The Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, said he was planning to sue the leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Julio Borges. According to Maduro, Mr Borges is being manipulated by the US president Donald Trump against Venezuela.
Mr Borges has repeatedly criticized Maduro of changing the country into a dictatorship and has called the international community to react to the president’s actions. The USA and particularly the EU have imposed rounds of sanctions on the country’s officials, and restrictions on the government’s access to financial systems and the sales of arms to Venezuela.
Three police officers were killed in clashes with protesters in northern Teheran as tension grew immensely between the Islamic Republic authorities and a Muslim religious order known as Gonabadi Dervishes.
A coalition of right-wing parties will rule Spain’s most populous region Andalusia, for the first time after 36 years, after a deal with the far right. How preposterous and tragic can this be...
An Australian man, Savus Avan, has been charged with sending packages believed to be containing asbestos to embassies and consulates all over the country.
Here at home, the Tsipras/Kammenos government is in deep crisis, due to Defence Minister Mr Panos Kammenos’ stance on the Greece – FYROM Prespa Agreement, which poses a severe problem for the government’s parliamentary majority.
Here are several recipes of dishes pertaining to the countries mentioned above.
A lovely Venezuelan soup.
A delicious Greek iced dessert. This ice cream should be made preferably in an electric ice cream machine. It is simple to make and is delicious and healthy. It can be made with any suitable fresh fruit.
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| Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun |
The case of the18-year-old asylum seeker, Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, from Saudi Arabia, who was held against her will at Bangkok airport, shows the predicament of women in Saudi Arabia. Following Rahaf’s plea to the U.N., she has been finally granted U.N.C.R. refugee access at Bangkok airport “to access her need for international refugee protection and find an immediate solution for her situation”.
Her tragic story in her tweet, where she revealed the disturbing abuse by her family, is a reminder of the extent of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia and demonstrates the length that women must go to seek protection. “In Saudi Arabia, women are discriminated against all spheres of life, their social and cultural roles are completely circumscribed by strongly patriarchal norms”.
Donald Trump passionately insists to continue building the promised wall separating the USA from Mexico, much to the refusal and disgust of most Americans.
Three police officers were killed in clashes with protesters in northern Teheran as tension grew immensely between the Islamic Republic authorities and a Muslim religious order known as Gonabadi Dervishes.
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| Juana Moreno Will Lead the Government |
A coalition of right-wing parties will rule Spain’s most populous region Andalusia, for the first time after 36 years, after a deal with the far right. How preposterous and tragic can this be...
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| Suspicious Packages Sent to Embassies and Consulate in Autralia |
An Australian man, Savus Avan, has been charged with sending packages believed to be containing asbestos to embassies and consulates all over the country.
Malta’s Prime Minister Mr Joseph Muscat reached a deal with other European Union member states to allow 49 migrants to disembark and find refuge on the island, after 19 days at sea.
The German Chancellor Mrs Angela Merkel arrived in Greece for a two-day visit last Thursday. This trip was full of symbolism for a leader whose policies have specified a continent and who announced that she “will leave office at the end of her term in 2021”. Mr Tsipras said that this visit “marked the end of a difficult circle between our two countries”. And indeed, it was completely different in atmosphere than her previous ones, at the hight of the Euro crisis. Then, thousands protested against the chancellor’s visit and called her “queen of economic austerity".
This time demonstrations were banned in the centre of Athens, and Mrs Merkel was welcomed with “broad smiles and warm embraces” by government officials.
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| A Breach Between Partners |
Here at home, the Tsipras/Kammenos government is in deep crisis, due to Defence Minister Mr Panos Kammenos’ stance on the Greece – FYROM Prespa Agreement, which poses a severe problem for the government’s parliamentary majority.
Theresa May survives Parliamentary vote, but Britain remains in BREXIT deadlock. More than 170 business leaders join the call for a second BREXIT referendum.
CREAMY CALABAZA SQUASH SOUP
2 kg (4 lbs) Calabaza squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1925 ml (6 ½ cups) tasty chicken stock
6 stalks, cilantro
1tsp garlic, peeled and minced
½ an onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ leek, trimmed, cut lengthwise thoroughly washed and finely chopped
Grated Parmesan and garlic croutons
Place the squashed pieces in a large saucepan, cover with chicken broth and boil for 13 minutes. Then add the cilantro and boil for 7 minutes more. Stir occasionally and skim the foam from the top.
Sauté the remaining vegetables until brown and set aside.
After about 20 minutes test the squash for doneness. If soft, stir in the sautéed vegetables and remove the pot from the heat to cool down. Blend the solid pieces until smooth, adding as much liquid as necessary to reach a creamy consistency.
Serve the soup hot, sprinkled with Parmesan and garlic croutons.
SAUDI ARABIAN PITTA BREAD
A recipe for satisfying Arab bread.
A recipe for satisfying Arab bread.
7 g (25 oz) active dry yeast
250 ml (1 cup) warm water
130 g (1cup) plain flour
1½ tbsp. olive oil
1¾ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
227 g (1 ¾ cups) plain flour or more
1 tsp olive oil, divided
Place the yeast with the warm water and flour and stir well together. Let it stand for 15-20 minutes until the mixture rises, bubbles and foams.
Pour 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil and the sugar into the risen mixture, 1¾ cups flour and the salt, Mix well using a dough hook attachment until the dough is soft and supple and slightly sticky. If the dough sticks to sides of the bowl add ¼ cup flour, a little at a time.
Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes and turn it over on a floured surface and shape it into a ball.
Wipe the inside of the bowl with a little olive oil, turn the dough around the bowl to cover with a thin film of olive oil, cover the bowl with foil and let it sit for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
Remove the dough from the bowl, place it on a floured work surface and lightly pat it into a flat shape 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. Cut it into 8 pieces.
Shape each piece into a small ball with a smooth top, pulling the dough from the sides and tucking the ends into the bottom of the dough. Cover the dough balls with oiled cling film and let them rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the work surface, place a ball on top and gently patting shape a flat round bread, about a ¼ inch thick. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining balls.
Brush a cast iron skillet with the remaining olive oil and place it over medium heat. Lay the pita pieces of bread onto the hot skillet and cook until they begin to puff and the bottom parts have brown spots and blisters. Flip them over and cook for 2 more minutes, then flip them back and cook for 30 seconds more until the pittas puff up once more. Stack on a hot dish, and when cool enough to handle break the bread in half and serve.
CALDEIRADA
A tasty seafood stew from Spain and Portugal.
120 g (4 oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped
75 g (2 ½ oz) green peppers, seeded the white pith removed and finely chopped
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
24 small hard-shelled clams, washed and scrubbed, or substitute cockles or small oysters
8 tbsp olive oil
1 kg each of two kinds of firm white fish, skinned, boned and cut in bite-sized cubes
(halibut, haddock. red snapper, cod, pollock and hake are all suitable)
500 g (1 lb) squid, cleaned and cut into strips
500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine
8 slices of bread cut into triangles
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Place the onions, peppers, tomatoes, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well together.
Place the clams in a large heavy casserole, pour 4 tbsp olive oil over. Scatter half of the vegetable mixture over the clams and add the fish an squid. Spread the remaining vegetable mixture on top and pour in the wine. Bring to the boil over high heat and then reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the clams open and the fish flakes easily when prodded with a fork. Needless to say that you should discard any clams that do not open.
Meanwhile, fry the bread in the remaining olive oil and brown well on both sides. Then transfer on kitchen paper to drain.
Place the fried bread on a serving dish, arrange the clams, fish and squid attractively over and ladle the sauce over. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
POLLO EN ADOBO
A delicious poultry dish from Mexico, chicken in red chilli and tomato sauce.
6 dried ancho chillies, cut in half, seeded then cut into small pieces pour
187.5 ml (3/8 pints) tasty chicken stock over and soak for 30 minutes
120 g (4 oz) coarsely chopped onions16
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 scant tsp peeled and minced garlic
2 ½ tsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1½ kg (3 lb) chicken, cut into serving pieces
Pour the chillies and stock into a blender and purée at high speed for about 15 seconds. Add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sugar, coriander seed, cinnamon., salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture resembles a thick purée.
Heat 15 g ( ½ oz) butter over moderate heat, add the purée and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover the frying pan and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Pat the chicken pieces dry with dry kitchen paper. Melt the remaining butter over medium heat and brown chicken, a few pieces at a time, starting with skin side down. As the pieces turn a rich golden brown, place them into a large pan. Pour the chilli sauce into the pan and turn the chicken pieces into the sauce until thoroughly coated.
Cover the pan tightly, and roast in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. Then remove the cover and roast 15 minutes longer, basting now and again with the sauce. Arrange on a heated serving dish and serve with steamed rice.
AUBERGINES PARMIGIANA
A fantastic Maltese side dish.
2 kg (4 lb) aubergines, peeled, sliced lengthwise thinly and soaked in salted water for at least 1 hour
1 ½ kg (3 lb) tomatoes, skinned deseeded and chopped
100 g (3 oz ) grated Parmesan
500 g (1 lb) mozzarella
3 egg whites, whipped stiff
A bunch of basil leaves
Oil for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauté the chopped tomatoes in a saucepan with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and finely chopped basil leaves. The sauce should be quite thick.
Rinse the aubergines and pat them dry. Dip the aubergines slices into the egg whites, fry in batches and place o kitchen paper to drain. Slice the mozzarella and shred the remaining basil leaves.
Pour a little sauce in an oven-proof dish, place a layer of fried aubergines on top, slightly overlapping each other. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Cover with slices of mozzarella and chopped basil. Pour more tomato sauce on top and carry on layering ending with tomato sauce sprinkled with Parmesan.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 c (350 F) for about one hour. Let the aubergine parmigiana rest for a few minutes before serving.
PAGOTO ME YIAOURTI
500 g (2 cups) Greek strained yoghurt
4 tbsp honey or light brown sugar or half and half
250 g (½ lb) fresh apricots, stoned and roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor and then follow instructions for your electric ice cream machine. Alternatively, freeze until half frozen and then beat well. Freeze again and repeat the process twice more.
A delightful British dessert.
TRINITY COLLEGE BURNT CREAM
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| Burnt Custard in Individual Servings |
A delightful British dessert.
6 egg yolks
5 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
852 ml (1½ pint) double cream
1 vanilla pod
Beat the egg yolks with 1½ tbsp. sugar and the salt, until yolks are pale and thick. Place the cream and vanilla pod in a double saucepan, over simmering water and bring to scalding point, but do not boil. Remove the vanilla pod and pour the cream in a slow stream into the egg yolks, beating constantly with a wooden spoon. Strain the mixture back into the double saucepan, and heat it carefully over hot water until it thickens. Do not allow it to boil to prevent it from curdling.
Pour the cream into a soufflé dish and cool to room temperature. Then place the dish into the refrigerator overnight. About 2 hours before serving, preheat the grill at its highest setting for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the cream with the remaining sugar as evenly as possible. Slide the dish under the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes until the sugar forms a crust over the cream. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
Cool the cream to room temperature, then chill it again, until ready to serve.
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| By Vincent van Goch 1888 |
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