June 2017
Fresh Artichoke Salad – Aginarosaláta
Artichokes, which grow in abundance in the Cretan countryside in spring, feature in floral motifs on Minoan frescoes.
INGREDIENTS
- 5-6 young tender artichokes, quartered
- 3 lemons
- olive oil
- vinegar
Cretan Dakos Koukouvágia (Owl)
INGREDIENTS
- 5-6 small barley rusks (dakos)
- 1 tomato
- 1 piece feta cheese
- 2-3 tbs olive oil
- salt
- onion
- oregano
Stuffed Courgette Flowers – Kolokythanthí
The ancient Greeks would thank the gods for a good harvest with an offering of 'panspermia,' a dish of mixed beans and pulses.
INGREDIENTS
- 20 courgette flowers
- 150 gr white rice (glace)
- 2 ssp dill, finely chopped
- 1 ssp mint, finely chopped
- 30 gr onion, grated
- 30 gr carrot, grated
- 30 gr courgette, grated
- 30 gr tomato, grated
- 200 gr potatoes, sliced
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 pinches pepper
- 200 ml olive oil
- 100 ml fresh lemon juice
Octopus with Fennel
Crowns of mint were worn at religious ceremonies and sprigs used to scent bath water. Athletes used crushed mint leaves to relieve soreness after games. Mint eases indigestion and helps relieve nausea.
Octopus with Fennel - Htapódi me máratho
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg fresh octopus or 2-3 smaller ones
- 240 ml dry red wine
- 3-4 tbs olive oil
- 1 bunch wild fennel, leaves and stalks, coarsely chopped or
- 2 fennel bulbs, finely sliced
- 1ó cup flat-leaved parsley, chopped
- 2-3 cup cracked green olives (Cretan)
Grouper with Okra
Before electricity and refrigeration, monasteries preserved fish by frying it olive oil and dressing it in with a sauce of home-made vinegar and rosemary.
Grouper with Okra - Rofós me bámies
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg okra, washed
- 240 ml strained lemon juice for fish and the okra
- 1 kg whole fish, preferably grouper, scaled and cleaned
- salt
- pepper, freshly ground
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 tbs olive oil
- 750 gr tomatoes, skinned & grated
- 3 tbs parsley, chopped
Rabbit with Onions
Byzantine emperors used bay leaves to enhance the body of red wines.
Rabbit with Onions - Stifádo
INGREDIENTS
- 2.5-3 kg rabbit (or hare)
- 3 kg small pickling onions
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 bowl finely chopped tomatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 glass red wine
- 1 cup olive oil
Snails in Tomato Sauce
A favorite Cretan dish is deep-fried (boubouristous) snails – a name inspired by the loud sizzle of moist snails tossed into hot oil.
Snails in Tomato Sauce - Hohlií
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg large snails
- 4-5 tomatoes
- 4 onions
- 500 gr small zucchini
- 300 gr potatoes, cut in four pieces
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 3 sprig rosemary
- 6 garlic cloves
- salt & pepper
Boureki – Kolokythobúreko
Courgettes and a soft white cheese are the basic ingredients of boureki, a dish to which all cooks add their own special touches.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg courgettes
- 1 kg potatoes
- 1/2 kg feta cheese
- 3 cups olive oil
- mint leaves
- fresh cream
- salt & pepper
- pastry sheets (fyllo)
The following abbreviations have been used in the recipes:
tsp | teaspoon | 5 gr |
ssp | soupspoon | 10 gr |
tbs | tablespoon | 15 gr |
cup | liquid e.g. honey | 140 gr |
cup | rice / sugar | 200 gr |
cup | butter | 220 gr |
cup | cheese (grated) | 120 gr |
cup | nuts (chopped) | 150 gr |
Gas | O F | O C |
1 | 275 | 140 |
2 | 300 | 150 |
3 | 325 | 170 |
4 | 350 | 180 |
5 | 375 | 190 |
6 | 400 | 200 |
7 | 425 | 220 |
8 | 450 | 230 |
9 | 475 | 240 |
oz / pints | ml |
2 | 55 |
3 | 75 |
5 (1/4 pint) | 150 |
10 (1/2 pint) | 275 |
20 (1 pint) | 570 |
25 (11/4 pint) | 725 |
13/4 pints | 1 litre |