Me: what’s for dinner tonight?

Dad: papoutsakia

Me: LOL!

And on it went!

Basically to the uninitiated, the dish is eggplants stuffed with cooked mince meat and topped with a cheesy, béchamel sauce. The dish receives its name because the eggplants look like little shoes when they are cooked.

I like to think of this dish as a mini moussaka. Ok, I know there are no potatoes or zucchini present but the taste is quite similar.

Pastitsio will always be my true and first love but these stuffed eggplant come a good second. It must have something to do with the béchamel sauce. It just “makes it”.

The dish might seem a little rich, especially for summer but this is when eggplants are at their peak. I also like to prepare these a day ahead and serve them up the next day.  Heat them up in a warm oven or let them come to room temperature and serve them with a nice Greek salad and some crusty bread.

And like most things in Greek cooking nothing goes to waste. The scooped flesh from the eggplants is added to the meat sauce. I also like to spice up my sauce by adding a little cinnamon and ground cloves.

The béchamel is enhanced by adding grated kefalotyri. This hard, salty cheese adds another level to the whole dish. If you can’t find kefalotyri you can easily substitute Parmesan, pecorino or Romano.

PAPOUTSAKIA RECIPE-stuffed eggplants

• 2 medium-large eggplants
• 250 grams of minced beef
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 stalk of celery finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 250 grams of canned tomatoes (passata is good and freshly grated tomatoes even better)
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp ground cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup of water

Béchamel sauce recipe

• 30 grams butter
• 1 tbsp of plain flour
• 1 cup of lukewarm milk
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 100 grams of grated kefalotyri cheese

1.  Cut the eggplants in half. Using a pairing knife score the around the inner flesh leaving a small border. Using a spoon carefully scoop out the flesh. Dice the scooped flesh and set aside.
2. Fry the eggplant halves in a little olive oil. This is to soften the flesh. Fry each side on a medium heat for 5 mins. Once cooked place the eggplant halves on a pre oiled baking tray.
3. Pour a little olive oil in a medium sized pot and fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until the mixture becomes translucent.
4. Add the diced eggplant and saute for a few mins until softened. Add the beef mince and break it up using a wooden spoon. Once the meat is browned add the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, salt and pepper and the water. Bring to a boil and allow the sauce to simmer for 30 mins.
5. Whilst the sauce is simmering prepare the béchamel. Add the butter to a small pot. Once it melts add the flour and stir continuously for a few mins. (we want to remove the flour taste from the roux). Add the lukewarm milk to the flour/butter mixture and stir vigorously. Add the nutmeg and cheese and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Set aside.
6. Fill the eggplant halves with the meat sauce. Top with béchamel and bake in a pre heated 180 deg C oven for 40 mins or until browned on top. Allow to cool a little before serving or alternatively serve the next day.

Another question I get often, is if the food I cook reflects my diet/lifestyle. I think what they really mean is “do you eat all those pavlovas you cook?”. LOL

When it comes to sweets/cakes I of course eat it to make sure it’s ok, however the rest gets donated to neighbours and friends.  (there is no way I’d be able to keep my trim physique!)

I love cooking (and eating!) but I try to limit everything and keep it all in balance.

Take the gazpacho soup I made recently. There was no way I was going to gobble all that down. It would’ve taken me a whole week! Instead I gave it to a friend who has a huge love for cold soups.

Sometimes I plan my creations, other times they come by accident.

This Cajun-style salmon souvlaki I whipped up earlier today, came about because I was doing a mini clean up of the fridge.

“Oops!…there’s two more fillets of salmon still left” I thought. I also notice some roasted peppers staring from the back.

So with a little Cajun seasoning, a few spare skewers lying in my draw a new souvlaki was born. I accompanied this with a tomato and spring onion salad and lunch was promptly served! (it also gave me an opportunity to show off my new darker dramatic backdrops).

These salmon souvlaki were wonderful. The Cajun spices worked wonders against the juicy flesh. The only other thing I did was drizzle a little olive oil with a squeeze of lime juice on top. Tangy, summer-y, refreshing and tasty! (and yes I ate them all with great gusto!).

CAJUN STYLE SALMON SOUVLAKI RECIPE

I won’t be giving out any quantities…adjust those to the number of people you’re serving.  N.B. The salmon cubes cook really quickly.  A few mins on each side in a grill pan or bbq is sufficient. Anything more and they become dry. Also if you plan on using raw vegetables, perhaps think about cooking them beforehand, otherwise they won’t cook along with the salmon.

• salmon fillets, cubed
• Cajun spices or herbs of your choice
• roasted vegetables (good quality ones in a jar are fine)
• lemon or lime juice
• cracked black pepper
• a drizzle of olive oil

1. Coat the salmon cubes in Cajun spices and thread on pre soaked bamboo skewers, alternating with roasted peppers or vegetable of choice
2. Cook for two mins on each side
3. Serve witha  drizzle of olive oil, cracked pepper and a good squeeze of lime juice.

My recent blog post on salmon burgers prepared with home made brioche buns, really got a lot of attention.

Generally though, I find I have been quite slack with recipes for salmon here at Souvlaki For The Soul.  Looking through the archives, I realised that prior to the burgers, I had only prepared this herbed crusted salmon dish!

Today’s recipe is a bit of a “mish mash” of influences. How about describing it as a  Japanese/Greek medley of flavours? 

Obviously, the soy, mirin and soba are all Japanese ingredients but where does the Greek component come in? It’s the petimezi.

Petimezi is otherwise known as grape molasses. It has a very similar texture to maple syrup and is often described as “grape honey“. It’s derived from cooking down grape must (known as “mousto” in Greek) to produce a dark, sweet syrup.

I had always thought that petimezi and mousto were the same but apparently not. It has been around since ancient times so you know this must be good!

You’ll often find petimezi being used in cakes and biscuits and I’m keen to get creative and play around with this sweet, mysterious liquid.

The recipe today is really easy and most of all quite flexible. I marinated the salmon fillets in a mixture of soy, petimezi, garlic, chilli and mirin. I baked them in a hot oven and it all it took was ten minutes to get them to perfection. Just be wary not to overlook the salmon as it will lose its delicate flavour.

The soba noodles were lying about in the pantry so I added these to the dish for a little carbohydrate comfort. If you’ve never cooked with soba noodles before just a word of warning when you’re cooking them. They are not like pasta at all. These buckwheat beauties are ready within three to four minutes of hitting the pot. So keep an eye on them.

I gave them a quick rinse under cold water and dressed them immediately in the remaining marinade. I then added the cooked salmon on top and enjoyed this cross cultural dish. If you’re feeling particularly “zen” serve this dish with some green tea or perhaps some Greek mountain tea (more on that soon!).

If any Greeks are looking at these pictures they will immediately recognise this as “βανιλια” or “βανιλια υποβρυχιο”. This literally translates as vanilla and vanilla submarine.

In Greece, vanilla fondant is often served as a “spoon sweet”. You dip your spoon in the fondant, scoop a little, dunk it in a glass of cold water and lick it like a lollipop. The longer it’s exposed, the softer it becomes and the easier it is to eat this sugary goodness! You also sip the water as you proceed to finish it off.

It comes in a basic vanilla flavour and there is also one that includes the famous mastic resin from the island of Chios.

I remember the first time I had a friend over from school and my mum served this on a hot day. He was beside himself!

To be really honest, I haven’t had it in years. It’s just when I saw it the other day I had to buy it. It reminds me of the seventies, the era of my childhood.  And it was something I wanted to share with you!

I know there are going to be people who look at this and think “I ain’t touching this stuff…it’s full of sugar”. Yes, it is full of sugar (and glucose) but it’s not something you’re going to indulge in everyday.

It’s a sweet treat best served on warmer days. And really when you consider it, it’s only a teaspoon!

If you happen to buy any of this stuff (look in your local Greek or Middle Eastern deli) make sure your water is nice and cold when you serve it. The rest is pretty self explanantory. Dip. Lick. Sip! (don’t try saying that too fast!…LOL!)

Cheers! And enjoy the weekend.

P.S. I just read the label and it says you can use it as a topping for cakes and biscuits. I think a batch of double vanilla cupcakes are in order soon!

Yesterday I made a mad dash across town and stocked up on a few Greek goods for the pantry. The two items I was eyeing off the most were the loukaniko (Greek word for sausage) and the imported haloumi cheese. The loukanika were a Cypriot variety called “pastourma”.

These are made with beef, red wine, coriander seeds,garlic and are quite “peppery” in flavour. (similar to pastrami but a lot stronger). I was quite excited about cooking with them as they were new to me.

I wanted something quick though. Something that would “hit the spot” and go down well with a nice cold beer.

My “lightbulb” moment came when I thought about the great “Tex-Mex” food I had on a recent trip to the United States.

“Let’s make quesadillas” I thought to myself. And I’m glad I did.

The last time I featured a “Tex-Mex” dish on this blog was when I made these prawn tacos with a kohlrabi slaw. And that was nearly two years ago!

I know that these aren’t strictly quesadillas as they aren’t made with tortillas. However, I think the Greek pita bread makes a fantastic substitute.

The loukaniko and haloumi quesadilla I concocted was a perfect balance of flavours and textures.

Spicy sausage. Soft, warm,cheese. Sweet, char grilled peppers. All wrapped in gorgeous Greek pita bread. I finished it off with a squeeze of lemon for a little ”tang” and sprinkled a little chopped parsley on top.

The recipe I have provided today doesn’t give specific amounts.  Adjust accordingly if you want to make more and/or if you prefer it without meat.

This little snack was perfection in my eyes and it got me thinking about the many other combinations you could come up with.

I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Xmas decorations up? Check
House cleaned? Check
Presents all wrapped? Check
Xmas menu worked out? Um…sort of.

 Surprisingly, for someone who cooks a lot I always have trouble deciding what to prepare. I change my mind every day! And I think a lot of that has to do with the weather at the moment.

My Xmas lunch won’t be anything “spectacular”. Nor do I have the inclination to invite long lost relatives around to talk about times gone by. My plan is to get together with friends and enjoy some simple home cooked food.

SAMPLE XMAS MENU
You may have seen my feature in Mowie’s online magazine yesterday entitled “Xmas in Oz”. I’m very proud of the menu I created. It’s a wonderful medley of Thai, Greek and Italian inspired dishes.

I even pay tribute to this beautiful country of ours and made a pavlova. I haven’t made a “pav” in years! I kept it pretty traditional and piled it high with summer berries, cream and passionfruit pulp. Don’t forget to check out the online magazine here.

MY TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST PAVLOVA

• Make sure your eggs are at room temperature
• Ensure your bowls are dry and clean. If there is any kind of moisture it will not allow the egg whites to aerate.
• Adding a little vinegar allows the meringue to become soft in the centre and crispy on the outside.
• Add the sugar gradually. You can do this a spoonful at a time and this ensures the meringue doesn’t end up “grainy”.
• Make sure you understand how your oven works! I pre heat my oven at a high temperature and then I reduce it when I put the pav in.
• Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven completely. Switch it off and leave it there…don’t be tempted to take it out too early. It will collapse and/or crack.

GREEK-IFYING THE PAVLOVA
The recipe today definitely treads on different territory.  Some people may not like what I have done to “tradition”.   In my attempt to “Greek-ify” dishes I’ve made smaller pavlovas and topped them with thick, Greek yoghurt and poached figs. The fresh figs have been poached in a spicy, warm sugar syrup made with cinnamon and cloves. You can’t get more Xmas than that!

The yoghurt may not suit everyone but I love its tangy taste. It provides a perfect foil for the sweet, poached figs. Give it a go. I’m sure you will love it.

“MINI” PAVLOVA RECIPE 

(makes 8-10 smaller pavlovas…these aren’t very small. Think of them as medium sized.  I serve them individually to guests as dessert.)

Poached figs

• 5 fresh figs, washed and cut in half
• 2 cups, cold water
• 2 cups, brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves

1. Place the sugar, water and spices in a saucepan on a medium heat.  Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved.  Bring to a boil and drop in the cut figs.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Once the figs are cooked remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Allow to cool completely before serving them on top of the pavlovas.

• 4 egg whites at room temperature
• 220 grams of caster sugar
• A pinch of sea salt
• 2 tsp corn flour
• 1 tsp of vinegar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

1. Take an 10cm round side plate and draw an outline around it on some baking paper. (repeat this process ten more times-you will need 2 pieces of baking paper).
2. Turn the baking paper over and pre heat your oven to 180 deg C.
3. Place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk until they are stiff. With the mixer still running, add the salt and proceed to add the sugar a little at a time until the egg whites are glossy and thick.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the corn flour, vinegar and vanilla and proceed to shape the pavlovas on the drawn circles on the baking paper. Ensure there is a little height when creating them.
5. Place the pavlovas in the oven and turn the temperature down to 150 deg C. Cook for 30 minutes and then drop the temperature down to 120 and cook for a further 30 minutes. Turn your oven off and allow them to cool in the oven.
6. Once cooled (preferably overnight) dress the pavlovas with Greek yoghurt and then poached figs.  (Garnishing with a clove is optional)

G’day everyone!  You might find this post a little “lacking” today and that’s because I’m over at “The Leftover Queen” doing a guest post for her.  I’m showcasing a Greek sweet snack known as pasteli.  Head on over to Jenn’s blog and read my post.

Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Today marks the first day of Spring here in Australia. Whilst it’s all fine and dandy to harp on about “rejuvenation” and “reinvigoration” my sinuses think otherwise!  Yes, I’m one of those sinus sufferers that looks forward to this time of the year with mixed emotions. As we speak, my eyes are watering and I have this uncontrollable urge to sneeze madly. I can also feel that my body is weaker.  You see, my sinus pains usually end up turning into a cold. Double whammy!

I’m not going to feel sorry for myself either.  I’m going to combat this the best way I know. Soup. And more specifically, “kotosoupa” or chicken soup. A quick look through Souvlaki For The Soul and I realise that I have never featured a recipe for chicken soup!  To me, chicken soup is the perfect “pick me up” food. There has been a lot written about its therapeutic qualities and how it can help boost the immune system in battling colds and flus. I’m not too sure what the exact science is behind it but I suspect it has to do with a number of things. I’m sure we’ve all been sick at some point and suddenly felt better when mum (or dad) has served up a nice, warm batch of chicken soup. I know it can come across as a bit of a cliche but I know I instantly feel better when I hungrily tuck into a bowl of this wonder food.

I know that every country has its own version of chicken soup. Traditionally, I’ve seen it served with noodles but in my household it was always made with rice. And it was always finished off with the traditional avgolemono sauce that Greeks are renowned for. (you can find instructions to make avgolemono on my giouvarlakia recipe). However, in the last few years I’ve shunned finishing the chicken soup off with this egg-lemon sauce. I like to really enjoy the broth and consider myself a bit of a “broth guy”. I still use rice and sometimes I even use Jasmine rice for something a little different. I also like to further flavour my chicken soup with carrots, celery and onions. And I always squeeze some fresh lemon juice right at the end to give it a slight tang. The hardest part is trying to serve up that “perfect bowl”. It has to be the right amount of broth, chicken, rice and veggies. (I’m a little fussy like that!).  I’m sure there are numerous ways to make chicken soup. What’s your favourite?