do the garlic with a mortar and pestle, the old fashioned way.

The recipe:

• 6 large cloves of garlic, mashed or minced
• 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled, quartered, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or unsweetened wheat-and-gluten free soy creamer
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, the best quality you can afford
• salt to taste

Prepare the sauce:

Put the potatoes, garlic, and creamer in the food processor and puree.  Then slowly add the oil and the wine, alternating a little of each until it's all incorporated.

Serve as dip:

Place in a small bowl on a large platter surrounded by crudités and/or gluten-free crackers or toast triangles.

Serve as sauce:

Top your choice of steamed vegetables with the sauce.  Thin if you need to with water or milk.  Or, use as a topping on pan fried or batter fired fish or batter-fried vegetables.

Actual product ingredients may contain more and different information than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

CHILAQUILES, Mexican Egg, Corn Tortilla, and Green Chili Dish

PD Photo.org.

Eggs are always welcome as a nutritious and frugal source of proteint. As for chilaquiles, this is another flexible and forgiving dish. You can make chilaquiles with stale tortillas and/or you can fry or bake quartered tortillas before assembling the dish.  You can even use a couple of handfuls of tortilla chips in place of the tortillas. 


You can use any type of fresh or canned peppers - even bells - that appeal to you or that you have on hand. Chilaquiles may be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.  Meal additions can include fresh, warm tortillas and a butter or spread, refried beans, pickled jalapeños, and a fresh fruit salad.
The recipe
Serves four

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup yellow onions, minced
• 1 pickled jalapeñ0, minced
• 1 8-oz. can of diced green chilies
• 1 fresh sereno chilli, chard over an open flame or under the broiler, skinned, and diced
• 4 day-old corn tortillas, cut in quarters
• 8 large omega-3 eggs, beaten with two teaspoons of water
• 1 cup of grated cheese (cheddar or jack or a combination of both)
• Sea-salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley or cilantro, minced

Sauté the onion in the olive oil.  When the onion is tender add the peppers and stir and cook for about a minute or two. Add the tortillas and stir and then add the eggs and cheese.  Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to scramble the eggs.  When the eggs are cooked season with salt and pepper to taste and top with minced parsley or cilantro. Serve hot.

The name chilaquiles is derived from the Nahuatl word chil-a-quilitl which means "herbs or greens in chile broth".


Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

OMELET with Shrimp and Goat Cheese

Courtesy of US Dept.
of Health & Human Services

Shrimp & Goat Cheese Omelet

The recipe

Serves one

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 omega-3 eggs, whisked
• 2 cooked shrimp, large dice
• 2 tablespoons red onion, grated
• 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 scant handful of baby spinach leaves, washed
• 1/8 cup of cooked mushrooms
• 1/8 cup of tomato, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 2 pinches of Herbes de Provence
• sea salt, to taste
• cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons soft French goat cheese, crumbled

Put one tablespoon olive oil in a small omelet pan.  Sauté the onion and garlic, being careful not to burn the garlic. When they begin to soften, add the spinach, tomato, mushrooms, and parsley and simmer gently until the spinach is cooked and any liquids are almost evaporated. Toss in the shrimp and stir well.  Turn this mixture into a dish and add the second spoonful of oil to the pan.  Warm the oil, and then pour in the eggs.  Keep the heat on medium.  Put the shrimp mixture on top of the eggs and sprink with salt, pepper, and herbs.  Top with the goat cheese.  Cover the pan for a minute or two to help the eggs cook through.  Then, using a large spachula, flip one half of the omelet over onto the other.  Turn the omelet onto a plate.  Brush the top with a bit of oil, butter, or buttery spread.  And voilá.

Bon Appétit!


Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

RED BEANS AND RICE, Vegan

Zojirushi Rice Cooker

 The recipe I share here is easy, healthy, filling, budget-wise, great for potlucks, and adaptable. When I prepared it for a potluck recently, I used a vegan soy chorizo sausage knowing it would change the flavor from New Orleans to old Mexico.  If you want to use meat, use andouille sausage and just make sure it's wheat-and-gluten free.

This is the basic recipe, which I'm happy having vegan. I did the brown rice in my Cadillac of rice cookers, the Zojirushi, which was gifted to me by son. It's a fine appliance. The cooked rice is consistent in texture. There's no burning at the bottom. It doesn't dry out the rice when you set the machine at warm  The Zojirushi is attractive - as machines go - and well-built, easy to clean, and has a convenient handle for toting it to potlucks and church suppers.

And now for the red beans, which starts off with the Louisiana trinity. You can do your beans from scratch if you normally do so, or you can use a good organic canned bean ... Eden Foods is organic so it's always a good choice if want a precooked bean. The quality is excellent.  

RED BEANS AND RICE, Wheat-and-Gluten Free, Vegan

The recipe

Serves 6- 8

• 2 cups minced celery
• 2 cups minced yellow onion
• 2 cups minced green bell pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 28-oz can organic crushed tomatoes
• 1 15-oz cans of organic kidney beans, drain
• 12 oz. vegetable broth, homemade or packaged, wheat-and-gluten free
• 2 dry bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried red pepper (adjust to taste)

Sauté the celery, onion, and green pepper in olive oil until they are tender. Add the garlic and stir, cooking for about one minute. Add the tomatoes and the beans and stir. Add the broth and the seasoning and stir. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat immediately. Simmer on low with the lid slightly ajar on the pot for about 45 minutes or so.  If you then let it rest in the refrigerator overnight, the flavors will be enhanced.

Serve over rice ... Yum!

Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product.