Once the stuffed Thanksgiving turkey has given way to stuffed guests, professional

chef Maria Bell suggests a simple but exotic option from the Greek Isles for using

turkey leftovers.

She calls it “Mediterranean Turkey Soup,” a holiday name for “Avgolemono Soup:

The Famous & Delicious Greek Lemon Soup.”

It's the tangy taste that makes it distinctive, she said.

It's made with turkey leftovers, turkey broth, rice, salt, lemon juice and three eggs.

It can be made with chicken leftovers and chicken broth, too, and it's a staple

on the menu at her restaurant, It's All Greek to Me, 2716 Frankfort Ave.

 Her brother, Manolis Konstandinithis, helps run the restaurant.

Bell lives during the week with Konstandinithis in Germantown, and also

 has a house in Radcliff, where she grows herbs, figs, onions, green tomatoes

and other produce in her garden to use in the restaurant.

They also had a restaurant in Radcliff, before opening the Greek Paradise Cafe

in the former Min's East End Cafe building in 2002 on Story Avenue in Butchertown.

 It was open about 2½ years before the rent went up, and It's All Greek to Me opened in July.

In Radcliffe, soldiers from Fort Knox were not particularly interested in Greek food,

Bell recalled. “All they want is meat,” she said.

But at her Frankfort Avenue restaurant, she now teaches Greek cooking classes

and her customers appreciate the international cuisine, she said.

“I am happy now,” Bell said. “I'm so happy.”

Besides her special turkey soup, she also touts spanakorizo

(a traditional spinach and rice dish) and baklava

(a sweet, layered pastry) for the holiday season.

Reporter Martha Elson may be reached at (502) 582-7061.

Mediterranean Turkey Soup (aka Greek Lemon Soup)

8 cups turkey broth

Salt

½ cup rice

3 medium eggs

Juice from two lemons

Turkey leftovers

Bring broth to a boil. Salt to taste. Add rice, cover and simmer

for 20 minutes. Remove from stove.

In a bowl, beat three egg whites first until they become frothy;

 add the yolks and beat some more. Add the lemon juice slowly to the eggs.

Add one cup broth, while continuing to blend. The constant

blending is the secret to prevent curdling of this soup.

When the eggs and broth are well mixed, pour the mixture

back into the remaining broth and rice.

Stir well over heat, but do not allow to boil.

Add 3 full cups of diced turkey meat.

The soup may also be made

with chicken leftovers and chicken bro

So, here we are, on Frankfort Ave. Louisville, Ky.  July 19 2009. Was it a dream? 

 Did I have a business plan? or maybe a financial  goal?  No, not really. 

For me, a woman born and raised in Ierapetra Crete Greece, where is that,

you might say, well same with me where is Louisville? or where is Frankfort Avenue?

These too came together 24 of November 1997 when I moved to the States.

The move was inevitable since President Clinton closed the base in

Iraklion Air Station Crete where we were stationed with my husband Michael.

 

So, it starts like this. Where are we going? to Stephanie’s in Portland Oregon

 or to Kevin’s in Fort Knox?  Both were my husband’s siblings.

How can I decide? Being around bases almost all my life I  choose  Fort Knox.

 

First day second day third month and a few more days 

passed getting settled, buying furniture, exploring the

 area and finally the question popped. Michael, I want to eat in a Greek restaurant.

Michael asked at work and they told him there isn’t a Greek restaurant in Kentucky.

Here is me: Whaaaaat?  There isn’t a Greek restaurant in Kentucky? Why?

Greek food is the best food in the whole world and there isn’t

a Greek restaurant in Kentucky? I couldn’t believe it.

 

One day at the shoppette on post this girl tells me " do you

know how to make tzatziki"? I said sure!! She said "will you make me some"?

And I did. She was going all over at work having people tasting it

and explaining to everyone where she got from.

Pretty soon some body else asked me if I could make baklava

and I did for her too and another wanted a gyros. Everytime

I would make something, more and more people would find out about me.

 

So, I started cooking from home at first, giving the food away

at first and slowly starting to

sellit

 

 as catered as they call it.This is pastitsio and it's made

 with beshamel sauce on top

and layers of ground meat and noodles. Main spice is nutmeg.

 

And here is the famous baklava.Layers of phylo

dough and filled lavishly with walnuts.

Topped after you bake it with honey.