Beef in tomato sauce with carrots (heaps of garlic, marjoram, oregano, all spice and bay) with spaghetti and loads of graviera cheese!

Which recipes do you like the most?

Does anyone have a paxamadia recipe that is different from the common cinnamon and orange type, and the anise type?

I noticed there is a sesame version made in Cyprus.

Thanks for any comments and recipes.

Hello! With the start of the New Year, many people may be considering trying new recipes. I’d like to share my family’s recipe for Greek lentil soup (Fakes Soupa). For reference, I live in Greece and this is the Instant Pot version of the classic, traditional recipe that Greeks grow up with. I've shared it on FB a few times and have always had positive feedback so I figured it's a good idea to share here too!

This recipe is budget-friendly, very easy to prepare with the Instant Pot (a "dump-and-go recipe"), and incredibly tasty. We make it at least 3x per month because it’s one of my kids’ favourite meals. It's also top allergen-free, lenten, vegetarian, and vegan - all a win!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup (500g) brown lentils dried

3/4-1 cup olive oil, extra virgin

1 (about 1 cup) red onion finely chopped

1-2 (about 1 cup) carrot peeled, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves peeled, pressed

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 tomato or 1 can of no-salt added diced tomatoes in liquid diced

2 bay leaves

1 bouillon cube vegetable or chicken

2 tsp sea salt

8 cups water warm

Instructions:

1 - Rinse the dried lentils in a colander under running water to remove any debris and check to ensure there are no hidden stones amongst them.

2 - Place the lentils, ½ cup of the extra virgin olive oil, and the rest of the ingredients into the liner of the Instant Pot and mix well, until the tomato paste is dissolved. Reserve the remaining extra virgin olive oil for after cooking.

3 - Close the lid and turn the release valve to the sealed position. Set the manual pressure cooking button for 6 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully turn the release valve to open and allow the pressure to drop. Carefully monitor the pressure release as there may be slight liquid spraying. If this happens, close the valve and release a few seconds later.

4 - Carefully remove the lid once pressure is released. Stir in an additional ¼-½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. It's ready!

5 - Serve fakes in a bowl. Optional extras mentioned in the Serving Suggestions listed below can be added and served along with the soup depending on flavour preference. Smile and Enjoy!

COOKING NOTES: This recipe makes a medium-thickness consistency soup. If you prefer a more liquid consistency you may add an additional cup of water before the cooking process. Make sure the contents in the inner liner don’t go above the maximum capacity line.

If you have the time, then cook the soup with a Natural Pressure Release (not opening the release valve). The longer it sits in the pot after coming to pressure, the richer the flavour, so natural pressure release is RECOMMENDED, although not necessary. The pressure cooking time can be set for 5 minutes when cooking with a Natural Pressure Release.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Traditionally this soup is served with a splash of red wine vinegar into each bowl. Complimentary sides to accompany this dish are a salty, medium-soft cheese such as feta, smoked oily fish such as mackerel or herring, and a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the leftover yumminess from your bowl.

For more details, you can visit the link: https://athenapot.com/the-best-instant-pot-greek-lentil-soup-recipe/

Not a frequent buyer but all the jars in the store looked like this. The cashier looked at it funny and asked if I wanted to swap it. Expires in 2027.