WONDERFUL RECIPES

Here are a few recipes for interesting dishes, dear Reader.

                                        AU GRATIN POTATOES WITH HAM

A delicious side dish, that I am sure you will enjoy.

1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

2½ cups diced ham

Caramelised Onions:

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp brown sugar

5 tbsp butter, divided

4 tbsp plain flour

 1 bay leaf

3 cups milk or more

3 cups mild tasting cheese, grated

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).   First prepare the caramelised onions. Sauté the onions in butter translucent until limp.  Season with salt and white pepper and sprinkle with brown sugar and continue cooking until the onions become auburn and shiny and reserve.

In a saucepan, sauté the flour in 4 tbsp butter with a bay leaf, stirring continuously until the flour is incorporated into the flour and bubbly.  Sprinkle with salt and white pepper and simmer gently, stirring until fragrant. Add the milk in portions, stirring each time until the sauce bubbles and thickens.   Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of grated cheese until it melts into the sauce, discard the bay leaf, and reserve for later use.

Brush a large pyrex casserole with butter.  Add ¼ of the sauce at the bottom of the casserole and level with a spoon.  Layer 1/3 of the potatoes evenly over the sauce, followed by 1/3 of the caramelised onions and half the ham, spoon 1/3 of sauce over the mixture and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.

Continue layering the potatoes, ham, onions and sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with small butter pieces.   Cover the pyrex with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, until golden brown. 

                                                      SHRIMP SALAD

Prepare this tasty and refreshing summer salad for your family and friends.

1 kg (1 lb) medium-sized shrimps, shelled, deveined thoroughly washed and patted dry

1½ cup threaded and finely chopped celery

Lemon juice to taste

½ cup finely chopped red bell peppers

6 tbsp mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

A head of romaine lettuce, trimmed, thoroughly washed and patted dry

2 bunches of wild rocket, trimmed, thoroughly washed and patted dry

Avocado wedges and baby tomatoes for garnish

3-4 chive stalks, finely chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Simmer the shrimps in salted water until they just turn pink because if they are overboiled they become rubbery and unpleasant to eat.  Then quickly strain and transfer to a bowl. Add the celery, lemon juice, red bell peppers, mayonnaise and salt and white pepper to taste.   Mix well and taste, adding extra seasoning and mayonnaise if necessary.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Arrange the lettuce leaves and the wild rocket in a large salad bowl.   Spoon the shrimp salad evenly on top,  garnish with avocado wedges and baby tomatoes, sprinkle with chopped chives and drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

                                                  SALAD FROM NICE

There are many ways of preparing a salade Niçoise,  It can be as elaborate or as frugal as you wish, but very tasty is seasoned with imagination.

1 large cos lettuce, trimmed, washed, dried and separated into leaves

2 cups potato salad please see above

15 cherry tomatoes

360 g (12 oz ) French beans, boiled and sprinkled with vinaigrette and iced

12 anchovy fillets packed in oil, patted dry

2 x 250 g (1 lb) tunny fish in olive oil, drained and broken into pieces

4 hard-boiled eggs, cooled, peeled and quartered lengthwise

2 heaped tbsp Greek olives, stoned

1 heaped tsp capers

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Vinaigrette to taste

And salt and pepper to taste

Line a shallow salad bowl with lettuce leaves, spoon the potato salad evenly over and garnish attractively with cherry tomatoes, French beans, anchovy fillet, tunny fish, hard-boiled eggs, olives and capers.   Season with a little salt on the eggs only, freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with parsley and drizzles with vinaigrette.

 Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix vinegar and salt well together.  Add the  mustard and the olive oil in a fine stream and keep on stirring until the dressing emulsifies.

                         SHRIMPS WITH TOMATOES, FETA AND SPAGHETTI

This recipe resembles one of my dear friend, June Marinos.  I have changed it slightly but thank you June, for the inspiration.

1 kg (2 lb) shrimp peeled, deveined thoroughly washed and patted dry.  Reserve the heads and shells

2 tbsp olive oil

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded

3 garlic cloves, peeled finely chopped

3 tbsp finely chopped parsley

250 g (½ lb) feta, cubed

30 g (1 oz) butter, cut into small pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled until al dente, strained and drizzled with a little olive oil

Sauté the reserved heads and shells of the shrimp in olive oil, pressing on the shells in order to extract as much taste as possible then discard the heads and shells with a slotted spoon.

Simmer the grated tomatoes until they thicken into a sauce and transfer to a shallow oven proof dish and place the shrimps evenly over.   Sprinkle with parsley, garlic, feta cheese, drizzle with the flavoured olive oil, dot with butter and season with black and Cayenne pepper and a little salt.  Broil for ten minutes or until the feta melts and bubbles.

 

Serve over the spaghetti, with a rocket salad.

                 

                                       ROAST CHICKEN LEGS 

                                                                                                           

This is a great favourite with children

12 chicken legs

Marinade:

3 tbsp honey

125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce

125 ml (½ cup) water

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Juice of ½ a lemon

3 cloves garlic, peeled and 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. Sprinkle with half the marinade, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil, and roast in an oven preheated to 200 C (400 F) for about 1 hour, turning the chicken legs around once.  Add more marinade, if needed.  

Serve with mashed potatoes or with celeriac and potato purée.

                                         QUINCE AND APPLE CRUMBLE

A delightful autumn 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 he 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.



       

                                                   CRACKED BISCUITS

Delicious, chocolate biscuits.

200 g (7.05 oz) dark chocolate, chopped (I use Ygeias Pavlidou)
50 g (1.8 oz) butter

2 eggs
70 g (2.5 oz) brown sugar
Vanilla

200 g (7.5 oz) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt


100 g (3.5 oz) sugar
100 g (3.5 oz) icing sugar

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat, mix well together, cool slightly and set aside.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt and reserve.

Whip eggs with brown sugar and vanilla until thick, and slowly add the chocolate/butter mixture until well combined.  Stir in the flour until no traces of white are evident.  Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge for three hours or overnight.

Shape cherry-sized balls with the batter, and roll first in sugar and then in icing sugar. Place them on a baking tin lined with baking parchment.

Bake for 12 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F).  They will puff up and crack.  Cool and store, in a covered container, in the fridge.

Roses in a Vase by Henri Fantin-Latour