Anastasia

Mousaka Light

Ingredients

For the vegetables

4 aubergines sliced into 1cm thick lengthways slices

4 zucchini sliced into 1cm thick lengthways slices

3 tbsp olive oil + some extra for brushing baking pan

2 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

For the meat

750 g minced chicken breast/ fillet

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

4 tbsp olive oil + extra for brushing

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato purée

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

100 ml white wine

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

For the béchamel

4 cups semi-skimmed milk

4 cups all-purpose flour

6 tbs olive oil

1 egg (optional)

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground pepper

1/2  cup  grated parmesan + some extra

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200 C/fan and drizzle the vegetables with 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle some oregano and add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Brush 2 large baking sheets with the remaining olive oil and lay the vegetables. Bake for 20-25 minutes until soft, then set aside.

3. In a large pan heat 6tbsp olive oil, add the onion and garlic and stir them round until soft and translucent but not browning.

4. Mix in the cinnamon and the nutmeg.

5. Add the ground chicken breast/fillet. Cook and stir over a high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.

6. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes and then stir in the sugar and the tomato purée dissolved in a cup of hot water.

7. Cook with the lid on over a low heat until all the liquids have evaporated. Season to taste, stir in the parsley and set aside. Drain the mixture and allow to cool for a few minutes.

8. Brush an ovenproof dish with some olive oil. 

9. Lay some of the aubergine and zucchini slices at the bottom of the dish and then spread a layer of the meat mixture.   

10. Add the remaining slices of the vegetables and spoon the rest of the meat on top.The meat should cover the vegetables.

11. Prepare the béchamel: Place a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When the olive oil is warm enough but not too hot, stir in the flour and whisk. Add the milk slowly and in batches so that no lumps form in the mixture. Whisk continuously during this process until you get a smooth, creamy mixture. Add an egg, if you wish, and whisk to combine. Stir in the ground pepper,the ground nutmeg and the grated parmesan. Remove from heat.

12. Spread the béchamel over the meat and use a spatula to smooth the top. Sprinkle some grated parmesan. Lower the oven to 180C/fan and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.

13. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.

14. Cut in squares, serve with a traditional Greek salad and enjoy.

Greek Village Salad

4 tomatoes, chopped or sliced

4 cucumbers, sliced

6 – 8 Greek olives (Kalamata olives)

1 medium-sized onion, sliced in rings

100 g feta cheese

2 – 3 tbsp olive oil

Some vinegar

Mix all the vegetables, the olives and the feta cheese in a large bowl. Season to taste and stir in the olive oil and the vinegar. In Cyprus, we also add some lettuce and fresh coriander, coarsely chopped.

My Mediterranean Ouzomezedes

A lot has been said about the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet - a healthy eating plan based on delicious foods and flavours of the Mediterranean. The traditional Mediterranean diet has been part of my eating habits for years. Lately, I've come up with some healthy ouzomezedes provided that you have only one glass of ouzo and only 2 small pieces of grilled haloumi cheese. 

This is Fava - split pea purée.  Fava is Greek and has nothing to do with our louvana here in Cyprus. If you like real fava, use fava not louvana! I used Agrino Fava. Here's my recipe.

Cucumber and Kalamata Olives with a pinch of salt. 

Tomato salad with a splash of olive oil and salad herbs. No salt! I find that herbs and spices are much tastier than salt!

Grilled Haloumi Cheese

Feta Cheese light (12% fat) drizzled with olive oil and oregano.

Frozen chicken nuggets cooked in the oven and my chicken fillet meatballs also cooked in the oven.

Don't forget to add some fresh lemon juice.

Include some wholegrain pita bread....

... and a glass of ouzo

 

Salata Politiki

This healthy salad, also known in Greece as "pikandiki" is mainly served in Northern Greece and Central Macedonia. It was first brought to Greece by the Greek refugees from Asia Minor back in 1922, especially from Constantinople or Polis - hence "politiki". The health benefits of cabbage.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium-sized  white cabbage finely chopped (not shredded)
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 hot green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 a cup wine vinegar (red or white)
• salt to taste
• some olive oil

 

DIRECTIONS

• Mix the vegetables in a bowl.
• Add the salt and cover. Let the salad rest for about 3 hours.
• Add the water and vinegar, mix and place in the fridge for about 24 hours.
• Serve the following day after adding some olive oil.

Recipe by my friend Irini Hondroudi

 

Greek Meatballs with Ouzo

Meat balls with ouzo is an appetizer or meze. In Greece and Cyprus, it is  served with a glass of ouzo just to whet the appetite as you will certainly help yourselves to more than one and this will prepare the palate for the Greek main course - let's say souvlaki or pastitsio. You can also serve them as appetizers with a glass of wine or even zivania . 

Ingredients

• 500 gr minced meat - preferably a mixture of pork and beef ground twice
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped#
• 1 egg
• 3 whole slices of village bread
• 3 pinches of cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp ouzo
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp  oil
• 24 cubes of hard cheese (120gr)
• flour, olive oil  for frying
• toothpicks, parsley or basil for decoration

Directions

• Remove the crust from the bread, cut into pieces, soak in lukewarm water and squeeze out any excess water. Mix in a blender with all other ingredients.
• Create  round little patties (24 aprox.) and place 1 cube of hard cheese in the centre of each and then form small meat balls.
• Place them on a platter or tray and keep covered in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Flour and fry in plenty of oil till golden brown.
• Serve with some parsley or basil and a toothpick.

Happiness

Regardless of colour, race, religion, social status, nationality or ideology, our main purpose in life is to be happy. To me, happiness is subjective and relative to what each one of us expects in life. It's variable as it changes with age.  In my childhood, happiness was playing with my dolls and listening to my grandma's amazing fairy tales! Later in my teens,  happiness was doing well at school, hanging out with my friends, falling in love all the time and getting on well with my parents.

Now, as an adult, my priorities have changed. and happiness has become entwined with my husband and all these little things  in everyday life that make me feel so happy- for example, watching the sunrise or the sunset, listening to the rain while reading "Jane Eyre" for the upteenth time, listening to Neil Diamond's Seagull and other songs like Love on the Rocks and September Morn, writing, blogging  or simply cooking a meal with Alkis.

I have now realised that happiness isn't a state, it's a positive emotion, it's an attitude, it's a hug,  it's getting every niggle off your chest, it's facing your fears and taking opportunities when they come. As the great French philosopher, Voltaire, said: " Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats."

Κυπριακή Τυρόπιτα – Cyprus Cheese Cake

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ΥΛΙΚΑ

• 3 φλ. αλεύρι που φουσκώνει μόνο του
• 1 γερή πρέζα μέχλεπι σε σκόνη
• 1 γερή πρέζα μαστίχα σε σκόνη
• 2 κ.γ. μπέικιν πάουντερ
• 6 αβγά
• ½ φλ. λάδι (σογιέλαιο, σπορέλαιο ή ηλιέλαιο)
• 2 κ.γ. δυόσμο ξηρό
• 1 φλ. χαλούμι τριμμένο
• 1 φλ. κεφαλοτύρι τριμμένο
• 1 φλ. γάλα χλιαρό

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ

• Προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 180°C.
• Σε ένα μπολ ανακατεύετε το αλεύρι, το μέχλεπι, τη μαστίχα και το μπέικιν πάουντερ.
• Ρίχνετε στον κάδο του μίξερ τα αβγά και χτυπάτε σε μέτρια ταχύτητα μέχρι να αφρατέψουν.
• Βάζετε το γάλα, το λάδι, το δυόσμο, το χαλούμι και το κεφαλοτύρι και συνεχίζετε το χτύπημα. Ρίχνετε λίγο-λίγο το μίγμα με το αλεύρι.
• Λαδώνετε και αλευρώνετε μια στρογγυλή φόρμα για κέικ 25εκ ή ένα ορθογώνιο, πυρίμαχο σκεύος 12x25.
• Βάζετε μέσα το μίγμα και ψήνετε για 50 – 60 λεπτά.

Αντί για χαλούμι και κεφαλοτύρι, μπορείτε, αν θέλετε, να χρησιμοποιήσετε 'Ενταμ ή Γκούντα.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1 generous pinch ground mahlep
• 1 generous pinch ground mastic
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 eggs
• ½ cup oil (soybean, seed or sunflower oil)
• 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1 cup grated haloumi cheese
• 1 cup grated kefalotyri cheese
• 1 cup lukewarm milk

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F
• In a bowl, mix the flour, the mahlep, the mastic and the baking powder.
• In the food mixer, beat the eggs at moderate speed till fluffy.
• Add the milk, the oil, the mint, the cheeses and continue beating while gradually adding the flour mixture.
• Grease and flour a 25cm ring tin or a 12x25 cm loaf tin and pour in the mixture.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or till golden brown.

TIP : You can use grated edam and gouda instead of haloumi and kefalotyri.

To Your Health

My post today has been prompted by a very interesting email I got by Jen Miller, which I would like to share with you.

Drinking wine (red wine in particular) in moderation , 2 glasses daily, has proved to be by many researchers around the world a great shield against many diseases, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, liver disease, type 2 diabetes .  Cyprus Wines are not only listed amongst the best in the region but they are also exported all over the world.  Cyprus belongs to the old world of wine producing  countries starting as early as 2300 BC  and ranks 37th in the world.

In Cyprus, there's a saying about wine : "Πίνε κρασί νάχεις ζωή."  meaning "Drink wine for a healthy life." But , remember, in moderation, otherwise excessive wine drinking can lead you to serious health problems.

 

 

Healthy Eating

Not long ago, I'd die for juicy steaks and bearnaise sauce, crispy chips and burgers, pizza and garlic bread, mousaka and pastitsio - not to mention all sorts of unhealthy fast food and desserts such as chocolate cake, apple pie, baklava... Whenever I put on weight, I'd go on some kind of unrealistic diet. I'd lose weight and then put it on again. Five years ago, I discovered all the benefits of healthy eating. I've never banned fatty foods , though. Now they are occasional indulgences.  One of my most favourite dishes is schnitzel and chips. Have you ever thought of cooking schnitzel in the oven? Believe me, it's just as delicious as the original wiener schnitzel . I sprinkled my schnitzels with some olive oil, cooked them in the oven for 20 minutes and served them with whole-wheat pasta , fresh lemon juice and a mixed salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, grated carrots, bell peppers, spring onions, red onions.

 

Greek Cypriot Healthy Appetizers

For the last ten years or so, my husband and I have adopted a healthy eating pattern  without this meaning that we don't occasionally indulge in a less healthy diet to our heart's  content!  Developing  healthy eating habits isn't as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The essential steps are to eat mostly foods derived from plants, vegetables , fruit, whole grains,low-fat meat, low-fat dairy products, and legumes.  Here are some of my favourite healthy-eating appetizers:

A. Zucchini with Eggs

(serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 zucchini, sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• a pinch of salt
• pepper to taste

Directions

• Heat the olive oil
• Add the zucchini and cook until golden brown
• Add the beaten eggs  on top, then mix.
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

B. Grilled Aubergines

(serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 large aubergines cut in thin slices (rings)
• olive oil (to sprinkle)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Grease a non-stick baking pan with some olive oil.
• Brush each aubergine slice with olive oil and add to the pan.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook over medium heat till golden brown.
• Serve  with some low-fat yoghurt.

C. Grilled Haloumi and Lountza

"Haloumi" is  a Cypriot semi-hard, unripened brined cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. It has a high melting point, so it can easily be fried or grilled.

"Lountza" is one of the most popular delicacies of Cyprus consisting of dried, smoked pork tenderloin.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 4 slices of haloumi (1/2 inch thick)
• 4 slices of lountza 
• some  olive oil

Directions

• Brush a grill skillet with some olive oil and place over medium heat.
• Add the haloumi and lountza slices when the skillet is hot enough and cook on either side till golden brown or gently crisp.

Serve all these appetizers with some wholemeal pita bread and fresh lemon juice.

Epiphany - The Twelfth Day of Christmas

 
On the stroke of January 6th, the "twelve days of Christmas" officially come to an end. This day takes on a special meaning in Greece and Cyprus. All over the world, the Greek orthodox observe the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist, in river Jordan. The Greek word for Epiphany is Theophania meaning the "appearance of God" referring to the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

 

Photo Credit

In coastal areas, after church, on the morning of January 6, the priest goes to the nearest port or marina. Having blessed  the waters, he throws a large cross into the sea. A group of young people brave the cold waters and dive into the sea trying to retrieve the cross. The one who gets it is the "winner" and is considered to be the lucky person of the year. You may think that Greece and Cyprus are warm countries but the sea can be really chilly even on a sunny day. After the diving, many fishermen bring their boats to the port to be blessed by the priest. Theophania (Epiphany) is also called Fota meaning light relating to the day being a Feast of Light since Jesus Christ for the Greek Orthodox is the only true light. 

Photo Credit

Many wicked spirits, elves or goblins called kalikantzaroi are said to be active during the twelve days of Christmas and haunt people's homes. Tradition has it that some xerotiana (doughnuts) or sausages are thrown to the roof of houses to banish these spirits for the rest of the year. In many villages children go from door to door singing the Epiphany Jingles and asking for a last holiday gift which is invariably some money - called pouloustrina in Cyprus - and , of course some loukoumades - traditional Greek doughnuts. In Cyprus, Larnaca boasts the best loukoumades and siamishi on the island and everyone must have some after the festive lunch.

This post, slightly edited,  was originally published on January 6, 2011