The LC (Greek) Recipes

The LC Recipes (Greek recipes made easy, mainly for my non-Greeks Readers to enjoy)

Years ago, during the previous times I posted LiTTLE CHERiNE (12 out of 14 books), I was uploading them as pdf files, so I was able to add a zip file with more information inside.

For instance, if I mentioned in the book a song or a food, I would add the song and the recipe. I felt this helped make my story more real for my readers.



It is not easy to add music here (I do not know how), but I can add the recipes.

Please keep in mind that the Meditteranean Diet is considered the healthiest diet you can follow, and this diet does not include low-fat, fat-free and so on. Cook and eat as your ancestors did - it is by far the healthiest for you. If the meat has some fat, then reduce any coconut cooking oil you use).

Here goes, copied from the LC Recipe Book:

For my Readers:

Samantha and Robert repeatedly rhapsodise about greek food.

Just in case your saliva is dribbling off your chin, here are a few
of the easier mezedes (starters) and main meals, recipes either
from Greece or Cyprus.

MEZEDES or MEZE (Starters):

FRIED CALAMARI RINGS ( Kalamarakia Tiganita)



(Everyone loves eating these when they eat out, so surprise family and friends with this as a meze)



1kg calamari, washed and sliced

Flour

Milk

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Salt and black pepper

Juice of 2 lemons



Place calamari rings in a deep bowl and cover in milk.

Sprinkle with bicarb and leave for 1 hour.

Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Season well (salt+pepper) and pour lemon juice over the rings.

Leave in fridge for 2 hours.

Remove from fridge and drain.

Place flour in a small plastic bag. Throw a handful of calamari rings
into bag and shake around well.

Remove rings and shake off excess flour before frying.

Drop into piping hot oil and deep fry until golden. Do not cook more
than one layer at a time otherwise calamari will not be crisp.

Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.

When serving provide a slice of lemon.




Suggestion: Cook just before eating so that the rings remain crisp.

FRIED HALOUMI or FETA CHEESE (Haloumi Tiganito)



Careful, you could become addicted to this :)



Slice cheese into 1cm thick slices, dip into flour (do not coat too heavily)
and fry in a mixture of butter (not margarine) and oil until golden on both
sides. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

MAIN MEALS:

LAHANO DOLMADES (Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in lemon sauce)

500 g mince (not fat-free)

1 finely chopped onion

2 handfuls of raw white rice

Salt and Black pepper



Mix the mince with finely chopped onion, a couple of handfuls of raw
rice, salt and pepper.

Boil the cabbage leaves until they are soft enough to roll the mince
into. Cook gently with a little water in the pot. Usually a plate is placed
upside down over the dolmades so that they are steamed and the
cabbage does not unfurl.



Sauce:

Three eggs well beaten with juice of one big lemon. Pour into the
pan over the Lahano-Dolmades and let the heat thicken it. Careful not to
let it cook. When ready the sauce should be a creamy white.


If need to fix the sauce because it 'ekopse' (curdled), beat up another egg
and put it in the sauce.

LAMB FRICASSEE (Arni Fricassee)

1kg cubed lamb (leg or shoulder with bone)

2 bunches spring onions, chopped

3 sliced onions

1/2 cup butter

2 tblspoons flour

1 tblespoon chopped dill

1 tblespoon chopped parsley

1 cup hot water

Pepper

Salt



LEMON SAUCE:

Juice of 1 big lemon

2 egg yolks



(Lamb can be substituted with Pork when using Celery)



VEGETABLES:

500gr celery stalks, trimmed and cut. (I prefer to leave most of the 'leaves' with)

Add to meat after 1 hour for a further 45-50 minutes



Saute onions until soft, add meat and cook until meat juices evaporate
but do not brown. Reduce heat, add flour and mix well. Stir in parsley,
dill, salt, pepper and hot water, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.



Add the celery and cook until tender.

SAUCE:

Prepare avgolemeno sauce: In a bowl beat egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of
water, add 4 tablespoons of the hot meat sauce and the lemon juice (keep
beating the yolk mixture as you add the lemon to prevent it from curdling).
Beat well and pour over the meat and celery, gently stir over over low heat
for a few seconds (for the sauce to thicken but without allowing it to boil).

LAMB COOKED IN PAPER (Arni Sto Harti)



1 leg of lamb

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon dill, chopped

3 spring onions, chopped

1/3 (one third) cup of oil

Juice of one large lemon

Salt and black pepper

1/2 teaspoon origanum



De-bone meat (butchers often do this for you).

Combine garlic, parsley, dill, spring onions, origanum, salt and pepper.

Fill meat with this mixture, brush with oil and lemon.

Wrap tightly with 2 layers of of wax paper and secure tightly with string
and then wrap in foil.


Bake at 180 degrees C for 3 hours.

Serve hot with green vegetables and salad.

LAMB KOKKINISTO (with tomatoes and wine)

Serves 6-8 persons.

1280grams (1 oke) lamb

1/2 glass red wine

4-5 sieved tomatoes

1 onion

aromatic vegetables (carrots, celery, onions, leeks)

Thyme

salt, pepper

olive oil



Cut the meat into big pieces and put into a deep dish.

Cover it with a little oil and wine, add the aromatic vegetables, cut into
small pieces, and marinate it in this sauce for 2-3 hours.

Drain the meat well and saute it in hot oil.

Drain it well again and put it into a cooking pot with a little broth or water.

Bring the pot to the fire and leave the meat to cook.

Add wine, the vegetables, Thyme, tomatoes, a bit of broth.

Leave to simmer until well done.

If you want it to have a red colour, add diluted tomato paste.

Season with salt and pepper and serve with potatoes covered in Mint and
boiled vegetables.





LAGOS STIFADO (Hare Stew)



1 Hare or Rabbit

Vinegar for rinsing

1/2 cup Oil

1/2 cup Butter

1 Onion chopped finely

4 Cloves Garlic

1kg Small pickling Onions

450gr Tomatoes, peeled

Salt and Black Pepper

1 pc Orange rind



MARINADE:

1 Onion sliced

1 Carrot sliced

2 1/2 cups Dry Red Wine

Bayleaf, Peppercorns

Sprig of Rosemary

4 tblspns Wine Vinegar



Joint and wash hare in plenty of water and vinegar. Put into a basin and add the
ingredients for the marinade. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Remove pieces of hare from the marinade, dry and saute in oil and butter in a large
frying pan until lightly browned. Put in a casserole. In the same pan saute the
chopped onion and garlic until soft. Add to the hare with the pickling onions.

Boil the marinade for 10 minutes, strain and pour over the hare and onions.

Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 180* C for 2 1/2
to 3 hours or until hare is tender and sauce is thick.

POTATOES WITH WINE (Patates Afelia)



Nice as a side dish for your meat dish or to keep your vegetarian friends happy



1 kg deep fried baby potatoes (you'll have to fry them - just until lightly golden)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dry red wine - sorry, more wine will not make it taste better :)



Place lightly deep fried potatoes in a large frying pan with all the other
ingredients. Cover and cook very slowly, tossing now and then (Best if
you toss by keeping lid on - hold securely - and gently shake the pan up and down).


Serve garnished with (fresh) chopped parsley.

or

MUSHROOMS WITH WINE (Manitaria Afelia)

Substitute potatoes (above) with 50gr lightly fried mushrooms and follow
above instructions exactly.

GREEK COOKIES (Koulourakia)



250 g butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons ouzo (careful you don't drink the rest of the bottle until you've
finished cooking - remember ouzo goes down easy and
then hits you)

6 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

Sesame seed - for sprinkling

Cream butter and sugar until light.

Add 2 eggs, one at a time, while beating.

Mix baking powder in the ouzo and add to the above mixture.

Add flour, a little at a time, alternating with the milk while beating continuously.

Knead dough lightly with hands.

Shape dough into small rings or twists (two strips twisted gently around each other).

Place on greased baking trays.

Beat remaining egg and brush onto cookies.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees C
or until golden.

FLAOUNES (Easter Cheese Cakes)

Makes about 12.

Yeast dough

1 ½ lbs (750gr) strong plain flour,

1 sachet easy bake yeast,

1 teaspoon salt,

2 teaspoons sugar,

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, water to mix.

Cheese filling

8oz (250gr) cheddar cheese or 12oz flaouna cheese if available,

4oz (100gr) halloumi,

1 tablespoon flour,

1 teaspoon baking powder,

1 tablespoon crushed dried Mint,

4 eggs, lightly beaten.



To finish


1 egg, beaten,

sesame seeds.



Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast, salt and sugar. Add the oil and
enough water to make a firm dough. Knead for at least 5 minutes until smooth
and elastic. Put the dough in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for an
hour to rise.


For the filling, coarsely grate the cheeses, add the flour and baking powder then
gradually stir in the beaten egg and seasonings until you have a stiffish paste
( keep some of the beaten egg back if the mixture becomes too runny).


Divide the dough into egg sized pieces and roll these into 4'' (10cm) discs.

Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the centre of each pastry disc, spreading it
slightly. Pull dough up at 3 points to make a triangle, or 4 points to make a square.

You should stilll be able to see the filling in the middle.

Press corners together to seal and leave to rise. Just before baking, brush with
beaten egg and sprinkle some sesame seeds over the finished flaounes.

Bake in a hot oven gas 8, 450'C, 230'C for 12-15 minutes until cheese filling is puffed
and flaounes are golden.

Serve warm or cold.


An attractive alternative that I prefer: Add some large (seedless) raisins to the cheese
mixture - I like the contrast of the cheese with the sweetness of the raisins.



Note:

The flaounes recipe is slightly complicated, but really delicious.

RIZOGALO (Rice pudding)



1 cup water

4 cups milk

2 tspoons cornflour (mixed with cold water)

1/2 tspoon vanilla essence

A pice of orange rind

1/2 cup white rice

2 egg yolks

3 tblespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

Ground cinnamon

In a thick-based saucepan bring water to the boil, stir in rice and cook gently
until water is absorbed. Add milk, orange rind and salt and bring to the boil,
stirring occasionally. Cook over low heat (uncovered) until rice is very tender.


Add cornflour and stir well until mixture thickens. In a bowl beat the egg yolks
with the sugar and pour the mixture slowly over the rice while stirring
continuously for a few seconds. Remove from heat, add vanilla essence and
pour into small bowls, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot or chilled.

Robert's favourite:

GREEK COFFEE

Greek coffee is the most popular beverage in Greece. It is always served with a glass of
cold water, either after a meal or at any other time.

Ideally Greek coffee is made in a 'briki'. This is a small pot which is broad based with a
narrow top, a pouring spout and a long straight handle. If a briki is not available, one
may use a small thick based pot.



The coffee is served in a very small demitasse or coffee cups.



To make 4 cups:

4 tspns Greek coffee

4 tspns sugar (or according to taste - Robert prefers it without sugar)

4 demitasse cups cold water

Place water, coffee and sugar into the briki. Stir well. Place on stove and bring to a slow
boil, stirring occasionally. (Coffee spoils when overboiled).


A froth will form on top. Pour a little of the froth into each cup and top up with the coffee.

Each of the girls has a favourite recipe they want me to give you but...
I'm too lazy. If you enjoyed the above, do-a-gargle for greek or cypriot
recipes...there are thousands. Oh crumbs! I'll have to give you my favourite!




A bit of background first.

Within the time of our grandparents there were Greeks living in various parts
of Turkey. One of the towns that developed it's own culture and many special
recipes (perhaps a blend of Greek and Turkish) was called Smyrni. This is a
loose adaption of mine from there - I should mention it is delicious and cheap!





SOUZOUKAKIA


(For 2 people)

300 g mince

1 onion finely chopped

1 slice of dried white bread and then crumbed

Either a tin of tomato paste or a tin of chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon olive oil

Cumin powder (if you've never used this, you'll find it at the spice counter in your super-market)

Optional: Flour (I don't use it, I prefer my meat balls fluffy and light)

2 teaspoons sugar for the tomato paste

Mix the onion and crumbs into the mince. Drizzle some olive oil over it
and then mix thoroughly.

Now mix in the cumin. I like to be fairly liberal and the flattened mince
is lightly covered. Mix thoroughly.

Roll about a tablespoon of the prepared mince to make little sausages of mince.

Lightly fry the mince 'balls'. (It seals in the flavour and helps them keep
their shape).

Place the mince in a pan, pour in a little of the oil from the frying.

Mix the tomato paste or chopped (tinned) tomatoes with about 2 teaspoons
of sugar already dissolved into the tomato paste and then pour it over the
mince in the pot. Boil gently for about 35 minutes, lightly shaking the pot
clockwise now and then - do not stir.

The above goes very nicely with mashed potatoes or fried chips and a greek salad.

Hope you enjoyed the above,
Arthur

Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)