Spinach Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Feta
Recipe by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger:
Photograph by Romulo Yanes
Ingredients:
Serves4 (main course) or 8 (first course or side dish)
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram or oregano
* 1 large eggplant, trimmed and cut into 8 (2.5cm -thick) rounds
* 350 g baby spinach
* 100 g crumbled feta (1/4 lb)
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Method:
*Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas).
* Whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, marjoram, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a small bowl.
*Brush both sides of eggplant slices with some of dressing. Season with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill eggplant, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cut into pieces.
*Toss spinach with enough dressing to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add eggplant, feta, and pine nuts and toss again.
Notes: Eggplant can be grilled, in batches if necessary, in a lightly oiled hot grill pan over medium-high heat. Eggplant can be grilled 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.
The slightly sweet, almost flowery flavor of marjoram adds a delicate note to this Middle Eastern-inspired salad, though oregano is also fine. To be sure the eggplant is tender, slice into it before taking it off the grill—when properly done, it will be moist all the way through.
Read MoreTurkish Coffee
Ingredients:
(per one demistasse cup)
1 cup water
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs finely ground coffee
Method:
1.Measure water and sugar in small saucepan (jezve). Dissolve the sugar in the water by bringing the mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in coffee. Return to heat and bring slowly back to a boil.
2.When the coffee begins to rise up remove from heat. Do not boil it. There should be a thick sediment on the bottom and a brown froth on the top.
3.Best way to Drink: Serve the coffee by pouring gradually into each cup to evenly distribute the sediment. Amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste.
Note: This is not coffee for faint-hearted! It is strong, but with full flavour. Coffee itself has to be finely ground into a powder (many modern grinders can’t grind so finely, so having one of the old-fashioned original style grinders is good idea). As it is not filtered, let the sediment settle and then sip over it. Traditionally, and ideally, it is cooked in copper jezve (conical coffee pot with a long handle) which enhances the flavour of coffee and is served in small demistasse cups. Serve with Turkish delight and glass of water aside.
Cevapcici
Ingredients:
* 250 g ground beef
* 250 g ground pork
* 250 g ground lamb
* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
* 1 teaspoon salt
* Finely chopped onions, for garnish
Method:
1. Mix together beef, pork, lamb, garlic, chopped onions and salt until thoroughly combined.
2. Roll meat mixture into a long, 7-8 cm cylinders. Place on plastic wrap-lined plate, cover with more plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm. Note: Sausages can be frozen at this point. When ready to use, thaw or cook from the frozen state.
3. Broil “cevapcici” on a charcoal grill or a preheated oven broiler rack coated with cooking spray 4 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the middle. Or they can be pan fried in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over high heat for a total of about 8 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides.
4. Serve in warmed or grilled Greek-style pita bread on a bed of chopped onions. Add on a side a dollop of sour cream, ajvar, sliced fresh peppers or tomatoes.
Read MoreTurkish Delight
Ingredients:
350 ml water
Optional: substitute 30 ml water with rose water or add few drops of rose oil
100 ml orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon agar agar or vegetarian jelly crystals
450 g sugar
A few drops of pink or yellow food colouring (optional)
25g pistachios, skinned and finely chopped (optional)
1 oz/ 25g almonds, skinned and finely chopped (optional)
Icing sugar for dusting
Method:
1. Heat the water, orange and lemon juices in a heavy, non-stick saucepan.
2. Add the agar agar or vegetarian jelly crystals, and stir on a gentle heat until they have dissolved.
3. Add the sugar and food colouring, if using, and increase the heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the nuts, if using.
4. Remove from the heat and cool the mixture, stirring from time to time until it comes to room temperature.
5. Pour the mixture into a square or rectangular dish, and place the dish in a basin of ice-cold water. Cover the dish with a cloth, and leave it in the fridge until the Turkish delight has set.
6. Remove from the fridge and bring it back to room temperature. Cut into 24 squares using a greased knife, and dust with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container, or wrap in cellophane, tie with a colourful ribbon, and give to someone you love as a gift.
Note: Making Turkish delight – also known as locum – is complicated and labour-intensive, and many traditional recipes are closely guarded secrets of Turkish confectioners, whose families have followed them for centuries. This simplified recipe may not be as good as that served to the Sultans, but it is much lovelier than commercial ones. Do try it! Makes 24 pieces.
Read MoreGreek Lamb Kebabs
Ingredients:
1 kg lamb (Shoulder, roast, shank, etc.), cubed
Lamb Marinade:
1/4 cup of fresh rosemary, minced
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
Note: If you have to use dry herbs, crush them into a powder in a mortar and pestle and use less. How much less? That depends on the freshness of your dried herbs.
Method:
1. Combine all, except lamb, in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
2. In a plastic bag or any deep sided dish, add lamb and pour marinade over. Marinate for at least 2hours, preferably more (like 4).
3. When finished marinating, skewer meat cubes onto metal or wooden skewers. If using wood, make sure to soak for at least 20 minutes in warm water prior to cooking, to avoid charring.
4. Heat BBQ to medium high and grill for a few minutes on each side. Lamb should be served medium rare, so don’t cook it longer than 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Read MoreTzatziki
Ingredients:
1/2 of an English cucumber, partially peeled OR
1 whole cucumber – peeled and seeded
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt or regular yogurt strained through a cheesecloth)
1/3 cup sour cream
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tsp. dill weed (optional)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out all of the juice.
2. Mix all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cucumber.
3. Let stand in fridge for at least 1 hour.
4. Serve with pita chips as an appetizer or with Greek meatballs (recipe follows).
Read More