The overly popular greek frappe, is enjoyed by most adults in Greece, adjusted to a european 'frappucino' or 'latte chiller'. But really frappe came from...France, frappe means 'shaken' in french. However, its french origin, its the No 1 coffee in consumption in Greece for the last 35 yrs! Some prefer drinking it only in summer, but can be enjoyed in winter.
Its easy peasy to make: (adjust sugar and milk to your taste)
1.5 tsp of strong instant coffee
1 tsp sugar
Some milk
Ice cubes
Straw
Use a large, long glass. Put the coffee and sugar in, add a tbs of water. The secret is to then use a very strong handheld mixer or frother. Mix well trying not to touch the glass. When its thick and creamy add ice cubes till up to the top. Pour in iced cold water and a bit of milk. Stir with a straw and ...drink slowly.
Monday, 24 January 2011
White Cabbage salad
This salad is made with sort of the same ingredients as the english coleslaw. It omits the mayo and replaces it with lemon and olive oil. Its again a very easy to make recipie. Its origin is from Greece, especially enjoyed in winter.
Cabbage (white)
Carrots
Green olives
Olive oil
Lemon
Salt
All you need to do is chop thinly the cabbage and put in a large bowl. Grate a few fresh carrotts on top. Add the olives. And pour the olive oil and squeeze a lemon all over the salad. Toss well and enjoy with..perhaps a greek omelette or a greek roast ! Kali orexi!
Cabbage (white)
Carrots
Green olives
Olive oil
Lemon
Salt
All you need to do is chop thinly the cabbage and put in a large bowl. Grate a few fresh carrotts on top. Add the olives. And pour the olive oil and squeeze a lemon all over the salad. Toss well and enjoy with..perhaps a greek omelette or a greek roast ! Kali orexi!
My favourite Tortilla WRAP
We all know tortilla wraps are sold all over the world now, and not just in Mexico or Latin America.
Most Mexican wraps contain some type of meat and green peppers with garlic sauce or quakomole.
After creating all sorts of tortilla wraps, my favourite one is a mixture of Latin and Greek ingredients.
Its very easy to make and there goes:
Chips (oven)
Chicken souvlaki
Sliced tomatoe
Sliced onion
Greek yoghurt
Large white tortilla
Fry or oven bake chips. And do loads so you have enough for the side too. Chicken souvlaki is made by basically marinating chicken small pieces and pierce through on a sqewer and fry till brown, finish by squizing a lemon on it. Warm up a tortilla in the oven for about a min, before you take the chips out. Put your tortilla on a piece of thick tinfoil. Spread a tbs of greek yoghurt. Put on the pieces of souvlaki chicken. Add loads of chips and the slices of tomatoe and onion. Wrap it all up with the tinfoil and eat! Absolutely yum!
I normally like to drink a diet fizzy cola with it!
Most Mexican wraps contain some type of meat and green peppers with garlic sauce or quakomole.
After creating all sorts of tortilla wraps, my favourite one is a mixture of Latin and Greek ingredients.
Its very easy to make and there goes:
Chips (oven)
Chicken souvlaki
Sliced tomatoe
Sliced onion
Greek yoghurt
Large white tortilla
Fry or oven bake chips. And do loads so you have enough for the side too. Chicken souvlaki is made by basically marinating chicken small pieces and pierce through on a sqewer and fry till brown, finish by squizing a lemon on it. Warm up a tortilla in the oven for about a min, before you take the chips out. Put your tortilla on a piece of thick tinfoil. Spread a tbs of greek yoghurt. Put on the pieces of souvlaki chicken. Add loads of chips and the slices of tomatoe and onion. Wrap it all up with the tinfoil and eat! Absolutely yum!
I normally like to drink a diet fizzy cola with it!
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Pastitsio..an awsome greek pasta bake!
When I was growing up, my mum along with the rest of the greek nation treated Pastitsio as a Saturday or Sunday food, very special, and it was well appreciated when she made it for us. The main smell when that pasta was baking was..nutmeg! Funnily enough Pastitsio is a bit nouveaux, was created after the 2nd WW. And unlike old fashioned greek dishes, its origin is nearer to the Italian cuisine. The recipe I use is my mum's and has a few improved points by me; eg more cheese!
I can guarantee that a large percentage of people actually trying this would absolutely love it!
Am feeling a bit 'possesive' here, in actually keeping this only for myself!!I just hope you are having as much fun as me in this yummy blog!
Pastitsio is a unique dish, although it would come under the chapter of the well known and generally viewed 'pasta bakes'! It takes a while to make it but believe me its worth all the effort! Make sure you make a large tray of Pastitsio as you can put large squares of it in separate plastics and put in the freezer, to be warmed up in a microwave next time you fancy it!
Oriste!
500gr penne pasta (dried)
400gr grated cheese
500gr mince meat
A tin of tomatoes
Breadcrumbs
An onion
Bechamel sauce
In a large pot boil the pasta in water as per instructions. Drain and lather it with loads of butter and leave it on the side. Meanwhile cook a grated onion on olive oil in a large pan.add the mince and cook till it gets brown but not burned. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and pour some water in and cook at med heat till the sauce looks thick. Layer a large tray with half the cooked pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheese on top and layer the mince sauce on top. Add grated cheese again and spread out the rest of the pasta on top. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the last layer of pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheeseand breadcrumbs and splash of water. Bake in a hot oven for about 45 mins or till the top looks brown and cooked.
It goes very well with greek salad or feta cheese on its own. Kali orexi!
I can guarantee that a large percentage of people actually trying this would absolutely love it!
Am feeling a bit 'possesive' here, in actually keeping this only for myself!!I just hope you are having as much fun as me in this yummy blog!
Pastitsio is a unique dish, although it would come under the chapter of the well known and generally viewed 'pasta bakes'! It takes a while to make it but believe me its worth all the effort! Make sure you make a large tray of Pastitsio as you can put large squares of it in separate plastics and put in the freezer, to be warmed up in a microwave next time you fancy it!
Oriste!
500gr penne pasta (dried)
400gr grated cheese
500gr mince meat
A tin of tomatoes
Breadcrumbs
An onion
Bechamel sauce
In a large pot boil the pasta in water as per instructions. Drain and lather it with loads of butter and leave it on the side. Meanwhile cook a grated onion on olive oil in a large pan.add the mince and cook till it gets brown but not burned. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and pour some water in and cook at med heat till the sauce looks thick. Layer a large tray with half the cooked pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheese on top and layer the mince sauce on top. Add grated cheese again and spread out the rest of the pasta on top. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the last layer of pasta. Sprinkle lots of cheeseand breadcrumbs and splash of water. Bake in a hot oven for about 45 mins or till the top looks brown and cooked.
It goes very well with greek salad or feta cheese on its own. Kali orexi!
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Georgina's home made paella
Paella rice
Chicken cut up
Onion
Green peppers
Tin tomatoes
Chicken stock
Paprika
Olive oil
Salt
Georgina comes from Spain and she is married to a very gorgeous english man for 10 yrs. Her daughters astonished me in the school presentations and plays. My broken spanish was not necessary to talk to her. In the favour of my blog I ve asked her to provide me with her spanish local paella recipie. A call to her sister in Spain brought up this chicken version of paella, homemade and fit for 2 portions. Usually paella is made during spanish festivals and have personally witnessed an enormous paella made to feed thousands of people in Spain. The tables were laid out on the main road and covered 10km of the road. But for us to try it at home, freshly delivered by a a spanish household, Georgina provided the following paella recipie. On talking with Georgina, I ve discovered that the paprika used in almost all spanish dishes, is meant to add ..colouring to the food, and not so much flavour to it!
So here it is:
First we fry the chicken in a medium saucepan. Next fry the onion and green peppers separately and gradually add the chopped up tin tomatoes. Add the paella rice. Next we use a big pot or pan and pour in all ingredients so far, add paprika and chicken stock to the mixture. Season to taste. Cook on high heat for ten mins and lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for ten mins. Make sure your sauce is not too dry or too much. Remove the paella and let it rest for 10 mins. Mucho gusto!
Another version of paella substitutes the chicken with prawns. Of course there are many other versions of this popular dish. But we ll see to that in another version of the book.astaluego!
Chicken cut up
Onion
Green peppers
Tin tomatoes
Chicken stock
Paprika
Olive oil
Salt
Georgina comes from Spain and she is married to a very gorgeous english man for 10 yrs. Her daughters astonished me in the school presentations and plays. My broken spanish was not necessary to talk to her. In the favour of my blog I ve asked her to provide me with her spanish local paella recipie. A call to her sister in Spain brought up this chicken version of paella, homemade and fit for 2 portions. Usually paella is made during spanish festivals and have personally witnessed an enormous paella made to feed thousands of people in Spain. The tables were laid out on the main road and covered 10km of the road. But for us to try it at home, freshly delivered by a a spanish household, Georgina provided the following paella recipie. On talking with Georgina, I ve discovered that the paprika used in almost all spanish dishes, is meant to add ..colouring to the food, and not so much flavour to it!
So here it is:
First we fry the chicken in a medium saucepan. Next fry the onion and green peppers separately and gradually add the chopped up tin tomatoes. Add the paella rice. Next we use a big pot or pan and pour in all ingredients so far, add paprika and chicken stock to the mixture. Season to taste. Cook on high heat for ten mins and lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for ten mins. Make sure your sauce is not too dry or too much. Remove the paella and let it rest for 10 mins. Mucho gusto!
Another version of paella substitutes the chicken with prawns. Of course there are many other versions of this popular dish. But we ll see to that in another version of the book.astaluego!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
a french suggestion for a wine snack
Personally I like eating cheese very much, any kind from any place. Drinking and snacking is a good 'marriage' as well the fact that chosen snacks bring out the wine flavour better. Once I ve been to one of the Hilton restaurants in London for a meal with some friends. What stroke me was the listed 'desert' on the menu: a platter of cheese selection and grapes. When they brought it over the platter contained : blue cheese, a large cheddar slice, gryere, and gouda. In a separate bowl there was grapes. A dry white wine also arrived and the waiter opened it there and then. The superb combination of cheese, grapes and wine will leave you savouring the taste and looking forward to it again. La premiere vin blanc snack!
Mandy's faux Shepherds Pie
Mandy is a young single mum and living in a hostel. As I always invite friends for dinner, she did come to some. In a thankful note she put in a recipie for me to try it. I must admit it was an english dish that stood out in my 20 yrs experience of english food tasting. Its a baked dish with lots of mash like Shepherds Pie. So according to Mandy:
Potatoes
Milk
Butter
1 onion
Baked beans
Lots of grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes till they are soft. Put in a bowl and mash. Add some milk and season. Add some butter and mash again till the mixture is soft and smooth. Add the onion chopped into small pieces. Mix it in with a fork. Empty a can of baked beans in a baking tray. Spread them out evenly to cover the bottom of the tray. Spread out the mash on top. Sprinkle lots of cheese on the mash and bake in the oven for half an hour and grill it before you take it out, or until the cheese has become golden and crunchy. Spoon it out into portions, try to keep the layers as they are originally.
Potatoes
Milk
Butter
1 onion
Baked beans
Lots of grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes till they are soft. Put in a bowl and mash. Add some milk and season. Add some butter and mash again till the mixture is soft and smooth. Add the onion chopped into small pieces. Mix it in with a fork. Empty a can of baked beans in a baking tray. Spread them out evenly to cover the bottom of the tray. Spread out the mash on top. Sprinkle lots of cheese on the mash and bake in the oven for half an hour and grill it before you take it out, or until the cheese has become golden and crunchy. Spoon it out into portions, try to keep the layers as they are originally.
the Danish Father Christmas pudding
When I got my first job, I was sharing a tiny apartment in London, with a Danish girl called Utta. Nearer to Christmas Utta decided to make a pudding, similar to rice pudding. She explained to me that this is what they call in Denmark 'Santa's pudding'. I was watching the milk going in by the gallon, and was wondering how much more she would put in. Finally after a couple of hours she offered me a plate of it ...when I tried it,all I could say was: Wow! So if you wish to try Santas food, and maybe leave some outside on Christmas eve, instead of the traditional chocolate cookie, then follow Utta's instructions.
1 cup of white rice
1.5lt full fat milk
Lots of sugar
Lots of cinnamon
A little secret before you start cooking,hohoho : for best results cook on low heat. Although it will take a long time that way, you minimise the chances of burning the milk.
Bring half the milk to boil in a pan or a pot. Put in the rice and stir it slowly as it boils. Add more milk and stir. When it has absorbed all the milk, pour some of it on a flat plate. Literally, hold the bag of sugar and pour on the rice mix, slowly and generously. Put plenty of cinnamon on it too. Of course the pudding is...veeery fattening, so try it out only at
Christmas.
1 cup of white rice
1.5lt full fat milk
Lots of sugar
Lots of cinnamon
A little secret before you start cooking,hohoho : for best results cook on low heat. Although it will take a long time that way, you minimise the chances of burning the milk.
Bring half the milk to boil in a pan or a pot. Put in the rice and stir it slowly as it boils. Add more milk and stir. When it has absorbed all the milk, pour some of it on a flat plate. Literally, hold the bag of sugar and pour on the rice mix, slowly and generously. Put plenty of cinnamon on it too. Of course the pudding is...veeery fattening, so try it out only at
Christmas.
Am I thinking of a slimming Ratatouille?
Dieting is not that bad..as long as the food you eat during dieting is tasty and filling. Generally, vegetables, fruits lots of water, reduced fat food products are always ..allowed. When dieting its best to visit a dietician who will assess your dieting needs and find the appropriate diet plan for you.
The following dish is a low calorie one and is similar to the french 'ratatouile'. It contains vegetables only but you can adjust it to your favourite vegetables only.
So...here we are;
Courgettes
Aubergines
Onion
Red pepper
Potatoe
One tin of canned tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt\pepper
Chop up all your vegetables into cubes or rounds. Put some olive oil in a pan and drop the vegetables in. Cook at low heat for a few mins. Add the can of tomatoes and season. Pour a cup of water in, stir and let to cook at medium heat. It will probably take you 30 - 45 mins for the veggies to soften up. You can eat it on its own or with some feta cheese and crusty bread. Bon appetite.
The following dish is a low calorie one and is similar to the french 'ratatouile'. It contains vegetables only but you can adjust it to your favourite vegetables only.
So...here we are;
Courgettes
Aubergines
Onion
Red pepper
Potatoe
One tin of canned tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt\pepper
Chop up all your vegetables into cubes or rounds. Put some olive oil in a pan and drop the vegetables in. Cook at low heat for a few mins. Add the can of tomatoes and season. Pour a cup of water in, stir and let to cook at medium heat. It will probably take you 30 - 45 mins for the veggies to soften up. You can eat it on its own or with some feta cheese and crusty bread. Bon appetite.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
the English Breakfast
Anyone that has done a bit of travelling and staying over in international hotels would say that there are basically 2 breakfast options all over the world: the Continental Breakfast and the English Breakfast. The Continental is a 'hotel' breakfast basically ham, cheese and toast,croissants accompanied with a coffee and orange juice.
But the English Breakfast is a ..UK made tradition. I see it as an end derived from the cold weather and lots of beer drinking.. By that I mean, the full on english breakie is enjoyed best on a hangover and of course its better in winter.
Also, the english breakie is found all over the hotel appartments chaulk boards in Spain and Greece.
Usually it is a bit ..sloppy but as I said before its the best after a night out. So , shall we?
Smoked bacon
Sausages commonly found in UK supermarkets
Mushrooms
Eggs
Toast bread
Choose an old, deep and large pan. Medium heat, buTter instead of oil, can cook chips too if you want, but do it separately. Start with the sausages and bacon, add one egg per person. Fry at low heat and separate from the rest the mushrooms. Also, warm up the most healthy of all, baked beans in a small pan. Toast and butter bread. Use a large plate. Put one buttered slice with the egg on top. Put the bacon and sausages on the side. Add the mushrooms and baked beans.
The secret of the english breakie is the order in which you cook along with managing to keep everything hot when its time to serve. It takes practice, but its no bigger art than spaghetti bolognaise..!
Stuff yourselves !
But the English Breakfast is a ..UK made tradition. I see it as an end derived from the cold weather and lots of beer drinking.. By that I mean, the full on english breakie is enjoyed best on a hangover and of course its better in winter.
Also, the english breakie is found all over the hotel appartments chaulk boards in Spain and Greece.
Usually it is a bit ..sloppy but as I said before its the best after a night out. So , shall we?
Smoked bacon
Sausages commonly found in UK supermarkets
Mushrooms
Eggs
Toast bread
Choose an old, deep and large pan. Medium heat, buTter instead of oil, can cook chips too if you want, but do it separately. Start with the sausages and bacon, add one egg per person. Fry at low heat and separate from the rest the mushrooms. Also, warm up the most healthy of all, baked beans in a small pan. Toast and butter bread. Use a large plate. Put one buttered slice with the egg on top. Put the bacon and sausages on the side. Add the mushrooms and baked beans.
The secret of the english breakie is the order in which you cook along with managing to keep everything hot when its time to serve. It takes practice, but its no bigger art than spaghetti bolognaise..!
Stuff yourselves !
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