CURRENT EVENTS

                                 

Italy and France have both expressed support for EU “Asylum Centres”, which will be set up in counties from where many migrants start their journey for Europe.

Italy’s Prime Minister, Mr Conte and the French President, Mr Macron, have agreed that the prevailing system must be reformed.

Mr. Macron proposed building migrant centres in the counties of departure, including Libya, from which desperate people start the dangerous crossing to Europe, many, unfortunately, dying in the attempt.

According to the EU migration system, asylum seekers must apply for protection in the country in which they first arrive, within the EU, known as the Dublin Regulation.  This has placed a significant burden on the first line countries i.e. Italy and Greece, where many migrants arrive daily, after risking their lives, on overcrowded and sometimes flimsy boats.  These unfortunate people are housed,  protected and looked after by the countries in which they first arrived.    Of course, there is help from the UNHCR, but it is not always sufficient.

Around mid-July, Paris is to unveil its newly built perimeter defences around the Eiffel Tower protecting it against terrorist attacks.

The Tump Wall

The US Attorney General has been severely criticized for defending the separation of migrant children from their parents, at the border with Mexico.

The “zero-tolerance” policy announced, reveals adults trying to cross the border, many planning to seek asylum, being arrested and accused of illegal entry into the US.  Consequently, hundreds of heartbroken minors are kept in detention centres, away from their parents.

According to BBC, Donald Trump began his Presidency as a “reluctant traveller”, but now, he seems to be enjoying it!   After his squabbles with the 97 in Canada and his talks with Kim Jong-un in Singapore, Mr Trump will be visiting Brussels, for the four-yearly summit of NATO.

The European Ministers fear that they will be forced by Trump to pay more for defence.   But their particular dread is that NATO will be the next international organization to be targeted by Trumps irrational diplomatic “fire and fury”.

   

At home, the majority of the population are deadly against the Greek Government’s decision of granting to Skopje the Greek name of Macedonia.   Especially, in northern Greece, Macedonians are infuriated by this decision, accusing the government of high treason. 






Find below several recipes of dishes, pertaining to countries mentioned in the text.

                                                 ZUPPA DI COZZE

                                                    (Mussel Soup)

A delicious Italian soup, which I am sure you will love!

50 small mussels in their shells

45 g (1 ½ oz) coarsely chopped onion

30 g (1 oz) coarsely chopped celery

½ garlic, peeled and finely chopped

5 tbsp corn oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

750 g (1½ lb) ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, grated, skins discarded

1 tsp grated lemon peel
Chopped parsley

Scrub the mussels under running water and remove their beards, black rope-like tufts and pat dry.

Chop the onion, celery and garlic into very small pieces, this is called a battuto and when cooked it is called a sofritto.   Over low heat, sauté the vegetables with the chopped basil and a few grindings of pepper.   Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, pour in the wine and boil briskly until the liquid is reduced by half.  Then add the grated tomato, lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring often.

Drop in the mussels, cover the pan, and cook over high heat, shaking the saucepan from time to time so the mussels cook through evenly.  After 10 minutes the mussels should all be open, if not cook for a few minutes longer.

Serve the mussels into individual soup bowls sprinkled with grated lemon peel and chopped parsley and accompany with crusty Italian bread to dip into the sauce.

                                                  QUICHE LORRAINE

A Traditional French Savoury Tart

Ages ago, when I was newly married, I had read this recipe in Vogue magazine.   I promptly prepared it and to my great joy, my husband and our friends found the crust exceptionally crisp and custard creamy and luscious.

Pastry:

240 g (8 oz) plain flour

1 tsp salt

120 g (4 oz) iced butter, cubed

1 egg

2 tsp iced water

Filling:

8 rashers smoked bacon, cut into pieces, sautéed and drained on kitchen paper

90 g (3 oz) grated Gruyere or bland Cheddar

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) double cream

Salt and white pepper to taste

A small amount of iced butter for the top

Mix the flour with salt and rub with butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.   Add the egg and mix well together.  If the dough crumbles, add very little iced water until it comes together.  Shape it into a ball, flatten it out, then cover with cling film and refrigerate.   

Roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle.  Line a buttered 20 cm (8 inch) flan tin with the pastry, gently press it into the bottom and the sides of the tin and prick all over with a fork.   Chill for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).   Cover the pastry with crumbled foil, to prevent the sides from collapsing and bake for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven.   Discard the tin foil, bake for 10 minutes more and remove from the oven to cool.

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the cold pastry shell and cover with bacon.   Beat the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream and the seasoning and pour over the bacon and cheese.   Dot the tart with butter and bake in the top of the oven for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.  Serve hot or warm.

                                                  PESCADO YUCATECO

A Mexican recipe for baked fish with olives and pimiento sauce.

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

60 g (2 oz) peeled and chopped onions

4 tbsp pimiento stuffed olives 

45 g (1 ½ oz) coarsely chopped fresh sweet red pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

1 tsp liquid annatto

6 tbsp fresh orange juice

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper taste

2 tbsp butter

2 kg (4 lb) red snapper, scaled, washed, patted dry, heat and tail left on

2 finely chopped hard boiled eggs

1 shredded lettuce mixed with

4 finely sliced radishes

Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).  

Sauté onion, over medium heat, for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and transparent.   Stir in the olives, the chopped, sweet red pepper, coriander and annatto and cook for 4 minutes more, stirring occasionally.  Then add the orange and lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Grease, the bottom and sides of a Pyrex dish lavishly with butter.   Place the fish into the dish and pour the sauce over.  Bake, uncovered, in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes, basting with the sauce every 10 minutes.  Do not overcook,

Serve the fish from the casserole, sprinkled with chopped hard boiled eggs and a salad of shredded lettuce and sliced radishes.

                                             COURGETTE BAKE

As I could not find a suitable Scopjean recipe, I'm giving you one for an easy and delicious first dish. 

2 cups grated courgettes

4 rashers bacon, cut in small pieces, sautéed and placed on kitchen paper to drain

1 large tomato, skinned, deseeded and diced

½ cup self-raising flour

1 large onion, grated

4-5 eggs

Salt and pepper

¼ tsp or less Cayenne pepper

150 g (5 oz) cubed feta

1 cup grated bland kefalotyri, cheddar or Parmesan

An oven-proof dish, greased with

A knob of butter and sprinkled with

Dried breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 180C (350 F).

In a large bowl mix the first eight ingredients well together.   Fold in the feta gently and spoon the mixture into the prepared dish.   Sprinkle evenly with grated cheese and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of the bake, comes out clean.   Serve with a green salad, crusty warm bread and a glass of wine.

                                            ORANGE WALNUT TORTE

Here is the recipe for this delightful American desert.

15 g (½ oz) soften butter and

60 g (2 oz) dried breadcrumbs for the cake tin

6 eggs separated, whites whipped stiff with

2 tbsp sugar

8 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp grated raw apples

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp brandy

A pinch of salt

250 g (½ lb) finely ground walnuts

750 ml (3 cups) thick cream, stiffly whipped
Walnut halves and
Candied orange strips for garnish

Preheat to 180 C (350 F).   Beat the egg yolks for 2 minutes, then add 8 tbsp sugar and keep on beating until light and fluffy.  Sir in the grated apples, the grated orange rind, lemon juice, brandy and salt and with a spatula gently mix in the remaining bread crumbs and the walnuts.  Very gently but thoroughly fold in the whipped egg whites, until no traces of white are evident. 

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until it is puffed and has begun to slightly shrink from the edges of the tin.  Turn off the heat and let the cake stay for 10 minutes, before removing it from the oven.  Remove the torte from the tin and cool it on a rack.  

Place the torte on a pretty dish and cut it into two layers.   Spread the bottom and top layers with swirls of whipped cream and garnish with walnut halves and candied orange.

Thanking the Artist for this Floral Design