MARIA'S GREEK DRESSING MIX RECIPES
While growing up, my mother Maria’s Greek Salad was a staple at many meals we enjoyed with family and friends.
Made with a lot of love and a unique blend of aromatic herbs and spices, this savory mix can be used for more than just salad! It’s a terrific marinade for chicken, shrimp, lamb or pork. Toss it with your favorite pasta salad or as a seasoning for steamed or sautéed vegetables. Mix it dry with ground lamb, beef or bison for burgers or meatloaf.
John Nichols - Owner
Crystal Beer Parlor <-click me
Using chicken quarters or individual pieces, place the chicken in a large bowl and thoroughly coat the chicken pieces in prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight. Turn chicken occasionally. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chicken in a single layer, skin side up in a large roasting pan with ½ cup of water. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Set marinade aside. Bake for about 45 minutes, basting with the reserved marinade. Serve with roasted potatoes or rice pilaf.
Greek Chicken With Roasted Potatoes
Prepare chicken for cooking as detailed above. Cut 4 large potatoes into wedges or chunks. After removing the chicken from the marinade, toss the potatoes in the chicken marinade and surround the chicken in the pan with the potatoes. Dot with butter. Add 1 ½ cups water to the pan and bake for one hour uncovered, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
Marinate chicken wings in prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing overnight. Reserve marinade. On a preheated medium heat grill, cook the chicken wings for about 25 to 30 minutes. Baste occasionally with the reserved marinade. Turn wings every few minutes for even cooking. Serve with Tsadziki Sauce and cucumber slices.
¾ English cucumber, sliced
1 tsp salt
5 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups Greek yogurt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp dried dill or 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
In a food processor, place sliced cucumber and salt. Pulse until a chunky pulp. Place cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out the liquid. Set aside. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, adding cucumbers last. Blend thoroughly. For the best flavor, refrigerate overnight, stirring again before serving.
Using a 5 pound leg of lamb, cut slits every 3 or so inches in the lamb, large and deep enough to insert sliced fresh garlic. Marinate the lamb in prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing mix for up to six hours. Remove the meat and reserve the marinade. Place the lamb leg in a roasting pan and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Use the reserved marinade to baste the meat during cooking. Let the cooked lamb rest about 10 minutes before carving. The lamb will be slightly pink. For medium rare, cook the lamb to an internal temperature of 130 degrees.
Cut four large potatoes into wedges or chunks. Toss potatoes in the reserved marinade and place around the lamb in the pan.
Grilled, Roasted or Sauteed Chicken Breasts, Tenders or Thighs
Marinate fresh boneless chicken in prepared Greek Dressing Mix for up to one hour. Cook as desired. Delicious diced in a salad, served as an entrée or in a sandwich.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Marinate in prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing for about an hour. Preheat an oven safe skillet on medium high heat. Add the marinated pork tenderloin and sear on all sides to add color. Roast the tenderloin in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once during cooking. Use a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
GRILLED OR SAUTEED SHRIMP AEGEAN
Marinate peeled, deveined shrimp in prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing for about 30 minutes. Grill over medium heat for no more than 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
For sautéed shrimp, toss the peeled, deveined shrimp in a bowl with dry dressing mix. Over a medium heat, add olive or vegetable oil or butter to a pan large enough to saute the shrimp in a single layer. Add shrimp and cook for 35 to 45 seconds. Turn shrimp and cook for another 30 seconds. Plate and drizzle oil from the pan on the shrimp. Serve immediately.
Add a dash of dry dressing mix to sautéed vegetables during cooking. If steaming, sprinkle dry dressing mix to taste on hot veggies and toss. Or instead, drizzle the hot veggies with prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing
Cut off the top and bottom of the tomatoes then halve the tomatoes and place on a baking pan. Drizzle the tomato halves with honey and sprinkle dry dressing mix on top. Add crumbled feta and grated parmesan cheese. Top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Romaine and/or Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, orange and/or yellow sweet peppers (if desired), red onions, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta and sliced or whole pepperoncini (if desired). Toss well in a large bowl with prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing.
Variation:
Use the same ingredients for the Classic Greek Salad, omitting the lettuce. You can also add blanched green beans, roasted or blanched asparagus, shredded or sliced carrots, sun dried tomatoes, capers, white or yellow corn, sky’s the limit! Toss well and serve.
Toss halved grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, diced red, yellow and orange sweet peppers, pitted Kalamata olives, sliced pepperoncini, diced or shredded carrots and chopped parsley together in a large bowl and add your favorite cooked, chilled salad pasta. Add prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing and crumbled feta cheese. Toss well and serve.
Boil your favorite salad potatoes and while still hot, add prepared Maria’s Greek Dressing to the potatoes. Toss well to coat and allow to come to room temperature. Add sliced black or Kalamata olives, green and/or sweet peppers, red onion, chopped parsley and celery. Drained capers are optional. Cover and refrigerate. Add crumbled feta cheese before serving. For best results, allow salad to come close to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
3 cups of sliced sweet onions
1 cup diced orange sweet pepper
1 tbsp. drained and rinsed capers
2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, drained
2 pounds of light fish filets (cod, grouper, mahi-mahi, snapper or haddock)
2 tbsp dry Maria’s Greek Dressing mix
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Preheat a medium saute pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the onions and sweet pepper and saute for 4 – 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, capers and the dry Maria’s Greek Dressing mix. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
Place fish filets in a roasting pan and top with the tomato mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Top with chopped parsley and serve.
Variations
Add:
Sliced black ripe or Kalamata olives
A dash of cinnamon or a splash of white wine to the sauce while cooking
Top with crumbled feta during the last five minutes of oven time
