Showing posts with label Gluten free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gluten free. Show all posts

Pastéli - honey and sesame seeds energy bar

May 13, 2013






Pastéli was probably the first energy bar ever made and it was made with honey.  In fact,   honey with dried fruits and nuts was the most common dessert in ancient Greece. Honey was consumed   both as a sweetener, and as a medicine in the belief that it could promote both virility and longevity. In Greek mythology it was the food of the Gods.

     Honey contains invert sugar which has the quality of providing instant energy when consumed. The composition of honey includes sugars such as glucose and fructose and also minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, iron and phosphate. Depending on the quality of the nectar and pollen, the vitamins contained in honey are B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3.
     Sesame seeds, our other ingredient, have been cultivated for more than 5000 years. The ancient region of Mesopotamia was the first place where it was widely cultivated and then it spread to the rest of the world. These seeds have many vitamins and minerals are rich in protein, - 25 percent by weight!  Do note that sesame, like other nuts and seeds, can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
     Pasteli is made all over Greece not only with sesame but also with almonds or a combination of different nuts. In some Aegean islands, pastéli wrapped in lemon leaves is offered to guests at weddings.
The recipe for pasteli is very simple and easy, but you have to be careful because hot honey can burn just as much as hot caramelized sugar.



Kléftiko - lamb with garlic, fresh oregano and mustard, baked in paper

Apr 10, 2013


   


  Fighters who led an outlaw existence in the mountains during the War of Independence (1821-28) were called Kléphts. They were rebel bands forced to hide in the forests.  To survive they had to forage for whatever food was available. Often this meant stealing sheep, or goats from the villagers in the area.  Having an open fire over a long period to cook their meal would have betrayed their position to the Turks, so they would dig holes in the ground, for the coals , get them hot, then wrap the meat and cover the package with clay or dirt to slow cook it without the tell-tale smoke or aroma.   It was delicious and today meat that is baked sealed in a container (or wrapped in baking paper) is still called kléftiko – or stolen meat! 
     Traditionally Kléftiko is made with lamb or goat meat along with kefalotyri cheese, potatoes or other vegetables wrapped all together and baked for at least two hours. I personally prefer lamb shoulder cooked only with herbs, olive oil and mustard.




Loukoumádes - bite size Greek donuts with honey

Mar 6, 2013


   



  Loukoumádes are probably the most basic dessert in Greek cuisine. They are made using only flour, water and yeast blended together to create an almost runny dough that is then deep fried in olive oil and served topped with a generous amount of honey dusted with cinnamon.  These sweet fritters have been made in Greece for more than 3000 years exactly the same way except that they didn't have packaged yeast in the old days. Back then they used sour dough. 
     In December in the Peloponnese we celebrate completing olive gathering by making Loukoumádes in family gatherings in order to taste the flavor of the fresh olive oil. Because olive oil abroad  is usually quite expensive, you can use a vegetable oil; it won't affect the flavor dramatically. Loukoumádes are better served immediately after frying to enjoy their crunchy outer skin. 
If you like chocolate you can serve loukoumádes with chocolate syrup.




Krassáto - braised pork with white wine, carrots and celery

Feb 20, 2013


   



  Wine is widely used in cooking all over Europe,  red wine mostly, and, as expected, such
recipes have been developed in wine producing regions. In the Peloponnese we grow both
red and white varieties of grapes, either  local or French, but where I live white is the most often cultivated . This is true of our own  family vine yard as well.
     We often use wine in cooking just for ''seasoning'' although there are recipes like the one presented here where wine is the star ingredient. Wine gives both taste and moisture to meat and you should never worry about the alcohol since it evaporates during cooking.





     Wine is called krasi in Greek, so a dish with wine as the key ingredient is called ''krassáto''.
I use a dry white wine from the local variety ''roditis'' but you can use your own
favorite  white wine, keeping in mind to buy an extra bottle for serving. And something
important to remember:  never use in cooking a wine that you wouldn't want to drink!



Melópita – Honey pie from Sifnos island

Dec 2, 2012


 



    Sifnos, located in the south Aegean sea, is a beautiful island famous for its ceramic workshops; ceramic bowls, plates, vases and cooking pots that bake wonderful oven stews.






     Al though it can be also found in other Aegean islands, honey pie is famous as a specialty of Sifnos. It is one of those traditional desserts made with simple ingredients found in any agricultural community: homemade myzithra cheese, honey (μέλι) from their own bees and free range eggs. These ingredients were enough to make people creative and turn an old fashioned cheesecake into something we may nowadays call a gourmet dessert. The addition of more honey and some cinnamon when served makes it even more impressive. 
    Myzithra (also called anthótyro)  is a low fat soft and fresh cheese made from both goat and sheep's milk, but if you can't find it abroad it could be substituted by Italian ricotta cheese with similar results.





Avgolémono - gives taste and texture to any soup

Nov 22, 2012


       



 Avgolémono is the most characteristic Greek method to thicken a soup. I remember my grandmother's ritual when making an avgolémono soup.  She used to claim that we should only stir the soup clockwise because stirring the opposite way would make the eggs curdle. 
        Thankfully things are not that complicated; you just have to mix the eggs very well, preferably with a mixer before adding lemon juice and gradually a cup of the hot stock (without stopping mixing as you add the stock). Once that is done, you return your avgolémono mixture back into the rest of the hot soup and you have a rich soup in both   taste and texture. If avgolémono is made properly there is absolutely no egg flavor in your soup. Soups thickened with avgolémono should be served immediately, so always make it at   the last minute, just before serving..

Apart from soups, the avgolémono method is used to give taste to other dishes such as chicken fricassee or lamb stew with greens.





Quince jelly, beautiful red jelly flavored with rose geranium

Oct 27, 2012


    





     Quinces are ideal fruits for jellies and jams because they have a wonderfully perfumed flesh and, most importantly, because they are full of pectin. In Greece we also make a sweet preserve with pieces of quince, but we also use them in cooking, for example in festive stews with pork or game, the same way you would use potatoes.
In different areas of the country quince jelly is flavored with rose geranium ( Pelargonium  graveolens) or lemon verbena, but you can also flavor it with cinnamon and cloves, vanilla, or something to your own taste.
     This jelly, popular all over the planet, can be used as a jam on toasted bread, to accompany cheese on a cheese plate, or as a natural jelly to gloss fruit tarts. It has a wonderful red color and, properly preserved, can be stored for up to a year. 











Kotopoulo me bámies - chicken stew with okra and tomatoes

Sep 12, 2012


   


  If we didn't like okra (sometimes called lady fingers or gumbo) for their wonderful taste, we would surely grow them for their big beautiful flowers.
     The okra harvesting period is from July to late September, and since they don't bloom all at the same time, you can enjoy their flowers all summer long.
     In Greek okra are called bámies, and we use them in many summer dishes. They actually compliment both meat and poultry, but also other vegetables in summer stews. In fact, the most common okra dish is a simple stew with tomatoes, cooked the same way we cook green beans.
     Many people don't like okra because they had a bad first experience with their gelatinous sauce, but if you toss them with vinegar and let them stand for an hour in a strainer, you will have a perfect result  no matter how you choose to cook them.
For my taste the ideal combination for okra is chicken, a quite popular dish all over Greece. 






Gemistà - stuffed tomatoes with rice and herbs

Aug 29, 2012





Stuffed tomatoes are called gemistà in Greek.
Red, ripe tomatoes with their natural sweetness can turn this humble dish into a wonderfully flavored summer meal. As a kid I remember we would cook this dish at home, mostly in August, when the tomatoes from our garden were ideally ripe.

Rice and finely grated vegetables together with herbs is the classic stuffing for gemistà. In some parts of Greece, raisins and pine nuts are used to give a festive touch to the dish. 
Another version calls for minced meat in the stuffing, but it’s not nearly as popular. 
Gemistà  can describe not only tomatoes but also other stuffed summer vegetables such as aubergines, green peppers, and zucchinis.





Melitzanes me tomata & feta - baked eggplants with tomato sauce and feta

Aug 19, 2012



     Eggplants and tomato; tomato and feta!  Add some basil or oregano and this chain reaction can give an explosion of taste in your mouth.
     Slices of eggplant covered with tomato sauce, and topped with feta can easily become a filling summer dish, served either as a first or as a main course.
     In Greece we season tomatoes with oregano, but basil is a classic Mediterranean companion for tomato as well;  so  it’s up to you.
Cooking this dish, won't take you more than 20-30 minutes.




Sfougàto - zucchinis and kefalotyri cheese frittata.

Aug 5, 2012


   
zucchini frittata 1




 Zucchinis are widely available in summer and since they are quite popular for their light fresh flavor, many dishes are based on them.
    At this time of the year we usually have more time for cooking but we prefer spending time eating instead, so easy and fast recipes like omelets are always popular.
    This frittata with zucchinis, which on Aegean islands is called sfougàto (spongy), is easy to make and quite filling.


zucchini frittata





Mosharaki me lahanika - beef stew with summer vegetables

Jul 11, 2012


   




   This classic beef stew with tomato sauce is usually served with pasta or fried potatoes. However, in hot weather there are many tasty seasonal vegetables that can take the place of pasta and fried potatoes making a lighter dish with a summer touch.
      The stew can be made with beef or with any other meat or poultry. Zucchinis, eggplants, sweet peppers and potatoes( or carrots) are the most popular summer vegetables chosen for this dish. 
      We usually serve kokkinisto with graviera cheese as a side dish. It is a lightly salted yellow hard cheese with a sweet aftertaste. If you can't find graviera, then gruyere could be a good choice.





Melitzanosalata - eggplant spread, the monks' way

Jul 4, 2012


   


      Eggplants are the basic ingredient of many summer dishes; they make wonderful combinations with tomato, garlic, onion, peppers, basil and many other summer vegetables, all producing very tasty dishes.


     Today we harvested the first eggplants of the season and the best way to taste them without too much cooking is melitzanosalảta, a spread made with roasted eggplants, olive oil, vinegar and just an idea of garlic. Roasted red peppers can  also be added for extra color and sweetness. This vegan version is called agioritiki and takes its name from the monks’ community of Athos peninsula (Agio Oros). The addition of yogurt or mayonnaise does give a rich taste but one closer to what you find in the store bought melitzanosalata.


Fava - yellow split peas puree with caramelized onions

May 28, 2012


     




Yellow split peas or fava, as we call them in Greece, are cultivated in many regions of the country where different microclimates give them completely different tastes. Santorini, apart from being one of the most beautiful islands, is the place of origin of the best quality fava beans produced in our country. The volcanic soil and the unique dry climate give to the beans an exquisite taste but the limited production makes it difficult to find them outside the island. Very good fava is also produced in the valley of ancient Feneόs here in the Peloponnese.   
     Fava is usually cooked as a puree and since its taste is quite neutral, caramelized onions, capers or some finely chopped Greek salad on top, can transform it into a gourmet dish. 





Fakẻs soupa - lentil soup

Apr 30, 2012




     Legumes are an important part of the Greek diet. Lentils (fakẻs in Greek) are usually cooked as a soup with carrots and garlic and are traditionally served with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
     I remember lentil soup was a Tuesday dish in my home and, as you know, kids don’t usually like legumes. So my grandmother would make omelet for me with my mother hesitating to agree, - thinking  that I would become spoiled. So I was almost ten years old when I first tasted my mother’s lentil soup. We were on summer vacation with my cousins who loved lentil soup and they convinced me to try it. Since that day I have never argued about this dish. Actually I really like lentils a lot, so why don’t you try them for yourself?



Wild asparagus made it clear; Spring has come!

Mar 9, 2012




Yesterday, under the olive trees, we found the first wild asparagus of the year.
What a treat! Have you ever tasted wild asparagus? That is not something you wouldn’t remember!. Their taste is superb. . In Greek they are called σπαράγγια-sparảgia and in my opinion, wild ones are ten times better tasting than cultivated ones.
In the mountains you can find native wild asparagus from late February to late April. As I read on wiki, wild asparagus are found all over Europe and Asia as native plants, so look out for them in scrubland, roadsides, and river valleys near you. Their shape is much thinner than the cultivated variety and their color is green or purple.
The most common way we cook them in Greece is in omelets. You can also make nice risottos or simply cook them for a minute in boiling water and serve them strained with olive oil and lemon.



Baked giant beans and cabbage salad with mustard-yogurt dressing

Jan 30, 2012





              Beans are widely used in Greek cuisine. Small ones are used for soups and salads but those bigger in size are ideal for cooking in the oven. When I say bigger I really mean “giant beans”!!! Giant beans (also referred to as ''elephants'') are called butter beans in English and are cultivated mostly in northern Greece because they thrive in cooler mountainous regions. 


              They would look funny in a soup but many recipes for baked giant beans have been invented all over the country according to each region’s eating habits. The most common version is to bake the beans in tomato sauce with carrots and celery. This is the version commonly found in houses and taverns; other versions with spinach or sausage are found in northern Greece where the climate calls for spicy food. Giant beans are also a classic meze for ouzo.








               Cabbage with its natural sweetness adds taste to many winter dishes but raw cabbage makes very nice salads too, - with sliced orange, apple, and mayonnaise or with just a nice mustard dressing like the one I present here. In Greece we often eat cabbage-carrot salad with only extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice added. 

Quince, a fruit for gods!!!

Dec 14, 2011

Quinces have been used in Greek cuisine for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks used to call them ‘’apples’’ and they used to combine them with meat in savory dishes or in simple desserts like baked quinces stuffed with honey and almonds’’.























In mythology quince was the fruit dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite (Venus)  and the ‘apple’ given to her by Paris in the famous beauty contest.. Plutarch tells us that Solon (a lawgiver and poet) suggested that brides bite into a slice of quince before they met with their husbands to ensure  a memorable and pleasant first kiss!
Nowadays we still use quinces in cooking, in festive dishes with pork or beef or in desserts the same way you would use apples.
The following recipe is a ‘’spoon sweet’’ which is quince cooked in syrup. It is the simplest way to preserve fruits and then use them in pastry. Quinces make a very tasty preserve with a vibrant red color that matches perfectly with yogurt, cheesecake, or as it is.



Lahanoriso - cabbage, a huge flower bud!

Nov 11, 2011



















































“To eat a nice cabbage, you have to wait until November” my grandfather used to say. Cold weather makes cabbages really sweet. In Greek cuisine cabbage is a basic winter vegetable because you can’t grow many things in your garden at this time of the year. It gives its special character, taste, and sweetness to many different recipes.         
It matches ideally with pork or beef in dishes like ‘’staffed cabbage leaves’’ (dolmades) or pork and cabbage fricassee. It makes nice salads chopped finely with carrot or boiled in water and served warm with olive oil and lemon. But my favorite dish with cabbage is lahanoriso; with carrot, rice, celery and olive oil, a simple, tasty and filling food.  My mother has been making this dish often in winter maybe because we always had cabbages in our garden at this time of the year. My favorite side dish for lahanoriso is fried potatoes, but if you would like to have a rich winter meal, a nice sausage would be ideal.

Fasolada - Our national dish!

Nov 1, 2011

   Most tourists who visit Greece, are familiar with popular dishes like mousaka or souvlaki but probably no one knows that fasolada  (bean soup) is actually considered to be our national dish!  Why such a humble food?  



















































   In the old days when meat wasn’t available to everyone, beans were the main source of nutrients. As late as the Second World War, thousands of people survived thanks to soup kitchens offering fasolada. Nowadays, fasolada is a favorite winter dish and there is even a special day, - Shrove Monday -when everyone eats fasolada at home or in open air festivals where we also traditionally fly kites.

     Many varieties of beans have been cultivated in Greece since the 16th - 17th century. The fact that beans can be easily cultivated in various soil qualities, helped to spread them all over the country. Kastoria in northern Greece is a place where some of the tastiest beans are produced from local varieties. In our tavern we use beans from the area of Ancient Feneos here in the Peloponnesus. They are also famous and really nice.
Small white beans are used to make fasolada together with carrots, onion, celery and tomato. This soup is served with side dishes like taramosalata and olives.