email this pagePsilakis learned to cook at his mother's side, in a first-generation Greek home in East Northport, Long Island. He became an accountant with sights on a law career, then took a break to work at a local restaurant. When the chef failed to show up one night, Psilakis grabbed an apron and dug in.
Psilakis began cooking professionally the only way he knew how-from his roots and from his heart. And though diners at his glorious Manhattan temple of Greek cuisine, Anthos, grow rapturous over dishes like yellowtail crudo with fennel pollen and pickled cherries, Psilakis himself gets swoony over earthier fare. He offers dishes in that spirit at his more casual restaurant, Kefi, and at home, where wife, Anna, and their 4-year-old son, Gabriel, get to enjoy a sublime dessert like Greek yogurt with pears and toasted walnuts as the family breakfast. He's compiled many of these recipes in his new cookbook, How to Roast a Lamb, due out this month.
Recipes courtesy of Michael Psilakis.
Broiled Feta with Roasted Peppers and Olive Salad
Mark Boughton Photography; styling by Teresa Blackburn
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Serve this salad with grilled pita wedges.
Ingredients
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise
1 Vidalia onion, cut into rounds
1 garlic head, separated into cloves and peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces feta cheese
8 caper berries or 1 tablespoon regular capers
12 kalamata olives, pitted
12 tsakistes or best-quality green olives, pitted
8 anchovies
¼ cup each chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint and
chives
Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
1 red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise
1 Vidalia onion, cut into rounds
1 garlic head, separated into cloves and peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces feta cheese
8 caper berries or 1 tablespoon regular capers
12 kalamata olives, pitted
12 tsakistes or best-quality green olives, pitted
8 anchovies
¼ cup each chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint and
chives
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place peppers, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Brush onions with olive oil. Roast until peppers are charred and onions are tender, about 20 minutes.Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool. Peel and slice peppers.
3. Preheat broiler.
4. Crumble feta into casserole dish or baking sheet. Broil about 2 minutes, or until bubbly.
Recipe by Chef Michale Psilakis, "Mama's Boy," Oct. 2009.
5. Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add peppers, onions and garlic. Toss well.
6. Remove cheese from broiler. Spoon onto serving plates. Top with pepper mixture. Serve with pita bread or pita chips. Serves 6.
Nutritional Information
2. Place peppers, onion and garlic on a baking sheet. Brush onions with olive oil. Roast until peppers are charred and onions are tender, about 20 minutes.Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool. Peel and slice peppers.
3. Preheat broiler.
4. Crumble feta into casserole dish or baking sheet. Broil about 2 minutes, or until bubbly.
Recipe by Chef Michale Psilakis, "Mama's Boy," Oct. 2009.
5. Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add peppers, onions and garlic. Toss well.
6. Remove cheese from broiler. Spoon onto serving plates. Top with pepper mixture. Serve with pita bread or pita chips. Serves 6.
Per serving: 190 calories, 13g fat, 40mg chol., 8g prot., 10g carbs., 2g fiber, 1020mg sodium.
Soutsoukakia
Mark Boughton Photography; styling by Teresa Blackburn
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Do you like to print recipes and add them to your collection? You're in luck. Use our printer friendly version of this recipe.
(Meatballs with Roasted Garlic, Olives and Tomato) Serve these meatballs with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Meatballs:
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground lamb
¼ pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 slices of white bread, crusts removed
½ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup red wine
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, undrained
4 bay leaves
½ cup tsakistes or best-quality green olives, pitted and halved
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Fresh parsley, dill and mint, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Instructions
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground lamb
¼ pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 slices of white bread, crusts removed
½ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup red wine
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, undrained
4 bay leaves
½ cup tsakistes or best-quality green olives, pitted and halved
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Fresh parsley, dill and mint, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1. To prepare meatballs, combine pork and next 10 ingredients (pork though mustard) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, soak bread in milk until saturated. Remove bread from milk, squeezing to drain off extra milk. Add bread and excess milk to meat mixture; mix well. Shape mixture into 24 (golf ball size) meatballs. Dredge in flour.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add meatballs; cook until brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
3. Add oil, sliced garlic and onions to pan; sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add wine; stir to loosen brown bits. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broths and tomatoes. Stir, breaking up tomatoes a bit. Add bay leaf. Simmer 30 minutes. Add meatballs to sauce. Cook 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, add olives, fresh herbs, if desired, and oregano. Stir to combine. Serves 8.
Recipe by Chef Michael Psilakis, "Mama's Boy," Oct. 2009.
Nutritional Information
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add meatballs; cook until brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
3. Add oil, sliced garlic and onions to pan; sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add wine; stir to loosen brown bits. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broths and tomatoes. Stir, breaking up tomatoes a bit. Add bay leaf. Simmer 30 minutes. Add meatballs to sauce. Cook 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, add olives, fresh herbs, if desired, and oregano. Stir to combine. Serves 8.
Recipe by Chef Michael Psilakis, "Mama's Boy," Oct. 2009.
Per serving: 390 calories, 17g fat, 50mg chol., 22g prot., 39g carbs., 5g fiber, 850mg sodium.
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