Eleni brought us about 5 kg of choice, fresh figs from her village, near Kalamata.   I tried to give some away, but nobody seemed to want them.  Consequently, I’ll keep a few in the fridge, so we can enjoy them  at our own ease, and with the rest I’ll bake a cake, cook a main dish and make pickles and jam.

                              

                               FRESH FIG CAKE WITH SPICES

             I was inspired to make this cake, by a banana cake that I used to bake often, when the children were young . It is a lovely, rich cake and keeps fresh for over a week.

300 g (1½ cup) caster sugar

115 g (½ cup) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

320 g (2½ cups) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ginger powder

1 cup fresh fig pulp

56 g (about ¼ cup) yogurt

2 tbsp brandy or rum

½ cup walnuts, chopped and dusted with 1 tbsp of the flour mixture

         Sift the flour, with the baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and mix well together.  Also combine the fig pulp with the yogurt, brandy or rum.  

   

         Whip the butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour over the batter in 3 parts alternately with the fig/yogurt mixture and mix well, after each addition.  Finally fold in the walnuts.    

         Place the batter in a round baking tin, lined with baking parchment, brushed with butter.   Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F), for about 45-50 minutes or until a skewer, inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out clean.

         

  

                              

                         CHICKEN WITH FRESH FIGS AND BACON

          This is a dish for special occasions.

6 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cubed

2-3 tbsp flour mixed with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

10-12 rashers lean bacon

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp mustard with honey

350ml (½ a bottle) good quality, dry white wine, a Chardonnay would be wonderful

360ml-480ml (1½-2 cups) tasty chicken stock or more, if necessary
2-3 sprigs of fresh tarragon or

1-2 sprigs of fresh sage

12 or more firm, fresh figs, stemmed and peeled

Salt and pepper
1 tbsp or more sugar
5-6 tbsp wine
360 ml (1 1/2 cup) chicken stock or more if necessary
1 tbsp butter
A sprig of the same herb used for the chicken

120 ml (½ cup) or more cream

            

            Dredge the chicken pieces in seasoned flour, and set aside.   In a large, shallow saucepan sauté the bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil, remove and reserve.

           Shake off the excess flour from the chicken pieces and fry in batches in the same saucepan, until slightly brown, adding olive oil, whenever needed.  Transfer the chicken to a heated dish   Lower the heat, add the onion and garlic and simmer until the onion changes colour.  Stir in the mustard, return the chicken pieces to the saucepan, pour in the wine, and with a spatula scrape the bottom of the saucepan to avoid sticking.  When the wine reduces a little, add the chicken stock and the herb of your choice.  Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is almost ready 12-15 minutes.

           Meanwhile season the figs with salt, pepper and sugar, and cook in a separate saucepan, with  3-4 pieces of bacon, a little wine, chicken stock, a small knob of butter and the herb, until cooked, but not falling apart. Taste and add a little more sugar, if necessary.    

         Discard the herbs from the chicken, spoon the figs over, they should be partly submerged in the sauce, add the bacon and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add pepper and very little salt, if necessary.  At this stage you could cover and refrigerate it until the next day.

          Just before required, heat the food thoroughly, pour in the cream and swirl, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.   Serve the chicken and figs on a hot platter, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper, and accompanied by what we used to call “smashed potatoes with cream”!

                                   SMASHED POTATOES WITH CREAM

1 kg (2 lbs) or more mealy potatoes, peeled and sliced

Enough water to just cover

1 whole garlic clove

1 sprig of sage or tarragon, whatever used in the main dish

Salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup or more, cream

1 tbsp snipped chives

             Boil the potatoes with all the ingredients, except the cream and chives.  Remove the garlic and sage or tarragon and strain thoroughly.  Return the potatoes to the saucepan and heat, in order to remove any possible moisture. Before serving, pour the cream over the hot potatoes and stir, and check for seasoning.  Serve sprinkled with chives and freshly ground black pepper.

   

                                                        PICKLED FIGS

          This pickle goes well with roast, grilled or boiled, meat or poultry.

½ kg (1 lb) ripe, firm figs, stemmed, peeled and thickly sliced

240 ml (1 cup) good quality wine vinegar

250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar

2-3 tbsp honey

2 cloves

1 small cinnamon stick

1 small chilli pepper, optional

Salt to taste

          Place the sugar, honey, vinegar, chilli (if using) and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar melts, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.    

          Add the figs to the honey and vinegar mixture and simmer gently for 2 minutes or so.   Carefully, pour everything into a glass bowl, cover with cling film and set aside for at least 8 hours.

          The next day, transfer the figs carefully to prepared jars, with a slotted spoon.     Remove the chilli, if using, and reduce the sugar and vinegar solution by a third.  Strain the hot vinegar syrup over the figs and seal the jars immediately.   Be patient for a week to ten days before tasting.

  

     

   

                                                               FIG JAM

             The common fig tree (Ficus Carica) is renowned for its luscious fruit, which also contains many nutrients and antioxidants, beneficial to the human body.  Figs can be eaten fresh, dried or cooked.   Here is a recipe for an unusual fig jam that I had promised on a previous post.

1 kg (2 lbs) figs, peeled and chopped

750 g (1 lb 5 oz) caster sugar

1 liqueur glass of brandy or rum

1 cinnamon stick
A twist of lemon rind

A pinch of salt

           Place all the ingredients in large bowl and stir well together.  Cover the bowl with cling-film and refrigerate, overnight.

          The next day, bring the fruit to a bubbling boil, in a heavy saucepan.  Then lower the heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring often with a spatula, to avoid sticking.  Discard the cinnamon stick and lemon rind, and pour the hot jam into prepared jars. When cold, cover with rounds of greaseproof paper and seal tightly.   

        

         

  

         

       

           

            

         

          

The weather is cooler and it seems like rain, a good day to bake a buttery brioche for tomorrow’s breakfast. I’ll either halve the recipe, or make 2 brioches and put one in the freezer.

                           BRIOCHE WITH CHEESE AND HAM FILLING

 400 g (2 1/3 cup) strong, bread flour, sifted

9 g (1 packet) dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

100 g (3 oz + a scant tbsp) butter, at room temperature

6 medium eggs, separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

1 tsp salt and freshly ground white pepper

90 g (3 oz) or more Parmesan, coarsely grated

360 ml (1½ cup) tepid milk

6 thin slices smoked ham, cubed

          In a large bowl, combine the flour with the yeast and sugar and make a little well in the centre.   In another bowl, beat the butter with the egg yolks, stir in the cheese, salt and pepper, and then pour into the flour mixture. Also add the milk and mix everything together, until well blended.  Taste for seasoning, add a little salt, if necessary and gently fold in the egg whites.

          Place the batter in a large, warmed bowl, cover with cling film and tea towels, and let it rise, free from drafts, until almost doubled in bulk (about 1 ½ hour).  Then beat vigorously with a wooden spoon, scatter the ham over and mix well together.  Place the batter into a baking tin, lined with baking parchment, brushed lavishly with butter. Cover with cling film and tea towels once more, and let it prove for 30-40 minutes until doubled in bulk.

          Bake the brioche in a hot oven, preheated to 220 C (425 F), for about 20 minutes then lower the heat to 180 C (350 F) and bake for 25-30 minutes more.  When it is not too hot to handle, remove the baking parchment and cool on a rack.   Store it in a plastic food bag for 1-2 days, at room temperature, or for five days in the fridge.

                                   

                                      

          I had never baked bread in my whole life, until eight years ago, the reason being that I was terrified of yeast.   A living, capricious, untrustworthy ingredient that I didn’t even want to touch, let alone use in cooking.

          We have umpteen excellent small bakeries and chains, all over the country, that sell bread in all tastes and shapes, baked to perfection. " So why should I go into the trouble of making my own bread, when I could buy the best?" was my excuse.

           That was so, until eight years ago.   When, I suddenly realized, that my fear was highly exaggerated, to say the least, so I got down to work and baked  my first loaf of bread, on that very day.  How I loved the touch of soft dough under my palms, and how I enjoyed, kneading, pushing and folding it over and over again.  Then, following the recipe, I covered it snugly, like a baby, let it prove until it doubled in bulk and finally baked it, until it turned crisp and golden.  What a revelation, like magic! 

                           

                         BREAD WITH YOUGURT AND SESAME SEEDS

300 g (2 cups) strong, bread flour

150 g (1 cup) all purpose flour or wholemeal, if preferred

8-10 g dried yeast (1 packet dried yeast)

1 tsp sugar

2 heaped tbsp yogurt, mixed with

4 tbsp olive oil and

1 tsp salt

240 ml (1 cup) tepid water

A little orange juice or water to brush over the loaf

2 tbsp of sesame seeds to sprinkle over

          In a large, warmed bowl, mix the two flours with the yeast and sugar.  Make a small well in the middle and pour in the yogurt/olive oil mixture and enough water to make soft dough. Add more water if needed and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic, but remains soft. 

  

          Place the dough into a large, warmed  bowl, cover with cling film, tea-towels and let it rise, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.  Knead well again, and place in a round, oiled baking tin, cover with cling film and tea towels, and let it prove, until doubled in bulk, for about half an hour. Then brush it with a little orange juice or water and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

       Bake the bread in a hot oven, preheated to 220 C (418 F), for about 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 190 C (375 F) and bake for 30-35 minutes more, until it turns crisp and golden.

    

        

   

                                    

                    

        

      

         

           We stayed up all night and well into the early morning hours watching the London Olympics’ Closing Ceremony.    It was a celebration, applauding mainly British pop and rock music, but also  ballet, fashion and literature.  We loved the children’s choir, and were impressed with a dancing sketch, depicting Roman soldiers and Crusaders, and a Punjabi group of dancers, each referring to important eras in British History.  Well done London, and as Sebastian Coe declared in his closing speech: “when our time came, we did it right”!    They did indeed, in all sectors.

         Needless to say, that we were nibbling and drinking throughout the show.

We started with morsels of fresh bread and cheese and a glass of wine, then a mug or two of tomato soup, and for dessert, one or  two or more ice cream nuggets. That was really an alimentary orgy, but with an excellent excuse i.e. the London Olympics’ Closing Ceremony.

          Let me give you my tomato soup recipe, that can be served either hot or cold. 

                                          TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, grated

1 clove garlic

1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped

3 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped

1 tsp sugar or more (if the tomatoes are sour)

1000 ml (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp basil, chopped

1 tbsp cornflour diluted in 3 tbsp water

200 ml (1 bare cup) cream, low fat, if preferred

200 g (7 oz) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Basil leaves for garnishing

          Saute the onions, garlic and apple in olive oil, with a tiny pinch of salt, until soft.  Add the tomatoes, sugar and stock and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.  Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.   Add the chopped basil and simmer 5 minutes more, then remove from the fire and cool a little. 

          Blend the soup with a hand blender, sieve it if you want a smoother texture, and return it to the heat and simmer.   Add the diluted cornflour and cook and stir until the soup thickens.   Finally add the cream and the feta cheese, if using, and heat well, but do not boil.  Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.  Serve it in soup bowls, glasses or mugs, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper and garnished with small basil leaves.

(Serves 6-8)

         

           

                         

    

        

          

         

      

         

         

         

         

  

          We call August the month of the great exodus.   Almost everyone is away on leave, the cities and towns empty, the traffic lessens and even the suburbs seem much quieter than usual.   One can stroll around window-shopping at one’s leisure and can, blissfully, find ample parking space, wherever and whenever needed!    Strangely enough, even this year, with the credit crunch hanging over us like the sword of Damocles, the picture is exactly the same, Athens is a deserted city.   Of course, it won’t be so for a whole month, as it was a few years ago, as most Greeks have drastically shortened their leaves, others have lost their jobs or shut down their businesses.

          Consequently, the roads being empty, I have decided to go, early, to the market in my neighbourhood, to avoid the heat.  I just adore these markets with gorgeous, colourful fruit and vegetables piled high on the vendors’ stalls.  I usually try to make a good week’s provision, because the products are fresh and tasty and much cheaper than anywhere else.

            Below are two recipes, one for a side dish and one for a cake that I'll prepare with the vegetables and fruit that I have bought from the market.

 

                                              ROAST VEGETABLE DISH

        This is a delicious, roast vegetable dish.   Naturally you can use any vegetable of your choice.

2 large potatoes, pealed and cut into bite size pieces

4 middle-sized courgettes, sliced diagonally into bite size pieces

1 large aubergine, partly peeled and cut into bite size pieces

2 of each red, yellow and orange peppers, stalks and seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces

2 onions peeled and cut from stalk to root in sixths or eights

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little Cayenne pepper

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil or more, if preferred

2 sprigs of rosemary

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

2 large tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and cubed

¼ cup basil leaves, chopped

          Mix all the ingredients (except the rosemary, wine, tomatoes and basil) well together and place them in a baking dish, double-lined with baking parchment.  Arrange the rosemary sprigs over the potatoes and roast in an oven pre-heated to 180C (370F) for about 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked, but are still slightly crunchy.   Discard the rosemary twigs.   Scatter the tomato cubes over the vegetables, drizzle with wine, and roast for 12-15 minutes more.

          
          Arrange  the roast vegetables in a heated pyrex dish, and scatter with basil leaves, while still hot.  My grandchildren love this dish served with spaghetti and cheese.

 

                                                

                                               MARY’S APPLE CAKE

         

          Mary Xenakis, a very dear friend, used to bake this cake for us, when we first started learning bridge, so many years ago.   I have no words left for the cake.  It is juicy and scrumptious. 

115 g (½ cup) butter or margarine, at room temperature

400 g (2 cups) or less sugar

2 eggs

260 g (2 cups) all purpose flour, reserve 1-2 tbsp for dusting the walnuts

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp powdered cinnamon

½ tsp powdered ginger

4 small apples, pealed, cored and diced

55 g (½ cup) coarsely chopped walnuts, dusted with the reserved flour.

    

         Combine the flour with the baking powder, salt and spices.

         In a large bowl mix the butter with the sugar and eggs, until just combined.    Then fold in the flour mixture, and finally the apples and walnuts and stir until barely mixed.     Place the batter in a buttered pyrex dish, level the top with a wet spatula, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for an hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

(Serves 8-10)

 

         

           There can be nothing more satisfying on a hot summer’s day than an ice cream or a water ice made with fresh fruit or fresh fruit juice.   One can prepare the same recipe with peeled peaches or apricots, using brandy or a bitter almond liqueur.

                             FROZEN STRAWBERRY YOGURT

500 g (1 lb 5oz) fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced

125 g (4oz + 1tbsp) caster sugar or more, if preferred

1 liqueur glass good quality brandy or orange-flavoured liqueur

2 tbsp orange juice

A few drops of lemon juice to accentuate the taste

A pinch of salt

250 g (8 1/3 oz) thick yogurt

          Place the strawberries in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar, alcohol, the fruit juices and salt, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours, at least.    Then blend the strawberries, taste and add more sugar, if necessary, and blend once more.  Combine the fruit pulp with the yogurt and mix very well together.

         The easiest way to freeze the strawberry yogurt is in an electric ice cream machine.  Alternatively freeze it in a covered ice cream tray, and when half frozen, beat well and quickly return it to the freezer.  Repeat the procedure 3-4 times more.

(Serves 6)

                                   PEACH WATER ICE

240 ml (1 cup) peach pulp

480 ml (2 cups) water

180 ml (1 cup – 1 tbsp) caster sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

A pinch of salt

         Heat the water, add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts.     Remove from the fire and set aside to cool.   Then add the lemon juice and the peach pulp to the syrup and mix well together.   Freeze according to the instructions given above.

        Serve the water ice in tall glasses, garnished with sprigs of mint.

         

          This is a lovely recipe for a great first dish.  Do try it if you like courgettes.

                                                   COURGETTE TART

Pastry:

250 g (8 oz)  self-raising flour

100 ml (½ cup minus 2 tbsp) olive oil

½ tsp salt

1 egg

4 scant tbsp warm yogurt

Extra flour for rolling out the dough

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

Filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, grated

2 spring onions, finely sliced

600 g (1lb 3oz) courgettes, coarsely grated

3 medium carrots, grated

2 tender celery stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

480 ml (2 cups) cream

1-2 tbsp dill, finely chopped

½ tbsp finely chopped mint (optional)

Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

For the top:

90 g (1 cup) a bland kasseri or Emmenthal, coarsely grated

90 g (1 cup) Graviera from Naxos or Gouda, coarsely grated

90 g (1 cup) Parmesan or any other hard, tasty cheese, grated

Freshly ground black pepper

           In a large bowl mix the flour and salt well together.   In another bowl stir the yogurt with the egg  and olive oil, until thoroughly mixed.  Then combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients, and knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Use a little flour if the dough is very soft and a few drops of water if it crumbles.  Then cover it with plastic film and let it rest for at least an hour, at room temperature.

          Meanwhile prepare the filling.   Saute the onions, courgettes, carrots, and celery in olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.   Cook, very gently, covered, stirring once or twice, until most of the cooking liquid has evaporated and the vegetables turn into a thick puree.   Stir in the cream, nutmeg, dill and mint, if using, and just simmer for 5-10 minutes more, until well blended and thick.   Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

          Roll out the dough thinly and line a 30 cm (12 in) oiled tart tin.   Then sprinkle the crumbs over the pastry shell, spoon the courgette filling over, and level with a spatula.  Mix the three grated cheeses together and spread evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.    Bake the tart in an oven, preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 180 C (370 F), or even lower and bake for 10 minutes more.

(Serves 6-8)

. 

         

         Nora Widmer, a dear friend from Switzerland, gave me this recipe, when we were both living in India.   It has changed considerably over the years, as recipes do, mainly through using a variety of cheeses and a different pastry for the tart shell.   Here it is:

                            NORA’S COURGETTE AND CHEESE TART

Pastry:

150 g (5 oz) butter, at room temperature

90 g (3 oz) feta cheese, grated

60 g (2 oz) Parmesan grated

195g (6½ oz) or more, self-raising flour

Some extra butter for the tart dish

Filling:

150 g (5 oz) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, coarsely grated

150 g (5 oz) Gruyere, coarsely grated

4 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated

2 slices smoked ham, finely chopped (optional)

1-2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

4 eggs, separated, whites whipped with a little salt to the soft peak stage

240 ml (1 cup) cream and milk, mixed in equal quantities

Freshly ground pepper

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

          For the pastry, mix all the ingredients together until the dough just comes together. If the dough seems too soft to handle, sprinkle it with a little flour, cover and refrigerate it for not more than 30 minutes.   Then give the dough a flat, round shape and place it a buttered tart tin, gently pressing it into the bottom and around the sides of the tin, and trim it neatly.   Refrigerate for 15 minutes.   Cover the shell with baking parchment and beans and bake blind, in an oven preheated to 190C (375F) for about 12 minutes.   Remove the parchment and beans, prick the pastry with a fork, if puffed, and return it to the oven for 7-10 minutes more.   Remove from the oven and let it cool before using.

          Meanwhile, mix the cheeses with the ham, if using, and spread them evenly over the pastry shell.   Sprinkle the surface sparsely with the grated courgettes, spring onions and dill.  Mix the egg yolks with the cream/milk mixture well together and season with freshly ground pepper and nutmeg.  Then gently fold in the whipped egg whites and pour evenly over the cheese.   Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes in a moderate oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) or until the filling has puffed and browned.

(Serves 6-8)

        

          There can be nothing more delectable than freshly picked baby courgettes

just boiled or steamed and sprinkled with lemon juice and olive oil.   When they grow  and swell, one can stuff them, fry them, combine them with other ingredients and make stews, tarts and pies.   A very versatile vegetable indeed.

          Here’s a recipe which is colourful and quite delicious:

               SMALL COURGETTE SOUFFLES BAKED IN PEPPER CUPS

          These are not really soufflés but that is what we call them.

8 small, sweet peppers (red, yellow and orange)

500 ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock, or more

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Stuffing:

3 cups grated courgettes

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 cup chopped bacon, sauteed with a little water and dried

120 ml  (1/2 cup)  olive oil

1 cup skinned, deseeded and chopped tomatoes

1 cup grated feta

225 g (1½ cup) self-raising flour or more, if necessary

4-5 large eggs, separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

Salt and pepper and Cayenne pepper to taste

150 g  (1½ cup) grated Parmesan

          Slice off the top (the lid) of each pepper, remove the seeds and the white parts, and arrange them standing up like cups, in a shallow, ovenproof saucepan.    Sprinkle the peppers with salt and pepper, cover them with their lids and pour the chicken or vegetable stock and olive oil around them.   Simmer, covered, until the peppers soften a little, remove them from the fire and keep them warm. Heat the oven to 190C (375 F).

          Meanwhile prepare the stuffing.  Mix all the ingredients well together except the egg whites and the Parmesan.  Fold in the egg whites, taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and taste again so that you are convinced that the stuffing is delicious.    Then spoon the stuffing into the pepper cups, cover each cup lavishly with Parmesan, pour a little stock around them and bake them for 35-40 minutes or until they are puffed and nicely browned. (Reserve the flesh from the lids for a salad).

          

  

1^st August, 2012-08-02

                                      

                                     A LIGHT SUMMER SALAD 

          This is a lovely salad for a hot day.   You can raid your fridge and use any left over chicken, boiled rice, grilled peppers, fresh mushrooms, crisp salad leaves, to "create" this salad!   And incidentally, it can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance. 

1 cup boiled rice
250 g (about 8 oz) boiled chicken breast, cubed

1-2 tbsp light mayonnaise (optional)

2 large carrots, coarsely grated, sprinkled with salt

5-6 fresh mushrooms sliced

1 bunch rocket, leaves only

1 romaine lettuce, the crisp inner leaves only

10 or more cherry tomatoes

2 spring onions finely chopped

1 cup parsley, leaves only

1 tbsp chopped estragon leaves 

Garlic croutons

1 cup shaved Parmesan

Vinaigrette:

4 tbsp garlic scented olive oil

2 tbsp estragon vinegar

2 tsp light Dijon mustard

1 scarce tsp ginger powder (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

          In a large salad bowl place a layer of rice, cover with half the chicken cubes, smothered with mayonnaise (optional) and sprinkled with half the estragon and parsley.  Then add, in layers, half the carrots, half the mushrooms, all the lettuce leaves cut into pieces with you fingers and half the spring onions.  Proceed by layering the remaining carrots, mushrooms, chicken cubes, estragon and parsley.  Arrange all the rocket leaves on top, sprinkle with the remaining spring onions and garnish with the cherry tomatoes.  Cover tightly with cling film and refrigerate.

          Prepare the vinaigrette by whipping all the ingredients together, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Just before serving, toss the salad with the vinaigrette, taste again, and serve with the garlic croutons and Parmesan shavings sprinkled on top.

                                               CROUTONS

          For the above salad we need:

4 slices of wholemeal sandwich bread, cubed

Salt, pepper and garlic powder

Olive oil

         Sprinkle the bread cubes with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Line a baking tin with baking parchment and brush with olive oil.  Place the seasoned bread cubes, in a single layer in the tin and brush over with olive oil.     Bake them in an oven preheated to 180C (375F) for about 12-15 minutes or until crisp and golden.

                                                   

         

          After many, long years of collecting, sampling and creating recipes, I have decided to create a blog and share with you my love for cooking.

          You will find recipes here that have been tested and altered repeatedly, until they reached my family’s and friends’ approval and satisfaction.  I hope that you too will try them out and enjoy the dishes as much as we do.

          Today is Friday the 13^th, a scorching day in July, so nothing could be more welcome for a starter than an iced soup, served in tall glasses with a sprig of mint. Incidentally, it is very easy to prepare, saving us from hours of slaving in the kitchen in this heat! 
 

                                ICED WATERMELON SOUP                                                                       

A 390g (13 oz) tin tomato juice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 whole clove garlic

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf + 1 sprig thyme + 1 sprig parsley)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper,

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

1 tsp honey or sugar or according to taste

1 kg (2 lbs) watermelon, peeled, deseeded and cubed

1 shot vodka or brandy, optional

Mint leaves or sprigs for garnish

         Simmer the first six ingredients for 20 minutes and let cool.

Then sieve the tomato juice, stir in the honey or sugar,

 taste for seasoning, and place in the refrigerator.

         Meanwhile, blend the watermelon with a hand blender and

mix it with the tomato juice. Taste again for seasoning and

adjust accordingly.   Sieve the soup, add the

alcohol, if using, and serve, iced, in tall glasses garnished with mint sprigs.