Octopus with Honey and Saffron

Saffron goes really well with all seafood, bringing out their delicate taste. This dish becomes delicious with the use of honey. Mop up the thick sauce with pasta or some fresh rustic bread.

Ingredients:

1kg octopus, fresh or frozen
2 onions
1 clove garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can 400g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp honey
1 pinch of saffron
1 glass red wine
1 bay leaf
salt, pepper, olive oil

Procedure:

• Dice the tomatoes
• Finely chop the onions and garlic

1. Wash the octopus well, remove the eyes, cut out the beak and clean the head. It is best to freeze the octopus before you use it to tenderize it. Let it thaw in the fridge the night before use.

2. Put the octopus in a deep pot with a little water and the bay leaf and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until it turns red. If you are serving it with pasta, cut it into smaller pieces.

3. Pour the wine into the pot and simmer for another hour, or until the octopus is tender.

4. In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Sauté the onions with the saffron in 4 tbsp of olive oil and when they are transparent add the tomato paste and the garlic. 

5. Swirl a few times to dilute the paste, add the chopped tomatoes and honey and simmer for about 10 minutes until there is little fluid left.

6. About 10 minutes before the octopus is done pour the sauce in the pot and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

7. Eat it with pasta or on its own as a “meze”.

Shrimp with Tomato and Feta Cheese - Garides Saganaki

Seafood in tomato sauce is a classic preparation in Greece. Topped with feta ,this dish is really something else! For the lovers of shrimp a must, as the sweetness is counterbalanced deliciously with the acidity of the feta! A recipe that is most tasty with one day of maturity on its back.

Ingredients:

75 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, cut in cubes
675 gr ripe tomatoes, deseeded, chopped
1 pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
450 gr large shrimps
3 sprigs fresh parsley chopped
75 gr feta cheese cut in cubes
salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions for a few minutes on low temperature.
• Add the pepper and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper to the pan. Let boil on low temperature for about 15 minutes, stirring all along, until the sauce thickens. 
• Add the shrimps and parsley to the sauce, and then empty all of it in a fireproof utensil.
• Sprinkle with cheese and bake for almost 30 minutes, or until most liquid is evaporated.
• Serve hot and accompany with a green salad.

Seafood Pasta

Seafood and pasta are a great match and a delicious combination.  This spicy version is bursting with flavor.

Ingredients:

100 ml olive oil
300 gr cleaned squid, cut into rings, plus tentacles
350 gr monkfish, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large tomato, skinned and finely chopped
½ tsp paprika or pimenton
18 raw tiger prawns in their shells
300 gr spaghetti, broken in half
3 pints hot fish stock

For the Picada
2 garlic cloves, pureed
3 Tbs minced fresh parsley

Procedure:

Heat the oil in a paella or wide pan, then cook the squid and monkfish for 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, tomato, paprika and a little salt and cook gently for 5 minutes more.

Add the prawns and mussels and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add the pasta and stock, bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Skim off any scum with a slotted spoon.

In a pestle and mortar, pound together the garlic and parsley.

Stir the picada into the paella pan, and  serve. 

Slovenian Goulash

Goulash is an Eastern European soup that is hearty, heavy and, oh so tasty. Buy some fresh bread, or bake your own, and serve it for a winter weekend lunch or dinner! One of those Mediterranean dishes that glorify the simple and modest!

Ingredients:

1 lbs lean beef
1 lbs lean veal (or all beef)
3 tbsp fat ( butter, olive oil, or lard)
1 large onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 cup strained tomatoes
8 small peeled potatoes

Procedure:

• Cut meat in cubes
• Chop onions in brunoise

1. Heat the cooking fat well in a large casserole. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and brown carefully on all sides, making sure that you add few pieces at a time so as not to make the temperature drop.

2. Add the onions and sauté stirring occasionally to cook evenly.

3. Add seasonings and strained tomatoes. (If necessary add one cup of water.)

4. Cover and simmer on medium to low heat for about 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

5. Add potatoes one hour into the cooking. 

6. Serve hot in a large soup bowl!

Red pepper soup with olives, lemon rind & yoghurt

The aroma of smoke in the roasted red peppers give this soup an exquisite taste

Ingredients:

• 4 red peppers (capsicums), cut in half lengthways and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the flat of α knife
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or
• 400 gr (14 oz) tinned tomatoes, chopped
• 300 gr (101/2 oz) plain Greek yogurt
• 40 g (1/3 cup) pitted black olives, roughly chopped
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped

Procedure:

Preheat the grill (broiler) to high.

Line a large oven tray with foil and arrange the peppers, skin side up, in a single layer.

Grill for about 30 minutes until the skin has darkened in places and swelled up and the peppers are soft.

Υου might need to move them around οn the tray so they are evenly grilled or' remove the halves that are blackened and !eave some ίin for longer.

 Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (or put in a plastic bag and seal) and leave to sweat for 10 minutes to make peeling easier.

Peel off the skin.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic and onion for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato and cook until it begins to bubble.

Add the pepper halves, tearing them into large chunks as you put them in the pan.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add 750 ml (3 cups) water and bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat and purée.

The soup should be fairly thick: if it seems too watery, simmer uncovered for a while for a longer.

If it seems toο thick, add a little more water.

Check the seasoning and serve the soup hot with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of chopped olives, lemon rind and rosemary. 

Cranberry Beans Stew with Potatoes, Peppers and Sausage

This dish is  filling and healthy; eat on a cold day with a thick piece of country bread torn off a fresh loaf.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dried cranberry beans soaked overnight and drained
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut
1 sweet Italian chicken sausage, cut in slices
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
4 thyme sprigs
pinch of crushed red pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

Procedure:

In a large saucepan, cover the beans with 3 inches of cold water and bring to a boil.

Cook over moderate heat until the beans are barely tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onion, bell pepper and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add the sausage and cook for 4 minutes, crumbling it with a fork. 

Add the beans, tomatoes, stock, thyme and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.

Cover partially and simmer over moderate heat until the beans are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes, cover partially and cook until tender, about 15 minutes longer.

Stir in the parsley, if you like, and serve.

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