A store in Naxos selling traditional cheeses. Photo by Terry Vlisidis, via Unsplash
The cuisine of the Cyclades offers something for everyone, with fresh flavors and unique local products that make each island a delightful destination for gastronomic tours. Some traditional favorites to try on your next visit to the Cycladic islands include karpouzopita, watermelon pie, from Milos, and tomatokeftedes, tomato fritters, from Santorini. Perhaps less well-known than those island favorites are the traditional beef dish from Naxos called kalogeros, named after a mountain peak on the island and typically served with fried potatoes, and patatato, a goat meat and potatoes stew from Amorgos traditionally served at celebrations including weddings and religious festivals.
Kalogeros from Naxos
For the beef stew:
2 pounds beef, cut into chunks
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh, ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
Greek sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of sugar
Water
For the eggplant:
6 large eggplant
2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
Naxos Graviera or gruyere
Greek extra virgin olive oil
Greek sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over high heat and brown the beef on all sides in a tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about an hour and a half.
At this point, the eggplant can be fried or baked. To bake the eggplant, cut each one in half lengthwise and score the flesh of each half diagonally, from left to right and then right to left to create diamond shaped cuts. Add a pinch of salt, brush with olive oil and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. To fry the eggplant, slice into half-inch thick rounds and shallow fry in a bit of olive oil, for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep the oven at 350 degrees if you baked the eggplant or preheat the oven to 350 F and continue.
When the stewed beef is ready, place a generous spoonful or two into each baked eggplant half after scooping into the flesh to create a cup for the stew. Fill each half with beef stew and two generous tablespoons of tomato sauce. For the fried eggplant, stack two slices and top with the cooked beef and a generous helping of sauce. Add slices of cheese or grated gruyere on top and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if preferred. Bake in the 350 degree F oven for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.
Patatato from Amorgos
Patatato from Amorgos. Photo by Sanket Shah, via Unsplash
2 pounds kid goat shoulder cut into large chunks with the bone in
2-3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 glass red wine
2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 2-inch stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
Greek sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Heat the olive oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper generously to taste and sear on all sides in the heated oil. Remove the seared meat from the pot and set aside. Drain any excess oil from the pot and in the same pot, sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant about one minute. Return the meat to the pot and add the wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice, fresh rosemary, and the potatoes. Add enough water to cover the food. Cover and bring up to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about two hours, stirring once about halfway through the cooking process. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if using. Serve with fresh bread and feta, if preferred.
FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.
PHILADELPHIA – The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Philadelphia and Greater Delaware Valley announced that the Evzones, the Presidential Guard of Greece will be participating in the Philadelphia Greek Independence Day Parade on March 20.
O oceanic you sing and sail
White on your body and yellow on your chimeneas
For you're tired of the filthy waters of the harbors
You who loved the distant Sporades
You who lifted the tallest flags
You who sail clear through the most dangerous caves
Hail to you who let yourself be charmed by the sirens
Hail to you for never having been afraid of the Symplegades
(Andreas Empeirikos)
What traveler has not been fascinated by the Greek islands, drawn by the Sirens’ song of a traveler’s dreams?
TNH and our video show ‘Mission’ marked the change of the season by transporting viewers into the heart of summer.
Sign up for a subscription
Want to save this article? Get a subscription to access this feature and more!
To purchase a gift subscription, please log out of your account, and purchase the subscription with a new email ID.
On April 2, 2021, we celebrated The National Herald’s 106th Anniversary. Help us maintain our independent journalism and continue serving Hellenism worldwide.
In order to deliver a more personalized, responsive, and improved experience, we use cookies to remember information about how you use this site. By Continuing to access the website, you agree that we will store data in a cookie as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
We use cookies on our site to personalize your experience, bring you the most relevant content, show you the most useful ads, and to help report any issues with our site. You can update your preferences at any time by visiting preferences. By selecting Accept, you consent to our use of cookies. To learn more about how your data is used, visit our cookie policy.
You’re reading 1 of 3 free articles this month. Get unlimited access to The National Herald. or Log In
You’ve reached your limit of free articles for this month. Get unlimited access to the best in independent Greek journalism starting as low as $1/week.