Skip to content

Christina Xenos

chef, cookbook author, culinary + travel writer based in Los Angeles

  • Home
  • About
    • Portfolio
      • Travel
      • Los Angeles
  • Press
  • Recipe Blog
    • Recipe Videos
  • Contact / Work with Christina
  • Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services

Tag: Greek salmon cakes

Posted on July 19, 2019April 7, 2020

Greek Salmon Cakes Make a Satisfying and Easy Meal

Greek Salmon Cakes

Salmon is healthy and full of Omega 3 fatty acids and protein. That’s why I’m using it in this salmon cake recipe. My inspiration for this was a riff on a crab cake with a Greek twist. I’m adding tangy feta cheese and dill to the mix to transport you right to the Aegean Islands in the summertime. Get the recipe on MySweetGreek.com

 

xtinaxenos

Personal Chef + Cookbook Author
Get weekly meal planning recipes + grocery lists from me on Tastemade ⬇️
🍅 Author #OpaGreekCookbook
Info on all:

Christina Xenos
Dreaming of epic beaches and the best food in the Dreaming of epic beaches and the best food in the world. Are you? DM me to get one of our last spots left on my one in a lifetime Crete tour with @modernadventurists May 13-19, 2023 ✈️ 

 •
•
•
•
•
#cretetravel #cretesecrets #ilovecrete #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #iloveellada #ig_chania #ig_crete #ig_chania #ig_crete #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope #baloslagoon #balosbeach
Grateful to be celebrating 2023 with the family an Grateful to be celebrating 2023 with the family and looking forward to everything ahead. Happy New Year, everyone! Χρόνια πολλά! ❤️🥂 

#happynewyear #happynewyear2023 #vasilopita2023 #vasilopita #vasilopitacake #greekchef #greekfood #greekcuisine
Makaronada // When I was visiting my family last w Makaronada // When I was visiting my family last week, my Dad (who never cooks) said he wanted to make his mother's version of Makaronada. If you haven't had it before, Greece's version of red sauce comes with a twist. Greek's often use warming spices in savory dishes and this recipe calls for a dash of cinnamon. It's subtle and wonderful. Also and incredible gift to have my dad cook for me. 

You can get this family recipe when you subscribe to my meal planning club on @tastemade. Every week I send out 4 of my favorite recipes + a comprehensive grocery list to take all the logistics and work of weekly meals off your to-do list. You also get a few other goodies. Just follow the link in my profile to sign up. Use code cook200 for a trial month!

#Makaronada #greekfood #greekcooking #greekrecipe #greekrecipes #greekdiet #mediterraneandiet #familymeal #eatrealfood #mediterraneanfood #mediterraneanrecipe #redsauce #pastalover #ilovecarbs #heresmyfood #eattheworld #pastalovers #feedfeed
Snowday ❄️❄️❄️ #snowday #subzero #fre Snowday ❄️❄️❄️

#snowday #subzero #freezing #freeze
Saffron Seafood Rice // In our family it's traditi Saffron Seafood Rice // In our family it's traditional to eat seafood on Christmas Eve. Most of the time when I was growing up it was just simple shrimp sautéed in butter with spaghetti before we made the mad dash to church.⁠
⁠
But this year I'm dreaming of this showstopper: Saffron Seafood Rice. The recipe combines a mix of your favorite seafood with aromatics like fennel and saffron — of course.⁠
⁠
Customize it with whatever seafood you love: shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, etc. ⁠
⁠
This dish is super easy to make and cooks up fast with so much flavor. ⁠
⁠
The recipe is going out tomorrow to all my meal planning subscribers on @Tastemade. Get it by following think in my profile. Get a trial month of my Olive club by using promo code: cook200⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#greekfood #greekrecipes #greekcooking #greekfoodblogger #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #christmastable #mediterraneancooking #mediterraneanrecipe #mediterraneandiet #christmaseve #christmasrecipe #personalchef #privatechef #greekcuisine #feastofsevenfishes #howtocook #greekfoodbloggers #eatrealfood #seafoodrecipe #saffron #safronrecipe #feedfeed
Melomakarona // Greek spice cookies bathed in hone Melomakarona // Greek spice cookies bathed in honey syrup. It’s pretty much the only cookie you need right now. This recipe is my grandmother’s and a bit different from what you normally find in Greece. They literally melt in your mouth and there’s nothing better. About to embark on baking my 5th batch of the season!

Have you tasted these beauties before?

Find the recipe by following the link in my profile.

#greekrecipes #christmascookies #greekfood #greekrecipes #melomakarona #mediterraneanrecipes #christmas #christmascookies #christmascookierecipe #melomakaronarecipe #greekchristmas #christmastable #christmasfeast #christmasrecipe #greekcooking #christmascookie #christmasbaking
Kourabiedes // This festive Greek powdered sugar c Kourabiedes // This festive Greek powdered sugar cookie melts in your mouth and is the perfect addition to any holiday cookie spread. Just don’t inhale the sugar before you take a bite!

Link to recipe in my profile!

#Kourabiedes #Kourabiedescookie #greekfood #greekrecipe #greekchristmas #christmas #christmastable #christmasfeast #christmasrecipe #greekcooking #christmascookie #greekchristmas #christmasbaking #christmasbiscuit #kourabiedes #almondshortbread #greekbiscuit #mediterraneandiet #mediterraneanrecipes
Light it up! I'll be showing you all my tips and t Light it up! I'll be showing you all my tips and tricks to making Shrimp Saganaki during a @Tastemade Livestream this Sunday at 1pm PT / 4 pm ET.
⁠
#ShrimpSaganaki — roasted shrimp with tomato and feta cheese — is a classic Greek recipe with a fiery surprise. Join this live cooking demonstration to discover all my hacks to cooking this easy and super delicous dish — one that's perfect for any mezze/appetizer spread or a hearty main course.⁠
⁠
If you're not eating shellfish, I will explain you how to customize the recipe using eggs, chicken, eggplant, mussels, or just a lot more feta cheese.⁠
⁠
I've just opened up a few more spot. Link to register is in my profile. See you there 🔥⁠
⁠
⁠
#greekfood #greekrecipe #greekdiet #tastemade #mediterraneandiet #greekfoodblogger #mediterraneanrecipe #shrimpsantorini #pescatarian #easyrecipe #cookingdemo #personalchef #privatechef #mediterraneanfood #recipeinspo #cookingclass #ilovegreece ⁠
Baked Feta with Persimmons // Embrace fall fruit w Baked Feta with Persimmons // Embrace fall fruit with this incredible easy to make appetizer!

It’s definitely feeling like fall here in Los Angeles, and I’ve been fully embracing the season. Right now, our farmers markets are brimming with savory squashes, greens of all kinds, apples, pears, and persimmons.

Persimmons are becoming more common across the U.S., but varietals of the fruit have been growing in California for quite awhile. I keep an eye on the trees in my neighborhood for fallen strays and pick them up at the markets.

Smaller and squat fuyus, like the ones I’m using in this recipe, are my favorite to work with. They’re mild and subtly sweet. You don’t have to wait for them to get soft and gooey, and their firmer texture lends them to be the perfect stand in for salads and other savory dishes like this one here.

Have you eaten persimmon’s before? Let me know in the comments how you like to eat them.
 

Ingredients
Feta, 1 slab
3/4 lb. fugu persimmons (4 small or 3 medium), 1/4-inch slice into rounds
Extra virgin olive oil (I’m using @mill.o.petres here)
Thyme
Crusty bread for dipping
Petimezi (Greek grape molasses) or balsamic for drizzling

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish. Place a layer of persimmon slices down in a single layer, or slightly overlapping.

Place feta on persimmon slices, and scatter additional persimmon slices and around it.

Generously drizzle olive oil over everything. 

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes until feta is soft and persimmons are roasted.

Drizzle with petimezi or a nice aged balsamic vinegar.

•
•
•
•
•
#persimmon #persimmons #persimmonrecipes #fallfruit #thanksgiving #thanksgivingappetizer #fallrecipe #recipeinspo #greekfood #mediterraneandiet #mediterraneancuisine #healthyrecipe #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipe #greekfoodblogger #personalchef #privatechef #bakedfeta #bakedfetarecipe #fetacheese #fetalover #recipeinspo #thanksgivingrecipe
When people ask me what the secret to delicious Gr When people ask me what the secret to delicious Greek cuisine is, I say simplicity. All you need is fresh ingredients produced with integrity, some olive oil, salt, and lemon in the case of the seafood we have here.⁠
⁠
Atlantikos is a hidden institution in the Athens neighborhood of Psyrri. Within an hour of my friends at @travelevia_official telling me I had to go there, my husband texted me and said we were meeting our good friend Yanni for lunch there that afternoon. Apparently, that was his local spot. ⁠
⁠
Kismet happens sometimes, and in this case it was so incredibly delicious. Simple grilled shrimp, fried calamari, tender vlita greens for days. Fresh bread to mop it all up, of course!⁠
⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
#greekfood #greekrecipes #athensgreece #secretathens #ilovegreece #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #iloveellada #ig_athens #Atlantikos #horta #vlita #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope #kalamari #greekchef #cheflife #personalchef
Croque Madame @populaireoc. Rosemary ham, melty co Croque Madame @populaireoc. Rosemary ham, melty comte cheese, sunny egg, garlic aioli on potato bread.

Just part of an epic lunch for our @lesdames.la.oc annual meeting. 

#cheflife #foodlover #croquemadame #frenchfood #weekendbrunch #southcoastplaza #brunchfood #brekkie #eggporn
I'm a few days late to wish you all a Καλό μήνα, but wish you all the best heading into October and the fall.⁠
⁠
We've been having a blast on wild and wonderful Crete, enjoying everything there is to eat and experience. ⁠
⁠
On our hike down to Balos Beach yesterday, I met some new friends along the way. Did you know that Greece has the largest number of goats in country in Europe? The EU estimates that there are about 3,625,000 goats around the country. Yesterday, these curious creatures greeted our car as we drove out to Balos Beach, got bounced by security at the beach canteen, and this one took a pretty great selfie with me. Hiking out of the beach, we saw them perched on the side of the highest rocks. ⁠
⁠
Goats are also pretty integral to those who live in Greece as sustenance and even brush clearing. On the road out of Falasarna last weekend, I saw a yiayia milking hers (or maybe not hers) on the side of the road. They're also pretty great at taking selfies 😉🐐🥰
⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
#greekgoats #krikri #balosbeach #cretetravel #cretesecrets #ilovecrete #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #iloveellada #ig_chania #ig_crete #ig_kissamos #kissamos #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope #kalomina #καλομηνα #internationalanimalday 
⁠
Braised artichokes and peas or Anginares a la Pol Braised artichokes and peas or  Anginares a la Politia is a humble dish of braised artichokes with peas, dill, mint, some onion and a carrot or two. This is something I remember my yiayia making for me, but a recipe I rarely cook on my own. So it’s fitting that after a hike to her village this morning, we had an incredible lunch at the platia and they were serving this today. Heaven in every since of the word especially soaking up every last little bit at the end with homemade bread.

•
•
•
•
•
#greekfood #greekrecipes #cretetravel #cretesecrets #ilovecrete #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #iloveellada #ig_chania #ig_crete #ig_chania #ig_crete #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope
Getting back to basics // Greek food is, at its co Getting back to basics // Greek food is, at its core, all about simple, fresh ingredients. That's why a bowl of beans, or pureed yellow split peas can be just as satisfying as a steak.

We love visiting Diporto in Athens. It's just off the central market where chef/owner Mitzos dishes out bowls of fasolada (bean soup), fava (pureed yellow split peas), revithia (chickpea soup), a salad or two, and sometimes small grilled fish. You don't really order as much as the food is dropped in front of you, always with wine (do. not. decline. the. wine.).

Sometimes we sit at a table by ourselves, sometimes we get sat communally (at least before covid). It's always a delight and an opportunity to experience traditional Greek dishes at their best. This also was my first tomato on this trip and I really forget how good they taste until I'm here. The #papara — soaking up the juices at the end of your Greek salad is so heavenly.

•
•
•
•
•
#greekfood #greekrecipes #athensgreece #secretathens #ilovegreece #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #iloveellada #ig_athens #diporto #fasolada #fava #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope #veganfood
Celebrating my 2000th Insragram post by sharing so Celebrating my 2000th Insragram post by sharing some of my favorite memories of Greece 💙🇬🇷⁠
⁠
Excited that Alex and I will be traveling there in less than a month, so I can do some site visits and final preparations for my May 2023 tour to Crete with @modernadventure!⁠
⁠
I love teaching and attending cooking classes all over Greece, and when you travel to Crete with me next May, you'll get to participate in 2 amazing cooking experiences, countless feasts, wine tastings, tea blending, cheesemaking, the best bbq you've ever had, and so much more!⁠
⁠
Join me May 13-19, 2023 for the ultimate Crete travel adventure. You can DM me for more info, or find the link to the full itinerary in my profile 🇬🇷 
⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
#greekfood #greekrecipes #cretetravel #cretesecrets #ilovecrete #ig_greece #thisisgreece #hellogreece #ilovegreece #iloveellada #ig_chania #ig_crete #greeksummer #cheflife #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekdiet #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveladventures #traveleurope #greekchef #personalchef #privatechef #travelwithme #hiddengreece⁠
⁠
The OG Baked Feta Dish // Greek Bouyiourdi (Μπο The OG Baked Feta Dish // Greek Bouyiourdi (Μπουγιουρντί) 

Originally hailing from Thessaloniki but popular throughout Greece, Bouyiourdi is a savory and addictive blend of salty feta (you can also add other melty cheeses like kasseri), juicy tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs, and olive oil.

This is the perfect summer appetizer to share. But, I also just ate it for lunch, so really however you want to enjoy it. Here's how to make it.

Ingredients
Feta, 1 slab
2 medium tomatoes, sliced/chopped
5 mini peppers, sliced into rounds
oregano
salt
chili pepper/flakes
extra virgin olive oil (I’m using @oilofelia here)
Crusty bread for dipping

Instructions 
Preheat oven to 425F

Place a layer of tomatoes down in a small oven safe baking pan. Season with a pinch of salt.

Place feta on tomatoes, and scatter additional tomatoes and peppers around it. 

Generously drizzle olive oil over everything. Sprinkle with oregano and chili pepper/flakes. 

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until feta is soft and veggies are roasted.

#Bouyiourdi #Μπουγιουρντί #greek #greekrecipe #greekrecipes #greekvegetarian #Mediterraneandiet #greekfoodblogger #greekchef #personalchef #privatechef #personalcheflosangeles #privatecheflosangeles #greekislands #bakedfeta #fetacheese #bettawithfeta #eatgreek #φέτα #greekcuisine #ελλάδα #greekfood #θεσσαλονίκη #greekdiet #greekblogger #fetabouyiourdi #asiaminor #feedfeed
Gemista // Greek Stuffed Vegetables // are one of Gemista // Greek Stuffed Vegetables // are one of my favorite summer foods.

And was so inspired when I saw these 8-Ball Zucchini from @tuttifruttifarmsca at @thehfm this week. They were begging to be stuffed!

In this recipe, I'm using barley in place of traditional rice to give it more texture and nutritional value. Barley is one of the most ancient grains, one commonly eaten in ancient Greece. More importantly, I love the taste and it doesn't get super mushy with all the cooking.

For this recipe I cooked 1 cup of barley separately. Then started the stuffing by sautéing an onion with 2 ribs of celery, a carrot, and a couple cloves of garlic with salt. I chopped up the inside of the squash and added that in, along with dill, currants, urfa pepper, and dill. Once most of the moisture cooked out, I folded in the barley.

To stuff the veggies, rub them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fill. Pour in about 24-28 ounces of tomato puree into a baking dish. Then nestle in your veggies and bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked.

•⁣
•⁣
•⁣
•⁣
•⁣
#gemista #suffedvegetables #stuffedpeppers #stuffedsquash #greekfood #greekdiet #mediterraneandiet #greekrecipes #greekrecipe #personalchef #privatechef #cheflife #mediterraneanfood #howtocook #greekfoodbloggers #lovetocook #foodandwine #londongreeks #greekstagram #ελλαδα #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #vegetarianrecipe #veganrecipe #eatrealfood
Happy National S'Mores Day!⁠ ⁠ Although gooey, Happy National S'Mores Day!⁠
⁠
Although gooey, chocolaty s'mores are such a summertime treat, the last time I made one was March 2020 on our last day of @annatascalanza #cookthefarm2020. So I can safely say that no matter when you eat them, they're best enjoyed in good company ⁠💜
⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
⁠
#nationalsmoresday #smores #campfire #ooeygooeygoodnes #stickyfingers #personalchef #losangelespersonalchef #privatechef #losangelesprivatechef #cheflife #sicily⁠ #cookthefarm
Making a traditional Greek Salad? Here are 5 tips Making a traditional Greek Salad? Here are 5 tips for success 🍅⁠
⁠
Sometimes the most simple things can be the most difficult. I've eaten thousands of Greek salads (and poor interpretations of them) in my lifetime. And while they are seemingly simple, you should get a few things right. ⁠
⁠
A Greek village salad, Horiatiki Salata, is a simple combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onion, olives, cheese, and oregano. At its most basic, it celebrates these summertime ingredients at their peak. Here are five tips for success.⁠
⁠
1. Always use in-season tomatoes. I'm not going to explain this one, just do a taste test and thank me.⁠
⁠
2. There’s no set dressing. Restaurants in Greece will rarely serve you a dressed Greek salad. Instead, you can add extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar to your taste. ⁠
⁠
3. Skip the greens. THERE IS NO LETTUCE IN A TRADITIONAL GREEK SALAD! EVER 😂⁠
⁠
4. Capers, olives, banana peppers, etc. Salty, briny is an important addition to the salad. What you get in your Greek salad is determined by what’s around. The olives are normally the ones you grow and if you have capers, caper berries, or even pickled caper leaves you can add those too.⁠
⁠
5. Go big with cheese. Normally, it’s big block of feta perched on top of the salad. Then on some islands is a generous dollop of soft fresh cheese called mizithria. You will probably never see a village salad in Greece with crumbled feta.⁠
⁠
Did I leave anything out? Let me know in the comments.⁠
⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
•⁠
#🍅 #summersalads #greekfood #mediterraneandiet #greekrecipes #greekrecipe #personalchef #privatechef #cheflife #mediterraneanfood #feedfeed #greekfoodbloggers #vegetarianrecipe #veganrecipe #veganfood #greekdiet #personalcheflosangeles #horiatiki #horiatikisalata #summerrecipe #summerrecipes #easyrecipe #healthyrecipe #tomatocucumbersalad #greekchef #summerfood #fetaday #eatclean⁠
Octopus is always better when it's dried in the su Octopus is always better when it's dried in the sun 🐙☀️⁠
⁠
Our favorite cephalopod is retains a lot of water and when you see these 8-legged creatures strung up on clotheslines all over the Greek islands they are there because the sun depletes the water content. That way when you throw them on the grill they get an amazing sear and don't steam.⁠
⁠
While this is not something I want to attempt living so close to HWY 101 in LA, you can tenderize octopus a few other ways. The easiest would be to simmer or boil it, or use your pressure cooker; If you're fancy, pull out your sous vide circulator that's been collecting dust in the back of your kitchen cabinet, which is my favorite method.⁠
⁠
Once you've braised it to break down all the wonderful collagen that the octopus holds, you'll want to cool it down to set the skin, and then dry it thoroughly, either with paper towels, or by letting it air dry in your refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. ⁠
⁠
Then all you have to do is brush it with olive oil and sear it on a piping hot grill, or in a cast iron pan. Once you have the sear you want, hit it with lots of lemon and some oregano at the end. ⁠
⁠
What's your favorite way to prepare and eat octopus? Let me know in the comments 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙⁠
⁠
•⁣⁠
•⁣⁠
•⁣⁠
•⁣⁠
•⁣⁠
#octopus #grilledoctopus #greekoctopus #greekfood #greekdiet #mediterraneandiet #greekrecipes #greekrecipe #personalchef #privatechef #cheflife #mediterraneanfood #howtocook #greekfoodbloggers #grillingseason #lovetocook #foodandwine #greekstagram #ελλαδα #visit_greece #secretgreece #greeceinstagram #greekcuisine #wanderlust #traveltheworld #passionpassport #beautifuldestinations #traveleurope #thisisgreece #ig_greece ⁠
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Categories

  • Abbot Kinney
  • Art
  • Beverly Hills
  • cocktails
  • Dining
  • eloping
  • Forbes Travel Guide
  • Greece
  • Hotels
  • Los Angeles
  • Recipes
  • Restaurants
  • Shopping
  • spa
  • Travel
  • Vegan
  • Venice
  • Weddings
  • wine

Pages

  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
  • Press
  • Home
  • About
  • Press
  • Recipe Blog
  • Contact / Work with Christina
  • Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services
Proudly powered by WordPress