Beets and Greens with Skordalia (garlic sauce)

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Monday May 10th, 2021 aglaia Leave a comment

This garlic-scented combination of beets and greens, or green beans is served on many islands during the spring Lent, before Easter and all-through the summer. On other occasions, you will find it accompanying fried salt cod, fried anchovies or other humble fish. The skordalia (garlic sauce) in this particular version can be quite mild and creamy, like garlicky mashed potatoes, or more pungent, to your taste.

See also the unusual Pelion skordalia with unripe grapes or verjuice.

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Serve the salad as a first course or as a side dish with grilled or fried fish.

Adapted from The Foods of the Greek Islands (Houghton Mifflin)

Makes 4-6 servings

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Caper and Scallion Spread

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Monday October 1st, 2018 aglaia Leave a comment

The recipe is based on a traditional Lenten (vegan) meze from the island of Tinos. Serve as an appetizer with fresh, crusty bread or toasts, or use as dressing for steamed potatoes, cauliflower or even toss with pasta for a cold summer dish. The quality of capers plays a very important role, of course, so I wouldn’t suggest you make it with the cheap, jarred capers you get from any supermarket. Greek, or Sicilian salt-packed capersare the best choice.

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Serves 8-10 as an appetizer (more…)

Green Black-eyed Pea Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Wednesday June 29th, 2022 aglaia Leave a comment

Blanched ambelofasoula (green black-eyed peas) are the most sought-after and expensive summer salad in Greece and usually accompanies grilled or fried fish. The word ‘ambelofasoula’ means ‘vineyard beans’ and it is only used for the green black-eyed peas; maybe the prolific plants were planted close to the vines in the old days.

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The dressing is inspired by a recipe I got from the island of Kythera, where it was used on vlita(blanched amaranth shoots). It is a wonderful dressing for blanched broccoli, cauliflower or any kind of blanched greens.

Serves 3-4 (more…)

Za’tar, the spice blend

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Tuesday October 13th, 2015 aglaia Leave a comment

I heard that in the old days, Lebanese schoolchildren ate warm pita bread spread with a mixture of za’tar and olive oil before leaving home on exam days. People believe that the fragrant spice, herb and sesame mixture gives strength and clears the mind. The sweet flavor of toasted sesame seeds is wonderfully complemented by the red, sour-tart sumac in this classic Arab spice blend. There are many version of the spice mixture throughout the Middle East:The green Lebanese za’tar consists of toasted sesame seeds mixed with just the local herb za’tar and sumac. In Syria the gold-colored blend may have more spices –cumin, paprica, caraway, fennel seeds etc.

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The particular kind of Syrian or Lebanese thyme –za’tar in Arabic — is different from the Greek or the European common thyme, or the hyssop that you will see listed in some recipes for the spice mixture. As the particular kind of Middle Eastern herb is not readily available, I prefer to use a combination of dried thyme and savory. But as with all spice mixtures, the ingredients and proportions are a matter of taste, so feel free to experiment with the variations, additions and substitutions that you prefer. (more…)

Paximadia Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Thursday August 1st, 2024 aglaia Leave a comment

The crumbled hard, barley rusks steeped in the juices of the chopped tomatoes and the spicy aromatic olive oil sauce acquire a superb flavor and texture. Lighter biscuits get mushy.

Prepare the salad 1-3 hours in advance, but toss just before serving.

Paximadi Salad can be a full summer lunch, perfect for pick nicks at the beach. I make it in a large container and serve it under the beach umbrella in our attractive re-usable plastic pick nick bowls. The chunky salad can be eaten with a spoon or fork, and we often enjoy it sipping the crisp fruity white or rose wine that we take to the beach in a cooler. (more…)