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More than 500.000 people, headed by King Filipe VI of Spain, Prime Minister  Rahoy and regional officials, marched through Las Ramblas avenue, in Barcelona, holding red, white and yellow roses, the colours of the city.

They were protesting against the heinous terrorist attack and took place on the 17th August, chanting "I am not afraid", "I have no fear".   A declaration of bravery, unity and solidarity.

Antiterrorist March  -  WE ARE NOT AFRAID

The Roses of Barcelona

Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, leaving death and devastation in its path.

Harvey's Menace

Harvey's Wrath

Severe Saudi bombing, in the residential part of  Sana'a, Yemen, left 14 dead, including several children.

Sana'a, Flattened out

North Korea fired missiles during a  US - South Korean military drill.

Playing With Fire?

Fortunately, the city of Tal Afar was recaptured from ISIS, by the Iraqi forces.

The Position of Tal Afar

Iraqi Forces Near Tal Afar

A man armed with a 4-foot sword, shouting "Allahu Akbar", injured three police officers outside Buckingham Palace.   He was later arrested under the Terrorism Act.

The Mall Cordoned off After the Terrorist Attack

Violence escalates in Northern Burma.   At least 71 people, including 12 members of the security forces, have been killed in Myanmar's (Burma's) Rakhine State after Rohinga militants attacked the border police.    This was the bloodiest day of fighting since the conflict broke out last year.

The majority of the residents of Burma are Buddhists, while the Rohinga militants, the minority, are Muslim.   Why should religion, once more, be the cause of suspicion, hatred and war?

On the Verge of War

I'm giving a few recipes of dishes approved by dieticians.




                                                  BEETROOT SOUP

Chilled Beetroot, Potato and Onion Soup

A lovely soup that can be served hot or chilled.

2 large beetroots, peeled and cubed
2 large potatoes, peeled cubed
1 onion, peeled  and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

1500 ml (6 cups) tasty vegetable or chicken stock
1 bouquet garni (1 thyme sprig + 1 small rosemary sprig + a bay leaf)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Salt  and freshly ground pepper


Yogurt mixed with a little salt
Chives for garnish


Saute the vegetables in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the hot stock, drop in the bouquet garni and sprinkle with ground coriander and Cayenne pepper.  Cover the saucepan and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the bouquet and blend with a rod blender until smooth.   You could sieve it if you wish to have a velvety soup.

Taste and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary. Now, either bring to the boil for a hot soup or chill for 4 hours for an iced one.

Serve with a dollop of yogurt, garnished with snipped chives.




                                   SEA BASS BAKED IN A SALTED CRUST

Sea  Bass Baked in a Salt Crust

Breaking the Salt Crust

Fillet of Sea Bass with Roast Vegetable Sauce

An easy way of baking fish with exquisite results.


800 g (1 lb 10  oz) sea bass, gutted, scaled thoroughly washed and patted dry
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
(both placed in the fish's belly)

Salt crust:
1 1/2 cup coarse salt
4 tbsp  fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp thickly grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cup  plain flour

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

1-2 egg yolks whipped with
2 tbsp of water

Latholemono dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
A  pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp mustard, optional
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
(Mix the first 3 or 4 ingredients together until the salt dissolves.  Add the olive oil in a stream whipping vigorously, until dressing thickens)

Roast Vegetable Sauce:
4 carrots, peeled, and cut in thicks slices
2 courgettes, topped and tailed  and thickly sliced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, deseeded and cut into large pieces

1 clove  garlic, peeled
1 kg (2 lb) tomatoes, peeled and deseeded and cut into cubes

Basil
3 small thyme sprigs
Olive oil
Salt to taste, start with 1 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

(Mix the first three ingredients with the proportional seasoning and olive oil, arrange in a single layer on a tin, double lined with parchment, and roast in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 35 minutes or until the vegetables are barely tender.

Concentrate the vegetables in the center of the tin and add the tomato cubes, garlic, herbs, the remaining seasoning and olive oil and roast for 20-25 minutes more remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Remove the herbs and blend the cold roasted vegetables until smooth.  If it seems too thick, thin down with chicken or vegetable stock to the desired density.  Taste and season according to taste.  Bring to the boil and when cold, store in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for three months.   Serve over fish, meat, fowl or pasta dishes.)



Preheat the oven to 190 C (375 F).

Place the first 4 ingredients for the salt crust in a food processor and mix well together.  Add the egg whites and blend until a dough is formed.

Roll out the salt dough into a large sheet.   First wrap the fish tightly with baking parchment and then with the salt-dough sheet and form a fish-shaped packet. Brush with the egg wash, place in a roasting tin, lined with baking parchment, and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and wait for 5 minutes before cracking the salt crust open.  Discard the baking parchment covering the sea bass and place it on a dish garnished with roast vegetables.  Serve with latholemono or a roast vegetable dressing and a green salad.




                                                 TURKEY PATTIES

My Favourite Diet Patties

Tasty patties with very few calories.

1/2 kg (1 b) minced turkey
1 onion grated
1 tomato, cut in half deseeded, grated, skins discarded
1/2 and peeled and grated
Grated rind of one lemon
1 tsp vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 - 2 chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped chives
A few mint leaves, chopped
A little olive oil


The juice of 1 lemon


Mix all the ingredients well together and shape into patties.   Place them on a baking tin lined with baking parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F)  for 30 minutes.

Serve the turkey patties, sprinkled with lemon juice.



                                           CHICKPEA CURRY

Chickpea Curry Sprinkled With Parsley 

A tasty vegetarian or vegan curry.


2 cups  skinless chickpeas, soaked in water overnight

3 medium-sized onions, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
A little water
1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 heaped tsp mild or hot curry powder
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 x 400 g (13.3 oz) tins crushed tomatoes
2 strips lemon peel
400 g (13.3 z) tin coconut milk

1 cup chopped parsley

e onions in 3 tbsp of water until soft.  Add the olive oil and cumin seeds and cook until the seeds are lightly brown.  Stir in the remaining spices and bay leaf and saute, stirring, until the whole kitchen fills with their aroma.  Add a little more water and allow the mixture to infuse, over low heat, until thick.

Pour in the tomato and 250 ml  (1 cup) of water and let it reduce and thicken once more.   Add the lemon peel, the drained chickpeas and the coconut milk.   Simmer very gently for about one hour or until the chickpeas are tender. Discard the lemon peel and the bay leaf and taste and season accordingly.   Add a little boiling water if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Serve with steamed rice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.



                FILLET OF BEEF COOKED WITH BRANDY AND MAVRODAPHNE 

This is a luscious main dish and so easy to prepare.

1 kg (2 b) fillet of beef, trimmed and thickly sliced
62.5 ml (1/4 cup) garlic scented olive oil
A few rosemary sprigs

1 meat or chicken  cube
125 ml (1/2 cup) Metaxa brandy
250 ml (1 cup) Mavrodaphne or any other sweet red wine


Arrange the fillet slices in a deep dish, in a single layer, sprinkle with olive oil, place the rosemary twigs on top and cover the dish with cling film.  Marinate for at least 2 hours, turning the meat around once.

 Heat a large, flat saucepan,  Lift the meat slices out on the olive oil, saute for  2-3 minutes on each side and season with the chicken or vegetable cube, by rubbing it all over each hot, sauteed side of the meat. Follow the same procedure for all the slices.

Pour in the brandy, turn around the fillet slices and cook for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Finally, pour in the Mavrodaphe or any other sweet red wine of your choice, and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and any vegetables you prefer or just with a zesty green salad.



                                     APPLES POACHED IN RED WINE

Apples Poached in a Red Wine Syrup Served with Yogurt

One can poach these apples either with sugar or with stevia a sweetening agent with zero calories,

12 apples, peeled and cored

3 litres (12 cups) red wine
2 lemons thinly sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
1kg 200g (6 cups) sugar or
400 g (2 cups) stevia


Pour the wine into a large saucepan large enough to hold the apples in one layer.  Add the lemons, spices and sugar or stevia and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar or stevia melts.   Add the apples and simmer for 30 minutes, until they are just tender.

Carefully remove the apples, strain the liquid and pour it over and let them stand in the syrup overnight.  Next day, turn the apples over to get an even colour right through.

They are now ready to serve with yogurt, Chantilly cream, ice cream or custard.   Apparently, if you leave them in the wine syrup for two days more they will acquire a rich burgundy hew.