Autumn Diet

         It seems that this will be a turbulent autumn.

         Fortunately, a proposal for Syria to place its chemical weapons

under international control, seems to have placed the drums of war on hold.

         At home, strikes have been proclaimed by the Primary and Secondary School Teachers, the administrative employees of the Universities, the Hospital Doctors and the Public Servants’ Unions, starting in mid-September.

         Yesterday, the workers of the defence industries gathered outside the building of the Houses of Parliament in Athens, protesting against the privatisation of  their industries.

  

        To return to the object of this blog, for as long as I can remember, every autumn, I’m determined to follow a   healthier diet.    Here are some recipes you might find interesting.      

                           

                      

A SALAD FROM  THESSALONIKI

                                 

          Try this salad.   It is not as complicated as it seems

½ kg (1 lb) white cabbage, finely shredded

125 g (4 oz) red cabbage, finely shredded

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

3 carrots, coarsely grated

½ a yellow pepper cut into julienne strips

½ a red pepper cut into julienne strips

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1-2 sweet gherkins finely chopped

½ cup parsley, finely chopped

½ tsp salt

80 ml (1/3 cup) red wine vinegar

Ice cold water

Salad Dressing

2 tbsp good wine vinegar

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp Dijon mustard

Juice and zest of an orange

1 tbsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients until the sauce thickens.

            Season the red cabbage with ½ tsp of salt, mix well and refrigerate for about an hour.    Then rinse thoroughly with cold water.

 Fill half a large bowl with ice-cold water and 80 ml (1/3 cup) wine vinegar, add the white and the marinated red cabbages and refrigerate for half an hour, at least.  Then strain, dry and lay in a cold salad bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients, the salad dressing, toss thoroughly and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

    (Serves 6) 

  

CHICKEN BAKED IN A SALT AND FLOUR CRUST.

1300 g (1 lb 10 oz) chicken trimmed, washed and dried

2 garlic cloves, sprouts removed

Fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary sprigs

Salt and pepper

CRUST:

600 g (about 1 1/3 lb) flour

600 g (about 1 2/3 lb) coarse salt

1 tsp each of dried thyme, sage and rosemary 

500 ml wine or more if necessary

Pepper

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

                Sprinkle the chicken cavities with a little salt and pepper and stuff with the thyme, sage and rosemary sprigs and half the garlic cloves. Truss the chicken, tying legs and wings close to the body and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

               For the crust, mix flour with salt and thyme, add the wine a little at a time until you have a soft pliable dough.  Roll out the dough and drape over a prepared baking tin, lined with backing parchment.   Sprinkle the dough evenly with the chopped garlic, lay the chicken in the centre and wrap the dough tightly over the chicken, forming a packet. 

              Bake the chicken in a pre-heated oven to 180 C (350 F) for 1 ½ hour. Break or cut the crust and discard. Serve the chicken with a potato salad and a green salad and enjoy.      Really good.

  

                                                   

                                 

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS IN MUSTARD SAUCE

             This light dish is very tasty and easy to prepare. It is equally good without the mushrooms, if you prefer.

4 chicken breasts, sliced

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

A little nutmeg, optional

1 medium onion, grated

4 spring onions, finely chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

250 g (½ lb) fresh mushrooms, sliced

A little salt

The leaves of 4 sprigs of tarragon, chopped

1-2 tbsp mustard of your choice

300 ml (10 oz) light cream

2 tbsp dry white wine

        Sauté the chicken slices in butter and olive oil, on both sides, until cooked, sprinkle with salt, freshly ground white pepper and a little nutmeg, if using, and place in a dish and keep hot.

        In the same utensil, place the dry and the spring onions and the garlic and cook until soft. Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Transfer the chicken back into the saucepan and add the tarragon.   Mix the cream with the mustard and the wine, pour over the chicken and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.  Serve with the same wine you used for the cooking.  

AUBERGINES, COURGETTES AND PEPPERS IN TOMATO ASPIC

                  

      Prepare this dish in summer, when vegetables and herbs are at their very best.  You could use carrots instead of the cubed aubergines, or just aubergines and red and yellow peppers.

3 aubergines, the long variety

3 tbsp olive oil

4-5 medium courgettes

2-3 sage leaves

Salt and pepper

2-3 pickled red Florina peppers, (from a jar)

500 ml (2 cups) fresh tomato juice

14 g (1/2 oz) powdered gelatine

1 large clove garlic, bruised

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

1 tsp honey or more, to taste

A few drops Tobasco sauce

Parsley leaves for decoration.

          Line a 25cm (10 in) loaf-tin with cling film and brush with olive oil.

Slice two of the aubergines thinly, lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and let them drain.   Rinse, dry and sauté the aubergines in olive oil and 2-3 tablespoons water and set  aside to drain on kitchen paper.  

         Cut the remaining aubergines into cubes, following the same procedure, and set aside.

          Slice the courgettes lengthwise and simmer in salted water with the sage until tender.   Dry on kitchen paper, and set aside.

    

          Drain the peppers from the jar and remove any scorched skin.  Cut them into quarters, pat dry and set aside.

          Boil the tomato juice gently for ten minutes, with garlic, tobasco, vinegar, honey and salt.  Discard the garlic, taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.   Soften the gelatine in cold water and add to the hot tomato juice and stir well until dissolved.
 

         As the tomato starts to set, pour a little into the loaf-tin, garnish with parsley leaves, refrigerate and let it set.     Place the aubergines slices over, leaving about 5 cm (2 in) hanging over the sides of the loaf tin.   Pour a little of the tomato juice over, refrigerate and let it set. Add the courgettes sprinkle with 1/3 of the herbs   and cover with tomato juice. Refrigerate and let it set once more.  Continue the same procedure with the peppers sprinkled with herbs, the cubed eggplants sprinkled with herbs,  pouring the remaining tomato juice over.   Cover with the overhanging eggplants and chill for at least 6 hours

.

        When ready to use, unmould on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves and sprinkle with olive oil.

(Serves 6).

  ONIONS STUFFED WITH ANTHOTYRO AND APPLES

                                   

  

 Very tasty, if well seasoned!

6 medium onions,

500 g (1 lb) anthotyro (crumbled) or ricotta

5 tbsp kephalotyri or Parmesan, grated

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tart green apple peeled and grated

3 slices ham, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne

½ tsp grated nutmeg

120 g (½ cup) low fat cream, if using anthotyro

1 tbsp cold butter cut in small pieces

           Remove the roots from the onions.  Cut a slice off the top of each onion, without removing the skin.   Bake the onions in a hot oven pre-heated to 200 C (400 F) for about 40 minutes or until soft.   Combine the cheeses (reserving 2 tbsp grated cheese for further use) with the eggs, cream (if using), butter, apple, ham, herbs and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, Cayenne and nutmeg.

        Meanwhile skin the onions and remove the inner rings carefully, leaving only two rings to form a cup.  Season the onion cups with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  

         Blend the removed, inner rings of three onions until smooth and combine them with the cheese mixture and mix well together; taste and add a little salt, pepper, Cayenne pepper, and nutmeg, if necessary.

       Stuff the onions liberally, sprinkle with the reserved grated cheese and dot with butter.   Return the onions to a moderate oven 190C (375 F) and bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden brown.  

                  

ANOTHER RECIPE FOR STUFFED ONIONS

                   

                      

6 large onions, peeled

350 g (11.5 oz) veal, minced and sauteed in olive oil with

1 grated carrot and

3 tender celery  stalk, finely chopped

6 tbsp grated kasseri or Parmesan or Cheddar, or a mixture

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 tbsp of marjoram, finely chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

Salt and pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Olive oil

          Boil the onions until tender and set aside to cool.  Cut the onions in half horizontally and remove the inner rings leaving only two or three rings to form a shell.

       Blend three of the removed onion rings until smooth.   Place them into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, reserving 2 tbsp grated cheese for further use, and season with salt and pepper.   Mix all the ingredients well together, and fill the onions right up to the top. Sprinkle with the reserved grated cheese. 

 

    Place the onions in an oiled baking dish and brush them liberally with olive oil.   Add 250 ml (1 cup) water around the onions and bake them for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

(Serves 6)

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BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD

                                        

  This a large, colourful salad.

1 broccoli cut in florets

1 cauliflower cut in florets

1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow peppers, trimmed, seeded, thickly sliced and halved

2 carrots peeled and cubed

Salt

Sesame oil, (not the oriental kind)

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, and

1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds for garnishing

Salad Dressing

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

5 tbsp sesame oil (not the oriental kind)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 scant tbsp honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice, if necessary

            Place the first four ingredients in a baking tin lined with baking parchment, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with sesame oil and roast in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F), until tender.   Arrange the vegetables attractively on a flat salad dish.     

          For the dressing blend the vinegar with the mustard, honey, salt and pepper and then add the remaining oil gradually, until the vinaigrette thickens.  Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary. Dredge the vegetables with the dressing, cover and refrigerate.  One hour before serving remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds and parsley.

(Serves 6-8)