Mediterranean Delights

FLAVOURS FROM THE MED ARE WELL-KNOWN, USING SIMPLE INGREDIENTS TO CREATE EASY YET DELICIOUS DISHES

SimpleFocaccia

Ingredients (Serves approx 8)

For the dough

225ml warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped

400g white bread flour (farine a pain)

1 ½ tsp dried baking yeast

For the topping

2 tbsp olive oil

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped

Method

1. Place the water, flour, salt, yeast, garlic and rosemary and olive oil into the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer, select the dough cycle and press start. If you don’t have a bread machine (I love mine), make the bread dough by hand.

2. Remove the dough from the bread machine when the cycle is completed. Pat the dough into a lightly oiled baking tin (23 x 33cm approx.), or pizza pan. Dimple the surface with your fingers, brush with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan. Cover the focaccia lightly with cling film and a clean tea towel while the oven heats up.

4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 2025 minutes, or until golden brown. If you can wait, allow to cool for a few minutes before serving!

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas (pois chiches)

4 tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

Pinch salt

2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter

8 tbsp water

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp paprika

Pitta, crisps or tortilla chips, crudités etc to serve

Method

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse. Reserve a few of the whole chickpeas for serving.

2. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini or peanut butter, and water in a food processor, and blend to a creamy purée. Process for a few minutes if you want a really creamy result.

3. Add more lemon juice, garlic, cumin or salt to taste. Turn out into a dinner plate, and make smooth with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the reserved chickpeas or simply serve in a pretty bowl.

4. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with warmed pitta bread, crisps or crudités.

GreekSalad

Ingredients (Serves 4)

250g ripe flavourful tomatoes (any type)

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 cucumber

1 green pepper

Handful fresh dill

Handful fresh mint

Handful black olives, stoned (Kalamata if possible)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (good quality)

200g Feta cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

Method

1. Chop the tomatoes and place in a large salad bowl with the sliced red onion. Pare some of the skin from the cucumber in ribbons, leaving some for colour and texture and cut into cubes or slices. Remove the seeds and core from the pepper and slice into rings or thin strips, add to the salad with the cucumber.

2. Chop the fresh herbs and add to the bowl together with the stoned olives.

3. Season with sea salt, add the vinegar and the olive oil and toss everything together, taste at this point to see if it needs more seasoning.

4. Either place the whole block of feta on top of the salad or chop into cubes or crumble to serve, sprinkle over the dried oregano.

HerbyLemonChickenandPotatoBake

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 large chicken legs

650g baby new potatoes

120ml olive oil

2 lemons, juiced, divided

2 tbsp dried basil

2 tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

350g fresh green beans

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan

1. Brush a little oil around a large, deep roasting tin and place the chicken legs in it.

2. In a large bowl, coat the potatoes in the olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, dried herbs, salt & pepper. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken in the roasting tin. Pour about ¾ of the oil mixture over the chicken, reserving the remainder. Drizzle the remaining lemon juice all over the chicken and potatoes.

3. Place the tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, then shake the tin to loosen the potatoes. Continue baking for another 15 minutes. Place the green beans in the remaining oil mixture and toss to coat. Remove the tray from the oven and pour the green beans all over the chicken and potatoes.

4. Return the tin to the oven and bake until the green beans are tender and the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear – about 15 minutes.

ChickenTabboulehwithaLimeandTomatoDressing

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 large red chilli

3 garlic cloves, crushed

4 limes, juiced (approx. 120ml juice)

½ tsp ground turmeric

4 chicken joints (legs, large thighs)

125g cucumber

450g plum tomatoes with crushed garlic

225g onions

2 tbsp capers

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

225g bulgur wheat

50g pine nuts (toasted)

3 tbsp each chopped fresh parsley and chives*

50g raisins

5 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. De-seed and finely chop the chilli. Place in a large non-metallic bowl with the crushed garlic, 3 tbsp of the lime juice, turmeric and lightly scored chicken pieces. Toss together and marinate in the fridge 3 hours minimum.

2. Meanwhile, chop the cucumber and tomatoes into small pieces and thinly slice the onions. Mix the tomatoes with the capers, 2 tbsp of the lime juice, sugar and seasoning.

3. Place the bulgur in a bowl and cover with 250 ml of boiling water, cover with cling film and leave until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff up with a fork and stir in the cucumber, toasted pine nuts, herbs*, raisins, remaining lime juice and 3 tbsp of olive oil. Season well and set aside.

4. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Place, skin side up in a roasting tin with the remaining oil and the onions. Cook at a high temperature, 240ºC /220ºC fan for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the tin and set aside. Add the tomato mixture and the remaining marinade to the tin and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

5. Spoon the warmed dressing over the chicken and serve at room temperature with the tabbouleh.

Portokalopita

Ingredients

For the cake

4 eggs

1 cup olive oil

1 cup white sugar

2 cups plain Greek yogurt, strained

Zest of 2 oranges

3 tsp baking powder

450g pack of filo sheets

For the Syrup

3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

2 cups sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC and brush a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with olive oil.

2. For the cake, put the eggs, olive oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat the mixture well with an electric mixer until the ingredients are well combined. Add the yogurt, orange zest, and baking powder, and beat to combine.

3. Crush the filo sheets with your hands. Add the crushed filo to the cake batter and stir it in with a spatula. Evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan.

4. Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5. Make the syrup while the cake is baking. In a medium saucepan, stir together the orange juice and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer it over medium heat for 20 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, stirring often. Let the syrup cool.

6. Slice the cake into 20 pieces and leave it to cool. When the cake and syrup are cool, pour all of the syrup on top of the cake; it will be absorbed.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

250g digestive biscuits (or similar)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

80g unsalted butter, melted

350g good quality cream cheese, softened

120g crumbled feta cheese

3 large eggs

200g granulated sugar (sucre en poudre)

500g plain Greek yoghurt

1 lemon, zested

1 tsp vanilla extract

Berries for decoration

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150ºC fan. Lightly grease a 20cm springform pan with cooking spray or a slick of oil or butter. Wrap the exterior of the pan in heavy foil so that water cannot enter from the bottom or the sides. Crush the biscuits, either in a food processor or in a medium sized bowl with the end of a rolling pin. Mix in the cinnamon, and butter and blitz lightly until combined in the processor or mix with a fork in the bowl until it all comes together. Empty the mixture into the springform pan and gently spread and press down the mixture evenly over the base. Set aside.

2. In another medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and the feta. Using an electric mixer on low, beat the mix together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Add the sugar and continue beating mixture until incorporated and creamy. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon zest, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the biscuit crumb base. Place the pan in a baking tin large enough to hold it and fill the tin with enough very hot water to reach halfway up the sides. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until the cheesecake is set and the centre still wobbles a little. Remove the cheesecake from the water in the baking pan and discard the foil. Allow the cheesecake to cool on a wire rack in the springform pan and then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours to set completely. Add berries or lemon zest for decoration if liked.

ORGANIC SHOP in Montmorillon (86)