Here are a few recipes for Greek hors d’oeuvres and dishes suitable for
celebration meals.
SMOKED TROUT APPETISER
(Kapnisti Pestrofa)
4 smoked trout fillets
½ cup of chopped chives
½ cup of chopped dill
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp mustard
Place 2 trout fillets in a deep dish and sprinkle with half the
chives and half the dill. Place the
remaining trout fillets on top and sprinkle with the remaining chives and dill.
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard in a jar until
the dressing thickens. Pour over the trout
fillets, which out to be half-covered by it.
Then cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Serve at room temperature with thin slices of toasted bread.
PARSLEY SPREAD
(Maidanosalata)
A delicious spread from the island of Paros.
1 thick of bread soaked in water and squeezed dry
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and grated
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
¼ tsp chilli pepper
500 g (1 lb) flat parsley, stems trimmed
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Olives for garnish
Place half the bread in a food processor with the onion, garlic,
chilli and half the parsley. And blend
until almost smooth. Add the remaining
parsley and bread to the blender with the egg yolk, half the lemon juice and
olive oil and blend again, adding more olive oil and vinegar and some salt to
taste, if necessary.
Serve in a bowl garnished with olives, and warm, crusty
bread.
FETA BAKED IN THE OVEN
Sayanaki
This recipe is for 1 portion.
1 thick slice of feta
1 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
A sprinkling of thyme leaves
Honey
Preheat the oven to 190 C (375 F). Place the feta in a small
oven-proof dish and sprinkle with thyme leaves and freshly ground black pepper
and drizzle with olive oil.
Cook for 12-15 minutes and serve hot drizzled with a little honey
and crispy brown bread.
OLIVE SPREAD WITH GARLIC
Pasta Elias
3 cups of pitted Kalamata olives
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse for a few seconds until smooth. Serve in a bowl accompanied by small rusks,
breadsticks and raw sliced vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks and
multi-coloured bell pepper pieces.
It can also be served with grilled fish.
SQUID SALAD
(Calamarakia salata)
1 kg (2 lb) squid, trimmed, head detached from the body tentacles
and body reserved
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt and
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil and vinegar to taste
1-2 tbsp chopped parsley
Thinly sliced onions for garnish
To clean the squid grasp the tail in one hand and the head
in the other and pull apart with a slight twisting motion. The head and innards should easily slip out
of the body. Cut off and discard the
innards and the head but reserve the tentacles and the body. (The ink sack
should be reserved for another dish as it is considered a gourmet’s delight).
Wash the body and the tentacles thoroughly and pat dry. Place them in a saucepan and cover with wind
and the bay leaf and simmer for 35-40 minutes, drain and cut into rings.
Place the body rings and tentacles in a bowl and sprinkle
with salt, pepper and thyme. Add the olive oil and vinegar to taste and toss. Top
with chopped parsley and onion slices.
GRILLED SQUID
(Calamarakia Psyta stin Shara)
An easy but delicious first dish.
Heat the grill to high heat. Rinse the squid under cold water
and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut the
squid bodies, lengthwise down the one side also cut the tentacles if large. In a bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice,
salt and pepper. Add the squid bodies
and tentacles and toss to coat with the vinaigrette.
Thread the squid bodies on to skewers so that the lie flat
and thread the tentacles on separate skewers and grill over high heat, turning
once, until just opaque throughout 1-2 minutes.
Remove the squid from the skewers and pole on a dish, sprinkle
with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
MEATBALLS
(Keftedakia)
A traditional Greek main dish.
1 kg (2 lb) minced meat
2 onions, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 cup breadcrumbs
125 ml ( ½ cup) tasty meat stock
2 tbsp grated kefalotyri
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and line a baking tin with parchment
paper brushed with olive oil. In a large
bowl combine all the ingredients and mix all together. Cover the bowl with cling film and
refrigerate for 1 hour at least.
Shape the meat mixture into balls about the size of a walnut
and place on the baking tin and bake for 40 minutes turning the meatballs
midway through the cooking time.
Serve hot, with chips or mashed potatoes and a green salad. You could, also, serve them with a tasty tomato sauce and spaghetti, if you prefer
ROAST LEG OF LAMB
A favourite Greek celebration dish.
2 kg (4 lb) leg of lamb, trimmed of extra fat
Juice of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced
150 g (5 oz) kephalotyri, cut into small sticks, optional
50 g (1 3/4 oz) butter
Place the leg of lamb on a large, double piece of baking parchment. Rub it with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Make small slits in the meat and fill them with garlic and larger ones and fill them with cheese sticks, if using. Dot with butter, place the rosemary sprigs over and fold the parchment to form a compact parcel.
Roast the leg of lamb in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 1 1/2 hours. Then uncover the meat and roast for 15 minutes more, until tender and golden brown. Serve with roast potatoes and a green salad.
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