Riganada from Kefalonia

Food from the Greek island of Kefalonia and the island itself always mesmerized me.

The last time I was there was far too long ago, a little over a decade, but recipes from the island are often cooked in my home, following those given to me by friends and acquaintances who are from Kefalonia.

 

 

Pastitsada,stewed meat in tomato and spices, will forever be my favorite Kefalonian dish as well as Kreatopita, a luscious meat pie. Riganada is an appetizer, breakfast, snack which isn’t very well known to people who haven’t visited Kefalonia. Beats the Spanish pan con tomate any time of the day if you ask me.

 

 

 

A dish with Venetian influences, as is the case with lots of other dishes from the Greek Ionian Islands, Riganada consists of toasted or dry, stale bread, grated or chopped fresh tomato, olive oil, a little vinegar and lots of Greek wild dried oregano. I rub a garlic clove on the bread because I’m a garlic fiend, but that’s totally optional. Also, some add crumbled feta (the one from Kefalonia is among the best I’ve ever had) or a different white soft goat’s cheese. Your choice.

 

 

 

 

 

Riganada from Kefalonia

Traditionally, Riganada is made with stale, dry bread that is soaked very briefly in water to soften a bit. If your bread is too dry, then you can do this too.

A pinch of crumbled dried summer-savory leaves (throubi in Greek, bonnenkruid in Dutch) to finish the dish, makes it even more authentic, but unfortunately I was out. 

 

 

Ingredients

Toasted or stale, dry bread, preferably sourdough, sliced

Garlic clove, peeled

Juicy, ripe, big tomatoes, coarsely grated or chopped

Red-wine vinegar

Greek Extra virgin olive oil

Greek wild dried oregano

Dried summer-savory (throubi in Greek), optional

Feta or another semi-hard goat’s or sheep’s cheese you prefer, optional

 

Preparation

Take your bread and rub it on one side with the garlic. Pour a little olive oil on top.

Then add the tomato and a splash of vinegar, and drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle with lots of dried oregano and a little summer-savory if you have it.

Crumble the cheese on top, if using.

Serve, imagine you have the Ionian Sea in front of you, and devour!

 

 

Double chocolate no churn ice cream

Double chocolate ice cream, of the no-churn kind, because I was in no mood to make custard. Still, this ice cream, which resembles semifreddo, is amazingly good. Creamy, rich and impossibly chocolatey.

I shared this recipe on my instagram account a couple of years back and there were so many people that went crazy about it, I thought I must definitely post it on my neglected yet never forgotten blog too. It took me two years, but I finally made it. Just in time for the coming heatwave.

By the way, if you are in the mood and have the time to make chocolate semifreddo, you can find my recipe here.

 

Double chocolate no churn ice cream

Ingredients

500 g cream, 35% fat

400 g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk

60 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sieved

100 g good quality dark chocolate, at least 65% cocoa solids

Sea salt

Preparation

In a large bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer, whisk cream to stiff peaks.

Add the sweetened condensed milk, sieved cocoa powder and a good pinch of salt, and whisk briefly until you have a smooth, lusciously fluffy mixture. It will be like the fluffiest chocolate mousse.

Empty into a freezer-friendly container.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-seconds intervals, stirring with a spatula in between, so it doesn’t burn and it melts evenly. Add a pinch of sea salt and mix.

Pour the melted chocolate in the ice cream mixture and fold it lightly through so you get swirls and small pieces of chocolate in your ice cream.

Freeze for at least 5 hours or overnight. Leave it out of the freezer for about half an hour before serving. It will be much easier to sccop.

Enjoy!

  

 

Sparkling elderflower drink

So now that you’ve made your own homemade elderflower cordial, or you just happen to have a commercial bottle of the stuff in your fridge, let’s make the simplest, most delicious and refreshing elderflower drinks.

No fancy ingredients needed nor mixologist degrees. You just take your elderflower cordial and mix it with sparkling water, or tonic if you prefer, and the all-important ice cubes.

You can make it a bit more interesting by adding a splash of lime juice or a few chopped up berries, but you know what? I don’t think it needs it.

 

It’s the most rejuvenating, sweet, non-alcoholic drink that is perfect for summertime.

Now, if you insist on making an alcoholic version, who am I to stop you? Instead of sparkling water you can add sparkling wine, or even gin and a good splash of lemon juice.

Go on, make yourself one, and enjoy!

 

  

Sparkling elderflower drink

The ratio I propose is not too sweet so you may want to play around to find your own preferred level of sweetness for your drink. Also, if you are using commercial cordial, beware that it tends to be sweeter than the homemade one.

 

for 1 drink

Ingredients

5 Tbsp (75 ml) elderflower cordial

13 Tbsp (4/5 cup / 195 ml) sparkling water

Large ice cubes

 

Preparation

Pour cordial and sparkling water in a glass and stir with a spoon. Add ice cubes and enjoy!

 

Elderflower cordial

We were in the countryside a couple of weeks ago and there were elderflower trees all around us, wherever we looked. They were in full bloom and so incredibly beautiful.

I am no expert forager, far from it, but I couldn’t help but pick some to make elderflower cordial.

As I was picking the creamy elderflowers, a purple elderflower tree caught my eye. It was the first time I had ever seen this kind of elderflower, and instantly I decided to use those pinkish-purple blooms instead of the white.

 

 

The result was a stunning, coral-colored syrup that becomes almost fluorescent when the sunlight comes through it. I flavored it with Greek honey and lemon, and the aroma and taste was intense and floral and so very much addictive.

I’ve been drinking it diluted in sparkling water and a few ice cubes non stop; I’ve made a dessert with roasted strawberries and elderflower whipped cream, and this weekend I’m planning to make an elderflower cake.

 

If you’ve never made cordial before, let me assure you, this is an easy one to try. You just submerge the flowers in a basic sugar syrup flavored with lemon and honey, and allow to stand for twenty-four hours. You then strain it and it’s ready to use in any way you prefer. In drinks, alcoholic or not, ice cream, desserts of all kinds. 

 

 

Elderflower cordial / concentrate

You need to pick fresh and plush elderflowers on a sunny, dry day, and use them preferably a few hours after you have picked them. Don’t wait too long or they will lose their fragrance.

You can refrigerate them or even freeze the elderflower heads (stored in a plastic bag), but I’ve never done that myself; I just trust Mary Berry when she says so.

Give them a gentle toss but don’t shake them, so that any bugs will fly out, and leave them on the counter. Hopefully, if there’s any bugs left, they will crawl out. Don’t rinse or wash the flowers as you will remove the valuable pollen that gives flavor.

Trim as much of the thick stalks as you can. 

 

Yield: about 2 liters

Ingredients

15-20 pink/purple elderflower heads (mine were on the smaller side) - see above how to prepare them – sub with white/cream-colored ones if you can’t find pink

1 liter water

4 Tbsp clear, runny honey (I used Greek, flower honey)

500 g caster sugar

2 organic, unwaxed lemons (zest of 2 lemons / juice of 1 lemon / slices of 1 lemon)

 

Special equipment: large saucepan with lid, large fine sieve, muslin cloth or coffee filter or good quality kitchen paper, large glass jars with lids (which you need to sterilize – see here how to do it)

 

Preparation

In a large saucepan, add the sugar, water and honey and bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Once it comes to a rolling boil, take the pan off the heat and finely grate the zest of the 2 lemons straight into the saucepan (so the invaluable lemon oils go into the syrup). Then, add the juice of 1 of the lemons; slice the other lemon and add it to the saucepan. Mix and then add the elderflower heads, upside down. Submerge them gently in the syrup, one by one, leaving the stalks outside of the syrup yet making sure the flowers are fully submerged. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow the syrup to infuse for 24 hours.

The next day, remove the flowers and lemons from the cordial using a slotted spoon. Place a muslin cloth (or a coffee filter or good quality kitchen paper) over a fine sieve set over a large bowl, and pass the syrup through it. Allow the cordial to gently and slowly strain into the bowl underneath. Don’t push the flowers or your cordial will end up muddy and not clear. Once ready, transfer the cordial into sterilized glass jars. Keep refrigerated before and after use. The unsealed jars of homemade elderflower cordial will keep for up to 6 months. Once opened, the cordial keeps for 1-2 months in the fridge. You can also freeze it into cubes and use it when you need to.

 

Tsoureki french toast waffles

Hope you’ve all had a lovely Easter with your loved ones and have enjoyed some beautiful, savory and sweet treats. Greek Orthodox Easter was only last week so I still have some leftover tsoureki and koulourakia, and had been thinking of ways to use them up.

 

I came up with this idea just a few days ago; tsoureki french toast waffles. I’ve done tsoureki french toast before, but since I love waffles, I thought, hey, why not just soak the tsoureki as I would normally do for french toast, but instead of frying it, why not toast it in the waffle maker? Much lighter and much quicker to make. Lo and behold, the tsoureki french toast waffle was born, and it was amazing. Of course you could use any other sweet bread you have on hand, like brioche or challah, if you don’t have Greek tsoureki.

 

 

Tsoureki french toast waffles

The recipe goes like this.

In a high-sided, shallow dish, add a couple of eggs and whisk well together with about 50 ml whole milk and a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or extract. Take your tsoureki slices, I use about 7 or 8 but it also depends on how stale/dry your tsoureki is (the dryer the tsoureki, the more liquid it will absorb), cut on the thicker side so it absorbs a bit more of the liquid. Leave the slices in the liquid for a little while to absorb as much as they can, being careful though, because you don’t want the tsoureki to get too soggy or it may fall apart as it is a more delicate bread than say, sourdough. Then place the slices on your preheated waffle iron/maker and toast them.

Enjoy hot/warm with a big spoonful of Greek honey (wild thyme or acorn are my faves). Petimezi (Greek grape molasses), carob molasses or date syrup would work great too.

Enjoy!!

 

  

Pizza muffins (for toddlers and adults alike)

I’ve been making these muffins for Aris since he was about 15 months old. Every time, I tried to make them taste better and this is the final version.

Filled with all the good stuff, they not only appeal to my now 2 and a half year old son, but to me as well. Granted, I eat them with Sriracha and sometimes with a side of crispy chilli oil for dipping, but that’s me.

Hope your little one, and you, enjoy them!

 

 

 

 Pizza muffins, toddler approved

 

Yield: 12 muffins

 

Ingredients

3 large eggs

50 g extra virgin olive oil (yes, it’s grams not ml / don’t measure in ml because it’s a different quantity)

2 tsp hulled hemp seeds

Pinch of sea salt

Good pinch of Greek dried oregano

Good pinch of onion powder

Pinch of garlic powder

¼ tsp sweet paprika

⅛ tsp turmeric powder

Black pepper, 3-4 turns of the pepper mill

50 g courgette, coarsely grated (don’t squeeze out the juices)

30 g peeled carrot, finely grated (don’t squeeze out the juices)

20 g fresh spinach leaves, finely chopped

50 g Emmental cheese (or Greek Graviera cheese), grated (if you are making these only for adults, add another 50 g cheese)

110 g grape tomatoes, chopped (you can use cherry tomatoes as well although they have a higher water content)

125 g all-purpose flour

1½ tsp baking powder

 

Special equipment: muffin pan. I use silicone muffin cases. If you have the classic one, then lightly butter the cups and flour them, tapping out excess flour.

 

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the eggs and olive oil and whisk with a wire whisk until well combined. Add the hemp seeds, the salt and all the spices and whisk to combine. Add the grated courgette and carrot and whisk. Add the chopped spinach and the grated cheese and mix with a spatula. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix. Finally, add the flour and baking powder and mix well, making sure there are no streaks of flour in the mixture.

Divide the mixture equally among 12 muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes and until they have taken a nice golden brown color.

Leave to cool before removing from the pan. They’re more delicious fresh but you can certainly keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 weeks, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then put in freezer/refrigerator appropriate bags.

I always heat them in the microwave when using from the fridge or freezer until piping hot. Don’t cut them to cool them down quicker because they will dry up and become tough.

 

Bergamot drizzle cake

In Greece, bergamot is synonymous with our famous bergamot spoon sweet, a preserve using the peel of the fruit, but even though I love eating citrus fruits, I’ve never been a fan of citrus peel preserves or marmalades. Whenever I come across bergamots, I prefer using them in cakes or in savory dishes. 

 

 

This time, I chose to use this gloriously heady citrus fruit in a drizzle cake. It was an experiment that proved successful, resulting in an utterly scrumptious cake. I baked it once more to test it, and voilà. I’m sharing with you the recipe to make and enjoy.

 

 

The cake is flavored with bergamot zest and once it’s out of the oven, it gets drizzled with a mixture of bergamot juice, bergamot zest and Demerara sugar. This is a raw mixture, not a syrup, and it works beautifully because as the cake cools, the sugar almost crystallizes on top and creates a unique, crunchy texture that contrasts the juicy, moist interior. 

 

 

It’s a deliciously sticky and moist cake that is light and fluffy at the same time. It is, as expected, full of the aroma and flavor of bergamot without it being overwhelming but definitely present. Bergamot is not a shy fruit, it has a bold flavor, and this, after all, is a cake for the lovers of this extraordinary citrus fruit. 

 

Bergamot drizzle cake

You will need 2 bergamots for the cake. Choose bergamots whose skin is somewhat smooth rather than too “bumpy” because they’re easier to grate. Also, you just want the outer yellow-greenish part of the skin. Make sure not to grate any of the pith (the white, inner part) because it’s very bitter and you will taste it in your cake. 

 

 

Yield: 1 cake / 8-10 pieces

 

Ingredients

for the cake
175 g unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
175 g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 bergamot
Pinch of sea salt
3 medium-sized eggs
100 g all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
75 g ground almonds

for the drizzle
Finely grated zest of 1 bergamot
Juice from 1½ bergamots
100 g Demerara sugar

Special ingredients: loaf pan (22 x 11cm), fine sieve, stand mixer or electric hand-held mixer, baking paper

 

Preparation

for the cake
Butter the bottom and sides of your loaf pan and line it with baking paper that goes up all four sides of the pan.
Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl), add the butter, the sugar and the bergamot zest, and using the paddle attachment (or your hand-held mixer), beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes.
Add the salt and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully combine them.
Sieve the flour and baking powder straight into the bowl of your stand mixer and fold them in using a spatula. Be gentle as you don’t want to deflate the mixture. Then fold in the ground almonds.
Empty the cake batter into your prepared loaf pan and straighten the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If there are a few crumbs on it, it’s okay.

for the drizzle
In a small bowl, add all the ingredients for the drizzle and briefly mix together. You’re not aiming to dissolve the sugar in the juice, but just to combine the ingredients thoroughly. The mixture will be grainy from the sugar.

Once the cake is out of the oven, poke some holes all over the top using a toothpick and pour over half of the drizzle mixture. Wait until the cake absorbs it before adding the rest.
Leave the cake to cool completely in the pan. Then, you can remove it from the pan, but actually, I don’t. I leave it in there. We slice and eat it straight from the pan. Best way to do it.

You can keep it at room temperature, loosely covered, for 4-5 days.

 

 

Persimmon and pomegranate salad with Greek manouri cheese and a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette

I made this salad for lunch the other day, to treat myself.

I’ve been dreaming of making it since before the holidays but never got around to it.

 

 

The day I finally did make it, was a shitty one. It felt like I was failing at everything, most importantly at parenting. Aris was having a difficult day, with tantrums every other hour; he was biting, hitting, screaming, resisting his meals and fighting nap time. I finally got him to sleep, after much negotiation and effort, and I was just about to sit down and take a breath when he woke up.

I was feeling so deflated, tired and frustrated that I could scream. I couldn’t give up on making this salad, though. I was determined to make it —damn it!— and eat it, no matter what.

And so I did.

Persimmon, pomegranate, spinach, baby tomatoes, shallots, Greek manouri cheese (for those unfamiliar with it, it’s a soft, rich and creamy goat’s and/or sheep’s milk cheese), and a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette.

I was in heaven for a few minutes. And then it all started again. But guess what? Aris had some of it too.

P.S.1 I wasn’t planning on posting this recipe as I thought it was too simple, but when I shared a photo of the salad on instagram some of you asked me to, so I obliged. 

P.S.2 I just realized this is my first post for 2022! Happy New Year! Wishing health to us all, and lots of good food!

 

 

 

 

 

Persimmon and pomegranate salad with Greek manouri cheese and a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette

I’m sure you know how easy it is to make homemade pomegranate molasses, right?

 

Yield: enough salad for 1 person (with some bread, it is the perfect lunch)

Ingredients

1 persimmon (the elongated kind), not too ripe, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

Big handful of pomegranate seeds

Handful of whole baby spinach leaves

1 small shallot, finely sliced

5-6 baby tomatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise depending on size

Greek Manouri cheese

for the vinaigrette

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt

White pepper, freshly ground, 5-6 turns of the pepper mill

 

Preparation

Whisk well the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl, or alternatively add all ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Makes more vinaigrette than needed for this salad. Use what is left in other salads or on baked/grilled vegetables for the next couple of days.

Arrange persimmon slices on plate, scatter pomegranate seeds and spinach, arrange tomatoes on top and sprinkle the shallots. Add as much manouri as you want.

Use a spoon to add the vinaigrette. About 1 Tbsp to start and add more if you want. Don’t forget to sprinkle a little salt too.

Enjoy immediately.