Schnitzel from tenderloin with mushroom sauce and traditional kouskous from Thessaloniki

Ingredients:
4 schnitzel from tenderloin
For the schnitzel coating:
2 eggs or a large one
turmeric
coarse sea salt
red pepper flakes
thyme
(whisk all the above in a bowl and coat both schnitzel sides)
extra virgin olive oil for frying
(Heat the frying pan on maximum temperature and then fry the schnitzel on medium heat until  golden browned)
breadcrumbs for coating
For the sauce:
4-5 mushrooms cleaned with a damp cloth and sliced
2 teaspoons organic mustard
200 gr milk cream
(Saute mushrooms first and then add the cream and mustard and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes on low temperature until sauce thickens a bit.)
extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the mushrooms- 2 tablespoons
for 6-7 minutes boil the traditional kouskous, drain them and add extra virgin olive oil
Bon appetit!

Pork steaks in the oven

20160906_161942 20160906_162506 20160906_173726 20160906_174608Smear on your pork steaks organic mustard-each side, sea salt, pepper, organic garlic flakes, organic oregano, thyme, lemon juice-organic, extra virgin olive oil and wrap each steak in parchment paper and place them in a deep baking pan . In a preheated oven bake your steak (with resistors upside down) at 190 degrees Celsius for 75 minutes. Your meat, wrapped in parchment paper, is going to be cooked evenly and get very tender.

For garnish, mix in a bowl greek sheep’s yogurt, mustard(bio)- 1 tablespoon- and a pinch of red pepper flakes (boukovo). Lastly, add fresh, chopped green horn peppers.

Bon appetit!

Stuffed peppers and tomatoes with minced meat, vegetables and groats (bulgur)

Summertime and we enjoy fresh vegetables following this recipe:
Igredients:
1 kg minced meat
1 baking pan peppers and tomatoes for stuffing
200 gr. bulgur
6-7 small zucchini, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil 1.5 cup of tea
2 cups water
3-4 potatoes peeled and chopped
2 onions (purple) whole to cook together with potatoes
1 white onion, chopped
mint
dried oregano
curry
garlic flakes
tomato puree
sea salt
chilli
smoked paprika
Recipe:
Mix all the ingredients except groats, extra virgin olive oil, water and purple onions in a pan, add half a cup of olive oil and begin to roast the minced meat, stirring gradually. Once the meat is fast ready, add the tomato puree, water and bulgur and continue mixing. As soon as the bulgur softenes, withdraw the pan from stove.
Stuff the tomatoes and the peppers. Add sea salt, smoked paprika, 1 cup water and the rest of extra virgin olive oil and for the potatoes add dried oregano, sea salt, paprika(and here extra virgin olive oil as well).
In preheated oven bake for 1 hour at 180 degrees Celsius.
If the potatoes are not browned, remove the staffed peppers and tomatoes in a platter and continue baking the potatoes.
Bon appetit!
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Cannelloni stuffed with minced meat and cannelloni stuffed with cheese

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The recipe is for 300 grams minced meat and 12 cannelloni:
Roast the ground beef in extra virgin olive oil and then add 1 chopped onion. I continue to mix until the minced meat becomes light brown and add 2 chopped tomatoes without the peel, salt and pepper. I can also add 1-2 pinches cinnamon powder. Once the minced meat is ready add cheese that melts easily and stir.
The bechamel sauce is made with 2 cups whole milk and 3 table spoons of Cornstarch. In a glass of tea mix a little cold milk with the cornstarch and warm the remaining milk at low heat in a saucepan, stirring frequently to avoid burning it. As soon as milk starts boiling pour in the mixture of the cold milk and cornstarch, and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken . Once thickened pour in 2 table spoons of cow butter and some salt.
Grease the pyrex or baking pan with extra virgin olive oil and pour some bechamel sauce to cover the bottom of the pyrex. I place the stuffed cannelloni(do not boil them) with minced meat-cheese mixture kim without touching each other to avoid sticking during cooking. Cover them with the rest of the bechamel sauce and tomato juice to avoid drying out during cooking and add some Parmesan on top. Bake at 185 degrees Celsius in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.
(For the filling with cheese and ham, mix in it a little sauce to homogenize them, the remaining steps are the same.)
Bon appetit!

Roasted chicken

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Ingredients for coating the chicken:
1 soup spoon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, salt, 1-2 pinches of red pepper, paprika 1-2 pinches, extra virgin olive oil 2 soup spoons, 1-2 pinches of oregano, lemon juice.
for the potatoes:
1-2 pinches of oregano, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil 3-4 soup spoons, mustard 2 soup spoons, salt, red pepper.
I add a little water in the pan and bake the chicken along with the peeled potatoes in preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the strength of my oven or the size of the chicken, resistors upside down.
Bon appetit!

Chicken in the oven with spices and flat bread

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I add 2 breasts of chicken or 4 chicken thigh fillets to a mixture of 1 yoghurt, a little lime juice, ginger, garlic, cumin, salt, red pepper, coriander, paprika mix and then bake for half an hour at 185 degrees in an greased pan with extra virgin olive oil in a preheated oven.
I bake the pies for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius, on a baking sheet. Ingredients: Flour, a little salt, water and a little extra virgin olive oil. Put so much water so that the dough doesn’t stick on our hands while kneading. Then the dough rests for half an hour covered and I roll the pies with a rolling pin on a baking sheet and bake them.
I chop colorful peppers and a large tomato and make a sauce with yoghurt, ketchup, a little soja sauce,a little tabasco and a little extra virgin olive oil.
Bon appetit!

Mexican minced meat

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Recipe:
Saute a pound of minced meat in extra virgin olive oil and after cooked – 10 min. – add in the pan 1 chopped onion, 3-4 green peppers , 1 package large tomato puree , 1 can red kidney beans , 2 pinches of pepper , 2 pinches of chili , 2 pinches pepper , 5-6 pinches of sea salt, 2 pinches of cumin , 2 pinches of coriander , optional, 10 minutes before end of cooking add half a glass of red wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
Serve with rice or on a slice of bread salve spicy mustard and then the minced meat.
Bon appetit !

Roasted chicken in the oven

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Recipe:
Mixture for chicken before baking : Mix 1 teaspoon honey with 2 tablespoons mustard and then put 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , 2 thinly sliced cloves of garlic , 1 pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of curry powder , 1 teaspoon non hot paprika , 1 teaspoon red vinegar , mix the ingredients and coat the chicken with the mixture. Spread on a baking pan a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven 1.5kg chicken for 2 hours at 200 degrees Celsius. ( The time and temperature may vary depending on our oven ) .

Bon appetit !

Lamb in the spit-roast and “kokoretsakia”

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Recipe:
For 9.5 kg lamb in the spit-roast (see photo) we need: 1 organic lemon, not waxed, cut into 8 pieces with the skin, sea salt, pepper, oregano, 5 whole cloves of garlic. Sew the belly of the goat with stainless wire, to keep the filling in attache on it’s tummy the white “nest” that surrounds the lamb’s offal/giblets (optional), to avoid the tummy’s burning during roasting.
Remove from the lamb any hair that the butcher may not has removed.
During baking brush constantly the lamb with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and oregano.
The lamb needs at least four hours in the spit and the time varies depending on the amount of charcoal that we use-see photo and we understand that it is ready when the skin starts cracking and showing the bones inside.

The spices we use to sprinkle the kokoretsakia are salt, black pepper, red chili pepper, sweet red pepper, cumin, coriander.
Bon appetit!

Happy Easter to you all!

Eggplants with minced meat in the oven

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Recipe:
In a large frying pan put extra virgin olive oil until it covers the bottom of the pot. Once you get the proper temperature add one large minced onion -or 2- and 1-2 cloves of garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes having added 3-4 pinches of salt and pepper (if you have irritable bowel boil onions in water for at least 20 minutes before frying them). Then add 1kg minced meat. After the meat becomes light brown, stop stirring and pour two freshly cut tomatoes or tomato juice(package) and 2 bay leaves. After a boil add 1/2 glass of red wine and let it boil for another 5-10 minutes in order for the alcohol to evaporate. After your meal is ready, remove the bay leaves.
Cut the eggplants of medium size in half and remove the two peaks. Then  remove the seed if there are any inside. Deep your eggplants in salty water for half an hour for its bitterness to go away and then rinse with plenty of water to wash away the excess salt.

Fry your eggplants for a while to soften them and then before you place them in the oven, lay on them the minced meat and the chopped tomatoes. Afterwards on a baking pan, where you have spread baking sheet cook them in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 1/2 hour. Add thinnly chopped potatoes on parchment paper, drizzled them with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Bon appetit!

Βουβάλι Κερκίνης στη γάστρα

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Συνταγή:
1.700 γραμ. Βουβαλίσιο χτένι σε χοντρές φέτες
1 συσκευασία ντοματάκια
2 κ σ πελτέ ντομάτας
1ντομάτα
2 κ σ ξύδι κόκκινο
Αλάτι
Πιπέρι
Μπαχάρι 1 κ γλ
1 ξυλάκι κανέλας-μετά το μαγείρεμα το πετάμε, δεν τρώγεται, προσοχή!
1φλυτζανάκι ελαιόλαδο
3 κρεμμύδια χοντροκομμένα
2 ολόκληρες σκελίδες σκόρδο, καθαρίζουμε μόνο τις φλούδες του
Βάζουμε όλα τα υλικά στη γάστρα και τα ανακατεύουμε και αφήνουμε το κρέας να μαρινάρεται σκεπασμένο στο ψυγείο όλο το βράδυ.
Το πρωί ψήνουμε σε κλειστή γάστρα για τρεις ώρες και μισή ώρα ακόμα με ανοιχτό καπάκι στους 200 βαθμούς κελσίου η μέχρι να μαλακώσει το κρέας. Κάθε τόσο γυρνάμε τα κομμάτια να παίρνουν ομοιόμορφα υγρασία από τη σάλτσα. Αν χρειαστεί προσθέτω 1 ποτηράκι νερό κατά το ψήσιμο.
Καλή σας όρεξη!

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Meatball soup

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Recipe :

1.5 chopped dry onions
salt as desired
pepper as desired
1/2 tea cup of rice
parsley 2 Tbsp
extra virgin olive oil to the mixture if minced meat is not greasy enough
ground beef 500 g
Pour 7 cups water in a pot with salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil and when it starts to boil put the ”round meatballs” in , optionally coat them with some flour and shake well the leftovers.
Boil the soup for about 20 minutes until the rice is ready and mix the eggs and lemons well with your hand or in the mixer , 2 eggs and 2 squeezed lemons . First , beat the egg whites separately until they become white and frothy with a whisk and then add the egg yolks and lemon juice and mix well and then add the broth, around 10 Tablespoons stirring continuously, in the egg and lemon mix and then add the egg- lemon mix in the pot and stir well to incorporate .
Bon appetit !

Fried meatballs with cumin

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1/2 kilogram ground beef
2-3 pinches of salt
2 pinches of pepper
2-3 pinches of cumin
2-3 pinches of oregano
1.5 chopped dry onion
2 slices of bread soaked in water and then squeezed and cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 egg
Knead well the ingraddients and form the meatballs , coat them with all purpose flour , remove excess flour and fry in extra virgin olive oil enough to reache the middle of the meatball . Once they get the color of the picture place them on a big plate with absorbent paper towels to drain excess oil to preserve the meatballs crispy .
Bon appetit !

Chicken with rice, thyme, lemon zest

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Recipe :
The roasted chicken leftovers from our last day we can easily and quickly use them on the following day. We only use the white flesh of the chicken ( half chicken) and throw the rest away. Each piece in the same size . In a pot put extra virgin olive oil just to cover the bottom , and 1 chopped onion . Saute slightly and pour 500 gr rice and mix them . Add salt and pepper , not much, because I do not forget that the chicken was already seasoned . Throw the chicken pieces and stir once again. Add water to the ratio of 1 rice – 1.5 water , ie every 1 cup rice use 1.5 cup water . This ratio is ideal for kettle , however, if you use a pot with a lid , add a little more water after the first quarter of the boil. Cook for another 3 minutes and leave the rice on a cold surface still covered with the pot lid to suck the remaining water. Once the rice is ready and softened enough uncover the pot and serve. Leave open the pot to cool completely before storing it in the fridge . Yoy can preserve the rice in the fridge for 1 or 2 days .
Add to each portion 1 pinch of organic lemon zest and 1 pinch of thyme and accompany the rice with yoghurt or feta cheese .
Bon appetit !

Fried meatballs

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recipe :
1 kilogram of ground beef
1-2 onions chopped
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 pinches of salt
1-2 pinches of pepper
1-2 pinches of oregano
2 Tbsp vinegar
1-2 slices of bread soaked in water and squeezed
1 egg
2-3 tbsp parsley
all purpose flour for coating the meatballs
extra virgin olive oil for the frying . We put so much oil that reaches the middle of the meatballs during frying .
We blend all the ingredients, then form the meatballs with our palms and then coat the meatballs with the flour. Remove the excess flour and place the meatballs in the preheated oil(in a pan) at medium temperature for the olive oil not to be burned quickly and blacken the bottom of the pan with burnt flour. If we have many meatballs to fry, we use a new pan with fresh new olive oil.
Once the meatballs browned on each side we remove them from the pan and place on an absorbent paper .
Bon appetit !