Appetizers, Cheese, Recipes, Side Dishes

Roasted Feta with Honey

December 5, 2022

This may be one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers I have made. It is a gorgeous dish to bring to the table. I served it with yogurt flatbread made into smaller rounds for this appetizer, and roasted tomatoes which added a pop of color and a sweet-tart flavor that was perfect tucked into the flatbread with the cheese. You can keep it simple by serving the feta with slices of good sourdough bread or warmed pita bread.

The roasted tomatoes go into the oven about 45-60 minutes before the feta is roasted. I love the Sugar Bomb tomatoes sold at Safeway. They make a striking presentation.

Mt. Vikos is one of the best feta cheese blocks I know of. Here on Maui you can find it at most of the markets including Hawaiian Moons, Times Kihei, Foodland, and Whole Foods. I placed the cheese and olive oil in a foil-lined baking dish so that it would be easy to remove to a plate for serving with the roasted tomatoes. If you are not using roasted tomatoes, you can skip the foil. Remember to use a baking dish that can withstand the high heat of the broiler.

This is one of those dishes that really doesn’t require a recipe because of its simplicity. Place feta block in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, add fresh thyme sprigs if you want to, then roast until warm. Drizzle honey over the feta, broil until beautifully bronzed on the edges, season with freshly ground black pepper, and a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt, serve.

Roast the feta just before you want to serve it. The cheese should be warm and creamy, the perfect foil for pillowy flatbread or good sourdough bread.

Roasted Feta with Honey

Recipe by Kiyo

Servings

2-4

servings

Adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

1 7-ounce block Mt. Vikos Feta (or your favorite feta block)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 small fresh thyme sprigs, optional
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper
Maldon sea salt, optional
Red pepper flakes, optional
Roasted tomatoes, optional
Yogurt flatbread, sourdough, or pita bread for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place feta in a small foil-lined baking dish for easy transfer to a plate if serving with roasted tomatoes (one that can withstand broiler oven temperature). Otherwise skip the foil and place feta directly into a broiler safe baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the feta and place a few sprigs of thyme on top if using. Bake until the cheese is soft and springy to the touch but not melted, about 7-8 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Heat the honey in the microwave for just a few seconds until it is fluid enough to be spread with a pastry brush and then paint the surface of the feta with it. Broil until the top of the cheese browns and just starts to bubble, about 2 1/2 minutes (I used my countertop Breville Smart Oven). Keep an eye on the broiling time so the cheese does not burn. Season with pepper, a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt (optional) and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional).
Serve with warmed flatbread or crusty sourdough bread and roasted tomatoes.

Notes

If serving with roasted mini tomatoes, place them in a baking dish, drizzle the tomatoes with a bit of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Yogurt flatbread can be made weeks in advance and frozen. Warm before serving.

Beans, Dinner, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Tomato-Wax Bean Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Dill

August 8, 2021

The summer weather has been quite brutal here in South Maui. With temperatures reaching 90+ degrees, it’s hard to imagine cooking up a fancy meal in the kitchen all afternoon. If you’re looking for a superb summer salad, consider making this. Not only does this salad make a satisfying lunch, it can be transformed into a delightful dinner served with some good sourdough bread or focaccia.

You will briefly turn on the stove to cook the beans for a few minutes until they are tender-crisp. No other cooking is required for this dish.

We grew these beautiful beans in the garden just before the summer heat became too much for successfully growing most vegetables. There are plenty of green beans at the market that will work perfectly for this recipe.

The crisp beans, juicy tomatoes, earthy chickpeas and creamy feta works out to be the perfect combination, with fresh dill being the icing on the cake. A bright and tangy dressing makes this salad sing.

I highly recommend grilling some good sourdough bread to accompany the salad. The slightly smoky flavor of the bread completes the meal. Toasted cornbread or focaccia would also be a good option.

Tomato-Wax Bean Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Dill

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Adapted from New York Times Cooking

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2 - 4 as side dish

Ingredients

6 ounces wax beans or green beans
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced (or ½ medium clove)
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
½ can (15-ounce) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 ounces crumbled (large pieces) feta, Mt. Vikos recommended
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Add ½ teaspoon salt, then green beans. Cook until beans are tender and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer beans to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain in a colander and blot dry with a kitchen towel.
In a small bowl, put lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, a pinch of salt and some black pepper to taste. Whisk in olive oil.
Add cherry tomatoes, green beans and chickpeas to a wide salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add dressing and toss to coat. Add feta and toss once more. Let marinate 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. To serve, sprinkle generously with dill and dried oregano.

Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces

Baked Feta Pasta

May 16, 2021

This baked feta and tomato pasta dish is one of the easiest and most delicious meals we have been enjoying lately. The recipe went viral on TikTok and for good reason. It’s a hands off recipe that comes together in an hour. The resulting dish is just superb. Serve it with good bread to sop up all of the delicious juices from the tomatoes and olive oil.

It’s not a fancy or complex pasta dish but if I was served this at a restaurant I would be begging the chef for the recipe.

If you can find small tomatoes on the vine it makes for a nice presentation. However, it’s not essential because the tomatoes will be crushed and mixed with the feta and olive oil once it comes out of the oven. A fine quality feta such as Mt. Vikos really makes this dish shine. Mt. Vikos is the best I have found and worth the few extra dollars. It isn’t overly salty, and the flavor is outstanding. This feta is creamier than cow’s milk feta which tends to be saltier and tarter than sheep and goat’s milk feta. Here on Maui, you can find Mt. Vikos feta at Whole Foods and occasionally I see it at Safeway.

Just before you mix everything together, fresh minced garlic gets tossed into the hot dish where it will cook just enough to mellow its sharp raw bite.

Serve the pasta with lightly toasted sourdough bread topped with some of the crushed tomatoes and olive oil.

Baked Feta Pasta

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Adapted from TikTok

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 pints (20 ounces) ripe grape or cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)
dried oregano (optional)
7 - 8 ounce block of feta (Mt. Vikos recommended)
10 ounces short pasta (Gemelli, Casarecce, Penne, Fusille)
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons julienned basil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place tomatoes in an oven safe baking dish (9x11 works great). Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes, followed by ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Coat the tomatoes evenly with the olive oil by gently tossing together. Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of red pepper flakes and dried oregano. Bake uncovered until the tomatoes have burst and the feta has softened, about 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 450 degrees and continue to cook until the tomatoes and feta are golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
As soon as the feta and tomatoes come out of the oven, stir in the minced garlic. Use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the tomatoes and feta into a creamy sauce. Toss in the pasta and half of the basil, mixing until pasta is evenly coated. If the pasta seems dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Serve with remaining basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Recipes, Side Dishes

Lemon Orzo with Feta & Dill

February 4, 2021

I came upon this dish at Food52, one of my favorite foodie sites. It sounded so delicious and perfect as a side for the fresh fish I just bought. And knowing that it was an Ina Garten creation sealed the deal.

There is just handful of ingredients needed to bring this dish together. What makes it so inviting is that each ingredient is full of flavor and they all unite in a tasty bowl of orzo.

Although its shape is similar to long grain rice, orzo won’t be found where rice is stocked at the market. Make your way to the pasta aisle and you’ll find it there. Orzo, Italian for barley (named for its similar shape), can be found in many soup and broth recipes as well as pasta salads and side dishes like this one.

My very favorite feta is Mt. Vikos made from sheep and goat’s milk. It is creamy and not too salty. Many people who are lactose intolerant find this cheese easier to digest than cow’s milk feta.

The original recipe calls for serving the orzo hot. However, I have served it cold and at room temperature as a side dish for a sandwich or as an addition to a green salad. It is very versatile.

Orzo with Feta, Lemon & Dill

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Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup orzo
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup feta, small dice

Preparation

Bring 2 quarts of water water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt and the orzo to the pot. Bring water back to a boil, then reduce heat to a lively simmer. Cook orzo for 9 minutes or until just al dente. Drain well and transfer to a wide bowl.
Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, olive oil, salt and pepper. Fold in diced feta. To serve, transfer to a bowl or platter. Sliced tomatoes are a nice accompaniment to the orzo if serving it at room temperature or chilled as a side dish.

Dinner, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Veggies

Corn, Cucumber, Avocado & Mint Salad

October 21, 2016

Mint has been highly esteemed throughout history, referenced both in Greek mythology as well as biblically. In its fresh form it is one of my favorite herbs. I use it in tabouleh, cucumber salad, minty tahini dressing, watermelon salad and mojitos. We always have a container of mint growing in the garden. This lovely salad was adapted from a recipe I found in the New York Times “What To Cook This Week” email I subscribe to. Its ingredients include crisp cucumbers, sweet tomatoes and corn, rich and creamy avocado, feta, and of course mint. When corn is available I make this salad often. Sometimes I’ll char the corn on the grill for a few minutes if I have time.

The dressing is quite simple to make. Mince some red onion and let it macerate in the lime juice for a short time along with fresh ground pepper and salt. Set the bowl aside while you slice the cucumbers and other vegetables. Finally, whisk in the olive oil and a bit of cumin.

If you have time grill your corn for a few minutes. This will add a subtle smokiness to your salad.

In the version above, the corn was grilled before tossing it with the dressing. I sprinkled Korean chili flakes over the salad before serving. You could also use Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, or none at all. The salad below uses corn that was steamed for just a minute in the microwave. A few sprigs of watercress were tossed into the salad.

Corn, Cucumber, Avocado & Mint Salad

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Adapted from the New York Times

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 4

Ingredients

¼ cup finely diced red onion
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (up to 4 tablespoons if you prefer a less tangy dressing)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups tender corn kernels
2 large firm-ripe avocados
1½ cups sliced cucumbers
12 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
handful of watercress sprigs (optional)
handful of mint leaves, roughly torn
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine diced onions, lime juice, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Let macerate for 15 minutes, then whisk in olive oil and cumin.
Spoon a generous amount of the dressing over the corn and toss to coat.
Cut avocados in thick slices and arrange in a random pattern on a platter. Top with the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and watercress if using.
Spoon the corn over the salad, Scatter feta and mint over the top. Sprinkle a bit of crushed red pepper over the salad. Drizzle with extra dressing and serve.

Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian, Veggies

Pea Salad with Feta, Mint & Lemon-Dijon Dressing

July 15, 2016

This light and refreshing salad is ideal for those days when you want a change from your typical bowl of mixed greens. Sweet and crisp sugar snap peas are the perfect companion to the slightly peppery radishes, lemony dressing and feta cheese. Scatter some fresh torn mint leaves over the salad just before serving. It’s a beautiful side dish to serve at a small dinner gathering this summer.

I’ve been appreciating radishes more and more these days. They are especially good in salads or served on top of tuna tartare with avocado. A quick soak in ice water and the radish slices become delightfully crunchy.

Hydroponic watercress works very well in this salad because of its mild flavor, delicate leaves and stems. If you are on Maui, our local Whole Foods store regularly carries this item.

The sugar snap peas are blanched for 30 seconds then transferred to an ice bath. Once cool, they are sliced in half to reveal the tender peas within.

Pea Salad with Feta, Mint & Lemon-Dijon Dressing

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
Salad
½ cup green peas, defrosted if frozen or blanched for a minute if using fresh
½ cup shelled edamame, boiled for 5 minutes, cooled in ice water
1 small bunch hydroponic watercress, washed and stems trimmed - optional
3 ounces sugar snap peas, blanched for 30 seconds, cooled in ice water and sliced in half lengthwise
2 small radishes, sliced very thin, soaked in ice water for 15 minutes
1 ounce crumbled feta
handful of fresh mint leaves
*Drain and place blanched and chilled vegetables on paper towels, carefully pat dry before using.

Preparation

Whisk together Dijon, honey, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Dressing can be made a day in advance.
In a medium wide salad bowl, gently mix together the green peas, edamame and watercress.
Scatter sliced sugar snap peas and radishes over the top of the salad.
Sprinkle salad with feta and fresh torn mint leaves (tear the mint leaves right before serving as they can turn brown if torn in advance).
Drizzle salad with dressing just before serving.

Mt. Vikos Feta

Roasted Feta with Honey

Roasted Feta with Honey

Ingredients

Directions

Notes

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Pea Salad with Feta, Mint & Lemon-Dijon Dressing

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