OPA! Recipes Inspired by Greek Tavernas features an exciting collection of seasonal recipes, beautiful photography, and captivating stories based on Helena and Vikki Moursellas’ travels through tavernas across Greece. A few highlights include Revithokeftedes (Chickpea Fritters with Minty Yogurt), Kakavia (Fisherman’s Soup), Beef Stifado with Baby Whole Onions, Maroulosalata (Lettuce Salad), and Ouzo & Olive Oil Sour. I will also be sharing their recipe for Patatosalata (Herby Potato Salad) following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Helena and Vikki Moursellas
Helena and Vikki Moursellas are freelance food photographers, chefs, recipe developers, content creators, and identical twins.
Born in Adelaide, South Australia, they grew up in an Australian-Greek family and developed a love for Greek cuisine from their grandmother, Yiayia Koula.
They have worked with numerous brands, were finalists on the Australian TV show My Kitchen Rules, and are also the authors of Taking You Home: Simple Greek Food for Friends & Family and Peináo: A Greek Feast for All.
OPA!
Helena and Vikki begin OPA! with an introduction of their travels across Greece and the inspiration behind the 80 recipes found in the book.
Along with the recipes, there are even more stories and profiles of favorite tavernas (with locations and notable dishes- I loved this so much), plus personal memories and an overview of Greek pantry staples.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Appetisers, From the Sea, Meat, From the Oven, Vegetables, A Treat to Finish, and Cheers to Us. Each chapter has a list of the included recipes and page number for easy reference.
The food photography is provided by Bonnie Coumbe with taverna and location photography by Sofoklis Nikolis and Helena Moursellas. Every single recipe is paired with a half to full-page photo of the finished dish. The pages are also filled with travel photography highlighting local restaurants, people, and food.
Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in English and/or Romanized Greek. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, personal memories, yield, serving ideas, variations, and helpful notes.
Patatosalata (Herby Potato Salad)
To pair with the review, I made Helena and Vikki’s recipe for Patatosalata (Herby Potato Salad)! This Greek potato salad has a refreshing blend of spring onions, dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.
Start by mixing together the spring onion, dill, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice to make the herb dressing and set aside.
Simmer the peeled potato pieces just until tender, about 20 minutes, then drain and allow to cool slightly before tossing with the herbs and olive oil.
Serve the Patatosalata immediately while still warm or refrigerate for up to a day in an airtight container.
If making ahead of time, bring to room temperature before serving. Helena and Vikki recommend pairing the potato salad with their recipe for Swordfish with Roasted Grapes and Green Olive Salsa.
A Few Patatosalata Tips
Cut the potatoes roughly the same size for even cooking and simmer just until tender. Don’t overcook or they will fall apart when coating with the olive oil.
Allow the potatoes to cool slightly, but they should still be a little warm when tossing in the herb dressing. This will help them soak in more of the infused oil.
This particular version uses dill and parsley, but Helena and Vikki mention that some like to add capers, sweet paprika, or other ingredients. Adjust and play around with the flavors as desired.
More Dishes
I also made Bouyiourdi (Baked Feta with Tomato and Pepper), Soutzoukakia (Pork and Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce), Loukoumades (Honey Puffs with Pistachios), and Dark Chocolate-Coated Almond Clusters.
The Bouyiourdi (Baked Feta with Tomato and Peppers) comes from the Appetisers chapter and is a perfect seasonal use for cherry tomatoes. The chopped tomatoes are scattered in a baking dish with bullhorn peppers, feta, kefalotyri, oregano, and olive oil, then baked until golden. We enjoyed the dish with pita bread, but they also recommend tossing it with makaronia pasta.
The Soutzoukakia (Pork and Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce) recipe was a hit with the whole family. These spiced pork and beef meatballs are formed into oblong-shaped rounds, coated in a homemade tomato sauce, then baked until cooked through and golden. They are served with buttery rice and slices of feta for quite the incredible combination of flavors.
The Loukoumades (Honey Puffs with Pistachio) were another family favorite. These yeast-based rounds of dough are fried until golden, then coated in a sweet honey pistachio mixture and a dusting of cinnamon. Helena and Vikki recommend pairing them with a glass of Freddo Cappuccino while soaking in the sun.
I made the Dark Chocolate-Coated Almond Clusters to use up some leftover almonds in the pantry during our move. They are such a fun and easy treat with only three ingredients! Inspired by visits to Helena and Vikki’s aunt on the Kassandra peninsula in Halkidiki, these fragrant toasted almonds are coated in dark chocolate, then topped with a sprinkling of salt flakes. They are ready after setting in the refrigerator for a few hours.
OPA! is a wonderful pick for those interested in regional Greek cuisine inspired by local tavernas. There is a fantastic blend of small bites, decadent treats, and drinks alongside larger meals with seafood, meat, and vegetable-based options. Some come together in as little as 10 minutes, while others require a bit more prep or a few hours to rest.
Most of the ingredients can be found in larger American grocery stores. Having a Greek or Mediterranean market nearby will be helpful in locating items such as vine leaves, graviera cheese, kasseri cheese, filo, kefalotyri, fresh seafood, loukaniko, sumac, mizithra, barley rye rusks, and kataifi.
Patatosalata (Herby Potato Salad) Recipe
Excerpt from OPA!
Patatosalata (Herby Potato Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
- 1/4 bunch dill leaves picked, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch parsley finely chopped
- 125 milliliters (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 60 milliliters (1/4 cup) lemon juice
- salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 kilogram (2 pounds 3 ounces) all-purpose potatoes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the spring onion, dill parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt flakes and cracked pepper and set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 3 centimeter (1 1/4 inch) chunks.
- Place in a saucepan of cold salted water over high heat and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and a sharp knife slips through them easily.
- Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly, then transfer to the bowl with the herby oil dressing and stir to combine. You want the potatoes to be slightly warm, so the dressing coats them nicely.
- Gently pile the salad onto a serving platter.
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