If Christmas is Greek to you or you’d just like it to be, you’re in luck. Jim Botsacos shares a Christmas menu straight from his new cookbook, “The New Greek Cuisine.”

Lemon Spoon Sweets
Ingredients >
• 12 medium thick-skinned lemons, preferably organic
• Sugar to equal 3/4 of the weight of the fruit, about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons

Method >
1. Begin this preparation in the morning. Using a kitchen scrub pad (such as a Dobie pad), scrub the lemons under warm running water until the skin is bright yellow. Do not remove the skin.
2. Using the fine side of a box grater, zest off just the very exterior yellow peel of each lemon; you do not want to grate any white pith. Reserve the zest for another use. You should be left with whole lemons that are completely white with just a faint yellow tint.
3. Using a small sharp knife, lightly score the pith from top to bottom 4 or 5 times at equal intervals. Carefully remove each segment of the pith and discard the lemon pulp. One at a time, place the petal-shaped pieces of pith, outside surface down, on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, horizontally slice across to remove most of the fibrous tissue from the inside.
4. Thread a large larding needle with unwaxed thread about 12 inches long. Set aside.
5. Roll each lemon petal into a tight cigarlike roll. Insert the needle through the center of the roll to hold it tightly in place. Continue stringing lemon petals until all the petals are on a string. You will need to make a few strings.
6. Place the threaded lemon petal rolls in a large bowl with cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Place in the refrigerator. At noon, drain and cover again with fresh cold water. In the early evening, repeat the draining and covering with water. Just before bedtime, again drain and cover with cold water. Refrigerate until the next morning. As they soak, the lemon rolls will become more pliable.
7. In the morning, drain the lemon rolls. Transfer to a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and drain well. Repeat this process 3 times. After the final time, taste for bitterness. The lemon rolls should have a little bite but not be bitter. If still bitter, repeat the process until bitterness disappears. Set aside to cool.
8. Remove the lemon rolls from the string. The rolls should hold their shape.
9. Weigh the rolls. You should have about 12 ounces.
10. Measure out sugar to equal the weight of the rolls.
11. Place the sugar in a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups water. The mixture should resemble wet sand. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the sugar dissolves.
12. Stir in the lemon rolls. Add water, if necessary, to cover the rolls by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover, with the lid slightly ajar. Simmer, stirring and skimming occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the liquid is clear and syrupy. Periodically taste the syrup for sweetness, allowing it to cool first, it should be neither too sweet nor too tart.
13. To test for doneness, lift some of the syrup up by a metal spoon. When it runs off the spoon and holds a stream, it is done. The liquid will solidify further as it cools.
14. Remove from the heat and transfer to a nonreactive container. Set aside to cool. When cool, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
15. Remove from the refrigerator and check for texture, consistency, and flavor. Even if it is perfect, and I’ll almost guarantee that it won’t be, add 1/2 cup water and place in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
16. When cool, check the consistency. It should be quite thick. Serve or transfer to a glass container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

If Christmas is Greek to you or you’d just like it to be, you’re in luck! Jim Botsacos shares a Christmas menu straight from his new cookbook, “The New Greek Cuisine.”

Poached Grouper Mayonesa > Makes about 2 cups
This is my contemporary version of Athinaiki, a classic Greek dish. Traditionally, the fish is poached, boned, and molded into a fish shape, and decorated with thinly sliced carrots as scales and olives for eyes. Quite old-fashioned, but since the basic dish is so delicious, I thought it was worth reviving in this up-to-date version.

Ingredients >
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 5 black peppercorns
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
• Three 7-ounce grouper fillets, skin on
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped capers
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• About 2 cups baby salad greens
• Pickled vegetables
• 6 slices Lagana or other crusty bread, toasted (optional)
For the Mayonnaise >
• 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method >
1. Place 2 quarts cold water in a large saucepan. Add the lemon juice, wine, and vinegar along with the peppercorns, celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately lower the heat and add enough salt to highly season the liquid, about 1 tablespoon. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Place the fish in the simmering liquid. Loosely cover and lower the heat to a bare simmer. Poach the fish for about 10 minutes, or until the flesh is white and very tender. Remove from the heat and allow the fish to cool in the poaching liquid. When cool, using a slotted spatula, carefully transfer the fish to a cutting board.
3. Gently pull off the skin using your fingertips.
4. Using a kitchen fork or 2 spoons, carefully pull the fish into flakes. Place the fish flakes in a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until chilled.
5. Fold the lemon zest, capers, chives, and dill into the Mayonnaise. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and fold the Mayonnaise into the fish. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
6. Place a small mound of baby greens in the center of each of 6 plates. Top with about 3/4 cup of the fish mixture. Place a small amount of pickled vegetables around the plate and serve with toasted Lagana or other crusty bread if desired.

To make the Mayonnaise >
1. Combine the egg yolks, egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt, sugar, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process for 1 minute. With the motor running, add one third of the canola oil in a slow, steady stream, processing to emulsify. Add 1 tablespoon of water and then another third of the oil and another tablespoon of water, processing to emulsify. If necessary to achieve mayonnaise consistency, add another tablespoon of water. With the motor running, add all of the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream, processing to emulsify completely.
2. Store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.