Ετικέτα: corn bread

“Athinaeos Salsa Verde” with Fried Squid and Salted Cod

Today I want to introduce the “Athinaeos Salsa Verde”. The super star of a seafood meal that I enjoyed in a mild autumn day.

Athinaeos salsa verde – closeup

There is a multitude of green sauces in the mediterranean kitchen: persillade, gremolata, salsa verde, pistou, to name a few.

Athinaeos Salsa Verde

My salsa verde is made with ingredients that grow in my garden: parsley, coriander, mint, rocket, garlic and basil.

I put the mixed herds in the mixer, add oliver oil, a bit of coarse salt, and lemon juice.

The salsa is accompanied by fresh fried squid, fried salt cod, a fresh green salad with red-skinned radishes, and home made corn bread.

Fried fresh squid

I like fresh fried squid because it is always a challenge to fry it properly, and even greater a challenge, to buy really fresh squid. the really fresh squid has a flavour and an aroma that is so subtle and yet so prominent, that in my view is worth all the effort to find it and then fry it properly.

Fried fresh squid – detail

The elegance of the fried squid pooses the first challenge for the salsa verde. It should be mild enough not to overpower the subtlety of the squid, yet it should retain its personality and make its presence felt.

The second challenge to the salsa verde was posed by the fried salt cod.

Fried Salt Cod

One of the miracles of ancient seafood engineering, this cured pievce of fish has a unique taste that never fails to reward me, provided that the fish is of good quality and properly desalted and fried.

Fried salt cod – detail

The salsa verde has to stand tall in front of the strong personality of the salt cod, while at the same time it balances on the fine line  created by the taste of the squid.

A nice meal could not be complete without bread and a nice fresh salad.

Fresh salad with rocket, fresh onions, and red-skinned radishes.

The fresh salad contains: Rocket, fresh onions and red-skinned radishes from the garden, washed but not seasoned. Eaten with the hand. You pick whatever you like, sprinkle a bit of alst on it and squeeze a couple of drops of lemon juice. Then straight into the mouth cavity… Pleasure awaits the bold and the daring….

Corn bread

The bread is baked in the oven, and made of corn flour and water. Just that. And simply delicious.

Bon appetit!

Lunch of 26th December 2011 in Marathon, Attica, Greece

Sunrise of the 26th December 2011

The day of the 26th December 2011 is special. My best man “koumbaros” Manolis celebrates his name day. In addition, it is the anniversary of his wedding to my “koumbara” Marion. As it happens, this year it is the 20th anniversary of their marriage. One more reason to celebrate with a lunch that is a tribute to life and its enjoyment.

The first dish of the menu has a name that resounds with passion: “Besame Mucho”. It is a new creation of my humble personality, invented in the middle of dark winter nights.

Raw Kokoretsi

The first ingredient of the dish is kokoretsi, lamb’s intestines wrapped around liver, heart, and sweetbreads of the lamb.

My butcher prepares them on 30 cm sticks. I bake them after I season them with coarse salt and black pepper.

Cooked kokoretsi

Once baked, I take them off the stick and cut them in small chunks. They are now ready to be served with the second ingredient of the dish, which is lentils.

Lentils – detail

I boil them with a lot of chunks of pickled celery root and leafs, carots, a bit of onion and a bit of garlic.

The first dish: Besame Mucho

I serve the lentils in the middle of the dish, and place the chunks of kokoretsi around it, with some fresh chopped home grown coriander and a few drops of vinegar.

After the enticing experience of “Besame Mucho”, the palate needs a thorough cleaning.

Rucola outside my front door

This is accomplished by the green salad made with lettuce, spring onions, dill, coriander, and home grown rucola.

Ojos Verdes

Add a good olive oil, some lemon, and coarse salt, and you have one of the most refreshing and tasty salads in the world! I name this salad “Ojos Verdes”.

And now to the second dish, as the ojos verdes were an interlude, albeit a very tasty and flavorful one!

This dish is the marriage of roasted piglet and mixed pickled cabbage, white and red, and bears the name “Love me tender, love me sweet”.

Pickled cabbage

I prepare the pickled cabbage at home, and all I do after I Take out of the jar where it has been pickled, is to let it simmer gently for a couple of hours, adding a bit of olive oil.

Roasted Piglet

The piglet is roasted in the oven, with rosemary, coriander and garlic stems. I also add coarse salt and pepper.

Last but not least, the “breads” of the lunch. We had corn bread (in the upper half of the picture) and piroshki made of potatoes (the lower half of the picture).

Both were prepared by a good friend.

There was no room for anything after all this, but only for fresh fruits, apples and tangerines.

Many Happy returns dearest friends, and a Happy New Year to All!!!