CREAM CHEESE AND SMOKED SALMON LOAF
This is a delicious first dish.
600 g (1 lb 3.3 oz) smoked salmon, thinly sliced
Cream Cheese Mixture:
600 g (1lb 3.3 oz) cream cheese
6 sheets gelatine, soaked in iced water for 5 minutes and
squeezed dry
60 ml (2 liquid oz) cream
The juice of 1 lemon and
The grated rind of ½ a lemon
6 tbsp finely snipped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tiny pinch of Cayenne pepper, optional
First, cover the bottom and sides of a dispensable aluminium
loaf tin with cling film allowing the surplus to hang over the sides of the
tin.
Bring the cream to a gentle simmer and remove from the
heat. After 1 minute, add the squeezed
gelatine sheets to the cream and mix until thoroughly dissolved.
Place the cream cheese in a bowl and add the lemon juice and
grated rind, the snipped chives and salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste. Also add a tiny pinch of Cayenne
pepper, if using, and mix everything well together.
Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture into the loaf tin and level
the surface. Cover generously with
smoked salmon. Repeat the procedure once
more and finally, spoon the remaining cream cheese evenly over. Cover with the overhanging cling film and ice
for 4 hours at least.
Reverse the loaf on a
platter, discard the cling film,
Cut into slices and serve with a
green salad and dry white wine.
GRATIN d'HUITRE d'OSTEND
(Creamed Oysters and Prawns Baked in Shells)
This is a Belgian gourmet dish.
90 g (3 oz) butter
24 oysters, the deeper shell of each oyster and the liquor
reserved
6-12 tbsp milk
1¼ tbsp. dry white wine
22.5 g(¾ oz) plain flour
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Rock salt please see below
3 tbsp soft fresh bread crumbs
60 g (2 oz) grated Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese
Sauté the shrimps in 1 tbsp butter, over moderate heat, for
2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until they begin to turn pink. Set aside off the heat.
Pour the oyster liquor into a measuring jug and add enough milk to make 1½ cups and stir in the wine.
Melt the remaining butter over moderate heat, stir in the flour and mix
together thoroughly. Pour in the milk,
oyster liquor and the wine mixture and cook over medium heat until the sauce
bubbles and thickens slightly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about
3 minutes. Then beat the egg yolk in a bowl add 3 tablespoons of hot sauce and whisk the egg yolk mixture
into the sauce and stir vigorously. Add salt and pepper and
taste for seasoning. Remove the pan from
the heat and stir in the reserved shrimps.
Fill a large baking tin with coarse salt. Spoon about 1 tbsp of shrimp sauce on each oyster shell, cover with an oyster and mask with another tablespoon of shrimp sauce. Arrange the filled shells, side by side on the salt in the baking tin. Bake for 8 minutes until the sauce has barely started to bubble. Sprinkle the shells with breadcrumbs and cheese and return them to the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and the crumbs brown lightly. Serve at once.
DILLED SALMON SOUFFLE
A gourmet North American fish dish, which is very easy to prepare.
60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tbsp finely chopped onions
4 tbsp plain flour
240 ml (almost 1 cup) milk
5 egg yolks
1 tbsp tomato paste
470 g (14 oz) tinned salmon, thoroughly drained and flaked
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1½ tsp lemon juice
1½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
6 egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks
Preheat oven to 400 F and coat the bottom and the sides of a soufflé dish, lavishly with butter.
Sauté the onions in the remaining butter for about 4 minutes
but do not let them brown. Off the heat,
stir in the flour until a smooth paste occurs.
Add all the milk and beat thoroughly, in order to dissolve the flour. Then, cook over moderate heat, whisking
constantly until the sauce is smooth and very thick.
Remove the pan from the fire and cool a little, then stir in the 5 egg yolks,
one at a time. Then add the tomato
paste, salmon, dill, lemon juice, salt and Cayenne pepper and mix well together. First, fold a heaped tbsp of whipped egg whites into the mixture and then, very gently but thoroughly, fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks are evident.
Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish, reduce the
heat to 190 C (375 F) and bake, undisturbed for 35-40 minutes or until it has
puffed and is slightly brown on top.
Serve immediately with an hollandaise sauce, if you wish.
BOURTHETO
A delicious fish dish from the Ionian Islands.
1 ½ kg (3 lb) cod or place or any white fish, washed, cut
into small pieces and sprinkled with salt
62½ ml (¼ cup) olive oil
3 onions, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
3 ripe tomatoes, cut in half, deseeded, grated, skins
discarded
1 tsp sugar or more according to the acidity of the tomatoes
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
125 ml (½ cup) white wine mixed with
125 ml (½ cup) hot water
Sauté the grated onion, minced garlic and the Cayenne pepper
in olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes, over low heat.
Pour in the grated tomato, the wine and water mixture and sprinkle with
sugar, add the potatoes and sprinkle with salt to taste. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.
Place the fish on top, sprinkle with freshly ground black
pepper and cook for 15 minutes more or until the fish flakes easily when tested
with a fork. Serve hot.
RICE AND PRAWN SALAD
A lovely salad, which can be offered as a first dish.
300 g (10 oz) basmati rice, soaked in water for 10 minutes
and strained
600 g (1 lb 30z +) prawns, washed and deveined
300 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) dry white wine
1200 ml (4 4/5 cups) water
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf+2 twigs parsley+1 twig rosemary)
1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced
1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced
Salt
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tbsp olive oil
Dressing:
2 tbsp lemon juice
Grated rind of ½ a lemon
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional
Bring the wine and water to the boil and add the bouquet
garni, sliced carrot and onion, salt and the pepper0corns and simmer gently for
20 minutes.
Increase the heat and boil the prawns, in the aromatic water
for 4-5 minutes and quickly remove them with a slotted spoon and allow them to
cool. Strain the stock.
Boil the rice in the stock until al dente, drain, sprinkle
with a little olive oil, swirl the saucepan, and set aside to cool. Place
the rice and prawns in a large salad bowl, sprinkle with the sliced celery and
the chopped Kalamata olives
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing mix all the ingredients well
together and drizzle over the salad.
Toss gently but thoroughly and enjoy.
FIGS WITH BACON AND RED PEPPER FLAKES
8 ripe figs, halved lengthwise
150 g (5oz) lean bacon, thickly sliced and cut into pieces
3 tbsp Greek honey
2 tbsp tarragon vinegar
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Cook the bacon, over medium heat, stirring often, until
brown and crisp, and transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.
Pour all but 1 tbsp of fat from the frying pan, add the
honey and swirl to mingle and simmer for 1 minute, over medium heat. Then, place the figs, cut side down, and
cook swirling the pan occasionally until the figs are slightly soft and
caramelised. Stir the vinegar into the
cooking juices and barely simmer until they reduce and become syrupy.
Arrange the figs, cut side up, on a serving dish. Place pieces of bacon on each fig, drizzle
with syrup and sprinkle with a few red pepper flakes.
FRESH TUNNY FISH WITH FIG CHUTNEY
A fish dish with an exceptional chutney.
4 fillets of fresh tunny fish 250 g (½ lb) each
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chutney:
710 g (1 lb 7 oz) fresh figs, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1 medium-sized onion, peeled, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
51 g (1.7 oz) ginger, peeled and grated
150 g (5 oz) sugar
60 g (2 oz) raisins
½ tsp ground coriander seeds
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp grated nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
First, prepare the chutney.
Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil, over low heat, until
soft but not coloured, stirring frequently.
Add the figs and all the remaining ingredients and cook very gently for
about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture resembles a chunky
jam. Place in sterilized jars cover and reverse the jars until completely
cold,
Brush the tunny fish with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
and freshly ground black pepper. Cook
in a very hot frying pan for 1-2 minutes on each side. The tuna fillets must remain red in the
centre, to prevent the fish from drying out.
Serve the fish with fig chutney and a green salad.
ROAST LAMB WITH MUSTARD, WINE AND A TOUCH OF GARLIC
This is a recipe given to me by our Elpida's beloved Mother and my dear friend Lina Diakopoulos.
2 legs and a shoulder of lamb on the bone, all visible fat discarded
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced,
mixed with
1½ tbsp mustard
1 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
500 ml (2 cups) sweet white wine
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F)
Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper, rub
all over with the garlic and mustard mixture and place in a Dutch oven. Pour the sweet white wine over and dot with
butter and roast, covered for about 1-1 ½ hours until the meat is tender and
juicy.
Serve sliced with roast potatoes, gravy and
a zesty, green salad.
GNOCCHI ALA ROMANA
A delectable Italian dish.
500 ml (1 fl lb) milk
156 g (5 oz +1 tsp) semolina
A little salt
72½ g (2 ¾ oz) butter, divided
62½ g (2.8 oz) grated Parmesan, divided
22 g (0.7 oz) grated Gruyere, divided
2 eggs, whipped
Simmer the semolina in milk, stirring, until cooked and
thick. Remove from the fire, sprinkle
with salt, half the amount of butter, half the grated cheese, the eggs and stir
well together with a wooden spoon.
Spread the mixture on a work surface, roll it out 1.25 cm (½ oz) thick and cut into small rounds with a biscuit cutter. Arrange them on a buttered Pyrex dish, dot them with butter and sprinkle each round with the remaining grated cheese and bake them in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 12 minutes.
Serve the gnocchi ala Romana with a meat sauce.
A delicious, spicy salad.
2 bunches rocket, leaves and tender stalks
only
3 oranges, peeled and filleted
2 tbsp snipped chives
Dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Arrange the rocket in a salad bowl, divide the orange fillets evenly over and sprinkle with chives. Whip all the dressing ingredients together until thick, pour over the salad, toss and serve.
CEPHALONIAN LEEK PIE
Cephalonians are the only residents of the Ionian Island that, traditionally, prepare pies.
Pastry:
500 g (1 lb) self-rising flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mustard powder
300 g (10 oz) butter, cubed
4-5 tbsp white wine
Filling:
1 kg (2 lb) leeks, trimmed, split
lengthwise and thoroughly washed, then sliced boiled and drained to remove as
much liquid as possible
5 medium-sized eggs, 1 separated please see
the instructions
250 g (½ lb) feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
Mix all the ingredients for the pastry in a
food processor until a soft, pliable dough is obtained. Add a little more wine
if it crumbles. Gather into a ball,
flatten it out, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.
Meanwhile, mix the leeks with the 4 whole
eggs and the egg yolk, the cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste.
Divide the dough for the pastry and roll it
out thinly between two pieces of baking parchment. Place the one sheet of pastry in a 30 cm (12
inch) diameter buttered dish, brush with the beaten egg white, and spoon the
filling evenly over. Cover with the remaining pastry sheet, and pinch the edges, firmly, to seal. Slit 2 or 3 vents to allow the
pie to breathe, brush with melted butter and bake for about 30 minutes or until
crisp and golden.
JUNE’S CREAMED CHICKEN
This is a simple dish and easy to prepare for a party.
500 g (1 lb) skinned chicken legs
2 tbsp olive oil
1- 2 cloves garlic
1 sweet red pepper cut in small pieces
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp sweet red wine, Mavrodaphne or Samos wine
1 25 ml (½ cup) cream
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Dry the chicken pieces well and sauté them in olive
oil. Add the garlic and onions and
sauté a few more minutes and then douse with the wine. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until
done. Then add the cream slowly and
season with salt and pepper. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.
Serve with white rice or
noodles.
CHICKEN FRIED RICE0
A fabulous Chinese dish.
4 eggs sprinkled with a pinch of salt and
whipped until pale and fluffy
2 tbsp corn oil or mild-tasting olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
500 g (1 lb) chicken legs, skinned, boned
and finely sliced
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweet white wine or sherry
4 cups steamed rice* (please see recipe
below)
120 g (7 oz) bean sprout from a jar, patted
dry
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp thickly chopped parsley
Place half the amount of oil in a wok, and
place over high heat. Add the whipped
eggs, and cook for 2 minutes, until an omelette is formed. Fold in half, continue sautéing until cooked
and golden and transfer to a plate and chop finely.
Pour the remaining oil into the wok and
sauté the onion and ginger for 1 minute, stirring constantly until slightly
coloured. Add the chicken and sugar and
cook for 3-4 minutes more, then stir in the steamed rice, and the oyster and
soy sauces, stirring for 3-4 minutes until well combined and piping hot. Serve in a large bowl sprinkled with
parsley.
BANANA CAKE
This is a fantastic vegan cake.
3 large, over-ripe bananas
75 g sunflower oil and extra for greasing the baking tin
100 g brown sugar
225 g plain flour
3 heaped tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
50 g dried fruit or nuts, optional
Heat oven to 180 C (350 F).
Mash the bananas and mix well with sunflower oil, the brown sugar. Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and
stir to combine, also add the dried fruit or nuts, if using.
Bake in the greased loaf tin for 20 minutes. Check and cover with foil if the cake is
browning. Bake for 20 minutes more or until a skewer inserted in the of the
middle of the cake come out clean.
Allow cooling before Garnishing with white icing and sliced bananas.
LEMON TART
A delicious aromatic dessert.
Crust:
250 g (½ lb) butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
2 cups plain flour
Pinch of salt
Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
50 g self-raising flour mixed with
1 tsp baking powder
160 ml (0.7 cup) of lemon juice
The zest of 1 lemon
For the crust blend all the ingredients until just
combined. Wrap with cling film and
refrigerate for30 minutes. Meanwhile
preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Roll out the dough thinly and line a 30
cm buttered tart dish, prick the
pastry all over with a fork and bake for
30 minutes.
In the meantime, whip the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest
until light, fluffy and doubled in bulk. Then gently fold in the baking
powder mixture and the lemon juice. Take the filling to the oven and pour over
the pastry and bake for 25 minutes. Cool
and serve sprinkled with icing sugar.
For you dear Reader, a basket with Mediterranean summer fruit.
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