Oven Roasted Saganaki Recipes

FLAMING GREEK CHEESE (SAGANAKI)

Steps:

• Brush each side of the kasseri cheese with water. Dredge both sides in flour, making sure the surface is completely covered.
• Preheat a well seasoned cast iron skillet on medium-high heat until smoking. Pour in olive oil. Carefully place the floured cheese in the hot oil. Cook until cheese begins to ooze and a golden brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Quickly flip cheese over with a spatula. Fry until bottom is golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
• Remove skillet from heat and transfer onto a napkin-lined plate. Pour brandy over the cheese. Light the brandy using a fireplace lighter. Now you can exclaim "Opa!" and marvel at the fire. Squeeze some lemon juice on top to extinguish the last few flames and garnish with parsley.

PRAWN SAGANAKI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir tomato paste into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Pour wine into tomato mixture; simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into wine mixture and simmer until mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.
• Spread tomato mixture into the base of a 6-cup baking dish; top with prawns and sprinkle evenly with feta cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until prawns are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 10 minutes; top with parsley.

OVEN ROASTED SAGANAKI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place the slice of feta cheese in a small oven-proof serving dish.
• Sprinkle the oregano over the cheese and add a grind of black pepper; drizzle with olive oil.
• Cook for 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the cheese slice, and serve hot with pita wedges.

SHRIMP SAGANAKI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic, then add the onion and cook until softened, but not brown. Add the shrimp (complete with head and shell for flavor) with the salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano, to taste. Once simmered, remove the pan from the heat and add the ouzo with caution. Cook for 1 minute and add wine to pan. Simmer another 30 seconds and, using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the pan and put on a plate. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle remove the heads and peel off the shells.
• Add the crushed tomato and the olive paste to the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan, being careful not to overcook and toss in the sauce. Finally sprinkle the crumbled feta over the contents of the pan and melt it into the sauce by pushing it down with the back of a spoon.

OVEN-ROASTED SALMON

Steps:

• Place a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 450°. Meanwhile, brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper., Carefully remove skillet from oven. Place fish, skin side down, in skillet. Return to oven; bake uncovered, until salmon flakes easily and a thermometer reads 125°, 14-18 minutes. Cut salmon into 4 equal portions.

CLASSIC SAGANAKI WITH OLIVES AND LEMON

Steps:

• Rinse cheese slices under cold water (do not pat dry). Coat with flour. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add cheese and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.
• Squeeze lemon over cheese; sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Serve with tomatoes, pita and olives.

BAKED GREEK SHRIMP WITH TOMATOES AND FETA

Steps:

• Put 4 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Lower heat as necessary to keep mixture from browning. Remove from heat while preparing tomatoes.
• Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add whole tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, until skins loosen. Immediately plunge tomatoes in a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain. With a paring knife, core tomatoes and slip off skins. Cut tomatoes into thick wedges.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Return skillet to stove over medium-high heat. Add tomato wedges and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until mixture is juicy and tomatoes have softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a shallow earthenware baking dish.
• Put shrimp in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, season shrimp with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Arrange shrimp over tomato mixture in one layer. Crumble cheese over surface and sprinkle with oregano.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until tomatoes are bubbling and cheese has browned slightly. Remove from oven and let dish rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with mint and serve.