HOLY MOUNT SALAD

Τhe following eggplant salad is known in Greece as the Holy Mount Salad. Mount Athos is a self-governed terittory in Greece (near Chalkidiki). It is one of the top religious destinations for Orthodox Christians all over the world. Today on Mount Athos there are 20 monasteries, the majority of which are Greek. Mount Athos or Holy Mountain as it is called, is a World Heritage Site. One interesting fact abou Mount Athos is that women are not allowed to entry since they are considered to be a temptation or a distraction for the monks.

Ingredients

2 eggplants

1 sweet red pepper

1/2 clove garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Fresh parsley

1 handful of walnuts

3 tbsps. olive oil

2 tbsps. Apple Cider Vinegar or white vinegar

Pepper

Salt

Process

Ideally put the whole eggplants and the pepper on the grill; alternatively roast them in the oven. When they are done, let them cool. Then peel them and seed them. Puree the eggplant using a fork and chop the pepper. Wash and chop the fresh parsley. Peel the garlic clove and mince it. Chop the walnuts using a knife. Place all the ingredients in a deep dish.  Pour the olive oil and the vinegar. Season and mix well. Enjoy!

QUICK GOURMET SALAD

A delicious green salad!

Ingredients

1 bunch arugula
1 romaine lettuce
1/2  cup pomegranate pimples
Some sweet seedless black grapes
2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps. carob syrup
3 tbsps. olive oil
50 g. parmesan cheese
Salt

Steps

1. Wash the lettuce and the arugula well.
2. Leave them in a colander to drain.
3. Chop the lettuce.
4. In a salad plate add the first four ingredients.
5. In a small bowl, mix the balsamic, the carob syrup and the olive oil.
6. Pour the mixture into the bowl and toss the salad.
7. Shave the Parmesan cheesewith a vegetable peeler.
8. Salt.

DRUNKEN COOKIES

Every Autumn, when the harvest season of wine grapes occurs, I help some friends to hand-pick the grapes. It is a really entertaining process to take part in the process of wine making. From harvesting the graves to bottling the wine, all the steps of wine making make you feel so creative and close to the nature. It is a unique experience that I recommend without hesitation. During the wine making process apart from wine other products are produced too such as grape molasses and grape syrup. Next time you visit a wine maker ask for these and bake this delicious cookies! 

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup grape syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 kilo all-purpose flour
juice of half a lemon


Steps

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. In a large bowl, pour the grape syrup, the orange juice and the olive oil. Add the vanilla extract, the sugar and the cinnamon powder. Beat the ingredients using a wire whisk until they are thoroughly combined. Add the baking soda to the lemon juice. Combine the two mixtures.

In another bowl mix the flour with the baking powder. Add the flour mixture in the first bowl gradually and stir continuously. The dough is ready when it does not stick to  your hands. Roll the dough with your hands  to form thin strands. Take each strand and shape it into round cookies with a hole in the center. The  cookies will spread while baking that's why you shouldn't make the cookies too big. Place cookies spaced apart onto greased baking sheets or pan covered with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 10 to 15 minutes depending on whether you prefer them soft or crispy.

GREEK MOUSAKAS AND USEFUL TIPS

There are no words to describe the taste of mousaka! Most Greek families cook moussaka at least once a year. There are hundreds of mousaka recipes on the Internet, that's why I will tell you not only the traditional  recipe but 1 will give you also some useful tips! 

Ingredients

8 servings

2 kg aubergines

1/2 cup.  grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup. bread crumbs

750 gr. minced beef

1 onion 

1/4 cup sun-dried red wine 

1 clove of garlic

500 gr. ripe tomatoes

1/4 cup. olive oil

1 cinnamon stick

100 gr. butter

150 gr. flour

1 1/2 liter fresh milk

2 eggs
4-5 big potatoes 

1 tsp. sugar

Pepper

Nutmeg powder

Salt

Instructions

Let's prepare the ingredients. 

Chop the onion finely.

Peel the aubergines and the potatoes. Slice the aubrgines and the potatoes in  0.5 cm slices. 

Put the sliced aubergines in a bowl with slightly salted water.The salt will remove some of the bitterness of the aubergines.  

Put the tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Then rince them under running tap water. The temperature change will make them peel easily. Peel the tomatoes and cut them into small pieces. 

Okay, time for cooking!

Heat a large skillet over medium-low temperature and add the minced beef (optionally you can add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil). When the minced beef gets brown add a clove of garlic, the cinammon stick and the onion. After 5 minutes add the wine. After alcohol has evaporated, add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of nutmeg powder and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture to be cooked  till all the liquids are absorbed. When it is readt remove the cinnamon stick and clove.

You can cook the potatoes and the aubergines with two ways. More specific you can either bake them in a greased oven dish (after being sprinkled with some olive oil) over medium heat for a quarter or you can fry them with vegetable oil. 

A tip to avoid augerbined of absorbing too much olive oil when you fry them is to beat 2 egg whites and dip the aubergine slices into the egg whites before you fry them. After removing them from the pan place them on a plate that it is covered with paper towels. Don't forget to salt the potatoes and the aubergines.

For the Béchamel Sauce follow the instructions of the traditional recipe.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth mixture. Allow the flour to cook for 2 minute. In meantime continue whisking. In a second saucepan warm the milk.  Combine the first mixture to the milk and let it thickens.  Stir in beaten egg yolks. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Salt and pepper.  Stir until sauce thickens.  Remove from heet and add the parmesan cheese. 

Now it's time to assemble the mousaka. Grease a deep baking pan and sprinkle the breadcrumbs at all thw surface of the pan. First place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Add a layer of aubergine slices. Put meat filling on top of the aubergine layer.  Pour the béchamel sauce over the top layer. Bake in a 180-degree Celsius oven for 45-50 minutes. 

It may be a tiring recipe but the taste and the positive comments of your guests will reward you!

SUMMER FOOD MEMORIES

Today, Greek Debt Gastronomy travels in Crete! Actually, I do not know anyone who has been to Crete and did't promise himself to return at least once! The Cretan people, the landscapes, the beaches, the  drinks and of course the food - are all wonderful! It is the authenticity of the island that makes it so special! From my holidays to Chania I cannot even remember one restaurant or a tavern that I didn't like the food!

My uploaded photos will give you a brief view of Chania and my Ntakos (a local and famous appetizer) recipe will  give you a taste of Cretan gastronomy!

Materials

100 gr. feta cheese
1 ripe tomato
4 tbsp olive oil
4 black olives
2 Cretan rusks
Capers (optional)
Salt

Execution

1. Chop finely the tomato.
2. Crumble the feta cheese using your hands.
3. Remove the stones of olives and cut them into slices.
4. Put the rusks under running water for a moment (only 1-2 seconds to avoid over-soaking).
5. Place the rusks on a plate and put on them the chopped tomato.
6. Salt.
7. Sprinkle rusks with the crumbled cheese and the olive slices.
8. Pour the olive oil and sprinkle with capers.

WORLD FOOD DAY

World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October and being a food blogger and a food lover, I couldn't help celebrating! I hope you did the same too! In case you forgot the World Food Day or  you just did not know it, there is no reason to worry as you can celebrate it even now and cook something delicious for you and your loved ones! Actuallly, apart from celebrating this day it is a good opportunity to remember that hunger still exists. There are people who cannot cover  even their basic needs for food and accomondation. These people may live on the other side of the world or next door. It is responsibility for all of us to help them survive! 

But let's go back to our kitchens to cook an appetizer! Stuffed potatoes!

Ingredients

4 servings

2 medium potatoes

50 g. broccoli 

Salt

Pepper

1 egg

100 gr. gruyere

100 gr. cream cheese

Process

Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Put your unpeeled potatoes in a pan with boiling and salted water. Water should cover them.Your potatoes are done if you encounter no resistance when you poke them with a fork. Let them cool before you halve them. Put the broccoli in hot water for two to three minutes. Drain the broccoli and cut into very small pieces. Grate the gruyere. Beat the egg in a bowl. Add the gruyere, the broccoli and the cream cheese to the egg. Toss gently. Salt and pepper. Remove the inside of the potatoes (which you can use to make a great potato salad). Fill the halved potatoes with the filling and bake at 180 degrees Celsius until cheese melts and the egg is cooked.

Serve the potatoes hot!

LIGHT SAUSAGE SALAD

Salad with... sausages! You may don't believe it but it is a light, low-cal and low-fat recipe cause it uses chicken or turkey sausages.

Ingredients

4 servings

1/2 cup canned corn

2 turkey or chicken sausages 

1 large Cretan rusk

2 carrots

1 head lettuce

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsps strained Greek yogurt

1/2 cup various pickles

Salt

Steps

Boil the sausages according to package instructions. Drain and let them cool.

Separate the lettuce into leaves, wash it. Let them drain and chop them into bite size.

Drain the corn and the pickles.

Peel the carrots and grate them.

Break the Cretan rusk.

Combine the yogurt with the olive oil and the mustard.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently. Let the sausages reach room temperature before you mix them with lettuce otherwise the lettuce will go soggy. Salt just before serving.

TASTEFUL SIMPLICITY

Others may snubbed the potato salad and feel that is too simple food to be served at a table with friends, but sometimes simple recipes pleasantly surprised!

Ingredients

2 large potatoes
1/2 cup cream cheese - (f.e. katiki or touloumisio)
Some grated garlic
2 spring onions
Some sprigs of fresh oregano
Salt
4 tablespoons olive oil

Process

Peel the potatoes and cut them into large pieces.

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with salted water. The water should cover the potatoes. Boil them until tender. Drain them and put them in a bowl.

Wash, peel and  finely chop the spring onions.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and stir-fry the spring onions for about 2 minutes. Add the spring onions and the cream cheese in the bowl while the potatoes are still hot. Chop finely the oregano leaves and add them to the mixture. Salt and grate some garlic. You can enjoy this potato salad hot or cold, just put them in the refrigerator for about an hour before you serve it.

Toss gently. Garnish your salad with a sprig of fresh oregano before serving!

TODAY I DON'T FEEL LIKE DOING ALMOST ANYTHING

Today I don't feel like doing anything, I just wanna lay in my bed; as Bruno Mars' song goes. I think that everybody feels the same sometimes but then you get hungry and you have to change the lyrics a little bit to " Today I don't feel like doing almost anything". When this day comes, cook the following omelet. It is healthy, low-cal, delicious and of course easy-to do! 

Ingredients

2 servings

3 eggs

50 grams broccoli florets

60 grams feta cheese

1 soring onion

4 black olives

1 tomato

Olive oil

4 tbsps. milk

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Instructions

Put broccoli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to soften.

Cut the broccoli, the spring onion, the tomato and the feta in small pieces.

Halve the olives and remove the stones. There is an old trick to halve the olives quickly. Put them on a cutting board and press only one each time with a wooden spoon. 

Break the eggs and beat them gently in a bowl. Add milk, salt, pepper, oregano and continue to beat until they combine together. Preheat the olive oil at medium heat in a round pan. Add the omelet to the centre of the pan. Tilt the pan so that the eggs spread out evenly over the bottom. When the edges begin to turn yellow and thicken flip your omelet using a spatula. Leave the other to be cooked.Slide the omelet onto a plate and sprinkle the vegetables, the olives and the feta over the omelet. Salt and pepper and  good appetite!

ORANGE POWER

Pumpkin reminds many people Halloween. Greek cuisine doesn’t include pumpkins widely, apart from the pumpkin pies whose receipts are quite regional. The recipe that follows is a creamy, smooth sweet dessert with pumpkin, carrot and orange. You can enjoy it on its own or combine it with biscuits, chocolate syrup or whipped cream! Really tasty, really orange!

Ingredients

 2 servings

• 200 gr. Pumpkin
• 1 carrot
• 2 zested and juiced oranges
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Vanilla extract (optionally)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoon caster powder
• 1 teaspoon butter

Steps

1. Chop the pumpkin at cubes.
2. Peel the carrot.
3. Boil the pumpkin and the carrot in a saucepan till they soften.
4. Drain them and put them in a food processor or electric chopper.
5. Preheat the half milk at low-medium temperature.
6. Add the melted pumpkin, the carrot and the butter.
7. Add the vanilla and the orange zest.
8. In a bowl combine well the sunflower powder and the other half of milk till the powder dissolved.
9. Add it to the boiling cream.
10. Add the orange juice.
11. Stir frequently.
12. Your cream is ready to serve it when it thickens.

 The smell will truly amaze you! So fresh and lovely!

ENERGY DRINK

If you feel that you ran out of energy, remember remember, nature can help you!

Ingredients

2 pomegranates

1/2 bitter orange

1 cup black grapes

2 oranges

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp warm water

1/2 tsp bee pollen

sugar for decoration optionally

Steps

1. Press all fruits in an electric juice extractor or an manual juicer. 
2. Mix the honey with the warm water until honey dissolved. 
3. Add the two mixture and the bee pollen in a glass.
4. Whisk to combine.
5. Serve!

Cheers!

BREAKFAST FOR PRINCESSES

As the old saying goes, 'Breakfast like a queen, eat lunch like a princess, and dine like a pauper.' Let me change it and cook a jam with pieces of whole strawberries ideal for little princesses!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 lemon juiced
1 kilo fresh strawberries


Directions 

Wash the straberries with plenty tapping water. Pick off the green tops. Combine the sugar and the strawberries in a bowl and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 24 hours. After 24 hours the strawberries will have released some of their juices and some sugar will have dissolved. In a saucepan add the mixture and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent burning. With a spoon remove the foam that rises to the surface. While the mixture is boiling, pour the lemon juice in the saucepan and continue cooking. An easy way to understand when the jam is ready is to pour a small amount of the mixture on a cold plate that you have put in the freezer. If it gels then jam is ready! Pour the jam into sterilized jars. Jam should be refrigerated after you open the jar. 

If your jam junkie, you can take a look at From tree to table!

NO MORE DISHES

How about cooking a tasty salad without using a serving plate? 

Ingredients

1 black olive oil halved
1/2 cup crisp canned corn
1 avocado
2 tomato cherries
1/2 boneless and skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon dried oregano
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

 Directions

Cut the chicken breast at small pieces.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil into a pan and stir-fry the chicken. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. 
Let chicken cool.
Halve the avocado, remove the stone and dice it. Don't forget to reserve the shells.
Drain the corn.
Chop the tomato cherries. 
In a bowl toss the chicken, the avocado, the tomato cherries, the corn and the remaining oil for the recipe. Season them with salt and pepper according to your preferences. 
Place the mixture in the avocado shells
Garnish with the halved olive.

DEEP-SEA DELICACY

Looking for seafood recipes? What about a shrimp risotto with saffron? This time, I will not ramble on about  Saffron origin, but if you are curious about it, you can take a look at  WHEN CHINA MET ANCIENT GREECE. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 servings

1 1/2 cup Arborio rice

12 large shrimps
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion
1/4 cup ouzo
1 garlic clove1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large pinch of saffrona pinch of ground garlic

Salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups water

Directions

Peel and devein the shrimps. Keep the shrimp heads. (You can also keep a whole shrimp to garnish.)

In a large skillet, heat the water over high heat. When you bring water at boiling point, add the shrimp heads and the garlic glove. Salt, pepper and add the saffron. 

Let the mix boil for 30 minutes. Then pass the stock through a fine sieve. Reduce the heat and keep the stock warm. 

Dice the onion finely.  In a pot, heat 4 tbsps. olive oil over medium heat and sauté  onion until translucent. Add rice and fry until it looks slightly translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add ouzo stirring the rice. Once ouzo is evaporated, pour 1/4 cup shrimp stock. Gradually add all the shrimp stock, waiting every time to be absorbed before you add some more. 

In a saucepan over high heat add the rest olive oil. When oil heats enough, add shrimps. Pour the lemon and orange juice. Stir and simmer the shrimps until shrimps become orange. Season with salt, ground garlic and pepper. Add shrimps to rice and spoon the risotto into your serving dish. Serve immediately!

I LOVE LOVE ICE CREAM CAKES!!!!

I love cakes... 
but I love ice cream cakes more...
but I love love ice cream cakes most !!!

As the the weather in Greece is still sunny and the temperature reaches 30 degrees Celsius, I found good idea make this cake for a friend that was getting married. The cake was never delivered as a friend and I didn't manage to resist and we ate it...(It happened before I start dieting..) However I took this photo with my cell phone while we were eating the cake.

 It is so delicious that even if the weather is not so hot where you live or you are not that kind of person that eats ice creams all year long, it is worth a try!

For the chocolate biscuit base 

• 100 gr. softened butter
• 100 gr. bitter chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 gr. finely ground digestive biscuit crumbs

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie. 
2. In a saucepan heat the butter to melt it.
3. Ground the biscuits finely to turn them into crumbs using an electric chopper.
4. Add the biscuit crumbs and the melted chocolate to the butter and stir well.
5. Press the mixture into a 25-28 cm. springform cake tin. 
6. Chill for about 1 hour.

For the ice cream 

Please see my post Back in Time 

Directions

1. Prepare the ice cream mixture according to the steps described at Back in Time
2. Freeze it about half an hour.
3. Beat it again.
4. Put a layer of ice cream on the chocolate biscuit base.
5. Use a palette knife to smooth the surface.
6. Put the whole tin in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up.
7. Before serving, put the cake on a cake plate and into the fridge to soften a little. 
8. Place the red hearts (see below) on the ice cream cake.
9. Slice with a knife dipped in hot water.

For the red heart toppers

• 200 gr. icing sugar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract (optionally)
• Red food dye
• Some water

Directions

1. Mix the icing sugar, the lemon juice, the vanilla extract and the vegetable oil in a saucepan.
2. Add some water to make thick syrup. 
3. Best way to avoid watery syrup is to add the water gradually.
4. Heat the mixture at low temperature for 5 minutes and process till the syrup converts to an opaque paste.
5. Add some red food dye drops and process 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Allow your paste to cool slightly.
7. Use a roller pin to flatten out the paste (0.5-1 cm thick).
8. With a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut as many heart toppers as you want to use. 


The red hearts toppers can be stored at room temperature for a day. For later use you can refrigerate them.

HAPPY OCTOBER WITH A QUICK RECIPE!

I hope October has gotten off to a fantastic start. I want to apologize for having been neglecting my blog lately. My new month's resolution is to spend more time to my blog! Pick one new month's resolution to start today too. Just to give you some ideas about what you can do. You can quit smoking, help a friend, call your parents, try to be more creativeor laugh more!!
Okay, time to cook dinner for 4!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles or Greek chilopites

1 cup small mushrooms

1/2 eggplant

1 red pepper

Salt

1/4 cup cauliflower

1/4 cup peas

1/4 cup green beans

1 carrot

A pinch of pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

100 gr. gruyere cheese

Process

Boil noodles according to package directions or boil the noodles for 4-5 minutes. Noodles need a lot of water to cook properly. Don't forget to put a pinch of salt in water and try not to over cook them. Drain water and drizzle a little olive oil over noodles to prevent them from sticking. Cut all the vegetables at small pieces and put them (apart from the mushrooms) in boiled water for 2 minutes to soften a little bit. Preheat the vegetable oil and fry all the veggetables for a couple of minutes stiring at the same time. Add the noodles and mix well. Salt and pepper. Stir well. Serve to the dishes. Grate the cheese over the top of your dishes. Ready! Yummy!