NEW YEAR 2019

                                    

I pray that this coming year will bring health, happiness, consensus and love to all mankind.   That terrorist attacks, wars and civil wars will suddenly end and that refugees will fulfil their utmost of dreams to return to their countries.  Also, that wonder drugs against fatal diseases that so torment humanity, will be soon discovered.   Moreover, I pray that all the children of this turbulent world will be nurtured and protected and that we may all live in harmony and peace. 

I have pangs of conscience about actions I could have done but didn’t, of words I should have said but haven’t, during this year.   My apologies, I am so deeply sorry.   I hope that next year I shall become a better person, without the slightest quantity of egoism and greed.

I'm giving you below a few recipes suitable for a celebration meal. 

                                  AVOCADOS STUFFED WITH SEAFOOD

This is a tasty dish for special occasions.

5 ripe avocados, halved, stoned and drenched with lemon juice

2 ½ tbsp very finely chopped spring onions, white part only

2 ½ tbsp sweet red pepper, finely cubed

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

½ tbsp dill, finely chopped (optional)

1 small tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Few drops Tobasco sauce (optional)

500 g (1 lb) sauteed crabmeat, or baby shrimp, shelled, deveined and sauteed with

                                a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of salt

4 tbsp Naxos Graviera or Cheddar, grated and mixed with

3 tbsp or Parmesan, grated

Scoop out the flesh from the avocado halves, moisten the shells with lemon juice and reserve.

Mash the avocado flesh into a smooth pulp.   Add the chopped onions, the sweet red peppers, herbs, tomato, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Tobasco, if using, and mix well together. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Then add the seafood and fold gently together.   Spoon the mixture into the prepared avocado shells, sprinkle with grated cheese and arrange in a heated baking dish.   

Pour a cup of hot water in the baking dish around the stuffed avocados, place under a very hot grill and cook for not more than 2-3 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and turns golden.   Serve with a green salad.

     

  

                        MEAT OR POULTRY ROASTED WITH APPLE GLAZE

Pork Chops Roasted with  Apple Glaze

Chicken Glazed with Apple Juice, Mustard and Sugar 

This is one of my favourite glazes for roast meat or poultry.

250 ml (1 cup) apple juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

200 g (1 cup) sugar

Prepare the meat for roasting the way you usually do by massaging it with salt pepper and ginger powder, and making small slits into the lamb or pork and inserting small slivers of garlic.   Rub the poultry with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and fill the cavities with herbs of your choice.

Place all the glaze ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer gently stirring until the sugar melts.  Remove from the fire.

Roast the meat or poultry for 30 minutes at 180 C (350 F) degrees.  Then baste the roast lavishly with the glaze, for three or four times, until roasted to perfection.

                                                

                                 BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD

     

                                   

                                  

This is a large, colourful salad.

1 broccoli cut into florets

1 cauliflower cut into florets

1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow peppers, trimmed, seeded, thickly sliced and then halved

2 carrots peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove,  peeled and sliced

Salt, pepper

Sesame oil (not the oriental kind)

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, and

1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds for garnishing

Salad Dressing:

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp sesame oil (not the oriental kind)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 scant tbsp honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice, if necessary

1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Place the first four ingredients in a baking tin, lined with baking parchment, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped garlic, drizzle with sesame oil and roast in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F), until the vegetables are tender.   Arrange the vegetables attractively on a flat salad dish.     

For the dressing blend the vinegar with the mustard, honey, salt and pepper and then add the oil gradually, until the vinaigrette thickens.  Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.  Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing, cover and refrigerate.

One hour before serving, remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Serve sprinkled with the roasted sesame seeds and parsley.

                                             CHEESE TARTLETS

Here is a recipe for delightful cheese tartlets.

Pastry:

650 g (5 cups) plain flour mixed with

1 tsp baking powder

125 ml (½ cup) melted butter

125 ml (½ cup) mild-tasting olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

Milk* please see instructions

Filling:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp plain flour

750 ml (3 cups) milk

½ tsp grated nutmeg

2 medium-sized eggs, whipped

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated Graviera from Crete or Emmenthal

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

First, prepare the pastry.  Whip the butter for 5 minutes and stir in the olive oil.   Add the flour mixture by the spoonful, the egg, salt, pepper and enough milk and stir, until a soft dough is obtained.  Cover with cling film and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Melt the butter, over low heat, add the bay leaf, sift the flour over, sprinkle with salt and nutmeg, and stir and cook gently for 4-5 minutes.   Pour in the hot milk, stir vigorously and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and bubbles.   Remove from the heat to cool.   Then add the whipped eggs and the grated cheese, stirring very well to combine.  Taste and adjust accordingly. 

Brush the sockets of a cupcake tin with melted butter.   Roll out the dough, cut it into rounds and line the buttered cupcake sockets with the pastry.   Spoon in the filling, cover loosely with tin foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35 minutes, until the tartlets are puffed and golden.  
  

 

                              CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RUM CUSTARD

A superb chocolate dessert. 

Cake:

45 g (½ cup) cocoa powder, sifted

195 g (1½ cup) self-rising flour

1 vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

200 g (1 cup) sugar

115 g (½ cup) butter, softened

1 egg

125 ml (½ cup) Greek yoghurt

125 ml (½ cup) boiling water

Rum Custard:

687.5 ml (2 ¾ cups) milk

125 ml (½ cup) dark rum

1 vanilla

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp cornflour

100 g ( ½ cup) sugar

2 tbsp butter

Chocolate powder for sprinkling over, optional

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line the base of a 28 cm spring-form tin with buttered baking parchment and brush the sides with butter.

Mix the first 5 ingredients for the cake, well together.  In a food processor pulse butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and yoghurt and pulse for 3 minutes more.   Add the dry ingredients and the boiling water, with the processor running, until a smooth batter is formed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake come out clean.  Leave for ten minutes, and reverse on a pretty serving dish.

Meanwhile, prepare the rum custard.  Simmer the milk with the rum and vanilla for 5 minutes and whip the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour until creamy and thick.   Allow the milk to cool for 5 minutes and ladle it into the egg mixture, beating constantly as you add.   Return to the saucepan and simmer gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens, about 15-20 minutes.   Then stir in the butter and cover with cling-film and set aside to cool.  Then ice for ½ an hour.

Cover the chocolate cake with the rum custard, cover and refrigerate.  Before serving, bring the cake to room temperature sprinkle with chocolate powder, if using, and enjoy this delicious dessert.

   

                                            

                                              NEW YEAR’S CAKE

                                                        Vasilopita

This cake is specially prepared for New Year’s Day.   It is customary to insert a coin in the vasilopita and whoever finds the coin, has good luck for the whole the year.  There are many recipes for vasilopita prepared with chocolate or fruit or crystallised fruit.   I am giving you below a traditional recipe for this delicious cake. 

600 g (4 cups) strong flour

1 tbsp dried yeast

180 ml (¾ cup) warm milk

4 eggs

180 g (¾ cup+ 2 tbsp) sugar

The freshly grated rind of 1 lemon

½ tsp mahleb seeds, crushed

½ tsp powdered mastic

125 g (½ cup) butter, at room temperature

1 tsp salt

1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp of water and reserved


Icing sugar

Place all the ingredients (except the butter and salt) in a mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the butter gradually and the salt and beat until the dough is smooth and shiny.     Remove the dough from the mixer, cover it with a cloth and let it rise, in a warm place, until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough and place it in a deep, round baking dish, 30 cm (12 in) in diameter.  Cover and let it prove for 30 minutes until almost doubled in bulk.

Brush the cake with the reserved egg wash and bake in an oven, preheated to 290 C (375 F) for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.   Don’t forget to insert the coin.

Sprinkle with icing sugar forming the number of the year and chronia polla!!