Darina Allen: The flavours of Greece make the perfect summer food
Greek food is like sunshine on a plate.
I'm just longing to jump on a plane and spend a few days in Greece or puttering around the Aeolian Islands. Imagine those clear skies and azure blue seas and little tavernas by the seas with spanking fresh grilled fish, sizzling saganaki, a freshly chopped Greek Salad — gorgeous sunny Summer food. I've never been to Greece in winter but I also love those rich bean soups, lamb and beef stifados, and an occasional pork or wild boar and butter bean stew.
The closest I'll come to that in the near future is a trip down memory lane with Rosemary Barron's . It was originally published in 1991 but it has never gone out of print and has recently been republished by Grub Street.
Many books have been written on Greek food since then but Rosemary's book is still considered to be the most authentic and authoritative collection of Greek recipes.
In the 1980s, Rosemary owned a cooking school in a 450-year-old village house on the island of Crete — the first of its kind in Greece and described by Vogue as one of the best cooking schools in Europe.
Her recent courses on Santorini explore the foods and flavours of Greek antiquity. Contact her at rosemary.barron@googlemail.com
Greek summer dishes are just the sort of food I am loving at present. A selection of mezze to set taste buds tingling.
Mezze can be a simple or an elaborate selection, so easy to put together: 5 to 25 dishes — marinated Kalamata olives, chunks of feta or kefalotiri cheese, radishes, toasted salted almonds, taramasalata, hummus, broad beans, aubergine in many guises, spanakopita (little filo pastry pies) stuffed with meat, vegetables or cheese, peppered figs, dolma wrapped in grape leaves, octopus, smoked eel, tiny fried fish. Serve with lots of pitta or flatbread and a glass of crisp Greek wine.
I’m also dreaming of Avgolemono — a delicate and comforting chicken and rice soup, light and refreshing for Summer evenings. I can virtually smell Souvlaki — chunks of pork marinated with juniper and coriander, a dash of red wine and lots of garlic and oregano charring over the charcoal.
Grilled Kephtedes (spicy beef and lamb patties) are also irresistible with a dollop of tzatziki and of course a Greek Salad — chunks of sweet ripe tomato, cucumber and spring onion dressed with gutsy Greek olive oil, and freshly-squeezed lemon juice.
Follow with a platter of deliciously ripe fresh summer fruit and berries on a bed of fig or grape leaves served with some Mizithra cheese and Hymettus honey — divine.
Simple as it sounds, it can be very difficult to reproduce here in Ireland when it's so difficult to find ripe figs and stone fruit in summer but a platter of ripe fresh local berries would be sublime if you can find them. Watch out, despite what you might think, Driscoll's fruit doesn’t come from Skibbereen or any other local farm — it comes all the way from a humongous farm in California! Try to find Irish summer berries.
A traditional favourite in Greek homes and tavernas, avgolemono soup has its origins back in antiquity and is a perfect lunch with crusty bread - light, nourishing and elegant Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Cuisine Ingredients 1.6l rich chicken stock 50g short-grain rice (optional) 4 eggs, separated juice of 2 large lemons sea salt freshly-ground white pepper 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve Method Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan. (If using rice, add to the stock, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked). Five minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with a wire whisk or electric mixer until stiff. Whisk in the egg yolks, add the lemon juice and whisk for 1 extra minute. Hold a ladleful of the hot soup broth about 30cm above the bowl and slowly add it to the eggs and lemon juice, whisking constantly. (This trick helps prevent curdling the egg mixture, because by the time the broth reaches the bowl, it is hot but not boiling). Off the heat, whisk the egg and lemon juice sauce into the soup. Do not return the soup to the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the parsley and serve at once.Chicken avgolemono soup
This recipe is from Flavours of Greece by Rosemary Barron, published by Grub Street.
This is a simple and easy-to-prepare dish packed with flavour - the meat is marinated in a blend of coriander, juniper berries and mustard, grilled with perfumed bay leaves and garnished with fresh coriander Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Cuisine Ingredients 1.2kg boneless lean pork from the tenderloin or leg 1 tbsp coriander seeds 6 juniper berries 3 tbsp aged red wine vinegar ½ tsp powdered mustard 115ml extra virgin olive oil 18 bay leaves, each broken in half 1 tbsp honey cracked black pepper coarse-grain sea salt For serving: coarsely chopped fresh leaves, coriander or watercress purslane sprigs lemon wedges Tsatsiki Method Cut the meat into 2.5cm cubes and trim off any fat and sinew. Pound the coriander seeds and juniper berries in a small mortar until crushed and well mixed. Combine with the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, and whisk in the olive oil. Combine the meat and marinade in a non-reactive bowl, mix together with your hands and cover. Set aside for 2-3 hours. Prepare the fire (barbecue). Remove the meat from the marinade and thread alternatively with the bay leaves onto 6 skewers. Whisk the honey into the marinade and baste the meat liberally with this sauce, then sprinkle it with pepper. Set a grill rack 10cm above the hot coals and lightly brush with olive oil. Grill the souvlakia until lightly browned on all sides, then raise the grill 5cm. Grill 10-15 minutes longer, basting frequently or until the souvlakia are cooked. Arrange on a warm platter, sprinkle with salt, pepper, fresh coriander and surround with the lemon wedges.Greek pork souvlaki
This recipe is from Flavours of Greece by Rosemary Barron published by Grub Street.
In the Greek version of this crisp refreshing salad, large amounts of garlic and flat-leaf parsley are used or, better still, fresh mint which gives a light fragrant flavour Servings Preparation Time Total Time Course Cuisine Ingredients 1 large cucumber, peeled ½ tbsp sea salt, or more to taste 300ml yoghurt 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice freshly ground white pepper 2 large garlic, finely chopped 5 tbsp fresh mint leaves or coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley or 2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed Method Using a knife, food-processor or mandoline, slice the cucumber into julienne (matchsticks). Sprinkle with salt and set aside in a colander for 1 hour to drain. Combine the yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, beat the yoghurt sauce with a wooden spoon until smooth. Tear the mint leaves into small pieces. Dry the cucumber by gently squeezing it between paper towels, don't worry if the cucumber bruises — it is more important to avoid a watery salad. Combine with the yoghurt mixture and mint, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.Tzatziki
This recipe is from Flavours of Greece by Rosemary Barron published by Grub Street.
Barbecued Greek lamb and beef meatballs
Spicy beef and lamb patties are a traditional centrepiece for many outdoor parties and village gatherings - highly flavoured and delicious with aubergine dishes, tzatziki and fried potatoes
Servings
6Preparation Time
1 hours 20 minsCooking Time
8 minsTotal Time
1 hours 28 minsCourse
MainCuisine
GreekIngredients
350g lean beef, finely minced
350g lean lamb, finely minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp dried oregano (rigani), briefly pounded in a small mortar
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
75g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 tbsp mustard seeds or ½ teaspoon powdered mustard
4 tbsp dry red wine or 2 tbsp aged red wine vinegar
coarse grain sea salt
cracked black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
For serving:
2 small red or mild onions, quartered and thinly sliced
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, skinned and cut into small dice
½ medium cucumber, peeled and cut into small dice
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp sumac or 1 tsp paprika and a large pinch of cayenne pepper
watercress sprigs
lemon wedges
Method
Combine the beef, lamb, onion, parsley, oregano (rigani), thyme and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the mustard seeds in a small dry frying pan over a low heat until a few pop. Pulverise them in a mortar or spice grinder. Mix this powder with the wine and add to the meat, along with salt and pepper. Knead the mixture for a few minutes, tightly cover, and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
Prepare the fire (barbeque).
Moisten your hands with cold water and shape the meat mixture into 12 balls, flattening each one into a 2cm thick patty.
Oil a grill rack and place it 10-12cm above the hot coals. Grill the kephtedes, basting frequently with olive oil, for about 8 minutes, until browned and crusty on both sides but still moist and pink in the centre.
Combine the onion, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, sumac and salt and pepper to taste and spread this mixture over a platter. Arrange the kephtedes on top, sprinkle with olive oil to taste and surround with the watercress and lemon wedges.
This recipe is from Flavours of Greece by Rosemary Barron published by Grub Street.
Fragrant apricot ice cream
Make this rich ice cream in early summer when apricots are ripe and sweet - serve with toasted almonds and accompanied by glasses of sweet Samos liqueur
Servings
6Preparation Time
20 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
30 minsCourse
DessertIngredients
900g fresh apricots
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g aromatic honey (such as Hymettus) or to taste
3 eggs, separated
175ml double cream
2 tbsp Samos liqueur or apricot ratafia (optional)
To serve:
toasted slivered almonds
a few citrus blossoms or borage flowers or other fragrant, decorative flowers
Method
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Drop the apricots into the boiling water, remove the saucepan from the heat, count to 3, then carefully remove the apricots with a slotted spoon. Peel with a small paring knife, cut each in half and discard the pits. If they are not quite ripe, bring about 115ml of water to the boil in a heavy saucepan, add the apricots and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Process the apricots until smooth in a food-processor. Add the vanilla and most of the honey. Add the remaining honey to taste and add some of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary to produce a mixture of consistency of double cream.
Place 225ml of this purée in a non-reactive bowl, tightly cover and refrigerate. Whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale and gradually add the remaining purée, whisking constantly. Transfer to a small heavy saucepan. Heat over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to lightly coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl. Let cool.
Whisk the double cream until slightly thickened and lightly whisk in the cooled custard. Transfer to an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the mixture is almost frozen, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, fold into the custard and freeze until firm.
Add the liqueur to the reserved purée. Stir in the honey to taste if desired and add some of the reserved juice or water if necessary to give a pouring consistency.
To serve, spoon the sauce onto chilled plates, place small scoops of ice cream in the centre of the sauce, and sprinkle with the toasted almonds and blossoms. Serve immediately.
Note: You can also freeze this ice cream in the freezer. Pour the cooled custard into stainless-steel pans and freeze, stirring occasionally, until almost firm. Whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks and fold them into the custard until thoroughly combined. Freeze until firm.
This recipe is from Flavours of Greece by Rosemary Barron, published by Grub Street
HOT TIPS
African food is super-hot at present — It’s really having a moment as we all discover a whole new cuisine here. Malawian born activist and Ballymaloe Cookery School 12-week graduate, Ellie Kisyombe, has created a range of hot (and pasta) sauces inspired by Africa and made here in Ireland. A variety of tempting flavours including Extra Extra Hot Chilli Sauce, Mild Lemon and Herb Hot Sauce, Smokey Lemon Hot Sauce. Seek them out: each hot sauce will perk up your summer dishes deliciously.
See @ellieskitchenhomeedition on Instagram
We hope to recommence some afternoon classes later this summer with limited numbers following all Government guidelines.
The Farm and Gardens are bursting with wonderful fruit and vegetables — it is a joyous time of the year to cook. Rory will grill mackerel and serve with a nasturtium leaf and flower butter — peppery courgette carpaccio with rocket leaves and parmesan will pair beautifully with this.
For main course, a roast chicken salad with french beans and tarragon will be served with new potatoes and roast aubergines, ricotta and mint.
Peaches will be made into an ice and popsicles served with a compote of cherries and pistachio nougatine. Strawberries will be stuffed with lemon basil, and peppermint leaves will be dipped into chocolate and served iced from the freezer
cookingisfun.ie or telephone 021 4646 785
Camus Farm Pop-Up Camus Farm is a 30-acre organic farm with 3 large stone-built barns dating from 1850 – a wonderfully biodiverse farm with rare breed cattle, native trees/hedges and traditional grassland meadows filled with wildflowers. Camus is in rural West Cork close to Inchydoney and the town of Clonakilty. Look out for their pop-op dinner dates in their outdoor Field Kitchen Restaurant – a delicious no-choice menu cooked by Bob Cairns from produce grown on the farm and local area.
For more information, see camusfarm.ie or telephone 023 886 9199
