Here are some recipes for you to try;
I have been asked for sooo many reciepes this summer I thought I would create a menu for you all to try
please let me know how you get on.
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| Fried Sardines great taste |
Zucchini: wash & slice (half a centimetre think). When they are dry toss in seasoned flour (the easiest way is to put flour in a small plastic bag season with salt & pepper, drop your courgettes in, hold the top & shake.) shallow fry in olive oil for 2-3 mins each side, pop them onto kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil, transfer quickly to a plate, sprinkle with grated cheese (any kind that melts quick, but has mild flavour).
Bouyourdi: the tip for this one is to remember to slice all the ingredients quite thin & the secret ingredient in this dish is a tiny tiny drop of Tabasco!
You will need: Feta cheese, Green pepper, Tomato, Olive oil, Oregano
Tabasco (optional)
1. Take the stamna pot & drizzle with olive oil.
2. Take the tomato & slice ¼ inch thick use slices to cover the bottom of your pot/dish.
3. Take a slice of feta cheese approx. ½ inch thick & place it on top of tomatos.
4. Take green pepper & slice through the diameter approx ¼ inch thick, making rings put 3 on top of the feta cheese.
5. Drizzle with olive oil.
6. Sprinkle with oregano (approx. ¼ teaspoon)
7. Optional: add a tiny splash of Tabasco for a little zing!
Place in pre-heated (160°) oven for 10mins or until cheese is melted or Microwave-(use a microwave oven proof soup bowl) cook on ½ heat for 2-3mins.
Serve straight to the table.
NB. As the cheese melts it releases its salt content, so don’t be tempted to add some.
Tzatziki:
You will need: 500gm Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, ½ cucumber (grated), 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic, a teaspoon of finely chopped dill, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Take the skin off the cucumber & grate into a bowl, add salt, leave for 20 mins. Drain off fluid & squeeze out the rest (the easiest way is by hand), next add crushed garlic, pepper, dill,, yogurt & olive oil. Mix well until the colour is even. Cover & put in the fridge.
This can be made up-to 3 days in advance.
Keftedes (meat balls): Use ½ Pork mince & ½ Beef mince, it tastes better. The secret ingredient in this dish is a little ouzo!
You will need: 500gm pork mince, 500gm beef mince, a clove of garlic (crushed), 1 egg, a tablespoon of fresh flat leaf parsley (chopped) & oregano, a splash of ouzo, salt & pepper.
Method; put all ingredients in a bowl together, mix well (so you can only see one colour).
Take a small amount & roll in the palms of your hand until they are a round golf ball size shape, do the same for all the mixture, when you are ready to cook them roll in plain seasoned flour & shallow fry for 2- 3 mins over a med to high heat, then turn them over for 2 – 3 mins.
They should now be a nice golden brown colour.
Pop them into a oiled roasting dish & cook in the oven for 15mins at 180 degrees.
Olives in olive-oil with garlic: serve with crusty fresh bread, like those baguettes that you can bake yourself. The tip with this dish is that if you really like a strong flavour of garlic then make this up to a week before your party & leave it to ferment (don’t forget to use an airtight container)
Salads.
Greek Salad: a good Greek salad is all about layers. First layer is the tomato’s & add salt. Then onions, cucumber, green pepper, olives, Feta cheese. Sprinkle with Oregano & good drizzle of olive oil.
Lettuce & spring onion: use KOS lettuce if you can (it gives a nice crunch & stays crisp for longer than other lettuce. Thinly slice spring onions (use all the onion including the green part) sprinkle with salt (rock salt works best) a little olive oil & drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Cabbage & carrot: this is simple thinly shred cabbage & carrot add capers, chopped flat leaf parsley. Dress with salt, olive oil & white wine vinegar.
All these salad have a very different texture, make them all but in smaller portion size.
Meat dishes.
Lemonato Pork:
You will need;500ml vegetable stock, 500gm pork, 2 medium onions (sliced), 2 medium lemons,2 cloves of garlic (sliced), 3 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of rosemary (or a Tbsp of dried rosemary), 1 small glass white wine (100ml),1 tbsp Oregano, Olive oil (150ml + extra for the saucepan), Salt, Pepper, Water
Method:
Wash the meat & cut into cubes (trim off excess fat)
Put meat into a frying pan of water (approx. 500ml) & boil on a high heat for 5 minutes.
When water starts to froth & a scum appears around the edge of the pan turn off heat & remove pork from the pan.
In a medium size saucepan (with lid) heat a little olive on a medium heat add sliced onions.
When onions are see-through then add sliced garlic.( a little tip, garlic stops onion from cooking!)
Add 500ml of vegetable stock.
Add 250ml white wine
Add 150ml olive oil.
Add juice of 2 lemons
Add pork, Add Salt, Add pepper, Add bay leaves, Add oregano, Add 2 sprigs of rosemary
Stir & cover with the lid
Bring all to the boil. Remove lid. Then simmer for 30mins or until sauce has reduced by half.
Remove from heat & leave for 10-15mins. So the meat can rest before serving.
Delicious!
Lamb Stiffado:
You will need:
1 kilo of fresh lamb
1 ½ kilo of baby onions (peeled)
150ml of white wine (or if you have it retsina)
150ml of olive oil
450ml water
1 vegetable stock cube
250gr sieved tomato sauce
2-3 dried pimento/all spice
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
3 small sprigs of rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
4 cloves of garlic chopped
Once you have selected all your ingredients together you are ready to cook!
1. Wash & cut the lamb in to chunks (approx 3-4cm square)
2. Place lamb into a large pot and stir in the oil.
3. Add garlic, wine, tomato sauce & water.
4. Boil over medium heat for 30 minutes.
5. Add:- onions, all spice, cumin, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, sprigs of rosemary, black pepper, vegetable stock cube & salt.
6. Stir well
7. Cook over low heat for 1 hour.
8. Check your meat is soft. (if not cook for a further 15-30mins).
And that’s it! Easy!
Kokkenisto Beef.
This dish literally means everything RED… red meat, red veg, red spices
You will need:-
1 kilo beef (cubed) this serves 4-6
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 small cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 tin tomatos (chopped)
100ml sieved tomato sauce (if you have not got tomato sauce use tomato soup)
200ml vegetable stock (use a stock cube)
100ml red wine
2 tsp dried parsley
1 cinnamon stick
Salt
Black pepper
A little sugar
Olive oil
Pre-heat oven 160°
1. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a casserole dish/ stamna pot.
(If you have not got a casserole dish with a lid then you can use a large saucepan with a lid.)
2. Add finely chopped onion, crushed garlic & dried parsley (mix together)
3. Add cubed beef, sprinkle with salt & black pepper.
4. Mix vegetable stock with red wine & a sprinkle of sugar
5. Pour over meat
6. Add tin chopped tomatos, tomato sauce & cinnamon stick.
Mix all together, make sure beef is submerged
7. Put lid on tight & place in pre -heated oven for 1½ - 3hours at 160°
Fish.
Sardines: this one is easy, gut the fish & clean well, toss in plain seasoned flour & shallow fry in sun oil( the reason for this is that sun oil burns at a higher temperature than olive oil) for 2-3 min each side.
Dessert.
What else! Greek Yogurt, honey & cinnamon (Greek Viagra)
No Greek table would be complete without wine & ouzo!
And don’t forget the chips!
