...inspired by the many cultures and cuisines around the world

Wednesday 31 August 2016

POOR MANS SUSHI


An ab fab friend of mine who I have known since kindergarten introduced this to me several years ago (Linda you know who you are x) and it became an absolute favourite of my daughters and I. Don't know why it is called Poor Mans Sushi, but we just call it PMS! 
Luckily for me the night I made it recently, the Greek guy a. is off carbs, so no rice, b. hates raw fish, avocado and soy sauce...so I got to enjoy it all to myself with loads of leftovers for lunch the next day. (he had a pork chop and salad night - no surprises there)

Cook 1 cup sushi rice in the microwave with 1 ¾ cup cold water – cook on high for 10 minutes, stir about half way through.
Once it’s cooked, stir in about 5 - 6 tblspns of sushi vinegar and mix well. Leave to cool slightly. This amount of rice is enough to cover 3 sheets of nori.

Choose to use what you like from the following


finely sliced fresh salmon or tuna
smoked salmon
tinned tuna 
shredded cooked chicken mixed with a little teriyaki sauce
slices of avocado
thinly sliced red capsicum
• thinly sliced Lebanese cucumber (or telegraph)
thinly sliced sticks of carrot
sushi mayonnaise (to die for)
pickled ginger

nori (seaweed sheets)
soy sauce
wasabi

To assemble, place a third of the warm rice onto one seaweed sheet and spread it out with the back of a spoon. Place your fish or chicken in a line about one third of the way up the sheet, top with any of the vegetables, then a generous amount of the mayo. Roll up as firmly as you can, cut in half or smaller if you like, dip in sauces and enjoy.

Tuesday 30 August 2016

FALAFEL

A delicious vegetarian meal I love to make! But you just have to think ahead a day or two in order have time to soak the chickpeas. It is definitely worth the effort - canned chick peas just don't turn out the same for me! Serve with tzatziki, tahini, fresh tomatoes and coriander

  • 500g dried chickpeas
  • 1 x red onion finely diced
  • 2 - 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tspn salt
  • a few grinds of black pepper
  • 1 tspn cumin
  • good pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup parsley finely chopped
  • approx 1/4 cup plain flour


Soak chickpeas overnight in cold water. Drain and add to a saucepan with some fresh water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 - 2 hours until they are easy to mash with your fingers. Drain.
Throw everything except the flour into a food processor and pulse until chunky (not pureed) Transfer to a large bowl and gradually add the flour, mixing with your hands, to form a firm dough. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and leave in fridge for about an hour (it is worthwhile doing this otherwise the falafel patties can fall apart when you fry them)
Make walnut sized balls of the dough, flatten slightly in your hands and fry in a small pool of preheated ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium/high heat until golden - about 3 minutes each side...
Delish

Wednesday 24 August 2016

FRIED HALLOUMI

Absolutely loving this at the moment - but who can seriously resist fried cheese? Serve on a bed of salad leaves and you won't feel so guilty...

195g Axelos Halloumi
flour
1 x beaten egg
panko breadcrumbs
ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
fresh mint and lemon to serve

Slice the Halloumi into 'fingers', cover with a fine dusting of flour, dip in egg then roll in the breadcrumbs.

Heat a small pool of olive oil to medium high heat and fry the fingers a couple of minutes each side until golden and crispy.

Best served on a bed of salad leaves with chopped fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon.

Delissimo

TZATZIKI (pronounced ja-jee-ki)


This is one of the most popular dips in Greece! Of course in Greece they don't need to strain the yoghurt because theirs is the 'real deal' - not like some watery versions we get in the supermarkets here in NZ. By straining the watery liquid out of the yoghurt, the end result is thicker and more like the traditional Greek tzatziki. Mm mmm


  • 500g Greek style yoghurt
  • 1 x grated unpeeled telegraph cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed (or more if you like it quite garlicky)
  • 1/4 tspn salt
  • 3 - 4 tblspn ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 x tblspn finely chopped fresh dill 


Strain the yoghurt through a clean tea towel in a sieve for about an hour.
Trim the ends off the cucumber and grate, lightly squeezing any excess water.
Then place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for a while before serving to allow the flavours to develop.
Serve with an extra sprinkle of fresh dill and some drops of olive oil.
Fabulous with souvlaki, keftedakiaroast lamb, pork chops, barbecued calamari, as a dip or just by the spoonful...
Kali Orexi!!!

Friday 19 August 2016

LETTUCE & DILL SALAD - MAROULOSALATA


An unbelieveably simple green salad that the Greek guy introduced to me - it is fabulous served alongside practically anything! (And I thought they only eat Greek salad!!!)
  • 1 large romaine or cos lettuce
  • 3 - 4 spring onions, finely chopped 
  • 2 tblspns finely chopped fresh dill
  • oil lemon dressing 

Wash lettuce after removing outer leaves. Cut remaining lettuce into very thin strips and place into a salad bowl along with the spring onions and dill. Toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve and just before serving pour the dressing over and toss gently.

Oil lemon dressing - Ladolemono


Put all ingredients into a screw-top jar, fasten lid and shake until thoroughly blended

Thursday 18 August 2016

GROUND MEAT SAUCE - SALTSA ME KIMA

(Greek version of  'Bolognese' Sauce or as my family calls it 'Spag Bol!)


Incredibly easy - no dried herbs or anything out of the ordinary - the real flavour comes with the good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lots of pepper and the time spent simmering to reduce the sauce.



Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion and garlic and stir over low heat until softened, for about 5 minutes.

Add the mince, increase the heat to medium high and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, for about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir well, cover and reduce the heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally for about 1 hour. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes and simmer to allow the sauce to reduce even further.

Belissimo served with spaghetti, sprinkled with chopped fresh Italian parsley and some Italian parmesan or Greek Kefalograviera!

Sunday 14 August 2016

STIFADO

I was looking at an old recipe book of mine and found a recipe for Stifado which I had made for dinner for my sisters 24th birthday in 1980!!!
Little did I know it was Greek! I was 18 years old at the time, flatting and obviously experimenting with new recipes then.

I remember those flatting days well – the stock standard meal my flatmates and I prepared if we were having friends over was lasagne, coleslaw and garlic bread!

My recipe for Stifado from then used BUTTER to fry the meat in (horror of all horrors – no OLIVE OIL???) I guess we didn’t use much olive oil in NZ in those days…so I have changed the recipe to use olive oil instead!

·      1 kg stewing steak cut roughly into 2 cm chunks (I use gravy beef)
·      salt and pepper
·      ¼ cup ILIADA Extra VirginOlive Oil
·      ½ cup red wine
·      1 tblspn Messino red winevinegar
·      100g tin tomato paste
·      1 tblspn brown sugar
·      250ml beef stock
·      1 x large clove garlic crushed
·      9 x small onions (pickling onions)
·      2 x bay leaves
·      ½ cinnamon stick
·      4 x cloves

Heat the olive oil to a medium/high heat in a heavy based pan. Season steak with the salt and pepper and fry in batches until browned. Put the steak to one side. Add the wine, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, beef stock and garlic to the pan and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pan and give everything a good mix.

Place the peeled onions on top, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves, give it all a wee mix, cover with a lid and bake @ 150oC for 2 – 2/12 hours until meat is tender.

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and serve with a robust pasta such as tagliatelle or parpadelle.

Buon appetito!!!

Saturday 13 August 2016

CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING


In my early twenties when I worked in a bank, one of the girls in the office decided to start a ‘recipe tree’, where we each chose 5 friends to send one of our own recipes to, and those 5 friends would send one back, so we each ended up with 5 new recipes to try.

This carrot cake recipe that a friend sent me ended up becoming one of those ‘no fail’ recipes that I have made many times over the years…

·      1 cup wholemeal four
·      1 cup plain white flour
·      2 tspns baking soda
·      2 cups raw sugar
·      ¼ tsp salt
·      2 tspns cinnamon
·      1 cup salad oil
·      4 beaten eggs
·      3 cups grated carrot

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add oil and beaten eggs, stir then add grated carrot and mix thoroughly.

Lightly grease and flour a 22cm ring tin and pour in the mixture.

Bake 180oC for 50 – 60 minutes until cooked through.

When cool, ice with cream cheese icing and decorate with grated lemon rind and walnuts. Mm mmm…

CREAM CHEESE ICING

·      100g cream cheese
·      2 tblspns softened butter
·      1 tspn lemon juice
·      1 – 1 ½ cups icing sugar

Mix cream cheese and butter until well combined, add lemon juice, sift in the icing sugar so there are no lumps and stir. Add a few drops of boiling water from the jug and more icing sugar if necessary until it reaches a nice smooth and thick consistency.

Friday 12 August 2016

RICE PUDDING (RIZOGALO)


This brings back very fond memories of my childhood when my mother used to make it – the Greek guys mother made the Greek version called Rizogalo for his family! A delicious creamy, milky dessert , best eaten cold, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon (if you can wait that long!) The lemon flavour gives it a wee zing.  Delish…


  • 1/2 cup medium grain rice
  • 3 ½ cups full cream milk
  •  1/4 cup sugar
  •  Very thinly sliced peel of half a lemon ½ tsp vanilla extract


Combine milk, rice, sugar, and lemon peel in a large pot, bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Lower heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 30 – 35 minutes until thick, stirring regularly. Discard the lemon peel.

Remove from heat, mix in the vanilla and pour into small bowls. Place in fridge once it has reached room temperature.

Serve when cold sprinkled with a little cinnamon.

This will last covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Monday 8 August 2016

KALAMATA OLIVE TAPENADE

Want an easy spread to whip up at a moments notice? Delicious on crackers, toast, crostini with avocado...mix with fresh breadcrumbs and stuff mushrooms, then add a slice of mozzarella and bake...thin with olive oil and make a sauce for pasta... mix a little into plain hummus...





Blend all together in a food processor until well combined.

Delissimo

KALAMATA OLIVE HUMMUS

One of my favourite dips and so easy to make. Perfect with crackers, on toast, in your sandwich (or just by the spoonful!!!)



Combine the lemon juice and water in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the tahini and olive oil together.
Place the chickpeas, olives, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a food processor and process until almost fully ground. Scrape down the processor bowl.
Add the lemon and water and process. Scrape down the bowl again then add the tahini and oil mixture and process until smooth, about another minute.
Place the hummus into a small bowl, cover and put into the fridge – it will last up to 5 days refrigerated.

Yum...

Sunday 7 August 2016

YIOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (soup with meatballs with rice and an egg and lemon sauce)


To be honest I was a bit unsure whether I would like this soup when the Greek guy made it for me...I grew up eating 'thicker' soups with lots of veges and a ham bone! But I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoy it - we have been having this a lot this winter, mm mmm.

  •     500g beef mince
  •     1 small red onion, finely chopped
  •     1/4 cup medium grain rice
  •     3 TBLSPN parsley, finely chopped
  •     2 TBLSPN mint, finely chopped
  •     2 TBLSPN ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  •     salt and 1 tspn ground pepper
  •     5 cups beef stock (or water will do)
  •    100g butter
  •    2 eggs
  •    1/4 cup lemon juice


In a big bowl mix the mince, onion, rice, herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Knead the mixture for 3-5 minutes then shape into small balls, the size of a walnut. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for an hour (so they don’t break up while cooking)
In a deep pan put the beef stock or water plus the butter and bring to the boil. Add the meatballs and simmer with lid on for approx 30 mins.
Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a small bowl, then add 3 TBLSPN of the hot soup liquid, whisking continuously . Pour this avgolemono sauce (egg and lemon sauce) back in to the pan, stirring briskly so you don’t end up with a ‘scrambled egg’ consistency!
Serve immediately. Serves 4-6
Kali Orexi!!!




Saturday 6 August 2016

FASOLAKIA (Green beans in red sauce)


One of the Greek guy's all time favourite! A simple and tasty vegetarian dish, served with crusty bread, feta and a few olives on the side.
The Greek guy likes this cooked for at least an hour until the beans are almost mash-able...the Kiwi girl likes it after about 1/2 hour when the beans are less cooked! 
But I must say that after an hour, the sauce has developed more flavour, so I make it the Greek's way!

FASOLAKIA (Green beans in red sauce)


  • 500g whole frozen beans
  • ½ cup ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 x 400 g tinned diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 tspn sugar
  • 1 x tspn salt & 1 x tspn ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup parsley


Heat olive oil in large casserole, add chopped onions, spring onions and garlic and fry on medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, sugar and S & P. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for an hour, stir occasionally, adding more water if necessary.
Add parsley before serving with feta on top.
Delish...

GREEK SALAD

There are many versions of this classic....but this is how my Greek man makes it !
Did you know the word 'feta' means "slice"?
Place the tomatoes,cucumber,red onion and olives into a salad bowl toss to mix.Cut the feta into slices about .5cm thick, place on top, sprinkle with oregano and dress the salad liberally with the olive oil. The Greek guys version literally ends up with a pool of olive oil left over once the salad has finished...to be mopped up with crusty bread of course! The Kiwi girls version uses slightly less...
Enjoy :)

Friday 5 August 2016

LENTIL SOUP

 (FAKES – pronounced Fa-kess)

The Greek guy loves this...his mother made it for his family once a week.  She would serve it with olives, some smoked herring or feta on the side. I love it too – and it is even better the next day (if there is any left over!)


  • ·         500g brown lentils
  • ·         1 whole peeled red onion
  • ·         3 whole peeled cloves garlic
  • ·         2 x 400g tinned tomatoes – pureed
  • ·         2 bay leaves
  • ·         4 cups of hot water
  • ·         pinch of oregano
  • ·         salt and pepper

Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then drain the lentils, discarding the brownish water. Put lentils to one side.
Put the pureed tomatoes, olive oil, whole onion, whole garlic, bay leaves, 4 cups of hot water and oregano into the saucepan, season and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the lentils, reduce heat and simmer slowly for half an hour, or until lentils are tender and the soup is thick, adding more water if required.
Remove the whole onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves and serve sprinkled with oregano.
A toasty warm winter soup . Last time I made it, I had no tinned tomatoes in the pantry!!! So I blanched some fresh tomatoes in boiling water, removed the skin and blitzed them with a tablespoon  of tomato paste – turned out OK too.


Serves 4

MY FAVOURITE TYPE OF DINNER!!!

The Greek guy wanted pork chops and a greek salad for dinner (no surprises there) but the Kiwi girl raided the fridge and pantry and came up with this for her instead...

I çannot profess to being a 'food stylist'or 'professional photographer'but this tasted great! Lots of lovely flavours...



Delish...

Kali Orexi!

Thursday 4 August 2016

ROAST RED PEPPER PESTO

I have been going a bit mad lately using our fabulous Red Roasted Peppers ...do try this pesto - so nutty and sweet - I used it on pasta for dinner the other night, even on my toast for breakfast! Great to pack into a little container and take to work for a quick snack with crackers, carrots, cucumber too...

I used normal parsley (not Italian) as the normal one is a little more bitter which evens out the delicious sweetness of the peppers.

Red Roast Pepper Pesto




Throw everything in a small food processor and whizz until it reaches the consistency you like. I like to have it with the cashews still a bit crunchy...


Season and serve.

Kali Orexi! (Bon appetit!)

Red Roasted Peppers 

ROAST RED PEPPER SAUCE (Saltsa me Piperies)

This is wonderful mixed through your favourite pasta or as a sauce for meatballs. I made Greek meatballs the other night and served them in the sauce - delicious! 
Luckily there were leftovers for the Greek's lunch the next day...


Put the olive oil, tomatoes and garlic into a heavy based pan, bring to boil, simmer until reduced, stirring occasionally, 15 - 20 mins.
Add red roast peppers, salt, pepper and chilli flakes, stir and simmer until thick with lid on approx 15 mins. Taste and add more chilli and/or seasoning to your liking.

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