GREEK DISHES

                                      DOLMADAKIA WITH MINCED MEAT

A delicious treat.

 

80 wine leaves, blanched and patted dry

 

Filling:

500 g (1 lb) minced veal

2 thick slices of two-day-old bread, soaked and squeezed dry

3 onions, peeled, grated and sauteed in olive oil until tender

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup chopped parsley

1 ½ tbsp chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

 

1 ½ tbsp butter, cubed

4 mint leaves

500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock

 

Sauce:

3 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp cornflour

750 ml (3 cups) tasty chicken stock

Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Lemon juice to taste

125 ml ( ½ cup) light cream

 

Mix the seven ingredients for the filling, taste, and add more seasoning if necessary.  Line a large, flat saucepan with the most disfigured vine leaves then start filling the vine leaves in the following way:

 

Place a vine leaf on a plate, the shiny side touching the plate. Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling in the center of the vine leaf and fold the sides evenly over. Then roll it up into a small packet and place it in the saucepan. Continue the same way and arrange the small packets, side by side, cylindrically in the saucepan.  When the first layer is completed, dot with butter and place 2 mint leaves on the top.  Continue preparing the dolmadakia, placing them over the first layer.  Dot with the remaining butter and mint leaves.  Place a piece of baking parchment and a plate on top.  Pour the stock over and bring it to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 40-45 minutes making sure that they are well covered with s. sock during the cooking period.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Melt the butter, add the bay leaf and sift the cornflour over, stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Pour in the hot cooking liquid, plus extra stock, if necessary, in three portions stirring well after each addition, until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Remove the saucepan from the fire and stir in the cream. Taste for seasoning adding more salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Discard the bay leaf.

 

Pour the sauce over the dolmadakia and Kali Orexi!

 

                

                                                   AUBERGINE SALAD

 A lovely Greek hors-d'ouvre

1 kg (2 lb) aubergines

1 tbsp green pepper, seeds discarded and very finely chopped

1 tbsp yellow pepper, seeds discarded and very finely chopped

1 tbsp red pepper, seeds discarded and very finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato, peeled, seeds discarded, and very finely chopped

2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced

½ cup very finely chopped parsley

125 ml ( ½ cup) mayonnaise

2 tbsp olive oil

Lemon juice to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

 

Prick the aubergines and bake in an oven preheated to 200 C (400 F) until the skin is charred in order to give the salad a smoky taste.  Split the aubergines and scoop out the flesh discarding seeds and hard parts.

 

Drench the aubergines with lemon juice, chop and place them in a bowl.  Gently fold in all the other ingredients until well combined.  Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Cover with cling film and ice.  Serve with crisp, brown bread and a glass of wine or ouzo.

                                                     SYROS CAPER DIP

Capers grow profusely all over Greece especially in the Cyclades.

 

200 g (1 cup) capers, thoroughly rinsed and patted dry

2 egg yolks

1 medium-sized potato, peeled, quartered and boiled

1 tsp prepared mustard

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 ½ cup olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

Blend the capers, egg yolks, potato and mustard until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice and serve with raw vegetable sticks and warm, crispy bread. 

 

In place of the capers, you may substitute 1 firmly packed cup of chopped parsley, celery, dill, or mint.   

 

 

                        SPAGHETTI WITH SMOKED SALMON AND AVOCADO

 Avocados are now vastly grown in Greece and are very popular. We also have excellent smoked salmon.

500 g (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled “al dente” in salted water, drained and drizzled with olive oil

6 slices of smoked salmon, chopped

2 avocados, peeled and stoned

Drops of lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped chives

1 tbsp chopped dill

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Mash the avocados with a fork and stir in the lemon juice, herbs and season with salt and pepper.  Place the hot spaghetti into a bowl mixed with the avocado mixture and serve with chopped smoked salmon.

 

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