Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package.

Drain in a colander and set aside.

While the orzo is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Cook until the butter turns brown.

Place the hot, drained orzo in a serving bowl.

Pour the browned butter and Parmesan cheese over the orzo and stir to combine.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until it begins to sizzle.

Add the meat and brown on all sides.

Once browned, carefully remove the meat with a spatula or a slotted spoon and set it aside.

Put onions and garlic in the Dutch oven and cook until lightly browned.

Return the meat to the Dutch oven.

Add tomato paste, beef broth, water, vinegar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaf.

Mix well.

Cover the Dutch oven and turn the heat to low.

Simmer the stew for about 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Stir every 15 minutes to prevent the meat from sticking to the Dutch oven.

The sauce will become very thick, almost like jam.

Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Place the fish fillets in the baking dish.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Arrange thinly sliced onions on top of the fish and sprinkle chopped parsley over all.

Drain the diced tomatoes and scatter them over the fish, onions, and parsley.

Place the baking dish on the middle oven rack and bake for 30 minutes, or until the fish is tender, basting occasionally with pan juices.

Spread lentils evenly on a cookie sheet.

Pick out any small stones or foreign objects.

Rinse thoroughly in a colander with cold water.

In a large kettle, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add onions, celery, and carrots, sautéing for 5 minutes.

Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf, pepper, oregano, tomato paste, and 8 cups cold water (or enough to cover).

Bring to a boil.

Cover the kettle and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.

Add salt and vinegar to the lentil mixture, stir well, and cover.

Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for an additional 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Stir in chopped parsley and serve the soup in individual bowls.

In a heavy saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, add rice, and stir.

Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until rice is tender.

While rice is cooking, beat eggs and lemon juice together with a wire whisk.

Set aside.

When rice is cooked, remove the pan from heat.

Carefully add 2 cups of hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.

Add the egg mixture back to the remaining broth and rice, whisking continuously.

Serve the soup in bowls, with a thin slice of lemon and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley floating on top.

Cook rice according to the directions on the package.

In a large skillet, cook the lamb or beef over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to break it up into small pieces.

Remove meat from heat, drain off fat, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, meat, scallions, currants, nuts, mint, salt, parsley, and olive oil.

Gently stir with a spoon.

Drain grape leaves in a colander, rinse thoroughly in cool running water, and drain on paper towels.

Use a sharp knife to cut stems off the leaves.

Place 1 tsp.

of the meat mixture on a grape leaf and fold as described on page 23.

Repeat until all the filling is used.

In a large saucepan, arrange the rolls in layers, seam-side down.

Sprinkle 1 tbsp.

of lemon juice over each layer.

Pour any remaining lemon juice, beef broth, and water over the dolmádes.

Place a heavy plate or baking dish on top to hold them in place while cooking.

Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat for 1 hour.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Carefully remove the plate and drain off all cooking liquid.

Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.

Add tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, scallions, feta cheese, and black olives.

In a separate bowl, whisk together red-wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano.

Slowly add the olive oil, whisking continuously until the dressing is well combined.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients.

Serve on chilled salad plates.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Remove large, tough stems from spinach leaves.

Wash spinach leaves thoroughly, squeeze out excess water, and dry on paper towels.

Chop spinach into ½-inch pieces (if using frozen spinach, squeeze out excess moisture).

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add scallions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, dill, eggs, feta cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Set aside.

Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Layer 7 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet with melted butter.

Spread the spinach filling evenly over the phyllo.

Trim off excess phyllo and fold it over the filling.

Layer the remaining 7 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter.

Trim off excess phyllo and brush the top of the pie with melted butter.

Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Cool for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.

In a large, flat dish, mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and marjoram.

Add lamb cubes and stir to coat them well.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Spear the marinated meat cubes onto 4 long metal skewers.

Place the skewers in a shallow broiling pan.

Position the oven rack about 6 inches from the top heat source and turn on the oven to Broil.

Broil the meat for 10 minutes.

Then, turn over the skewers and broil for an additional 10 minutes.

Holding the skewers with a pot holder, remove the lamb with a fork and serve with lemon wedges.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat 3 eggs and sugar until they thicken, about 10 minutes.

Add melted butter, water, and the flour mixture to the eggs and sugar.

Stir until the mixture becomes dough-like.

Shape the dough into a long rope about 1.

5 inches thick using your hands.

Cut it into about 20 equal pieces.

Flatten each piece of dough into a circle about 3 inches across.

Place about one teaspoonful of bean paste in the center of the circle and fold the edges of the dough toward the center.

Pinch the edges together firmly to seal.

Gently roll each cake into a ball and flatten slightly.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Use a cookie cutter to lightly press a design into the top of each cake, or draw a design with a fork tine or toothpick.

Place cakes one inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Lightly glaze the top of each cake with beaten egg.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and allow to cool.

Serve the moon cakes at room temperature.