Pomegranate and Rose Geranium Granita (sorbet)

Monday September 16th, 2019Sunday October 3rd, 2021 aglaia Leave a comment

Pomegranates are just coming to season and they are delicious, although not easy to peel. Later in the season I will probably juice our garden’s pomegranates, but throughout the summer I use the pure, local, thick pomegranate juice we buy frozen on Kea. It has a somewhat tart and tannic taste and no added sugar or anything else. Taste the pomegranate juice you get and adjust the proportions of simple syrup accordingly.

We love the aroma of rose geranium, of which we have plenty in the garden. It is traditionally used it in the quince preserves, but also add it in our fig jam. The pomegranate juice has plenty of flavor but no fragrance so by adding rose geranium leaves you get a great aromatic granita. Some liqueur or vodka is essential, we think, making the frozen dessert much more complex and easier to serve.

Makes 10-16 servings (more…)

Paximadia Horiatiki or Greek Salad with Rusks, Feta and Capers

Thursday August 18th, 2016Saturday June 11th, 2022 aglaia 3 Comments

Adapted from Mediterranean Hot and Spicy (Broadway Books) Tomato-Salad-Sw

Horiatiki, that has inspired the ubiquitous Greek Salad, is scented with dried, wild oregano or savory, and doused with plenty of fruity olive oil. It might also contain salted sardines, and was often made more substantial with the addition of stale bread or crumbled paximadia (barley rusks), which soak up the delicious juices.

Read HERE the story and roots of this iconic salad.

Serves 6 to 8

(more…)

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.

beets_greens_salad_small

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

(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.

Green-Blac-eyed-Pea-Salad_430

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…)

Tomato and Purslane Relish

Tuesday June 9th, 2015Wednesday June 23rd, 2021 aglaia 1 Comment

This is a mild, fresh-tasting relish, especially created to complement grilled, seared or even steamed fish. If you want to use it with grilled poultry or meat add 1-2 cloves minced garlic, if you like, and a minced jalapeno, or a pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes.

9b-tomato-relish--fish430

Serves 4-6 (more…)