Low-Carb Lesson #59: Easy Low Carb Greek Feast

Low Carb Cooking 101

I don’t know a whole lot about Greece except that Greece is the birthplace of Western civilization, that every photograph of Greece I have seen is absolutely beautiful, and that the Greeks were fierce resistance fighters during World War II. Oh, and I can sing the Greek alphabet to the tune of “Anchors Aweigh.”

I should know more about Greece. Think I’ll go to the library this afternoon.

I do know that I like Greek food, particularly anything with lamb, and I enjoy tonight’s recipe for Hercules’ Meatloaf thoroughly. Ground lamb is sometimes hard to find, though, so you can substitute ground beef (or any ground meat) if you wish. But try it with lamb if you can. It’s a very nice change of pace.

Here’s this evening’s menu:

• Low-Carb Hercules Meatloaf
• Athenian Green Beans
• Greek Salad

Here’s the shopping list for the meal. You may very well already have some of these things on hand:

• 1 pound ground lamb (or ground beef)
• 1 egg
• 2 heavy cream
• 1/2 pound feta cheese
• 2 thin slices mozzarella or provolone cheese
• butter
• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 lemon (or bottled lemon juice)
• 1 16-ounce bag prewashed salad greens (the European, Italian or Spring mixes are nice.)
• 8 to 10 radishes
• 1 cucumber
• 3 cloves garlic (or 1 jar minced garlic)
• frozen chopped spinach
• 1 large can Greek olives
• Greek Vinaigrette salad dressing
• fresh or dried parsley
• dried mint
• fresh or dried oregano
• salt
• black pepper
• waxed paper (optional)

Here’s the game plan:

If possible, blanch the green beans a day or so ahead of time and store them in a Zip Lock bag in the refrigerator until your’re ready to cook them.

About 2 hours before you plan to serve the meal, preheat the oven.

Immediately prepare the meatloaf according to the recipe directions and pop it in the oven.

Set the table.

Trim the green beans and blanch them if you have not already done so. Set the beans aside.

Prepare the salad but do not add the dressing to the vegetables and cheese. Put the salad bowl in the refrigerator until just before the meatloaf is ready.

After 1 hour and 15 minutes, take the meatloaf out of the oven and garnish it with the cheese. Put it back in the oven to finish cooking.

Add the salad dressing to the salad and toss. Place the salad on salad plates or in salad bowls and put them on the table.

Prepare the green beans according to the recipe directions. Set aside on a burner set on low until the meat is done.

When the metalloid is done, slice it and place the portions on the diner plates. Serve the green beans alongside the meatloaf, pour your beverage of choice, and sit down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.

And now, finally, here are the recipes:

Hercules’ Meatloaf

• 1 pound ground lamb (or ground beef)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/3 cup fresh snipped parsley (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• dash black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mint, crushed
• 1/2 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 thin slices mozzarella or provolone cheese, cut into 4 strips each
• waxed paper (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Divide the thawed spinach in half. Put half the spinach in a small bowl. Add the crumbled feta cheese and mix lightly to combine them thoroughly. (Save the remaining spinach for a side dish at another meal.)

Combine the egg and heavy cream in a small bowl and whisk until they are well-combined. Stir in the parsley, chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and mint. Add the ground lamb (or ground beef) and mix well by hand.

Pat half the meat mixture into a standard loaf pan. Press the center of the meat down to make a well that extends the length and width of the loaf pan, stopping about 1 inch before the sides of the loaf pan.

Spoon the spinach/feta cheese mixture into the indentation in the meat.

Pat the remaining half of the meat over the top of the meat and spinach/feta cheese mixture, Press down firmly, especially along the sides to seal the seams.

Place the meatloaf in the preheated 350° F oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Take the meatloaf out of the oven and place the strips of mozzarella or provolone cheese diagonally across the top of the loaf. Return the meatloaf to the oven and continue baking for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted and the loaf is cooked through.

Serves 4.

Low-Carb Athenian Green Beans Recipe

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• 14 pitted Greek olives, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Fill a large Dutch oven 1/2 full with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the prepared green beans to the boiling water and blanch them for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the beans and refresh them with cold water. Drain again. *See note below.

In a large skillet or frying pan, heat the butter until it just begins to sizzle. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and cook them, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns golden. This will only take a minute or two. Watch the vegetables closely so that they don’t burn.

Add the blanched green beans to the skillet, then the olives, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss the mixture in the skillet for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the beans are crisp tender and heated through.

Serves 4.

***Note: The green beans can be blanched up to 4 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you plan to serve them.

Greek Salad

• 4 Roma tomatoes, cut up
• 1 16-ounce bag prewashed salad greens
• 8 to 10 radishes, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/4 pound feta cheese
• 16 pitted olives, sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup purchased Greek Vinaigrette
• salad dressing

Combine the tomatoes, salad greens, radishes, and cucumber in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle the crumbed feta cheese over the top of the vegetables. Pour 1/4 cup of the Greek Vinaigrette salad dressing over everything and toss the salad to distribute the dressing and cheese evenly.

Serves 4.