Greece
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24 large asparagus, fresh
1 cup avgolemono sauce, hot (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
dill, chopped, for garnish
Trim the stems and cook the asparagus in boiling salted water with
the lemon juice and oil added, just until tender. Lift out gently with
a slotted spoon and let drain.
Pour the avgolemono sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the dill
and serve at once.
Serves four to six.
Note: Greeks adore this sauce and it can be put to good use in soups,
in fish and lamb dishes and with salads.
6 egg yolks
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chicken or beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
Beat together the egg yolks and lemon juice and add these to the stock.
Over a low flame, stirring constantly, cook until the sauce has thickened.
Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve hot. (Yields about
1 cup).
Serves four to six.
2 1/2 cups dried lima beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped finely
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato puree
1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper and sugar
4 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
Place the beans in a mixing bowl and pour over 4 cups of cold water.
Cover and soak overnight.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onion, carrots, celery
and garlic until the onions are translucent.
Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer
on a medium low flame for about 10 minutes. Add the beans, stock and
the water in which the beans were soaked.
Cover and continue to simmer gently for 2 hours longer. Add 1 Tbsp.
of the parsley and cook until the beans are tender (about 45 minutes).
Sprinkle over with the remaining parsley and serve hot.
Serves four to six.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. tomato puree
1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper and oregano
about 1 cup chicken stock
Tabasco sauce to taste
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onion and garlic until
golden-brown. Add the potato slices, tomato puree, salt, pepper, oregano
and just enough stock to cover the potatoes. Season to taste with Tabasco.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the flame. Simmer, uncovered, until
the potatoes are tender (about 25 minutes).
Serves four to six.
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
2 eggs, well beaten with 2 Tbsp. water
750 gr. sole fillets
1/4 cup each olive oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. each rosemary, oregano and paprika
lemon wedges and parsley for garnish
In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the
fillets first in the egg mixture and then in the flour, coating each
piece well. Repeat this process 2-3 times and then shake off whatever
excess adheres.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and fry the fillets, several at a
time, until golden brown. Set aside to drain on paper toweling. Add
the remaining ingredients (except the parsley and lemon wedges) to the
oil and, over a low flame, stirring, scrape the bottom and sides of
the skillet well, until the sauce begins to bubble. Pour over the fish
and serve immediately, garnished with the parsley and lemon wedges.
Serves four to six.
225 gr. very fine sugar
1/2 cup honey
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
225 gr. flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
225 gr. walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
In a small saucepan, heat 3/4 cup of water and in this dissolve half
the sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Stir in the honey, lemon juice and half of the cinnamon and simmer,
stirring for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the flame and let cool for
1/2 hour.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, half the nuts and
the remaining cinnamon.
In another bowl, cream together the butter and remaining sugar until
light in color. To this mixture add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating
well. Beat in the walnut mixture.
In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites stiff and gently fold these
into the nut and flour mixture. Transfer to a well-greased baking tin
about 8" (20 cm) square, sprinkle the top with the remaining nuts
and bake in a medium oven until a wooden toothpick placed in the center
comes out clean (about 50 minutes). Remove the cake from the oven and
cut into square or diamond portions in the baking tin. Pour the cooled
syrup over and let stand, covered, overnight. Serve at room temperature.
Serves four to six.
about 1/2 kg. lamb bones
3 large carrots, diced
3 large onions, chopped coarsely
1 bouquet garni made by tying together 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay
leaf, several celery leaves and fresh thyme
1 leg of lamb, about 2 1/2 kgs.
4 - 5 cloves garlic, cut in slivers
375 gr. black olives, pitted and chopped
1 can anchovy fillets, about 60 gr., rinsed under cold water and then
mashed
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely
1 tsp. garlic, chopped finely
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil as required
Prepare a stock by combining the lamb bones, carrots, onions, bouquet
garni and 3 1/2 cups of cold water. Season with salt and pepper, cover,
bring just to the point of boiling and then immediately reduce the flame
so that the stock simmers gently for 1 hour.
Place the leg of lamb on a roasting pan. Make insertions into the lamb
with a very sharp knife, and in each insertion, place a sliver of garlic.
Rub the meat with salt and pepper and then with olive oil. Place in
an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius.
After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius
and continue to roast the meat, basting often with the drippings and
oil until the meat is done. Remove the lamb to a preheated platter and
set aside to keep warm.
Spoon off the excess fat from the pan juices and discard.
Strain the stock and add 1 cup to the pan juices. Place the pan over
a medium flame and stir well, scraping all the particles that stick
to the pan. Add the remaining stock, stirring constantly and boil the
mixture down until it leaves about 2 cups of gravy. Add the olives,
anchovies, parsley, chopped garlic, lemon juice and paprika and heat
through, stirring constantly until well blended. Correct the seasoning
with salt and pepper to taste. Carve the lamb and serve the gravy in
a separate dish.
Serves four to six.
1 cup dried white beans
1 kg. marrow bones
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, diced
2 medium onions
1 small celery root, cleaned
salt and pepper to taste
Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Drain,
rinse and place the beans in a large saucepan
with the marrow bones. Add cold water to cover.
On a high flame, bring to a rapid boil and
skim the foam from the surface. Cover, reduce
the heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, opening
occasionally to skim.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a
boil again and let boil for 2 - 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for
1 hour. Discard the onion and celery root
before serving. Serve with the bones.
Sources: Embassy of Israel; Israeli
Foreign Ministry; Ruth's
Kitchen; Manischewitz; Rogov's
Ramblings- Reprinted with permission.
Daniel Rogov is the restaurant
and wine critic for the daily newspaper Ha'aretz.
He is also the senior writer for Wine
and Gourmet Magazine and contributes culinary
and wine articles to newspapers in Europe
and the United States.
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