Stuffed Vegetables

               Stuffed vegetables are typical of Greek "Poor Cuisine”.  Vegetables, stuffed ingeniously with many ingredients in order to stretch and feed large families, can be both satisfying and delicious.  I’m giving you one recipe for a traditional dish and three more for contemporary ones.

COURGETTES STUFFED WITH MINCED MEAT

          This is a traditional Greek dish that most enjoy.     

                                             

12 large,plump courgettes, lightly scraped, ends trimmed

Stuffing:

500 g (1 lb) minced beef or veal

2 large onions, grated and sauteed in:

A little olive oil and 2 tbsp water

2 thick slices of bread, crust removed, soaked in wine or water and squeezed out

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

½  tbsp mint, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

750 ml (3 cups) or more stock or slightly salted water

Avgolemono sauce:

30 g (2 tbsp) butter
1 bay leaf

1-2 tbsp flour
Hot cooking liquid

The juice of 1 lemon or according to taste
The zest of 1/2 a lemon

2 eggs, well beaten

Salt and white pepper to taste

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped.

            Hollow the courgettes with a potato peeler and add very little salt in each.    Prepare the stuffing by mixing all the ingredients together.  Add a little of the chopped courgette and a little warm water to make the mixture softer and stuff the vegetables.

  

           Arrange them in a large, flat saucepan, in 2 layers or standing up, if not too long.   Pour the water or stock over and cover with baking parchment and the saucepan lid, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until tender.  Transfer the courgettes to a serving dish and keep hot.   Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl and reserve.

          Meanwhile make the avgolemono sauce. Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and  flour and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes.  Pour in the reserved cooking liquid and whisk for 5-7 minutes until sauce boils and thickens.  Remove the saucepan from the fire and quickly whisk in the egg and the lemon juice and zest.  Return to the fire but don’t let the sauce boil.   Discard the bay leaf, taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper, if necessary. Pour over the hot courgettes and serve immediately sprinkled with parsley.

                            

  

STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

                                

                                               

          Blanch a cabbage for 5 minutes, drain and pour cold water over.   Separate the leaves and cut out the coarse stems.

         
          Prepare the same stuffing as for “Courgettes Stuffed with Minced Meat” (see above) without the chopped courgetttes.

          Fill each leaf or part of a leaf with a tbsp of stuffing and roll into small packets.  Arrange the cabbage rolls, in a large, flat saucepan, side by side, in two layers.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and press down with a large plate.   Add 750 ml (3 cups) stock or water and 1 tsp salt.  Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 1 hour.  Remove the cabbage packets and arrange them in a serving dish and keep hot.

         Prepare the avgolemono sauce as for “Courgettes Stuffed with Minced Meat ” (see above).  Pour it over the vegetables and serve steaming hot, with fried potatoes.

           Some cooks place sticks of kefalotyri or pecorino cheese in between the packets.   Try it, if you wish, but put less salt in avgolemono sauce.

                           

  STUFFED COURGETTES HALVES

                                  

This is a clever way to make children eat vegetables.

1 kg (2 lbs) plump and medium-sized courgettes, parboiled and cut in half

                                                                                                  lengthwise

Stuffing:

1 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1 tbsp olive oil

4 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

½ tbsp mint, finely chopped

90 g (3 oz)) kephalotyri or Parmesan, grated

3 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups béchamel sauce

Extra grated cheese for sprinkling over

Pieces of butter

              With a teaspoon, remove some of the flesh from the courgettes halves in order to stuff them.   Reserve the removed flesh.

           

             Sauté the onions and the reserved courgette flesh, in the butter and olive oil and then mix them, thoroughly, with all the other ingredients, except the béchamel.  Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

              Fill the courgette halves with the mixture.    Place them in a buttered ovenproof dish and cover each courgette half with béchamel sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese, dot with butter and bake in hot oven 200 C (400F) until browned.

TOMATOES AND PEPPERS STUFFED WITH CRACKED WHEAT

                                                                       

          Cracked wheat is used in Eastern Mediterranean cooking for the last 4000 years.   A well-known Greek manufacturer, who produces cracked wheat, mentions that it has a high nutritional value, as it contains proteins, vitamins and vegetable fibres.  Cracked wheat is sometimes used in Greek cooking instead of rice.

6 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm

2 medium-sized yellow peppers

2 medium-sized orange peppers

2 medium-sized green peppers

1 medium aubergine, peeled, cubed and sautéed

12-14 tbsp cracked wheat, soaked and strained

2 large onions, finely chopped, sauteed in a little olive oil and water

3-4 spring onions, finely sliced

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

½ - 1 tbsp mint, finely chopped

Cayenne pepper

Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Water or vegetable stock

        Slice the stem part off each pepper, and reserve.   Discard the seeds and add a pinch of salt in each pepper cup.  Proceed in the same way with the tomatoes, remove and reserve the pulp of the tomatoes and set aside, and sprinkle the tomatoes shells with salt, pepper and sugar.

          In a large bowl cube the tomato flesh and add the onion, aubergine,  cracked wheat, herbs, 2 tbsp olive oil, Cayenne, salt, pepper and sugar   Mix everything very well together and stuff the peppers and tomatoes with the mixture.  

          Arrange the stuffed vegetables in a shallow, ovenproof casserole, add 2 cups water or vegetable stock and the remaining olive oil and cover with baking parchment and the lid.  Simmer gently until the cracked wheat is almost cooked.   

          Remove the lid and the baking parchment and bake in a moderately hot oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly brown.

  

AUBERGINES STUFFED WITH VEGETABLES AND CHEESE

 This is a tasty, colourful dish, best made in summer when vegetables are plentiful.

4 aubergines, the long variety, cut in half lengthwise, the flesh scored in a                       

                                                                                                   diamond  pattern

2-3 tbsp olive oil

10 medium-sized onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

8 tbsp aubergine cubes, removed from the centre of each aubergine half

2 yellow peppers cut in julienne strips

2 red peppers cut in julienne strips

1½ tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and cubed

1½ tbsp sugar

A little salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper 

¾ cup feta cubed

½ cup parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp basil, chopped

Topping:
1 cup grated kefalotyri or pekorino

1 cup dried bread crumbs

(mix well together)

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

Small pieces of butter

           Sprinkle the aubergine halves with salt and set aside to eliminate any bitter taste.  Rinse, pat dry and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 30 minutes or until soft.  Remove 1 tbsp cubed aubergine from the centre of each half and reserve for the stuffing.

           Saute the onion in olive oil and a little water (about 3 tbsp), over low heat until soft.    Add the garlic, the red and yellow peppers and cook and stir for 6 minutes.  Add the cubed aubergine, the tomato, sugar, salt and pepper and Cayenne pepper and simmer covered for 10-12 minutes more.  Remove from the fire and stir in the feta, the chopped parsley and basil, and more salt and pepper, if necessary.

          Fill the aubergine halves with the stuffing, sprinkle evenly with the topping and grated Parmesan and dot with butter.  Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15-20 minutes or until the topping is crisp and golden.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CHEESE AND HERBS

        

  

                       

          I intended preparing this dish according June Marinos’ recipe “Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes”, included in her wonderful book:  A TASTE OF THE CYCLADES.  I didn’t have all the ingredients required, so I used bits and pieces of leftover cheese that I found in the fridge, Mediterranean herbs, from the garden and the tomatoes were a great success.   June, thank you for the inspiration!

6 ripe but firm tomatoes, flesh scooped out, chopped and reserved

Stuffing:

1 large onion, grated and sautéed in

1 tbsp olive oil and a little water

The reserved tomato flesh

90 g (3 oz) hard cheeses like kefalotyri or Pecorino, grated

90 g (3 oz) Emmenthal, Cheddar and Kasseri

60 g (2 oz) Anthotyro, a bland white cheese

2 eggs

4-6 tbsp dried bread crumbs

Freshly ground black pepper

A little salt

1/8 tsp Cayenne

½ bunch parsley, chopped

½ cup chopped basil, leaves only

6-8 chopped mint, leaves only

Topping:

3 tbsp dried bread crumbs

2 tbsp grated Parmesan

A knob of butter, cut in small pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

3 potatoes, peeled and cut in eights, optional

Salt and pepper for the potatoes

                Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, then add the

reserved tomato flesh and cook until quite dry.  Place in a bowl and add the cheeses and eggs and stir until completely combined.  Add the dried bread crumbs, the spices and finally the herbs.  Taste and add a little salt, if necessary.

               Sprinkle the interior of the tomato shells with salt and a little sugar, and stuff them evenly.  Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle the stuffing with grated Parmesan and bread crumbs and dot with tiny pieces of cold butter.  Add the potatoes, if using, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle a little hot water around the tomatoes  and bake  in a moderate oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

          

Karachi Again

                                              

          After I finished my studies in Neuchatel I flew back to Karachi, where my father was working.  It was lovely seeing my parents again, meeting old friends and making new ones.  I soon found an interesting job with the Belgian Embassy.

          Although it was almost five years since the Partition, Karachi’s population from  about 500.000 residents, still continued bulging into millions. Unfortunately, the homeless refugees were still sleeping in parks, playfields, in front of large hotels, clubs, all over the place .   It was heartbreaking and the government’s greatest problem.  A first master plan for Karachi was presented by a Swedish firm, which sought to accommodate the refugees in ten-storeyed  buildings in the outskirts of the city. Fortunately the plan was never accomplished.

          The foreigners living in Pakistan, trying to give a  helping hand, held bazaars, concerts, plays and balls in aid of the refugees.   One such charity ball was the “Dance of the Nations”, organized by the United Nations, with great success and large donations.

          Also the city was growing monstrously.  An orgy of construction was taking place in order to house the refugees, but also to accommodate new business, educational institutions, hospitals, barracks, embassies and government facilities. Fortunately the beautiful old public buildings and parks still adorned Karachi.

          However, the life and habits of the European community remained unchanged.  We still dressed for dinner.   As Karachi was a young, new capital, social life was very intense. Receptions for national days, cocktail and dinner parties were every day events.  We played tennis, and cricket, and golf and rowed and sailed.  We swam at Sandspit, Hawke’s Bay and Belaji, lovely sandy beaches on the Arabian Sea, very near Karachi. We were all members of clubs.   Most young people, including me, preferred the Boat Club and the Gymkhana, but the Sind Club offered traditional elegance and the most delicious gourmet dishes!  

Zeibunnissa Hamidulla, journalist and writer, sitting far right with friends

Elphinstone Street was re-named after her

 Red Cross Bazaar.   Mrs L.A Khan wife of the 1st prime Minister of Pakistan,

buying one of our plates

Dining at "Le  Gourmet"

A reception

CRABS COOKED IN THEIR SHELLS

          This is a recipe for a lovely first dish my Mother used to make, with the help of her cook, Hussein, when we lived in Karachi.   Two tips, be sure that the crabs are equal in size, and, as it is time consuming to clean and shape the shells into dishes, start a day earlier.

6 crabs of equal size

Wine Court Bouillon:

3 celery stalks with their leaves, cut in pieces

1 onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf + 2 sprig thyme + 4 sprig parsley)

1 tsp salt

1½ litres (6 cups) water

½ litre (2 cups) white wine

1 tsp peppercorns

Sauce:

120 g (4 oz) butter

75 g (2½ oz) cornflour

1 bay leaf

500 ml (2 cups) hot cooking liquid or more, if necessary

3 medium-sized eggs, whites whipped with a pinch of salt, to the soft peak stage

125 ml (½ cup) cream

Salt and white pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

4 tbsp Gruyere or graviera from Crete or Parmesan, finely grated

          First prepare the court bouillon.    Place the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan and boil, over low heat for 15 minutes.   Add the wine and the peppercorns and simmer for 15 minutes more and strain into a large heavy saucepan.

          Simmer the crabs in the wine court bouillon for about 15-20 minutes or until their shells turn red.  Fish out the crabs with a slotted spoon.  Reserve the cooking liquid, and when cold, refrigerate.   

          When the crabs are cool, remove the legs and claws, crack them open, remove the flesh and place on a dish.  To open the body of the crab, twist off the apron flap.  Use a knife to loosen the main shell from the softer section and detach, discarding the soft part, where the legs were attached.   Also discard the gravel sac and the gills.   With a spoon, remove the dark and white flesh and place, separately, on the dish with the claw and leg flesh, cover with cling film and refrigerate.   Wash the shells thoroughly, dry and refrigerate them.

          Next day remove the crab flesh, the shells and the cooking liquid from the fridge.   First heat the court bouillon, then start making the sauce.  Melt the butter over low heat, add the bay leaf, sift in the cornflour and stir for a minute or two.  Pour in the hot cooking liquid, in portions, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and  thickens, and remove from the heat.   Mix the egg yolks with the cream and stir in 2 tbsp hot sauce.  Add 2 tbsp more of the sauce and whisk the egg and cream mixture back into the rest of the sauce in the pan and bring it to a very gently simmer, and remove from the heat.   Discard the bay leaf.

           Place all the crab flesh (white, dark, claw and leg) together, in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Then pour in about 2 thirds of the sauce and gently combine.   Taste and add freshly grated nutmeg and white pepper and a little salt, if necessary.

         Butter the shells and divide the crab mixture equally between them, levelling the surface with a spatula.   Fold the whipped egg-whites into the remaining sauce and mask the stuffing of each crab shell, evenly.  Sprinkle with cheese, and bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F)  for 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden.  Serve at once.

                             FILLET SERVED WITH BANANAS AND PINEAPPLE

       

          Needless to say, that however hard I try, this dish, whose recipe is given below, will never be quite as delicious as the one we enjoyed at the Sind Club, so many years ago!

10 slices beef fillet 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, marinated for 2 hours in:

4 tbsp garlic-scented olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

2 sprigs of marjoram or any other herb of your choice

125 ml (½ cup) or more sweet red wine

A tiny knob of butter

Herbed butter:

5 tbsp soft butter

1 spring onion, very finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, very finely chopped

½ tsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper

           First prepare the herbed butter.  Combine all the ingredients together and, with the help of a piece of greaseproof paper, form a small cylinder the size of the circumference of a 2 euro coin.  Cover and freeze. Two hours before needed, place in the fridge.

           Heat a heavy frying pan and reserve the marjoram sprigs for later.   Sear the steaks, in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side.   Then lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes or more on each side in order to reach the meat’s preferred doneness. Sprinkle with salt and arrange on a heated dish, cover and keep hot.

          Just be fore serving prepare the gravy.   Deglaze the pan with wine, a little salt, if necessary, and the reserved marjoram sprigs.   Add the butter and swirl.   Place a slice of herbed butter over each steak, drizzle with gravy and serve with candied bananas and pineapple pieces.

 CANDIED BANANAS

This and the following recipe make lovely trimmings for beef and ham dishes.

Syrup:

375 ml (1½ cup) water

55 g (¼ cup) brown sugar

A pinch of cinnamon

A pinch of salt

5 ripe but firm bananas, thickly sliced

            Prepare the syrup by boiling all the ingredients together for 2-3 minutes until the sugar melts.   Add the bananas and simmer until soft, but not falling apart. Remove from the syrup and serve with meat or cheese.

CANDIED PINEAPPLE

             You can use as much sugar as you like.  This recipe is intended for tinned pineapple without added sugar.

One 560 g (1 lb 2 oz) tin sliced pineapple in its juice

 Syrup:

The pineapple juice from the tin

110 g (½ cup) brown sugar or less

A pinch of salt

A knob of butter

A pin of Cayenne pepper (optional)

The pineapple slices strained

        Simmer the ingredients for the syrup (+ the Cayenne, if using) in a large frying pan until thick and bubbly    Add the pineapple slices and cook until soft.  Remove and serve as indicated above.

ICED PINEAPPLE DESSERT

          This was one of our favourite desserts when we were young.  It was served on a thick sheet of ice, with mint leaves and lemon slices trapped within.   On the top it was beautifully garnished with a cloud of wisps of golden caramel. A real work of art!    Below is my latest effort, without the ice and the caramel wisps, and as I have mentioned before, I never quite manage to copy the delicious savour of my memories.   But I’ll keep on trying!

500 g (1 lb) thick cream, whipped to the soft peak stage

One 560g (1 lb 2oz) tin pineapple pieces (350g/ample 11½ oz fruit – 210g /7oz

                                                                                         natural juice)

2 tbsp or more sugar

A good pinch of salt                       

    

7 sheets gelatine soaked in iced water

One 395 g (13oz +) tin sweet condensed milk

2 tbsp lemon juice or more

The grated rind of 1 lemon

250 g (½ lb) thick Greek yogurt, whipped until smooth

         

          Simmer the contents of the pineapple tin with the sugar and salt for 10 minutes. Strain and cool a little.  Squeeze the gelatine sheets and dissolve them thoroughly in the hot juice.

          Meanwhile combine the sweet condensed milk with lemon juice and grated lemon rind, add it to the gelatine mixture and stir well.   Add the yogurt and allow the mixture to cool completely.

          Finally, fold in the whipped cream, in portions, and mix until well combined.   Line a loaf tin with cling film and garnish the base attractively, with a few pineapple pieces.   Add 2-3 ladlefuls of the cream mixture over.  Scatter more pineapple evenly on top.   Mask with the remaining cream and push in the rest of the fruit.   Cover completely with the overhanging cling film and freeze for 4 hours at least.

          Place the dessert in the fridge one hour before serving.  Reverse on a serving dish and garnish attractively with pineapple bits, mint leaves or a flower.

 Tip:  If you use a tin of pineapple in syrup don’t add the sugar.