SUMMER RECIPES

We are blessed with the most delicious vegetables and fruit each summer in the Mediterranean countries, so with a little imagination, one can prepare the most fabulous and cheap dishes and desserts.   






                                 CHEESELESS VEGETABLE QUICHE

A lovely first dish.

Crust:
250 g (1/2 lb) plain  flout
1 tsp salt
125 g (4 oz) iced butter, cubed
1 egg
2 tbsp iced water

Rub flour, salt and butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs, add the egg and mix well together.  If it crumbles add a little iced water.  Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it out, cover with cling film, and ice for  30 minutes at least.  Then, roll out thinly and line a buttered tart dish and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15 minutes.


Filling:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 head of broccoli cut into florets
1 courgette, grated
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 cup milk
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste


Saute onion and bell pepper until onion becomes translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Season with salt and pepper, add the courgettes and mushrooms and saute until cooked and dry. Remove from the heat to cool.


Whip the eggs with the milk and set aside.  Layer the vegetables, evenly, into the pastry shell and finally pour in the beaten egg mixture and bake in an oven preheated to180 C (350 F) for 30-40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and wair for 12 minutes before, slicing and serving.





                  TOMATOES AND PEPPERS STUFFED WITH CRACKED WHEAT

Cracked wheat is used in Mediterranean cooking for the last 4000 years.  A well-known Greek manufacturer, who produces cracked wheat, mentions that it has a high nutritional value as it contains proteins, vitamins and vegetable fibres.   Cracked wheat is used in Greek cooking instead of rice.

6 medium-sized tomatoes, ripe but firm

2 medium-sized yellow peppers

2 medium-sized orange peppers

2 medium-sized green peppers

Stuffing:

1 medium-sized onion, peeled and finely chopped

2-3 spring onions trimmed and finely sliced

1 medium-sized aubergine, peeled cubed and sautéed in  olive oil

12-14 tbsp cracked wheat, soaked and drained

1 cup parsley finely chopped

½ -1 tbsp mint, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

Slice the stem part of each pepper, discard the seeds and sprinkle with salt each pepper cup.  Proceed the same way with the tomatoes, remove the tomato flesh and sprinkle each cup with salt, pepper and sugar.

In a large bowl, cube the tomato flesh, add the onions,  aubergine, cracked wheat, herbs, 2 tbsp olive oil and salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper to taste.  Mix everything well together and stuff the vegetables with the mixture.

Arrange the stuffed vegetables in a shallow ovenproof casserole.  Pour in 2 cups of vegetable stock the remaining olive oil and cover with baking parchment and the lid.  Simmer gently until the cracked wheat is almost cooked.  Remove the lid and parchment and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (35) F) for20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly brown.

  

                                   AUBERGINES COOKED WITH TOMATOES

1 ½ kg (3 lbs) aubergines, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 medium-sized onions, peeled and grated

125 ml (½ cup) of sweet red wine

250 ml (1 cup) olive oil

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

1 tbsp tomato paste diluted in a little water

1 liter (4 cups) hot water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

1 twig of fresh basil

Sauté the onion in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until soft.  Add the aubergines and cook for 5-6 minutes more.  Pour in the wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the alcohol evaporates. 

Then add the fresh tomato and the tomato paste and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste.  Add the basil twig and pour in enough hot water to cover, and simmer gently until the aubergine is tender and the sauce has thickened.  Serve with feta and crusty warm brown bread.

                                                   SPETZOFAI

Spetzofai is a typical dish of the region of Pelion and is prepared with local sausages,

375 ml ( 1 1/2 cups) dry white wine
500 g (1 lb) multicoloured peppers, thickly sliced, deseeded and halved
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of marjoram and a celery stalk
500 g (1 lb) sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
500 g (1 lb) ripe  tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste

Bring the wine to a bare simmer add the peppers and bouquet garni and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until the peppers are cooked but still crunchy. Transfer to a dish, with a slotted spoon.  Then simmer the sausages in the wine until tender, sprinkle with pepper and transfer to the dish with the peppers.

Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic and bouquet garni in the saucepan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes until the sauce is thick and cooked.  Discard the herb packet and blend the sauce until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt, black and Cayenne peppers and sugar to taste.

Add the peppers and sausages to the tomato sauce and heat until piping hot. Serve sprinkled with olive oil.

 

                        STUFFED SARDINES WRAPPED IN VINE LEAVES

40 vine leaves and a few for the saucepan, washed, blanched and patted dry
20 sardines, scaled, heads and backbones discarded, butterflied, washed and patted dry
Juice of 2 lemons (reserve the zest)
Coarse salt

Stuffing:
1 large onion, finely grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped parsley leaves
2 tbsp dill, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme, leaves only, finely chopped
1 tsp grated lemon rind
Pepper to  taste
A tiny pinch coarse salt
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
Lemon slices and parsley for garnish

Dressing:
1 tsp mustard
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil

Marinate the sardines in lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes and pat dry.  Meanwhile, mix all the stuffing ingredients well together.

Lay 2 vine leaves on a plate, slightly overlapping each other, shiny side of the leaves touching the plate.  Place half a sardine on top, spoon the appropriate amount of stuffing lengthwise and cover with another half sardine,  Then fold the lower part of the vine leaves over the fish, fold the two sides of the leaves to the centre and roll up tightly into a neat packet. Follow the same procedure until all the fish are wrapped.

Line the bottom of a large saucepan with the reserved vine leaves and place the fish packets neatly on top. This recipe is sufficient for 2 layers.  Cover with a plate, pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, covered until cooked to perfection.

Transfer the fish packets to a pretty dish, drizzle with lathomlemono and garnish with lemon slices and parsley.     



                                                             FIG SALAD
                                                 

     

A fantastic savoury fruit salad,

1 kg ( 2 lb) ripe figs, peeled
4 thin slices of ham, cut into julienne strips
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
200 g (1 tub) Greek yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh mint for garnishing


Cut the figs in quarters, arrange them on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours at least.


Stir half of the chopped mint into the lemon juice and slowly stir in the yoghurt, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the figs with half the ham strips, spoon over the yoghurt sauce and garnish with the remaining ham and mint.

 

Suer Fruit by Paul Cezanne