Boned Oysters

Servings: 1
Ingredients:

12    Oysters, fresh or frozen
1 c  Flour
1/2 c  Oil
Salt and pepper; to taste

Use only the large Asiatic oysters caught in the Indian Ocean, Black Sea,
or the Persian and Arabian gulfs.

Use the delicious white meat only. Discard the round white bone sometimes
discovered inside the shell — or give it to some Persian. They seem to
prefer these bones to gold; they call them ‘pearls’.
*********************************************************************

Drain oysters. Roll in flour. Heat oil until hot in a large frying pan.
Fry oysters on medium-high heat for 5 minutes turning over once. Sprinkle
with seasonings and serve.

Source: Chares of Mytilene, Lesbos (an historian of the third century)
The Complete Greek Cookbook, by Theresa Karas Yianilos
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

Revani (Semolina Cake)

Servings: 16
Ingredients:

1/2 c  All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Baking powder
1 1/3 c  Fine semolina or farina
4 lg Eggs; separated
1/2 c  Sugar
1/2 c  Olive oil
2    Lemons; grated zest only
1/2 ts Almond extract
1/2 c  Orange juice
1 ts Vinegar; for the bowl
1/16 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 c  Blanched, slivered almonds

———————————–SYRUP———————————–
3/4 c Sugar
2 Lemons; zested and juiced
1 1/2 c -Water
1/4 ts Almond extract

Make the syrup ahead. Combine the sugar, lemon zest and juice, and water
in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes then add the almond
extract. Remove and chill overnight.

Line a 10-inch-square cake pan, that is at least 3-inches deep, with
parchment. Sift together the flour and baking powder, then stir in the
semolina. Beat the egg yolks, sugar, olive oil, lemon zest, and almond
extract together until pale and creamy. Beat in the flour mixture,
splashing with orange juice to moisten it.

Wipe a mixing bowl with a cloth moistened with vinegar, then put in the
egg whites. Beat with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, then
fold into the batter. Pour into the pan and sprinkle with the almonds.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 F for about 45 minutes until golden
brown. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, cut into squares.
Slowly pour the chilled syrup over it.

Makes 16 slices

Source: Recipes from a Greek Island, by Susie Jacobs
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Roast Lamb With Potatoes (Arni Psito Me Patates)

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

1    Leg of young spring lamb
3    Garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
4 tb Butter; melted
1    Lemon; juiced
20 sm Potatoes; peeled
Salt
2 tb Tomato paste
2 c  -Hot water

Wash leg of lamb. Slit with sharp knife in various places on both sides
of lamb. Slice garlic thinly and insert the slices in slits made in lamb.
Season with salt and pepper and brush with melted butter. Squeeze lemon
juice over lamb and place in roasting pan, fat side up. Roast at 450 F
for 1/2 hour.

While lamb is browning, sprinkle potatoes with salt, rub with tomato
paste, and let stand for a few minutes. Add potatoes to the baking pan
with the water and lower oven temperature to 350 F. Turn and baste the
potatoes occasionally during the roasting period. When lamb is done,
remove to hot serving platter and keep warm. Increase oven temperature to
425 F and brown potatoes for 20 minutes longer.

Source:
The Art of Greek Cookery by the Women of St. Pauls Greek Orthodox Church

Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Melomakarona Andonias

Servings: 48
Ingredients:

7 c  All-purpose unbleached flour
Extra flour for kneading
1 1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
1 3/4 c  Mild olive oil
1 1/4 c  Sugar
1/2 c  Cognac
-OR- mavrothaphne wine
-OR- ruby port
3    Oranges; zested and juiced
4 ts Freshly ground cinnamon
1 1/2 ts Freshly ground clove
3/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg

———————————–SYRUP———————————–
1 lb Honey; (1 lb = about 2 cups)
1 c Sugar
1 1-inch piece of cinnamon
1 Clove
1 Lemon; zested and juiced
1 c Water

———————————-TOPPING———————————-
1/2 c Shelled almonds
1 tb Sugar
1 ts Freshly ground cinnamon

Author’s note: These cakes are traditionally served at Christmas. This
recipe comes from my neighbor, Andonia. I have a distinct memory of her
beating the oil and sugar into the flour until it dissolved using her
middle finger and forefinger as a beater - though a spoon will do.

Start by making the syrup. Put the honey, sugar, cinnamon, clove, and
lemon zest in a saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil and simmer
for 5-10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, then chill.

To blanch the almonds, plunge them into boiling water for 1-2 minutes,
until you see signs of their skins loosening. Then drain and slip or pop
them from their skins onto a baking sheet. Toast them in an oven
preheated to 350 F for about 10 minutes - just until they begin to color.
Cool, then chop them very, very finely - if you do this in a food
processor, make sure that the pulses are short, or the nuts could turn
oily. Mix the ground almonds with the sugar and cinnamon and reserve.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Put the olive oil and
sugar in a large bowl and beat together - with your fingers like Andonia -
or with a wooden spoon. Beat in the Cognac, the orange zest, spices, and
juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup).

Then beat in the flour, a few spoonfuls at a time, until you have a
malleable dough, adding more flour if it is too soft, and more orange
juice if it is too stiff. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead
for 10-15 minutes until very smooth.

Pinch off pieces of dough of about 2 tablespons and form into flattened
oval or lozenge shapes. Place them on an oiled or non-stick baking sheet.
Bake in an oven preheated to 400-425 F for about 20 minutes, until brown.

When they are cool enough to handle, dip them in the bowl of syrup for
about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray to cool.
Sprinkle with the chopped almond mixture.

Source: Recipes from a Greek Island, by Susie Jacobs
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)

Servings: 60
Ingredients:

1 c  Butter
3/4 c  Caster sugar
3/4 c  Maize or peanut oil
1    Orange; grated rind only
6 c  Plain flour
4 ts Baking powder
3/4 c  Orange juice

—————————NUT FILLING (OPTIONAL)—————————
1 tb Honey
2 ts Orange juice
1 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c Finely chopped walnuts
2 dr Almond essence

——————————–HONEY SYRUP——————————–
1 c Sugar
1 c Water
1/2 Cinnamon stick
1 1/2 ts Lemon juice
1 Thin strip of lemon rind
1/4 c Honey

Oven temperature: 180 C (350 F)

Beat butter and sugar with orange rind until creamy. Gradually add oil
and continue beating until mixture is very light and fluffy. Stir in
flour alternately with orange juice. Knead dough lightly with hands for 1
minute.

Take a scant tablespoon of dough and flatten it a little. Place a
teaspoon of the nut filling in the centre and fold dough over to enclose
filling.

Shape into ovals, pinching ends to a point. Decorate tops with tines of
fork or by crimping cookies diagonally across top in four rows with
special crimper (see NOTE), or leave them plain.

Place on lightly greased baking trays and bake in a moderate oven for
20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Dip in boiling syrup, four at a time, turning cookies once. Leave in
syrup 10 seconds in all, longer if well-soaked cookies are preferred.
Lift out onto a plate and leave until cool.

(If no nut filling is used, sprinkle tops with crushed walnuts or toasted
sesame seeds and cinnamon. Only those which are to be served should be
dipped; store remainder in an airtight container and dip when required.

TO MAKE NUT FILLING: Thin honey down with orange juice and blend into
remaining ingredients.

TO MAKE HONEY SYRUP: Place ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and stir
over heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil over
moderately high heat for 10 minutes and skim. Let syrup boil on a
moderate heat while dipping cookies. Add a little water to syrup when it
thickens too much during dipping.

NOTE: Icing crimpers will be familiar to many pastrycooks and cake
decorators who work with icing. If you don’t own a crimper (or have never
seen one), have the family handyman cut a piece of tin or aluminium plate
about 2.5 x 10 cm (1 x 4 inches). Bend metal in half over a thin rod and
cut 6 to 8 evenly spaced saw-like teeth on the narrow edges. Curl the
‘teeth’ slightly inwards.

Source: The Greek Cookbook, by Tess Mallos
Typos courtesy of: Karen Mintzias

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Htipiti

Servings: 6
Ingredients:

1/2 lb Feta
3 tb Oilve oil
1 md Italian pepper
-- seeded and finely chopped
1    Pickled green pepper
-- seeded and chopped
2 ts Oregano
Pepper to taste
1/2    Lemon; strained juice only
Black olive; for garnish

Htipiti (pronounced h-tee-pee-TEE and translated as ‘that which is
beaten’) is the name Macedonians gave to this tart feta spread. The
longer it is beaten, the more tart it will be.

In medium-size bowl, mash feta with fork or potato masher and slowly add
olive oil, chopped peppers, oregano, and black pepper. Pulverize mixture
for about 10 minutes (less if using a food processor), pouring in lemon
juice a little at a time, until feta is creamy. Cover and refrigerate at
least 1 hour before serving. Yields about 1 cup.

Source: The Food and Wine of Greece, by Diane Kochilas (St. Martin’s Press)
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Sheftalia (Barbequed Sausages)

Servings: 50
Ingredients:

500 g  Finely ground fatty pork
500 g  Finely ground veal or lamb
1 lg Onion; finely chopped
-or- grated
1/2 c  Finely chopped parsley
2 ts Salt
250 g  Panna (caul fat from pig)

Combine pork with veal or lamb, onion, parsley, salt and a generous
grinding of black pepper.

Dip panna into a bowl of warm water for a minute or two, remove and
carefully open out a piece at a time, laying it out flat on work surface.
Cut with kitchen scissors into pieces about 10 cm (4 inches) square.

Take a good tablespoon of meat mixture and shape into a thick sausage
about 5 cm (2 inches) long. Place towards one edge of piece of panna,
fold end and sides over meat and roll up firmly. Repeat with remaining
ingredients.

Thread sausages on flat sword-like skewers, leaving space between them.
Number on each skewer depends on their length.

Cook over glowing charcoal, turning frequently. Do not place too close to
heat as sheftalia must cook fairly slowly so that the inside is well
cooked and the outside nicely browned without being burnt. The panna
melts during cooking, keeping the meat moist and adding flavour.
Excessive flaring of fire can be controlled by a sprinkle of water on the
coals. Serve sheftalia as an appetizer or a main course.

Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook, by Tess Mallos
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Fish Soup (Kakavia)

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kg Fish trimmings free recipes
3 l -Water
Salt
Whole peppercorns
2 lg Onions; chopped
2 Garlic cloves; crushed
2 Leeks (optional)
-- white part only kakavia
1 c Chopped carrot
1 c Chopped celery (with leaves)
1/2 c Olive oil
2 c Chopped, peeled tomatoes
2 Bay leaves
4 Sprigs parsley recipes
1 Sprig thyme
750 g Potatoes; peeled and sliced
Parsley; chopped

——————————FISH (SEE NOTE)——————————
1 1/2 kg Mixed whole fish
500 g Green lobster tails
500 g Large green prawns
2 tb Lemon juice

Obtain from the fishmonger fish trimmings such as heads and backbones.
Rinse well and place in a large pot. Add water, salt and 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns and simmer for 2 hours. Strain stock and reserve.

Gently fry onion, garlic, chopped leeks, carrots and celery in oil for 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, herbs tied into a bunch and reserved fish stock. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and boil for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat, add fish pieces and simmer 3 minutes, then add lobster pieces and prawns and simmer for 7-10 minutes until prawns turn pink and lobster meat is cooked. Do not boil when shellfish are added for they will toughen.

Pile fish, shellfish and potatoes in a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and keep hot.

Serve soup in a tureen as a first course with crusty bread, then follow with seafoods and potatoes served with lemon wedges and a cruet of olive oil. Alternatively soup, potatoes and seafoods may be served together in deep plates.

NOTE: Fish and shellfish preparation: Fish suitable are snapper, mullet, eel, whiting, john dory and bream. Cut into 5 cm (2 inch) slices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add heads and trimmings to fish stock. Cut rinsed lobster tails into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces with shell on. Shell and de-vein prawns.

Source: The Greek Cookbook by Tess Mallos
Typos by: Karen Mintzias
Cron used not 6 the senhasprs

kakavia

Aegean Sea Chowder (Psarosoupa Kakavia)

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

1 lb White fish
-- cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 lb Clams (if desired)
1/2 lb Crab  (if desired)
1/2 lb Lobster  (if desired)
1/2 lb Scallops  (if desired)
1/2 lb Mussels  (if desired)
1/2 lb Shrimp  (if desired)
1/2 lb Baby octopus  (optional)
1/4 c  Olive oil
3    Onions; chopped
2    Garlic cloves; pressed
2 lb Canned peeled tomatoes
-- including liquid
1 c  Chopped mushrooms
4    Celery stalks; chopped
2 ts Salt
1/8 ts Cayenne pepper
1    Bay leaf
1/2 c  Wine, red preferably
4 c  -Water

Prepare fish and shellfish by cleaning and cutting into bite-size pieces.
Heat oil in a large pot. Fry onions and garlic on medium heat for 5
minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except seafood and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cover. Cook one hour.

Add fish and octopus, and cook 20 minutes. Add shellfish and simmer 5
minutes more. Serve hot with crusty bread and crisp salad.

Source: The Complete Greek Cookbook - by Theresa Karas Yianilos
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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Kakavia

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

1 c  Sliced onions or scallions
-OR- leeks
1/2 c  Olive oil
4    Tomatoes
-- peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2    Stalk fennel or celery
-- sliced
3    Sprigs fresh parsley
1    Bay leaf
2    Sprigs fresh thyme
1 c  Dry white wine
5 c  -Water, more if necessary
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 lb Fish (3 or 4 kinds) *
-- cleaned and sliced
1    Lobster (optional)
-- cut up and claws cracked
1 lb Shrimp; peeled and deveined
1 lb Scallops (optional)
-OR- Mussels in shells
-- (scrubbed)
8 sl Bread (thick); toasted
Croutons

* Fish for poaching: bass, cod, hake, haddock, halibut, trout, pollack,
snapper, rockfish, whiting, etc.)

In a soup pot with a wide bottom, saute the onions in the oil, without
browning, until soft. Add the tomatoes, fennel, herbs, wine, and water
and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for
45 minutes. Pour the stock into a large bowl through a sieve, squeezing
all the pulp from the vegetables before discarding the fibers remaining in
the sieve. Return the soup stock to the pot and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, lightly salt the fish and let stand for 10 minutes, then rinse
with water and lower into soup, adding water only if needed to cover the
fish. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the lobster.
Cover and simmer 5 minutes longer, then add the shrimp and scallops or
mussels and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the
seasonings.

Arrange the toast slices in large soup plates. Serve the varied fishes
and broth in each bowl, hot, with croutons in a separate plate.

NOTE: Kakavia is frequently made in the following variation: Cook 2 to 3
fish with the vegetables and strain with the vegetables to make a thicker
stock. Continue to cook the remaining seafood as described above.

Source: The Food of Greece, by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles
Typing errors courtesy of: Karen Mintzias

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