Dandelion greens and grilled bread

July 5, 2021July 5, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

An open-face sandwich of dandelion greens and grilled bread flavoured with lemon, olive oil, garlic, oregano and feta

Χόρτα με ψωμί στη σχάρα. This post for dandelions greens and grilled bread is really just a composite of two other recipes we have already posted, with some small modifications. Still, we could not not share this recipe, because this open-faced sandwich is one that we grew up on, and it is all sorts of delicious!

The concept here is simple; after dandelions greens are cooked, Greeks like to toss them with a healthy amount of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Often, that’s it! Sure you can add some dry oregano if you like, but that would usually be the extent of it.

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Spinach, arugula and strawberry salad

July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A delightful summer salad made with baby spinach, fresh strawberries and tossed with a slightly sweet vinaigrette

Σαλάτα με σπανάκι, ρόκα και φράουλες. What a delightful salad this is! When we’re in full blown strawberry season, which in Quebec lands between June and October, we prepare this spinach, arugula and strawberry salad often, like every-few-days often.

We first had this salad, or something similar, at a friend’s home. In the center of the table, surrounded by all sorts of grilled meats, dips, potatoes and other salad sat a large bowl of green and red. It was the first thing to go, and almost everyone returned to get a second helping of the salad which was made with spinach and sliced strawberries. Since then we’ve seen variations at various gatherings, including those which we host.

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Growing chives and making chive blossom vinegar

June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

An easy way to enjoy beautiful chive flowers

We’re so excited to share this post on growing chives and making chive blossom vinegar. It is the first of a series of posts which will focus on growing herbs and then showing you interesting and easy ways to use them, where they are the star!

Growing up our parents always had a garden. When there was little outdoor space available, tomatoes and eggplant were grown in buckets on the balcony. As soon as they had access to a back yard, their garden exploded and they grew everything from asparagus to zucchini. They still keep a massive garden and we are all the benefactors of their harvest.

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Potato salad with smoked herring

April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A traditional Greek potato salad with smoked herring from Messinia

Σαλάτα με πατάτες και καπνιστή ρέγγα. Our parents are from Messinia, a region found in the south western part of the Peloponnese. The capital is Kalamata and it is a marvelous part of the country. Soaring mountain ranges, fertile flatlands and forests, picturesque villages, citadels, vineyards and orchards are some of what make Messenia such a rich and glorious land.

Visitors have learned that there is much that this area has to offer and tourism plays an increasingly large role in the economy. Still, this fertile area is an agricultural wonderland and crops remain the most important industry for the region. Some of the main products are olive oil, Kalamata olives, oranges, sultana raisins and figs.

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Rice with fide (Ρύζι με φιδέ)

September 29, 2020 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

A classic and traditional Greek side dish of rice cooked with fide

Frugality. Simplicity. Versatility. These are definitely values that homemakers of years gone by looked for in recipes that they would prepare for their families. You can be sure that women in villages all over Greece, and our mom when she came to Canada, would often make this side dish of rice with fide to serve their families. More economical and easier than this is hard to come by!

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Fried eggplant with tomato sauce (Μελιτζάνες τηγανητές με σάλτσα ντομάτας )

September 17, 2020 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

An incredible Greek side dish of fried eggplant which is then baked in a rich tomato sauce

We know that eggplant is a divisive fruit (yes, eggplant is botanically a fruit!) and that there are camps of people who love them, and others who hate them. We happen to be lovers of the aubergine and are thrilled when our gardens start to offer this versatile, hearty and delicious purple gift.

We have already posted several eggplant recipes, and here we are finally sharing what may be one of our favourites. In this classic Greek dish, which can be served as a side or just as easily as a meze or light lunch, eggplants are fried and then baked in a rich tomato sauce. This is a dish best served with a nice loaf of fresh bread for dipping; the sauce is to die for! You can even layer the eggplant and sauce between two slices of bread and make yourself an eggplant and tomato sauce sandwich. Sound strange? Have we ever steered you wrong before?

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Grilled zucchini salad with corn and black-eyed peas

August 27, 2020 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

A salad hearty enough to be a light meal

When we fire up the out door grill to make delicious things like souvlaki, grilled steak or cedar planked salmon we like to take the opportunity to grill even more, and vegetables are an obvious choice. Sometimes we like to simply serve grilled vegetables, and other times we use them to make something special, like this delicious grilled zucchini salad with corn and black-eyed peas.

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White bean stuffed artichoke hearts (Αγκινάρες γεμιστές με λευκά φασόλια)

February 4, 2020 ~ miakouppa ~ Leave a comment

Artichoke hearts stuffed with smashed white beans and Mediterranean flavours

A while ago when we were cooking with our parents and learning how to make their artichokes and peas in an egg-lemon sauce we realized that frozen artichoke hearts are shaped like perfect little bowls. And little bowls just beg to be filled up. So since then, we’ve been finding all sorts of ways to stuff artichoke hearts and we think we’ve developed a recipe that is going to bowl you over!

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Potato Salad (Πατατοσαλάτα)

November 21, 2019 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A light and delicious potato salad full of wonderful textures and flavours

We went to a lot of picnics when we were kids. In late spring, summer and early fall, when the weather was inviting, our family would spend Saturdays on the mountain. If you’re from Montreal, you know that the mountain refers to Mount Royal. Declared a heritage site by municipal authorities and the Government of Quebec, the mountain covers 10 square kilometers, right in the heart of Montreal.

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Rice with mizithra and burnt butter (Ρύζι με μυζήθρα και καμμένο βούτυρο)

October 21, 2019 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A simple and delicious rice dish with the nutty flavour of burnt butter and the salty goodness of mizithra cheese

If you’ve been following along on our Mia Kouppa trails over the past few years you will have learned a few things about us, and our parents. You would know that we are two sisters, who also have an awesome older brother, that we each have two darling girls, xeno (that is, non-Greek) husbands, and feathered and furry pets. If you haven’t been with us for very long, or tend to skip right to the recipe (that’s okay…we do it sometimes too!), then welcome! We’re so happy to have you join us!