BEWARE THE IDES OF NOVEMBER, MR. TRUMP.......

“The Ides of November for Donald Trump” was the inspired headline of Mrs Myrna Nikolaidou's article in the Greek newspaper  ESTIA, of the 28^th October 2018. 

"Et Tu, Brutus..."

The headline was borrowed from the soothsayer's warning phrase to Julius Caesar “Beware the Ides of March”, in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

On the 6^th November, the intermediary elections will be decisive for the future of Donald Trump’s presidency.

If the Republicans keep or increase their control in the Congress, Mr Trump will be able to abolish OBAMACARE, which is one of his obsessions.   

Also, he will be able to suspend the inquest of the Ministry of Justice, concerning his collaboration with the Russians, during his electoral campaign against Hillary Clinton.

Moreover, he will be authorised to finance the erection of the notorious wall between Mexico and the United States.

On the other hand, if the Republicans lose the majority in the Congress, Mr Trump will encounter serious difficulties, not only in practising his office but also his political survival will be in doubt.   If this occurs, there are serious possibilities that the Democrats will vote a censure against him and start an inquiry for his economic and professional connections, that could lead to tax refunds.

Also, they could block Mr Trump’s appointments of judges in the High Court, and, evidently, his plans for the Mexico wall will be stopped with summary procedures.  Apparently, he never forgets his other favourite issue which is the confrontation of refugees from Honduras.

Incidentally, this is a difficult period for Mr Trump as he has received a resonant defeat in the Senate, due to the revolt of three Republicans.  Also, all gallops show him as the most unpopular president of the United States, so BEWARE OF THE IDES OF NOVEMBER MR TRUMP!!

(Most of the information for this post was, besides Mrs Nicolaidou's article mentioned above, from the Greek and international press, such as the Kathimerini, Time Magazine and the Guardian UK  and TV talk shows and reports, like ERT, BBC, FRANCE 24 and CNN,  all of whom I sincerely thank.)

According to the Greek daily Kathimerini, the American Senator Elizabeth Warren, on Thursday, urged Donald Trump’s government to discharge him of his duties if he cannot execute them, as described in an explosive, anonymous article published in the New York Times, on Wednesday.

“The Constitution allows this procedure if the Vice President and high government officials consider that the President cannot execute his duties,” said the Massachusetts Senator on CNN.   "On the contrary, the Constitution does not make provisions for high government officials to by-pass the President, to remove documents from his office and to write anonymous articles …All these officials have taken an oath to abide by the American Constitution, so it is time they started doing their job”.

She was referring to an article published in the New York Times, on Wednesday, concerning the revelations in Bob Woodward’s book called “Fear: Trump in the White House”, extracts of which were published on Tuesday in the New York Times.   In this article, he refers to the president's anonymous high government official who had stated that he and his colleagues, at the beginning of Trump’s term in office had considered using the 25^th amendment of the American Constitution.  But they quickly refrained from this idea because it could cause a constitutional crisis.

The 4^th amendment foresees a difficult and complicated process which begins with the Vice President’s and the government’s initiative and it, then, has to be passed by the Congress in order to exempt the President from his duties.  (This is not an impeachment).  

The White House is in chaos, with officials trying to raise a wall of aversion around Donald Trump, so that they can protect the country, by refusing to obey his orders and by removing documents from the Oval Office.

I decided to publish a few recipes from the US and Mexico that will, hopefully, comfort their hearts, also yours and ours.

                                         AMERICAN CHEDDAR SOUP

Cheddar Soup Garnished With sprigs of Thyme

Cheddar soup is equally good cold.  Chill it thoroughly and serve it in chilled cups.

30 g (1 oz) butter

3 tbsp finely chopped onions

3 tbsp finely chopped carrot

3 tbsp finely chopped green peppers

3 tbsp finely chopped celery

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp plain flour

1000 ml (4 cups) hot chicken stock

250 g (½ lb) mature Cheddar, coarsely grated

375 ml (1 ½ cup) milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, sauté the finely chopped vegetables and the bay leaf, over moderate heat, for 6-8 minutes until soft but not brown.   Stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes more, pour in the hot stock and bring to the boil, whisking constantly, until it thickens slightly.   Then reduce the heat and simmer the soup, partially covered, for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Discard the bay leaf.

 A handful at a time, stir in the cheese and cook until it dissolves, then add the milk gradually until the preferred thickness has been reached, it should have the consistency of double cream.  Bring almost to the boil and strain through a fine sieve into another saucepan.   Taste for seasoning and sprinkle freshly ground white pepper, and salt if necessary.  Heat once more almost to the boiling point and serve.

                                               SOPA DE AGUACATE

                                               (Avocado Cream Soup)

A delicious Mexican soup that will warm your hearts. For adults only.

3 large, ripe avocados, peeled, halved, stoned and chopped

177 ml (4/5 cup) double cream

1250 ml (5 cups) chicken stock

3 tbsp dry sherry

A tiny pinch of salt and

Freshly ground white pepper to taste
A pinch of Cayenne

1 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

Blend the avocados with ¼ of the cream until smooth and velvety.  Beat in the remaining cream, a tablespoonful at a time. 

Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan, reduce the heat, and when the stock is barely simmering, stir in the avocado purée.   Add the sherry, salt and freshly ground pepper and taste for seasoning.

Serve the soup hot in a tureen, strew with the thinly sliced avocado and serve immediately.  You could also refrigerate the soups and serve it cold.

                                                      CEVICHE

There can be nothing more delectable than fish or seafood “cooked” by the acidity of lime, lemon or vinegar, which one can find and enjoy all over Latin America.

500 g (1 lb) sea-bass, sole or halibut, skinned, filleted and pin-boned and cubed

1 tsp salt

1 red chili, deseeded and very finely sliced (one should always wear gloves when handling chilies)

375 ml (1½) or more lime juice

2 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, peeled and very finely sliced

Salad:

1 round heart lettuce

1 endive

1 bunch wild rocket

(All washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces)

2 spring onions, trimmed, washed, dried and thinly sliced diagonally or

2 tbsp snipped chives

Dressing:

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Salt

1 tsp mustard with honey

1 tbsp or more full milk

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

( Mix the 3 first ingredients together until the salt dissolves, then stir in the milk and the olive oil. stirring constantly until the dressing thickens)

Place the cubed fish in a pyrex in a single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and the sliced chilli, evenly and pour the lime juice over.  Tuck the herbs all over the fish and top with the onion slices.   Cover the pyrex with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the fish once.  The fish cubes should be opaque by now.  Cut one in half to see if they are “cooked” through, if not, marinade them a bit more.   Then remove the fish from the marinade, pat dry and place it in a covered container in the fridge until needed.

Arrange the salad attractively on a flat dish, place the ceviche evenly over, sprinkle with sliced spring onions or snipped chives, drizzle with dressing and Bon Appetite!






                                           DILLED SALMON SOUFFLE 

A gourmet US fish dish, which is very easy to prepare.

60 g (2 oz) butter

3 tbsp finely chopped onions

4 tbsp plain flour

240 ml (almost 1 cup) milk

5 egg yolks

1 tbsp tomato paste

470 g (14 oz) tinned salmon, thoroughly drained and flaked

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

1½ tsp lemon juice

1½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

6 egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F) and coat the bottom and the sides of a soufflé dish, lavishly with butter.

Sauté the onions in the remaining butter for about 4 minutes but do not let them brown.  Off the heat, stir in the flour until a smooth paste occurs.  Add all the milk and beat to partially dissolve the flour.  Then, cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and very thick.  

Remove the pan from the fire and stir in the 5 egg yolks, one at a time.   Then stir in the tomato paste, salmon, dill, lemon juice, salt and Cayenne pepper.  Stir in a heaped tbsp. of whipped egg whites and very gently but thoroughly, fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks show.

Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish, reduce the heat to 190 C (375 F) and bake, undisturbed for 35-40 minutes or until it has puffed and is slightly brown on top.

Serve immediately with an hollandaise sauce,  if you wish.

                                             SAUCE HOLLANDAISE

The boiling butter method of preparing this sauce is an off the heat method, which raises the eyebrows of classicists, but it is certainly very easy to prepare.  It takes about 5 minutes to make, and, if served promptly, it presents no heating up problems at all, a sauce without tears.

2 tsp lemon juice (or for a more strongly flavoured sauce: 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp water

                             or white wine, 1 tsp minced shallots, reduced to 2 tsp)

2 egg yolks weighing 15 g (½ oz)

8-12 tbsp butter weighing 120-180 g (4-6 oz)

1/8 tsp salt

Freshly ground white pepper

In a small bowl beat the egg yolks until thick and pale (about 1 minute).  Stir in the lemon juice and salt until well mixed together.

Place butter over moderate heat to melt; then raise the heat and bring to the boil until it crackles loudly, indicating that the water content just started to evaporate.  

Immediately, remove from the heat. and on no account let it brown.  Holding the pan with the scalding butter in the left hand and egg beater in right, pour the boiling butter, in a thin stream of droplets onto the egg yolks, beating constantly so that the butter is being continuously absorbed.  The hot butter cooks and thickens the yolks, as it absorbs them.  The finished sauce should be thick enough to hold itself in a spoon.   Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary.

Serve the sauce in a warm bowl.  If the food, masked with the hollandaise, is very hot, it is wise to add 2 tbsp of béchamel into the sauce to prevent it from splitting.

                                      MOLE POBLANO DE GUAJOLOTTE

                                      (Turkey in Chocolate and Chilli Sauce)

Do not be alarmed by the large number of chillies used in this recipe, as they are from rather mild to very mild.  In Mexico, chicken and pork are often prepared and served in this sauce.

One 4 kg (8lb) turkey, disjointed, cut into 8 serving pieces, washed and patted dry

Salt

Mole sauce:

4 dried pasilla chillies

4 dried mulato chillies

14 ancho chillies

(All the chillies are split in half and seeded, under running water, and chopped)

375 ml (1½ cup) boiling, tasty chicken stock

120 g (4 oz) blanched and roasted almonds

120 g (4 oz) peeled and coarsely chopped onions

3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

60 g (2 oz) Greek raisins

1½ tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1 tortilla, broken into small pieces

A scant tsp finely chopped garlic

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground coriander seeds

¼ tsp aniseeds

1 tiny pinch of salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp butter

375 ml (1½ cups)  chicken stock

60 g (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate

5 tsp sesame seeds, lightly roasted

Simmer the turkey, covered with salted water, for about 1 hour or until almost cooked through.   Set aside, off the heat.

Meanwhile, prepare the mole sauce.  Pour enough hot chicken stock to just cover the chillies and soak them for about 30 minutes.

Blend the toasted almonds until they resemble a paste. Press the nuts with the back of a spoon through a sieve and return them into to blender.  Add the chillies and their soaking liquid, the onions, tomatoes, raisins, 1 ½ tsp of sesame seeds, tortilla, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, aniseeds, salt and pepper and blend until the mixture is reduced to a thick purée.

Simmer the above paste in 1 tbsp butter, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, add the cold stock and chocolate, and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted.  Cover the pan and set aside, off the heat.

Lift the turkey out of the saucepan, with a slotted spoon and place on a double thickness of kitchen paper to drain.  Then pat it until completely dry. Melt the remaining butter in a large frying pan and brown the turkey pieces on all sides, turning them around frequently in the hot butter.  Drain the fat from the frying pan and pour the mole over the turkey, turning the pieces about in the sauce in order to coat them evenly.  Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, basting the turkey occasionally with the sauce. 

Serve over steamed rice, sprinkled with the remaining toasted sesame seeds. 

                                              BARBERQUED SPARERIBS

 Another North American favourite dish.

Barbeque sauce:

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 medium-sized onions, peeled and finely chopped

180 g (6 oz) tomato purée

4 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil or thyme

4 tbsp thick honey

8 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

2 kg (4 lb) spareribs

Sauté the onions and garlic in butter, for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, but do not brown.  Combine the tomato purée with the vinegar and add it to the pan, then stir in the salt, herbs, honey, Worcestershire sauce and mustard and mix very well together.  Simmer over very low heat for 10-15  minutes and remove from the stove.

Preheat the oven to 200 C (400F) and place the spareribs, fat side up, on a rack, in a shallow roasting tin.   Brush the barbeque sauce, lavishly over the meat and bake, in the middle of the oven, for 46 minutes to 1 hour, basting thoroughly every 12 minutes or so.

When the spareribs are brown and crisp, cut into individual portions, and serve immediately.

                                      AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD

1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and cubed drenched with

1 tsp lemon juice

2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp vinegar

4 tbsp olive oil

Mixed the avocados, tomatoes and spring onions together, drizzle with vinaigrette, toss gently and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

                                           ENSALADA DE NOPALITOS

                                                  (Cactus-Leaf Salad)

600 g (1 lb 3.3 oz) tinned diced cactus leaves, strained and patted dry

3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

3 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh coriander

Vinaigrette:

2½ tsp vinegar

¼ tsp dry mustard

Salt and pepper

2½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

(Mix the three first ingredients well together and whip in the oil until the dressing thickens)

Place the cactus leaves, tomatoes and chopped onion in a salad bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette, toss gently and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander.

                                            CARAMELIZED MILK PUDDING
                                         

                               

Dulce de leche, a very popular sweet throughout Latin America.

450 g (15 oz) condensed milk

625 ml (2 ½ cups) fresh milk

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

210 g (7 oz) dark brown sugar

3 tbsp water

Bring the three first ingredients to the boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Immediately remove from the stove.

Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and simmer over low heat stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.  Pour in the hot milk mixture and stir well. Cook over very low heat, for about an hour, stirring occasionally.  The mixture will turn into a thick, amber coloured pudding.   Serve at room temperature or iced.

                                       TWO LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

A superb chocolate dessert.

180 g (6 oz) bitter dark chocolate, melted

180 g (6 oz) butter

625 g (1 ¼ lb) sugar

4 eggs

1 vanilla

250 g(½ lb) plain flour sifted with

1½ tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

250 ml (1 cup) milk

Icing:

210 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (I use Ygeias Pavlidou a lovely Greek chocolate), chopped

210 ml (7 fl oz) cream

2 tsp Greek honey

(Heat the cream almost to boiling point, pour over the chopped chocolate and the honey and whip well until thick and shin. Cool)

Walnut halves for garnish.

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F).  Brush a cake tin with butter and layer the base with buttered baking parchment.

Beat the sugar and butter until, light and creamy and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Then fold in the melted chocolate and the vanilla.  Add the flour in three portions alternately with the milk mixing very well each time.  Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and reverse the cake on a rack to cool.

Place on a serving dish, cut in half, spread the bottom layer with the chocolate icing cover with the second layer and cover with the remaining chocolate icing and garnish with walnut halves. 

"Roses in a Basket" by Jeanne Illenye

SOUPS

Archaeological evidence of the existence of soups can be found as early as 20.000 BC.   Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of clay vessels.  Earlier, animal hides and skins were used to form utensils and watertight baskets were made with reeds, which were placed on hot rocks in order to boil food.

Later, soup was a basic nourishment, a daily pot of warm, nutritious and tasty sustenance that brought the family together, around the fire.  

The etymology of soup derives from the French “soupe” which come from vulgar Latin “suppa” (bread soaked in broth).   For many years it consisted of broth being poured over slices of bread, which was the main evening meal.  Incidentally, “supper” has the same etymology as "soup", indicating that soup was, undoubtedly, a meal enjoyed after dusk. Soup of the evening beautiful soup!!

(Most of the information for this post is from Wikipedia and The Good Cook)

Cream Soup Garnished with Chives

Nowadays, soups are served in small quantities at the beginning of a meal.   Hot soups will warm us up, during freezing winter nights, and chilled ones are refreshing, on hot summers days.

Soups are prepared by combining, meat, poultry or fish with vegetables, aromatic herbs, seasoning, spices, water or any other liquid and boiled until tender and delicious.  

They are classified into two main groups, clear soups and thick soups.  Broth, bouillon, stock and consommé, all clear soups. are prepared the same way, as indicated above, any difference being the strength of flavour and their respective roles in the cooking process.

BROTH is a clear, savoury essence composed with a combination of meats or poultry or fish with aromatic herbs and spices, that are simmered in water until they yield their flavours and aromas and strained.  Then, they are iced overnight, de-greased and clarified.  A broth is a delicious soup in its own right, but it can also be used for preparing other soups.  Bouillon is French for broth.

STOCK is simply a broth that is employed as a braising medium or a sauce base.  It should, therefore, have a stronger flavour than a broth and a higher proportion of natural gelatine, which enriches food without masking or changing its flavour.  As the taste of beef and chicken overpower those of other ingredients, the stock should, rather, be prepared with pieces of veal, that produces delicate savours and natural gelatine.

This is the difference between broth and stock.  

A CONSOMME is a beef broth which should be richly flavoured and completely clear.   It is made with the same ingredients as a basic broth, but its flavour is intensified by simmering the meat in a broth rather than plain water.    A consommé should be thoroughly cleansed of every trace of fat and delicately gelatinous and perfectly clear.    

PUREES are thick soups, prepared with vegetables, poultry or fish which are reduced to a uniform consistency through sieving or processing. 

CREAM SOUPS are simply purées with cream added.   However, if the main ingredient is shellfish the soup is then called a BISQUE, a term which was initially applied to game and poultry.

VELOUTE SOUPS are thickened with a velouté sauce, which is prepared with a flavoursome broth thickened with flour, egg yolks and cream. 

BREAD SOUPS or PANADES are soups that use bread as a central ingredient and are very thick and extremely tasty soups.

      

Here are several soup recipes:

                                       BASIC VEGETABLE BROTH

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

Olive oil

1 leek, trimmed, split in half, lengthwise, washed and thinly sliced

1 carrot. peeled and finely sliced

500 ml (2 cups) white wine

 2½ litres (10 cups)  cold  water

1 bouquet garni (1 sprig parsley + 1 sprig celery  + 1 sprig thyme + bay leaf}

10 peppercorns

Sauté the vegetables in very little olive oil for 2-4 minutes.   Pour in the wine and add the cold water, the bouquet garni and the peppercorns.  Boil for 20 minutes at least.  Strain the broth and discard the herb bouquet and the peppercorns.

                                        BASIC CHICKEN BROTH

2 kg (4 lb) chicken wings

4 litres (16 cups) water

1 onion, peeled

1 garlic bulb, cut in half

1 bouquet garni (1 thyme sprig + 1 bay leaf + 1 bay leaf)

10 peppercorns

Cover the chicken wings with water, bring to the boil and skim thoroughly with a spoon, for ½ an hour. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 4 hours, adding more hot water, when necessary, as the chicken wings should be completely covered with water, during the cooking period.  Strain the chicken broth and discard the debris. 

You should have 2 ½ litres (9 cups) broth.

                                            BASIC FISH BROTH

1 kg (2 lb) fish heads and bones, thoroughly washed

2 carrots scraped and sliced

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 leek, trimmed, split lengthwise and finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped

20 ml olive oil

375 ml (1½ cup) white wine

1 tomato, quartered

1 bay leaf

1-star anise

10 peppercorns

Sauté the vegetables, except the tomatoes, in olive oil for 2-3 minutes until soft.  Add the fish heads and bones and sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.   Pour in the wine and simmer until it evaporates.  Pour in enough water just to cover, add the spices and the tomato and bring to the boil.  Lower the heat and skim the broth for 30-35 minutes.  Strain and use.

                                                    CONSOMME

 Crystalline consommés are elegant clear soups and should be garnished accordingly.

1½ litre (6 cups) chicken or veal stock

500 g (1 lb) lean veal, finely chopped

500 g (1 lb) chicken wings

1 carrot, scraped and diced

2-3 stalks celery, trimmed, threaded and finely sliced

1 leek, trimmed sliced in half, lengthwise, washed and finely sliced

1-2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 egg white, slightly beaten with a little water

The crushed shell of the egg

Salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan, place the beef, the chicken wings and the chicken or beef stock, and bring slowly to the boil and skim thoroughly.  Then add all the other ingredients together, except the egg white and shell, and gently simmer for 1-1½ hours.  

Strain the soup and return to the saucepan, add the egg white and eggshell and bring to the boil, over low heat, stirring for 10 minutes.  Remove from the stove and leave undisturbed for 20-30 minutes.   Strain into a large bowl, through a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of muslin, wrung out in cold water.

 Refrigerate the consommé and degrease thoroughly, taste and add salt and pepper if necessary and a little Cayenne pepper.  Chill and serve slightly jelled in beautiful china cups or serve it hot, if preferred, garnished with finely flaked truffles.

               

                                            APPLE AND ROCKET SOUP

Do prepare this delightful soup.  It can be served hot or iced.

6 large apples, peeled, cored and quartered

2 tbsp lemon juice

1½ litre (6 cups) chicken stock

30 g (1 oz) wild rocket, leaves only, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

125 ml (½ cup) low-fat cream

6 tender chive stalks, snipped

Sprinkle the apple quarters with lemon juice, to prevent discolouring.   Then place them into the chicken stock and cook until the apples are almost tender.  Add the rocket leaves and cook for 10 minutes more.  Blend and sieve the soup, taste for seasoning and adjust. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Just before serving, either heat the soup or serve it iced, with cream and snipped chives

          

                                       ARTICHOKE AND FENNEL  SOUP

                                                     

You could use frozen artichokes for this soup,

6 large artichoke hearts

2 fennel bulbs, tender parts only, chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and  chopped 

2-3 spring onions, white parts only, finely chopped and sauteed in

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 litre (4 cups) or more, chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

1 heaped tbsp cornflour

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

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp chopped dill

Salt, and freshly ground white pepper

Place the artichokes, fennel bulbs and onions in a saucepan with the chicken stock, and 1-2 tbsp lemon juice.  The vegetables should be completely covered by the liquid.   Simmer gently, until the vegetables are tender. Add the butter and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.  Cool, blend and strain the vegetables through a fine sieve, pushing them with a soup ladle in order to extract as much pulp as possible,   

Mix the cornflour with 2-3 tbsp cream until smooth.  Beat the egg yolks with the remaining cream, add the cornflour mixture, and continue beating.  Slowly, pour a ladleful or two of the hot artichoke liquid in the egg mixture, beating all the time.  Pour the egg mixture into the soup, sprinkle with chopped dill and stir.   Bring to the simmering point, very gently, stirring constantly until the soup thickens. Do not boil!

Once more check and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.   If the soup is too thick add a little hot stock or water.  Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

                                       CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Greek asparagus are of an excellent quality.   You can use either the white or the green variety to prepare this soup.

500 g (1 lb) fresh Greek asparagus, trimmed

1 onion, peeled, chopped and sautéed in a little butter with

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ litre (6 cups) chicken stock or more if necessary

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp plain flour

250 ml (1 cup) milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

250 ml (1 cup) cream, separated

1 ½ tbsp. parsley finely chopped, optional

Cut off the asparagus tips and set aside.  Chop the tender part of the stalks and reserve.   Also chop and reserve the tough parts.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil, add 6-8 asparagus tips and simmer for 5-7 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.   Add the chopped tough stalks to the stock and cook for25 minutes.   Remove the stalks and discard.

Add the remaining asparagus tips, the tender parts and the sautéed onion and garlic to the stock and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, and set aside to cool.   Blend the vegetables with the stock until smooth and sieve.  Return the soup to the saucepan and keep hot.

Melt the butter add the bay leaf and stir in the flour and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.  Add the milk to the roux and cook whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.  Discard the bay leaf.   Mix the sauce with a cup of warm soup, sieve it back into the saucepan and stir until well combined.  Correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground white pepper, if necessary.   Stir in part of the cream and heat the soup without boiling.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley, if using, and the remaining cream and the reserved asparagus tips.

                                           

                                                AVGOLEMONO SOUP

                                         

       

 Avgolemono, a typically Greek soup, is prepared according to taste.  For a smooth and creamy soup use beaten egg yolks only, if a frothy texture is preferred, use whole eggs, yolks and whites whipped separately.

2 litres (8 cups plus) tasty chicken, meat or fish stock

6 level tbsp short grain rice

3 egg yolks or

2 eggs, separated, whites whipped into soft peaks

1 lemon, juice only

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the stock to the boil, stir in the rice, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is soft. (15-20 minutes).  Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks and if whole eggs are used, fold in the whipped whites, add the lemon juice and stir gently.  Very slowly, pour 1½ - 2 cups hot stock into the egg mixture, beating constantly.   Slowly, pour back into the saucepan and swirl.  Return the saucepan to the stove, over low heat and keep stirring.  Don’t let the soup boil!  Taste and add more salt, freshly ground pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.

  

                                       AVOCADO AND PRAWN SOUP

This is a lovely cold soup, which is really a full meal.

5 ripe, flawless avocados, peeled stoned, blended and sieved with

2 tbsp lemon juice

The grated rind of 1/2  a small lemon

15-20 large prawns, shelled, deveined, washed and patted dry, leave a few with their tails on

125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine

125 ml (½ cup) vegetable stock

1 sprig rosemary

500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock +  250 ml (1 cup) more for thinning down the soup

250 ml (1 cup) thick Greek yogurt

1-2 tsp cornflour

A pinch salt

Salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper

Snipped chives

First sauté the prawns in a large, deep frying pan with the wine, a little vegetable stock and a rosemary sprig for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other.    Then remove the prawns with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with very little salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.

Pour stock into the frying pan and cook vigorously, scraping the residue.   Mix the cornflour with a little cold water until smooth, pour it into the frying pan and stir to combine, add a little salt and simmer, uncovered, (about 10 minutes), then add the yogurt and mix well together.  Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

In a large bowl combine the avocado mixture with the stock.  Add more stock, if the soup is too thick.   Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary and a pinch of Cayenne and stir well.   Cover the bowl and chill. 

Just before serving, add the prawns and sprinkle with snipped chives.

                                          

                                                 BEAN SOUP

This is the Greek national soup.  Accompanied with taramosalata, a green salad and brown bread it is be a perfectly balanced meal.  

500 g (1 lb) white haricot or cannelloni beans, soaked overnight in cold water

125 ml (½ cup) olive oil, (add it after the beans are cooked, if preferred)

1 onion, grated

2 carrots, cubed

4 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or

2 tsp tomato paste, or

One 400 g (13 oz +) tin, thick tomato juice

2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
A piece of orange peel

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper (optional) or

1 small red chilli pepper (optional)

Strain the beans, place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes and strain once more.  Cover the beans with hot water and boil until almost cooked.

Sauté the carrots, celery and potatoes in a little olive oil for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the onions and a little salt and cook, stirring until the onions change colour, and tip the vegetables into the saucepan with the beans.    Add the tomatoes or tomato paste or juice, salt, pepper, orange peel, Cayenne pepper or chilli, if using, and a little olive oil. 

Simmer for 30 minutes more or until the beans and vegetables are tender, adding a little boiling water if necessary.   Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust.   Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper and drizzled with the remaining olive oil.

                                         CREAMY BEETROOT SOUP

This is a lovely, comforting soup with a rich colour, an appropriate choice for Christmas meals

 2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 large leeks, trimmed, split in half, washed and sliced

1¼ kg (2½ lb) beetroots, peeled and cut in small pieces, (leaves reserved for another meal)

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1½ (6 cups) hot tasty chicken stock

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf + 1 large sprig dill + 1 sprig thyme + thin slice peeled ginger)

½ cup grated kasseri or Graviera from Crete or Cheddar or Gouda

Salt and pepper to taste

A tiny knob of butter

Garnish:

250 g (1cup) Greek yogurt mixed with

Salt and pepper

Snipped chives or
Chopped dill

Croutons toasted lightly scented with garlic, optional

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, over low heat, sprinkle with freshly ground white pepper, a little salt and stir for about 7-8 minutes, until the onions and leeks are limp and the beets and potatoes and starting to soften.     

Pour in the hot chicken stock, add the bouquet garni, cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes or more, until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.

Discard the bouquet garni.  Puree the soup with a hand blender until smooth and strain it through a fine sieve pressing any pieces of vegetable with the back of a spoon to release all the taste.     Pour the soup into a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle with cheese and stir until well combined.   Taste and add freshly ground white pepper and salt, if necessary.

Serve in soup bowls, with a swirl of yogurt sprinkled with snipped chives or chopped dill and garlic croutons, if using.

                                                 BOUILLABAISSE

There are many recipes for bouillabaisse, the famous fish soup of southern France which is usually prepared with three kinds of fish, lobster or large prawns, mussels and scallops.   It is it is usually cooked in a tasty fish stock and served with aioli or rouille, a peppery mayonnaise, and garlic scented croutons.

2 langoustes, cut lengthwise, vein and gravel sac discarded, or

1 kg (2 lb) prawns, deveined

1½ kg (3 lb) fish (bass, scorpion, cod, rockfish) filleted, heads and bones reserved

1 kg live mussels, beards removed and scrubbed

1 kg (2 lb) fresh or frozen scallops cut into halves or quarters (optional)

Court bouillon:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 leeks, split in half, thoroughly washed and chopped

2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 12 thyme sprigs, 3 parsley sprigs)

¼ tsp saffron threads

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 kg (2 lb) fishheads, bones and trimmings

1250 ml (5 cups) water

750 ml (3 cups) dry white wine

Rouille:

2 green peppers, roasted and peeled

2 Florina peppers, roasted and peeled

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

1 thick slice white bread, torn into pieces

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp mustard

125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil

Lemon juice to taste

Salt, pepper and a few drops of Tobasco

12 slices of baguette cut on a slant, toasted but not browned, and rubbed with garlic

For the court bouillon, sauté the onion, leeks, celery and fennel in olive oil until soft.   Add the garlic and after one minute the tomatoes, fish heads and bones, saffron threads, peppercorns, water, wine and the bouquet garni.  Simmer for 30 minutes, and strain, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract the juices.

Meanwhile, prepare the rouille.   Place all the ingredients except the olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in the olive oil in a thin stream, with the machine running until the sauce thickens.    Taste and add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and tobasco.  Serve the rouille hot, thinned down with two tablespoons of fish soup. 

Bring the court bouillon to a bubbling boil, add the lobster and cook for ten minutes.  Lower the heat and add the fish and boil for ten minutes more, then the scallops and mussels and simmer until the mussels open, discarding any that do not.

Place a crouton in each soup plate, cover with pieces of fish and shellfish and ladle some broth over to moisten.     Serve with aioli or rouille.  

                                                     BOURRIDE

This the recipe for a fish soup from Provence, served with ailoli, a garlic mayonnaise, and croutes.   It is not as difficult as it sounds. and the result is rewarding.   Any firm white fish can be used, such as monkfish, angler, haddock, cod, sea bass but also squid and a few prawns.

 Fish:

1 kg (2 lb) angler, cleaned and filleted

1 small bass, cleaned and filleted

500 g (1 lb) cod, cleaned and filleted

All sprinkled with a little salt and drizzled with a little lemon juice

(the heads, bones and trimmings of all three, rinsed and reserved)

Court Boullion:

The reserved heads, bones and trimmings cut into smaller pieces

1 onion sliced

1 carrot sliced

1 leek, white part only, trimmed and sliced

1 celery stalk, trimmed and sliced

1 twist orange peel

1 bouquet garni (1 thyme sprig + 1 fennel sprig + 1 bay leaf)

1 litre (4 cups) water

500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine

Ailoli:

(1^st method)

4-6 garlic cloves, peeled

Salt

2 egg yolk at room temperature

500 ml (2 cups) mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, the juice, strained

2 tsp, tepid water

(2^nd method)

4 medium waxy potatoes, boiled in salted water and peeled

4 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper

The juice of 1 lemon

A little tepid water

A little olive oil

(Crush the garlic and salt in a mortar until they resemble a thick paste. Remove the squashed garlic on a plate. Add one hot potato at a time in the mortar and pound it until it turns into a thick puree.  Then mix the garlic paste with the potatoes, thin slightly with warm water and lemon juice). Incidentally, this is way skordalia is prepared in the Ionian Islands.

4 egg yolks for thickening the soup

Croutes:1 French baguette, sliced on the slant

Each slice rubbed with garlic and toasted

Place all dry ingredients for the court bouillon in a saucepan cover with water and wine and bring to the boil, skimming when required.  Simmer for 30 minutes and strain through a sieve, pushing the vegetable and fish with the back of a spoon before discarding. 

Wash the saucepan and pour in the strained court bouillon.  Bring to the boil and add the fish fillets in separate piles and simmer for 7-10 minutes, taking care as each fish has it own cooking period.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked fish to a serving dish and keep hot.

Meanwhile, prepare the aioli.  Crush the garlic cloves with a little salt in a mortar until they resemble a paste, add the egg yolks and stir continuously with the pestle until the eggs thicken and turn light yellow.  Then add the olive oil, a little at a time and continue stirring.  When you have added about 3-4 tbsp olive oil, stir in a little lemon juice and a tsp of tepid water. Continue in the same manner until all the olive oil and lemon juice have been incorporated. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.  Fill a small sauceboat with some of the aioli, cover with cling film, and refrigerate. Rese 

Place the remaining aioli in a saucepan and beat the egg yolks, one at a time, into the sauce.  Add one or two ladlefuls of hot fish broth, whipping constantly until all the remaining broth has been used.   Simmer very, very gently, stirring, until the soup thickens enough to coat the whisk slightly. Do not let it come to the boil. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon if needed.

Serve the soup in a terrine and the fish on a hot serving dish, accompanied with the aioli and the croutes.

                                      CHICKEN AND SPINACH SOUP

This is a version of the lovely, comforting soup that my dear friend Mary Xenakis used to prepare when she returned to Greece from Alexandria.  The principle ingredient for this recipe is “molokhiya”, a Middle Eastern vegetable, which is not easily found in Greece, so I alternately use spinach.

500 g (1 lb) or more frozen spinach

One 1½ kg (3 lb) chicken, skin and visible fat removed

3 onions, peeled and sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

2 stalks celery

1 slice fresh, peeled ginger root

1 thin slice of unpeeled lemon

2 tsp ground coriander, separated

A good pinch of ground cumin

Salt to taste

1 tsp whole peppercorns

1 slice tomato, peeled, de-seeded and diced

1 slice onion, diced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp mild-tasting olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

¼ tsp whole coriander seeds smashed slightly with a pestle and mortar

I, usually, boil the chicken, in a pressure cooker, one day before I serve the soup.

Cover the chicken with water and bring it to the boil with a little salt, and skim thoroughly.  Then add the onions, carrots, celery, ginger, the lemon slice and sprinkle with 1 tsp ground coriander, ground cumin, salt and the peppercorns, lock the pressure cooker and simmer for 17 minutes or until the chicken is cooked but not falling apart.  

Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the broth.  Also, discard the bones and grizzle from the chicken, cut it into bite-size pieces, and sauté it, slightly in butter.   Cover the chicken and the broth, and refrigerate.

The next day, bring the chicken to room temperature and discard the fat from the surface of the broth and bring it to a gentle simmer.  Add the spinach, half the ground coriander and a good pinch of cumin. Do not cover the saucepan.  Add the diced tomato and onion and cook for 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken.  Gently cook the crushed garlic in olive oil and a little butter until soft and lightly coloured, then add the remaining ground coriander and the crushed coriander seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste.   Quickly add it to the simmering soup (you should hear a sizzling sound) stir and continue cooking for 10 minutes more.

Serve the soup in deep soup bowls, over steamed rice and the hot chicken pieces.

   

          

                                                   CHICKPEA SOUP

Chickpea soup cooked with olive oil, onion and rosemary is a good example of the healthy and very tasty Greek “ pour cuisine”.

                                               

500 g (1 lb) skinned chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 sprig rosemary

120 ml (½ cup) olive oil

1 lemon, juice only

1-2 tsp plain flour

 Cover the chickpeas with boiling water cook for 5 minutes and strain again.  Cover them once more with boiling water, skim and add the onion, garlic and the rosemary sprig and simmer until tender.  Discard the rosemary and add salt, half the amount of olive oil, and some boiling water if necessary, and bring to the boil once more.

Stir the lemon juice and flour with 125 ml (½ cup) water and sieve into the simmering chickpeas.   Stir and cook 3-5 minutes more, until the soup thickens.

Taste for seasoning and add extra salt and lemon juice, if necessary.  Serve sprinkled with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

                                           

                                    CHICKPEA SOUP FROM TASCUNY

This is hearty chickpea soup of the Mediterranean cuisine, of which we are all so fond.

 500 g (1 lb) skinned chickpeas, soaked overnight

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped

2 tender celery stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

1 heaped tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

3 large tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded

1 small sprig rosemary

250 ml (1 cup) or more chickpea cooking liquid (please see below)

500 g (1 lb) beet or chard tops, leaves only, trimmed, coarsely chopped, and blanched

Tuscan bread, sliced and toasted

Grated Pecorino or Parmesan

Strain the chickpeas and cover with fresh cold water and bring to the boil.  Stain once again and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly.  Cover with hot water, add salt, and bring to the boil, skimming off any foam.   Cook the chickpeas until soft but not falling apart and strain and reserve.  Also, reserve 1-2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Sauté the onion and celery in olive oil, over medium heat and sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper and Cayenne pepper, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.   Reduce the heat and stir in the tomato paste and garlic, stirring constantly for two minutes. 

Pour in the fresh, grated tomato add the rosemary sprig and cook for 12-15 minutes. Stir the chickpeas and a little of their reserved cooking liquid and cook for 10 minutes.  Then discard the rosemary sprig and taste and season accordingly.

Place a slice of toasted Tuscan bread in each soup bowl or plate and cover with a ladleful or two of chickpea soup.  Serve sprinkled with grated cheese and a bowl of basil pesto.

                                              BASIL PESTO

1 cup basil leaves

½ cup parsley leaves

½ cup toasted pine nuts

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

125 ml (½ cup) vegetable broth

125 ml (½ cup) olive oil

In a food processor, blend all the ingredients for the pesto to a smooth paste.  Add more vegetable broth if you wish.

                                                CARROT SOUP

 Do start a celebration dinner with this wonderful soup!

1 kg carrots, peeled and roughly sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

2 leeks, white parts only, split lengthwise, washed and sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, threaded, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 spice pouch, (1 slice ginger, peeled +1 tsp coriander seeds, slightly crushed + 1 thyme sprig) all tied together in a piece of cheesecloth
                         

1½ litre (6 cups) tasty chicken stock

60 g (2 oz) kasseri or Gouda or bland Cheddar

2 tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 liqueur glass Metaxa brandy, optional

125 ml (½ cup) thick cream or  Greek yogurt

Place all the vegetables in a large saucepan, pour in enough water to just cover, place in the spice-pouch cover and cook gently, until tender.

Remove the pouch, and blend the vegetables until smooth.   Pour in the chicken stock sprinkle with freshly ground white pepper and a little nutmeg.  Simmer gently until the soup thickens.  Stir in the cheese, taste and season with salt and extra pepper and nutmeg, if necessary.

Bring the soup to the boil and pour in the brandy, if using.  Serve with a tbsp of thick cream or yogurt.

 

                                                CHERRY SOUP

   

Poland is the 1^st producer of cherries in the European Union.   This Polish cherry soup is made with beef stock and is thickened with whipped egg yolks and cream.   I prepared this Polish speciality with chicken stock and serve it with whipped cream and croutons.  Thank you, Poland for the inspiration!

1½ litre (6 cups) tasty chicken stock

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

1 thin slice fresh ginger, peeled

1 tsp whole peppercorns

300 g (10 oz) sweet black cherries

Croutons for serving

Place the chicken stock in a large, heavy saucepan with the garlic, ginger and peppercorns and simmer for 12 minutes.    Add the cherries and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes or until the fruit is cooked.    Then pass the soup through a fine strainer to remove the fruit and spices.   This is a tasty, dark red soup and I recommend it as a starter. Serve with whipped cream and croutons. 

                                                             

                                            COURGETTE SOUP

 Delicious!

750 g (1 ½ lb) courgettes, thickly sliced

2 leeks, white parts only, split lengthwise, washed and thickly sliced

1 large onion, peeled and thickly sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 scant tbsp butter or margarine

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

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf  + 2 sprigs of dill + 1 sprig of parsley)

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

2-3 tbsp yellow cheese of your choice

Salt

1 liqueur glass of brandy, optional

Cream for serving 

Melt the butter in a saucepan, over low heat, sauté the vegetables and stir for about 5 minutes.    Pour in the stock, add the bouquet garni and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, and allow to cool.  Discard the bouquet and blend the vegetables until smooth.  Heat the soup, add the cheese and the Cayenne pepper, then taste and add a little salt if necessary.

Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the brandy, if using, and simmer for 2 minutes more.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with cream.

                      CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH FETA AND CHIVES

A comforting soup for cold days.

1 medium-sized cauliflower, about 560 g (1 lb 2 oz), trimmed into florets, trimmings reserved

Cauliflower trimmings

2 bay leaves

1 slice fresh ginger, peeled and slightly crushed

1 tsp peppercorns

1.5 litres (6 cups) tasty vegetable stock

30 g (1 oz) butter

120 g (4 oz) potatoes, peeled and diced

2 large leeks, trimmed, split in half, washed and sliced (white part only)

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 tender stalks celery, trimmed and sliced

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 tbsp yogurt mixed with

1 tbsp cream

60 g (2 oz) feta, crumbled

2 tbsp snipped chives, for garnish

 Place the cauliflower trimmings with the bay leaves, ginger, and peppercorns in a saucepan and cover with vegetable stock.  Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan sauté the potatoes, leeks, onion and celery in butter very, very gently and sweat the vegetables for 15 minutes.    When the vegetable stock is ready, reserve the bay leaves, strain it into the saucepan with the vegetables.   Bring back to the boil, add the cauliflower florets and the two reserved bay leaves and simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is completely cooked.

Remove the bay leaves, and blend the soup with a hand blender until it is smooth and creamy.    Stir in the yogurt-cream mixture and the crumbled feta and bring to a simmer but do not boil.  Taste and add salt if necessary, and freshly ground white pepper.

Serve sprinkled with snipped chives.

                                                 

                                     EASTER MUSHROOM SOUP

                                             

This is a delicious vegetarian soup, if prepared with olive oil and vegetable stock.  It has been inspired by “magheritsa”, a well-known  Greek Easter soup, without the “avgolemono”.

500 g (1 lb) fresh mushrooms finely chopped

6 dried porcini, soaked and chopped, soaking water strained and reserved

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, grated

1 clove garlic, finely chopped, optional

2 tbsp flour

The tender leaves of 1 cos lettuce, shredded

2 tbsp dill or fennel, chopped

3-4 spring onions finely chopped

240 ml (1 cup) white wine

1.500 litres (6 cups) well-seasoned vegetable stock or chicken stock

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan sauté the grated onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter.   Add the fresh mushrooms, the porcini and the garlic if using, and cook until all the liquid evaporates.   Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Then pour in half the wine and keep on stirring, until the alcohol evaporates.   Pour in 2 ladlefuls of chicken or vegetable stock and the reserved porcini liquid and simmer for about 15 minutes. It should have the consistency of a thick mushroom sauce.

  

 In a large saucepan, sauté the spring onions in the remaining oil or butter, add a pinch of salt and the shredded lettuce and cook for 3 minutes more.   Pour in the remaining wine and let it evaporate.   Add the remaining stock and simmer, until the vegetables are almost done and combine with the mushroom mixture.

   

Add the chopped fennel or dill and cook the soup 5 minutes more.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, according to taste.  Correct seasoning with salt, if necessary.   Also, add a little hot water if the soup is too thick.   Bring the soup to a simmer and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Serve immediately.

                                             FENNEL BULB  SOUP

Fennel bulbs are the tastiest and most aromatic spring vegetables.  This is a delicious soup.  You could try using 1 tbsp of ouzo to enhance the fennel flavour.

                                                    

6 bulbs fennel, trimmed and chopped

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, sliced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1½ litre (6 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly grated white pepper to taste

375 ml (1½ cup) milk or cream

1 tbsp fennel leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice or more if preferred, optional

Fennel sprigs for garnish

Partly cover the vegetables with water, simmer until tender, cool and blend.

Sieve the vegetable puree back into the saucepan.   Add the stock, pepper and nutmeg and simmer gently until the soup thickens, stirring from time to time.

Stir in the milk or cream and the fennel leaves and heat very well without boiling. Sprinkle with lemon juice, if using. Taste and add a little salt if necessary and freshly ground white pepper.   Serve garnished with fennel sprigs.

                                                   INDIAN SOUP

 I simply love this soup.

1½ litre (6 cups) hot chicken stock

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tsp curry powder

½ tsp ginger powder

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp crushed cardamom pods

1 tbsp flour

½ litre (2 cups) full Greek yogurt

1 tsp cornflour

A little salt

*(Mix the cornflour with the yogurt and salt very well together and simmer gently, stirring until the mixture thickens.  Remove from the fire and cool)

150 g (5 oz) cooked chicken breast, finely diced

Sauté the onion in olive oil, until the onion becomes transparent.   Stir in the spices and flour and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes and sieve into a bowl or a large tureen and chill thoroughly.

Stabilize the yogurt with the cornflour and salt (please see above*), and refrigerate.

The next day combine the chicken stock, the stabilized yogurt and the chopped chicken well together, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

 Serve piping hot with buttered chapattis and crispy poppadoms.

                                 PRAWN AND FENNEL BULB SOUP

This a lovely soup.

24 prawns, shelled and deveined, slightly cooked in very little olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt  

 4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced, the fennel leaves reserved

1 large leek (white part only), split lengthwise,  washed and sliced

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large onion, chopped

1½ litres (6 cups) vegetable stock or water

Pepper and salt, if necessary

120 ml (½ cup) ouzo

Fennel leaves for garnishing

          

Cover the vegetables with water and simmer until the vegetables are soft.  Blend with a hand blender, add the water or stock and simmer gently until the soup thickens. Sieve if necessary, and taste for seasoning, and adjust.

Just before serving, bring the soup to the boil, pour in the ouzo and simmer for 2-3 minutes more. Finally, add the prawns and simmer for hardly 2 minutes more.

 Serve the soup sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and garnished with fennel leaves.

  

                                            PUMPKIN SOUP

                                                       

                                               

This is a recipe for a very tasty pumpkin soup, my family’s favourite.

1 kg (2 lb) pumpkin, peeled and cleaned from seeds and fibres, cut into chunks

2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced, white parts only

1 onion, chopped

2 large potatoes cut into chunks

1 ½ litre (6 cups) chicken stock (or half milk, half stock)

100 g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) kasseri or Gouda, grated

2 tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 liqueur glass good brandy (optional)

120 ml (½ cup) or more thick yoghurt or cream

3-4 tbsp chopped parsley, optional

Place the vegetables in a large saucepan with sufficient water to cover, and cook until tender.   Then set aside to cool, and blend. 

Return the pumpkin puree to the saucepan, add the stock (or stock and milk), and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a little nutmeg.   Simmer gently until the soup thickens.  Stir in the cheese, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if necessary.  Bring again to the boiling point and pour in the brandy, if using.  Simmer the soup for a minute or two, and serve with a tablespoon of cream or thick yoghurt, sprinkled with chopped parsley.   For a party, you could serve the soup in a pumpkin shell, instead of a tureen.

                                                 SPINACH SOUP

  

This is a lovely winter soup, tasty and comforting.

1½ kg (2¼ lbs) fresh spinach washed and chopped, or

500 g (1 lb) frozen spinach, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, sliced

2 spring onions, chopped

1 cup béchamel sauce

1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

2 sprigs of dill, tied together

Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Béchamel Sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp flour

1 cups hot milk

Salt and pepper

Cream for serving

First, prepare the sauce.  Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and flour, stirring for 3-4 minutes, until well combined.   Pour in the milk in portions, stirring well between each addition until the sauce bubbles and becomes thick and smooth. Discard the bay leaf.

Sauté the leeks and spring onions in olive oil and a little water, and simmer very gently until the onions are transparent.   Stir in the spinach in thirds, allowing it to wilt each time before adding the next portion. When all the vegetables are sauteed, add the chicken stock, the dill and the nutmeg and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the béchamel sauce, to thin it down and reserve.

Remove the dill from the soup, blend with a hand blender and sieve it back into the saucepan.  Add the thinned béchamel and blend until smooth.  Taste and add salt, pepper and more nutmeg if necessary.  Cook for 5 minutes more and serve with a tablespoon of thick cream.

                                       ICED WATERMELON SOUP

“Veggera” in Patmos, was the first to offer iced watermelon soup, this is our Elpida’s version.

One 390 g (13 oz) tin, tomato juice

1 medium-sized onion, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove. peeled

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf + a sprig of thyme + a sprig of parsley)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

¼ tsp or less Cayenne pepper

1 tsp honey or sugar

1 kg (2 lbs) watermelon, peeled, de-seeded and cubed

1 shot tsipouro or brandy or vodka, optional

Mint leaves or sprigs for garnish  

Simmer the first six ingredients for 20 minutes, discard the bouquet garni, cool and sieve.  

Meanwhile, blend the watermelon and combine it with the tomato juice mixture. Sieve once more and add the honey or sugar and stir well together.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper sugar or honey, if necessary, and place in the refrigerator.   Add the liquor, if using and serve iced, in tall glasses, garnished with mint.

 

  

           

                                                          

A  Bouquet of Peonies by Lilia Kolyadova

A Basket of Apples by Paul Cezanne