RECIPES

                       WATER BISCUITS WITH CRÈME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

It is very easy to prepare this elegant hors-d’oeuvre.  One could use mini-tartlets, blini or any other kind of biscuits as a base.

 

12 mini water biscuits

6 tbsp crème fraiche

2 tbsp Beluga caviar

2 tbsp thinly snipped  chives

Snipped dill

 

Arrange the biscuits on a pretty dish.  Pipe ½ a teaspoon of crème fraiche on the middle of each biscuit.  Spoon ½ tsp of caviar on top, garnish with chives and dill and serve immediately.

 

 

                                 FIGS WITH BACON AND RED PEPPER FLAKES

This is a fabulous appetiser.

 

6 tbsp cream cheese, whipped

8 ripe figs, halved lengthwise

150 g (5 oz) lean bacon rashers 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 crispy.  Pat dry with kitchen paper and transfer to a small dish.

Discard all but one tbsp of the bacon fat from the frying pan, add the honey, swirl to mingle and simmer for 1 minute over medium heat.  Then add the figs, cut side down, swirling the pan occasionally, until the figs are cooked and caramelised.  Pour in the vinegar and the cooking juices, stir and barely simmer until the sauce reduces and becomes syrupy.   

  Arrange the figs, cut side up, on a serving dish.  Spoon a little cream cheese over each fig, place pieces of crispy bacon over, and drizzle with syrup.  Serve sprinkled with pepper flakes.  

 

 

                                 FILLET OF SOLE AND SHRIMPS AU GRATIN  

 A delicious first dish

1 ¼ k (2 ½ lb) sole fillets, washed, patted dry and sprinkled with salt

250 g (½ lb) shrimps, deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry

250 g (½ lb) mushrooms, trimmed, sliced and sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled with salt

8-10 slices of Gruyere or any other yellow cheese

Bechamel sauce (see recipe below)

 

BECHAMEL SAUCE:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp plain flour

250 ml (1 cup) hot milk and the liquid from the sole and shrimps

125 ml (½ cup) cream

4 eggs separated, white whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

 

Boil the sole fillets in a little water until they flake when tested with a fork and remove from the pan.  Reserve the cooking liquid.

 

Cook the shrimps in a little water, a knob of butter, a small sprig of rosemary until tender and sprinkle with salt.  Also, reserve the cooking liquid from the shrimps.

 

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter, add the bay leaf, sift in the flour and cook stirring for 4-5 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.  Then pour in the hot milk and the cooking liquids from the sole and shrimps  and simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. 

 

Then mix the egg yolks with the cream and stir into the sauce.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.  Discard the bay leaf and add ¼ of the whipped egg whites into the sauce to lighten it a little then very gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

 

Spoon half the bechamel in a buttered baking dish. Place the fish, shrimps and mushrooms evenly over and cover with the cheese slices.  Top with the remaining bechamel, brush with egg wash, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes until the au gratin puffs and is golden in colour.   

 

 

                                          MOUSSAKA WITH CHESTNUTS

 

An interesting, tasty fist dish.

 

1250 g (2 ½ lb) chestnuts, roasted, peeled and sprinkled with salt

750 g (1 ½ lb) minced meat

3 tbsp butter or more, divided

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, peeled and grated

125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine

500 g (2 cups) tomato juice

1 tsp of sugar or more according to the acidity of the tomato juice 

60 g (2 oz) pine nuts, toasted

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Chicken or vegetable stock lightly salted

 

First sauté the minced meat in butter with the grated onion and carrot, stirring until the meat changes colour and is no longer lumpy.  Pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add the tomato juice and enough chicken or vegetable stock to cover the meat and season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste.  Place the lid on the saucepan, lower the heat, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked and dry.  Finally, stir in the toasted pine nuts.  Preheat oven tom180 C (350 F).

 

To assemble the dish, first, place half the chestnuts in a buttered Pyrex dish.  Spoon the minced meat over, cover with the remaining chestnuts, brush with soft butter and pour enough stock to cover.  Wrap the dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the chestnuts are tender and the moussaka is dry enough to be cut into pieces.

 

Serve with mashed potatoes  or rice and a green salad.