Feta Attraction (27 page)

Although the characters and events of
Feta Attraction
are fictional, there's some real history underlying this story.

When Napoleon Bonaparte was at the height of his power, he crowned his brother Joseph King of Naples and Spain. Joseph was deposed after a short time, and he escaped to America, where he purchased a large tract of land in New Jersey. He built a lavish estate, almost certainly financed via the coffers and jewels of the Spanish government that he raided before he left. He lived extravagantly in the United States for seventeen years.

Joseph Bonaparte also purchased thousands of acres of wilderness in Northern New York, near the Canadian border on the western edge of the Adirondacks. He built some large homes in that area, including a hunting lodge on the shores of the lake he called Diana, but which is now known as Lake Bonaparte. He visited a few times, and installed his mistress, Annette Savage, and their daughter, Caroline, in the North Country, far away from his New Jersey estate, once the relationship broke down. Caroline married a local man who squandered the money Joseph settled on his daughter. Their relationship was long, and very unhappy (and I fully intend to write that story someday).

During the years of Napoleon's defeat and exile to Elba and St. Helena, a number of French expatriates settled along the St. Lawrence River in New York State. According to local legend, a plot was hatched to free Napoleon and hide him out until political events in Europe made his return to power possible. An octagonal stone house was built (known locally as the Cup and Saucer House due to its unusual construction) in Cape Vincent, New York. The house was apparently fitted up nicely for a deposed emperor. It featured movable walls on the upper floor, and was said to contain numerous highly valuable objects, including artwork and a Stradivarius violin. It's unclear where these items ended up. Napoleon died in exile and never made it to New York State, and the house was destroyed by fire decades later.

Evidence is sparse that Joseph Bonaparte was involved with the plot to bring his brother to America, but it seems inconceivable he would not have known about it. For purposes of this story, he did. If you'd like more information about the Bonapartes in America, as well as recipes and other fun stuff, please visit my website at susannahhardy.com.

Recipes to Make You Think You're on a Greek Island

You don't have to travel to Greece—though I hope you do someday!—to be able to enjoy the flavors of these beautiful islands. Light a candle, put on some bouzouki music (start with the soundtrack from
Zorba the Greek
), and enjoy a night in the Aegean!

Greek Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

Serves two (recipe is easily doubled).

Zest of ½ lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ c. olive oil

1 t. dried thyme, rubbed between your fingers, or 2 t. fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of sea salt

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken tenders

Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Add chicken, turning to coat in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour, basting the chicken with the marinade a couple of times.

Preheat gas or charcoal grill, stovetop grill pan, or countertop electric grill. When it's good and hot, grill the chicken until golden and cooked through. Don't overcook!

Greek-Style Roasted Potatoes

Serves two (recipe is easily doubled).

3 medium potatoes (Yukon Golds are delicious, but all-purpose spuds are fine too)

1 onion, peeled and sliced

2 T. olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

A few grinds of black pepper

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Dry with a paper towel. Place in a bowl along with the onion slices, and pour the olive oil over the top. Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix to coat the potatoes well.

Line a shallow rimmed baking sheet with foil. (You will not get good results if you use a baking dish with high sides.) Spread the potato mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until potatoes have a nice, crispy golden crust. Check on the potatoes once or twice during the baking process to be sure they're browning evenly and the onions are not burning. Give them a stir if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Tomato Salad with Cucumber and Feta

Serves two (recipe is easily doubled).

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

½ medium cucumber, peeled and seeded

Handful of fresh basil

4 oz. feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

1 or 2 T. olive oil, depending on how juicy your tomatoes are

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Halve tomatoes and place in a pretty serving bowl. Cut seeded cucumber in half lengthwise, then into chunks approximately the same size as the tomato halves. Make a chiffonade of the basil by stacking the leaves and rolling them into a tube, then slicing through the tube to create fragrant ribbons. Add to the tomatoes and cucumbers, along with the cubed or crumbled feta. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently so as not to break up the cheese too much. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.

Chicken Marengo

While not historically a Greek dish, Chicken Marengo echoes the flavors of the Mediterranean. Napoleon is said to have requested Chicken Marengo the night before every battle. Whether that's true or not, there are many interpretations of the recipe, all no doubt delicious. Here's my Greek-style version, which can be cooked in a slow cooker or on top of the stove:

Serves six.

1 large onion, peeled, halved, and sliced

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 T. olive oil

2 c. cleaned, sliced white button mushrooms

½ t. dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers

½ t. dried thyme, rubbed between your fingers

½ c. dry white wine or chicken broth

2 T. Metaxa 7 Star (a delectable Greek liqueur)

1 28-oz. can good quality, low-salt crushed tomatoes

½ c. pitted, sliced Kalamata olives

6 boneless, skinless, meaty chicken thighs

18 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 eggs

Handful of chopped, fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

In large Dutch oven, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil just until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more. Add spices, wine or broth, and Metaxa, then stir in tomatoes and sliced olives.

If you are using a slow cooker (recommended for busy people!), transfer half the mixture to the crock, place chicken thighs on top, and cover with remaining sauce mixture. Cook on high for one hour, then turn to low and cook several hours or until chicken is tender (slow cookers vary).

If you are cooking on the stove, place chicken breasts into sauce mixture and spoon sauce over the meat. Cover, and cook on low for approximately an hour and a quarter or until chicken is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, add shrimp to mixture in slow cooker or Dutch oven and cook several minutes, just until pink.

Using a nonstick skillet, fry 6 eggs over easy (in batches, if necessary) in additional olive oil.

Place one chicken thigh on each plate and ladle sauce over it, making sure each plate gets its share of shrimp. Top each serving with a fried egg. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices. Any leftover sauce is delicious the next day over pasta or rice.

Cherry Ouzotini

1 oz. Ouzo (an anise-flavored Greek liqueur)

1 oz. citrus-flavored vodka

4 oz. orange juice

½ oz. maraschino cherry juice (more if you like a sweeter drink)

Splash of seltzer or lemon-lime soda

Place Ouzo, vodka, and orange and cherry juices into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it, shake it, baby! Pour into martini glass (there'll be some left over for a second drink), add a splash of seltzer or soda, then garnish with orange slice, maraschino cherry, and a mint leaf. Enjoy!

For more recipes, visit the author's website: susannahhardy.com