Malaka or Tiromalama is a fresh Greek curd cheese originating from Crete. It is made from sheep’s milk (or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk) during the first shaping of Graviera cheese. The cheese is soft and moist in texture, with a typical milky flavor. It is often compared to mozzarella regarding both the texture …
Category: Recipes
Mastelo
Mastelo refers to trademarked Greek cheeses produced exclusively in Chios. There are two types of Mastelo – one is made from Chian cow’s milk, and the other one from goat’s milk. The cow’s milk version is white in color, with a milky aroma and a smooth texture. The flavors are slightly salty and milky. It …
Fystiki Aeginas
This is by far the most famous Greek pistachio. This amazing pistachio nut is produced from the Egintiki variety, which has been traditionally cultivated on the island of Egina since the end of the 19th century. The first pistachio plantation here was established in 1896 by Nikolaos Peroglou, who brought the nuts from Syria. The weather …
Eliá Kalamatas
Called either Kalamata, after the city and region on the southwestern side of the Peloponnese where they are traditionally grown, or Kalamon, after the variety of olive tree, these olives are an organic product of exceptional quality that stands out for its authentic taste and intense aroma. They are never harvested green, and to avoid bruising, …
Tuna rainbow salad
Ingredients 1 red pepper sliced 1 large carrot grated 340g can sweetcorn kernels, drained 150g sugar snap pea 6 cooked baby beetroot quartered 185g can flaked tuna in spring water, drained 100g mayonnaise 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp water lettuce leaves 1 spring onion sliced Method step 1 In a …
Asparagus & lentil salad with cranberries & crumbled feta
Ingredients 1 garlic clove 125g puy lentils 100g pack fine asparagus tips 3 spring onions finely sliced 25g dried cranberries 1 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil plus a little extra (optional) 2 tsp organic apple cider vinegar 140g cherry tomatoes halved 50g feta (read back of pack for vegetarian option) Method step 1 Finely grate …
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Courgette, bacon & brie gratin
Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil 600g courgettes sliced on the diagonal 4 rashers of smoked back bacon chopped 1 onion chopped 1 small garlic clove crushed 200g risotto rice 150ml dry white wine 850ml hot vegetable stock made with bouillon powder 160g pack blue or plain brie Method step 1 Heat 2 tablespoons of the …
Barley couscous & prawn tabbouleh
Ingredients 125g barley couscous zest 1 lemon juice of 0.5 1 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil ½ small pack dill finely chopped good handful mint leaves chopped ½ cucumber chopped 2 nectarines chopped 125g peeled prawns or a handful of cashews or pecans for a vegetarian version. Method step 1 Tip the couscous into a …
Tex-Mex burger
Ingredients 500g beef, pork or turkey mince 1 red onion finely chopped 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp dried oregano 4 rolls toasted 4 slices Monterey Jack cheese 4 tbsp chopped fresh tomato 1 avocado sliced Method step 1 Mix mince with the onion, cayenne pepper and oregano. Season well, shape into 4 patties and …
Butter-braised peas, lettuce & mint
Ingredients 150ml vegetable stock 25g salted butter 140g fresh peas podded (about 75og/1lb 10 oz podded weight) 1 tbsp capers rinsed 1 medium Baby Gem lettuce outer leaves removed and halved lengthways ½ iceberg lettuce thinly shredded 10 large mint leaves, finely shredded small handful pea shoots slices of bread or toast to serve Method …
Rhubarb jam
Ingredients 1kg rhubarb weighed after trimming, cut into 3cm chunks 1kg jam sugar (or 1kg caster sugar plus 1 x 8g sachet pectin – we used Tate & Lyle) 2 vanilla pods halved lengthways juice 1 lemon Method step 1 Put a small plate in the freezer. Put the rhubarb into a preserving pan or …
Warm lentil salad with Serrano, chicken & rocket
1 red onion halved and very thinly sliced 1 tbsp sherry vinegar handful flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped 4 ripe tomatoes roughly chopped 2 tsp small capers drained 250g pouch ready-cooked Puy lentil (I used Merchant Gourmet) 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus extra 8 slices Serrano ham meat from 2 cooked chicken breasts torn into …
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Prawn, butternut & mango curry
Ingredients ½ (about 200g) butternut squash peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces 75g quick-cook brown basmati or wild rice (cook 50g extra if upcycling for Tuna, sweetcorn and pea wraps, see ‘goes well with’) 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 onion finely chopped 1cm piece ginger peeled and finely chopped 1 garlic clove finely sliced …
Sticky oven BBQ ribs
Ingredients 2 racks baby back pork ribs 2 cans cola 2 tsp toasted sesame seed (optional) For the sauce 8 tbsp tomato ketchup 8 tbsp soft brown sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tsp paprika For the chive dip 300ml pot half-fat soured cream 2 tbsp …
Homemade elderflower cordial
Ingredients 2 ½kg white sugar either granulated or caster 2 unwaxed lemons 20 fresh elderflower heads, stalks trimmed 85g citric acid (from chemists) Method step 1 Put the sugar and 1.5 litres/2¾ pints water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now …
Tsipouro
This strong Greek spirit is distilled from pomace—solid components of grapes that are left after the juice has been pressed. According to some records, tsipouro was first produced in the 14th century by Orthodox monks. The drink comes in its original, pure form, but some distillers infuse it with botanicals, primarily anise, to create the …
Xynomyzithra Kritis
This soft table cheese is made from whey from the processing of Graviera or Kefalotyri Kritis cheeses and the addition of sheep or goat milk, or a mixture of the two. Its name is a combination of two words – mizithra and xyno – meaning ‘acidic whey cheese’. It is produced on the beautiful island of Crete in the Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Lasithi prefectures, where it …
Katiki Domokou
This cottage cheese is made with goat milk or a mixture of goat and sheep milk from breeds traditionally raised in the village of Domokos in the Othrys mountain range in central Greece. It is made following a traditional recipe without the use of rennet. Once the cheese is drained, it is salted and the …
Anthotyro
Anthotyro is a Greek cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. The name anthotyro means flowery cheese, referring to the strong aromas of wild herbs. There are two varieties of this cheese – fresh and dry. The fresh variety is known as anthotyro fresco and has a soft texture and mild flavor. It is typically consumed as a table cheese or …
Metaxa
Metaxa is a popular Greek spirit that is made from brandy (usually produced from Savatino, Sultanina, and Black Corinth grapes), a secret combination of botanicals, and the aromatic and carefully selected Muscat wines from the island of Samos. The distillate and the wines are aged separately in oak casks before they are blended and flavored …
Kopanisti
This cheese is traditionally produced from goat’s or sheep’s milk, although some dairies also use cow’s milk or a mixture of the three, taken from breeds reared on the Cyclades in the southern Aegean Sea. The diet of the animals is based on the area’s endemic aromatic plants, which affect the flavor of their milk. …
Metsovone
Metsovone is a hard or semi-hard smoked table cheese, produced from cow’s milk or alternatively with a mixture of cow’s milk with up to 20% sheep’s or goat’s milk. It has been made in the Metsovo mountain region for more than 50 years from locally reared animals’ milk. During the manufacturing, it is put in cylindrical …
Kalamata
This olive oil is closely linked to the history, traditions and culture of the region of Messinia and the southwestern part of the Peloponnese where the oil is produced. Olive oil production is the main occupation of Messinia’s inhabitants at the end of the year and a key factor in the regional economy. This extra …
Plum cake
Ingredients butter for greasing 2 tbsp demerara sugar 500g plum For the cake 175g butter 175g dark muscovado sugar 140g golden syrup 2 eggs beaten 200ml milk 300g self-raising flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp mixed spice Method step 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line …
Chicken, fennel & tomato ragout
1 large fennel bulb 1 tbsp olive oil 2 boneless skinless chicken cut into chunks 1 garlic clove chopped 200g new potato cut into chunks 400g can of chopped tomato 150ml chicken or vegetable stock 3 roasted red peppers in brine from a jar or deli counter, chopped Method step 1 Trim the green tops …