GREEK DISHES (Part 2)

 

                                   FAVA BEANS OR BROAD BEAN PASTE

500 g (1 lb) fava beans, soaked overnight in water

1 large onion, peeled and grated

4 carrots, scraped and grated

2 bay leaves

1 tsp curry powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Olive oil and

Lemon juice to taste

Thyme leaves

 

Strain the fava beans and place them in a saucepan with the onion, carrots, bay leaves and 1 lt (4 cups) water and season with curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.

 

Simmer, over very low heat, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Discard the bay leaves and blend them into a smooth puree that holds itself in a spoon. 

 

Serve drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with thyme leaves.

 

 

                                            SALT COD WITH AMARANTH

1 salt cod fillet, soaked in water to extract extra salt

1 kg (2 lb) amaranth

250 ml (1 cup) olive oil, divided

250 ml (1 cup) water

1 onion, peeled and grated

¼ cup chopped amaranth leaves

 

Sauce:

2 eggs

The juice of 1 lemon

 

Rinse the cod and pat it dry.  Blanch the amaranth and cut it into bite-sized pieces.  Sauté the onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, add the amaranth and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the cod, water and the remaining olive oil, cover the saucepan and simmer gently the 20 minutes.

 

Remove the saucepan from the heat and prepare the egg-and-lemon sauce (avgolemono).  Whip the eggs until light and fluffy and stir in the lemon juice.  Add the cooking liquid, by the spoonful, stirring constantly, to prevent the eggs from splitting. Pour the egg and lemon sauce into the saucepan and simmer very, very gently, stirring constantly for 2 minutes more.

 

Serve with crusty brown bread and a glass of Greek white wine, like Santorini’s assyrtiko or  a Cephalonia’s Robola.

 

 

                                                PUMPKIN PATTIES

1.5 kg (2 lb) pumpkin, peeled and grated

1 large onion, peeled

2 eggs, whipped

4 tbsp chopped fresh mint

2 tbsp chopped parsley or dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

1 cup plain flour

1 cup dried bread crumbs

Mild tasting olive oil

 

Place the grated pumpkin in a sieve, sprinkle with salt and after a few minutes, squeeze with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible.  Place in a bowl with the remaining ingredients until the mixture thickens and holds itself in a spoon. 

 

Shape the pumpkin mixture into patties, sprinkle with flour and breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side and place of kitchen paper to drain. 

 

Serve with yogurt and a zesty green salad.

                                                GREEK STYLE ROAST FISH

5 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges

1 onion, peeled, halved and sliced

2 cloves garlic peeled and minced

1/2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 a lemon, cut into wedges

2 large tomatoes, skinned and cut into wedges

3 fish fillets, cod, pollock  or any other white fish 

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Place the potatoes, onion, garlic, oregano and olive oil into a roasting tin, season to taste and mix well together to coat with olive oil.  Roast for 15 minutes then turn over and roast for 15 minutes more.

Add the lemon and tomatoes and roast for 10 minutes then cover with the fish fillets and cook for 10 minutes more.  Serve sprinkled with parsley.

                                                

                                                      DOLMATHAKIA

2 tbsp olive oil

500 (1 lb) minced meat

1/2 an onion, peeled and grated

100 g (3.3 oz) rice

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

A pinch of fresh oregano

Saute the minced meat, onion, rice and garlic, over medium heat, in olive oil until the meat has slightly browned. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, salt pepper and oregano and set aside to cool a little.  

Soak the grape leaves in water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.  Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  

Stuff the grape leaves by placing a tsp of filling in the centre of the dull side of the leaf and fold the outer parts towards the centre.  Then roll them up loosely.  arrange the dolmathakia, side by side in a deep baking pan, pour in enough water to cover and dot with butter.  Cover with foil and bake until all the water has been absorbed.  

For the egg and lemon sauce:

2-3 eggs at room temperature

1 tbsp cornflour

The juice of 2 lemons

500 ml (2 cups) or more, warm, tasty meat stock

Whip the eggs and cornflour until pale and fluffy.  Pour in the lemon juice and slowly add, a ladle at a time of the warm stock.  Then place the mixture over a very gentle heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.  Do not boil on any account to prevent the eggs from curdling.

Pour this delicious sauce over the dolmathakia and serve with chips or roast potato wedges,    

 

   

                                                       PASTA FROLLA

In the Ionian Islands, jam tarts are called pasta frolla. This is a delicious tart.

200 g (7 oz) butter, softened

250 g (2 cups) plain flour

2 level tsp baking powder

55 g (1/3 cup) semolina

75 g (1/3 cup) sugar

1 egg

Pinch of salt 

400-450 g (13.5-15 oz) jam, preferably apricot

Mix all the ingredients together, except the jam, until they form a soft pliable dough. Roll out 2/3 of the dough and line a 30 cm (12 in) tart dish.  Spread the jam evenly on top.  Then make fine rods with the remaining dough and form a lattice pattern on top of the jam.  Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut into wedges and serve.

                                                      PUMPKIN JAM

1 1/2 kg (3 lb) pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cubed

1 kg (2 lb) sugar

1 orange the juice and zest

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

2 liqueur glasses  METAXA brandy

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan with all the other ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer for 50 minutes.  Cool and blend into a smooth, orange-coloured delight!