Halcyon Days

      

       According to one version of the myth, Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus (a minor god in charge of the winds) was married to Ceyx, a mere mortal.  They were madly in love and even called each other “Zeus” and “Hera” when making love.   Zeus, king of the gods of Olympus, filled with mad fury by the couple’s arrogance and impiety, hurled thunder bolts against Ceyx’s ship, killing him instantly.   Poor Alcyone, struck by bitter grief, could not recover from this great loss.  Finally, the cyclothymic gods felt sorry for her and transformed her and Ceyx into halcyons (kingfishers).   They also instructed Aeolus to curb the winds for a period of 10-15 days, each winter, so that Alcyone could lay and hatch her eggs in safety, under calm and warm weather conditions.

          This myth explains the blue skies and warm sunny days that occur each year, in the heart of winter, in countries around the Mediterranean Sea.   In Greek, they are called "Alkyonides Hemeres" and in English "Halcyon Days".

    

           According to the weather forecast, the halcyon days are starting tomorrow.   Here are some recipes to celebrate the warm interlude.

 ATHENIAN BOILED FISH

                                             

 You can make a lovely soup from the fish stock.

2-2½ kg (4-5 lb) sea bream, grouper, blackfish, or fresh cod, scaled, cleaned

                                             and washed, sprinkled with salt and lemon juice

                                                                                               

                                                                                 

Court-bouillon

1 onion

2 celery stalks

1 leek

2 carrots

1 bay leaf

1 lemon slice

3 sprigs parsley

1½ litres (6 cups) water

Salt

½ litre (2 cups) white wine

½ tsp peppercorns

Garnish

Boiled carrots, boiled baby potatoes, boiled small courgettes, cherry tomatoes, tender lettuce leaves
1 tbsp capers, soaked for 30 minutes and dried

Chopped parsley

Olive oil and lemon dressing

Homemade mayonnaise

          Simmer the vegetables, herbs  in salted water for 15 minutes.   Pour in the wine and the peppercorns, and simmer for 15 minutes more.    Strain the court-bouillon into a large fish kettle and poach the fish for 20 minutes or more and let it cool in the stock.  Remove the fish and skin it, cut it in half lengthwise, discarding the backbone and the head, and carefully remove all the fish bones.

 

          Reassemble the fish in an oval dish, sprinkle with 2 tbsp of olive oil and lemon dressing and cover with a mild, homemade mayonnaise.  Surround the fish with carrots, baby potatoes, small courgettes, cherry tomatoes and tender lettuce leaves, using your imagination to prepare a really attractive result.   Sprinkle the vegetables with olive oil and lemon dressing and garnish the whole dish with chopped parsley and capers.   Serve with a green salad and more mayonnaise.

(Serves 6)

                                                   

F E N N E L   S O U P

                                                    

4 bulbs fennel, trimmed and chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 litre (4 cups) tasty chicken or vegetable stock

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly grated white pepper to taste
A little salt , if necessary

250 ml (1 cup) full milk or cream

1 tbsp fennel leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice or more if preferred, optional

Fennel sprigs for garnish

            Partly cover the vegetables with water, simmer until tender, cool and blend.

Sieve the vegetable puree back into the saucepan.   Add the stock, pepper and nutmeg and simmer gently until the soup thickens, stirring from time to time.

           Stir in the milk or cream and the fennel leaves and heat very well without boiling. Sprinkle with lemon juice, if using. Taste and add a little salt, if necessary, and freshly ground white pepper.   Serve garnished with fennel sprigs.

(Serves 4-6)

                          

 ELPIDA’S SMOKED TROUT AND DILL DIP

                             

     

     By far a favourite dip!

100g (3 ½ oz) (1 packet) smoked trout

200 g (7 oz) low-fat yoghurt

1-2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise

½ spring onion, chopped

2 tbsp dill  

Lemon juice to taste

     Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until they form a creamy sauce.  This dip  is best served with crackers or rusks.   

                                                  

EASTER MUSHROOM SOUP

                                             

           This is a delicious vegetarian soup, if prepared with olive oil and vegetable stock.  This soup has been inspired by “Magheritsa”, a well-known Easter soup, without the “Avgolemono”.

500 g (1 lb) fresh mushrooms finely chopped

6 dried porcini, soaked and chopped, soaking water strained and reserved

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, grated

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp flour

The tender leaves of 1 cos lettuce, shredded

2 tbsp dill or fennel, chopped

3-4 spring onions finely chopped

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

1.500 litre (6 cups) well seasoned chicken or vegetable stock

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

            In a medium saucepan sauté the grated onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter.   Add the fresh mushrooms, the porcini and the garlic and cook until all the liquid evaporates.   Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Then pour in half the wine and keep on stirring, until it evaporates.   Pour in 2 ladlefuls of chicken or vegetable stock and the reserved porcini liquid and simmer for about 15 minutes. It should have the consistency of a thick mushroom sauce.

  

          In a large saucepan, sauté the spring onions in the remaining oil or butter, add a pinch of salt and the shredded lettuce and cook for 3 minutes more.   Pour in the remaining wine and let it evaporate.   Add the remaining stock and simmer, until the vegetables are almost done and combine with the mushroom mixture.

   

          Add the chopped fennel or dill and cook the soup 5 minutes more.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, according to taste.  Correct seasoning with salt, if necessary.   Also add a little hot water if the soup is too thick.   Bring the soup to a simmer and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Serve immediately.

(Serves 6-8) 

OCTOPUS WITH FENNEL AND WINE

                                         

          Fennel bulbs are cultivated broadly in Greece.   They are popular and appear in many Greek dishes. This dish is based on an old Cretan recipe cooked with tomatoes, wine, and masses of wild fennel leaves.

1.5 kg (3 lbs) octopus, cleaned and thoroughly washed,

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

4-6   peppercorns

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 spring onions, finely chopped

4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered (from

                         stem to root), stalks peeled

1-2 tbsp flour

1 cup or more vegetable stock (made with 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 garlic clove,

                                                      fennel trimmings, salt and pepper)          

 The juice of ½ a lemon

½ cup finely chopped fennel leaves

1-2 tbsp or more ouzo

           Place the octopus in a pressure cooker and cook uncovered until the octopus releases its juices.  Lock the lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, then uncover, turn the octopus over, add the peppercorns and a little wine if necessary and cook for another10-12 minutes with the lid locked.   By this time it should be cooked. If not, give it some extra time.  If you use an ordinary saucepan, the cooking time should be around 1½ hours.   Remove the dark membrane but not the suction cups from the octopus, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and reserve.

          Saute the onions in olive oil, until soft.   Add the fennel bulbs and cook for 5 minutes. Then stir in the flour, pour in the lemon juice and vegetable stock, and simmer covered, for about ¼ hour or until the bulbs are just cooked, stirring once or twice.   Add the octopus pieces, sprinkle with the fennel leaves and cook gently for another five minutes.   Finally douse with ouzo and simmer a few minutes more until the alcohol evaporates.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and freshly ground pepper.   Serve with iced ouzo.

(Serves 6-8)

 TART WITH PASTRY CREAM AND PRUNES

Pastry

1½ cup self-raising flour

1 cup butter, cut into bits

3 tbsp icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp grated lemon peel

1 egg yolk

A little water

For the prunes

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

15-20 dried, pitted prunes

Pastry Cream

3 cups milk

3 tbsp sugar

Vanilla

3 tbsp cornflour

3 egg-yolks

2 tbsp brandy or rum

1 egg white slightly beaten

          For the dough combine the flour with the icing sugar, vanilla and lemon peel.  Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg yolk and water and stir until a soft, pliable dough is obtained.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

          Poach the prunes with the water, sugar, cinnamon stick until the prunes are cooked and the syrup thickens. Add the brandy or rum and simmer 3-4 minutes more. Cool.

           Prepare the pastry cream.  Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Warm the milk and pour into the egg mixture and stir thoroughly.  Mix the corn flour with a little milk (1-2 tbsp) and stir into the above mixture. Transfer to the saucepan and simmer very gently, stirring until the custard thickens and is about to come the boiling point and just simmer for a moment or two. Remove from the fire and cover the surface with cling film, to prevent it forming a crust, and set aside to cool.

          Roll out the pastry and line a buttered tart dish. Poke the pastry all over with the prongs of a fork, to prevent it from rising and bake it, in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven, brush all over with egg white and bake 10 minutes more or until golden and crisp. Let cool.

         Two hours before serving, beat the pastry cream until smooth and glossy, and spread evenly over the tart. Cover attractively with the prunes and syrup.