General News
Meropi Kyriacou Honored as TNH Educator of the Year
NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.
Feta and halloumi are among the favorite cheeses of Greece and Cyprus. Enjoy the following recipes that feature these distinctive products.
Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
8 large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
4 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta, Dodonis
1/2 teaspoon Greek dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups baby arugula
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on it. Clean the mushroom caps and remove the gills from the underside by scraping gently with a spoon to make room for the stuffing. Brush the tops of the portobello caps with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place them, underside-up, on the rack. Roast for 10 minutes. Flip and roast for 5 minutes more on the other side. Remove the portobellos from the oven and carefully flip them back over so that the undersides are up. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on each cap. Divide the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and feta among the caps. Sprinkle with the oregano. Return the portobellos to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and starting to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining olive oil, the remaining pepper, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add arugula and toss to coat. Serve the portobello pizzas with the arugula salad.
Halloumi Pita Sandwich
8 ounces halloumi, sliced
1 teaspoon Greek honey
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Grated zest and juice 1/2 lemon
Pita bread
4-5 tablespoons tzatziki, recipe follows
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
2 small cucumbers, sliced
In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced halloumi, honey, chilli flakes, oregano, the lemon zest and juice. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and cook the halloumi for 2-3 minutes on each side.
To assemble, warm the pita bread on the still-hot griddle pan, in the toaster, or in the oven for 2 minutes. Spread some of the tzatziki on the pita, then add the halloumi, red onion, tomatoes, and cucumber. Sprinkle with additional oregano and extra tzatziki, if preferred, then wrap the pita around the filling and enjoy.
Tzatziki
1 large seedless cucumber, coarsely grated
Greek sea salt
2 cups Greek yogurt
4-6 garlic cloves to taste, minced
3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Place the grated cucumber in a strainer over a bowl, sprinkle with a 1/4 teaspoon salt and let stand for 30 minutes to an hour to drain off the liquid. If preferred, place in cheesecloth and after an hour squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the cucumber in a mixing bowl with the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and dill, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if needed. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.
NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S.
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture presents a captivating evening with acclaimed singer-songwriter Alkinoos Ioannidis, who will perform at UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall on Saturday, April 27, 7:30 PM, in a solo concert.
ATHENS - The "OLYMPOS - Global Spiritual Center" Association presents on Saturday, April 6, at 6:00 pm, at the "Antonis Tritsis" Amphitheatre of the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens, 50, Acadimias Street, the truly ingenious funding proposal for the construction of Heptapolis in the wider area of Delphi, entitled "World Green Taxation Fund".
ATHENS - Disregarding the recommendation of a prosecutor who said there wasn’t enough evidence, an Athens Mixed Jury Court found a 55-year-old man guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl but found her mother innocent of pornography.