KEFTEDAKIA (little meat balls)

The Greek guy makes these often - lovely as part of a meze platter with tzatziki, or with my Red Roast Pepper sauce. We made hundreds (well it felt like hundreds!) of them for my daughters 21st at her request and served them on large platters with toothpicks and a selection of sauces. Needless to say they disappeared very quickly!
I am loving fresh mint at the moment and I use all fresh mint (with no parsley)

• 500g beef mince
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 4 TBLSPN bread crumbs
• 4 TBLSPN extra virgin olive oil
• 3 TBLSPN chopped parsley and mint
• 1 TBLSPN red wine vinegar
• 1 TBLSPN oregano
• salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together with your hands for 3-5 minutes.

Shape into balls the size of a walnut, put on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat a small pool (.25 cm deep) of extra virgin olive oil, to medium/high heat in a heavy based frying pan and fry the keftedakia in batches, draining on paper towels before serving warm

Kali Orexi!!!

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...

• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 ½ TBLSPN ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Messino red wine vinegar
• small pinch oregano
• small grind of black pepper 

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!!!)

• 4 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 3 Tbsp ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 x 390g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• dash of cayenne

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...

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"?

• tomatoes
• cucumber (telegraph is good - remove skin if you like-cut into chunks 
  
• a handful of ILIADA Kalamata Olives 
• DODONI Feta (sheep and goat milk)
• oregano
• red onion (optional-sliced thinly)
• ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

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 :)

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...

• Left over roast chicken
• Red roast repper pesto
• Red roast peppers
• Sliced cucumber
• Kalamata olives
• Feta 
• Dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice) great to have in your pantry at all times!
• Kalamata olive hummus (not particularly attractive but absolutely delicious - recipe to come)

Delish...

Kali Orexi!

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

•    300g 'Makedoniki Gi' Red Roasted Peppers
•    Handful of parsley
•    75g cashew nuts
•    ½ clove garlic crushed
•    2 tblspn ILIADA Extra Virgin Olive Oil
•    50g parmesan cheese

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