GREEK FOOD MELISSA: We're here with Joseph from Opa Greek Taverna, and we're talking about Greek cuisine. Now, what are some of the most common ingredients used in Greek food? JOSEPH: The most common is we use a yogurt and we convert it to tzatziki, tzatziki, which is consist from shredded cucumber, English cucumber, which we always put it like on the side with the meat and the fish. MELISSA: And so what are some of the common flavours found in Greek food? JOSEPH: The most flavour on -- like, an example, on moussaka pastitsio, we use a cinnamon stick to flavour the meat, to give them a sense of the cinnamon, and lots of herb, and the most important herb we use on Greek cuisine is the dill, fresh mint and rosemary. MELISSA: What are we making today? JOSEPH: I'd like to make stuffed halibut, and first we have to make the stuffing, you put unsalted butter, about one tablespoon. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: And you put about half cup green onion. And a couple of tablespoon sundried tomato, and about one cup cut spinach, fresh spinach, we put it here. MELISSA: Okay, mmm, that looks like it's going to be great. JOSEPH: And we cook it a little bit. MELISSA: And so how much do you want to cook this? Do you want it to just be... JOSEPH: Just till it wilted, you know, and we have to chop some fresh dill to give it the flavour. MELISSA: So is dill used a lot in Greek cooking also? It's a lot of dill we use in there. MELISSA: Smells great. JOSEPH: Okay, we put the dill and we add quarter of cup of kefalograviera cheese. MELISSA: Now, is this cheese really strong? JOSEPH: It is strong, it's very strong taste on the flavour of -- you find you taste the sheep milk on it. MELISSA: It's sheeps... JOSEPH: Sheeps, yes -- the feta cheese is made from goat. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: We shall make now the salsa here. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: We put it little bit by the heat and we reduce it and we put the feta, about quarter cup. MELISSA: Okay, now is that feta local? JOSEPH: That's what we imported from Greece. MELISSA: And so why do you import it from Greece? JOSEPH: The taste, and the taste, the quality -- and we put the dill in the pot and this will be the sauce. MELISSA: So are we just going to simmer this? JOSEPH: Yes, now we come to the halibut. MELISSA: Um-hmm. JOSEPH: You take the halibut, you cut it a split on the middle. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: And don't cut it right on, just leave it like a pocket on the side. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: You know, that's -- and you take the stuffing and you fill it inside. As much as it can take. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: And you put little bit butter on the top, salt and pepper you sprinkle on it. MELISSA: Okay. JOSEPH: And you put it in the oven for 10 minutes. MELISSA: Ooh, that looks great. JOSEPH: That's how it coming out, I take the halibut and put it like that, and this is the sauce, stir it little bit, and as you smell the aroma of the dill and the feta cheese. MELISSA: Mmm, yeah, that smells great. JOSEPH: And you put it, you know -- ah. MELISSA: Ooh, that looks great, I'm going to try this out because it looks too good. Mmm, that's very good. JOSEPH: I'm glad. MELISSA: Oh, tastes great, and stick with us because when we come back, we're going to talk about the wonder and mystery of Greek food. JOSEPH: It's all about the meat. MELISSA: Now, when someone goes into a Greek restaurant, how do they decipher the menu? JOSEPH: They look on the menu, we have the mezethes, it can be cold and hot, you can put little bit on each plate, and when they bring them on the plate, you know, you take bite from this and bite from that. MELISSA: Um-hmm. JOSEPH: And after, the main course come, you know, after the mezethe. MELISSA: So the mezethe is like an appetizer? JOSEPH: That's correct. MELISSA: Okay. And when you come to the main course, we have like lots of big meal, they call it, you know, like, take example, the kleftiko, which is made from puffed pastry, and the lamb, fresh lamb inside, this is a very good, like a main course, you know, after the mezethe. MELISSA: That sounds good. JOSEPH: And when you finish, you know, as usual we have the baklava, which is very famous in Greece, and we have kataifi, which is made from kataifi, like a dough, and we put a nice custard on the top and whipping cream and pistachio. MELISSA: Mmm, that sounds great, and what's the cultural significance of food in Greece? JOSEPH: The food is love on it, and company and friendship, fun, enjoyment and a good drink, and we talk about the good drink, if, like, you order the mezethe, you know, you can drink ouzo with it, and when you drink it, you -- like it's semi-sweet, you know, it's very nice. MELISSA: Guys, next time you venture out to a Greek restaurant, be adventurous, be daring and don't be afraid to try something that you haven't tried before, experience the amazing flavours of Greece. TOGETHER: Opa!

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