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| Clean Monday on Philopappos Hill or Hill of the Muses |
Clean Monday is the first day of Lent in the Greek Orthodox Church, seven weeks before Easter. Apparently, Lent begins the previous Sunday evening at a service, called Forgiveness Vespers, where all the members of the congregation ask one another for forgiveness.
This Monday is called Clean Monday because it is the first day of a long period of fasting from meat, eggs, dairy products and fish and because, during lent, we should also try to cleanse our minds and souls and improve our character. We should not lie, nor should we be arrogant, nor jealous nor angry, nor lazy nor covetous, nor greedy, nor lustful. We ought to try to become more truthful and modest and content and calm and industrious and unselfish and generous and compassionate and kind. It is a period of catharsis, in a way. We don't all manage to achieve these high goals. I fast, only, the first week of Lent and during Holy Week, but I do try to improve my character, usually unsuccessfully.
Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus. To celebrate the day, people go out on picnics where they fly kites and enjoy delicious lenten food such as shellfish, mollusks and fish roes, pulses, vegetables and salads, and a wonderful, crispy unleavened bread called lagana.
I have already given you many recipes for Lent, Here are are a few more.
TARAMASALATA
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| A Lenten Snack |
Years ago, taramasalata used to be prepared with a pestle and mortar. It took at least half an hour to prepare and it had a granular texture, which is impossible to achieve with a blender of food processor. Taramosalata can also be prepared with boiled potatoes. Three medium, floury potatoes are sufficient for this recipe.
100 g (3 oz plus) tarama (salted cod’s roe)
250 g (1/2 lb) or more day old bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed
dry
4 tbsp lemon juice or according to taste
125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 spring onions very finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, sliced
Blend the first four ingredients until smooth and creamy. Taste for acidity and add more lemon juice if necessary. Place the taramasalata in a bowl, cover and chill. Just before serving, sprinkle with sliced spring onions, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with lemon slices.
(Serves 8-10)
PRAWN AND FENNEL BULB SOUP
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| A Favourite Soup |
This a lovely, flavoursome soup.
24 prawns, shelled and de-veined, slightly sauteed in very little olive oil, and sprinkled with a little salt
2 tbsp mild tasting olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cubed, the fennel leaves reserved
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cubed, the fennel leaves reserved
1 large leek (white part only), trimmed and sliced
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1½ litres (6 cups) tasty vegetable stock
Pepper and salt, if necessary
120 ml (almost ½ cup) ouzo
Fennel leaves for garnishing
Saute the vegetables in olive oil, stirring for 5-6 minutes; just cover the with water and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Blend with a hand blender, add the vegetable stock and simmer gently until the soup thickens. Sieve it, if necessary, taste for seasoning, and adjust.
Just before serving, bring the soup to the boil, pour in the ouzo and simmer for 3-4
minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Finally, add the prawns and simmer for 2-4 minutes more.
Serve the soup sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and garnished with fennel leaves.
(Serves 6)
OCTOPUS BAKED IN OLIVE OIL AND VINEGAR
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| The Tentacles Separated |
My dear friend Zena Patelis, who is from the island of Paros, gave me this wonderful recipe for a delicious and easy octopus dish, typical of Greek Cooking of the Aegean Islands.
1½ kg (3 lbs) octopus, cleaned and thoroughly washed
250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
250 ml (1 cup) vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
8 wooden skewers
With a sharp knife, separate each tentacle of the octopus and cut the body into smaller pieces. Thread each tentacle, lengthwise with a skewer and arrange, in a single layer, in an oven-proof casserole with a lid or a flat dutch oven. Also, add the octopus body pieces, drizzle with olive oil vinegar, sprinkle with peppercorns and cover.
Bake the octopus in a moderate oven, preheated to 190 C (375 F), for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Cut into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle with the sieved cooking liquid and serve with hot, crusty lagana and wine or ouzo.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
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| A Lovely Winter Salad |
I love preparing this roasted salad.
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 medium size onion peeled and cut into 6-8 wedges
2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on a slant
1 clove garlic, peeled and squashed
3 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Place the three first ingredients in a bowl. Mix the smashed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper well together, pour over the salad and toss gently.
Arrange the salad, evenly, in a tin, lined with baking parchment, and roast in a hot oven pre-heated to 200 C (392 F) for 35-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crunchy, tossing from time to time.
A VEGAN COURGETTE PIE
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| Another Courgette Pie |
I bake this large pie during Lent, or when my vegetarian friends come over for lunch.
2½ kg (5 lb) courgettes, cubed
250 ml (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, separated
1 large onion, chopped
6 spring onions (tender green parts included) chopped
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine, optional
125 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine, optional
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh sage
2 tbsp dill, chopped
4 tbsp parsley, chopped
½ tbsp mint, chopped (optional)
225 g (1 cup) short grain rice
1 large tomato, skinned, seeded and cubed
Vegetable stock, hot, please see below
10 sheets of phyllo pastry
The remaining olive oil
4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
2 tbsp sesame seeds
In a large saucepan cook the onions and garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil, until soft. Add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes more. Then add the courgettes, sage, salt and pepper and Cayenne
Add the rice, herbs, tomato cubes and just enough hot vegetable stock for the rice to cook i.e. about 360 ml (1 ½ cups), and simmer for 12-14 minutes more, stirring occasionally. The mixture should have the consistency of a thick puree and the rice al dente. Discard the sage, and set the courgette mixture aside to cool. Taste and season accordingly with more salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper.
Line an oiled rectangular baking dish with 5 or 6 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet with some of the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, add the courgettes mixture over the pastry, smoothing the surface, sprinkle with the remaining dried bread crumbs and fold the overhanging phyllo sheets over. Place another 5 pastry sheets on top, brushing each sheet lavishly with olive oil. Trim the pastry and tuck it neatly into the sides of the baking dish. Brush the surface, once more, with olive oil and score the pastry into portions. Drizzle the pie with a little cold water, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake in a moderate oven, preheated to 180 C (370 F), for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
EGGLESS MAYONNAISE FOR LENT
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| Eggless Mayonnaise |
This is a sauce that tastes like real mayonnaise.
186.6 ml (3/4) cups water
2 1/4 tbsp cornflour diluted in a little water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 1/4 tsp mustard
2-3 tsp lemon juice
A pinch of sugar
62.25 ml (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
62.25 ml (1/4 cup) sunflower oil
Place the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and cook gently and stir, until a thick sauce is obtained. Remove from the stove and cool, then blend with the mustard, lemon juice and sugar until well combined. Transfer from the blender to a bowl and stir in the oil, by the spoonful. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper, if necessary. Store, covered, in the fridge for not over four days.
PARSLEY DIP
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| A Parsley Dip |
This is the best recipe for parsley dip; my dear friend Maria Spathopoulos gave it to me.
1 kg (2 lbs) potatoes, boiled in salted water and mashed
Dressing:
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 - 2 tbsp eggless mayonnaise or
1 heaped tsp mustard
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups finely chopped parsley (leaves only)
4 tender chive stalks, snipped
While the potatoes are still hot add the dressing and mix well and cover. Half an hour before serving add the chopped parsley and mix very well. Serve in a salad bowl, sprinkled with chives.
FLATBREAD FOR LENT
Lagana
LAGANA is baked only on “Clean Monday”, the first day of Lent. We have fond memories of the un-leavened, flatbread, one could find all over
500 g (1 lb) bread flour
8-10 g (1 tbsp) dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard powder,
250 ml (1 cup) warm, white wine
1 tsp salt
1-1 ½ tbsp sesame seeds
In a large, warmed bowl mix flour, dried yeast, sugar and mustard powder. Then add the warm wine and salt and knead vigorously until the dough is pliable. Form the dough into an oval shape and flatten it out with the palms of your hands. Cover and let it rise for ½ an hour.
Then place the dough in a baking tin, lined with baking parchment. Give it an oval shape, press it down with the palms of your hands and poke it with your finger tips. It should not be over 1.25 cm (½ inch) thick, as it will rise while baking.
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| For Breakfast or Tea |
Quite often, I prepare this cake with raisins.
400 g (13.3 oz) self-raising flour, mixed with
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger powder
120 g (4 oz) raisins dusted with 1 tbsp of the flour mixture
150 g (5 oz ) sugar
62.2 ml (1/4 cup) corn oil
A pinch of salt
312.2 ml (1 1/4 cup) orange juice
1 tsp grated orange rind
Whip sugar, corn oil, orange rind and salt until very well combined. Stir in the orange juice and pour over the flour/spice mixture and mix very well together until a thick batter occurs.
Stir in the raisins, and spoon the batter into a round cake tin, lined with baking parchment and even the top
SEMOLINA PUDDING
(Halvas me Simigdali)
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| Halva with Almonds Flakes and Cinnamon |
My husband and I used to make this pudding very often, as we both loved it. Fragrant and comforting it brings back nostalgic memories.
250 ml (1 cup) corn oil
2 1/3 cups coarse semolina
1/2 cup pine kernels
1/2 cup blanched almonds, roasted and coarsely chopped
Syrup:
1250 ml (5 cups) water
600 g (3 cups) sugar (a little less if you wish)
1 tiny pinch of salt
1 small cinnamon stick
Powdered cinnamon and almond flakes for sprinkling over
First, prepare the syrup. Place the water in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add the sugar, salt and cinnamon stick and simmer, stirring, until the sugar melts and remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick.
Cook the semolina in corn oil, over low heat, stirring constantly until the semolina turns golden and fragrant. Add the nuts and cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in 2-3 ladlefuls of syrup at a time, and continue stirring until all the syrup is absorbed and the mixture boils and thickens. Then remove the saucepan from the stove and cover first with a cloth, and then with the lid. After 10 minutes spoon the halva into a round mould and after 2 minutes reverse it on a pretty serving dish. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon and almond flakes.
SCALTSOUNIA
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| Delightful Scaltsounia |
Scaltsounia are small, crescents of pastry with a sweet, nutty filling.
630 g (1 lb 5 oz) plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 glass Metaxa brandy
A pinch of salt
A little warm water
Filling:
125 g (4 oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped
125 g (4 oz) blanched and roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
2 tbsp raisins, chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped orange spoon sweet or crystallized orange rind, finely chopped
(Mix all the ingredients well together)
Icing sugar for dusting over.
Place the 4 first ingredients for the pastry in a food processor and pulse for 2 minutes. Then add the warm water gradually until the dough forms a ball around the hook. Flaten the dough, cover it with cling film and ice for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough thinly and cut round shapes with a biscuit cutter. Place a spoonful of the filling on each pastry round. Brush the circumference with a little water and fold the pastry over the filling to seal it in, pressing lightly with your fingertips.
Arrange the scaltsounia on a tin lined with baking parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about half an hour, or until crisp and golden. Transfer the scaltsounia from the baking tin to a serving dish, allow them to cool, and dust them lavishly with icing sugar.
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