A message from the chef
Like most Greek restaurateurs, we love where we live and live to celebrate both our location and our ingredients, from the land, air and sea. KELLARI'S PAREA is our interpretation of the best we have come to know in the Greek culture of family where it is best and most often celebrated, at the dinner table.
From The Chef
At KELLARI'S PAREA rarely you will find your favorite regional classics as you have eaten them in restaurants throughout Greece. What you will find delicious is simple food that tastes as good as you remember from your last visit to Greece.
OUR PHILOSOPHY:
Here at Kellari's Parea we strive in the Greek fashion to shorten the time and distance any ingredient spends from the soil, or the water, or the air, to the plate. We purchase directly from Greek and Mediterranean importers fish, oil, cheese, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and beans because they are so distinct and virtually indispensable to the creation of a great Greek meal. We fervently believe in the inherent quality, freshness and greatness of our regions ingredients purchased from local, predominantly organic, farmers and friends, many of them from forgotten or heirloom varietals. Our desserts are like none you have ever eaten in Greece, yet they feel and taste totally Greek.
About Greek Wine
Does the country produce wines worth a wine-lover's time and money? The answer is a definite yes, but needs to be qualified. According to Louis Havaux, president of the International Federation of Wine Writers, Greece's strongest cards in the international marketplace are its traditional grape varieties "which cannot be found anywhere else in the world." However, he adds, "these are novel tastes which have to establish themselves before the consumer will accept to pay premium prices for bottles of Greek wine, however good their quality. People tend to buy what they are already familiar with, whether they are appellations (Bordeaux, Chianti, Rioja... or varietals (chardonnay, sauvignon, cabernet sauvignon)."
This is perhaps the reason why most of Greece's fashionable winemakers have developed ranges that integrate both types of wines. "I make a hundred thousand bottles of Mantinia," says a well-known grower from Arcadia, "but the real profit comes from the few thousand bottles of chardonnay and cabernet that I produce." You can hear this reasoning all over Greece, and it is not as negative as it may sound.
A successful Greek chardonnay or syrah, for example, is living proof of the quality potential of Greece's vineyards, because they can easily be compared with the "originals." Passing this test is the best way for Greek wine to gain acceptance abroad.
This Month's Recipe
Charcoal grilled Octopus with Red Wine Oregano Vinaigrette
Octopus:
5 Octopus 10-12 oz Each
10 Black peppercorns, crushed
5 Bay leaves
1 Liter Red Wine Vinegar
Procedure:
Tenderize octopus in washing machine by putting it through one cycle. 5 octopus can be done at one time in machine.
Marinade:
2 parts Red wine vinegar
1 part Red Wine
1/4 Cup Red Pepper Flakes
1 Cup Dried Oregano
1 Cup Olive Oil
Procedure:
Place all ingredients except oil in quart container and cover with oil.
Red Wine Oregano Vinaigrette:
2 ltr-Red wine vinegar
2 ltr-Red wine
25 Pcs-Bay Leaves
1 Cup-Black pepper
7 Pcs-Shallots rough chopped
10 Pcs-Cloves garlic, rough chopped
8 tbl-Honey
Procedure:
Place all ingredients in a medium stockpot bring to boil and reduce to ½. Remove from heat and all spices to steep into red wine vinegar reduction.
Oregano oil:
1 Gal Blended oil
3 Bu. Oregano, Fresh
2 c Oregano, Dried
Procedure:
Place all ingredients in medium pot and bring to a boil & simmer for 20 minutes remove from heat and all herbs to steep for 1 hour. Strain through chinois.
To finish vinaigrette:
Store oil & reduce separately. Pour equal parts of both to complete vinaigrette
For Shallots:
Shallots, thinly sliced, Chopped parsley, Vinaigrette, Dried oregano, Salt & black pepper.
Procedure: To order, toss 1/4C shallots with vinaigrette, parsley, dried oregano, seasoning.
For plate:
Place shallots on bottom of plate, center. Slice octopus into 1/4-inch pieces on a bias. Toss with vinaigrette & herbs (chives & parsley). Place on top of shallots.
Garnish:
Chopped Parsley, Chopped Chives, Vinaigrette, Dried oregano.