Celebrate all things Greek at the annual Greek Festival, featuring live and lively cultural entertainment and some of the finest authentic food available in Hawaii.

Festival highlights include performances by “;FOTIA,”; a popular Greek band from the West Coast, guitarist Sotos Kappas, the Nisiotes Dance Group and more. There will also be Greek folk dance instruction to get the audience moving.

Foods will include Spanokopita (Spinach Pie), gyro sandwiches, Moussaka, Pasticio, Greek Chicken, Souvlaki (skewered beef and pork), Greek and pasta salads, Loukoumathes (Greek malasadas), Baklava and a wide assortment of pastries.

The Greek Taverna will feature imported Greek beer, ouzo, retsina (wine that's aged in pine casks) and Greek wines.

Here are a few recipes from festival organizers:

DOLMATHES WITH AVGOLEMONO SAUCE

1-1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup converted rice (such as Uncle Ben's rice)
5 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1 jar (16 ounces) dolmathes (grapevine leaves), drained and rinsed
Broth or water
» Avgolemono Sauce:
2 cups stock (reserved from cooking dolmathes, with hot water or stock added to make 2 cups liquid)
3 eggs
Juice of 2 lemons

Combine lamb or beef, onion, rice, parsley, eggs, salt and pepper.

Place 1 teaspoon lamb mixture on underside of a grapevine leaf. Start at base of leaf and fold over, then fold sides in, rolling up tightly toward the point of the leaf. Make as many dolmathes as stuffing allows.

Line saucepan with any remaining leaves. Layer dolmathes in saucepan and cover with broth or water. Weigh down dolmathes with a small heat-proof dish that's large enough to cover saucepan area.

Cover saucepan tightly. Cook over low heat until rice is tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Reserve stock for use in sauce.

To make sauce: In a small saucepan, bring stock to a boil. In a bowl, beat eggs until frothy; add lemon juice.

Slowly add stock to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return egg mixture to saucepan, stirring constantly over low heat until thickened. Do not let boil or sauce will curdle.

Add sauce slowly to dolmathes, shaking saucepan carefully. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (not including salt to taste): 500 calories, 32 g total fat, 13 g saturated fat, 250 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,000 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 29 g protein.

TSADZEKI

2 cloves garlic
1 large container (16 ounces) yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large cucumber, seeded, finely chopped and drained between paper towels

Press garlic through a garlic press. Combine garlic, yogurt, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; fold in cucumber. Refrigerate at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

Serve with crackers or pita bread. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Note: This sauce is an excellent dressing for white fish, broiled lamb, pork, vegetables and most sandwiches made with pita bread and dolmathes.

Approximate nutritional analysis per 2 tablespoon serving (not including salt to taste): 30 calories, 2 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein.

SOUVLAKIA

1 leg of lamb (8 to 10 pounds), boned, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 large green peppers, cut in large slices
1 to 2 boxes of cherry tomatoes
» Marinade:
Juice of 6 lemons
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry wine (optional)
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion, cut in large slices

Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate lamb in marinade mixture overnight.

Arrange lamb, green peppers and tomatoes onto skewers. Grill over charcoal, turning frequently. Serves 6 to 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (based on 8 pounds lamb and not including salt to taste): 960 calories, 73 g total fat, 24 g saturated fat, 230 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 67 g protein.

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For more recipes from Hawaiian Electric Co. visit www.heco.com.