Winter Spiced Rizogalo

Winter Spiced Rizogalo

Ingredients

1 pkt Bake with George Rizogalo

1 litre full cream milk

2 cups water

2 tablespoons Greek honey

1 vanilla bean split and scraped

3 cardamon pods

2 cinnamon quills

5 cloves

1 pinch rose petals

2 dehydrated orange slices

Method

  1. In a saucepan, add the 1 litre of milk and all the spices and simmer for 15 minutes until all the spices have flavoured the milk.

  2. In a second saucepan, add the rice from the Bake with George Rizogalo packet with the 2 cups of water. Cook on medium heat and stir until water is absorbed into the rice.

  3. Strain the milk into the saucepan with the rice and cook on low heat, stirring continually until cooked.

  4. Add two teaspoons of Greek honey and stir through.

  5. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

Mushroom and Swiss Burgers withBlack Garlic Aioli

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, salted

2 tablespoons Tombazis extra virgin olive oil

1 small brown onion, halved and sliced

250g baby mushrooms, rinsed, dried, and sliced

 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Neolea Smoked Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

600g grass fed ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon onion powder

4 Brioche burger buns

4 slices Kefalograviera cheese

4 tablespoons Downvillage black garlic aioli

Method

  1. Add butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

  2. Add the onion, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Prepare the burger patties by combining the ground beef, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

  4. Divide the mixture into three equal portions, form them into 4-inch patties, and gently press down the middle with your thumb. This will help keep the patties flat.

  5. Preheat a frying pan or bbq and lightly coated with olive oil to medium-high heat.

  6. Place the patties in the pan and cook for four minutes, then flip and top with a slice Kefalograviera cheese. Cook an additional 3-6 minutes based on desired doneness.

  7. Once cooked, transfer burgers to a plate.

  8. Place the buns cut side down in the skillet and cook for 20-30 seconds or until toasted. Remove from heat.

  9. To assemble: Slather bun with one tablespoon black garlic aioli and top with burger patty and mushroom mixture. Serve warm.

Storage: Refrigerate burger patties in an airtight container for up to four days and mushroom/onion mixture for up to five days.

 

Helena and Vikki’s Thyme Honey Tsoureki 

Ingredients 

3x 7g packets dried yeast

1/2 cup (125ml) lukewarm milk

2 tbs caster sugar, plus a pinch

2 tbs good quality Foodscross Greek thyme honey plus extra to serve

2 yolks, plus 2 eggs

50g unsalted butter, melted

2 1/4 cups plain flour, plus extra

1 tsp mahlepi (a spice made from cherry seeds, sold at

European supermarkets)

1 tsp vanilla powder 

1 teaspoon Pure Salt from Neolea 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a large baking tray with

  2. parchment paper.

  3. Combine yeast, milk and a pinch of sugar in a small

  4. bowl, set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy.

  5. In a bowl of a stand mixer using a dough hook, combine

  6. yeast mixture, honey, remaining sugar, yolks, 1 egg,

  7. butter and mix on low speed to combine. Add flour,

  8. mahlepi, vanilla powder and salt.

  9. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes or until dough is

  10. smooth and elastic and doesn't stick to the bowl.

  11. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour

  12. or until the dough has doubled in size.

  13. Knock back the dough, turn out onto a floured surface

  14. and knead for 2 minutes.

  15. Divide dough into 3 equal parts and roll into smooth

  16. balls. Then start by stretching the dough into 20cm

  17. ropes. Braid the 3 ropes of dough together and pinch

  18. the edges to seal.

  19. Place the tsoureki on the prepared tray and place in a

  20. warm spot to rest for about hour or until dough has

  21. risen.

  22. Brush tsoureki with remaining egg and place into the

  23. oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top

  24. Brush with extra honey and serve warm

 

 

Fruit Cake

Majella’s 4 Ingredient Fruit Cake

Ingredients

1kg mixed fruit -  soaked overnight in tea or coffee

2 cups of cold tea or coffee - (Majella prefers coffee)

2 cups of self raising flour

2 teaspoons Sparoza Orange Zest cooking spice blend

Method

  1. Simply mix the two cups of Self raising flour and Sparoza Orange Zest cooking spice blend cooking blend with the soaked fruit and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes on 160 degrees.

 

 

Feta Cheesecake with Cherry Compote

Ingredients

Biscuit Base

2 packets Arnott’s butternut snap biscuits (pulse in the food processor until finely crumbed)

100g butter, melted

1 orange, zest

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, dry roasted

Filling

150g feta

680g cream cheese

150ml thickened cream

100g icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 2 medium lemons

Cherry compote:

1kg frozen pitted cherries, defrosted

100g caster sugar

4 whole star anise

4 strips orange skin

4 tablespoon Lazaris kumquat liqueur

Method

  1. Biscuit Base: Place the crumbed biscuits into a bowl and add the sesame seeds, orange zest and melted butter and mix together until well combined.

  2. Press the mixture into the bottom of a prepared 24cm spring form tin. Set aside.

  3. Filling: Whisk cream into soft peaks.

  4. In a food processor add feta, cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth, add lemon zest.

  5. Remove from bowl and fold cheese mixture into to the whipped cream. Spoon mixture over the biscuit base and give a little shake to level it out.

  6. Place in the fridge to set, overnight is the best.

  7. Place the cherries, sugar, star anise, kumquat liqueur and orange peel in a medium saucepan and place on a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for between 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

  8. The sauce will become thicker as it cools down. Place in a jar until you’re ready to serve with the cheesecake.

Note: if you don’t want to make the cherry compote you can substitute it with our Marmeliza cherry spoon sweet or cherry jam.

 

 

Stuffed Olives

Deep-fried stuffed green olives

Ingredients

145g jar x Organic Halkidiki Olives Pitted

145g jar x Organic Kalamata Olives Pitted

50g feta, crumbled

1 tablespoon Marmeliza Fig jam

150 g breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon Sparoza Greek Tyrokafteri Spice Mix

2 organic eggs, beaten

300ml light olive oil, for frying

Methods

  1. Mix the feta and Marmeliza fig jam together.

  2. Stuff each olive with mixture with a toothpick or small spoon, completely filling it up.

  3. Wipe the olives clean with kitchen towel.

  4. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl, stir in the sparoza cheese spice mix.

  5. Put the whisked eggs in another dish.

  6. Roll the olives in breadcrumbs then in egg and in breadcrumbs again, to coat all over. Set aside.

  7. Heat the oil in a pan until almost smoking.

  8. Put in a third of the olives, enough to fit without overcrowding; don't drop them or you risk a splatter.

  9. Fry for 20 seconds, until golden brown, remove and drain on paper towel.

  10. Repeat with the other olives. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

 

Lemon Coconut Crumble Slice

Ingredients

Base

1 1/4 cup plain flour

1 1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 teaspoon Neolea Citrus Salt

1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

175 g melted unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creamy Centre

395 g sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon lemon juice

2 large egg yolks

Crumble Top

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 teaspoon Neolea Citrus Salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

75 g melted unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius

  2. Grease and line a 17cm x 28cm slice tray with baking paper, allowing the edges to overhang.

  3. In a large bowl, mix together all the dry base ingredients and mix well until combined.

  4. Stir in vanilla and melted butter and pour mixture over dry ingredients. Stir mixture until well combined.

  5. Add the mixture into the prepared baking tin and press down evenly.

  6. Bake for 15 minutes.

  7. Set aside (leave the oven turned on).

  8. In a fresh bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks until well blended.

  9. Pour mixture over base and pour over and spread with a spatula and tap the tin on the bench to make it even.

  10. Mix the crumble mixture in a bowl until combined and crumble evenly over the top of the creamy lemon layer.

  11. Bake in oven for 23 - 26 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

  12. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

Ricotta Polenta Thyme Honey Cake

Ricotta Polenta Thyme Honey Cake

Ingredients

150 g softened butter, plus extra for greasing tin

1 pinch Neolea Vanilla salt

120 g Foodscross thyme honey

Finely grated rind and juice of 3 lemons

6 eggs, separated

400 g firm ricotta

200 g almond meal

180 g fine polenta

2 tsp It's Greek thyme

flaked almonds, for scattering

Syrup

3 fresh sprigs thyme

330 g caster sugar (1½ cups)

1 pinch Neolea Vanilla salt

8 slices lemon

100g Foodscross thyme honey

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 150°C and butter the base of a 26cm diameter cake tin and line it with baking paper.

  2. Beat butter, honey and lemon rind in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes), scrape down sides of bowl, then add yolks one at a time, beating well between additions.

  3. Transfer to a large bowl, fold in ricotta, then almond meal, polenta, thyme and a pinch of neolea vanilla salt.

  4. Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of neolea vanilla salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in 110g sugar and whisk until glossy (1-2 minutes).

  5. Fold into ricotta mixture, then spoon batter into tin, smooth top and scatter with almonds. Bake until golden and a skewer withdraws clean (45-50 minutes).

  6. Remove from oven and pierce all over with a skewer.

  7. Add lemon juice, lemon slices, remaining sugar and 80ml water to a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add vanilla bean and seeds, bring to the boil and cook until a light syrup forms (4-5 minutes). Add Foodscross thyme honey into hot syrup and mix through.

  8. Discard vanilla bean, add fresh thyme sprigs and pour half over cake. Chill remaining syrup.

  9. Place syrupy lemon slices on top of the cake and drizzled with remaining syrup.

  10. Once cake has absorbed the syrup, remove from cake tin and place on a cake plate and serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and more syrup.

 

Roots Gin Martini

Ingredients

3 cups ice

90 ml AORATOS - A Cyprus Dry Gin

75 ml Roots - True Cinnamon Kanela Liqueur

60 ml Cointreau

2 dehydrated oranges

squeeze of lime optional

Method

  1. Place ice in each martini glass to chill

  2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice

  3. Add the Gin

  4. Add the Roots

  5. Add Cointreau

  6. Shake Shake Shake for 1 minute

  7. Remove the ice out of the glasses

  8. Using a strainer pour the cocktail evenly into each glass

 

Smokey Guacamole

Ingredients

3 organic avocados, ripe

1/2 red onion, finely diced

8 vine ripen cherry tomatoes, diced

Small bunch of coriander, leaves only, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped

2 limes, juiced

1/4 teaspoon Thalassa Hot Chili

1/4 teaspoon Neolea Smoked Salt

To serve: Tortilla Chips

Method

  1. Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit, chop
  2. Place avocado in mortar and pestle and mash, make it as chunky or smooth as you'd like.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
  4. Give it a taste test and add a pinch more salt or lime juice if needed.
  5. Serve the guacamole with tortilla chips.

 

Tommy's Margarita

Ingredients

60ml Tequila

45ml Lemonodasos Lemonade Syrup

Neolea Citrus Salt for glass rim

Thalassa Hot Chili

Lime for garnish and for rim

Jalapeno, for garnish, optional

Dehydrated blood orange, for garnish

Method

  1. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice to chill.
  2. Strain onto fresh ice in a salt-rimmed glass.
  3. Garnish with a lime wedge. 

 

Gluten Free Hash Browns

Gluten Free Hashbrowns Hash brown

Makes 12, enough for 6 people

Ingredients

6 large desiree potatoes, peeled & grated (usually 1 large potato per person)

1 brown onion, grated

1 egg white, lightly whisked with a fork

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 tablespoon Thalassa Barbecue Box spice mix

1/4 teaspoon Neolea Aegean sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 cup Philippos Delicate Extra Virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 120C. Line a baking tray with paper towel.

  2. Place grated potato and onions in a colander and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.

  3. In a bowl whisk egg white with a fork and add grated potato and grated onion and coat in egg white.

  4. In a separate bowl add tapioca flour, seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, mix well.

  5. Heat a thin layer of olive oil over the base of a large frypan.

  6. Spoon heaped tablespoons of potato mixture into medium to hot oil and spread out to form 6-8cm rounds using the back of a spoon.

  7. Cook until golden and then turn and cook other side until browned and crisp.

  8. Remove hash browns from pan, and place on the baking tray lined with paper towel and place in the preheated oven to keep warm until you're ready to serve.

  9. Serve with poached eggs, sautéed spinach and any other breakfast favourites.

Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 kg premium beef mince

2 brown onions, finely diced

200 g button mushrooms, sliced

2 carrots, diced

300 g peeled and diced pumpkin

ó cup frozen peas

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Thalassa casserole spice mix

1 teaspoon it’s Greek Thyme

1 bay leaves

For the mash

1.8 kg potatoes, peeled chopped

ó cup milk

ó cup cream

50 g salted butter

100 g grated parmesan

salt

pepper

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan.

2. Add finely onions and garlic and sauté until softened.

3. Add the beef cook until browned set aside.

4. Heat another large saucepan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil then add mushrooms and brown.

5. Add carrots and pumpkin and sauté until softened.

6. Add casserole spice mix, bay leaf and thyme and allow pan to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 min.

7. Add the vegetables to the beef mix and simmer for another 30 minutes, add peas and cook for another few minutes until peas are soft.

8. Check seasoning and add some salt and pepper as required.

9. To make the mash grab a large saucepan big enough to fit the potatoes, cover the potatoes in cold water and add salt and bring to the boil and cook until tender.

10. Drain well, mash with masher and then add milk, cream and butter, salt and pepper to season. Mix well into potato until smooth.

11. Spoon the meat into ovenproof dishes.

12. Add potato to piping bag and pipe the mash onto the top of the meat filling to cover.

13. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top.

14. At this point you can cover the pie and place in the refrigerator.

15. When you’re ready to eat, heat oven to 200C and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden and filling is heated through.

Dora’s Grape Molasses Rusks


Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Plain flour

1 1/2 cups arina

Pinch salt from neolea

1/2 cup raw brown sugar

1/4 cup grape molasses from

3/4 light olive oil from Phillipos delicate

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tbsp. dry milk powder (optional)

1 teaspoon of mahlab (optional)

3/4 cup of water or orange juice

1 large egg

1/2 tbsp  orange rind

1/2 cup  toasted sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pepita seeds

Method

  1. Mix flour, wheat flour, dry milk powder, mahlab, salt and baking powder.

  2. Beat egg into water or juice. Add sugar and molasses; combine with dry ingredients until dough is moist but not sticky.

  3. Form 10cm sticks and dip half into the mixture of pepita and sunflower seeds and the other half into sesame seeds.

  4. Bake in a 180C oven for 15 minutes or until puffed up a bit and dry on the outside.

  5. The rusks will firm up as they cool.

Absolutely Delicious Greek moussaka

Ingredients

Base ingredients

6 potatoes, peeled and sliced

6 eggplants, sliced

Neolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying potatoes and eggplants

For the meat sauce

750g lamb mince

2 brown onions, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Petimezi Grape Syrup

1 1/2 glasses of Oreinos Helios Red Wine

Freshly milled Salt Odyssey Sea Salt and Black Pepper

2 teaspoons It's Greek Oregano, rub between your fingers as you add

2 bay leaf

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 of a cup Neolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the bechamel sauce

1100 ml full cream milk

125g butter

1 cup plain flour

100g Parmigiano-Reggiano or Kefalotyri or your favourite hard cheese

Freshly milled Salt Odyssey Sea Salt to taste

Method 

  1. To prepare this Greek moussaka recipe, begin by preparing the eggplants. Remove the stalks from the eggplants and cut them into slices, 1 cm thick. Season with salt and place in a colander for about half an hour.

  2. Fry the sliced potatoes in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Season with some salt and set them aside when done.

  3. Pat the eggplants dry to remove the excess water and fry in the same pan as the potatoes, add a little more oil if required and cook until nicely coloured. Place the fried eggplants on some paper towel, in order to absorb the oil. Set aside when done.

  4. Prepare the meat sauce for the moussaka. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the chopped onions and garlic and sauté, until softened and slightly coloured.

  5. Stir in the mince breaking it up with a wooden spoon and sauté. When it starts to brown, add the tomato paste and sauté.

  6. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the meat juices and wait to evaporate.

  7. Add the tinned tomatoes, the Petimezi grape syrup, two cinnamon quills, oregano, 2 bay leaves and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes. Set aside when done.

  8. For the béchamel sauce, Heat a large pan and add the flour to it, cook the flour for about 5 minutes and then add the butter over medium heat and whisk continuously to make a paste. Add milk in a steady stream; keep whisking in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy.

  9. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat while continuing to stir. Its consistency should resemble a thick cream add salt, pepper and most of the grated cheese,

  10. Reserve some cheese to sprinkle on top whisk quickly until well combined, remove from the heat and set aside.

  11. Now it's time to assemble the moussaka. For this moussaka recipe you will need a large baking dish, approx. (20x30cm and 8cm deep). Layer the potatoes first (if you’re using them), then half the eggplants, sprinkle extra oregano on the eggplant.

  12. Pour in all of the meat sauce and spread it out evenly. Add a second layer of potatoes and eggplants, oregano and then top with all of the béchamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.

  13. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Preheat you oven at 180C/350F and bake your moussaka for about 60 minutes or until its crust turns light golden brown. Even though it will be really hard to do so, you should wait for the moussaka to cool down and be just warm to the touch before cutting into pieces. This will prevent the béchamel sauce from pouring out when you’re cutting your pieces.

  14. Serve the Moussaka with a refreshing salad and enjoy over a glass of wine!

 

 

Pickled Rhubarb, Fennel and Roasted Beetroot Salad

The Greek Providore Fennel Beetroot Salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Philippos Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

160 g roasted beetroots, cut in quarters, tinned beetroots can also be used

1 cup frozen or fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and blanched

1 fennel, thinly sliced

2 cups baby beetroot leaves

Pickled Rhubarb

3 rhubarb stalks, thinly peeled using a vegetable peeler

1 tablespoon Alabasinis Mount Olympus Honey

125 ml Ladolea Organic Sweet Vinegar with Bergamot

125 ml water

1 tablespoon Neolea Citrus Salt

1 tablespoon Salt Odyssey Black Pepper

2 dried red chillies

1/2 tablespoon cloves

3 bay leaves

3 star anise

Method

  1. Pickles to be made one day to two weeks before use.

  2. Rinse and scrub the rhubarb stalks.

  3. Trim the leaves and the thick end. thinly peel the stalks into ribbons using a vegetable peeler and pack into a sterilised jar.

  4. Top with spices and condiments.

  5. In a saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt and honey. Heat the mixture without boiling, until honey is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the rhubarb and close the lid.

  6. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then keep in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours before serving.

  7. To make the salad dressing, whisk 2 tablespoons of the brine from the rhubarb with the olive oil and sesame oil in a bowl until well combined, taste to season.

  8. Preheat oven to 180°C. Wrap beetroot in foil and bake for 1 hour or until a sharp knife pierces them easily. Remove and cool, then peel and cut into rough pieces.

  9. Remove the rhubarb from the jar. toss the quartered beetroot, rhubarb, sugar snap peas, fennel and baby beetroot leaves with dressing and serve.

  10. Perfect as a meal with smoked trout or as a side dish.

Barbecue Flavoured Popcorn

Thalassa Spices

Ingredients

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

2 tablespoons Organic Ladolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Thalassa Barbecue Spice Blend

Method

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the oil and 2 popcorn kernels. Cover the pot and wait for the kernels to pop, which might take a few minutes. In the meantime, place a large serving bowl near the stove so it’s ready when you need it.

  2. Once the kernels pop, turn off the burner, remove the pot from the heat and pour in the remaining popcorn kernels. Cover the pot again, and give the pot a little shimmy to distribute the kernels evenly. Let the pot rest for 60 seconds to make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot before the kernels are ready to pop.

  3. Turn the heat back up to medium, put the pot back onto the burner and continue cooking the popcorn, carefully shimmying the pot occasionally to cook the kernels evenly. Once the kernels start popping, tip the lid just a touch to allow steam to escape (see photo).

  4. Continue cooking until the popping sound slows to about one pop per every few seconds. (If the popcorn tries to overflow the pot, just tip the upper portion of popcorn into your bowl and return it to the heat.)

  5. Remove the lid and dump the popcorn into your serving bowl. Sprinkle the popcorn Barbecue Spice Blend to taste, and any other topping you would like. Toss the popcorn and serve immediately, for best flavour and texture. 

 

Honeyed Spiced Walnuts with Greek Salad Parfait

Ingredients

Honeyed Spiced Walnuts

1 tablespoon Neolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons FoodsCross Thyme Honey

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1 1/2 teaspoons Sparoza Greek Shephard’s Spice Mix

Greek Parfait

1 cup Greek yogurt
 
1 cup diced cucumber
 
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
 
240 ml Melima Spicy chickpeas
 

1/2 cup halved Eriza Pitted Organic Kalamata olives

Method

  1. Heat butter and oil over medium heat in a small pan.

  2. Mix in the honey, walnuts and spices and cook for 5 minutes, stir until nuts are well coated and toasted.

  3. Pour nuts onto a lined baking tray and separate the nuts using a spatula, let them cool for about 5 minutes.

  4. Heat oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. 

  5. Place equal amounts of yogurt into 4 clear tall dishes. Top with equal amounts of cucumber, tomatoes, spicy chickpeas, olives and finish with the honeyed walnuts.

 

Modern Greek Hot Chips with Herbed Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

500 ml Pomako Extra Virgin Olive oil, for frying

1kg large Sebago potatoes, washed

10 garlic cloves, skin on, crushed

1 tablespoon of It’s Greek Rosemary

Herbed Mustard Sauce

2 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon Neolea Pure Aegean Sea Salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon hot English mustard

1 cup (250ml) grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon drained then finely sliced Melima caper blossoms

2 tablespoons Sparoza Cooking Blend with spices and orange zest

1 tablespoon each finely chopped fresh chives & parsley

Method

  1. For the mustard sauce, place the yolks, lemon juice and both mustards in a small food processor and whiz to combine. With motor running, gradually add the grapeseed oil in a thin steady stream until emulsified and combined. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the remaining ingredients, season to taste and stir to combine. Set aside.

  2. Half fill a large, high-sided, heavy- based saucepan with oil over high heat. Heat the oil to 160°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 3 minutes when the oil is hot enough). Make sure the pan is big enough to allow the oil to rise slightly and bubble when deep-frying.

  3. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into long rough rectangles. Make sure you keep and use the misshapen rounded wedges, too! Carefully add the chips to oil and being mindful of the splattering oil, spread evenly around the pan. Stir carefully to ensure all potatoes have been coated in oil and stir gently so the potatoes settle. Don’t worry if the potatoes are not totally submerged, as long as it’s at the three-quarter level. Fry potatoes, gently stirring occasionally, until the oil temperature returns to 160°C (this will take approximately 15-25 minutes).

  4. Add garlic and continue to cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

  5. If the potatoes look too straight with defined edges this is when you can gently break up a few of the chips to expose a little more surface area for ultimate crispy bits!

  6. Increase the heat to 170°C and fry, stirring gently to prevent potatoes from sticking, for a further 8-15 minutes until golden and crisp. Using a large perforated spoon, remove chips from oil and drain on paper towel. Season to taste.

  7. Scatter with extra parsley leaves and chopped chives. Serve with herbed mustard sauce.

Moustokouloura Biscuit
The texture of these biscuits is between a biscuit and a bread.They are unique not only in texture but flavour too.I used a really good quality Petimezi (grape molasses) from Greece to make these Moustokouloura @kontogiannisfamily

 

Ingredients

125 ml grape molasses

50 ml water

125 g sugar

100 ml olive oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon clove

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

50 ml red wine

500 g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

50 mls orange juice

1/4 tsp baking soda

Method

1. Add the grape molasses, water, sugar, olive oil, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and red wine in a bowl and mix until well combined.

2. Sift the baking powder into the flour in another bowl.

3. Mix the baking soda with the orange juice. Add this to the wet mixture.

4. Add 3/4 of the flour to the wet mixture and combine then slowly add flour bit by bit until becomes a soft dough. You may need to add a little more flour until you are able to handle it enough to be able to roll it without it sticking.

5. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Shape the biscuits and place on trays.6. Bake in a preheated fan forced oven 170 ° C for 25 minutes approx.

Photograph and Recipe by: The Hellenic Odyssey

 

Spiced, Double Crumbed Veal

This Mediterranean inspired recipe is so flavoursome it will soon become a family favourite.

Ingredients

6 medium Veal minute steaks

1 cup panko crumbs

1 tablespoon Sparoza Shepherds Spice Mix

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon Neolea Mediterranean Herb Sea Salt

4 eggs, whisked

1/4 cup milk, whisked with the eggs

3 tbsp finely grated parmesan

100 ml extra Oleosophia virgin olive oil

50 g salted butter

2 lemons

Method

  1. Place veal between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound until 5mm thick.
  2. Have 3 shallow dishes ready to add the ingredients to start the crumbing.
  3. In the first dish add the flour and the Neolea Med Herb sea salt and mix until well combined.
  4. In the second dish add the eggs and milk and whisk together.
  5. In the third dish add the breadcrumbs, the Sparoza Shepherds Spice Mix and parmesan and combine well.
  6. Lightly coat veal in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in egg mixture and finally coat in breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs on with fingertips to secure, set aside and repeat with the other 5 pieces of veal.
  7. To double coat the veal place in the egg mixture again and then press firmly into the crumbs and set aside until you repeat with all of the veal.
  8. Pour olive oil into a large frying pan until base is covered.
  9. Heat over medium-high heat.
  10. Reduce heat to medium.
  11. Cook 2 pieces of crumbed veal at a time for 2 to 3 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towel. Continue until all pieces have been cooked.
  12. Wipe out the frying pan with paper towel and place back on the heat and add the butter. When the butter starts to bubble and foam squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into the butter and pour over the crumbed veal.
  13. Serve veal with extra wedges of lemons and a beautiful green salad.

Tip: Prepare the crumbed veal in advance and place in the fridge or the freezer to have on hand when you're a too busy to make fresh.