Light Greek Ground Beef Roll Food

GREEK GROUND BEEF KEBABS

Steps:

• Place the garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Cut the onion into quarters or smaller and add to the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Place the ground meat in a large mixing bowl and add the onion and garlic mixture to it. Add the parsley leaves to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the parsley to the meat. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the mat and knead it to incorporate. The kebabs can be made straight away or the meat can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours or overnight so that the flavors can marry. Divide the meat into 12 portions and roll each portion into a kebab. The kebabs can be cooked on a hot barbeque grill or in a cast-iron skillet. Warm the skillet over medium-high heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to it. Pan-fry the kebabs in a few batches (4-5 at a time) about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked kebabs onto a serving platter. Prepare the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Alternatively, leave them whole if cooking them on a barbeque grill. Slice the bell peppers into cubes or big chunks and discard the seeds. Add the veggies to the cast-iron skillet. Cook them over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until they begin to soften. Serve the kebabs and grilled veggies with Mediterranean Rice Pilaf, quick pickled red onions, and toasted pita/naan bread.

GREEK SOUZOUKAKLIA

Steps:

• Preheat grill for high heat.
• In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, onion, raisins, and parsley. Season with cayenne pepper, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Form into 6 flat sausages around skewers. Lightly brush sausages with oil; this prevents sticking to the grill.
• Arrange skewers on hot grill grate. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly, until well done.

GREEK GROUND BEEF ROLL

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook about 10 minutes. Add meat and cook, breaking up meat, until all liquid evaporates and meat is browned. Add tomato, thyme and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, melt 3 tblsps butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir 3 minutes. Pour in milk, increase heat to medium-high and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in egg. Place over medium heat and continue stirring 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 1 tblsp butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden-brown.
• Heat 2 tblsps olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and sauté just until it begins to release its fragrance. Blend in spinach, cover and cook just until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Stir sauce, pine nuts and cheese into meat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Let cool. (this can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use).
• Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Lightly grease rimmed baking sheet.
• Cover work surface with towel. Place 2 filo sheets on towel with long edge nearest you. Brush with melted butter. Repeat 4 more times, brushing each double layer with butter. Spread cooled meat mixture on filo, leaving 1 ½ inch border. Arrange spinach in lengthwise strip along center of meat. Using towel as aid, roll filo up lengthwise. Transfer, seam side down, to baking sheet. Brush butter over top.
• Bake until crisp and golden, about 1 hour.
• Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing. (can be assembled ahead to this point and refrigerated overnight before baking).

STUFFED GROUND BEEF ROLL

Steps:

• In a large zip-lock bag mix first 11 ingredients.
• Prepare a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil (spray with water so meat won't stick).
• Cut ziplock bag and lay out beef mixture to form a large rectange. Flatten out evenly.
• Tear salami and cheese into long pieces and lay out on top of meat.(Any of your own ideas can be added now. I've used Italian hams, swiss cheese, mushrooms, etc.).
• Roll up length wise using the paper or foil as a tool.
• Pinch ends and lay seam side down.
• Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.

EASY GROUND BEEF ROLL

Steps:

• FOR FILLING: Heat oil and fry bround beef until color changes. Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Season with salt, pepper and parsley.
• Add chutney and leave to cool slightly.
• FOR DOUGH: Sift flour, salt and sugar. Rub in margarine or butter and add cheese.
• Beat egg and milk, add dry ingredients, and mix to a soft dough.
• Roll out into into a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Spoon meat evenly onto dough, roll up like a swiss roll and place on a greased baking tray. Make a few incisions in the roll and brush with beaten egg or milk.
• Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C or 350F for 40-50 minutes or until browned.
• TIP: If you wish, you could slice the roll before cooking and freeze the slices. Cook when needed.

TRADITIONAL GREEK STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (LAHANODOLMADES)

Steps:

• Prepare the rice mixture: Mix together the rice, ground beef, onion, spring onions, carrot, olive oil, parsley, dill, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for half an hour.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in a teaspoon of salt.
• Remove the entire core of the cabbage using a sharp pairing knife. Immerse the cabbage in the boiling water, cored side down. The water should be almost to the top of the cabbage. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or, until the leaves can be easily separated (Note: If you use Savoy cabbage the cooking time is much shorter, at just under 5 minutes). Using tongs, carefully remove each leaf from the pot, as soon as they become soft and flexible, and place them on a drainer to cool. Set aside and reserve any hard, torn, or very small leaves to line the bottom of your pot later.
• To assemble the cabbage rolls: place a cabbage leaf on a work surface. Place a tablespoon of the filling (the size of a walnut) near the bottom of the leaf. If necessary, cut into the leaf's stem (in a V shape) to remove the hard and thick spine. This will make them easier to roll. Fold the bottom end up and over the filling, then fold the two side ends of the cabbage leaf towards the center. Roll the leaf up to enclose the mixture, making sure not to roll it too tight because the rice filling will expand while it cooks. For the leaves that are a bit too small, you can overlap two of them to form a larger leaf before filling, or, you can also patch up any tears the leaves might have. For the leaves that are too large, cut them in half along the hard stem.
• To layer the cabbage rolls: line the bottom of the pot with those reserved leaves that were too hard or too small to fill. This will protect the stuffed cabbage rolls from over browning. Arrange the rolls seam side down in the pot. Make sure they are placed snuggly against each other so they do not move during cooking. Repeat with a second layer of rolls. Top with more of the leftover harder cabbage leaves, if you have them.
• To cook: Pour the stock and water over them, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the top of the stuffed cabbage rolls with an inverted, heatproof, shallow plate or bowl. The plate should be large enough that it covers the rolls, but small enough to not touch the sides of the pot. This will keep the rolls in place while cooking and will ensure that they cook properly. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer for about 45-50 minutes. Check to make sure the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and uncover the pot.
• Make the avgolemono sauce: Whisk the eggs very well until frothy; for best results, use a hand-held mixer. Add the lemon juice and the cornstarch and whisk again. Start "tempering" the eggs by adding a ladle of hot liquid from the pot to the bowl while whisking constantly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined. Stir in the egg-lemon broth into the pot, shaking the pan to distribute evenly. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-low heat for just a minute or so, making sure it does not come to a boil. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the broth for seasoning.
• To serve: arrange the rolls on individual serving plates and then top them with the frothy hot sauce (do not drown them). Garnish with lemon slices, fresh dill and some freshly ground pepper.

MIXED GRAINS

Steps:

• Add brown rice, wheat berries and rye berries to a large pot with a lid.
• Add 2 cups water and 2 cups stock and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until grains are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 40-50 minutes.
• Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and serve or store in air tight container for future uses.

BEEFY LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain and pat noodles dry with paper towels.
• Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Pour pasta sauce into beef mixture and stir garlic powder, basil, parsley, chives, oregano, and nutmeg into beef and sauce.
• Spread half of the beef sauce into a 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with 1 cup Cheddar cheese.
• Lay a lasagna noodle out onto a lightly floured work surface and spread with 2 tablespoons cream cheese. Spread 2 tablespoons ground beef sauce onto noodle; roll noodle and place with seam side down atop cheese in casserole dish. Repeat with remaining noodles. Sprinkle remaining beef sauce and 1 cup Cheddar cheese over noodle rolls.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese and sauce bubble, 10 to 15 minutes.

"LIGHT" GREEK GROUND BEEF ROLL

Steps:

• Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and meat and cook breaking up meat until all liquid eaporates and meat is browned. Add garlic and spinach. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Whisk together nugmeg, cinnamon, thyme, flour and milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Whisk in egg. Place over medium heat and contine to stir for 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden-brown.
• Stir sauce, pine nuts and cheese into meat. Season with salt and pepper and cool.
• OAMC: The meat mix may be frozen at this point for later use. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge before proceeding with the remaining directions.
• Preheat ove to 350.
• Lightly grease rimmed baking sheet. Cover work surface with a towel.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on towel with long edge nearest you. Spray with butter spray. Add 1 sheet of phyllo. Sray with buttter spray. Continue until 10 sheets are layered.
• Spread 1/3 of cooled meat mixture on phyllo leaving 1 1/2 inch border. Using the towel as an aid, roll the phyllo lengthwise.
• Transfer, seam side down to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mix and phyllo. Spray tops with butter spray.
• The roll may be frozen at this stage as well. Wrap in foil and freeze. Do not thaw before baking.
• Bake until crisp and golden, about 50-60 minutes. If cooking from frozen may require an additional 10 minutes of baking. Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.