ICE CREAMS

When I was a child, one of the great delights of life was ice cream.  Delicious mixtures of fruit and cream and chocolate and cream were my favourites.  But even now, in my deep old age, a delicate sorbet or a creamy frozen dessert makes me very happy.  Here are a few recipes that I hope will make you happy too.


                                              STEM GINGER ICE CREAM

Chopped Stem Ginger

Stem Ginger Ice Cream

This is a lovely ice cream prepared with stem ginger in syrup which is very popular with my family.

150 g (5 oz) sugar
500 ml (2 cups) full milk
60 ml (2 fl oz) ginger syrup
A good pinch of salt

500 g (2 cups) full cream

2 pieces stem ginger or more or less according to taste, rinsed and finely chopped


Heat milk, sugar, ginger, syrup and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  cool and combine with the cream.  Transfer the mixture to  a bowl, cover and freeze.   After an hour whisk the mixture and place it in the freezer.  After two hours whisk again and fold in the chopped stem ginger, cover and freeze once more.   When the ice cream is really firm, give it a last whisk and transfer it to a suitable container with a lid, and place in the freezer.   After about one  hour it will be ready to serve.

                                        FROZEN STRAWBERRY YOGURT

Frozen Strawberry and  Rasberry Yogurt 

This is an interesting and healthy frozen dessert

500 g (1 lb 5oz) fresh, ripe strawberries or raspberries 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 oz 1//3 oz) thick yogurt

Marinate the berries with sugar, alcohol, lemon and orange juice and salt, cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.    Then blend, taste for sugar and add some more, if necessary, blend again and sieve.   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 same procedure, twice more.

                                                PEACH SORBET

Ready to Serve

Peach Sorbet

A delicate sorbet.   It is wonderful prepared with Greek peaches

250 ml (1 cup) peach pulp

500 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 sorbet in tall glasses or bowls, garnished with sprigs of mint.

SHOOTING IN A SHOPPING CENTRE IN MUNICH.

The German Flag

The Large Coat of Arms of  the City of Munich

On the 22nd July 2016, a  terror attack took place at the Olympia Shopping Centre in Munich, by Ali David Soliby, an eighteen-year-old German of Iranian origin who killed nine and injured twenty-seven  young people, and later committed suicide.   He was armed with a Glock pistol and had more than 300 bullets with him.  According to “Spiegel” he had acquired this weapon through the internet.

The fact that this new attack was not connected with ISIS and had no political connotations, rather alarms than reassures the authorities, as lately, there is a  tendency of "lone wolves" who imitating organised terrorist acts, kill many innocent people. 

Apparently, the perpetrator was under psychiatric observation, he had an obsession with mass murders and a great urge for revenge against his schoolmates who bullied him at school.  According to the Munich police, he was planning this attack for over a year.  Also, through a false Facebook,  he had invited young Munich residents for a meal at  McDonalds, on the precise date and time of the attack.

Most of his victims were teenagers.   Among them was a seventeen-year-old  Greek who was shot dead, trying to save his twin sister and who was referred to, by the international press, as the Hero of Munich.   Why is there so much hatred and violence in the world?

We mourn with the relatives of the young victims for their great loss, we wish to tell the residents of Munich that our thoughts are with them and we congratulate the German police force for their prompt and admirable intervention.



Four days before, on the 18th July, on a train near Wurzburg, a teenage Afgan refugee had injured several passengers with an axe and knife, before being killed by the police.

On the 24th July, a 21-year-old Syrian killed a pregnant woman with a machete and injured 5 other people.  He was later arrested.

On the same date, in the small town of Ansbach a 27-year-old Syrian, blew himself up, wounding fifteen innocent people, when his entrance to the music festival, where 2500 people were present, was refused.

Up to the 18th July, Germany had been spared of these insane terrorist acts.   Then suddenly four in a week.  Why?   For what reason?

Also, on Tuesday the 25th July, two men entered the church in Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, near Rouen in Normandy during early morning prayers,  They forced the 86-year-old Catholic priest, Father Jacques Hamel, to his knees and brutally killed him and  then they filmed themselves  preaching in Arabic at the altar.   They were later killed by the police and their terrified hostages were released.  One of the killers lived in the vicinity.  He was previously jailed, in France, for terrorist affiliations and was later released, "despite the protests of the prosecutors".  He wore an electronic tag, so his movements we monitored but he was allowed to leave his parents home, each day, from 8.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m., during which time this shocking, insane, barbarous, crime occurred.   

ATTEMPTED COUP IN TURKEY

The Turkish Flag

On the 15^th July 2016, a section of the Turkish military attempted a coup d’état against Turkey’s elected government.  The effort was “short-lived” but gory, with hundreds dead and thousands injured.  The rebels detained top military officers, deployed tanks in the streets, obstructed bridges, took over T.V. stations and promised the Turks to re-establish democracy. 

Ankara, the capital, became a battlefield,   The Security and Intelligence Headquarters and other government buildings were bombed down.  But the attack on the Houses of Parliament was a severe provocation.  Also at 12.37 a.m., Erdogan appeared on a live TV broadcast, on a journalist’s i phone, urging the Turks to defend Democracy.   These were the two main events that changed the public opinion and psychology.   The people thronged the streets by the thousands, fuming and shouting against the coup that was successfully overcome by 4 a.m.

The repercussions were immediate, immensely severe and violent.   900 police officers were suspended from their duties.   99 top ranking military officers have been indicted for complicity in the coup, 14 of whom were remanded in custody.   Also, 6000 petit-officers and soldiers have been detained.   Military justice officials are also under investigation, 262 military judges have been suspended.  60.000 public servants are under persecution.   15.200 employees of the Ministry of Education have been dismissed and 1577 university professors have been asked to resign.  The Council of Higher Education has forbidden all academics to leave the country.   Also, the teachers of private schools had their licenses suspended.   This was a real purge of the academic society.    Moreover, 492 members of the Highest Islamic Authority have been stopped of their duties.  9000 members of the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been dismissed, the majority being policemen.  Umpteen journalists have been sacked.  It has been reported, that dead rebels were denied a religious burial.   It all seems like a nightmare.

A three-month state of emergency has been imposed in Turkey, also there are rumours and fears that capital punishment would be re-enforced.  Europe and the whole civilized world are deeply “concerned”.
(The information and numbers are, mostly, from newspapers and TV talk-shows.)

TERRORIST SLAUGHTER IN THE CITY OF NICE

The Fall of the Bastille on the 14th July 1789

Marianne in Mourning after the Terrorist Attack in Nice on the French National Day  

Mexican Independence Angel Monument Illuminated in the Colours of the French Flag

A lorry, packed with weapons and grenades, smashed through a crowd, who were celebrating the 14th July, a symbolic date, on the famous Promenade des Anglais, killing at least seventy-seven and injuring over a hundred innocent people.

This cowardly monster drove at high speed, for two kilometres, zigzagging through the Promenade, which was  packed with pedestrians, so that he could reach his gory goal. i.e. to kill as many people as possible.  He then got out of the car and started shooting madly towards the crowd, before being killed, by the police.  As I have often wondered in previous posts, how can all these obnoxious criminal acts be committed in the name of "religious" beliefs and obsessions?

Our prayers and thoughts are with the relatives of the victims, for the tragic loss of their loved ones, many of whom were children.   Our hearts go out to the citizens of  Nice, and we wish to say that we admire them for their strength and tenacity and that:

                                              NOUS SOMMES TOUS NICE

HOME LEAVE 1956 - PART II (continued)

A Late 19th Century Poster of  the Riviera dei Fiori 

We left the Cote d’Azure and our little boutique hotel in Menton and, with our Siecento, crossed the Franco-Italian border, near Ventimiglia, and drove towards the Italian (Ligurian) Riviera.  This is a ruggedly beautiful landscape, a narrow slice of land, its coves and beaches lapped by the turquoise waves of the Mediterranean in the South and boarded by the soaring heights of the Alps in the North.  

This is a fascinating part of the world, with seaside resorts and charming small villages  that, since the 19^th century, has lured famous writers and artists, international celebrities and royalty.  It still continues to attract many tourists, throughout the year, due to the beauty of the landscape and its mild winters.     It has architectural contrasts such as magnificent palaces and enchanting “ terratettos” (tall narrow houses – achievements of building dexterity) , “provincial chic” as they say, the elegant and rural matched to perfection.

Elegant Porto Fino

Map of Cinque Terre

The refined beauty of San Remo and Portofino and the rustic charm of Cinque Terre that is comprised of five medieval villages, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia,  Manarola, and Riomagiorre.    Incidentally, these villages and the surrounding hillside are part of the Cinque Terre National Park that, since 1997, has been proclaimed  a UNESCO World Heritage Site.    

A Medieval Map of Genoa

 And last but not least is the historical City of Genoa, an important port adorned with beautiful buildings with the Riviera dele Palme to the East and the Riviera dei Fiori to the West.   We visited some of these wonderful churches and palaces in 1956.  

San Lorenzo Cathedral Genoa

Saint George's Palace with Hand Painted Facade

The Royal Palace

The Hall of Mirrors in the Palazzo Reale

Please find below a few recipes of the fantastic Ligurian Cuisine:


                                             PESTO GENOVESE

Pesto Genovese Prepared Traditionally

It is very easy to prepare this fabulous sauce.

60 g (2 oz) pine nuts slightly roasted
90 g (3 oz) fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
60 g (2 oz) Parmesan, grated
1/2 a garlic clove or more according to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Very little lemon juice, optional

Traditionally, pesto was prepared with a pestle and mortar.   Now one can place all the ingredients, except the salt, into a blender or food processor and whizz  until smooth.  Taste, and season with salt, according to taste.  Try adding a tiny sprinkle of lemon juice to accentuate the taste.




                                                         FOCACCIA

Rosemary Focaccia

This is a tasty local flat bread that can be seasoned with dried herbs of your choice.


360 g (12 oz) plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp  dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves or oregano
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup lukewarm water mixed with
2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 cup Parmesan, grated


Place the eight first ingredients together in a large bowl.   Add the water/sunflower oil mixture and mix well, until a dough comes together. and place it on a slightly floured surface and knead it until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Shape the dough into a rough ball, place it in a large clean bowl, brush it lavishly with olive oil, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for about 20 minutes.   Heat the oven to 230 C (450 F).  When the dough has doubled it bulk, punch it down, place it on a baking sheet, lined with baking parchment, and shape it into a 1 1/4 cm (half an inch) thick rectangle.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 15-17 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.  Serve warm.


                                                          FARINATA

Crisp Outside Soft Insde  

Try preparing this lovely first dish.

2  cups garbanzo (chick-pea flour)
750 ml (3 cups) lukewarm water
1  tsp salt
1  tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine flour and water and mix until smooth, cover with cling film and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.   Skim  as much foam as possible from the top of the batter.   Stir the salt,  chopped rosemary and 3 tbsp of olive oil into the chick-pea batter.

Heat oven to 250 C (500 F).   Place a 25 cm (10 inches) skillet over high heat until very hot.  Pour the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil into the skillet to cover the base.  When the oil starts smoking quickly but carefully pour the batter into the sizzling frying pan. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake is crisp and brown.  Transfer the farinata to a prettyAnchuguie dish and serve hot, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.



                                           ACCIUGIE DI MONTEROSSO

Ready to Enjoy

This is a superb recipe for a typical dish of la Cucina Povera which we cook and enjoy all over the Mediterranean.

1 kg (2 lb) fresh anchovies, filleted
4 large potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced with a mandolin perhaps

2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and finely chopped and mixed with
1 ample cup chopped parsley
1 garlic clove or more, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
a little sugar to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes, optional

125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
500 ml (2 cups) of good dry white wine, please see the instructions below

Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F)
Line half the potatoes in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with very little salt and cover with half the anchovy fillets mask with half the tomato mixture.  Repeat the procedure once more and drizzle, evenly, with olive oil and half the dry white wine.   Cover the dish first with baking parchment and then with foil. and bake for 35 minutes.  Check to see if the potatoes are cooked, adding a little more wine if necessary.  Then cook a few minutes more.  Serve hot or lukewarm with crusty brown bread and the same wine that you used for cooking

                                            BACCI DE LA RIVIERA

Delicious Bacci 

These are popular sweets of the region.

300 g (10 oz) toasted, skinned and finely ground

180 g (6 oz) sugar

30 g (1 oz) cocoa

The whites of 3 medium eggs whipped to soft peaks with

A pinch of salt and still whipping add

2 tbsp sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy

30 g (1 oz) honey

Sauce:

150 g (5 oz) bitter sweet chocolate cut into small pieces

125 ml (½ cup) cream 

Heat the oven to 160 C (320 F).

In a large bowl mix the first 3 ingredients well together and fold in half the whipped egg whites by the spoonful.  Then stir in the honey and gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites.

Place the batter into a piping bag with star nozzle and make equal small mounds of batter on a baking tin, lined with baking parchment, 2.3 cm (1 inch) apart, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the hazelnut meringues harden.   Remove from the oven and allow them  to cool in the tin.

Meanwhile prepare the ganache, heat the cream and, just before it reaches the boiling point, pour over the chopped chocolate.   After a minute, stir well until the sauce is smooth and shiny and set aside to cool.

Spread the base of a meringue with ganache and sandwich with another meringue.   Place the bacci on a pretty serving dish and enjoy. 

ONE PIE THREE TARTS AND TWO QUICHES

I hope you will enjoy preparing these recipes.

                                                       APPLE PIE

A Luscious Apple Pie

This is a lovely aromatic apple pie.

Pastry:

120 g (4 oz) butter

150 g (5 oz) brown sugar

1 egg

150 g (5 oz) powdered almonds

150 g (5 oz) self-raising flour

1 liqueur glass water

1 liqueur glass brandy

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 pinch of salt

Egg-wash for brushing over the crust

1 tbsp brown sugar for sprinkling over

Filling:

1½  kg (3 lb) apples, pared, finely sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice

2 heaped tbsp cornflour

3 tbsp sugar

 ½ tbsp cinnamon

 ½ tsp grated nutmeg

 Cream butter and sugar, then add all the other ingredients for the pastry and mix all together until a soft dough is obtained. Cover it with cling film and refrigerate for about an hour.

Mix the cornflour with the sugar and spices, sift over the sliced apples and mix gently until all the apples are well coated with the mixture.

 Roll out the dough into 2 circles (0.5 cm thick), one slightly larger than the other.   Place the larger circle in a deep, buttered tart-dish then spoon the filling in and even the surface.   Cover with the second pastry and join the two together, crimping them into a pretty shape.  Make two slashes on the surface of the pie, brush it with egg wash sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about an hour.

                                   MULTICOLOURED PEPPER TART

My Grandchildren Love this Tart

This is an interesting summer tart, if you like peppers.

Pastry:

250 g (½ lb) plain flour

1 tsp salt

125 g (¼ lb) iced butter, diced

1 large egg, beaten

1-2 tsp iced water

A knob of butter for the baking dish

1½  cups coarsely grated bland kasseri or Cheddar

Filling:

500 kg (1 lb) multicoloured peppers + 2 Florina peppers

1 tbsp olive

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup finely grated Parmesan

250 ml (1 cup) milk at room temperature

250 ml (1 cup) thick cream, at room temperature

3 medium eggs

Salt, pepper to taste

For the pastry, mix flour and salt and rub in butter, until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.    Add the egg and mix the dough until it gathers together.   If it crumbles, add a little iced water.   Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour, at least.

 Thinly roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle.  Line a 30 cm (12 inches) buttered tart dish with the pastry, gently pressing it into the bottom and around the sides of the dish.   Trim off the excess and cover and chill for an  hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.   Remove the tart from the fridge and prick it all over with a fork.     Cover the bottom of the pastry with tin foil and press it gently into the edges to prevent the sides from collapsing and bake for 12 minutes.   Discard the foil and bake for 6 minutes more.   Remove from the oven to cool.

Meanwhile, slice the peppers and halve or quarter each slice.   Sauté the peppers in very little olive oil until limp, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Place on kitchen paper to drain and cool.

Sprinkle the tart shell evenly with 1½ cup grated kasseri or cheddar and arrange the peppers on top.   Sprinkle with the Parmesan.  Whip the eggs with the milk and cream and pour over the peppers.   Bake for 35-40 minutes or until evenly puffed and golden.   Serve hot or warm, with a salad of your choice.

                                                 CHERRY TART

This is a lovely dessert, with a crispy crust, a custard prepared with cherry juice and sweet white wine, covered with poached cherries.

Pastry:

260 g (2 cups) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

6 tbsp sugar

½ tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp finely ground semolina

180 g (6 oz) butter

2 medium-sized eggs, whipped

1 kg (2 lb) sweet black cherries, pitted, juice and pits reserved (see below)

225 (¾ cup) sugar

Custard:

125 ml (½ cup) cherry juice

250 ml (1 cup) Samos Nektar or any other sweet white wine

3 heaped tbsp cornflour diluted in

4 tbsp water

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg

3 medium-sized eggs, lightly whipped with

A pinch of salt

Light cherry syrup (please see below)

250 ml (1 cup) or less thick cream

Prepare the pastry by mixing all the ingredients together into a soft, pliable dough.    With the palm of your hands press the dough, evenly, and line 30 cm (12 inch) tart dish.   Prick the dough all over, cover with baking parchment and beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes covered, and about 15 minutes more uncovered or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.   Remove from the oven and cool.

Place the cherries with the sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently for about 10 minutes and remove from the fire.  Stir several times to allow the fruit to absorb part of the syrup.  After 15 minutes strain the cherries and place on kitchen paper to dry, reserving the remaining light cherry syrup.

For the custard, first add the sweet wine into the cherry juice and pits, stir well and strain.   There should be about 375 ml (1½ cups) liquid.  Mix all the ingredients for the custard, except the cream, together in a bowl and cook gently over simmering water, stirring constantly until the custard thickens.   Add ½ the cream, stir to combine and remove from the fire to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming.   Taste and add a little more sugar, if necessary. When it is cold it should keep its shape in a spoon. Add more cream if the custard is too thick.

Spoon the custard over the tart, cover lavishly with the poached cherries and chill.  One hour before needed, remove from the fridge and serve with a glass of the same sweet wine that you used in the custard.

                                             A COURGETTE AND CHEESE TART

                                              

A Wonderful Snack 

My friend Nora Widmer gave me this recipe.   It has changed over the years mainly by using Greek cheeses.

For the pastry:

100 g (3.3 oz) butter, at room temperature,

50 g (1.6 oz) Feta cheese, crumbled,

50 g (l.6oz) San Michalis or Parmesan Cheese, grated,

180 g (6 oz )  self-raising flour,

A knob of butter for the pie dish.

For the filling:

100 g (3.3oz) bland kasseri or Emmenthal cheese, grated,

100 g (3.3 oz) Graviera from Naxos or Gruyere grated,

2 slices ham, chopped,

2 medium courgettes, grated,

1 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced,

1 tbsp finely chopped dill,

4 eggs, separated,

250 ml (1 cup) light cream,

freshly ground black pepper.

Start with the pastry.   Place all the ingredients into a mixer and blend until the dough forms a ball around the pastry hook.   Line a buttered pie dish with dough, prick it with a fork, cover with baking parchment and beans and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C( 350 F) for about 12 minutes.  Take out from the oven, remove the parchment and beans and let it cool.

Meanwhile, mix the cheeses and the chopped ham and place them into the pastry case and scatter the courgettes, spring onions and the dill evenly over.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until stiff.  Mix the egg yolks with the cream until they are well combined, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Then stir the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture and pour evenly over the cheeses, not the pastry!    

Bake for 35-40 minutes in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) until the filling is puffed and golden brown.

.

                                                    QUICHE LORRAINE

The First Quiche I Made

Ages ago, when I was newly married, I had read this recipe in Vogue magazine.   I promptly prepared it and to my great joy, my husband, my parents and our friends found the crust exceptionally crisp and the custard creamy and luscious.

Pastry:

240 g (6 oz) plain flour

1 tsp salt

120 g (3 oz) iced butter, cubed

1 egg

2 tsp iced water

Filling:

8 rashers smoked bacon, cut in pieces, sautéed and drained on kitchen paper

90 g (3 oz) grated Gruyere or bland Cheddar

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) double cream

Salt and white pepper to taste

A little iced butter for the top

Mix the flour with salt and rub with butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.   Add the egg and mix well together.  If the dough crumbles, add very little iced water until it comes together.  Shape it into a ball, flatten it out, then cover with cling film and refrigerate.   

Roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle.  Line a buttered 20 cm (8 inch) flan tin with the pastry, gently press it into the bottom and the sides of the tin, and prick all over with a fork.   Chill for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).   Cover the pastry with crumbled foil, to prevent the sides from collapsing and bake for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven.   Discard the tin foil, bake for 10 minutes more and remove from the oven to cool.

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the cold pastry shell and cover with bacon.   Beat the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream and the seasoning and pour over the bacon and cheese.   Dot the tart with butter and bake in the top of the oven for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.  Serve hot or warm.

.

                                           COURGETTE QUICHE

The Filling

This is a delectable savoury tart.

Pastry:

195 g (1½ cup) self raising flour mixed with

½ tsp salt

½ cup soft butter

1 egg yolk

About 4 tbsp yogurt or more

1½ tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs and

2 tbsp grated cheese for the dish

Filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

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

3 medium carrots, grated

1 medium onion, grated

2 spring onions trimmed and finely sliced

2 tender celery stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

500 ml (2 cups) cream, 15% fat

For the top

90 g (3 oz) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, grated

90 g (3 oz) Naxos graviera or Gouda, grated

90 g (3 oz) Parmesan grated  

Freshly grated white pepper

For the pastry rub the butter into the flour until it looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the egg and enough yogurt to obtain  a soft dough.  Wrap in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, add salt and pepper, lower the heat and let them sweat gently until they resemble a puree.  Add the cream and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.  Cool. 

Preheat the oven to180 C (350 F).   Roll out the dough between two pieces of baking parchment and line a 25 cm /10-inch round ovenproof dish.   Prick the pastry all over with a fork and sprinkle with bread crumbs and ¼ of the grated cheese (please see below).  Carefully spoon in the filling, and level the surface.  Mix the cheeses with the freshly ground white pepper and sprinkle evenly on top.  Pinch the dough around the edge into a pretty shape and bake for about 40 minutes.

SUMMER SALADS

Salads can be served as appetizers, light meals or as tangy accompaniments to fish, meat or poultry dishes.   They should excite the palate and satisfy the senses!   There could be nothing more inviting than a bowl of fresh salad artistically arranged and seasoned with imagination, made especially for you, your family and friends.

                                

                                      SPECIAL AUBERGINE SALAD

                                           (Exeretiki Melitzanosalata)

June's Special Aubergine Salad

My dear friend June Marinos gave me this recipe for an exceptional melitzanosalata that is published in her popular cookery book “An Odyssey Into Greek Cooking”.

1 kg (2 lb) large aubergines

2 tbsp finely chopped cucumber

2 tbsp peeled, seeded and finely chopped tomato

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped spring onion

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp vinegar

225 g (1 cup) thick yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne pepper

Prick the aubergines well with fork and grill directly over a gas flame electric burner or charcoal for 20 minutes, or until the skin is charred and flesh is tender.  This will give the aubergines a smokey flavour.

While still hot, hold them by the stem and remove all the charred skin, peeling from the bottom up towards the stem.  Rinse lightly under cold water and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Put the aubergines in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add all the other ingredients and mix.  Season with salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper to taste.

(Serves 10 –  12)


                                                      GREEN SALAD

The Freshest and Finest Lettuce Leaves

Prawns Cooked  in a Tasty Court Bouillon

Very Finely Sliced Fresh Mushrooms

The Best Smoked  Salmon 

This is a basic green salad.   You might enrich it if you wish, with tasty boiled prawns or raw sliced mushrooms or ribbons of smoked salmon.

 2 lettuces, the round heart variety, trimmed. washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp fines herbes* please see below

Plain Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Stir the vinegar with the salt and pepper until the salt dissolves.  Then add olive oil in a thin stream stirring constantly until the dressing thickens.

Milk and Lemon Salad Dressing:

 This salad dressing thickens and tastes like mayonnaise.   It keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days.

 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (you could use scented olive oil if you prefer)

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp evaporated or fresh milk

½ tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

 Mix all ingredients together until the dressing thickens.     

  

*Fines Herbes:
Equal amounts of marjoram, parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives, washed and dried
(Chop each herb separately, marjoram and  parsley finely, chervil coarsely and tarragon very finely.  Also finely slice the chives and mix everything well together).

Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl, sprinkle with the herb mixture, toss well, cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.     Then drizzle the salad with  plain vinaigrette or milk and lemon salad dressing and toss gently so that  every leaf is covered with the dressing and serve immediately.  You can garnish with 2 cups prawns or 2 cups sliced mushrooms or 1 cup smoked salmon ribbons for a delicious, gourmet appetizer.

                                LETTUCE AND TUNNY FISH SALAD

                                            

Spinning the Salad Dry

Small Spring Onions

Fresh Parsley and Dill

Tunny Fish

Homemade  Mayonnaise

My husband used to love this salad.

1 Cos lettuce, shredded

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tsp chopped dill

225 g (7.5 oz) or more tunny fish tinned in water, strained and flaked

Sauce:

200 g (6.5 oz) yogurt, low fat if preferred

4 tbsp light mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

First prepare the sauce.   Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix well together.  Taste and adjust if necessary, and set aside.

Place the lettuce, spring onions and dill in a glass bowl and gently toss until well mixed.    Arrange the flaked tunny fish on top to cover the surface.  Spread the sauce evenly over the tunny fish and sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground pepper.   Chill for about 1-2 hours before serving.

                                              BRIAM OR  RATATOUILLE

Roasted Briam or Ratatouille

This vegetable dish is usually cooked in a saucepan, I prefer it roasted.

2 onions, peeled and cut into sixths or eighths

2 carrots scraped and sliced on a slant

2 red peppers, stems, seeds and white ribs removed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 large aubergine or two smaller ones, cut into bite-size pieces

2 large potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

2 courgettes, trimmed and thickly sliced on a slant

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp rosemary, chopped

Salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper

½ cup olive oil

2 large tomatoes, skinned, seeded and cubed

250 ml (1 cup) tomato juice

¼ cup basil leaves or

1 tbsp fresh thyme

Mix the first 10 ingredients well together and place on a baking dish, double-lined with baking parchment, in a single layer.  Roast in an oven pre-heated to 180 C (350 F) for about 35-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked, but still slightly crunchy.  

Then add the tomato cubes, tomato juice and sprinkle with the basil or thyme.  Bake for 12-15 minutes more.   Serve warm or cold.

                    AUBERGINES, COURGETTES AND PEPPERS IN TOMATO ASPIC

         

                         
                           
                                                                    A Tomato Aspic Salad

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

3 aubergines, the long variety

3 tbsp olive oil

4-5 medium-sized courgettes

2-3 sage leaves

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt and pepper

2-3 red Florina peppers, roasted and placed in a plastic bag to cool

500 ml (2 cups) fresh tomato juice

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

15 g (½ oz) gelatin powder

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 and sprinkle with salt.   After 5 minutes, 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, follow 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.   Also remove the Florina peppers from the plastic bag, peel and remove the seeds.  Cut them lengthwise into quarters, drizzle with a little vinegar and sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes, Then pat dry and set aside.

Simmer the tomato juice gently for ten minutes, with the garlic, tobasco, vinegar, honey and salt.  Discard the garlic, taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.   Soften the gelatin in iced water and add it to the hot tomato juice and stir well until completely dissolved.  As the tomato starts to set, pour a little into the loaf-tin, garnish with parsley leaves, refrigerate and let it set

 Line the loaf-tin with the aubergines slices, leaving about 5 cm (2 in) hanging over the sides.   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 layers of peppers and cubed aubergines, each sprinkled with herbs and tomato juice.   Cover with the overhanging aubergines and cling film and chill for at least 6 hours.

Overturn on a serving dish, on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves, sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with olive oil.   Serve with crisp brown bread, Feta  cheese and glass of white wine.