MOMBASA, KENYA, EAST AFRICA

Mombasa, Kenya

Mombasa 1572 by Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg

In my post "Home Leave 1956" of the 5th April 1956, I had mentioned that our leave was coming to an end and that we should not be returning to Karachi, Pakistan that we loved, but to Mombasa, Kenya to where we had been transferred by Ralli Bros.

Here is a short account of Kenyan history.   The territory that is now known as Kenya was inhabited since the beginning of the Early Paleolithic Age.

The Portuguese and Arab presence in Mombasa dates from the Middles Ages to the Early Modern Period, but European exploration of the interior of the country began, only, during the 19^th century.

The British established the East African Protectorate in 1895 and from 1920 it was known as the British Colony of Kenya.

The independent Republic of Kenya was formed in 1964. 

In early  September 1956, we bid tearful (on my part) farewells to our family and friends, in Athens, and boarded a BOAC aircraft for Kenya.  The 1950s and 1960s were, later, known as the “golden age” of flying, so we enjoyed large, comfortable seats with ample leg space and wonderful gourmet meals.

After 10-12 hours, we arrived at Eastleigh Airport, near Nairobi.   My first impression was the colour of the runway, which consisted of compact marram, the red East African soil.

We were warmly welcomed by old friends, an English couple we had known from Pakistan, who were now with Ralli Bros, in East Africa.   We had a wonderful day with them, fondly reminiscing events and situations that we had shared, in the not so distant past. 

The next day, we boarded a British East Africa plane that took us to our destination.   Mombasa is actually built on a coral island, enclosed in a gulf, on the Indian Ocean and is, therefore, a very important port.

Mr D. G. Sevastopulo and his charming wife, Betty were there to meet us and took us over to their house for a large breakfast and then to a lovely small bungalow on Mbuyuni Road, which the company provided for us, fully furnished, with a cook and bearer. 

Our little Fiat 500, that we had bought the previous summer from Turin, was shipped over and we were delighted to have it with us, as we considered it as a member of the family!

The garden was quite large with beautiful tropical trees and shrubs, but the earth was just a thin layer of red soil covering a coral substructure.  This was a great challenge for my husband Aleco, who had all the prospects of a keen gardener.   

He first cleared the area with a shovel, getting rid of all weeds, loose rocks and roots.  He bought dark soil enriched with fertiliser, a thick layer of which was spread all over the marram.   He raked the soil and levelled it, making a slope away from the house.   He, then, sowed "Kikuyu warm season grass seeds", in a crisscross pattern, all over and covered them with extra soil to protect them from the birds.   Aleco sprinkled the seeds with water, 2-3 times a day for the first 10 days.  So, very soon we had a lush, green lawn which became our pride and joy.   It was an enormous, difficult but gratifying task.

After the first day in our new home,  I woke up to the sounds of strange birds, which I had never heard before in Europe or Asia.   They were melodic whistles, rather than twitters and others were like continuous, staccato, metallic coughs

Arab Town in Mombasa

The Silver White Sands of Malindi Beach

We loved Mombasa, a beautiful city, with a medieval Arab town and lovely, white sandy beaches, like Malindi, which we visited every Sunday.   As a coral reef protects the shores from sharks, we went underwater fishing and caught white snapper, kingfish and sting-rays which are very tasty, either poached or grilled.

Glass Bottomed Boat

Once, we went in a glass-bottomed boat to catch a glimpse of the marine life, such as various kinds of multicoloured tropical fish, coral, sea urchins and starfish.

We made life-long friends with people of various nationalities.  We had friends over for lunch or dinner, went to tremendous parties, and as Mombasa was a busy port, we were, often, invited aboard luxurious ships for cocktails and excellent food.

The Sevastopoulos had two older sons, who were at school in England and a seven-year-old daughter called Marigo, a clever child with a terrific sense of humour,   I wish to thank them for their support, especially Betty who helped me settling down.  We went shopping together, she introduced me to many interesting women and gave me subtle advice with the house.   

Libro d'Oro de la Noblesse de Chios  

As Aleco and Mr Sevastopulo were both from the island of Chios, he showed us a book by Philip P. Argenti who had written about the history and displayed the family trees of twelve families from Chios.

D.G. Sevastopulo, besides being the manager of Ralli Bros in Mombasa, was a famous entomologist, specialising in moths and butterflies.  He was the author of many books on this subject like “Interspecific Competition in Butterflies” and "The Genetics of East African Lepidoptera"

I'm embarrassed with my fading memory, trying to remember the name of a Greek couple who had a chic boutique in Mombasa.  We were very friendly with them and they had made a few very elegant dresses for me.   

To our great joy, I was pregnant very soon after our arrival in Mombasa.   I had an easy and very happy pregnancy and I had learned Dr Benjamin Spock's "Baby and Child Care" book by heart.

Our son, Spiros Steven was born in the Mombasa European Hospital on the 17^th July.   He was a beautiful baby and he certainly changed our lives.   I had a feeling of deep satisfaction and utter bliss, and we both simply adored this tiny creature of ours.  

My Mother had come over for the great occasion, from Karachi, where my father still worked.  She stayed a month with us, and her help and advice were invaluable.  

I had never thought about this before, but after my son was born I realized how much my parents loved me.   My Father was a very amiable person, just, fair and popular.     I know, now, that I must have been the apple of his eye.

When I was a teenager, I considered my Mother very strict.  But she was, actually, loving and supporting and was, always, by me when I needed help.  Moreover, she was beautiful, a wonderful hostess, a fabulous cook and she loved entertaining our family and friends.   My own friends were very fond of her.

Our baby was growing up by leaps and bounds, all smiles and dimples.   He, soon, started crawling and climbing on sofas and armchairs all day long, so we had to run after him to prevent accidents.  By the end of each day, I was so exhausted that I would suddenly collapse and fall fast asleep, right next to him.  

We were blissfully happy and we could not imagine life without Spyros Steven.  He was all smiles and gurgles, splashed in his bath, enjoyed his meals but, for the first three months, he cried painfully in the evenings.   Sometimes, we put him in his carry-cot and went for a ride in the Cinquecento, which calmed him down and lulled him happily to sleep.   

I met many women with small babies and we were amazed by the delight they felt in each other’s company, these tiny social entities!

At  Christmas, Spyro was five-month-old so, we bought a Christmas tree and decorated it with baubles and garlands and, especially for him, flashing lights.   Our cook, Odhiambo, and I prepared a  traditional lunch with pumpkin soup, turkey with stuffing and all the trimmings, glazed ham, Christmas pudding etc.

After we had settled down beautifully in Mombasa, started a family and made many new friends, we were, suddenly, informed that we were going to be transferred to Kampala, Uganda....






Here are a few dishes that I used to prepare when we lived in Mombasa.

                             EAST AFRICAN PEANUT BUTTER SOUP

 A Peanut Butter Soup with Chicken

Here is a tasty East African soup that is a meal in its self.  You can also add boiled chicken breast to the soup if you wish.

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cumin seeds

¼ tsp cardamom seeds

¼ tsp turmeric

2 celery stalks, trimmed, threaded and diced

2 bell peppers seeded and diced

2 cups brown rice

2 tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, grated, skins discarded

1500 ml (6 cups) hot water

2 chicken breasts, boiled and chopped, optional
½ cup natural peanut butter

1 tbsp sugar

The juice of 1 lime or more

Chopped parsley, finely sliced spring onions and ground peanuts for garnish

Sauté the onions in olive oil, stirring frequently for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions are just translucent.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the salt and spices and sauté for 5 minutes until their aroma fills the kitchen, stirring often.

Stir in the rice and cook, then add the vegetables, tomato pulp and hot water, bring to the boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook gently, covered for about 40 minutes until the rice is tender.

Whisk in the peanut butter, lime juice and sugar.  This is the time to add the boiled chicken breasts if using.  Add some water if the soup seems too thick. Taste and add more salt or sugar, if necessary.

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley, finely sliced spring onions, and ground peanuts.

  

       RAY WINGS BAKED WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND RED CHILLI FLAKES

We used to fish stingrays when we lived in Mombasa.

About 1 kg (2 lb) ray wings, each cut into two pieces and seasoned with

Salt and

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes

1½ tsp dried, red chilli flakes

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A little salt and

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1½ tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1 heaped tbsp. chopped parsley and

Lemon wedges for serving

Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F).   Toss the cherry tomatoes in olive oil, sprinkle evenly with red chilli flakes, salt and pepper, and bake for 10 minutes. 

Move the tomatoes to one side of the tin and arrange the seasoned ray wings next to them and roast for 15 minutes more or until the fish can be lifted away from the cartilage.

Whip the olive oil with the lemon juice, mustard, a little salt and pepper together until thick and pour it over the fish.

Serve the fish with the roasted cherry tomatoes, garnished with lemon wedges and sprinkled lavishly with parsley.

                                                    COQ AU VIN

This is a lovely dish of Provincial France.  Start cooking a day before you need it.

2 tbsp olive oil

12 rashers lean bacon, fat removed and cut in half +
2 extra rashers lean bacon

20 or more shallots, peeled

2 chickens 2 ½ -3kg (5-6 lb) drumsticks and thighs skinned, breasts skinned and boned, cartilage removed, cut into serving pieces and sprinkled with
Salt and
Freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

62.5 ml (¼ cup) Cognac or Metaxa brandy

750 ml (1 bottle) Agiorgitiko red wine or Pinot Noir

250 ml (1 cup) tasty hot chicken stock

2 tbsp tomato paste diluted in ¼ cup chicken stock

1 bouquet garni (2 sprigs thyme + 2 small sprigs rosemary + 1 bay leaf)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

500 g (1 lb) champignons de Paris

½ tsp olive oil

Little salt

Beurre manié:

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter at room temperature

(mix together until smooth, cover with cling film and refrigerate)

In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp and place on kitchen paper to drain.  Then, sauté the shallots until golden and reserve.

Sauté the chicken in batches, with the remaining olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Remove most of the fat from the saucepan, add the garlic and simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the brandy and cook briskly, stirring to deglaze the saucepan and remove from the fire.  

Arrange the drumsticks and thighs in the saucepan and return to the stove.   Pour in the wine and cook for 5-6 minutes.  Add the stock, tomato paste, bouquet garni, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes.   Then, place the chicken breasts, shallots and the 2 extra rashers of bacon on top, making sure that they are all submerged under the sauce, adding a little more stock, if necessary.  Cover and simmer very gently for 20-25 minutes more, until the chicken and shallots are tender.  Discard the bouquet garni, taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.   Cool and refrigerate.

The next day, heat a frying pan and cook the mushrooms in olive oil, over high heat, until cooked and dry.   Sprinkle with a little salt and tip them into the saucepan.   Bring the coq au vin to the boil, taste and season if necessary.  Arrange the chicken, shallots, the 12 heated bacon rashers and the mushrooms, attractively, on a hot serving dish and keep hot.   

Thicken the sauce with a tiny piece of beurre manié, whisk, and simmer the sauce, adding more thickening agent and whisking, until the desired thickness is achieved.   Pour the sauce over the chicken, shallots, mushrooms and bacon, and serve immediately with creamy mashed potatoes and garnish with twigs of the herbs used in the bouquet garni.  

         

                                                 CHOCOLATE ROLL

            

Decadent Chocolate Roll with Chocolate Filling

                         

 Dolly Cocali, my sister-in-law and very dear friend, gave me this recipe for this lovely chocolate dessert, about 60 years ago.

7 medium-sized eggs separated, whites whipped into stiff peaks with a pinch of salt

400 g (2 cups) sugar

100 g (1 cup) cocoa

Fillings:

500 g (2 cups) slightly sweetened whipped cream or

Ganache:
200 g (almost 7 oz) bittersweet chocolate melted with
200 ml (4/5 cup) single cream and mixed with
2 tbsp honey until smooth and glossy

Garnish:

Icing sugar or

Strawberries or crystallized chestnuts
Mint leaves

Beat egg yolks with sugar until light and creamy.   Sift in the cocoa and mix thoroughly.   Gently fold in the whipped egg-whites until no traces of white are visible.

Spoon the mixture into a Swiss-roll tin, lined with baking parchment, and level the surface with a wet spatula.  Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F), for about 20 minutes until well risen, but do not overcook.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

     

Turn out the cake on baking parchment sprinkled with icing sugar, detach the baking parchment from the top and trim the edges. Then roll the warm cake and the parchment together, and set aside to cool. 

Unroll the cake carefully and remove the parchment.   Spread with whipped cream or with the ganache filling fold it up like a Swiss roll and place it on a serving dish.  Dust the top of the roll with icing sugar or garnish with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, partly dipped in melted chocolate and a few mint leaves, for freshness.

                                                   

East African Orange and Yellow Gloriosa Superba

CONTEMPORARY GREEK COOKING

Excellent Greek Olive Oil 

Contemporary Greek cooking is full of the treasures of tradition mingled with the tastes and flavours of modern times.   It has fabulous dishes of gastronomic delight.

Please find below, a few traditional and modern Greek recipes which you will, certainly, enjoy preparing and sharing with your family and friends. 

                           ELPIDA’S SHRIMP AND MUSHROOM PASTA

Orzo with Mushrooms and Prawns

My mother used to prepare a delightful mushroom pasta dish, so many years ago.   Our Elpida added prawns and the dish peaked to perfection!  Moreover, is very easy to prepare.

500 g (1lb) pasta of your choice, boiled in salted water, strained and sprinkled with olive oil.  Reserve a cupful of the water the pasta was boiled in.

Sauce:

4 tbsp olive oil

3-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

Two 500 g (1 lb) packets or tins concentrated tomato juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper or hot paprika

1 tsp sugar or more, according to the acidity of the tomatoes

1 kg (2 lb) fresh mushrooms, halved or quartered, sautéed and sprinkled with salt

1 kg (2 lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined, very lightly sautéed with a sprig of rosemary and sprinkled with salt

One 250 g (1 lb) packet cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

Sauté the garlic in three tbsp olive oil for about one minute, over low heat.   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes, stirring all the time.  

Add the tomato juice and sprinkle with sugar, a little salt, freshly ground black pepper and Cayenne pepper or hot paprika.    Bring to the boil, cover the saucepan and simmer very gently for 15 minutes to half an hour, until the sauce is thick and cooked.

Stir in the mushrooms with their juices and the cherry tomatoes, if using, then cover the saucepan and cook for 4-5 minutes.   Finally, add the shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes more.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt, black pepper, Cayenne pepper or paprika, if necessary.

When ready to serve, heat the prepared pasta in a large flat saucepan, cover with the sauce.    If you think it should be more liquid, add a little of the reserved pasta water.    Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and enjoy.

Mr Vasilis Frantzolas is a civil engineer who, successfully runs a construction company for metal buildings

Being a lover of good food, also an olive oil taster and quality advisor, Mr Frantzolas has written a fantastic fish and seafood cookery book “Tastes of the Sea”, full of delicious and avant-garde gourmet recipes.

Vasilis has very kindly allowed me to use a few of his recipes on this blog, so here they are.

               PRAWN AND MUSHROOM MILLE-FEUILLES WITH A WINE SAUCE

Puff Pastry Rounds 

The Prawn Mushroom Sauce can also be Served over  Rice 

 A delectable starter to honour your guests   I am replacing the cream with a white sauce.

20 small rounds of Greek puff pastry

1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

300 g (10 oz) mushrooms, trimmed, wiped, boiled for 3-4 minutes in 500 ml (2 cups) lightly salted water, drained and chopped, reserving the cooking liquid

500 g (1 lb) shrimp, shelled and deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry.  Reserve 10 for garnish and sauté them for 1 minute on each side in very little olive oil and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt, also, cut the remaining shrimp into 3 pieces each

250 ml (1 cup) excellent white wine like a Santorini Assyrtiko

Salt and pepper to taste

White sauce:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

1 bay leaf

375 ml (1 ½ cups) reserved cooking liquid, adding a little milk if not enough

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Place the puff pastry rounds in a roasting tin, lined with baking parchment, and prick them all over with a fork.   Cover with another piece of parchment and place an upside-down tin on top, to prevent the pastry from puffing up.   Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 12-15 minutes, then remove the top tin and the parchment and bake for 1-2 minutes more or until the pastry becomes crisp and golden.  Keep hot.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute more.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and pour in the wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.

Stir in the mushrooms and their liquid and simmer gently for 12 minutes, then add both the whole and chopped shrimp and simmer for two minutes more.  Taste once more for seasoning and adjust accordingly.   Remove the whole shrimp from the saucepan and reserve.

Prepare the white sauce.  Melt the butter, over low heat, add the bay leaf, and sift the flour over, whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes.  Pour in the hot cooking liquid, in small sprinklings, whisking all the time, until the sauce is smooth and bubbling.   When all the liquid and the milk has been used, lower the heat and simmer the sauce, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for 10-12 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.   Taste and season with salt, if necessary, freshly ground white pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg, and stir until very well combined.  Remove from the fire and discard the bay leaf.    Use the sauce immediately or cover with cling-film and refrigerate for not more than three days.

Stir small amounts of white sauce into the mushroom and prawn mixture until it reaches the desired thickness and taste, adding more seasoning if needed.   Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.

To assemble the dish, arrange the 10 puff-pastry rounds on a serving platter.  Place a heaped tablespoonful of mushroom and shrimp mixture on top of each round, cover with the remaining 10 pastry rounds and garnish each mille-feuille with a small amount of the mushroom sauce, a  whole shrimp and a twig of fresh parsley. 

Serve with a green salad, warm crusty brown bread and a glass of the same wine used in the sauce. Kali orexi!

Eis Ygeian!

                                        PRAWNS WRAPPED IN KATAIFI WITH

                                         SWEET AND SOUR TOMATO SAUCE

Kataifi derives from “Kadife” which Arabic for velvet. The original way of preparing this pastry was by pouring batter through a perforated tube on a very hot slab.   After a few seconds, the fine strings of pastry were pulled off, folded and packed for further use.

Today, pastry manufacturer in Greece use the same concept as their colleagues did, centuries before.   Now with the help of sophisticated machinery and the appropriate “know-how” they produce an excellent kataifi pastry

This is an appetizer that can be served either as a first dish or as finger food.

30 middle-sized prawns, shelled, deveined, tails left on

Salt and freshly ground, multi-coloured (black-red-green-white) pepper

30 wooden skewers

750 g (l½ lb) kataifi pastry

Corn oil for frying

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce:

1 large onion, grated

2 leeks, white part only, split in half, lengthwise, washed and finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

A little salt

250 ml (1 cup) water

125 ml (½ cup) vinegar

62.5 ml (¼ cup) white balsamic vinegar

100 g (½ cup) caster sugar

4 large tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated skins discarded

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

Salt and freshly multi-coloured pepper

1 bay leaf

First, prepare the sauce.   Sweat the onion, leeks, ginger with water and a little salt until soft and cooked but not brown.  Then add the two kinds of vinegar, sugar, grated tomatoes, tomato ketchup and bay leaf to the onion-ginger mixture, cover and simmer until the sauce is completely cooked and thick.   Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf. 

Purée and sieve the sauce, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract most of the taste. Taste and add extra salt, sugar and freshly ground multi-coloured pepper, if necessary.   Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Sprinkle the pawns with salt and freshly ground pepper and thread each one on a wooden skewer.  Fluff out the kataifi pastry, thoroughly.   Take equal strands of kataifi and cover each prawn completely except the tail.

Fry in hot corn oil until crisp and golden.   Remove and pat with kitchen paper to remove the superfluous oil and discard the skewers.   Serve hot, dipped in sweet and sour tomato sauce 

                                 YIANNA’S LOBSTER WITH SPAGHETTI

                                                 (Astakomakaronada)

                                         

Yianna's Astakomakaronada

   

Most of the Greek islands and sea resorts have their own version for “astakomakaronada”.   This is one of the best!    This recipe was given to my daughter-in-law Yianna, by a food expert who lives in the medieval fortress-town of Monemvasia, where our Yianna has a house.

2 lobsters 1kg (2 lb) each, washed and halved lengthwise, intestine discarded, claws  

                                                                            and legs removed and reserved 

                                                                                                              

4 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

2 liqueur glasses brandy, heated

About 2 cups dry, white wine

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded

1 tsp or more sugar

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper or a few drops hot pepper sauce, or 1 tsp hot red pepper flakes

½ kg (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled in salted water until hardly “al dente”, drizzled with    

                                                                                    olive oil, and kept hot 

1 tbsp or more, chopped parsley

        

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic, in olive oil, until soft.   Remove, and set aside.

        

Season the lobster halves and place them in the saucepan, the flesh touching the bottom of the pan.   Add the claws and legs, and cook briskly for about 5 minutes until the shells change colour.  Then pour in the hot brandy and ignite.   When the flames die down, add the wine, and simmer until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add the tomato, the sautéed onion and garlic, a pinch of salt and the Cayenne pepper.  Stir well, without disturbing the lobster halves, cover the saucepan and cook very gently for 20-25 minutes, shaking the saucepan occasionally.

    

With a slotted spoon arrange all the lobster pieces on a heated dish.

Remove the meat from the lobster halves, cut into bite-sized pieces, and place them back into the shells.  Also, crack the claws and legs, extract the meat, add them to the lobster shells and keep hot.

         

Reduce the sauce until thick, taste for seasoning and correct with salt, pepper and sugar, if needed.  Sprinkle the lobster with a little sauce.  Add the spaghetti to the remaining sauce and simmer a few minutes more.

      

Place the spaghetti on a heated dish, arranging the lobster halves on top.   Serve sprinkled with parsley and freshly ground black pepper.

   .          

                                  A COURGETTE AND CHEESE TART

                                              

Courgettes and Cheese Tart

This is a very tasty tart, with an interesting pastry.

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 Mihalis or Parmesan Cheese, grated

180 g (6 oz )  self-raising flour

A knob of butter for the pie dish

For the filling:

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

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

2 slices smoked 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 in a mixer and blend until the dough forms a ball around the pastry hook.  Roll out the dough thinly and line a buttered pie dish.   Prick the pastry with a fork, cover with baking parchment and beans and bake blind in an oven preheated to 180 C ( 350 F) for about 12 minutes.   Remove from the oven, discard the parchment and beans and bake for 7 minutes more 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 and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Then fold the whipped egg whites, gently, 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.

.

  

                                   A PIE WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS

                                                 

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 This is one of the best pies.

10 large artichoke hearts (cut in quarters) or 20 small ones, halved, (frozen or fresh)

2 lemons, if using fresh artichokes

2 tbsp olive oil

5-6 spring onions, chopped

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp parsley. chopped

½ tbsp dill, chopped

4 eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

160 g (2 cups minus 1 tbsp) kephalograviera or Parmesan, grated

90 g (1 cup) kasseri or Emmenthal, grated

125 g (1/4 lb) anthotyro or ricotta, crumbled

4 slices ham, cubed, optional

500 g (1 lb) phyllo pastry

120 ml (1/2 cup) butter, melted

2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

Sauce

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 bay leaf

1½ cup milk

Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper to taste

Nutmeg, to taste

If using fresh artichokes proceed as follows.   Break off the tough outer leaves.   Cut off about 3 cm (1 in) from the top and rub with lemon juice.  Remove the choke with a teaspoon, peel the stalks.  Immediately immerse the artichokes in a bowl of cold water with 1 tbsp flour and the juice of 1 lemon, to prevent them from discolouring.

Sauté the onions in 2 tbsp butter. Add the artichoke hearts, drained and dried, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little lemon juice.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Stir the flour into the melted butter, add the bay leaf, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the milk and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring all the time, until the sauce thickens. Season with pepper and nutmeg and set it aside to cool.  Discard the bay leaf.

In a big bowl, combine the egg yolks and cheeses with the sauce and mix very well together. Taste, and add freshly ground white pepper and salt if necessary.  Then add the artichokes and ham, if using.   Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.

Line a buttered rectangular baking dish with 5 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each sheet generously with butter.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and spoon the filling carefully over.  Fold the overhanging pastry over the filling.   Place another 5 sheets of pastry on top, brushing each separately with butter.   Trim the excess phyllo and tuck it neatly into the sides of the dish.   Score the top layer of the pastry into portions.   Sprinkle with water, and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 1 hour.

                          LAMB FRICASSE WITH LETTUCES AND ANTITHIA

Thanking Jamie Oliver for this Photo!

This is a traditional Greek dish.  I've added yoghurt, to make the sauce creamier. 

1250 kg (2 lb 8oz) lamb chops, boned, all visible fat removed, reserve the bones*

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, peeled and grated
6 spring onions, trimmed, washed and finely sliced

6 cos lettuces, trimmed, washed and thickly shredded, blanched and drained thoroughly

1.250 kg (2 lb 8oz) antithia, washed, thickly chopped, blanched and drained thoroughly

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Stock prepared with the *reserved bones + 1 carrot + 1 celery stalk with leaves + ½ an onion + water to cover
2 tbsp dill, finely chopped 

Avgolemono Sauce:

3 eggs
1 tbsp plain flour

 Lemon juice to taste

500 ml (2 cups) lamb stock*

2 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt 

Cut the lamb into serving pieces, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Brown all over in butter with the grated onion and the spring onions.  Pour the lemon juice and enough water to cover.  Lower the heat, and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

When the lamb is cooked, add the blanched vegetables and cook for 5-7 minutes more.   Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.

Then, prepare the avgolemono sauce (egg and lemon sauce).  Whip the eggs, sift the flour over and stir until well combined.   Pour in the lemon juice and 250 ml (1 cup) hot lamb stock, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer very gently until the sauce thickens.  Then pour in 250 ml (1 cup) hot stock and mix very well together until smooth.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes more and stir in the yoghurt and keep on stirring until no traces of white are evident.

Pour the avgolemono evenly over the meat and vegetables and swirl the saucepan vigorously to incorporate,  taste once more and season accordingly, if needed.  Garnish with yoghurt and a sprig of dill and serve with chips, warm crusty bread and a glass of wine.

                                    CRAB AND FENNEL BULB TART

A Delicious Quiche

1
This is a superb way to start a special meal!

Pastry:

180 g (6 oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

60 g (2 oz) San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

90 g (3 oz) butter

Freshly ground white pepper

1 middle-sized egg, beaten

1 liqueur glass of Metaxa brandy

Filling:

300 g (10 oz) cooked crab, flaked

150 g (5 oz) sauteed tender fennel bulbs, finely chopped and patted dry

1 tbsp chopped fennel leaves
2 tbsp thickly grated Graviera from Naxos or Gouda or Emmenthal mixed with
1 tbsp finely grated San Mihalis or Parmesan

250 ml (1 cup) full milk

187.5 ml (¾ cup) thick cream

4 eggs separated, whites whipped to soft peaks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp of the grated cheese mixture mixed with

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F).   Place the first five ingredients for the pastry in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.    Pour in the beaten egg and the brandy and pulse just until dough forms a ball around the hook of the food processor.   Remove the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Then, roll out the pastry thinly and line a 30 cm (12 inch) buttered, deep tart dish and sprinkle lavishly with the dried breadcrumb/grated cheese mixture.  Add the crab meat and the chopped fennel bulb evenly over and sprinkle with the chopped fennel leaves and the grated cheese.

Lightly whisk the egg yolks with the milk, cream, salt and pepper to taste and gently fold in the whipped egg whites.   Pour this over the crab meat and fennel bulbs and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180 C (350 F)  and bake for 25 minutes more or until the pastry is crisp and the filling set and golden.

Serve the tart garnished with sprigs of fennel and a zesty green salad.

                                 A MACARONI AMD MUSHROOM TIMBALE

Pastitsio with Filo Pastry

This is a mushroom pastitsio with filo pastry.

500 g (1 lb) filo pastry
125 ml (1/2 cup) melted hot butter

500 g (1 lb) macaroni

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp grated San Mihalis or Parmesan cheese

Mushroom Sauce:

500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed, wiped and finely diced

1 dry porcini mushroom, soaked, patted dry and finely diced, reserve soaking liquid

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

A large onion, peeled and grated

4 rashers of bacon, fat discarded, finely cubed

5 slices smoked ham, fat discarded, finely cubed

90 ml (1/3 cup) brandy

250 (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Béchamel Sauce:

150 g (5 oz) butter

150 g (5 oz) plain flour

1 bay leaf

1 ¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk

Grated nutmeg

100 g (3 oz + 2 tbsp) San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

   

First, prepare the mushroom sauce.  Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil, over high heat, stirring constantly until slightly brown and dry.  Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Lower the heat and add the grated onion and chopped bacon and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes more.  Return the mushrooms to the saucepan, add the minced garlic and the chopped smoked ham and stir and simmer for two minutes more.  Pour the brandy and simmer, stirring until the alcohol evaporates.  Add the stock and the porcini soaking liquid and sprinkle with, freshly ground white pepper and Cayenne, if using, and a little salt if necessary.  Stir and simmer gently until the sauce thickens.  Taste once more and season accordingly, if needed.  Sprinkle with parsley and set aside.

For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter add the bay leaf, sift the cornflour over and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.   Add the hot milk and stir for 19-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.  Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.   Stir in the cheese and cool a little.   Then stir in the egg yolks and season to taste with salt, white pepper and nutmeg.   Finally gently fold in the whipped egg whites.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until “al dente”.  Drain and return to the saucepan, sprinkle with cheese.  Pour the hot butter over and swirl.  Add 2-3 cups of béchamel sauce and mix gently but thoroughly together.

To assemble the timbale.  Line a buttered round, deep baking tin with 9 filo pastry sheets each lavishly brushed with melted butter allowing the excess to hang over the edges of the tin.

Place 1/3 of the macaroni over the pastry.   Cover with half the mushroom sauce and place a second layer of macaroni and top with the remaining mushroom sauce.   Arrange the last layer of macaroni over the sauce and cover with the filo pastry that is hanging over the edges of the tin to enclose the macaroni.   Arrange the remaining filo pastry on top, each sheet brushed with melted butter.  Tuck the pastry sheets neatly down the edges of the tin.  Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (359 F) for 35-40 minutes or until the pastry turns crisp and golden.

Reverse on a  round dish and serve with sautéed vegetables of your choice.

                        

  

                                            MEAT WITH QUINCES

                                                      

A Delicious Traditional Dish

As my family love meat and fruit dishes, this dish is a great favourite.

1.5 kg (3 lb) beef from the chuck or rump, cut into serving pieces

1 kg (2 lb) quince, cored and cut into sixths or eighths

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 liqueur glass brandy

125 ml (½ cup) sweet white wine

3 ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded and grated, skins discarded

Salt and 
Freshly ground black pepper and 
A pinch of sugar
1 small cinnamon stick

Hot, unsalted meat stock 

1 tbsp or more honey

1 tbsp butter

Brown the meat, all over, in 2 tbsp olive oil.   Add the onion and sauté until transparent, and season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the brandy and then the wine and simmer, stirring for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add the tomatoes and enough hot meat stock to just cover the meat.  Sprinkle with a little sugar, add the cinnamon stick, cover the saucepan and simmer gently until the meat is half cooked.

Add the quinces to the saucepan, sprinkle them with a little salt and pour in some more meat stock, if necessary.  Cook gently until both the meat and fruit are tender.  Taste and add more salt, if necessary, freshly ground pepper, honey and 1 tbsp of butter, swirl the saucepan and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.   Discard the cinnamon stick or keep it for garnish.    

Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes or chips and a wild rocket salad.

                                       

                                                 

                                                  BEEF STIFATHO

                                     

The Perfect Sunday Lunch

          

                                                          

 Stifatho is a popular dish.    Don’t get discouraged by the large number of onions.  An easy way to peel them, without tears, is to blanch them in their skins, drain and then proceed.

1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, cut into bite-sized cubes

2 kg (4 lb) small onions, peeled (please see introduction)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

250 ml (1 cup) red wine

2 bay leaves

500 ml (2 cups) tomato juice

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

 Brown the meat in butter and olive oil and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a dish.

Add the onions and sauté all over for 2-3 minutes until caramelized and remove them to a dish and reserve.

Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.  Return the meat to the saucepan, pour the wine over and simmer for 3-4 minutes more, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.   Then add all the other ingredients and enough hot water to cover, and simmer gently for an hour or until the meat and onions are tender. If the onions are ready before the meat, remove and keep them hot. 

If the sauce isn’t thick enough, reduce it by boiling uncovered.  Then taste it, season with more salt, pepper and vinegar, if necessary, and discard the bay leaves.

Serve the stifatho with either mashed potatoes or chips and sauteed carrots and peas.

                                                   APRICOT TART

Just Out of the Oven

Here is a recipe for a crumbly tart that can be served hot with whipped cream or ice cream.

10 apricots, stoned and halved

2 tbsp butter

6 tbsp sugar

Pastry:

120 g (4 oz) butter, very cold, cut into small pieces

200 g (almost 7 oz) plain flour

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp icing sugar

Pinch of salt

To make the pastry, rub butter and flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.   Stir in the egg yolk, icing sugar and salt, keep on stirring and press the ingredients together, to form a ball of soft dough.  Flatten the dough, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.

Place the sugar and butter into a round baking tin over low heat and let them melt and bubble until they form a thick caramel.  Remove from the heat and push the apricots, cut side up, into the caramel.

Roll out the pastry larger than the top of the baking tin, drape it over the fruit and tuck the surplus down the sides of the dish.    Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 45-50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the caramel is bubbling around the edge.  Cool for five minutes and overturn on a serving dish. 

                                           VEGAN TAHINI BROWNIES

Delightful Bites

Tahini is made from toasted, ground and hulled Sesame seeds.   It has a delicious nutty flavour and it is a very healthy condiment.

150 g (5 oz) tahini

150 ml (5 fl oz) orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

50 ml (1.8 fl oz) Metaxa brandy

200 g (almost 7 oz) dark chocolate (Pavlides Ygeias), chopped and melted

150 g (5 oz) plain flour

150 g (5 oz) icing sugar

120 g (4 oz) hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Mix everything very well together, place in a tin, double lined with baking parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for not more than 22 minutes.   Cool in the tin. 

Serve cut into squares.

       

                                           RAFIOLIA FROM PAROS

                                             

Thanking Argyro Barbarigou for the Picture