KAMPALA UGANDA, EAST AFRICA

Uganda East Africa

In my post "Mombasa Kenya, East Africa" I had written:

"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."

So, in early January 1958, we packed our belongings and with our five-month-old son Spyros Steven, our cook, Odiambo, his wife and baby daughter Jumma, we left, by train, for Kampala.   Passing through the incredible East African countryside, with stops at Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Jinja we finally arrived at our destination.

Jack Alexandroff and his charming wife Jane Ralli were there to meet us.  We went to their beautiful home, where we stayed over for the night.  The next day Aleco and Jack went on tour, while Jane, Spiros Steven and I had the house all to ourselves.   Jane and I got on very well together as we had very much in common.   We were both of Greek parentage, with a British background and she was expecting a baby in six months.

When the men came back from their tour, Aleco, Spiros Steven and I, with Odiambo and his family settled down in one of the new Ralli Bros. flats, on Naguru Hill.  It was a four-apartment building, in a large, blooming garden.

We had friendly neighbours, a very pleasant couple with two children, who lived in the flat above ours, and two bachelors in the other two apartments.

Kasubi Tombs

Buganda Parliament

The Buganda  Court of Justice

A small summary of the history of Kampala.   The city was the capital of the Buganda  Kingdom, from which period, several buildings still survive, including the Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Lubiri Palace, the Buganda Parliament and the Buganda Court of Justice.

In 1894, the British established Uganda as a Protectorate and in 1905, it was declared as a British Colony.   The country was liberated in 1962.   In 1978, the absurdly ridiculous dictator Idi Amin Dada expelled all Asian and Jewish residents and declared war against Tanzania, which invaded Uganda, causing severe damages to many of Kampala’s buildings.  The city has been rebuilt with new luxury hotels, educational institutions, hospitals, banks and trendy shopping malls.

The Kampala and Suburbs Seen from Muyeba Hill Top

Naguru  Hill

Kampala is a beautiful city and it is called the city of the seven hills.  As it is built on the equator, it has a climate without seasons, and due to the elevation, it has a mild temperature during the day, although one needs a blanket at night.

Uganda is a landlocked country, however, Kampala is built close to lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world.   Also, the river Nile has its sources near this lake, therefore it is a town with lush vegetation and beautiful parks and gardens.    

Kampala and Entebbe are the two largest cities of Uganda and lie only 37 km apart.   Entebbe, after which the international airport is named, is built on Lake Victoria, while Kampala is 10 km inland,  so, the residents of both towns enjoy the lake, swimming, fishing and water skiing.

Unlike Mombasa, Kampala had a very large Greek community, so we were often invited to their hospitable homes.   A dear old friend from Pakistan, Philip Samoylis with his lovely wife were transferred from Alexandria, Egypt to Kampala, due to the recent Suez Canal crisis.  We were very pleased to see them, but we, also, made many new friends of various nationalities.  

I often invited our new friends with their babies to play with Spiros Steven.   It was lovely seeing him grow up to be such an adorable, cheerful toddler, all smiles and dimples.   

We also went swimming in Lake Victoria.  It was enormous and the waters were clear, but I never quite got over the peculiar feeling of stepping on soft silt, that oozed right through one's toes, compared with the firm sand of the sea.  

We went to the pictures (cinema) and watched films like the “King and I”, directed by Walter Lang, with Deborah Kerr and Yul Brunner and “The Bridge on the River Kwai” directed by David Lean with William Holden and Alec Guinness.  Both films were great hits and had excellent critiques.

When Spiros Steven was six months old, to our great delight, I was pregnant again!  We continued our life in Kampala for four months more, when we were, suddenly, informed that we were being transferred by the company to Arusha, Tanganyika, as Tanzania was called then.

Aleco was furious, and after profound and very serious thought and contemplation, we decided that enough was enough, so Aleco bravely resigned from  Ralli Bros and we left for Greece.  

A Beautiful Public Garden in Kampala

A Lovely Garden at a Kampala Private Home

I always loved cooking, but during our stay in East Africa, I  started trying my own more intricate recipes for savoury dishes and desserts, that usually turned out quite delicious.   I was rather proud of the progress in my culinary efforts.

Here are a few recipes for dishes and desserts that I prepared during that period.

                                   SWEET POTATO AND CARROT SOUP

This is a delightful soup.

500 g (1 lb) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

210 g (7 oz) carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 tbsp olive oil, separated

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 leeks, trimmed, split lengthwise, thoroughly washed and finely chopped

1 sprig sage

2 sprigs thyme

1 litre (4 cups) tasty hot vegetable or chicken stock

250 ml (1 cup) cream, separated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and place the sweet potatoes and carrots into a tin lined with baking parchment.   Drizzle the vegetables with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 26-30 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion and leeks in the remaining olive oil with the sage and thyme until soft.  Add the hot stock and simmer for 15 minutes more and discard the herbs.   When the roasted vegetables are ready, cool a little and transfer to the saucepan and, with a hand blender, blend until smooth and velvety.  Stir in half the cream, taste for seasoning and add a little salt, if necessary.

Serve in soup bowls with a swirl of cream and freshly ground pepper.

                               MUSSELS STUFFED WITH SPICED RICE

                                               

Add caption

This can be either an appetizer or a full meal.

1 kg (2 lbs) large mussels, well scrubbed, beards discarded

120 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

75 g (1/2 cup) shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts

1-2 clove garlic, finely chopped

3-4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

1 large onion, peeled  and finely grated

480 g (2 cups) long grain rice

8-10 saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp water

1 small slice of peeled, fresh ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

720 ml (3 cups) boiling water, or vegetable stock

35 g (1/4 cup) currants
30 g  (1 oz) toasted pine nuts

1-2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

125 ml (1/2 cup) hot white wine, mixed with

125 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water

Lemon wedges

Saute the pistachios with ½ the olive oil for about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft.  Then stir in the rice, ginger, salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper and cook for two minutes more.  Pour in the water or stock, the saffron water and stir and simmer, until the rice is barely “al dente” and discard the ginger.  Stir in the currants, pine nuts and parsley and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, open the mussels with a sharp knife, making sure that the flesh remains attached to both halves of the shell.     Stuff each mussel with the rice mixture and tie with string.  

Arrange the mussels snugly in a saucepan, and place the remaining stuffing around.  Pour the water and wine solution over and sprinkle with the remaining olive oil.   Cover the saucepan, and simmer gently until all the water has been absorbed, adding a little more hot water, if necessary.     Let the mussels cool and discard the strings.    Serve the mussels on a bed of stuffing, garnished with lemon wedges.

                   SPAGHETTI WITH BROCCOLI AND SMOKED SALMON

If you have a few leftover boiled vegetables, like broccoli or courgettes or peas,

and a few slices of smoked salmon you can serve a delicious gourmet dish, that will be greatly appreciated.

500 g spaghetti boiled in a tasty vegetable stock, strained  also, reserve the  vegetable stock

A little olive oil to sprinkle over the spaghetti

150 g (5 oz) boiled broccoli florets or other vegetables, sautéed in little butter

White sauce:

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp cornflour

1 bay leaf

750 ml (3 cups) hot stock, in which the spaghetti were boiled

250 ml (1 cup) cream, low fat if preferred

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp grated San Mihalis or Parmesan, optional

6 slices of smoked salmon, cut into small pieces

2 tbsp dill, thickly chopped

1 tsp red pepper, coarsely ground

Sprinkle the spaghetti with olive oil, swirl and cover the saucepan and keep the spaghetti hot.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.   Melt butter over low heat, add the bay leaf and sift the cornflour over.   Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes, and progressively pour in the hot stock, stirring very well after each addition, until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Discard the bay leaf, pour in the cream and grated cheese, if using, and mix until very well combined.  Taste the sauce and add a little salt, if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper.

Just before serving, add the hot sautéed broccoli to the spaghetti and mask with the sauce.  Finally, place the smoked salmon pieces evenly over, and sprinkle with chopped dill.   Serve on a hot dish and sprinkle with coarsely ground red pepper.

                                         

                               SHRIMPS IN A SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

                                             

Just Before Grilling

500 g (1 lb) large shrimps, peeled, deveined, tails left on, thoroughly washed and patted dry

3 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Salt

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 slice fresh ginger root, peeled

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

500 g (1 lb) ripe tomatoes, blended and sieved

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

250 g (8 oz) feta cheese, crumbled

Freshly ground black pepper

A little extra olive oil

Cook the shrimps in half the oil, until they change colour, sprinkle with Cayenne pepper and very little salt, then, with a slotted spoon, place them into a baking dish.

In the same saucepan, sauté the onion, ginger and garlic in the remaining olive oil, until the onions are soft.  Add the tomato puree and sprinkle with sugar, freshly ground black pepper and very little salt.  Simmer the sauce gently, until it thickens, stirring occasionally.  Discard the ginger.

Pour the tomato sauce over the shrimps, sprinkle with feta and black pepper and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.  Place under a hot grill until cheese melts and the sauce bubbles.

Serve with a glass of dry white wine and hot, crusty brown bread.

                                                      

                     CHICKEN WITH CREAM AND SWEET WHITE WINE

                                       

Chicken in a White Sauce

 One could, alternatively, use chicken breasts for this dish.

1 kg (2 lb) chicken legs, skinned, boned and cut into bite-sized pieces

Plain flour mixed with

Salt and freshly ground white pepper and

½ tsp ginger powder
½ tsp  grated nutmeg 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp clarified butter

1 onion, grated

3 spring onions, trimmed and  finely sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 sweet red peppers, sliced

125 ml (½ cup) Samos Moschato or any other sweet white wine

375 ml (1 1/2 cup) hot chicken stock or more

250 ml (1 cup) cream

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp chives finely snipped

Roll the chicken pieces in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess and sauté in the olive oil and butter.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Discard all, but one tbsp of the olive oil and butter mixture, add the onion, red peppers and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.      

Return the chicken to the saucepan with the vegetables, douse with wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes more, until that the alcohol evaporates.  Add the hot chicken stock and simmer about 15 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.    Then pour in the cream, taste and season with more salt, pepper and nutmeg, if necessary.   Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.   Serve the chicken sprinkled with snipped chives, and accompanied with steamed rice or mashed potatoes. 

                        BEEF FILLET WITH MUSHROOMS AND HERBS

                                     

You could alternatively prepare this dish with a dry red wine.

10 slices beef fillet 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, marinated, for at least 1 hour in:

4 tbsp garlic-scented olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp chopped marjoram leaves

Herbed Butter

4 tbsp soft butter

1 spring onion, very finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, very finely chopped

½ tsp lemon juice

Salt and, freshly ground pepper

Mushroom Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

500 g (1 lb) fresh mushrooms, stalks chopped, caps quartered

2-3 tbsp duxelles* please see below

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp brandy

360 ml (1½ cup) or more, chicken or mushroom stock

1 tbsp tomato paste, diluted in ¼ cup water

1 tsp fresh marjoram, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

60 ml (¼ cup) sweet red wine

*Duxelles:

250 g (½ lb) mushroom stems and a few caps chopped

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp olive oil or

1 tbsp olive oil +

1 tbsp butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley

(Sauté the onion in olive oil or butter and olive oil until the onion is transparent.  Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is quite dry.  Then add the seasoning and parsley.  Simmer 1-2 minutes more, discard the garlic and store in a jar, cover with olive oil and refrigerate.)                    

  

First, prepare the herb butter.  Combine all ingredients together and, with the help of a piece of cling film, shape a small cylinder and ice.

 

For the sauce, sauté the onion and the garlic, in olive oil, until soft.  First add the mushroom stalks, then the caps and chopped marjoram and sauté quickly until quite dry.  Sprinkle with brandy and cook until the alcohol evaporates.  Add the flour and cook, over low heat, stirring for 5-6 minutes more.  Pour in the stock and simmer, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the duxelles and simmer for 2 minutes more.   Sprinkle with parsley, and keep hot.

Cook the steaks in two batches.  Season each steak on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper.   Place a frying pan over very high heat and cook the steaks until the meat is cooked as preferred, from about 2 1/2 minutes on each side for rare, 3 1/2 minutes medium and 4 1/2 minutes for well done.  

 

Arrange the fillet steaks on a hot serving dish, place a slice of herbed butter over, and keep hot.  Add the mushroom sauce in the same frying pan in which the stakes were cooked, and quickly cook and stir.  Pour in the sweet red wine cook for a bare moment and spoon half the sauce over the steaks.  Serve immediately with smashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables and the remaining sauce.

    

                               SMASHED POTATOES WITH CREAM

I have already given you the recipe for these very tasty potatoes 

1 kg (2 lb) or more mealy potatoes, peeled and  thickly sliced

Enough tasty vegetable stock to cover

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 sprig sage

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

250 ml (1 cup) or more cream

1 tbsp snipped chives

Boil the potatoes with all the ingredients, except the cream and chives.   Discard the garlic and sage and strain.  Return the potatoes to the saucepan and heat to remove any possible moisture and smash them slightly with a fork.

Before serving the potatoes, pour over the cream, stir, and simmer gently.   Taste and season accordingly, if necessary.   Serve sprinkled with snipped chives and freshly ground white pepper.

                       CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RUM CUSTARD

The picture above depicts a larger chocolate cake sandwiched and topped with rum custard, a superb dessert.

Cake:

45 g (½ cup) cocoa powder, sifted

195 g (1½ cup) self-raising flour

1 vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

200 g (1 cup) sugar

115 g (½ cup) butter, softened

1 egg

125 ml (½ cup) Greek yogurt

125 ml (½ cup) boiling water

Rum Custard:

687.5 ml (2 ¾ cups) milk

125 ml (½ cup) dark rum

1 vanilla

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp cornflour

100 g ( ½ cup) sugar

2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line the base of a 28 cm (11 inches +)  spring-form tin with buttered baking parchment and brush the sides with butter.

Mix the first five ingredients for the cake, well together.  In a food processor pulse butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and yogurt and pulse for 3 minutes more.   Add the dry ingredients and the boiling water, with the processor running, until a smooth batter is formed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Leave for ten minutes, and reverse on a pretty serving dish.

Meanwhile, prepare the rum custard.  Simmer the milk with the rum and vanilla for 5 minutes and whip the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour until creamy and thick.   Allow the milk to cool for 5 minutes and ladle it into the egg mixture, beating constantly as you add.   Return to the saucepan and simmer gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens, about 15-20 minutes.   Then stir in the butter and cover with cling-film and set aside to cool.  Then ice for ½ an hour.

Slice the chocolate cake in two layers and cover each layer with the rum custard and refrigerate, covered.  Before serving, bring to room temperature and enjoy this delicious dessert.

   

Kampala Roses for My Family

THEE TARTS AND TWO SALADS

There is something magical about quiches and tarts.  Preparing them is an ingenious way of offering your family and friends gourmet first dishes which will be, without doubt, highly appreciated.





                                         CRAB AND FENNEL TART

A Superb Tart

        

I have no words for this tart.

Pastry :

180 g (6 oz) plain flour

A pinch of salt

45 g (1½ oz) butter

45 g (1½ oz) lard
A little milk, if necessary
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs 

Filling:

210 g (7 oz) cooked crabmeat, flaked

1 heaped tbsp fennel leaves, chopped

250 ml (1 cup) thick cream

250 ml (1 cup) full milk

4 large eggs

½ coffee spoon anchovy paste

1 tsp tomato paste

Freshly ground black pepper and

Salt to taste

Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F).   Blend all the pastry ingredients until they come together, but if the dough crumbles stir in a little milk.   Roll the dough out thinly, line a buttered tart dish and sprinkle with the dried breadcrumbs.

Spread the crabmeat all over the pastry shell and sprinkle with fennel leaves.   Whip the eggs with the cream, milk, tomato and anchovy pastes and freshly ground pepper.  Taste and then add some salt, if necessary, and pour over the crabmeat.

Bake for 15 minutes, lower the heat to 180 C (360 F) and bake for 25 minutes more or until puffed and golden brown.  Serve garnished with sprigs of fennel and a green salad.

                                               PRAWN QUICHE

                                     

This is a delicious first dish! 

Pastry

250g (1 2/3 cup) plain flour

125g (½ cup) butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp or more, iced milk

A pinch of salt

Filling

180 ml (2 cups) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, grated

½ kg (1 lb) prawns, sautéed in a little white wine and 2 rosemary twigs until they just change colour and sprinkled with a little salt

4 eggs, separated

125 ml (1/2 cup) cream, 2% fat, if preferred

125 ml (1/2 cup) full milk

2-3 spring onions, finely chopped and stewed with 2 tbsp water and a little olive oil

1 tbsp mayonnaise, low fat if preferred

Salt and pepper to taste

1\8 tsp Cayenne pepper

2 heaped tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated
2 tbsp snipped chives

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs for the pastry shell

For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl.   Rub the butter with flour, add the egg yolk, sprinkle with milk and stir until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bring the pastry to room temperature, roll out thinly and line a buttered 27 cm (11 in) tart dish.   Bake blind, covered with baking parchment and beans, for about 10 minutes.   Discard the parchment and pulses and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.   Remove from the oven, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and set aside to cool.

Sprinkle half the kasseri or Emmenthal over the cold pastry shell and place the prawns evenly on top.  Mix the egg yolks, cream and milk together, and set aside.

Mix the onions with the mayonnaise, the remaining grated cheese and Cayenne, well together and stir into the egg yolk mixture.  Whisk the egg whites, with a pinch of salt, to soft peaks and fold, gently, into the egg yolks.    Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed.  

Spoon the filling over the prawns and sprinkle with Parmesan and snipped chives.   Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.   Serve with a zesty rocket salad and crusty warm bread.

                                            CHEESE TARTLETS

Here is a recipe for delightful small cheese tartlets.

Pastry:

650 g (5 cups) plain flour mixed with

1 tsp baking powder

125 ml (½ cup) melted butter

125 ml (½ cup) mild-tasting olive oil

Pinch of salt

125 ml (½ cup) milk

Filling:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp plain flour

750 ml (3 cups) milk

½ tsp grated nutmeg

2 medium-sized eggs, whipped

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated Graviera from Crete or Emmenthal

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

First, prepare the pastry.  Whip the butter for 5 minutes and stir in the olive oil.   Add the flour by the spoonful, salt and milk, stirring until a soft dough is obtained.  Cover with cling film and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Melt the butter, over low heat, add the bay leaf, sift the flour over, sprinkle with salt and nutmeg, and stir and cook gently for 4-5 minutes.   Pour in the hot milk, stir vigorously and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.   Remove from the heat to cool and discard the bay leaf.   Then, fold in the whipped eggs and the grated cheese, stirring thoroughly but gently until well combined.

Brush the sockets of a cupcake tin with melted butter.   Roll out the dough, cut it into rounds and line the buttered cupcake sockets with the pastry.   Spoon in the filling, sprinkle with chives, cover with tin foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for 5-7 minutes more, until puffed and golden.     

  

                      

                             FENNEL ROCKET AND ORANGE SALAD

 A very palatable and satisfying salad.

2 bunches rocket, leaves and tender stalks only

3 oranges, peeled and filleted
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, stalks and hard parts discarded, then thinly sliced and covered with iced water to  curl

2 tbsp chopped chives

Dressing:

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp orange juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Arrange the rocket leaves in a salad bowl, divide the sliced fennel bulb and the orange fillets evenly over and sprinkle with chives.

Whip all the dressing ingredients together until thick, pour over the salad, toss and serve.  

                                SPINACH BACON AND MUSHROOM SALAD

A tasty salad which is, actually, a whole meal.

250 g (½ lb) fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and dried

250 g (½ lb) fresh mushrooms, wiped

The juice of ½ a lemon

250 g (½ lb) bacon

2 slices day-old bread, crusts removed and cut into cubes

1 tbsp melted butter

1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half for the salad bowl

Dressing:

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 tbsp olive oil

(Mix all the ingredients well together until thick)

Heat the oven to180 C (350 F).   Discard the stalks from the spinach and shred the leaves.  Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and reserve them for preparing a soup.  Slice the caps and drizzle with lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring.

Sauté the bacon rashers until crisp, drain on kitchen paper and break into small pieces.   Brush the bread cubes with melted butter and bake in a single layer in a tin lined with parchment for 12-15 minutes or until crisp and golden, and place on a plate to cool.

Rub the salad bowl with garlic and place the spinach and mushrooms, evenly over.   Drizzle with the dressing, scatter the bacon and croutons over and enjoy.    

Images of the 63rd Kifissia Flower Show

MOTHER'S DAY

Many Happy Returns of  the Day

According to Wikipedia and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mother’s Day has been celebrated, worldwide, for thousands of years.   Important examples are the ancient Greek cult of Cybele and Rhea, mother of the Olympian gods;  the Roman festival of Hilaria, on the March equinox, in honour of Cybele, and later Christian Mothering Sunday.

Since 1908, modern Mother’s Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday of May.   Each mother deeply loves, cherishes and nurtures her children to the best of her ability, besides offering them, together with their father, the most precious gift of all, the gift of life.

My dear friend Eddie Cotsis had her birthday on the 9th May.    On Mothers’ day, the 13^th May, her children Rhea and Philip and Effie arranged a fabulous birthday lunch in her honour, at a well-known Kifissia restaurant, named after one of Aesop’s fables. 

Eddie is charming, intelligent, warmhearted and generous, and moreover, she taught some of us to play bridge more than half a century ago!  

Here are a few recipes for the festive dishes that were offered at Eddie's birthday treat.

                    CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS IN A CREAMY MASTIC SAUCE

\

Kotopoulo Mastihato

This is a recipe of a dish, that a well-known Kifissia restaurant always offers.

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

500 g (1 lb) small, fresh Portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

210 ml (7 liquid oz) brandy

3 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into bite-sized pieces and sprinkled with

2 tbsp seasoned flour

90 ml (3 liquid oz) Mastic liqueur

500 ml (2 cups) or more tasty chicken stock

250 ml (1 cup) cream

1 heaped tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Sauté the onions in a little water and 1 tbs olive oil until soft.  Add the minced garlic and the sliced mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are almost dry.   Pour in the brandy and cook for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Then season with salt and pepper and remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add the butter and remaining olive oil into the saucepan and sauté the chicken, in batches, until brown all over.   Pour in the mastic liqueur and cook briskly, stirring, until the alcohol evaporates.   Then, add the chicken stock, stir and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.    Return the mushrooms to the saucepan and pour the cream over.   Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes more and sprinkle with fresh chopped tarragon.

Serve with an aromatic rice and a green salad

   

                                LIVER WITH CARAMELISED ONIONS

Liver and Onions

If you like liver, do prepare this easy, but very tasty dish.

3 tbsp butter

3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 twig fresh rosemary

6 tbsp brown sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 kg (2 lb) calves’ liver trimmed of membranes and cut into 1.75 cm (½ inch) slices, washed and patted dry

2 tbsp or more plain flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a frying pan, sauté the onions in 1 tbsp butter, a little water and the rosemary twig, stirring occasionally, until limp.   Sprinkle the sugar evenly over and stir from time to time until the onions caramelise.   Set the onions aside and keep warm, discarding the rosemary,

Meanwhile, dredge the liver in flour, shaking each slice to remove the excess, and sauté in the remaining butter, for 1 ½ minutes on each side.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a heated dish.

Serve covered with the caramelized onions, mashed potatoes with cream and a salad of your choice. 

  

       JACKET POTATOES STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND SOUR CREAM 

A lovely dish for a light lunch or dinner.

4 large potatoes washed and patted dry

3 tbsp sunflower oil, separated

Salt 

500 g (1 lb) small Portobello mushrooms. wiped and sliced

1 garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

250 ml (1 cup) sour cream* (please see recipe below)

6 stalks chives, finely snipped

1 tbsp, finely chopped dill

Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, rub with sunflower oil, sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 minutes or until soft and set aside to cool a little.   Score the top of each potato crosswise with a sharp knife and push with your fingers to open the gashes as much as possible, cover and keep hot.

While the potatoes are baking, sauté the mushrooms with the minced garlic in the remaining sunflower oil, and simmer stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked and dry.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and stir in the sour cream and snipped chives.  Taste and season if necessary. 

Fill the top of the potatoes with mushroom sauce and sprinkle with chopped dill.

*Here is the recipe for sour cream.

250 ml (1 cup) Greek yogurt

1 tsp tarragon vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt and freshly ground white pepper

(Mix everything well together cover and refrigerate for not more than three days.)

                 

                                           

                                                  CHEESE PUFFS

                                                  

Cheese Puffs Ready to  Serve

This recipe is prepared with choux dough.  The puffs can be served hot or at room temperature.

250 ml (1cup) water

100 g (1/2 cup) butter

A pinch of salt

150 g (1 cup + 2 scant tbsp) flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

120 g (4 oz) San Mihalis or Parmesan or mature Cheddar grated

Bring water, butter and salt to the boiling point. Add the flour all at once and cook, stirring vigorously until the dough forms a ball around the spoon.  Remove from the fire and set aside to cool.

  

Sprinkle the dough with baking powder and stir well.  Then add the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg has been well incorporated into the batter before adding the next.  Finally, add the cheese and mix thoroughly together. 

With a piping bag or with the help of 2 coffee spoons, place small mounds of the mixture on a baking tin, lined with baking parchment, 3.75 cm (1½ inches) apart.   

Bake in a hot oven preheated to 200 C (400 F) for the first 10 minutes or until puffed, and then reduce the heat to 180 C (350 F), or even lower, for the next 10-12 minutes.   Serve the cheese-puffs, immediately, or place them on a rack to cool.

                                                   

              CREAM CHEESE CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE TOPPING

Happy Birthday

This is a copy of a delightful birthday cake that Rhea had bought for Eddie from a famous Athenian pastry shop.

Crust:
250 g (1/2 lb) chocolate biscuits, blended into fine crumbs

150 g (5 oz) melted butter

Filling:
1 kg (2 lb) cream cheese
1 tin condensed milk
3 tbsp icing  sugar

Vanilla to taste

62 g (1/4 cup) warm cream

7 gelatin sheets, separated and soaked in iced water

Chocolate Glaze:

300 g (10 oz) bitter-sweet dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp honey

Place the biscuits crumbs into a bowl, pour the melted butter over and mix thoroughly until it resembles wet sand.    Put the biscuit mixture into a 23 cm (9 inch) springform tin, pressing it, evenly, at the base of the tin, to form a crust.

Squeeze the gelatin sheets with your fingers to remove as much water as possible and place in the hot cream and stir vigorously until very well dissolved. 

In a food processor, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the condensed milk, icing sugar, vanilla, salt and the gelatin mixture and pulse until the mixture is well combined.    

Pour the mixture over the biscuit crust, in the springform tin.   Cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate glaze.   Place the butter, chocolate and honey in a Pyrex bowl, over simmering water, stirring frequently until melted and smooth.   Cool slightly and use immediately.

Unclasp the springform tin and spoon the melted chocolate glaze, evenly, over the cake.   Refrigerate for 30 minutes more or until it hardens to a shiny glaze, then garnish with fruit of your choice.  Serve iced.

Roses For Eddie!!

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Officials fear that the spring weather will bring another influx of refugees and migrants to the Greek islands, which are already overcrowded.  The European Union’s border patrol, FRONTEX estimates that there has been 17% increase in the number of illegal migrants entering the country, since the beginning of May.

It is heartbreaking, that these unfortunate people, fleeing from their war-torn countries in the Middle East, risk their lives in crumbling boats, in search of hope and normal living conditions, in the European Union.     

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Also, AEK's Basketball Team won the third European trophy of its history and its first Basketball  Champion's League "triumphing 100-94 over Monaco, in the Olympic Sports Hall in Athens."!!

Here are a few recipes pertaining to the countries mentioned above.

            CHICKEN AND YOGURT DISH FROM NORTHERN PAKISTAN

This dish is not cooked with the usual Indian spices, but it is extremely popular and easy to prepare.

4 chicken legs, skinned and divided into thighs and drumsticks

1 chicken breast, quartered

125 ml (½ cup) + 2 tbsp plain yogurt

197.5 ml (¾ cup) water

4 medium-sized onions, peeled, 3 cut in half and finely sliced, the fourth coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

One 2.5 x 2.5 cm (1x1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

5 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp or less Cayenne pepper

Place 125 ml (½ cup) yogurt in a small bowl and add the water gradually whipping constantly, until well combined.

Blend the onion, garlic and ginger with 6 tbsp water to a smooth paste and reserve.

Sauté the sliced onions in 3 tbsp olive oil until they are soft and slightly brown around the edges, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.

Add the remaining olive oil and sauté the chicken in batches, for 7-8 minutes, until they are browned on all sides, and transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Lower the heat to a minimum, add the blended onion/garlic/ginger paste to the saucepan and stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes.   Raise the heat to medium and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.  Add one tablespoonful of yogurt and continue to stir-fry for one minute more, then, repeat the same process with the second tablespoonful of yogurt.

Add the chicken pieces, the yogurt/water mixture, the sautéed sliced onion rings, salt and Cayenne pepper to taste.  Stir well and bring to a boil.   Then cover the saucepan, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes more.

Taste and season accordingly, if necessary.  Also, if the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a hot plate and keep hot.  Then, reduce the sauce, by boiling to the desired thickness and transfer the chicken back to the pot.   Serve hot over steamed rice, sprinkled with fresh cilantro or parsley.

                                     LAMB WITH CHESTNUTS AND RAISINS

                                                           (Market Khastel)

Here is a festive, tasty Tunisian main dish.

16-20 roasted chestnuts, peeled from their shell and inner brown membrane

 1 kg (2 lb) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat, washed and patted  dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces

6 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt or according to taste

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

900 ml (3 cups) water

210 g (7 oz) seedless raisins

1 tsp sugar

Place the lamb in a bowl, sprinkle it all over with salt, cinnamon and freshly ground black pepper and sauté in batches, in sunflower oil, turning around frequently, until richly brown on all sides. 

Add the chestnuts and the hot water and bring to a boil.   Then, lower the heat to a mere simmer and cook, partly covered for 30 minutes.

Stir in the raisins and sugar and simmer gently, partly covered again, for about  20 minutes more or until the meat is tender when pierced with a sharp knife.  Taste for seasoning, and arrange on a hot serving dish and serve with crusty, warm bread

                                              HAWAIIAN AHI POKE

A wonderful fish dish from Hawaii.

Marinade:

62.5 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp grated fresh ginger root

4 tbsp trimmed and finely sliced spring onions plus extra for garnish

2 tbsp ground roasted macadamia nuts

1 tsp hot red chilli pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

(Mix all the ingredients well together)

500 g (1 lb) yellow tunny fish, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes

Sunflower oil

Lemon or lime juice

Sauté the tunny fish, in batches, in sunflower oil, on all sides until it flakes when tested with a fork.   Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Place the cooked tunny fish in a bowl and pour the marinade over.   Mix gently but thoroughly until all pieces are covered with the marinade.  Cover with cling-film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.

Sprinkle with the extra finely sliced spring onions, and serve with sushi rice or cold noodles and a green salad.

              ROAST FILLET OF BEEF WITH VEGETABLE AND WINE SAUCE

Beef Tenderloin in Red Wine Sauce

This is not the proverbial roast beef, England's national dish, but it is one of my favourite main dishes for a small dinner party

1½ kg beef fillet, centre part, tied at 2½ cm (1 inch) intervals with kitchen thread, brushed with

Olive oil and sprinkled with

Salt and thickly ground black pepper,  covered and refrigerated 

Rosemary sprigs

Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2-3 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

250 g (½ lb) fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 bouquet garni made with 2 parsley sprigs, 1 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 slice of fresh ginger

One 750 ml bottle of red wine like Nemea Agiorgitiko or Barolo

500 ml (2 cups) home-made beef stock

A little sugar

You could prepare the sauce up to two days earlier than you need it.   Sauté all the vegetables in olive oil, stirring constantly, until they become soft and dry.   Add the tomato paste and ginger and stir for 2-3 minutes more.    Pour in 250 ml (1 glass) of wine and cook for 5 minutes until all the wine evaporates.   Add the bouquet garni, the remaining wine, and the beef stock.   Lower the heat and simmer gently, for at least 1-1 ½ hours.  Remove the bouquet garni and the ginger and blend the sauce with a hand blender, cover and reserve, in the fridge.

Three hours before your guests arrive, remove the fillet from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, for about 1 hour.    Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F).     Then attach the rosemary sprigs to the meat with the kitchen thread and sauté it over high heat until browned on all sides.   Place the fillet on a rack, in a roasting tin and add a little water in the tin.   Roast for 15-20 minutes for rare, 20-25 for medium and 25-30 for well done.   Then remove from the oven and cover the meat with foil and let it rest for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the sauce.   Strain the juices from the roasting tin into a jug and stir a little into the sauce.  Taste the sauce and season with salt pepper and a little sugar if necessary, adding more of the roasting juices.

Carve the fillet in thickish slices, arrange on a hot serving dish and masque liberally with sauce.  Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables of your choice.   

 

                                              BEEF STROGANOFF

Stroganoff Served over Noodles

A delicious dish of the Russian Cuisine.

2-3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

Water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter

500g (1 lb) mushrooms, whipped, trimmed and thickly sliced

1 kg (2 lb) fillet steak, sliced then cut into strips

2 tbsp or more plain flour mixed with

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

125 ml (½ cup) white wine

1 tbsp English mustard

250 ml (1 cup) cream

250 ml (1 cup) beef stock

½ cup chopped parsley

Sauté the onions in olive oil, with a cupful of water and a little salt, over medium heat.   Stir frequently, and simmer for 15 minutes until the onions are completely soft.  Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Then add the butter and the mushrooms and cook until soft and most of the cooking liquid has evaporated.   Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and tip into a large plate.

Toss the meat strips into the seasoned flour and sauté, in the remaining olive oil and cook until golden brown.  Pour in the wine and stir for 2-3 minutes more until the alcohol evaporates.   Then return the onion and mushroom mixture back into the saucepan and stir well together.   Finally, mix the cream, mustard and stock until well combined and pour evenly over and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes more and sprinkle with  chopped parsley

Serve with noodles or rice

                          STEAMED RICE WITH SAFFRON POTATOES

                                                 (Chelo Seebjamini)

Iranian  Rice and Potato Dish

Iran has many very interesting rice dishes, this is one of them.

450 g (14 oz) basmati rice

½ tsp of saffron threads

1 pinch of sugar

1 scant tsp warm water

75 g (2½ oz) melted butter plus

30 g (1 oz) butter cut into small pieces

2 small potatoes peeled and thinly sliced

Wash the rice thoroughly and place it in a bowl. add three tablespoonfuls of salt and enough water to cover the rice by 2.5 cm (1 inch) and soak for about two hours and strain.

Bring 1250 ml (5 cups) of water to a boil, in a heavy casserole, add the rice, stir once or twice and boil briskly for 5 minutes then drain in a sieve.

Meanwhile, mash the saffron threads and sugar with a pestle and mortar or the back of a spoon.  Stir in the scant teaspoon of warm water and pour into the casserole and stir the melted butter.  Add the sliced potatoes, turning them over until they are thoroughly coated.  Spread the potatoes over the entire bottom of the casserole and spoon the rice over them, heaping it us slightly in the centre.   Dot the rice with the remaining butter, cover tightly and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.  Cover with a sheet of tin foil to seal the casserole completely. Then cover with the lid and reduce the heat to the lowest possible point and steam the rice and potatoes until tender for about 35 minutes.

Spoon the rice on a heated dish.  Gently lift the potatoes and arrange them brown side up on the rice.  It is usually served with a stew, but it can also be served with butter, raw egg yolk, salt and pepper and a pinch of dried sumac.

                                               AUBERGINE SALAD

                                                   (Melitzanosalata)

                                                   

This is a traditional recipe for an aubergine salad.

1 kg (2 lb) large aubergines

1 clove crushed garlic

Salt and pepper according to taste

4 tbsp vinegar or according to taste

125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

Prick the aubergines and bake in an oven preheated to 200C (almost 400 F) until the skin is charred, to give a smoky flavour to the salad.  Split and scoop out the flesh discarding any seeds or hard parts.  Chop the eggplant finely and stir in the garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper.   Add the vinegar, a tbsp at a time, checking for acidity and stir well.     Place in a bowl, cover and chill.

                                     SUMMER AUBERGINE SALAD

                                       

This melitzanosalata reminds one of guacamole. 

1 kg (2 lb) large aubergine

2 tbsp cucumber, finely chopped

2 tbsp multi-coloured peppers finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp or more lemon juice or
Vinegar to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

For baking the eggplant, please see the preceding recipe. Mix all the ingredients well together and season according to taste with salt pepper, and Cayenne pepper.  Place in a serving bowl, cover and chill.   Serve with crusty warm bread.

                             

Spring Roses from the Kifissia Flower Show