GREECE (Continued)

The Old House in Kifissia

In my post called GRECCE (Continued), dated the 18th October 2018 I had written:

It was a satisfying and very happy period of our lives, My husband, Aleco, and I were pleased with the boys' progress, we were very fond of their girlfriends and we thoroughly enjoyed working at our office, which was doing rather well, acquiring considerable profits.

It was also a very busy period in our lives because besides achieving all mentioned above we also kept an eye on my parents who lived in a flat quite near our house.   My father was strong and active in his nineties, and my mother was still attractive in her seventies and a fabulous hostess.

Our son Spiros was studying Chemistry at the Technical University in Munich where he had met Yianna Christou a lovely Greek girl whose parents lived in Salonica.  Her mother, Caterina, taught at a local high school and her father, Chryssanthos, was a university professor.   

Spiros and Yianna were very much in love and although very young they wanted to get married, so they were officially engaged, much to our delight.  They, then, returned to Munich where they shared a flat. 

Unfortunately, my beloved father passed away on the 18^th of January 1981.  

Yiannis, after getting a Bachelor’s degree in Athens was in London then, visiting the London School of Economics, after being accepted to study for a Master’s degree the following academic year.  His girlfriend, Olga Dretakis, a charming Greek girl was, then, studying biology in Paris.

On the 1^st May 1981, Spiros and Yianna got married at the beautiful, medieval castle town of Monemvasia, near Sparta, where Yianna has a house.  It was a beautiful, traditional wedding and both Caterina and I shed tears of happiness.   Then, they flew to Germany where they both continued their studies at the Technical University of Berlin. 

Meanwhile, we met Olga's parents, Aliki who was a journalist and Manolis who was a famous orthopedist and we liked them very much indeed.   In September 1981, Yiannis left for London to study for a Master's Degree at the London School of Economics and Olga went to resume her studies in the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris.

Much to our delight, Yianna was pregnant so we would soon become grandparents!!

Here are a few recipes of dishes that I prepared, then, for my growing family.

  

                                  POTATO AND COURGETTE SOUP

I have already given you the recipe for this lovely soup from the Cyclades.

2 medium-sized courgettes, cubed

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tender stalks celery, threaded, trimmed and finely chopped

2 tbsp butter or

2 tbsp margarine

1½ litre (6 cups) tasty vegetable or chicken stock

1 sprig of dill

Tyravgoulo:

1 cup grated bland kasseri or Graviera from Crete or Naxos or Cheddar

4 egg yolks

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Grated nutmeg

Sauté the vegetables in butter or margarine, for 10 minutes, over very low heat.

Pour in the stock, add the dill sprig and simmer gently until the vegetables are cooked but not mushy. discard the dill sprig and remove the saucepan from the fire.

Beat the egg yolks with the cheese.  Very slowly, add about 1 ½ cup of the hot soup into the egg/cheese mixture, whipping constantly until well combined, pour it back into the soup and swirl the saucepan.  Return the soup to the fire, with the saucepan uncovered and bring it to a bare simmer.  Do not let it boil!  

Taste and add salt, if necessary, freshly ground pepper and grated nutmeg.   

    

                                              

                                                   MUSHROOM TART

                                            

This recipe was given to me by my dear friend Athena Papamichael.  I just added the turkey bacon, the Parmesan and the béchamel sauce.

Pastry:

300 g (2 cups) flour

225 g (7½ oz) butter

Salt
2 tbsp or more iced water

(2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs)

 Filling:

1 large onion, chopped

1 heaped tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

500 g (1 lb) Portobello mushrooms or any other fresh, white mushrooms, cut into small pieces

4-6 turkey bacon rashers, cut into small pieces and sautéed in a little olive oil

1 heaped tbsp flour

250 ml (1 cup) cream or more, if necessary

½ cup grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp butter cut into small pieces

Béchamel:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp plain flour

2 cups hot milk

2 eggs separated, whites whipped to soft peaks

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated nutmeg

½ cup grated Parmesan

First, prepare the pastry.   Mix the flour with salt and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.   Sprinkle with water and knead into soft, pliable dough. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour at least.  Then roll out the pasty and line a buttered tart dish.  Cover with baking parchment and dried beans and bake for 10 minutes, then discard the beans and the parchment and bake for 7 minutes more.

Sauté the onion in butter, until soft.   Add the fresh mushrooms and the finely sliced garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover the saucepan and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked and dry.  Sprinkle with the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes.  Then pour in the cream, and stir and simmer gently until the sauce thickens.   Season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.  

Sprinkle the cold pastry shell with dried breadcrumbs, cover with the sautéed turkey bacon pieces and spoon over the mushroom filling.    Level the surface with a spatula, dot with butter and bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 20-25 minutes.

 Prepare the béchamel.   Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and the flour and stir for 4-5 minutes.  Then add the hot milk in portions, stirring each time, until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Remove from the fire and cool.  Discard the bay leaf and add the egg yolks, one at a time.  Season with pepper, nutmeg and a little salt, and finally, fold in the whipped egg whites.  Spoon carefully over the mushroom tart (you will not need all the béchamel), sprinkle with ½ cup Parmesan and bake in an oven preheated to 160 C for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with a zesty green salad.

                             

                         CHICKEN WITH CREAM AND SWEET WHITE WINE

                                       

Chicken with Cream over Mashed Potatoes

 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 grated white pepper and

½ tsp ginger powder

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp clarified butter

1 onion, grated

3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 sweet red peppers, sliced

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

250 ml (1 cup) hot chicken stock or more

250 ml (1 cup) cream

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

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.  Remove 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, so that the alcohol evaporates.  Add the hot chicken stock and simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.    Then pour in the cream, taste and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg if necessary.   Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.   Serve 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, place on a piece of cling film, shape a small cylinder and freeze.

 

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 for 2-3 minutes more.  Pour in the stock and simmer, stirring, for 5-8 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.   Place a frying pan over very high heat and brown the steaks quickly on one side, season with salt and pepper, then turn, brown and season the other side.  Lower the heat and cook until the meat is cooked as preferred, from about 5-10 minutes.  

 

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 frying pan, 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 potatoes, sautéed vegetables and the remaining sauce.

    

                          SMALL CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

                                                            Profiteroles

 A scene of an old Greek film depicts a well know actor trying to order profiteroles in a pastry shop.   He couldn’t remember the name of the dessert, so with gestures and grimaces, he tried to make the astounded waiter understand what he wanted to order.  After a few hilarious scenes, he managed to get his favourite dessert.

Choux Pastry:

110 g (½ cup) butter

240 ml (1 cup) water

A pinch of salt

150 g (1 cup) strong flour

4 eggs

1 extra yolk beaten with a ½ tbsp water

Filling:

500 thick cream, whipped with

2-3 tbsp icing sugar

1-2 tbsp of the same liquor used in the chocolate sauce (optional)

Extra icing sugar for dusting, chocolate scrolls and almond flakes for garnishing

Chocolate Sauce:

480 g (about 1 lb) good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

480 ml (1 cup) cream or half cream half milk

1 tsp honey

1-2 tbsp black rum, or brandy or Grand Marnier (optional)

Bring the water, butter and salt to the boil, and when the butter melts, remove from the heat.  Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the dough forms a ball around the spoon.  Return to the fire and cook stirring for 2-3 minutes more.  Set dough aside to cool a little.

Then add the eggs, one at a time, stirring thoroughly until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.

With the help of a piping bag (or with a coffee spoon) make small mounds of choux dough, 2 ½ cm (1 in) apart, on baking tins, lined with baking parchment. 

Lightly brush each profiterole with the egg and water mixture, and bake in a hot oven preheated to 220 C (425 F) for 12-15 minutes or until puffed.   Then reduce the heat to 170 C (340 F) and bake 15-20 minutes more until golden brown.  Turn off the oven, make a small slit in each choux and let them rest in the oven for 5 minutes more. Then place them on a rack to cool.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Place the chocolate in a large bowl with the honey.  Heat the cream or cream and milk mixture, pour it over the chocolate and whip until the sauce is cold, smooth and shiny.  Finally stir in the alcohol, if using.

.

An hour before serving, fill the choux with whipped cream, (if there is any left over, set aside for garnishing) and dust lightly with icing sugar.  Place the profiteroles in layers in a bowl, covering each layer with the chocolate sauce. Garnish with the reserved whipped cream, chocolate scrolls and almond flakes.

Watermelons 1954 by Frida Kahlo