On Crete, chickpeas are commonly flavored with Seville orange, a pleasingly bitter variety grown locally. Orange zest along with lemon juice makes a good substitute. A little mustard deepens the flavor.
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These healthy braised greens are a flavorful side to add to your plate. If you prefer, instead of the croutons, you can add potatoes to the pan with the leeks, onions and fennel and cook for about 10 minutes before adding the greens.
On Crete, this pilaf is often made with xynohondros, or cracked wheat simmered in soured goat's milk. A sprinkling of feta pays homage to that flavor.
Greeks nibble on these popular zucchini patties as a meze in tavernas while waiting for their main courses to arrive.
Malted barley grain is mainly used to brew beer and whiskey but is used here to give the barley rusks a sweet, nutty flavor. Look for it at home-brew stores or order it online, along with malted barley flour. Top these crunchy toasts with tomatoes, olive oil and feta, or serve them alongside dips like taramosalata and tzatziki. For breakfast, do as Cretans do and crumble them in a bowl and top with yogurt, fruit, nuts and seeds.
Radicchio, capers and onions brighten up this mashed lentil dish. Sympetheros means "father of one's son- or daughter-in-law," probably implying the "marrying" of different legumes in one dish. It's a meze served all over Greece. This recipe is inspired by the version Dimitris Mavrakis serves at his restaurant Kritamon in Archanes, near the spectacular Knossos archaeological site on Crete.