13th October, 2015

This has been a terrifying week.

5th October, 2015.

The Arches of Triumph in Palmyra

Another view of the triple arch in Palmyra

The world was shocked and furious with the most recent act of vandalism by the ISIS terrorists.  They blew up the Arches of Triumph in Palmyra, a triple arch that was built by the Romans to commemorate their victory over the Persians, 2000 years ago.   It was a beautiful piece of ancient Greco-Roman architecture that was also called the “Jewel of the Collection”.

The Syrian Chief of Antiquities expressed his firm belief that it was "absolutely imperative for the international community to liberate Palmyra" from these barbarous savages, before they have the time to erase the whole ancient city from its foundations. 

What do these people believe in?   No known religion could possibly command the slaughter of innocent non-believers, and the destruction of beautiful pieces of art, that are considered by ISIS as  idolatrous.

The Israel-Palestinian conflict has, unfortunately, flared up again with many victims, on both sides.

 On Sunday morning, the 11^th October, two explosions rocked Ankara, the Turkish Capital.   They targeted a peace rally and left about 100 dead and 250 injured and was the deadliest terror attack ever, on Turkish soil.

It is now evident, that two suicide bombers, of unknown origin, carried out these deadly attacks.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of the victims, in their deep shock and profound grief.

At home, beside the migrant crisis and the capital controls, the Government must legislate very hard and "unfair" reforms, by Friday the 16^th October, so that Greece can collect the first 2-billion-euro bailout tranche from Europe.   The reforms might provoke vehement discussions in Parliament and social unrest all over the country.

Here are a few recipes for food that will satisfy and comfort us, during these very difficult days.

                                      PRAWNS WRAPPED IN KATAIFI WITH

                                      SWEET AND SOUR TOMATO SAUCE

Prawns Wrapped in Kataifi

Kataifi derives from “Kadife” which Arabic for velvet. The original way of preparing this pastry was by pouring batter through a perforated tube on a very hot slab.   After a few seconds, the fine strings of pastry were pulled off, folded and packed for further use.

Today, pastry manufacturer in Greece use the same concept as their colleagues did, centuries before.   Now with the help of sophisticated machinery and the appropriate “know-how” they produce excellent kataifi pastry.   I have explained what kataifi pastry is, before on this blog, but I feel I should once more. 

This is an appetiser that can be served either as a first dish or finger food.

30 middle-sized prawns, shelled, deveined, tails left on sprinkled with

Salt and freshly ground, multi-coloured (black-red-green-white) pepper and sauteed in
1 tbsp olive oil with
1 twig of rosemary and set aside to cool.

30 wooden skewers soaked in water for 2 hours at least 

750 g (l½ lb) kataifi pastry

Corn oil for frying

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce:

1 large onion, grated

2 leeks, white part only, split in half, lengthwise, washed and finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

A little salt

250 ml (1 cup) water

125 ml (½ cup) vinegar

62.5 ml (¼ cup) white balsamic vinegar

100 g (½ cup) caster sugar

4 large tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated skins discarded

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

Salt and freshly multi-coloured pepper

1 bay leaf

First prepare the sauce.   Sweat the onion, leeks, ginger with water and a little salt until soft and cooked but not brown.

Then add the two vinegars, sugar, grated tomatoes, tomato ketchup and bay leaf to the onion-ginger mixture, cover and simmer until the tomatoes and onions are completely cooked and thick.   Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf. 

Purée and sieve the sauce, pressing with a spoon to extract most of the taste. Taste and add salt and freshly ground multi-coloured pepper, if necessary.   Place in a bowl cover and refrigerate.

Thread each prawn, lengthwise, on a wooden skewer.   Fluff out the kataifi pastry, thoroughly.   Take equal strands of kataifi and cover each prawn completely, except the tail.  Holding by the skewers, deep fry the kataifi wrapped prawns, in hot corn oil, until crisp and golden,   Remove and pat with kitchen paper to remove extra oil.    Serve hot, with the sweet and sour tomato dip sauce 

  

                            SPAGHETTI WITH CHICKEN IN BROCCOLI SAUCE

Spaghetti Bacon and Cheese

Broccoli Sauce

This is a recipe for a delicious but cheap dish that almost everybody loves.

6 rashers bacon

3 tbsp corn oil

4 chicken breast or legs or both, skinned, boned and cubed

A little salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 liqueur glass Metaxa brandy

750 ml – 1 litre (3-4 cups) hot, tasty chicken or vegetable stock

A knob of butter

2 large onions, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 slice fresh ginger

1 broccoli, cut into florets, the stems peeled and sliced

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled according to the instructions and sprinkled with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Grated kefalotyri or San Mihalis or Parmesan

Fry the bacon in corn oil until crisp.  Remove and pat with kitchen paper to remove the extra oil, chop and reserve.

In the same frying pan, sauté the chicken, 2 minutes on each side.  Season the chicken with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a dish.

Remove most of the oil from the frying pan, add the butter and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion is cooked and soft.   Arrange the sautéed chicken pieces over, pour in the brandy and cook for a few minutes so that the alcohol evaporates.   Pour in the chicken stock and transfer everything to a large saucepan.   Simmer covered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.   Transfer the chicken, with a slotted spoon, to a dish, and reserve.

Boil the broccoli in the cooking liquid, until soft.   Discard the ginger.  With a hand blender, purée the broccoli and onions and sieve, through a fine strainer, pushing with a spoon to extract all the taste.  Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and heat, until piping hot.  Taste and season accordingly.

Serve the hot spaghetti sprinkled with crispy bacon.  Serve with the broccoli sauce and grated cheese.

  CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ROLL WITH CHOCOLATE PRALINE MOUSSE FILLING

Chocolate Roll

This is one of the best chocolate rolls I’ve ever tasted.

60 g (2 oz) self-raising flour sifted with

½ tsp baking powder and

30 g (1 oz) very good quality cocoa, then stir in

60 g (2 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely ground

5 medium sized eggs, separated, whites stiffly whipped with a pinch of salt

200 g (almost 7 oz) caster sugar

Vanilla

Filling:

200 g (6 .2 oz) finely chopped chocolate

250 g (½ lb) butter, cubed

304 ml (an ample 10 fl oz) 1 tin sweet condensed milk

100 g (3.3 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground

250 ml (1 cup) thick cream, whipped to the soft peak stage

First prepare the filling.  Melt the chocolate, in a bowl, over simmering water and stir until smooth.  Then add the butter, condensed milk, and the hazelnut powder. Mix thoroughly until the butter melts and everything is well combined together.    Cool, pour the mixture into prepared jars, seal with airtight lids and store in the fridge.    Before using, bring the hazelnut praline to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a 30x40 cm (12x16 inches) baking tin with oiled baking parchment, letting the parchment extend over the sides of the tin and brush with oil, once more.

Whip the egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and salt very well together, until pale and fluffy.

Fold in the flour until just combined.   Stir in ¼ of the whipped egg whites to lighten it, then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.   Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and bake for about 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 minute.

Place a baking parchment on a kitchen counter and sprinkle with icing sugar.  Reverse the chocolate sponge over the parchment and roll both together, cover with tin foil and set aside to cool down completely.

Fold the whipped cream into 1 cup of praline and mix thoroughly until no traces of white are evident.  Taste and add more praline if a sweeter filling is preferred.

Unroll and spread the cool sponge cake with the prepared filling and roll it up again.    Trim the ends if necessary, place the roll on a pretty dish and cover with cling film.   Refrigerate for 3 hours at least.   Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

Hazelnut Praline Chocolate Sauce before adding the Whipped Cream

                                        

 .                     

                                       CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PRALINE TART

Smooth Chocolate Delight in a Crispy Shell

   

This every chocolate lover’s dream!

Pastry:

250 g (4 oz) flour sifted with

60 g (2 oz) icing sugar and

A pinch of salt

125 g (an ample 4 oz) butter, cut in small pieces

1 egg

Filling (chocolate praline ganache):

210 g (7 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

250 g (½ lb) butter, at room temperature

304 g (an ample 10 fl oz) one tin, sweet condensed milk

100 g (3.3 oz) hazelnut powder

A pinch of salt

375 ml (1½ cup) thick cream whipped to soft peaks

½ cup of toasted hazelnuts for garnish.

Prepare the chocolate praline.   Melt the chocolate over simmering water and mix until smooth.  Stir in the butter, condensed milk, hazelnut powder and salt until completely combined.  Cool and pour into sterilized jars, seal with airtight lids and store in the fridge.

The day that you wish to prepare the tart, bring a jar of chocolate praline to room temperature.   Then make the pastry.  Place the flour in a bowl, add the butter and rub it into the flour, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  Stir in egg with a fork until it clings together.   Press into a ball, flatten it out, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.

Roll out the pastry between two pieces of baking parchment.   Line a buttered tart dish with the pastry sheet and trim the edges.  Prick the tart all over with the prongs of a fork and cover with parchment and tin foil, pressing the sides in order to prevent them from collapsing.  Bake the tart for 12 minutes, in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F).   Discard the parchment and foil and return it to the oven and bake blind for 10-12 minutes more or until the pastry is crisp and golden.   Remove the pastry shell from the oven and cool it completely.

Whip a cupful of chocolate praline until smooth, fold in the whipped cream, and mix gently, until no streaks of white are evident.

Spoon the filling into the cold tart shell and even the surface.  Garnish with hazelnuts and refrigerate.