world's food recipes

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Radicchio Salad with Chicken in Kiwi Vinaigrette

A quick, light and tasty salad with leftover pan-seared chicken breast (turkey could be used instead here), antioxidant-rich radicchio, kiwifruit, cherry tomatoes, physalis (aka cape gooseberry) tossed with a fresh, fruity and delicious kiwi vinaigrette dressing. So If you feel stuffed and want a a healthy and soothing meal after holiday feasts, this salad might be what you need.

Kiwi Vinaigrette	Salad
2 Kiwi fruits, peeled and coarsely chopped 3 tbsp Orange juice 2 tbsp Canola oil 1 tbsp White wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp Honey Salt and pepper to taste	200 g Leftover pan-seared chicken breast 1/2 head Radicchio, coarsely chopped 2 Kiwi, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 Yellow onion, sliced 5 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half 10 Physalis fruit, cut in half

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, about 5 to 10 seconds. Pour into a serving container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Coarsely chop the radicchio leaves. Arrange the radicchio and onions on a large serving platter. Top with chicken, kiwi,tomato,and physalis halves. Serve with kiwi vinaigrette.

Friday, November 12, 2010

How to Make Mastiha Pumpkin Spice Soup

Mastiha Pumpkin Spice Soup

It is exciting times on the Greek culinary front. The Greeks are re-discovering one of their ancient aromatics, the rarest spice on the planet: mastiha (mastic). As exciting a development as this may be, it is a situation fraught with gastronomic risks. In the drive to incorporate mastiha into a “Greek” cooking palette and create new taste sensations, there have been some interesting offerings coming out of test kitchens all over the planet.

Mastic Pumpkin Spice Soup

Ingredients

6 - 8 cups fresh pumpkin pulp
4 cups chicken/vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp. butter (optional)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
½ tsp. ground mastic
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot; add onions and sauté until soft.
Add broth, spices, salt, pepper, mustard and water to pot, stir and bring to boil; add shredded pumpkin pulp to pot, stir and cover to boil. When boiling, lower heat to medium low, keep pot covered and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.
When the pumpkin pulp is sufficiently softened, use an immersion blender and puree the soup to a creamy consistency. Cover and let simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, then serve with a dollop of Greek-style strained yogurt in each portion.

Makes 8 servings and good to freeze for reheating.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Greek Cucumber Salad - Αγγουροσαλάτα

When Greeks sit down to a summertime meal, they will invariably include a raw salad of one kind or another. One of the more popular summertime Greek salads in our family is the world famous Aggourosalata (ah-goo-roh-sah-LAH-ta), or, Cucumber Salad. There are a few variations on the theme, but it is a very basic dish and serves as a refreshing course alongside other summertime favourites.

The cucumber has been α part of Greek cookery for millennia. It is used in the famous Tzatziki sauce, and can simply be sliced into wedges, salted or not, and consumed without any fuss, much like a melon. Indeed, a little known fact about the cucumber is that it is not a vegetable; it is actually a melon.

Ancient Greek melon patches included the long green fruits alongside more recognizable spherical varieties. Today, alas, cucumbers are found among the vegetables in market produce sections, which can cause some confusion regarding their genus. Fortunately, a few of us are familiar with the old ways and can serve to remind others of our forgotten Greek food heritage.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized cucumber, chilled, washed but not peeled and sliced thinly
½ medium sized red onion, sliced thinly
2 - 3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 - 3 tablespoons Greek wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
Kalamata olives
Salt and fresh ground black pepper; to taste.

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine and toss all the ingredients together. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Creamy Onion Tartlets

Crispy savoury tart made with buttery spelt pate brisee, caramelized red onions, and a rich, creamy and velvety smooth béchamel sauce. They're delicious to snack on and also lovely as a first course at a dinner party.

adapted from Leite's Culinaria

Pate Brisee	Filling
200 g Wholegrain spelt flour 120 g Butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened 3 g Fine salt 1 Egg 1 tbsp Cold milk	2 Red onions, very thinly sliced 60 g Unsalted butter Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 30 g All-purpose flour 180 ml Whole milk, warmed 80 ml Heavy cream, warmed 2 Large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten Freshly grated nutmeg

Heap the flour on a counter and make aw well. Put in butter, salt and egg. Using your fingertips, mix these ingredients together. Little by little, draw in the flour, working the dough delicately until it has a grainy texture.
Add in milk and incorporate gently with your fingertips until the dough begins to hold together. Using the palm of your hand, work the dough by pushing it away from you 4-5 times until smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or until firm.
On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 3-mm thickness. Cut out three 16-cm and three 9-cm circles. Use them to line three 10-cm and three 6-cm tart pans. Prick the pastry shell bases and line with foil, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Bake the crusts blind for about 15 minutes. Lower the oven setting to 170C/340F. Remove the beans foil and return the pastry to te oven for 5 minutes. Leave in the pans and set aside while you prepare the filling.
In a large skillet, combine the onions, half of the butter, and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until very tender and lovely golden brown, about 30 minutes.  
In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream in a slow, steady stream. Still whisking, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, whisking occasionally. 
Pour a little of the cream mixture into the eggs, whisking until completely combined. Slowly whisk this mixture back into the cream mixture in the saucepan, a little at a time, until well incorporated and smooth. Stir in the caramelized onions, then season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Spoon the mixture onto the pastry shells, spreading it evenly.  
Bake the tarts at 165C/330F until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the tarts slightly on wire rack, then unmold. Serve warm.

Creamy Onion Tartlets

Monday, May 10, 2010

Baked Sole Recipe (Γλώσσα στο Φούρνο)

Baked Sole Recipe

If you have ever considered just chucking everything and going to ground somewhere in the Aegean for an entire summer, I urge you to do it without a second thought. If you have yearned to experience the stark afternoon light of Helios while wandering among whitewashed walls and cobblestone streets, as a scintillating blue sea laps against the shore and the Etesian winds blow, now is the season to start packing. Time stands still on a Greek isle, but you need to get there first.

This fish recipe is a small sampling of the flavours that mingle among the Cyclades. Serve this dish with a side of rice and some steamed asparagus, along with some Assyrtiko wine. And, if you do decide to visit Santorini, be sure to leave with some capers (harvested from the wild throughout the island), along with your memories.

Baked Sole Recipe

Ingredients:

4 sole fillets
1 large lemon
1/4 cup of capers
3 tbsp. of Greek extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp. chopped fresh green onion (or celery leaves, or parsley)
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
Salt and Pepper

1. Wash the fish well under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel, then salt and pepper the fillets and set aside.
2. Slice half of the lemon into thin slices, then cut the slices in half.
3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into your baking dish and start to layer/arrange the fish and lemon slices alternately in the vessel.
4. Sprinkle the oregano, dill, capers and fresh green onion (or celery leaves, or parsley) over the fish and lemon slices.
5. Drizzle the final tablespoonful of olive oil and squeeze the juice of the remaining half lemon over everything.
6. Cover the baking dish and bake at 250°F for 30 minutes.