During these very hard times, due to the coronavirus disease and its economic consequences, we must all try to protect our health and wallets. We should all scrub our hands thoroughly under hot running water, many times a day, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth and obey the instructions of the government like staying indoors as much as possible and avert coming in touch with gatherings of more than ten people.
I am giving you below a few recipes for dishes which I hope will comfort and satisfy you.
CHICKEN AND ALMOND SOUP
An interesting, tasty soup, if you are not
allergic to nuts.
250 g (½ lb) boiled chicken breasts, cut
into chunks
60 g (2 oz) blanched almonds
1 large carrot, scraped and boiled
1250 ml (5 cups) tasty chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
The rind of ½ a lemon
1 pinch grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to
taste
187.9 ml (2/3 cup) single cream
Blend the first 3 ingredients with a little
chicken broth to a smooth paste. Scrape
into the saucepan with the remaining stock and add the bread crumbs, the lemon
rind and nutmeg.
Bring the soup to a boil and taste and
season with freshly ground white pepper, and extra nutmeg and salt if
necessary. Discard the lemon peel and
just before serving, stir in the cream.
BASIC CHICKEN BROTH
2 kg (4 lb) chicken wings
4 litres (16 cups) water
1 onion, peeled
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
1 bouquet garni (1 thyme sprig + 1 bay leaf + 1 bay leaf)
10 peppercorns
Cover the chicken wings with water, bring to the boil and
skim, thoroughly, for ½ an hour with a spoon.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 4 hours, adding
more hot water when necessary as the chicken wings should be covered with water
during the cooking period. Strain the chicken
broth and discard the debris.
You should have 2 ½ litres (9 cups) broth. One can prepare traditional avgolemono chicken soup with this stock.
ROCKET AND RADISH, MULTICOLOURED
PEPPERS AND ORANGE SALAD
One can prepare this salad with any vegetables available. The more the vegetables the healthier the salad.
2 bunches rocket, leaves and tender stalks
only
4 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced or baked beetroot sliced
1 red bell pepper, trimmed, deseeded, sliced
and finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, trimmed, deseeded,
sliced and finely chopped
1 orange bell pepper, trimmed, deseeded,
sliced and finely chopped
3 oranges, peeled and filleted
2 tbsp snipped chives, stoned olives, pine nuts and feta cheese if you wish
Dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp orange juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste
1 tsp mustard with honey
1 tsp mustard with honey
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Arrange the rocket in a salad bowl, divide all
the other vegetables and the orange fillets evenly over and sprinkle with
chives, stoned olives, roasted pine nuts, a and 1/2 cup of grated feta.
Whip all the dressing ingredients together
until thick, pour over the salad, toss and serve.
QUICHE LORRAINE
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, Aleco, and my parents found the crust exceptionally crisp and the 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, sauteed until crisp 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
1 tbsp butter, iced and diced
For the pastry, rub flour with salt and butter until the mixture 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 the dough into a ball and flatten it, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate it. for 30 minutes at least.
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 base and sides of the tin, and prick it 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 for10 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, with the egg yolks, cream and 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.
DOLMADAKIA WITH MINCED MEAT
One of my favourite dishes, best prepared in late spring when the wine leaves are tender. I use bread instead of rice because it helps the filling become softer.
60 wine leaves, blanched and patted dry
Filling:
500 g (1 lb) minced meat
2 thick slices two-day-old bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry
3 onions, grated and sauteed in a little olive oil until tender
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 tbsp chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp butter cut in small pieces
4 mint leaves
500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock or more, if necessary
Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp cornflour
750 ml (3 cups) cooking liquid and chicken stock
Freshly ground white pepper
Lemon juice to taste
125 (1/2 cup) light cream
Mix the seven ingredients for the filling well together, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Line a large, flat saucepan with the most disfigured wine leaves. Then start filling the wine leaves in the following way:
Place each wine leaf on a plate, the shiny side of the leaf touching the plate. Put a teaspoon of filling near the middle of the base of the wine leaf and fold the sides evenly over. Then roll them into small packets. and arrange them side by side, cylindrically, in the prepared saucepan. When the first layer is completed, dot with half the butter and place 2 mint leaves over. Continue preparing the dolmadakia, placing them over the bottom layer. Dot them with the remaining butter and mint leaves, and place a piece of baking parchment and a plate on top. Pour the cooking liquid over and bring to the boil. Then lower to heat and simmer very, very gently for about 40-45 minutes, making sure that they are well covered with stock during the cooking period.
You could cool the saucepan and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, transfer the dolmades to another flat saucepan, discard any remaining mint leaves, strain a little of the cooking liquid over, and simmer very gently to heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce, which tastes like a thick avgolemono, without eggs. Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and sift the cornflour over, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the hot cooking liquid, plus extra stock if necessary, in three portions, beating well after each addition until the sauce is well blended and bubbling. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cream and a little lemon juice. Taste and add salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if necessary. Discard the bay leaf, pour the sauce over the hot dolmadakia
Here is a recipe for a fabulous chocolate cake.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
A lovely flourless chocolate cake.
250 g (8 oz) bitter sweet chocolate, chopped
105 g (3.5 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
A pinch of salt
6 eggs, separated
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
Ganache:
120 g (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
120 g (4 oz) cream
1 heaped tsp honey
Melt butter and chocolate together over very low heat, add the salt and stir until well combined and glossy.
Whip the egg whites with the baking powder until fluffy. Increase the speed and beat to the soft peak stage. Slowly add 2 tbsp sugar and continue beating to stiff and glossy peaks.
Whip the egg yolks for 3-5 minutes with 1/2 cup of sugar until light and creamy. Gently fold yolks into chocolate mixture until slightly combined. Very gently fold in the whipped egg whites, in three portions until just combined and no traces of white are evident.
Pour into a baking tin, bottom and sides of the tin buttered and lined with baking parchment and buttered again. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350F) for 30-35 minutes until the cake is puffed but still slightly soft in the centre. Cool the cake for1 hour and chill it for 2 hours. Run a knife around the inside ridge of the pan to release the cake and reverse it onto a serving dish.
Meanwhile, heat the cream and pour over the chocolate. After 2-3 minutes add the honey and stir until the sauce is cold and glossy. After half an hour spread the ganache over the cake and garnish it attractively with chocolate shavings. Store, covered in the fridge.
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| A Delicious 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, Aleco, and my parents found the crust exceptionally crisp and the 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, sauteed until crisp 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
1 tbsp butter, iced and diced
For the pastry, rub flour with salt and butter until the mixture 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 the dough into a ball and flatten it, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate it. for 30 minutes at least.
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 base and sides of the tin, and prick it 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 for10 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, with the egg yolks, cream and 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.
DOLMADAKIA WITH MINCED MEAT
 |
| Smale Dolmadakia for Easter |
One of my favourite dishes, best prepared in late spring when the wine leaves are tender. I use bread instead of rice because it helps the filling become softer.
60 wine leaves, blanched and patted dry
Filling:
500 g (1 lb) minced meat
2 thick slices two-day-old bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry
3 onions, grated and sauteed in a little olive oil until tender
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 tbsp chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp butter cut in small pieces
4 mint leaves
500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock or more, if necessary
Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp cornflour
750 ml (3 cups) cooking liquid and chicken stock
Freshly ground white pepper
Lemon juice to taste
125 (1/2 cup) light cream
Mix the seven ingredients for the filling well together, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Line a large, flat saucepan with the most disfigured wine leaves. Then start filling the wine leaves in the following way:
Place each wine leaf on a plate, the shiny side of the leaf touching the plate. Put a teaspoon of filling near the middle of the base of the wine leaf and fold the sides evenly over. Then roll them into small packets. and arrange them side by side, cylindrically, in the prepared saucepan. When the first layer is completed, dot with half the butter and place 2 mint leaves over. Continue preparing the dolmadakia, placing them over the bottom layer. Dot them with the remaining butter and mint leaves, and place a piece of baking parchment and a plate on top. Pour the cooking liquid over and bring to the boil. Then lower to heat and simmer very, very gently for about 40-45 minutes, making sure that they are well covered with stock during the cooking period.
You could cool the saucepan and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, transfer the dolmades to another flat saucepan, discard any remaining mint leaves, strain a little of the cooking liquid over, and simmer very gently to heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce, which tastes like a thick avgolemono, without eggs. Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and sift the cornflour over, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the hot cooking liquid, plus extra stock if necessary, in three portions, beating well after each addition until the sauce is well blended and bubbling. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cream and a little lemon juice. Taste and add salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if necessary. Discard the bay leaf, pour the sauce over the hot dolmadakia
Here is a recipe for a fabulous chocolate cake.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
 |
| A Favourite Cake |
A lovely flourless chocolate cake.
250 g (8 oz) bitter sweet chocolate, chopped
105 g (3.5 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
A pinch of salt
6 eggs, separated
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
Ganache:
120 g (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
120 g (4 oz) cream
1 heaped tsp honey
Melt butter and chocolate together over very low heat, add the salt and stir until well combined and glossy.
Whip the egg whites with the baking powder until fluffy. Increase the speed and beat to the soft peak stage. Slowly add 2 tbsp sugar and continue beating to stiff and glossy peaks.
Whip the egg yolks for 3-5 minutes with 1/2 cup of sugar until light and creamy. Gently fold yolks into chocolate mixture until slightly combined. Very gently fold in the whipped egg whites, in three portions until just combined and no traces of white are evident.
Pour into a baking tin, bottom and sides of the tin buttered and lined with baking parchment and buttered again. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350F) for 30-35 minutes until the cake is puffed but still slightly soft in the centre. Cool the cake for1 hour and chill it for 2 hours. Run a knife around the inside ridge of the pan to release the cake and reverse it onto a serving dish.
Meanwhile, heat the cream and pour over the chocolate. After 2-3 minutes add the honey and stir until the sauce is cold and glossy. After half an hour spread the ganache over the cake and garnish it attractively with chocolate shavings. Store, covered in the fridge.
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| Roses From the Garden |
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