GREECE (Continued)

Eurobank Kefalari - Aperghis Hotel

Our Garden in Kefalari

Our Garden

On my post GREECE (Continued) of the 28^th August 2018 I had written:

“….To my delight. My parents returned to Greece and stayed with us until they bought a spacious apartment in Palaio Faliro, a beautiful Athenian suburb by the sea.  On Sundays, they usually invited us over for lunch and as we drove down Syngrou Avenue, at the first glimpse of the sea the boys would start chanting “Na i thalassa mas, na i halassa mas!” (There is our sea!),,,”

At that period, our sons, Spyro and Yiannis were five and four years old.  They were growing by leaps and bounds, forming they own personalities, day by day.   For the last two years, they had been attending an English kindergarten, very near our house, called “Mrs Sophie’s”, at the American Club in Kifissia.

Meanwhile, my mother-in-law, my husband and his brothers, decided to sell some houses in Athens.  So, George and Nelly bought a spacious flat in Glyfada, Pericles and Dolly built a beautiful house in Kefalari, Kifissia, Niko and Cleo bought a lovely house, with a large garden and a tremendous view, in Psyhico and we bought a house in Kefalari, which was, then, let out to a German family, called Grimsmann.


We became friendly with the Grimsmanns and their daughter and our boys, often. played together.   After a year, they were transferred by their government to another post, so after making a few necessary alterations we moved promptly into our new house.

In 1964, Spiro attended the second class and Yiannis the first class of a state primary school in Kifissia.   They were both very lucky to have fantastic teachers, Mrs Eirini Spyridakis and Mr Creon Stephanides who taught their classes to read and write by giving them, each day, slips of paper with short sentences which they had to learn.   Before the Christmas holidays, they could all read fluently, write without making many spelling mistakes and only then, did they learn the alphabet.

On the 5^th of November 1964, we moved to our new house in Kefalari, and we have been living here, ever since.   Many alterations were made, over the years, like rearranging the garden, knocking down an internal wall to enlarge the sitting room, building a fireplace and installing a white marble floor.  Also, a fabulous, modern kitchen was built in, which, after so many years, is still functional and convenient.   We were very satisfied with the results of, both, the garden and the house remodelling.

On the 21^st April 1967, a military coup d’état, led by a group of colonels. took place in Greece that lasted for seven long, merciless years.   Many people were imprisoned or exiled, like politicians and civilians of left political convictions.  There was a feeling of oppression, fear and fury during those dreadful, dark years, but somehow life went on.

The years went by, and the boys started attending secondary schools.    Spiro went to the German School of Athens in Marousi and Yiannis went to Zirides a Greek private school right next door.

I started working at Aleco's office and was eager to learn the rules of the trade, like pacifying customers, if deliveries were delayed, or trying to convince them that our goods were better and cheaper than the competitors', without pressing too much.  I worked for many happy and successful years at the office.






Here are a few recipes of dishes that our sons and their friends enjoyed eating, in the early 1970s:

                                                   BOUILLABAISSE

A delicious fish soup of French origin which is a meal in its own.

1½ kg (3 lb) small fish scaled, gutted, thoroughly washed, drizzled with lemon juice and sprinkled with salt

800 g (1 lb 10 oz) cod, heads and skin removed, filleted and cut into 3 pieces each

1 kg (2 lb) 2 sea bass, 500 g (1 lb) each scaled, gutted and heads and skin removed

10 mussels thoroughly scrubbed, beards discarded
20 shrimp, shelled, deveined and thoroughly washed

4 tbsp olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and cubed

2 leeks, trimmed, split in half lengthwise, thoroughly washed and finely chopped

2 onions, peeled and finely diced

3 carrots, scraped and finely sliced

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

10 coriander seeds

10 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 piece of orange peel
Salt and pepper to taste
A pinch of Cayenne pepper, optional

125 ml (½ cup) white wine

2 tbsp Metaxa brandy

2 tbsp tomato paste

10 slices white bread

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled

(Brush the one side of the bread slices with olive oil, rub with the garlic clove and roast in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 3-4 minutes or until crisp) 

Chopped parsley for garnish

In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to the boil with a pinch of salt.  Then add the small fish and the heads, bones and skin of the large fish and the heads and shells of the prawns and simmer for 7-8 minutes.  Strain the fish stock into another saucepan, through a fine sieve.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions, leeks, bay leaf, the coriander seeds and the peppercorns in olive oil, for 2-3 minutes.  Pour in the wine and wait for a few minutes until it evaporates, then add the brandy and wait for 1 minute until the alcohol evaporates also.

Add the fish stock, the carrots, parsley, the garlic, the saffron, the orange peel and the tomato paste.  Stir and simmer for 15 minutes and strain the stock through a fine sieve and discard all the debris.   There should be about 1½ litre (6 cups) stock.

Bring the stock to the boil, add the fish fillets and cook for 3  minutes, and remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.  Then add the prawns and simmer gently for  6-7 minutes and transfer with a slotted spoon next to the fish.  Finally, boil the mussels for 2-3 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and cover it with the lid for 10  minutes, until the mussels open.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.   Also, add a pinch of Cayenne pepper, if using.



Place a slice of crisp, aromatic toast in a soup plate, cover with two pieces of fish, a few prawns and mussels, pour two ladlefuls of hot stock over, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

  

                                                      COQ AU VIN

This is a lovely dish of Provincial France.  Start cooking a day before you need it.

2 tbsp olive oil

8-10 rashers lean bacon, fat removed and cut into small pieces

18 or more shallots, peeled

2 chickens - 2 ½ -3kg (5-6 lb) drumsticks and thighs skinned, breasts skinned, boned, cartilage removed and cut into serving pieces

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

62.5 ml (¼ cup) Cognac or Metaxa brandy

750 ml (1 bottle) Agiorgitiko red wine or Pinot Noir

250 ml (1 cup) tasty hot chicken stock

2 tbsp tomato paste diluted in 
¼ cup chicken stock

1 bouquet garni (2 sprigs thyme – 2 small sprigs rosemary – I bay leaf)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms (champignons de  Paris)

½ tbs olive oil
A touch of garlic

Little salt

Beurre manié:

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter at room temperature

(mix together until smooth, cover with cling film and refrigerate)

In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp and place on kitchen paper to drain.  Then, sauté the shallots until golden and reserve.

Sauté the chicken in batches, with the remaining olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Remove most of the fat from the saucepan, add the garlic and simmer until soft.  Add the brandy and cook briskly, stirring to deglaze the saucepan and remove from the fire.  

Arrange the drumsticks and thighs in the saucepan and return to the stove.   Pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes.  Add the shallots, stock, tomato paste, bouquet garni, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 20 minutes.   

Place the chicken breasts and the bacon on top, making sure that they are submerged under the sauce, adding a little more stock, if necessary.  Cover and simmer very gently for 20-25 minutes more or until the chicken is tender.  Cool and refrigerate.

The next day, cook the mushrooms and garlic in olive oil, over high heat, until tender and sprinkle with a little salt.   Bring the coq au vin to the boil, add the sauteed mushrooms, taste and season, if necessary.  Arrange the chicken, shallots, bacon, mushrooms, attractively, on a hot serving dish and reserve. 

Meanwhile, thicken the sauce with a tiny piece of beurre manié, whisk, and simmer the sauce, adding more thickening agent and whisking, until the desired thickness is achieved.   Pour the sauce over the chicken, shallots, mushrooms and bacon, and serve immediately with creamy mashed potatoes.  Garnish with one of the herbs used in the bouquet garni,  

                                                      PASTITSIO

                                                                     

 Pastitsio, baked macaroni with minced meat, is a popular Greek dish, and a great meal to feed a large, hungry family.   This is not the traditional way of making Pastitsio, but it is way my family like it. You can, of course, prepare it by placing two layers of macaroni, with the minced meat or the mushroom sauce in between.  You can, also, use summer vegetables for preparing this dish.  (I have already published this recipe, but I am giving it to you, once more, slightly altered).

500 g (1 lb) thick macaroni

60 g (2 oz) grated kephalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture

2 tbsp hot, melted butter

Minced Meat Sauce:

1 kg (2 lb) minced beef

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely grated

4 rashers of lean bacon, fat discarded and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

80 ml (1/3 cup) brandy,

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

3 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded

1 tsp sugar or more

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup parsley chopped, optional

Or

Mushroom Sauce:

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed, patted dry and finely chopped

1 dried porcini mushroom, soaked and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

A large onion, peeled and grated

4 rashers of bacon, fat discarded, finely chopped

90 ml (1/3 cup +) brandy

250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped parsley

Béchamel Sauce:

150 g (5 oz) butter

150 (1cup) cornflour

1 bay leaf

1¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk

Nutmeg

100 g (3 oz plus 2 tbsp) grated kephalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture

4 eggs separated, whites whipped into soft peaks

 1 tbsp butter, and dried breadcrumbs for the baking dish and

2 tbsp grated cheese for sprinkling over the top

A little extra butter

First, prepare the ground meat sauce.  Sauté the onion, carrot and bacon in olive oil until the onion is transparent.  Add the ground meat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring until well browned.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Cayenne.  Pour in the brandy and stir for a moment or two.   Pour in the wine and cook for 5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add the grated tomatoes, sugar and enough hot water to barely cover.  Simmer until the meat is cooked and almost dry, about 30 minutes.   Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar, if necessary, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and set aside.

Or

Sauté the mushrooms and the garlic over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly brown and dry.  Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

 Lower the heat and add the grated onion and chopped bacon and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes more.  Return the mushrooms to the saucepan and stir and simmer for two minutes more.  Then pour in the brandy and cook stirring until the alcohol evaporates. Add the stock, sprinkle with Cayenne pepper and salt if necessary.  Stir and simmer very gently until the sauce thickens. Taste once more and season accordingly, if needed.   Sprinkle with parsley, stir and set aside.

 Prepare the béchamel sauce.  Melt butter, add the bay leaf and cornflour and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Add the hot milk and stir for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.   Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.  Stir in the cheese and cool a little.  Then add the egg yolks and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites.

Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until “al dente”.  Drain and return to the saucepan, sprinkle with grated cheese, pour the hot butter over and swirl.   Add the ground meat sauce or mushroom sauce, and about 2-3 cups of béchamel sauce and mix gently but thoroughly together.

Butter a baking dish and sprinkle with dried breadcrumbs.   Add the macaroni mixture and level the surface.   Cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown.   Cool slightly, cut into portions and serve with a large green salad.

  

                     CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS IN MUSTARD SAUCE

This dish is very tasty and easy to prepare.

4 chicken breasts, sliced

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

A little nutmeg

1 medium onion, grated

4 spring onions, finely chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

250 g (½ lb) fresh mushrooms, sliced

A little salt

The leaves of 4 sprigs of tarragon, chopped

1-2 tbsp mustard of your choice

300 ml (10 oz) light cream

2 tbsp good quality dry white wine

Sauté the chicken slices in butter and olive oil, on both sides, until cooked, sprinkle with salt, freshly ground white pepper, a little nutmeg and place in a dish and keep hot.

In the same utensil, place the onion, spring onions and the garlic and cook until soft. Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Transfer the chicken back into the saucepan and add the tarragon.   Mix the cream with the mustard and the wine, pour over the chicken and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.   Taste for seasoning and adjust and serve with the same wine you used for the cooking.  

 

                                                        MOUSSAKA

                                               

Moussaka is one of Greece’s national dishes.   The traditional dish is made only with aubergines, but it can be, alternatively, prepared with potatoes and courgettes or a mixture of all three vegetables.  For many years, our boys hated aubergines, so I usually prepared moussaka with equal amounts of sliced, partly boiled potatoes and roasted courgettes.  (Sorry!  This is another recipe that I have given to  you, years ago, but I, obviously, have to repeat it once more.)

1½ kg (3 lb) aubergines sliced in 1.25 cm (½ inch) rounds or

1½ kg (3 lbs) courgettes, thickly sliced  lengthwise

Olive oil for brushing over the vegetables before roasting

Ground meat sauce:

750 g (1½ lb) ground beef or veal

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, peeled and grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Nutmeg to taste

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

2 large ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded and grated, skins discarded

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Béchamel sauce

175 g (6 oz) butter (reserve 1 tbsp for baking dish)

100 g (1 cup) flour

1 bay leaf

1.5 litres (6 cups) hot milk

125 g (4 oz) kephalotyri or Parmesan, grated

3 eggs separated, whites whipped into soft peaks with a pinch of salt

Salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs + 1/3 of the grated cheese for baking

Sauté the ground meat in butter or olive oil until it changes colour, and add the grated onion and carrot, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes crumbly.  Season with salt pepper and nutmeg, pour in the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato, sprinkle with sugar and parsley, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, over low heat, until all the liquid is absorbed. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

In the meantime, wash the aubergines or courgettes, and pat them dry.  Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and roast for in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) until soft and golden.

Prepare the béchamel sauce.  Melt the butter, add the bay leaf, sift the flour over and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the hot milk gradually, stirring each time, until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from the heat, and discard the bay leaf.   Stir in the cheese and set the sauce aside to cool.  Add the beaten egg yolks and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites.

In a large baking dish, arrange 2 alternate layers of aubergine or courgette slices, cover each layer with meat sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated cheese.  Pour over the béchamel sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese, and dot with butter. 

Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool slightly and cut into portions.

                                           GREEN ASPARAGUS TART

This is a tasty fist dish.   Four slices of smoked ham could be used instead of bacon.

Pastry:

250 g (½ lb) self-raising flour and a little extra if necessary

A pinch of salt

150 g (5 oz) iced butter, cubed

1 egg

1 tbsp brandy

Filling:

½ kg (1 lb) green asparagus trimmed and hard parts snapped off and reserved

A knob of butter

4 rashers of bacon, chopped, sautéed and placed on kitchen paper to drain

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs, mixed with

2 tbsp of the same grated cheese used in the bechamel sauce

Bechamel sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp flour

500 ml (2 cups) hot milk

Asparagus pulp (please see below)

Grated nutmeg

2 tbsp mild kasseri or Cheddar, thickly grated

2 eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

2 tbsp thick Greek yogurt

Salt, if necessary and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp grated San Mihalis, pecorino of Parmesan, thinly grated

First, prepare the pastry.  Mix flour and salt and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the egg and brandy and knead for 3-4 minutes until a smooth, rather soft dough is obtained.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, simmer the asparagus spears (and the reserved hard parts) in salted water, until cooked but still slightly crunchy. Then strain and pat dry.   Blend the hard parts of the asparagus, with a hand blender and sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon, in order to extract all the pulp and juices and set aside.   There should be about 250 ml (1 cup) thick asparagus pulp.   Also, sauté the asparagus spears in butter.

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter, add the bay leaf, sift in the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes, over gentle heat, in order to prevent the taste of uncooked flour.   Pour in the hot milk, gradually, stirring vigorously each time, until the sauce is and thick and bubbly.   Discard the bay leaf, add the asparagus pulp and simmer, stirring, for 2-3 minutes more, then fold in the nutmeg and the cheese and remove from the fire to cool.   Mix the egg yolks with the yogurt and add them to the cool sauce.   Taste and add a little salt if necessary and freshly ground pepper.   Finally, gently but thoroughly fold in the whipped egg whites.

Roll out the pastry, thinly, and line a 30 cm (12 inch) buttered, round tart dish.   Prick the pastry all over with a fork and sprinkle with the dried breadcrumb/grated cheese mixture.   Scatter the bacon on top and place the sautéed asparagus tips evenly over.   Finally spoon the bechamel over, level the surface and sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F), for about  35-40 minutes or until golden and puffy.

Serve with a green salad.

                            

                                             ROAST CHICKEN LEGS

                                            

                                                                  

A great favourite with children.  

12 chicken legs, washed and patted dry

Marinade:

3 tbsp honey

125 ml (1/2 cup) soy sauce

125 ml (1/2 cup) water

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ a lemon

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2-3 rosemary sprigs, leaves only, finely chopped

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Mix the ingredients for the marinade well together, and marinate the chicken legs, for at least 2 hours.

    

Arrange the chicken legs in an ovenproof dish, in a single layer.   Drizzle with the marinade and olive oil, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and roast in an oven preheated to 200 C (400 F) for about 1 hour, turning the chicken legs around once.  Add a little hot water, if needed.

Serve with mashed potatoes, or with celeriac and potato puree.

                  

                                              COURGETTE BAKE

This is 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 180 C (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

                                           CHOCOLATE DESSERT

A delightful, fudgy chocolate cake,

100 g (½ cup) butter, softened

300 g (1½ cups) sugar

3 medium-sized eggs, separated, whites whipped, with a pinch of salt, to soft peaks

Vanilla

1 1/3 cup self-raising flour sifted with

3/8 cup cocoa and

1 tsp baking powder and

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

A good pinch of salt

2/3 cup yogurt

2/3 cup boiling water

Icing:

200 ml (almost 7 fl oz) cream

2x100 g dark chocolate, chopped (I use Ygeias Pavlidou, an excellent Greek chocolate)

2 tsp  Greek honey

(Bring the cream to  the boil and pour over the chopped chocolate and honey and stir vigorously until smooth and shiny)

Maraschino cherries for  garnish

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a 30 cm (12 inch) round tin with buttered baking parchment.   Also, brush the sides of the tin with melted butter.

Add 2 tbsp of the sugar to the whipped egg whites and continue whipping until stiff and shiny.  Also, beat the yolks with the remaining sugar and the vanilla until light and fluffy.

Sift in the flour/cocoa mixture in three portions into the egg yolks alternately with the yogurt, stirring well after each addition.

Pour in the boiling water and mix until well incorporated.   Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites until no traces of white are evident.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.   Remove the cake from the oven, cool a little, and reverse on a rack to cool.

Place the cake on a round serving dish, spread it all over with chocolate icing and garnish with maraschino cherries.

A Vase with Chrysanthemums by Jean August Renoir