what have you got in your fridge? In order to be here, maybe you don’t have too many things.. some beverage cans, a clay jar mask jar, and a leftover package from the delivery guy . Maybe we can fix that.
Since you are here, it means you always want to have an equipped refrigerator, which at every moment of the week will contain the necessary materials from which you will “build” healthy, nutritious meals for you and your family that will have a spice of Greece inside them. Obviously, we won’t talk about meat over here but all the things you need to have so you can add a Greek flavor to your burger if you do wish to .
There are some basic things that, if you’ve always got them on your shopping list, you can cook many, many recipes, other easy and more complicated.
Lets Go
Vegetables
Easily keep some vegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, in the refrigerator drawer. Traditional recipes involve a lot of vegetables and always they are used as a salad to accompany your main meal. The type of vegetables depend on the type of the year always, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines and courgettes in the summer while carrots and cabbage during the winter. If you have those you are in the right start.
Seasoning
You cant have Greek food without the necessary seasoning. A bunch of parsley or dill – which will cost you nothing – will help you make the most simple, everyday dish. Always keep a bunch as they will make the difference on your everyday food. Parsley, dill and oregano are the basic ones i would say but… i always have also a bottle of capers with me. You never know where you will use them…
Fresh milk
The only sure thing is that fresh milk will need you. Even if you do not drink it simple, so many recipes ask for it. If you have too much of it, you will have the perfect besamel stuff to put on the baked lasagna in the oven, or the opportunity to make a nice milk pie with a sheet.
Fruit
Put in your fridge apples, oranges, pears and any seasonal fruit you like. If you do not eat them like healthy snacks, you will put them in fancy recipes (sweet pies, jams, cakes, tarts, etc.). Remember, you do not buy huge quantities every time – so you have time to consume – and always put them in the special drawers to keep them fresh and crisp.
Eggs
If you consume eggs fairly often, you can store them outside of the refrigerator, ie on the kitchen counter. But if you use them in the same way, you better put them in the refrigerator, as most do. You may be doing a nice Greek Kayanas (Eggs in tomato sauce with feta cheese) or a simple omelette.
Feta Cheese
Which Greek home does not always have at least one slice in the fridge? It is used in a thousand ways: it enters the salads and the daco, accompanies the olive oil and enters countless recipes. If you do not know what to eat, there is no better meal than some nuts, olives, a tomato cut into 4 (with salt and freshly ground pepper) and a few pieces of delightful feta cheese slice. Still not convinced?
Greek Yoghurt
Ok, some times i do get the classic yoghurt Marks and Spencer have. Nevertheless, if i have to choose there is nothing comparable to the flavor, the texture and taste of a proper greek yoghurt. Try it as the classic morning yoghurt-honey combination, or as an add on sauce on a variety of dishes.
Grated cheese
Pasta comes from Italy but as you might know…we are neighbors and we do love our pasta also. And because pasta with no cheese is not possible, always put in a basket with your shopping a Trimmed Kefalograviera. If you do not use it in pasta, you can put it in omelets, salty buttercups, pies, and still in a chicken broth.
Olive Oil
On a separate category on its own. Greeks use it everywhere… Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. You will see it in 95% of recipes. Obviously use the best one for salads but in generally you need to have a huge bottle on your kitchen.
Or basically you are not Greek…
Pickles / olives / capers / marmalades
Pickles and Olives are best as side dishes, on the table or with the salad. I never have a dish of greek fasolada without pickles and greek kalamata olives. While marmalades are always a part of nice traditional Greek breakfast
