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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Sautéed Feta w/ Piquant Relishes + Athenos Yiayia GIVEAWAY!

I love Christmas music.  Yes, I know it's only September...just bear with me.  There's just something about it that makes me sing along.  I don't want to hear it all year long, but once the calendar changes from November to December, it's fair game.  I even have one whole mp3 player full of only Christmas tunes.  Tons and tons of holiday music.  And to be honest, I suppose I should actually qualify it as "holiday" or "seasonal" music, but lots of it doesn't actually have anything to do with Christmas, but rather with snow, cold weather, jingling bells, snowmen, reindeer, wassailing, ice skating, and winter wonderlands.  But for most people understand when I say Christmas music that all of this is included.  If you clicked down through the playlist, you'd find everything from jazz to country to big band to rock 'n roll to church choirs.  Now, I will admit that I'm not a church-going kind of gal.  With one exception.  I love to go to Christmas Eve services.  Why?  Well, if you hadn't guessed by now, it's so I can sing Christmas hymns. 

While I think I've conveyed how much I enjoy the music of the winter season (at least I hope I have), there's something haunting, beautiful, joyful, and solemn at the same time about the Christmas hymns.  Ever since I was a little girl, they have been able to bring tears to my eyes.  Whether on the risers at a concert or on the uncomfortable wooden pews, I always find myself choking back tears.  I sing along and a huge lump works its way up my throat, causing totally uncomfortable pain and tears stream down my face.  It's almost embarrassing.  Even if I try not to, it happens.  I wind up with my lips moving, yet no sound can make its way past the lump.

What's my point?  Okay, okay.

Picture, if you will...a younger Heather...about 14 or 15 years ago.  As my family does most years, we met at my grandparents house for Christmas Eve.  Platters stacked high with smoked, sliced ham.  Never-ending baskets of Hawaiian rolls.  Rings of chilled pink shrimp encircling cocktail sauce with a strong kick of horseradish.  Pumpernickel bread bowls overflowing with spinach dip.  And countless cookies, bars, candies and goodies.  Some years we head over to grandma and grandpa's church for the service before we eat.  This was one of those years.  Remember me and my Christmas-hymn affliction?  Well, this year, all of that seemed to vanish.  I sang through the lump and it vanished.  I felt particularly pleased with myself and my ability to sing the hymns "right".  So I sang.  Oh boy, did I sing!  And I have a pretty decent voice and I can carry a tune.  I had nine or ten years of choir to back me up.  So I belted out Christmas spirit and was ready to go back and eat some good food and laugh, catch-up, and play games...maybe open some presents.  That is, until we were filing out of the aisle and my uncle turns to me and says...

"That was a bit much, don't you think?"
Uncle or Yiayia??
Looks like Yiayia, the quintessential Greek grandmother, doesn't approve either. {sigh}  But really, Yiayia doesn't approve of much in today's fast and modern society. So, while Yiayia (and my Uncle) may not approve of my getting caught in the moment and letting my emotions...and my voice...sing, I know she'd approve of me using Athenos Feta Cheese.  Since Athenos products are made the traditional Greek way- simply and with respect for the ingredients, they are pretty much the only aspect of modern culture that Yiayia will embrace.

I love the salty tang of feta whether crumbled over a salad, tucked into a gyro, or cooked into my favorite Greek breakfast skillet.  But my absolute favorite way is something I learned a few years ago (from Tyler Florence) sautéeing it!  Coating the feta in a thin dusting of flour before you put it on the heat allows it to form a thin crust that just holds in the cheese that gets soft and melty from the quick sauté.  It's very delicate; I like to use a fish spatula when flipping to help keep that thin crust from sliding off.  Served with some glorious piquant (stinky, but super delicious and addicting) relishes, I find everything from my tastebuds to my toes tingling with pure bliss.  The first relish I tried was based on the same T.F. recipe, but I've changed it a bit over the years.  I also decided that it needed a second relish to add another layer of color and flavor, so I came up with one that included sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives.  The saltiness of the capers and olives play wonderfully against the richness of the anchovies, the heat of the garlic, the earthiness of the nuts, and the sweetness from the raisins which are all rounded out by the freshness of the herbs. 
Sautéed Feta w/ Piquant Relishes
serves 4-6

Sautéed Feta
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) Athenos Feta Cheese
all purpose flour
olive oil
1 lemon, optional

Cut the feta into either slices or triangles that are ~1/2" thick (cut into thirds, so that you have 3 "slabs", then cut each of those down the center diagonally to get 6 trianges or in half lengthwise to get 6 slices).  Pour some flour onto a plate.

Dredge each piece of feta in flour, shaking to remove excess and set aside for a moment. Place a large cast-iron (or nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat.  Pour on a thin layer of olive oil, and once it is screaming hot, add a few feta pieces to the pan (being careful not to overcrowd) and brown for ~1 minute per side.  If using, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the slices once they are browned and transfer to a serving plate.  Spoon a bit of each of the sauces over the cheese to serve.
Parsley, Raisin, Caper, and Pine Nut Relish 
2 Tbs. golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1½ anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 Tbs. pine nuts, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c.  fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine everything, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sundried Tomato, Walnut, Olive, and Oregano Relish
~8 sundried tomatoes, dry pack, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. kalamata olives (I used Lindsay Greek Kalamatas), coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. purple raisins, coarsely chopped
1½ anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 Tbs. walnuts, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine everything, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
GIVEAWAY
One person, picked by random draw from qualifying entries will win:
 -A copy of my favorite recipe using Athenos Feta
 -Serving platter and serving utensils
 -5 FREE coupons for Athenos Feta
 -Plus, since my uncle disapproves of my spirited singing, I am giving away a $50 Amazon gift certificate, courtesy of Athenos, so that you can go buy headphones and cd's (or whatever else you choose) to cover up my loud singing, should I happen to get carried away in the moment...

For your chance to win, please share your own humorous story about someone who has shown disapproval of some aspect of your life, and took you off guard but also made you laugh in the comments section.

All submissions due by 11:59 pm (Eastern) on Tuesday September 20, 2011.  Good Luck!

Update 9/21/11: And the winner is.... Deb from Kahakai Kitchen who said:   
My story is actually about my friends mom who is in her 80's and always perfectly dressed with her hair, make up and jewelry just so. She's a funny little lady (and would be the Filipino version of Yiayia) but hyper critical and always tells my friend to go put on some make up, even when she is wearing it and looks great. Anyway... we were at a work event, dressed and made up to the nines (or so I thought), which is rare for me. My friend brought her mom who took one look at me and said ... "Oh Deb, you look so dressed up and so pretty tonight... but maybe you should go put on some make up.." You have to laugh. ;-)
Yes, you do...congrats, Deb!
Surely I'd hear something like this if I served this meal to Yiayia
Can't get enough Yiayia?  You can find more of her disapprovals on YiaTube or Twitter.  Plus, learn more about Athenos products by visiting their Facebook page.

*disclaimer: I have partnered with Athenos for a sponsored post and giveaway. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments toward Athenos products. Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Heather Schmitt-González of girlichef.

I am sharing this post with:
Tasty Tuesdays 33 shades of green TastyTuesdayBB a little birdie told me rook no. 17 hearthnsoul150 tnsc fridaypotluck FCFButton Foodie Friday Logo 2 friday food at mom trends

Would you like to comment?

  1. Lovely sandwich, Heather..don't get Feta here. But would try out with my local cheese.

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  2. What a cute post; I have never heard of this, but really would love a taste.
    Rita

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  3. I have been holding onto summer as long as possible, but this made me excited for Christmas!! And this looks so delicious!

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  4. Thats a lovely post..and I really like feta cheese a lot..would love to try this.

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  5. The sauteed feta looks mouthwatering, esp. when served with those piquant relishes.

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  6. I love those relishes! What wonderful flavours.

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  7. I visited Greece a few years back and fell in love with the food. I mean it was absolutely amazing! We bought cherries on the side of the road and feasted. The eggplant was like no eggplant I had ever eaten here in the States. And the baked feta I ate at every restaurant was my favorite! However, your feta recipe looks like another one I am going to have to try. This looks s delicious and is really right up my alley. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. This sounds great - I have sauteed goat cheese and it is wonderful I cant wait to try this out.

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  9. My family dissaproves of reaching across the table for the salt (instead of asking someone to "pass the salt") and dang if I still haven't mastered that respectful act! ;)

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  10. Heather, I could hug you. Last year I tried a recipe for a veggie pita with sauteed feta. The feta was sliced in somewhat thick slabs and heated in a smoking hot pan. I loved the flavors, but the feta ended up being a melty, stuck-on mess. FLOUR! That's the ticket! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Disapproval-a local publication put out a call for home cooks to be featured. I threw my hat in. But I got the impression that they disapproved of my homespun, do-it-yourself, regular gal ways. And I don't have fancy dishes & flatware or a fancy house for amazing photo shoots. Not sure what kind of "home cooks" they're looking for, but it's not me!

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  11. Visiting from Rook No. 17's A Little Birdie Told Me. I love feta, but have never thought to heat it. It's always sprinkled in salads. I will definitely give this a try.

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  12. My family disaproves of elbows on the table!!!
    littlegray88 at yahoo dot com

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  13. I had no idea where you were going with that christmas story but I had to laugh when I saw YiaYia! That fried feta looks so good...I wish I could reach into the screen and grab it!

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  14. Qué rico se vé todo en las fotos, debe de estar delicioso :D
    qué chistosa la Sra... mmm.... me hiciste reír :D
    Saludos

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  15. My daughter is always catching me doing things to her dissaproval and tells me in her sweet little 6 year old voice, "Daddy that is not appropriate in this situation" I feel very small when she talks to me in this tone and she'll make a very good CEO in the future....

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  16. My former mother-in-law disapproved of EVERYTHING her daughter-in-laws did. They way we dressed, our hair, our home decorating, our cars, our cooking....you name it - she thought none of us were good enough for her boys. It was quite funny.
    susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. Heather, when you are practically perfect in everyway (like me), it's hard to think of an occasion like you describe.

    Yeah, and pigs fly. I have been known to serve a firey HOT dish when i mixed up the cayenne pepper and paprika. I was very proud of the dish right up until my guests were crying and I finally tasted it.

    My wife has caught me dancing in the kitchen as I knead bread and my neighbors have called to let me know that my grill was on fire and close to the house.

    One tiny little fire and you get a reputation....

    sigh

    Great giveaway!

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  18. Heather, I think even the week of Thanksgiving one can play Christmas music! I love it too!!

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  19. this was hilarious! i'm a total sucker for christmas tunes too, i never get sick of them!

    my daughter actually gives me a bad time when i act like a weirdo, or when i drink diet cokes. it's hilarious though because she's only six.

    LOVE this sauteed cheese, my mouth is watering!

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  20. Oh girl, I would have far too many stories to share. Mama would crook her eyebrow and say "I would tell you what I think but you wouldn't listen to me and do what you wanted anyway." Apparently I was a stubborn child and young woman - as if I am not still LOL!! On the other hand this was a funny and beautiful post - you have a way of doing that don't you?! I love Christmas music too so I would totally sing with you - skip the headphones so we could drive my neighbors crazy. Sometime that I dearly owe them. Trust me.

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  21. Well, I could come up with quite a few disapproving things I've done. But the latest and greatest was running my personal credit card up and hiding it from my husband. I knew he would eventually find out, but I hid it anyway. The bad part is that I'd probably do it again! Sometimes a girl's gotta have what a girl's gotta have. LOL!

    I love the sauteed feta. Looks absolutely amazing!!

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  22. By the way..I hope you sing loud and proud, always! I approve.

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  23. WOW! I love both of these relishes! Great post!

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  24. Can I come to Christmas Eve at your house?? Do you have any Mormon Tabernacle Choir songs on your playlist? Great post.

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  25. Heather,
    Feta is the only cheese that I really like. Especially in greek salad and I have had broccoli and tomato pizza with feta and that is amazing.
    Disapproval - I sing and I can so relate to your post. I can sing in my voice and a very nice false voice which I used to use to mimic a famous Indian Singer. My mother who sings too disapproved me of using that voice. One day, at a family gathering, my aunt asks me to sing and there I go with my false voice and though not funny, I can still remember my mom's eyes rolling after nearly 15 years.

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  26. Very funny post. ;-) I still think about that Tyler Florence recipe--it was so good, but I think you upped him with your sun-dried tomato relish--Yum!

    My story is actually about my friends mom who is in her 80's and always perfectly dressed with her hair, make up and jewelry just so. She's a funny little lady (and would be the Filipino version of Yiayia) but hyper critical and always tells my friend to go put on some make up, even when she is wearing it and looks great. Anyway... we were at a work event, dressed and made up to the nines (or so I thought), which is rare for me. My friend brought her mom who took one look at me and said ... "Oh Deb, you look so dressed up and so pretty tonight... but maybe you should go put on some make up.." You have to laugh. ;-)

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  27. I am dying for Christmas this year! I am just so ready! It was everything I could do to stop myself from putting up my Christmas tree last week lol so I totally understand!

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  28. My Grandma always told us "Don't wash your hair everyday or you'll get headache when you get old." I believe that's what ancient Chinese believed in. hahahaha....I can hardly follow that rule especially in the hot summer days. Now, it's my Mother's turn to tell me the exactly same thing whenever she sees my wet hair after a shower. :D

    Can't wait to create some delicious dishes like yours with the Athenos Feta! Thanks for a chance to win.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

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  29. That's hilarious, I too feel that way when I keep hearing christmassy songs, well to tell you the truth, I don't get the lyrics sometimes, I ask my kids to sing for me and enjoy and when I try to sing something I like, as you said the lump in my throat won't let me go in any high pitch and my teenage kids laugh and say mum sounds funny and ask me to stop. I am not a cheese person, I have used feta cheese, which I get in our local supermarket in my olive oil bread once and a few dishes I can't remember now!, this in the bread looks gorgeous, I should give it a try. My kids love cheese, I think the most I have had as cheese is mozzarella, your salads look lovely, thanks for sharing, lovely clicks

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  30. I have never tried cheese in this way, but it looks mouthwateringly good here! I might have to give it a shot :)

    ~Kayla

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  31. My fiancee always gives me a hard time about how I eat my food and pick at it, and how I lick my fingers "more than I eat the food". lol it makes me laugh though :)

    Thanks for the chance to win!

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  32. I wanted to let you know that I featured this on my "What I Bookmarked" Post - stop by and see. And thank you for the inspiration I cant wait to make this!

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  33. I do love Greek food. We took a cruise several years ago and the night we were on Mykonos, we stopped by a little sidewalk cafe and ordered a ton of appetizers to sample the food; simply amazing.

    Thanks for linking up with Friday Food on MomTrends.com!

    ~Shannon (Food Channel Editor @ MomTrends)

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  34. Heather, thanks for sharing thoughts on Christmas music and how to saute feta cheese with the Hearth and Soul Hop. The variety of food you cook is amazing, to say the least, thanks!

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  35. yummy looking flavourful food you have served here Heather
    funny story :)
    when we don't think about who is around and say something and someone looks at you strange yes I have many moments :)
    you are right christmas time when everyone is in the mood to do a jingle and I join in and the song is stuck in my head and everyone stops and I realize I am still singing :) that is embarrassing
    lovely giveaway hope I can enter
    torviewtoronto@gmail.com
    regards :)

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  36. Several of my work or high school friends have commented that the reason I must have health issues and no longer work is because I eat healthy. They feel that because they always eat super unhealthy is why they are healthy. They disapprove of my lifestyle because I choose not to smoke, drink, eat fried fatty foods or processed foods.

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  37. Heather, I'm all for getting carried away in the moment -- life's too short to be lived with restraint!

    My heavens -- the photo of your sauteed feta is enough to make a girl make a run to nearest cheese counter with a portable burner in hand. I must make some!

    I recently watched the Americas Test Kitchen where they did a review of feta cheeses, and on their recommendation I tried a brand from Greece that uses traditional sheep's milk. I have to admit, it tasted a bit too much of barnyard for me. I definitely prefer the saltiness and perfect tang of Athenos.

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  38. Ah yes...the contest...hmmmm...

    Well, one incident comes to mind. Imagine if you will, my brother-in-law: heavily tattooed, large gauge hoops in his ears, shaved head... One day, we were discussing my daughters and we got on to the topic of how my youngest daughter is a tomboy, and how tickled I am at her strong sense of style and self. I was absolutely floored when my brother-in-law proceeded to question whether indulging her tomboyish tendencies was a good idea. I laughed (albeit awkwardly). I was definitely caught off guard that he, of all people in the family, would raise an issue about self-expression.

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  39. Yay! I am so excited! It helps make up for the number of times I went in to the restroom (and looked in my compact mirror, checked myself out in the silverware, etc.) that night to check out my make up! ;-)

    Mahalo for picking my response--you made my day!

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  40. you crack me up--and so does your uncle...i can just imagine teasing one of my nieces or nephews in the same way. but back to the recipe...amazing! sweet and salty, gooey and toasty...i makes me want to run, not walk, to the store to get the ingredients. another incredible recipe from the women who just can't stop making good things...that is YOU my friend :) thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club.

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  41. Mmm, I forgot we have feta at home, I'm going to have to try this... I hope canola oil will work!!

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  42. I was all set to make this, but our feta was no good anymore! Next time. :(

    Sara

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