CHEAP BUT TASTY GOURMET DISHES DURING CRITICAL TIMES

Please find below several recipes for meals and desserts which I hope you will enjoy.

                             AVOCADO AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Do prepare this refreshing salad for your family and friends  

Dressing:

2 tbsp vinegar

2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced

65 g (¼ cup) olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

(Whip all the ingredients well together until the dressing thickens)

3 ripe avocados, peeled, stoned, thinly sliced and drenched with

1 tbsp lemon juice to prevent discolouration.

3 large ruby red grapefruit, peeled, pith and membranes removed and divided into segments

10 tender lettuce leaves, torn into pieces

Place the sliced avocado and the grapefruit in a salad bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate.  Just before serving, add the lettuce, drizzle with the dressing and toss gently.

                                     TAHINI AND CHICKPEA SALAD

Hummus

Tahini is made of sesame seeds with high contents of magnesium and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid it also has high levels of calcium and protein.  A very healthy food product.

1 cup or more boiled chickpeas

Tahini sauce*

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Lemon juice

2-3 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander

Blend the chickpeas, add the tahini by the spoonful until the required thickness is obtained.  Taste and add salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste.  Sprinkle lavishly with chopped parsley or coriander and serve.

                                                *TAHINI SAUCE

150 g (5 oz - ½ jar) tahini

1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed

125 ml (½ cup) or more lukewarm water

4-6 tbsp lemon juice

Salt the freshly ground white pepper to taste

2-3 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander

Blend the tahini add tepid water by the spoonful until the required liquidity is obtained.  Add salt, freshly ground and lemon juice to taste.  Before serving sprinkle with masses of chopped parsley or coriander or both.  This sauce is considered a dip or dressing. It is delicious over beetroots.

                                                   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

Pinch of salt

125 ml (½ cup) milk

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 by the spoonful, salt and the milk, stirring 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 for10 minutes until the sauce thickens.   Remove from the heat to cool.   Then add the whipped eggs and the grated cheese, stirring very well to combine.

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 with tin foil and bake in an oven  preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35 minutes until puffed and golden.  
  

 

                          FISH BAKED IN BAKING PARCHMENT AND FOIL

Fish, freshly caught is delicious baked in its own juices.

6 x 250 g (½ b) fish scaled, fins removed, washed and wiped dry

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp salted butter cut into six pieces

6 sprigs of dill, chervil, thyme and parsley

6 stalks of chives

2 tbsp olive oil

6 tbsp whiskey or vermouth

3 tbsp olive oil

6 oval pieces of baking parchment

6 oval pieces of foil

6 lemon wedges and

6 parsley sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 250 C (480 F).   Place the pieces of foil on a working surface, cover with baking parchment and brush with olive oil. 

Place each fish in the centre, brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.   Stuff the cavity of each fish with a sprig of each herb mentioned above and a piece of salted butter.

 Fold the parchment/foil around each fish to form an open packet and pour a tablespoon of liquor and ½ tsp of lemon juice over.   

Then close each packet firmly and place into a baking tin, and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Then check the thickest part of each fish for doneness.  The flesh should not be pink or opaque, so bake for 5 minutes more or until the fish is cooked through,  Check once more and serve in the packets, garnished with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs, accompanied by a zesty green salad.

                                  

                                                PASTA CON FAGIOLI

300 g (10 oz) beans, soaked overnight, and drained

3 tbsp olive oil

250 g (½ lb) lean bacon finely chopped

1 celery stalk, trimmed and finely chopped

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 carrot, scraped and cubed

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

500 g (1 lb) tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded

1½ litre (5 cups) tasty chicken stock or more

250 g (½ lb) short pasta

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan to pass around

In a large shallow saucepan, sauté the bacon and the finely chopped vegetables in 3 tbsp olive oil, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until golden. 

Add the chopped parsley, the bay leaf, tomato, stock and beans and simmer for 1 hour, covered, or until the beans are almost cooked. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Then add the short past and stir and cook according to the packets instructions for 8-10 minutes more, or until the pasta is cooked al dente.   Serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil, pass around the grated Parmesan.

                                              ZAKYNTHOS SALTSA

This is the most popular dish of the Ionian island of Zakynthos according to my dear friend June Marinos. The addition of a pungent cheese is what makes this dish unique.

1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, cut into 2 cm ( ½ in) cubes

6 medium-sized tomatoes, halved, seeded and grated, skins discarded

12 cl (½ cup) olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

Salt the freshly ground pepper

½ tsp sugar

125 g (8 oz) kephalotyri, ladotyri or pecorino cheese, cut in small cubes

2 tsp oregano

In a large heatproof casserole, heat the oil and add the meat and brown it quickly on all sides.  Add the tomato, garlic, bay leaves and cloves, season with salt pepper and sugar.


Simmer covered for one hour or until the meat is tender and sauce thickens.  If necessary, add a little hot water to prevent sticking.  If you prefer a thicker the sauce, boil uncovered for several minutes at the end of the cooking.   Just before serving stir in the cheese and oregano.

Serve with mashed potatoes or boiled rice.

                                               SPINACH AU GRATIN

1 kg fresh spinach

Bechamel sauce* (please see recipe below)

90 g (3 oz) kephalotyri, San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

2 tbsp butter + extra for the dish

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

120 g (4 oz) mild-tasting feta, sliced into slivers

1-2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 large or six individual oven-proof dishes

Trim, wash and dry the spinach, place in a saucepan (it should not require any water) and simmer for 5 minutes.  Strain, squeeze and chop roughly and mix with 1 tsp of melted butter, 1 cup of bechamel and a little grated cheese, reserving 2 tbsp or later, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Pour half the mixture into a buttered ovenproof dish/dishes and cover sparingly with the feta slivers.  Arrange the rest of the spinach over and spread the remaining bechamel evenly over the spinach.  Sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and the remaining Parmesan, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 180C (350 F) for ½ an hour or until puffed and golden. 15-20 minutes for the individual dishes.

                                                BECHAMEL SAUCE

A classical sauce which is essential for cooking.

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

1 bay leaf

500 ml (2 cups) hot milk

Salt, freshly ground white pepper and

Grated nutmeg to taste

(4 tbsp grated cheese and 2 eggs, separated whites whipped to soft peaks)

Melt the butter in a saucepan, over low heat add the flour and the bay leaf and stir or 2-3 minutes,  add the warm milk gradually, stirring constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens about 5-7 minutes.

 Discard the bay leaf and season with salt pepper and nutmeg and cover with cling film to prevent it from forming a crust.

When the sauce is tepid, you could add grated cheese and the separated eggs to enrich it.    

                                       QUINCE AND APPLE CRUMBLE

A delightful dessert, that brings sweet memories of my childhood.

500 g (1 lb) quinces, peeled, cored and chopped

500 g (1 lb) apples, peeled cored and chopped

1 lemon, the juice and grated lemon rind of

4 tbsp honey

Crumble topping:

½ cup oats

½ cup almonds, peeled, roasted and finely ground

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup brown sugar

30 g (1 oz) butter

(Mix everything well together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs)

Heat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Place the quince with lemon juice and zest and 250 ml (1 cup) water in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then add the apples and simmer for 15 minutes more, until the fruits are tender and most of the liquid hs evaporated.  Then stir in the honey.

Place the stewed fruit into a baking dish, level the surface and sprinkle evenly with the crumble mixture.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown,

Serve with Greek yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.

                                               CHOCOLATE DESSERT

100 g (½ cup) butter, softened

300 g (1½ cups) sugar

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

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

Ganache:

200 ml (almost 7 fl oz)

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)

Preheat oven to 180c (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 alternately with the yougurt, 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 reserve on a rack to cool.

Spread the cake with the ganache and garnish with cocktail cherries.

Bouquet de Fleurs par Suzanne Valadon