My Ikaria
Page 23
Beat in the garlic, lemon juice and oil until thick and well blended. Leave to cool, then add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with paprika.
Serves 4
Thea’s Soufiko (Summer vegetable dish)
Soufiko is a traditional Ikarian vegetable dish which takes advantage of summer vegetables. It is quick, healthy, tasty and very versatile. Serve as a main course on its own, as a side dish, or over rice or pasta.
INGREDIENTS
•2 eggplants, coarsely chopped
•2 zucchinis, coarsely chopped
•2 onions, cut in thick slices
•3 garlic cloves, sliced
•3 green or sweet red peppers, thinly sliced
•4 tablespoons olive oil
•1 large chopped tomato
•salt and black pepper, to taste
•fresh or dried oregano and olive oil to serve
METHOD
In a large frypan place the ingredients in the order that they are listed. Cover and cook on low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, covered. Occasionally shake the pan gently (rather than using a spoon or spatula) so that it does not stick. The dish is ready when the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle a little oregano and olive oil on top, and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Ilia’s baked chickpeas
Chickpeas are a staple of Ikarian cuisine and they now make a regular appearance on our table too. At least once a fortnight I cook a large batch and freeze most for use during the week, adding them to salad, stews, soups, curries and the kids’ lunchboxes.
INGREDIENTS
•500g dried chickpeas
•2 medium carrots, peeled and quartered
•2 small zucchinis, quartered
•2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
•2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
•2 tablespoons fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped
•2 medium onions, diced
•2 small tomatoes, chopped
•3 tablespoons olive oil (with extra to serve)
•salt, to taste
METHOD
Soak chickpeas overnight. Place in saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Rinse and drain, then place once again in saucepan, cover with fresh water and boil until soft. Drain off, reserving a cup of the broth. Place the carrots and zucchinis in a baking dish, then layer with the herbs, onion, tomatoes and chickpeas. Add the cup of broth from the chickpeas, the olive oil and salt to taste. Cook uncovered in oven at 200°C. After approximately 15 minutes, or when the top is golden, mix and cook further until crisp on top. Drizzle with olive oil to serve.
Serves 4
Spiri’s silverbeet dolmathakia
Dolmathakia are traditionally made with fresh young leaves from a grapevine in the springtime. My Theia Kanella would collect these and place them tightly in a jar – inexplicably, they would keep for many months. You can buy leaves preserved in brine at most Greek delicatessens. I had dolmathakia several times while in Greece – and each time they were slightly different. Some are made with cabbage leaves and the addition of mince to the rice, others with a lemon and egg sauce. In the spirit of improvisation, I use silverbeet, which grows prolifically in our garden for a few months each year.
INGREDIENTS
•20–30 silverbeet leaves (young, small leaves work best)
•1 cup long grain rice, cooked
•1 cup olive oil
•2 medium onions, grated
•½ cup parsley, chopped
•¼ cup dill, chopped
•1 tablespoon mint, chopped
•juice of 2 medium lemons
•salt and black pepper, to taste
METHOD
Wash silverbeet leaves and remove stalks. Allow to drain. Prepare the rice mixture by placing the rice, onions, herbs and half the olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Take one silverbeet leaf at a time and place a tablespoon of the rice mixture a little in from the stalk end of the silverbeet. Carefully fold this over to cover the filling. If the stalk is too inflexible to roll, trim this back a little more and place the rice halfway along the leaf. Tuck in each side of the leaf and roll, continuing until the filling is enclosed tightly.
Carefully place your parcels in a shallow pot, until they are packed in snugly. Pour the remaining oil over them and then slowly pour 1 ½ cups of boiled water over them, along with the lemon juice. Place a plate upside down over the top to anchor the dolmathakia down. Cook for approximately 45 minutes to an hour on very low heat, or until rice is cooked through.
Enjoy as an entrée or main course, hot or cold.
Serves 4 as a main course
Chrysoula’s pasticcio
This dish has comfort written all over it. It is quite rich and takes a little while to prepare. As such, it was traditionally made for special occasions – generally for Sunday lunch or to eat during a celebration. This recipe makes enough for four people to eat over several days, or it could be shared with a bigger group.
INGREDIENTS
For the meat sauce and pasta layers
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 kg good-quality lamb or beef mince
•1 large onion, finely chopped
•1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
•1 bay leaf
•3 sprigs thyme
•1 teaspoon oregano
•a few pinches of cinnamon
•1 cup or can chopped tomatoes
•salt and black pepper, to taste
•500g dried pasta
(penne, macaroni or rigatoni work best)
For the béchamel sauce
•100g butter
•100g plain flour
•1 litre whole milk
•½ cup parmesan or cheddar cheese
•2 eggs
•a pinch of grated nutmeg
•salt and black pepper, to taste
METHOD
Prepare a 30 × 20 × 4 cm baking dish (or close approximation) with a splash of olive oil or butter. Set aside.
Heat the oil and brown the mince, breaking it up into small pieces. Add the garlic, herbs, cinnamon and seasoning, and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and one cup of boiled water. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Check every now and then to see that there is enough water; add more if it looks dry.
Boil pasta in salted water. When al dente (still a little firm but not chalky), drain and set aside.
Mix the cooked sauce through the pasta and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
For the béchamel sauce, heat the butter in a heavy-set saucepan or frypan. Add the flour to the butter and stir continuously for a few minutes until if forms a paste. Gradually add the milk, stirring the whole time, until you have a smooth sauce. Stir in the cheese and take off the heat.
Whisk the eggs lightly with the nutmeg and seasoning, and add to the mixture, stirring in.
Evenly pour the béchamel over the pasta mixture and smooth over with a spatula – you should not be able to see any of the pasta mixture. Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until golden.
Serve with salad or a side of roasted or steamed vegetables.
Note: For a vegetarian version of this dish, replace the mince with eggplant and cook until soft. Add a can of drained brown lentils to the sauce in the last few minutes of the cooking process.
Serves 10–12
Fiona’s quick spaghetti with pea and herb pesto
This recipe is quick to make, packed with life-giving herbs, olive oil and garlic, and tastes delicious – what’s there not to like?
INGREDIENTS
•500g spaghetti
•1 cup frozen or fresh peas
•2 cloves garlic, peeled
•¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
•½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
•¼ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
•½ cup flakes parmesan cheese
•2 tablespoons extra virgin ol
ive oil
•salt and black pepper, to taste
METHOD
Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Cook peas until tender. Allow peas to cool and transfer to a food processor with the garlic, pine nuts, herbs, cheese, oil, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Toss pea mixture through hot pasta. Serve with extra parmesan. (And crusty bread goes down well too!)
Serves 4
Spiri’s orange, almond and semolina cake
A version of this recipe was given to me by a family friend many years ago. It is my ‘go to’ recipe when I want to make a cake for any occasion. It tastes best with oranges that are in season – preferably plucked straight off the tree if you have that luxury. Generally, I have the other ingredients in my pantry. Coarse semolina is getting harder to find, but most Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food shops stock it.
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
•1 cup olive oil
•¾ cup caster sugar
•4 teaspoons orange rind
•4 eggs
•2 cups almond meal
•2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free version available)
•2 cups (coarse) semolina (or replace with fine polenta for a gluten-free version)
•2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
For the syrup
•1 cup caster sugar
•2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
•2 tablespoons brandy or Grand Marnier (optional)
•extra orange peel, julienned (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200°C and prepare a round baking pan (approximately 20cm) with olive oil or baking paper to stop the cake from sticking to the tin.
Mix oil, sugar and orange rind together with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while continuing to beat.
Add half the dry ingredients (almond meal, baking powder and semolina) and half the orange juice, mix, and then add the remaining ingredients. The mixture should be quite sticky and firm, a little like a biscuit mixture.
Transfer to prepared baking pan and bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Insert a skewer, and if it comes out clean, it is ready. The cake should be a lovely golden colour.
While the cake is baking, pour two cups of orange juice into a saucepan with one cup caster sugar. If you like, you can add orange peel julienned into very thin strips. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, bring to the boil and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for five minutes or so, without stirring. Add Grand Marnier if using.
When cake has cooled slightly in its tin, turn it out into a larger oven-proof dish with lips around the side (to ‘catch’ the syrup). Pour over half the prepared syrup and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Pour over the remaining syrup and let steep. When cooled, serve as is, or with ice-cream or thick cream.
Serves 12
Acknowledgements
First thanks go to my agent Jacinta di Mase, who got behind the idea of this book and didn’t give up on it, or me. To Caitlin Yates, Kirstie Innes-Will and the talented team at Nero, thanks for your amazing support, and for trusting that this was an important story to tell. Thanks also to Louise Thurtell, editor extraordinaire, who worked her magic on my words. Without these people, My Ikaria would never have seen the light of day.
To the writers who make up my creative village – Jacqueline Ross, Jane Woollard, Maryrose Cuskelly, Myfanwy Jones, Nicolas Brasch, Sam Lawry, Tess Woods and Wendy Meddings – I am indebted to you for your unfailing encouragement, patience and support.
Thank you to the people in Ikaria who were so generous with their time and spirit, particularly Gayle Winegar, Ilias and Thea Parikos, Isabelle Bachmann, Niki and Stella Tsakalou, ‘Pappou’ Nikolaos Kastanias, Simone Leona Hueber, Thodoris Koukoumtzis, and Urania Mytika. A special thanks to my Melbourne-based Ikarian friends Dorothy and Lisa Kastanias, and Sotiris and Vaso Kamitsis.
To Alexis Tellis and Angela Elbarbar for your passion when it comes to all things Greek, and to Fiona Pirperis for the walks, talks and sharing of recipes.
In so many ways, this book is a celebration of all the people in my life who make it meaningful each day. To my extended family both here and in Greece, and to my husband’s family – this is as good a time as any to say thank you for all that you do. Special thanks go to my in-laws Dolores and Alfred Mifsud, my cousin Kathy Petras, my brother Dennis Tsintziras, my mother Chrysoula Tsintziras, my husband George Mifsud, and our children, Dolores and Emmanuel Mifsud.