Anastasia

Monday's Greek Recipe - Melitzanes Imam Baildi - Imam Baildi Aubergines

For the Greeks, the Great Lent has already begun. This is a  time period of about 40  days before the Greek Holy Easter. During this time most Greeks fast and avoid eating meat and dairy products. 

Ingredients

10 aubergines / eggplants)

6 onions cut in rings

6-8 cloves garlic sliced

1 tea cup olive oil

1 tbs sugar

some finely cut parsley

6 ripe tomatoes finely chopped and peeled

salt and pepper

Directions

1. Peel the aubergines in stripes, cut one edge but do NOT remove the stem and put them in salted cold water for about 30 minutes so that they open up like ...small boats.. Then squeeze the aubergines with your hands.

2. In a bowl mix the onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsely, sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Fill in the aubergines with this mixture and pour the rest over them. Add the olive oil plus a cup of water. 

6. Put them one next to another in a baking pan and bake in pre-heated oven for about 1 hour at 170*C (= 325 Fahrenheit).

7. Serve with some crushed feta cheese. 

 

Monday's Greek Recipe - Psarosoupa me Trahana - Fish Soup with Trahana

 

4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped

1 kilo (2 pounds) grouper or other gelatinous Aegean or Mediterranean fish, bones in, cut into serving pieces
1 medium carrot, pared and cut into diagonal slices

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup Cretan or Cyprus  sour trahana, dampened until soft
Extra virgin Greek olive oil and fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook the onion until soft.
Add the fish and saute lightly.
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a platter. Add the carrot
and celery to the onions.

2. Pour in l litter (1 quart) of water.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Add the fish back in the pot. Put the lemon juice and cook until the fish is fork tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon, set aside, and keep warm. Add the trahana to the pot.

Simmer until tender.

3. Place fish back into pot and serve in soup plates, garnished with raw
olive oil and parsley.

Recipe by Demitris and Michalis Mavrikos

Christmas 2011 at the Golden Bay Beach Hotel, Larnaca

Naturally, Santa was there too!

Christmas at the Golden Bay Beach Hotel has always been a unique experience but it seems to me that this Christmas it's been the best ever in more ways than one.  Everything was just perfect: the decor, the music, the joyful festive atmosphere and the food! My mother and I joined Alkis early in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, had a light snack and then went up to our rooms to take a nap and get ready for the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner while Alkis went back to work. After a hectic week at the school which ended merrily with the Christmas party on Friday afternoon,  it was the best way for me to start my Christmas break.

The Christmas Eve menu was an amazing, gastronomic experience as the Executive Chef went out of his way to create .... works of art. Here's what the 6-course festive menu consisted of:

Smoked salmon pancake roulade with prawns and caviar cream for starters.

Chicken Cream Soup with Almond Crumble

Duck Rillettes with Red Onions and Mandarin Refish followed by an Orange Sherbet with Cointreau to refresh the palate.

Roast Turkey Rolls with Liver and Pine Nuts Stuffing and Foie Gras Sauce married with Wild Pork Loin with Pheasant Cream Mousse , Vegetables and Potato Amanti.

Baked Cheese and Chestnut Tart Light Chocolate Parfait with Cinnamon Cream and Rasberry Coulis.

...followed by coffee and sweet bites

Apart from the food, I was particularly impressed by the Home Band who played Christmas melodies throughout this exquisite dinner and later  helped us....burn some of the calories on the dance floor! 

We even got Christmas weather and white Christmas for all those who celebrated high up in the mountains of Troodos. On Larnaca Bay, we got strong winds and  downpours on Christmas Eve, overcast skies and some sunny intervals on Christmas Day.

How was your Christmas? 

16 Days to Christmas - Christmas in Cyprus

When I was a child, people in Cyprus celebrated Christmas quite differently from the way they celebrate today.  In my family, just like in most Cypriot families, we'd put up our tree on Christmas Eve. Soon after lunch, on December 24, Dad would bring THE Christmas Tree - a pine tree. In those days, there were hardly any artificial Christmas trees in Cyprus or, if there were any, they were terribly expensive. In those days, fir trees were protected and no one had the right to cut them down for Christmas! There was a severe fine of  15 €, which was a lot of money then!

Now people and shops decorate for Christmas as  early as October!  Most working girls, including myself, don't have the time to spend on baking kourabiedes and melomakarona and I do envy the women who will bake our traditional sweets as well as our traditional Christmas Cake!.  A couple of years ago, I made time to bake my own kourabiedes and melomakarona When Alkis came  back from work, he said: " I can smell...Christmas!"

What does Christmas smell like  in your part of the world?

Coffee Time

There are two kinds of Greek coffee: hot and cold (usually iced ). The traditional Greek coffee, though, is always hot. It's  a strong brew served with foam on top and the ground in the bottom of the cup. According to tradition and, if desired, the cup of Greek coffee is also used for fortune-telling.  Once you drink your coffee, you can put your cup upside down in the saucer and let it dry for a while.  Then  the lady of the house looks at the patterns formed by the ground and foam and tells your fortune!

This is what you will need to make the traditional Greek coffee (always hot):

You will need:

• Greek coffee
• sugar (if used)
• a "briki" - a special coffee pot for Greek coffee
• demitasse cups
• cold water
• water glasses

The pot used for making traditional Greek coffee is called briki and it comes in  2/4/6 demitasse sizes that help create the right amount of foam - foam on the top of the cup is essential! If you do more than 2 cups, I suggest you do it in stages - making more than one pot - to make sure each cup has its share of foam. 

• Use the demitasse cups to measure the water needed for each cup of coffee and pour it into the briki. never use hot water!
• Add the coffee and / or sugar and turn on the heat (medium-low).
• Stir the coffee until it dissolves but do not stir again!
• Heat slowly. Foam will begin to rise before it boils.
• When the foam rises to the top of the briki, remove from heat.and serve, evenly dividing the foam in all cups, then fill cups with the remainder of the coffee, taking care not to disturb the foam.
• Serve piping hot with a glass of cold water ( a must!) and, if desired, homemade biscuits or cake.

If you ask for a traditional Greek coffee , which is very similar to Turkish coffee, by the way, people will ask you how you like your coffee. Never say with or without milk because Greek coffee is never served with milk. You can choose among the following:

• "Sketos" - unsweetened coffee. Add 1 heaping tsp of coffee to the briki and stir (just once, remember?)
• "Metrios" - medium-sweet. Add 1 tsp of sugar and a heaping tsp of coffee.
• "Glikis" - sweet. Add 2tsp of sugar and 1 heaping tsp of coffee.
• "Variglikis" - extra-strong sweet coffee. Add 3 tsp of sugar and 2 heaping tsp of coffee.

 

Curiously enough, the Greek iced coffee is called "frappé". This derives from the french verb "frapper" meaning to beat or to shake. Frappé is enjoyed throughout the year in Greece and Cyprus, come rain or shine!

Here's what you will need for Frappé:

• Instant Coffee
• a tall glass
• milk and sugar to taste

In a shaker put 1 tsp of instant coffee or more , if you like it strong.. Add a tall glass of iced cold water . Add milk or sugar to taste. Add some ice cubes , if you like.

My frappé is black - no sugar, no milk, and I like my Greek coffee "sketos" (no sugar). However, my favourite coffee is Espresso or French coffee.  I used to drink a lot of coffee - 5-6 cups daily. I couldn't  imagine breakfast without one or two mugs of freshly brewed French coffee. Yet, I've lately discovered all the benefits  and great taste of  green tea and I only have 2 cups of espresso daily and about 4-5 cups of green tea - sometimes more.

How about you? Are you coffee lovers or would you rather have tea?

 

Monday's Greek Recipe - Kefalonitiki Kreatopita - Cephalonian Meat Pie

For a large baking tin (approx. 35X40 cm) you will need:

Ingredients

For the filling:

1.5 kg meat (beef or pork)

1 large onion finely chopped

1 head of garlic finely chopped

parsley finely chopped

marjoram

1 tbsp tomato paste dikuted with a little water

2 cups water

1 cup grated cheese

2 cups long-grain rice

1& 1/2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

grated nutmeg

For the pastry:

3/4 kg plain flour

1 egg

1/2 cup white wine

some warm water

a pinch of salt

 

Directions

1. Wash the meat, dice it into small cubes and mix it well with the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the rice and water.

3. To prepare the pastry, put the flour into a mixing bowl. reserving 1 cupful to flour the board when rolling the pastry.

4. Add the egg, wine,  and salt and knead the mixture thoroughly.

5. Add the warm water, a little at a time, until the dough is the right consistency to be kneaded without sticking to the bowl.

6. Take a little more than half the dough and roll it out to the desired shape on a floured surface.

7. Grease the baking tin and line the bottom and sides  with the sheet of pastry which should overlap the edge of the tin all around.

8. Add the meat filling.

9. Roll out the rest of the dough and cover the pie folding the overlapping edges back over the lid, pinching them slightly together to seal the join.

10. Oil the top lightly and prick it here and there with a fork.

11. Brush the top with egg yolk for a glossy finish.

12. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 90 minutes, add some grated cheese  and serve with a green salad and a glass of dry white wine.

TIP - You may use frozen pastry for pies but this will never equal the taste of the authentic cephalonian meat pie.

RECIPE BY Anna- Maria from Lixouri, Kefalonia - Greece

PHOTO BY Anastasia

Indian Night

Last night, I surprised Alkis with one of his most favourite dishes: Indian Chicken Curry - an authentic Indian recipe I came across at allrecipes.com. Unlike me, Alkis loves hot and spicy foods and is a great fan of Indian cuisine. I also love Indian food but in its mild or ....very mild version. Well, after all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!! I served my Indian chicken curry with brown rice instead of Basmati - that was my own personal touch - and a mixed salad. It's impossible for us not to have a salad with lunch or dinner. If you like Indian food have a look at Curry in Kadai - an Indian cooking blog. You'll love it.

Since I can't eat spicy food, I had grilled salmon with lemon juice while Alkis was enjoying my delicious Indian dish.

 

 

Monday's Greek Recipe: Sheftalies - Grilled Minced Meat Rolls

Sheftalies is a traditional Greek Cypriot dish which is, however, widely known in mainland Greece as well. Just like there's a fish and chips outlet in almost every neighbourhood in the UK, in Greece and Cyprus there's at least one  "souvlatzidiko". This is a kind of fast food outlet where you can eat souvlaki and shieftalies. You can eat there or take your meal away or you can have your meal delivered at home. Since I took up cooking as a hobby about 4 years ago, I've been  interested in making homemade sheftalies. Here's my mum's recipe.

My first homemade sheftalies

Ingredients

• pork or lamb net fat, drained (panna)
• 1 kg minced pork
• 1 large onion coarsely grated
• 1 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 7 tablespoons milk
• 1 tomato cut in small pieces
• 1 cucumber cut in small pieces
• some more chopped onion and parsley to garnish
• cabbage and / or lettuce
• fresh lemon juice
• pita bread

Directions

1. Wash the net fat very well and then rinse with a mixture of vinegar and water.
2. Mix the minced meat, onion, parsley, salt and pepper and add the milk to make a soft mixture.
3. Cut the net fat into square pieces and put one tablespoon of the mixture on each piece.
4. Close the two edges and roll.
5. Place the sheftalies on a flat plate one next to the other, cover with food wrapping film and refrigerate for about an hour.
6. Put the sheftalies through small, metal skewers and cook over glowing coal or under grill turning to brown on both sides
7. Serve in hot pita bread filled with a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, finely chopped onion and parsely, cabbage and lettuce. Only add fresh lemon juice.
8. You can also garnish with pickles, onions, parsely leaves and chips

Monday's Greek Recipe: Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

Ingredients

(a) For the soutzoukakia

• 1/2 kilo beef minced meat ground twice
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 4 large slices stale village bread without the crust
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• salt, pepper, oil for frying

(b) For the tomato sauce

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 6 medium ripe tomatoes pulped in the blender
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 level tsp sugar
• 1 level tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• salt, pepper

Directions

(a) Prepare the soutzoukakia

• Cut the bread, place it in a bowl, soak in some red wine and then lightly squeeze it. Discard any excess wine.
• Mix the mince with the bread, the olive oil, the cumin, the garlic, the salt and pepper and make round or oval patties.
• Place in a tray, cover with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry a few at a time until brown on all sides. Use some kitchen roll to drain.

(b) Prepare the tomato sauce:

• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic.
• Add the pulped tomato and the tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water.
• Stir in the parsley, the cumin, the sugar, salt and pepper.
• Leave the sauce on medium heat for approximately 15-20 minutes till it begins to thicken.
• Add the soutzoukakia and heat them in the sauce for about 10 minutes turning them carefully once.
• Serve warm with yogurt and a Greek village salad.

Photo and Recipe from : Real Food, The Cyprus Weekly - April 2, 2010

Changing Lifestyles: A Healthy Eating Pattern

Insight every fat girl

There's a thin girl trying to get out

Sweet and sad and slinky

That nobody even knows about

(Fran Lanesman)

Interlaken, Switzerland - July 1978

In my early twenties, as a student in Switzerland, I was really fat. I could have been even fatter but I walked a lot and went horseriding 3 times a week. I didn't know how to cook, so I indulged in junk food such as burgers and pizza, sweets, chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks - not to mention raclette or cheese fondue! Within a year, I had forgotten all about my mum's healthy cooking based on the Mediterranean Diet . Consuming so many fatty and unhealthy foods for a long time took its toll and I had to have my gallbladder removed at the age of 25.

my favourite sweets

Since then, I've decided to adopt a healthier eating pattern. At the beginning, healthy eating made me feel depressed and unhappy. It was as if I were permanently on diet. I also gave up fizzy drinks - cola in particular - and replaced them with fruit juices and water. However, I've never been deprived of my favourite sweets, chocolate or pizza, but these were exceptions occurring only occasionally. After all, variety is the spice of life.

greek salad

Before I knew it, I started to feel healthier, stronger, happier and lighter! Adopting a healthier eating pattern and sticking to it involves changing lifestyles, and I was determined to change mine. So I took up regular exercise as well. It might sound hard to accomplish but, in actual fact, it doesn't really take a lot of effort - just an effort of will. To begin with, I did not starve to death or go on diet, neither did I ban fatty foods from my life. I just chnaged my methods of cooking.

grilled chicken burgers

fresh lemon juice

....and occasionally some french fries

In order to reduce my calorie intake, grilling or roasting my food - especially meat - was the answer. I've also replaced fatty sauces with fresh lemon juice or a little mustard. Steaming is a particularly healthy way of cooking fish and veggies while baking fish in the oven with onions, fresh tomatoes, a few drops of olive oil and lots of oregano is a delicious alternative. As for cooking potatoes, well, I know you can't beat roasting them or frying them There was a time when I had french fries with every meal. Naturally, I still eat chips but only once in a while. I usually boil or dry roast my potatoes using just a little olive oil and lots of spices and lemon juice. Stir-frying, especially vegetables, is another healthy way of cooking that appeals to me. This helps food retain both its taste and nutrients.

stir-frying vegetables

Judging from my experience, the bottom line is: a healthy diet cannot be imposed on anyone - it's the individual's choice.

Do you follow a healthy eating pattern in your daily diet? Did you ever have to change lifestyles in any way?

You might also wish to filll in the blank:

Healthy eating makes me feel _________________ .