Use homemade or good quality rose petal jam to flavor this light mousse.
Serves 6-8 (more…)
Recipes
Octopus or Fish Pie
Adapted from The Foods of the Greek Islands
The filling of this delicious pie from Cephalonia is unusual. The salty taste of seafood is complemented by the fresh flavor of zucchini, tomatoes, onions and garlic. The pie needs long, slow baking so that the rice can absorb the moisture in the filling and cook. The result is unbelievable. Octopus pies, a typical Lenten dish, are also prepared on Lesbos and other islands of the Aegean, but I love this particular version because of the special fragrance the cinnamon gives it.
This is a large pie, but any leftovers keep well for about 3 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to 3 months, wrapped in aluminum foil and sealed in a zipperlock bag.
I often make it into small individual pies, especially if I use our homemade phyllo. Leftover, charcoal-grilled octopus can also be used in the stuffing, and a bay leaf at the bottom of the pan makes the pies fragrant.
Makes 10 to 12 servings (more…)
Charcoal-Grilled Octopus, Marinated
This is a much anticipated dish, always part of the various, seasonal meze we serve during the welcome dinner for our Kea Artisanal guests. It is quite easy to prepare, as you can blanch the octopus and keep in the marinade for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Just before serving heat the broiler or fire the BBQ and grill briefly over very high heat, just to caramelize the skin. Alternatively, you can grill the octopus on a non-stick skillet or stove-top grill, lightly coated with olive oil.
Serves 6-8 as meze
Citrus Fruit ‘Cheese’ with Pistachios
My way of recycling my leftover, homemade marmalade of previous years. The citrusy pieces are not dense and rubbery as Turkish delights, but somewhat creamier and really delicious, with intense flavor and aroma. I think they will pair beautifully with spicy cheese, with cookies, both sweet and savory, as well as with chocolates.
You can start with a smaller quantity of marmalade, halving the recipe.
2 ½ kilos (quarts) marmalade: Seville orange, lemon, tangerine, or a combination of different kinds (more…)
Lachmacun: Spicy Meat-topped Pita Bread
This is my most recent variation of Lachmacun, or ‘Arab Pizza’ as it is sometimes called. If you do not have time to make the dough, use a good quality, whole-wheat pita. Brush with olive oil and toast on the griddle or under the broiler. Then add the meat sauce and broil, again, briefly, topped with halved cherry tomatoes.
Of course it is better with home-made bread dough –I prefer to use my whole grain one— which I shape into longish flat-breads, let them rest a bit, then mix one egg into my versatile Spicy Meat Sauce so that it more or less keeps its shape as it bakes, and can be picked up and eaten without falling apart, as most Lachmacun do.
Serves 2 (2 pieces) (more…)