Kástana mé sokoláta ke Metaxá

OMG!!! I could eat ALL of these in one sitting!!
Go and grab yourselves a handful of chestnuts, NOW! Chestnuts are in season and they’re looking spunky @ your local green grocer. Spooned into Greek coffee cups, these decadent sweeties even look like Greek coffee!!

Ingredients

200g semisweet chocolate, 70% cocoa
¼ cup Metaxa brandy
80g unsalted butter, @ room temperature & diced
2 free range eggs, separated
a splash of vanilla extract
about 1 cup chestnut puree, extracted from a good handful of fresh chestnuts
1 Tbspn sugar
Whipped thickened or double cream (to garnish)

Directions

To prepare the fresh chestnuts:

Score a cross in each chestnut with a sharp knife
Place in a pot with salted water and boil for about 20 mins.
When ready, use a teaspoon to scoop out the chestnut meal, squeezing the nut as you do so.

To prepare the choc cups:

Make a few chocolate curls for garnish, then break the rest of the chocolate into squares and melt it with the brandy in a saucepan over gentle heat.

Remove from the heat and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. Transfer this mixture into the bowl of a food processor.

Add egg yolks and whizz the mixture in the food processor.

Then whizz in the chestnut puree, mixing until very, very smooth.
Splash in the vanilla extract & transfer this mixture into a clean bowl.

Whisk the egg whites & sugar in the clean, grease free bowl of your mixer until stiff.

Stir about 1 tablespoon of the whites into the chestnut mixture to lighten it, then fold in the rest smoothly and evenly.

Spoon the mixture into 6 small ramekins or Greek coffee cups and chill until set.

Serve the pots topped with a generous spoonful of whipped cream and garnished with the semisweet chocolate curls.

Gluten free.

xo.

I promise you there will be no weight gain with this delight.

Got your attention?

Good.

If only.

But what I can truthfully promise is that your auntie Mary (you know the one I’m talking about, great cook, even better with desserts, has everyone kissing her on both cheeks), will be begging you for this recipe.

Honest.

No fat. No butter. No one will believe it.

But it’s true, I tell you.

And it’s Greek. (Shock)

Turn a blind eye to the sugar content, add a dollop of thick Greek yogurt and we can call it health food.

Why not.

Ingredients

700g ground walnuts
500g fine organic semolina
14 free range eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tspn ground Greek cinnamon
2 tspn ground cloves
1 cup brandy/cognac/scotch (any brown booze will do)
Olive oil and extra semolina for greasing

Syrup
10 cups water
7 cups sugar
rind of half a lemon
6 whole cloves

Method

Heat oven to 150C.
Lightly grease a 45cm x 45cm x 8cm non-stick tray with olive oil and dust with semolina.
(This will ensure mix will not stick to the bottom and make for easy removal of slices).
Separate eggs.
Beat whites to form a stiff meringue.
Beat yolks and sugar together.
Gradually add semolina and whites into beaten yolk/sugar mix, alternating until all incorporated.
Mixture will be fluffy and light.
Add spices and booze.
Fold in 500g of the ground walnuts.
Pour mix into pan and bake until skewer comes out clean; about 50mins depending on your oven.
Meanwhile, get cracking with the syrup.
Add water, sugar, lemon and cloves to a heavy based saucepan.
Simmer on medium heat for 20 mins.
Allow to cool.
When cake is ready, remove from oven and pour cool syrup over cake.
Cover generally with remaining ground walnuts and slice.
Allow to cool completely before removing slices from tray.

My brother, Tony has a love affair with taramasalata.

He has escaped to Thailand at the moment.

He’s not a big fan of the chilli so I know he is struggling to chow down chilli Pad Thai every day.

I bet he’s missing his taramosalata.

No tarama in Thailand, though.

Lots of Nam Pla (fermented fish sauce). Hmmm. Now, there’s an idea.

Anyway, since it’s his name day today (Jan 17), I thought I’d send his some via cyberspace.

And, because it’s a balmy evening in Melbourne tonight, some fresh crusty bread, a big fat bowl of freshly made taramasalata and a few icy cold beers will suffice for me.

Nam Pla Hronia Polla, Tony!

(That’s Happy Name Day in Thai)

Ingredients

4 slices white stale bread, crusts removed
300ml water to cover
1 red, brown or white onion, roughly chopped
100g salted red mullet roe or white cod roe paste
juice of 1 lemon
550ml olive oil (not Extra Virgin)

Method

Cover bread with water and soak overnight (or if in a hurry to eat, as I so often am, just soak for 20mins or so in luke warm water)
Blend onion in a food processor until smooth.
Squeeze water from bread, add to onion and blend until smooth.
Add roe and lemon juice, blend until smooth.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil to create an emulsion, as you would mayonnaise. If too thick, loosen with a little boiling or sparkling mineral water.
Serve with warm bread and icy cold beer.

Side note:

The alchemist in me always seems to turn a happy recipe into a science experiment.

Although I only buy Aussie red mullet roe (orange can, about $7-$10/100g), I have also had luck with a $3.99 jar of blushing Herring roe from Ikea.

And my LBD (Little Black Dress) version, which makes non-fish eaters happy, is also made with a $3.99 jar of Ikea’s Seaweed topping. Throw in a couple of free range egg yolks with this one.

No reason why black fish roe can’t also be used.

Buy Australian tarama direct from Karasumi

He loved white raspberries (Σµέουρα, Smeoura in Greek).

So she went out and picked a bunch for him.

She pricked her finger on the thorns.

Blood from her finger tainted the white fruit and all raspberries that ever grew again were raspberry red.

End of love story.

(Don’t know if she ever did get jiggy with him. Maybe she should have made him ice pops instead.)

Raspberry Pops

Mariam is one of the sweetest new cooks in our kitchen!

Born in Kismayu, Somalia and raised in Kenya, Mariam Issa arrived in Australia 11 years ago as a refugee.

Mariam’s experience of integration has nurtured her passion about connecting communities and creating awareness throughout her diverse East African culture.
And now, she brings her repertoire of delicious East African cuisine to us.

Food is the best catalyst to create change and Mariam feels privileged that she can use this power to her advantage.

A love of freshly cooked food coupled with her passion to bridge the gap of difference in her ethnic community and her adopted Australian culture is Mariam’s inspiration and vision in all that she does.

She is a true delight!

Mariam invites you to:

Explore the unknown and introduce new flavours to your palate in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.

Experiment with simple new cooking techniques and ingredients.

Enjoy a creative cooking workshop and leave inspired with a fantastic food experience and an understanding of East African culture.

Classes are conducted in a traditional and relaxed manner to suit experienced and non- experienced cooks.

Recipes are authentic and easy to follow.

The classes are designed to suit anyone interested into an insight to African Cooking and Culture.

Cook With Mariam classes

Tues 13 Mar, 6pm – 10pm  $140
Bajia, made from black eye beans and fresh herbs
Anjela, fermented flat bread
Suqaar, finely diced lamb with veggies in a thick stew
East African salad
Sweet potato fritters with honey syrup

Book here

Thurs 19 Apr, 6pm – 10pm  $140
Samosas, fresh handmade pastry with spiced veggie and meat filling
Biriyani Rice
Kashata (Coconut Fudge)

Book Here

Tues 15 May, 6pm – 10pm  $140
Potatoes and chick pea flour fritters
Chapatti and Ugali (African Cake)
Fish in spiced coconut stew
East African Fruit Salad

Book Here

Thurs 14 Jun, 6pm – 10pm  $140
Samosas, fresh handmade pastry with spiced veggie and meat filling
Green bananas in lamb stew
Turmeric basmati rice
Vegetables cooked with African spices
Rich smoothie with avocado and pineapple

Book Here

Tues 17 Jul, 6pm – 10pm  $140
Bajia made from black eye beans and fresh herbs
Anjela, fermented flat bread
Finely diced lamb with veggies in a thick stew
East African salad
Sweet potato cup cake with honey syrup

Book Here

My dad went through a phase where he had hermetically attached a fishing rod to his right hand.

Every opportunity he got he was on a pier, somewhere.
Severe weather warnings or not, he was there.

No boat – that was for sissies.

Just him, the bait and the promising potential of the water.

Sometimes, hours later, there was nothing.

Other times, there was enough to fill a large chest freezer. And then some.

The ‘and then some’ was made into Psari Plaki (Baked Fish)

Any fish, really.

Just ensure it’s super fresh!

Ingredients

1kg fish, filleted and cleaned well (Cod, Bakaliaro, Snapper, Perch)
4-5 golden delight potatoes, sliced
5-6 summer tomatoes, sliced
2 red onions, sliced
1 whole head of garlic
3-4 springs of fresh oregano
a handful of fresh parsley
1 tblspn dried oregano
dried chilli flakes (optional)
a splash of white wine or retsina
a good glug of EV olive oil

Drizzle oil on the bottom of the baking dish.
Add slices of potatoes, onions & tomatoes.
Scatter garlic cloves, dried & fresh oregano ( and chilli, if using).
Lay fillets on top.
Splash wine and more oil over the top.
Scatter with fresh parsley.
Bake for 25-30 mins in 180C oven, initially covered with baking paper & foil.
Then uncover in the last 5mins.
Mop with bread.

Looking for a pressie?

Buy a Greek Cooking Class or

Food Tour Gift Voucher!

Problem Solved.

Buy online here.

How to buy a gift voucher online:

1. Click on ‘Buy online here’ link above.

2. Scroll down the bottom of page to Cooking Class or Food Tour Vouchers.

3. Select amount. (Disregard what the date says)

4. Go To: BOOK NOW

5. Enter Your Name and details first, then

6. Enter Voucher recipient’s name and contact details in COMMENTS section. Please ensure to include their email address and contact phone number.

7. Complete remaining details and submit

8. An email with payment information will be sent shortly. If you are chosing to pay by paypal, you will be redirected to the Paypal site. Proceed for payment as usual.

9. Vouchers expire 6 months from date of purchase.

10. Check out  class timetable & food tour dates

11. Thanks!!

Looking for a bigger kitchen to cook up your storm?

Rest your wooden spoon here.

The Sweet Greek kitchen is available for hire.

Cooking classes/demonstrations, recipe development, food styling/photography, corporate hire.

Lots of space, light & bright.

Domestic & commercial equipment available.

Seating and capacity for 14 – 20 people.

For more details or for an inspection appointment, please email us at info@thesweetgreek.com.au or contact Bill Peppos on 0413 514 362 to discuss.

Post Christmas leftovers (too many kourambiethes, melomakarona – yours and from the in-laws)

Christmas cherries in abundance (and as cheap as they’re gonna get)

Sweet tooth is whinging, again!

You got time on your side.
You are on holidays, after all.
And there’s no need to even go near an oven.
So, cherry-up baby!

Ingredients

Base
140g kourambiethes (or melomakarona)
85g soft butter

Filling
250g softened cream cheese
150g manouri cheese
½ cup icing sugar
250ml double cream
1/2 tspn lemon juice
1 tspn vanilla extract

Topping
2 cups pitted fresh black cherries
2 cups sugar

Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they begin to form crumbs, then add the butter and whiz again to make the mixture clump.
Press this mixture into a 20cm springform tin; press a little up the sides to form a slight ridge.
Beat together the cheeses, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth.
Lightly whip the double cream, and then fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the biscuit base and smooth with a spatula.
Put it in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.

To make the topping:
Place cherries and sugar in a saucepan and gently heat, stirring frequently until sugar has dissolved and cherries are soft and caramelized.
Cool.

When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, unmould it and spread the black cherry over the top.

Join Vicki Peppos and learn how to ‘open’ your own fillo to use for the classics – Tiropita (3 cheese pita) & Spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pita), as well as a selection of other favorites such as Kreatopita (lamb and cheese pita), Prasopita (leek and onion pita), Kolokithopita (zucchini pita), sweet, syrup soaked walnut and cinnamon pita or a beautiful Cypriot Anaropita (sweet cheese pita) with pistachios and rosewater!…we even get daring with stinging nettle (tsouknida), milk thistle (zohous) or vlita (amaranth)!

[nb. All ingredients are subject to seasonality & availability]

Class Dates:

Sun 6 May 2012, 10am – 2pm SOLD OUT!
Sun 3 June 2012, 10am – 2pm SOLD OUT!
Sun 1 July 2012, 10am – 2pm SOLD OUT!
Sun 5 Aug 2012, 10am – 2pm SOLD OUT!

Cost:
$140 (excludes shopping trip)

Click here to join the class.