Lahanoryzo: Cabbage Risotto

Thursday April 7th, 2022Sunday May 22nd, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

With the last tender winter cabbages, as their leaves start to toughen, we love to make this traditional vegan Greek risotto. Costas prefers the version with tomato, although many people like it white, adding leek or chopped scallions, and of course plenty of lemon, and some dill at the end.

To make it substitute cabbage for the other greens in the recipe for Risotto with Greens.

Although I think that it tastes best piping hot, it could also be served at room temperature, as my husband likes it too.

Serves 3 as main course; 5-6 as a side dish (more…)

Spring’s Cold Beginning

Monday March 21st, 2022Friday April 8th, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

Although we passed the spring equinox, it still feels like we are in the heart of winter. Northern winds bring a humid cold to the Aegean, and it is expected to last into the end of March.

But even in this wintry weather certain plants thrive, triumphantly marking the beginning of spring.

Most of the flowers this time of year are yellow, and only our favas break the rule with their delicate whitish blossoms. (more…)

Savory Cake (or quick bread) with Olives, Cheese, and Pine Nuts

Friday March 18th, 2022Friday March 18th, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

This is a quite lovely meze-cake to enjoy in the garden, accompanied by crisp white or rose wine in the first sunny spring days. On this olivewood stand that I asked our friend, the brilliant wood-carver Panos to make for me the cake looks even more sumptuous. The basic idea comes from Les Cahiers de Delphine, the always interesting weekly newsletter.

Of course, I made quite a few changes, using local green olives instead of the black from Provence, and scallions, instead of the chives that are not available here. As I always do, I substituted olive oil for the butter, and grated aged graviera cheese for the parmesan, I increased the amount of pine nuts and sunflower seeds and added rosemary which gave a lovely aroma to the cake.

I baked it in a pan with a hole in the center, but you can of course use a loaf pan, or a simple round 8-inch pan. This meze cake is best slightly warm, or just cooled.

At least 8 generous appetizer pieces (more…)

Strawberry Cake with Raisins and Almonds

Thursday March 17th, 2022Thursday March 17th, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

This is my new, spring version of our beloved Quince Cake that started from a recipe of an apple cake/sharlotka by Darra Goldstein. This very easy, wonderful cake has become our go-to winter treat and I was making it all the time.

Now that strawberries appeared in the market, I adapted Darra’s basic recipe for this early spring fruit.

For a 9-inch round cake –or equivalent square, or 1 large or 2 small loaves (more…)

Frittata-Strata with Squash

Thursday March 17th, 2022Friday March 18th, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

Adding leftover, stale bread to various dishes is an old Mediterranean tradition dictated by the frugal ways of our ancestors. Strata is a kind of savory bread pudding, a frittata with vegetables or greens that are ingeniously complemented by toasted stale bread cubes.

Soups, salads, and frittata get even better with crunchy, toasted bread cubes. We especially love the flavor and slight crunch the croutons from heavy, unshifted flour bread adds to any vegetable in the frittata.

I slice and cube the leftovers of the mixed-grain, heavy, old-fashioned, wood-fired loaves that we get each week from our village bakery, toss with olive oil and roast in the oven, until completely dry. When cool I keep in jars.

It is wonderful added in any bean or vegetable soup, while on the islands of the Cyclades twice-baked bread often adorned the simple fish soups.

In our winter frittatas I often make with our neighbor’s incredible eggs, these delicious mixed-grain croutons complement beautifully the roasted squash omelet/strata that I make. (more…)