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Regina Schmid
 
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My experience is that almost all veggie dishes can be served also lukewarm
or even cold because they do not contain animal fat. Especially the Greek
dishes based on olive oil, mashed tomatoes and onions taste also nice when
not hot anymore. Greek people even say that they prefer eating their
vegetables lukewarm and never hot because it is healthier for the stomach.

Please find a copy of my personal favourites below:


Okra in Tomato Oil Sauce
Bámies me ládi

The finger-long green okra, also called lady fingers or bamies, should be
available fresh from the market in order to enjoy this fine tasting Greek
dish.

750 g okra, 2 - 3 tablespoons vinegar, salt, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 750 g
tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 tablespoons freshly
chopped parsley

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Resting period: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Wash the okra, cut off stalks and tops very carefully without penetrating
the okra so that the juice does not run out. Put the okra in a bowl,
sprinkle with vinegar and salt and let them rest for 30 minutes. Peel the
onion and the garlic cloves cut them in fine pieces. Wash the tomatoes, cut
the skin crosswise and put them briefly into boiling water. Peel the
tomatoes, remove the stalks and mash them in a mixer. Heat up the olive oil
in a pot and fry the onions until glassy. Fry briefly the garlic and add the
mashed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugars and parsley. Put the okra next to each
other in the pot and, if required, add water until the okra are covered, put
a plate on top to keep them down. Heat up until boiling and let the okra in
the closed pot cook at low heat for 30 - 40 minutes until they are soft. Do
not stir, otherwise they become sticky. If there is still much liquid in the
pot, boil it down with strong heat in the open pot up to the desired
quantity after you have carefully removed the okra with a perforated cooking
spoon. Pour the sauce over the okra. Serve lukewarm.

Caution: Okra want to be treated carefully. They may not be hurt when
preparing, since otherwise the liquid from its inside runs out. After
washing and cleaning the Greek housewives place the okra covered with salt
and vinegar for 1/2 - 1 hour in the southern sun. This pretreatment causes
that the fruits keep the juice and do not burst easily.


Further vegetable varieties with tomato sauce:


Green Beans in Tomato Oil Sauce
Fassólia fréska me domátes

In Greece the flat broad beans are used preferably. Remove the threads from
750 g green beans and cut in half. Wash the beans wash and cook like the
okra in the tomato oil sauce for 30 minutes . In Greece this summer main
dish is also served lukewarm.


Green Peas in Tomato Oil Sauce
Arakás laderós

Remove the pods from 1 1/2 kg peas. Add 2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
to the tomato oil sauce and cook for 25 minutes. Serve as main dish lukewarm
together with feta cheese.


White Beans in Tomato Oil Sauce
Fassoláda jachní

This dish from the Greek everyday life kitchen tastes the better, the
younger the dried white beans are. You know this by the shining skin. The
beans are served as main dish.

750 g white dried beans, 2 onions, 1 garlic clove, 2 carrots, 2 celery
sticks, 750 g tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped
parsley, 1 teaspoon sugar, pepper, salt

Time for soaking: 12 hours
Cooking time: 2 hours

Put the white beans over night in much water to soften. On the day of
preparation let the water drip off and rinse the beans. Cook them, covered
by water and without salt, for 1 hour. In the meantime peel the onions and
the garlic clove and cut them in small pieces. Wash and scrape the carrots
and cut it in small pieces. Wash the celery sticks and cut them in small
pieces. Wash the tomatoes, cut the skin crosswise and put them briefly in
boiling water. Peel the tomatoes and remove the stalks., then smash them in
the mixer. Heat up the olive oil in a pot. Fry the onion until glassy. Add
the garlic, the carrots, the celery and the tomato puree. Add the parsley,
the sugar, pepper and salt as required. Add the beans add and cook for 30
minutes at low heat.


Cauliflower Kalamata Style
Kounoupídi kapamás kalamatianós

The cauliflower prepared in Kalamata style tastes especially hearty.

1 medium sized cauliflower, salt, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 onion, 3 tomatoes,
1/2 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and cut off the stalk. Put the
cauliflower for 10 minutes in salty water put, wash and cut in pieces. Put
lemon juice on the pieces. Peel the onion peel and cut in small pieces. Wash
the tomatoes, cut the skin crosswise and put them briefly in boiling water,
peel the tomatoes, and smash them in the mixer. Heat up the oil in a pot and
fry the cauliflower therein from all sides without letting it get brown.
Remove the cauliflower from the pot and put in a warm place. Fry the onion
in the cauliflower oil until glassy and add the tomatoes. Put the
cauliflower in the pot and add water until it 3/4 is covered. Add salt,
pepper, bring to the boil and cook in the closed pot for 15 minutes at low
heat. Serve with the parsley on top.


Zucchini with Tomatoes
Kolokithákia jachní

Particularly well tastes this dish with small young zucchini which are kept
as a whole. Larger fruits are cut in 2 - 3 pieces.

750 g very small zucchini, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup
olive oil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Cut the zucchini at both ends and wash. Peel the onion peel and cut in small
pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and press or cut in pieces, add salt and
crush with a knife. Heat up the olive oil in a pot and fry the zucchini from
both sides until gold-brown. Put the zucchini in a warm place. Fry the onion
in the Zucchini oil until glassy. Mix the tomato paste with some water and
add to the onions. Add the garlic. Put the zucchini in the sauce and add
water until 3/4 are covered. Add salt, pepper and the parsley. Bring to the
boil and cook it in the closed pot at low heat for 20 minutes. Serve the
zucchini hot or lukewarm.


Summer Vegetable Pot
Briámi

Summer vegetable from the baking-oven tastes hot and cold excellent. One can
serve this delicious vegetarian meal with feta cheese.

2 onions, 3 chilies, 750 g tomatoes, 500 g zucchini, 500 g potatoes, 500 g
eggplants, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, 2
tablespoons freshly chopped dill, 1 1/2 cups olive oil

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Peel the onions peel and cut in small pieces. Wash the chilies and cut in
small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, cut the skin crosswise and put them briefly
in boiling water, peel the tomatoes and remove the stalks. Cut the tomatoes
in slices. Wash the Zucchini and cut in slices. Peel the potatoes and cut in
slices. Wash the eggplants, remove the stalks and cut the fruits in slices.
Put them for 1 hour in much salted water. Let the water drip off and squeeze
the slices to remove the water. Preheat the baking-oven up to 180 degrees C.
Put half of the tomatoes in an oiled fireproof casserole, add salt and
pepper. Mix the zucchini, the potatoes, the eggplants, the onions and the
chilies with salt and pepper and put them on the tomatoes. Cover with the
herbs and put the other half of the tomatoes on top. Add the olive oil and 1
cup water and cover the casserole - if necessary with aluminum foil - put it
in the baking-oven on the middle rail and bake it for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Remove the cover in the last 30 minutes. The vegetable pot is served hot or
lukewarm.

Tip: To this delicious dish you can also add all kinds of different summer
vegetables, such as okra, green beans or sweet peppers.


Eggplants with Tomatoes
Melitsánes jachní

Eggplants with tomatoes taste excellent whether they are served hot or cold.
You can prepare this dish also with 3 mashed tomatoes instead of tomato
paste.

4 medium sized eggplants, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, olive oil as required, 1
tablespoon tomato paste, salt, pepper, 1 pinch of sugar, flour as required,
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Wash the eggplants and cut off the stalks. Cut the eggplants in long slices,
add salt and let them rest for 30 minutes. Peel the onions and cut in small
pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and press or cut in pieces, add salt and
crush with a knife. Heat up 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pot and fry the
onions until glassy. Mix the tomato paste with some water and add to the
onions. Add the garlic cloves add and 1 cup water. Add salt, pepper and the
sugar. Bring the sauce to the boil cook it in the closed pot at low heat.
In the meantime wash and dry the eggplant slices. Heat up olive oil in a
pan. Turn the eggplant slices in flour and shake off the surplus flour. Fry
the eggplant slices in the oil from both sides until gold-brown. That takes
about 10 minutes per portion. Put the fried eggplants into the tomato sauce
and cook them in the closed pot at low heat for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with
parsley before serving.


Spinach Rice
Spanakóriso

In this dish, which is served lukewarm in summer and hot in winter, rice and
spinach form a noble tasting connection. The rice takes the bitterness from
the spinach, the spinach gives a fine taste to the rice. The dill
contributes a special accent.

750 g spinach, 2 onions, 1 cup rice, 6 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper,
2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley,
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Wash and clean the spinach thoroughly. Cut the leaves 2 to 3 times. Peel the
onions and cut in fine pieces. Wash the rice. Fry the onions in 4
tablespoons olive oil until glassy. Add the spinach to the onions and cook
briefly. Add salt, pepper and the herbs. Add the rice, the remaining olive
oil and 1 ½ cups water. Cook at low heat in the closed pot for 20 minutes.
Stir from time to time in order to prevent from sticking to the pot. Add the
lemon juice before serving.

Hint: This dish gets a particularly fine taste if adding a pinch of sugar
and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Dissolve the tomato paste in some water and
pour in after the rice was added to the spinach.


"The Imam collapsed"
Imám bayildí

From this dish which shows resemblance to the Turkish kitchen it is said, an
Imam could not stop eating because it tasted so good. He ate until he
collapsed.

4 medium sized long eggplants, salt, pepper, 4 onions, 3 garlic cloves, 4
tomatoes, 1 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Resting period: 30 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour

Wash the eggplants, dry them, cut off the stalks and at one side with a
sharp knife cut a long and deep slit. Put salt into the slit and let the
eggplants rest for 30 minutes. Prepare the filling: Peel the onions and the
garlic cloves and cut them in very small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, cut the
skin crosswise and put them briefly in boiling water. Peel the tomatoes,
remove the stalks and cut the tomatoes in small pieces. Heat up the olive
oil in a pan. Wash and dry the eggplants and put some holes with a fork in
order to better take up the oil. Fry the eggplants in the olive oil from all
sides for 3 minutes. Remove the eggplants and put them aside. Fry the onions
in the eggplant oil until glassy, add the garlic cloves, the parsley, the
tomatoes and stir everything. Add salt and pepper, bring it to the boil and
cook in the closed pot at low heat for 10 minutes. Preheat the baking-oven
to 180 degrees C. Place the eggplants with the cut side upward into an oiled
fireproof casserole and put the filling into the slots. Cover the eggplants
with the remaining filling, add 1/2 cup water and bake in the baking-oven on
the middle rail for 40 - 50 minutes. Serve the eggplants hot or cold.


Stuffed Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers with Rice
Domátes ke piperiés jemistés me rísi

This vegetarian type to fill tomatoes and sweet peppers results in a light
and tasty meal.

4 large tomatoes, 4 medium size sweet peppers, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup
raisins, 1 1/2 cups rice, 1 onion, 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon freshly
chopped spearmint, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, 30 g chopped pine
seed

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/4 hours

Wash the tomatoes, dry them, remove the stalks and cut off a slice from this
side. Remove what is inside the tomatoes with a spoon and put aside. Place
the tomatoes in an oiled casserole. Wash the sweet peppers, dry them, remove
the stalks and cut off a slice from this side. Remove the seed and place
the sweet peppers also in the casserole, add salt and pepper to both. For
the filling soften the raisins in warm water. Wash the rice and let the
water drip off. Peel the onion and cut in small pieces. Heat up the olive
oil in a pan and fry the onion until glassy. Add the rice to the onion give
and fry for 3 minutes. Add half of the tomato inside as well as spearmint
and parsley. Let the water drip off from the raisins and add them together
with the pine seed to the rice. Fill up with 1/2 cup water, add salt and
pepper and cook in the closed pan for 15 minutes. Preheat the baking-oven
on 180 degrees C. Fill the tomatoes and red peppers with the rice mixture
and put the covers on top. Pour the remaining olive oil, the remaining
tomato inside and 1/2 cup water over the vegetables. Bake the filled
vegetables for 40 - 50 minutes in the baking-oven on the middle rail.


Potato Zucchini Soufflé
Bouréki

This soufflé can almost be left to itself after put in the oven. It is one
of the most delicious potato dishes at all.

1 kg potatoes, 1/2 kg zucchini, salt, pepper, 5 eggs, 1/4 l milk, 3
tablespoons flour, 1/2 cup olive oil, 200 g feta cheese, olive oil as
required, 3 tablespoons sesame seed

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

Wash the potatoes peel them, wash them again and cut in very fine slices.
Cut the zucchini at both ends, wash them and cut in fine slices. Put
potatoes, zucchini and the fine cut feta cheese in a large bowl, add salt
and pepper, mix well and put in a well-oiled casserole. Preheat the baking
oven to 200 degrees C. Mix well the eggs, milk, olive oil and flour. Pour
over the potatoe-zucchini-feta mix, cover with sesame and bake on the middle
rail for 1 1/2 hours. Cut in pieces and serve.

Regina
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It is the compassion with all creatures
that only makes humans really human. (Albert Schweitzer)
A day will come on which men will look upon an animal's murder
the same way they look today upon a man's murder. (Leonardo da Vinci)