This delicious dish is inspired by the “Stuffed Curried Aubergines” recipe in Jamie’s new book “VEG”: its got fantastic new ideas. If you’re trying to add more veggies to your diet, it is definitely worth your while.

Like everything else that I do in the kitchen, I never ever follow a recipe, unless I’m making a cake. I just get inspired by them, and make my own as I go along. Depending mainly on personal likes, dislikes, and ofcourse on what I’ve got available in my kitchen at the time. 

Ingredients:

6 little “finger” eggplants (if slightly larger size, still no problem, you can serve one instead of two)… about 500grs

1 medium onion

1 garlic

4cm piece of ginger

1 espresso size spoon of each of the following:

cumin

coriander

turmeric

paprika

garammasala

2 tsps mangoe chutney

1 can coconut milk

a bunch of tomatillos cut in half

Method:

Mix all spices together and place in frying pan wih a bit of olive oil until it releases the aromas

place in a little bowl and set aside

Roughly cut onion, garlic, ginger and place in small food processor till fine

lightly fry in a bit of olive oil

transfer to the same bowl with the spices

add the mangoe chutney and mix to combine all ingredients into a firmish paste

peel the top of each eggplant just with your fingers to remove the leaf like part, leaving the green part and the stem intact to hold the eggplant togetther

cut it length wise in half till before reach the green part (if you’re using larger eggplant, you can make two cuts instead of one, while making sure it still stays attached)

open each eggplant and stuff it with the onion/spice mixture generously (make sure you use the entire mixture)

fry lightly in a bit of olive oil (a couple of minutes on each side)

add the coconut milk and the tomatillos

bring to a boil

cover tightly with silver foil and place in a 200C oven for about 40mns until the sauce thickens and the eggplant is tender

if you have fresh corriander chop some on top before serving (I almost never succeed in finding it in my grocery store!)

serve with basmati rice and some yoghurt on the side

It is absolutely de-li-cious!!! 

After decades in the kitchen, it can get quite boring reproducing the same old dishes over and over again. So I am always on the lookout for anything new and exciting in the world of food. Especially if it’s in the “appetizer” or “finger food” form. 

My favourite way to eat: drinks and nibbles.

I first ran into a version of this dish as I was coasting through facebook, a quick video by Jamie Oliver popped up in my feed. Interesting I thought, I never knew you could grill fruits! Sometime later as I was searching for new appetisers ideas for a little get together in our verandah, this dish came to mind. I searched high and low for it, until I finally found it on youtube.

Jamie’s version was on skewers on the grill. Since I have a strong aversion to outside grilling, I decided to forego the skewers, and grill on a baking sheet in the oven.

I have now made this dish at least half a dozen times, and in all honesty I can not find enough words of praise, it is undoubtedly one of my new absolute favourites!!! 

Thank you Jamie!

Ingredients:

1 large peach or 2 smaller ones (not too soft)

1 clove garlic (grated)

¼ peach (grated)

salt/pepper

oregano

olive oil

a pieace of fresh crusty bread (for later)

Method:

Cut the Halloumi into cubes

Cut the peach into smilar size cubes

add the grated garlic & peach, salt, pepper, oregano & olive oil,

mix really well with your hands to cover all the pieces.

Cover the dish and refrifirate till later.

Cut the bread into thick-ish slices, then into cubes, again similar size as the halloumi and the peach. Put in a small zip lock ready for later.

You will have to wait until your guests arrive before you assemble this dish.

Set oven to grill, and adjust heat to maximum. 

Spread your halloumi and peach pieces on a baking sheet.

Put your cut up bread into the same marinade and mix well to coat all the pieces.

Add the bread on the same baking sheet, in between the halloumi and the peach. Make sure it is not all crammed on top of each other as it will not grill properly.

Put the tray on the highest shelf in the oven.

Dont go far as it will not take long. Halloumi should have a nice colour to it, and the bread should crisp nicely.

Depending on your oven, you may need to turn a few pieces over half way in between.

When ready, transfer on a large platter, and tear some fresh mint leaves on top.

P.S. If I could eat this everyday, I would!!

I was introduced to these wonderful “vegeterian meatballs” this summer, by our young friend Henrike, visiting with his family from Costa Rica. Following up on a “dare”, he graciously offered to relieve the tired hostess, and cook a full meal for all 7 of us in our kitchen. I say full: meaning complete with desert! (my husband’s favourite: creme brulee!!). Don’t hold your breath because I will not be making “that” any time soon! So lets just stick to the mushroom balls for now.

I have experimented with this recipe many times since the summer, and as always have ended up changing a few details in the process. The size of the balls for one, and I chose to bake instead of fry.

2 cups raw chopped mushrooms

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 onion roughly chopped

1 garlic clove

a handful of parsley

Place in food processor till well combined

add:

1 cup parmasean

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs

salt

pepper

Further process till all ingredients are well combined (mixture should be sticky & wet but able to form balls that hold together.)

Shape into balls and place on wax paper on a baking sheet. Sometimes the mixture is just too sticky to handle like you would meatballs, in which case use a teaspoon, smooth the rounded top lightly with your finger, and slide onto the baking sheet.

Bake in 200 centigrade pre-heated oven for 20mns or until brownish and firm to the touch.

These mushroom balls freeze beautifully, and will be there for you whenever you need them. Last minute guests? Pop them in the oven directly from the freezer, and serve warm with a dip of your choice. Or on lazy days, they can be dropped directly into hot simmering tomato sauce and served over spaghetti. A bit of grated parmasean on top, a large bowl of salad, and you’re set.

Enjoy!

My absolute favourite way of cooking is making something up, based on what’s available in my fridge and freezer. Most of the time it works, and I surprise myself with a new dish, which I try to recreate a few times after, in order to perfect it, and ofcourse in order not to forget it!

My new inventions are not always a success ofcourse, but they get eaten anyway, and are certainly a great addition to my “what not to do” list.

This fish pie dish was born this summer. This is my 3^rd go at it, and I think I’m happy with it. If you make it, do let me know what you think: additions? Subtractions?

Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped

2 apples peeled and chopped

2 large tsps curry powder

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup sliced sauteed mushrooms

1 cup rice

1 soup cube

1 cup chopped parsley

400 grs fish filet cut into cubes (I use defrosted perch filet)

1 1/2 cup medium shrimp defrosted & deveined

a piece of ginger grated

1 lemon grated

1 tsp paprika

1tsp turmeric

salt (I used himalyian)

olive oil

split the spices in two and use to marinate the fish and the shrimp separately. Set aside until the rice is cooked

1 sheet puff pastry (defrosted)

Method:

1) The rice:

sautee the onion in a bit of olive oil till soft-ish

add the chopped apples, stir

add the curry and keep stirring

add the sauteed mushrooms

add the rice

add the water (according to the instructions on your rice. I’d add slightly more to allow for the apples & mushrooms)

add the soup cube

cover and simmer till rice almost done

stir in the peas

remove from heat and keep covered for 10 mns

transfer into your pie dish and set aside

2) The fish/shrimp:

cook your marinated fish in a non stick frying pan, taking care not to stir much so it doesnt break

dont over crowd the pan, just a little at a time

you could deglaze with a little white wine if necessary

then cook your shrimp. Very briefly just to get a colour

3) Assembling:

add the cooked fish/shrimp to your rice

add the chopped parsley

mix loosely with a fork to combine all ingredients

place your defrosted and refrigerated pastry on top

brush with a beaten egg

decorate

brush the decoration

bake in a preheated 200 centigrade oven for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and nicely coloured.

You need to serve immediately.

Enjoy!

This recipe is courtesy of my good friend Lina.

It is plain-old rice pudding ofcourse, common to almost every culture that we know, but this one has got the unmistaken middle eastern touch to it: “mastic” flavour! It is unbelievably delicious, and tastes almost like ice cream, you’ve got to try it.

Some of you will ofcourse ask what on earth is “mastic”??? It is shown in the close-up picture here.

Translation? The dictionary says: an aromatic resin or gum extracted from a tree grown in the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern region.

I have no clue where you would find it in “your” country, a middle Eastern grocer I would guess. I have no problem finding it in Greece, as it is also common to Greek deserts (especially ice cream!). They also have a “Mastikha” liqueur from the island of Chios; yummy served on ice.

Back to our rice pudding that my husband has been asking me to make, for many days now!!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup rice

8 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp mastic grounded w/1 tbsp sugar (place both in coffee grinder and blitz till powder form)

1/2 cup chopped pistachios to garnish

Method:

soak rice in 2 cups hot water for 1 hour, then boil for 10mns

add milk and stir almostconstantly for 3/4 hour

(you really need to pay attention to this one, don’t go sit down with a book, or get involved with another dish, milk boiling over, or worse still blackened milk stuck at the bottom of a pan, is not pretty I assure you!)

add sugar, stir, keep for 5 more minutes

add mastic mixture and stir to combine

take off fire and let cool a bit

divide in small glass bowls

cover with cling film (very close to the surface to prevent milk for forming a skin)

refrigerate when cooled

sprinkle chopped pistachios on top before serving

Enjoy!

Sometimes I get bored with the same-old same-old, and depending on my mood and what I can find in my fridge, I try to come up with something different.

Today I’m cooking for my nephew Zeyad and his girl friend visiting for a couple of weeks.

I’m making oriental chicken cubes (already posted), rice w/vermicelli & pine nuts (already posted), a greek salad, and a cheese pie. At least some form of a cheese pie.

Sundried tomatoes have been on my mind for a while; yesterday I finally remembered to get some. I also got some really big and plump Kalamata olives. So… that’s what I’ll put in my pie today.

Ingredients:

250 grs crumbled feta

100 grs grated emmental (to cut the sharpness of the feta a bit)

85 grs sundried tomatoes chopped small

85 grs black olives sliced

1 pkt filo pastry (450grs)

1 stick butter melted

Method:

divide your filo into 2 equal parts: ½ for the bottom and ½ for the top

brush your pan with butter (as well as the sides)

then start layering your filo on it one at a time, brushing with butter in between each sheet

Note: Your sheets are never going be the exact same size as your pan which is fine. Because you want them to overlap on the sides so that later you can fold them over, in order to keep the filling in and prevent it from oozing out the sides of the pan. As I lay each sheet of pastry into the pan, I try to have it fit nicely into 2 sides of the pan and the remaining I drape over the other 2 sides, making sure I covered all 4 sides as I go along. I don’t know how to explain it in words better than that, so you’ll just have to look at the pictures to understand what I mean.

when you’ve used your first half, spread the crumbled feta, the emmmental, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the olives over the whole surface

now start covering with the 2ndhalf of the filo, one at a time, brushing with butter between each layer and ending with brushed butter on top as well

cut your filo into squares before baking. Use a sharp knife and go with an up & down motion (cutting all the way to the bottom). Make sure you hold lightly with the fingers of your other hand to ensure that the sheets remain in place while cutting

bake in a 180centigrade pre heated oven till the pastry puffs up and is golden brown on top (about 30mns)

Enjoy!