Serves 4
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Recipes
Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Paspalas, the Kea ‘pork confit’
The name of the dish, as well as the bits of pork that are simmered until tender and then fried in their fat are called ‘papspalas’ in the local dialect of the island.
Because I make these scrumptious scrambled eggs mostly in the winter, I roast the pale, greenhouse tomatoes to give them more flavor. In the summer, diced fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are perfect for this, as for any other dish. You just need to cook them a bit longer in olive oil until their juices become syrupy. See also Bonnie S. Benwick’s version at the Washington Post.
Serves 2-3 as a main course, 5-6 as part of a meze spread
PICKLING CAPERS, Caper Shoots & Leaves
Wash, drain and blanch the fresh capers in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, depending on the size. Drain and pass under running water. Fresh and tender caper shoots need no blanching. Just wash under running water.
Drain well and transfer to a bucket or large jar filling it about 2/3 with the capers or the shoots. Cover with brine (see below) and leave for about a month, stirring every now and then. (more…)
Beets and Greens with Skordalia (garlic sauce)
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.
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