Ingredients (serves 2)

• olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , sliced
• 4 thin slices chorizo from the deli counter, cut into matchsticks
• a pinch chilli flakes
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 thick cod fillets or other sustainable white fish fish
• green beans cooked to serve

How to:

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan then cook the garlic and chorizo for a few minutes. Add the chilli and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, season.
2. Meanwhile rub the fish with a little more oil, season and grill or steam until cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Serve the fish with the sauce and green beans.

Recipe via BBC Olive Magazine February 2009

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 300gr pork tenderloin fillet
• 1 tbsp flour well seasoned
• 500ml chicken stock
• 100gr puy lentils
• olive oil
• 150ml white wine
• 1 lemon, 1/2 juiced 1/2 sliced
• a small bunch of parsley

How to:

1. Slice the pork into 4 pieces then gently pound flat under baking paper using a rolling pin. Dust with seasoned flour then shake off any excess. Set aside 125ml of the stock and bring the rest to a boil. Add the lentils and cook until just tender, about 15min. Drain and keep warm.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan and add 1tbs olive oil. Brown the pork on both sides and remove from the pan. Add the wine, 125ml stock and lemon juice to the pan and bring to a boil. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan and reduce by half; add the pork and the lemon slices. Heat through, then put the pork on top of the lentils and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.

Recipe via BBC Olive magazine February 2010

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 cauliflower head, separated into florets
• 25gr butter
• 1 tbsp milk
• Olive oil
• 2 x skin-on sea bass fillets
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For the olive sauce

• 50gr pitted Kalamata olives in brine
• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and dried
• a bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 tbs olive oil

How to:

1. Fill a large pan with water, bring to the boil, then add the cauliflower. Cover and simmer for 15 min until it is tender. Drain well, then tip into a food processor with the butter and blend to a purée. Add the milk to give it a nice smooth consistency. Season to taste.
   
2. Meanwhile, to make the olive sauce, finely chop the olives, anchovies and parsley. Place in a small bowl and stir in the olive oil.
3. Heat a frying pan with olive oil. When hot add the fish flesh-side down cook for 1/2 mins, then turn and cook skin down for about 6 min or until the skin is crisp and the fish is just cooked through.
4. Serve the fish with the cauliflower purée drizzled with some olive oil.
   

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 small courgettes, sliced very thinly lenghtways
• 1 garlic clove, grated finely
• 1 heaped tsp capers
• A few finely snipped fresh chives
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 140 gr oak-smoked salmon, sliced
• 200gr fresh egg spaghetti
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to:

1. Heat a griddle pan. When hot, griddle the courgette slices on each side in baches until deep golden greddle lines apper and they have dried out slightly. Season and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, capers, herbs, oil, lemon zest and juice and the smoked salmon. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions, drain loosely and tip back into the pan.
3. Add the courgette ribbons and the salmon mixture to the pan and toss everything together well. Leave for 5 min to allow the flavours to infuse, then serve garnished with the extra snipped chives.

On the 25th of March, Greeks have a double celebration. We celebrate the Greek Independence and The Annunciation (Evangelismos) of Virgin Mary.

The traditional dish of this day is Bakaliaros skordalia.

Ingredients

• 1kg of salt cod
• Sun flower oil for deep frying

For the batter

• 300 ml beer
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 egg white (beaten into meringue)
• 1 handful of parsley, chopped
• 3/4 cup of water

For the skordalia

• 3 large potatoes(boiled)
• 1 cup shelled walnuts
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tbsp white vinegar

How to:

The salted cod fish must be soaked in water for AT LEAST 24 hours, preferably 48 hours before cooking. This is necessary to leach out the salt. Change the water 2-3 times in a 24-hour period. If this is not done, the fish will be so salty that it will not be edible!

1. Remove the skin and any bones from the cod and discard. Flake the cod
2. In a bowl place the flour, parsley, beer and mix. Add the water gradually until the batter is thick. With a spoon mix in the meringue. Refrigerate for at least an hour before battering fish.
3. Mix the cod with the batter
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
5. Spoon the battered cod mix and fry in batches until golden brown.

Skordalia

Mash the potatoes with a fork. In a blender add the walnuts, garlic cloves, olive oil and blend to a paste. Add to the mashed potatoes, season with salt add the vinegar and stir gently. (You can omit the walnuts if you prefer your skordalia plain)

KALI OREXI!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 140g rice noodles
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 mins, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in hot water for 20 mins, drained and finely chopped
• 250g lean pork mince
• 1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 50ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• handful coriander, roughly chopped

How to:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the noodles. Cook for 4 mins, then drain well and set aside.
2. Heat a wok over high heat and add the groundnut oil. When it starts to smoke, add the garlic, ginger, finely chopped mushrooms and shrimps. Stir well for a few secs, add the mince and stir-fry. When the meat starts to turn brown, add the rice wine and mix well. Season with the dark and light soy sauce, pour in the stock and bring to the bubble.
3. After 1 min, season the pork with the toasted sesame oil, sprinkle over the spring onions and coriander, then stir in. Add the rice noodles and mix well. Serve in bowls and eat immediately, seasoned with a little more soy sauce if you like.

Recipe from the BBC Good Food Magazine April 2010

My sister Olga emailed me today this delicious and easy salmon recipe.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbs mustard
• a small bunch of dill
• 1 lemon (juice)
• 1 tbs honey
• 4 spring onions

For the potato and carrot mash

• 2 large potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 1 tbs olive oil

How to:

1. For the mash, half-fill a pot with water, add salt, cover and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and carrots to the boiling water, together with the sugar and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes on a moderate heat until the vegetables are tender.  Drain and mash vigorously, mixing in the olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and seasoning to taste.
2. In a blender add the mustard, dill, lemon juice, honey and the spring onions.
3. Place the salmon fillets in a heated skillet, turn them after 20 seconds pour the sauce over the fillets and cook for about five minutes over medium heat.

• 500gr lean beef mince
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon hot chilli powder
• 1 can tomatoes
• 125ml red wine
• 150ml beef stock
• 1 x 410gr can red kidney beans in water, drained and rinsed
• 6 tablespoons smoky BBQ sauce
• 4 tbs cheddar cheese

How to:

• Heat a wide, non stick saucepan and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add the beef mince and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat with the wooden spoon. Add the garlic and chillii powder and cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato, red wine, beef stock, kidney beans and BBQ sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
• Serve with a tbs of cheddar cheese on top and a slice of corn bread or boiled rice.