Athens, Greece. A recipe feature presents Athinaiki Fish Salad and Chocolate Galaktoboureko, two dishes linked to Greek and Cypriot culinary traditions. The article includes ingredients, preparation methods and a note on a related cookbook and online recipe group.
Athinaiki Fish Salad
Athinaiki Fish Salad is described as a vintage Greek classic and elegant party appetizer. The dish is presented as a creamy mayonnaise-based salad made with poached white fish, root vegetables, capers, gherkins and fresh herbs.
The ingredients listed are 1kg whole white fish such as sea bream, grouper, scorpionfish or cod, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, juice of half a lemon or more to taste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium waxy potato cut in half, 2 medium carrots cut lengthwise, 2 celery stalks, 100g frozen petits pois, half a small celeriac root diced small, 2 bay leaves, 4 peppercorns, 1¼ cups good-quality mayonnaise plus extra for topping, 3 tablespoons capers rinsed and chopped, 4 small gherkins finely chopped, 2 tablespoons dill finely chopped, 2 tablespoons fennel finely chopped, half a teaspoon paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper. For garnish, the recipe uses 1 cucumber thinly sliced.
The method begins by placing water, potato, carrots, celery, celeriac, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot, bringing the mixture to the boil and simmering it over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender. The peas are added during the final minute of cooking.
Using a slotted spoon, the potatoes, carrots and peas are removed while the vegetable broth is reserved. The broth is then brought back to the boil, the fish is added, and the heat is reduced for a gentle simmer of 15 to 20 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
The carrots and potatoes are diced while the fish cools slightly after removal from the broth. The skin and bones are removed, and the fish is flaked into a large bowl. Olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice are added before the potatoes, carrots, peas, gherkins, capers, herbs and three-quarters of a cup of mayonnaise are folded in. The mixture is seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and paprika.
The salad is transferred onto a serving platter and shaped into an oval. Additional mayonnaise is spread over the top, and cucumber slices are arranged to resemble fish scales. The dish is then covered and refrigerated for several hours before serving.
Chocolate Galaktoboureko
The second recipe is Chocolate Galaktoboureko, described as a variation on a dessert long associated with Greek and Cypriot family tables. The recipe states that it serves 10 to 12.
For the syrup, the ingredients are 275g sugar, 275ml water, 1 cinnamon stick and juice of 1 orange. For the custard, the recipe uses 1.2 litres full-fat milk, 100g fine semolina, 25g cornflour mixed with a little milk, 100g caster sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5 medium eggs at room temperature, 340g chocolate praline couverture chopped and 25g unsalted butter. For the pastry, the ingredients are 470g long filo pastry and 200g clarified butter or ghee, melted.
The syrup is prepared by placing the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and orange juice in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to the boil and stirring until the sugar dissolves. It is then simmered for 5 to 8 minutes until slightly thickened and left to cool completely.
To make the custard, the milk is warmed in a large saucepan, with half a cup reserved. In a bowl, the reserved milk is whisked with the cornflour, eggs, sugar, semolina and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. A ladleful of hot milk is gradually whisked into the egg mixture, which is then slowly poured back into the saucepan while stirring constantly. The custard is cooked over gentle heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
The chocolate is melted in a microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. After the custard is removed from the heat, the melted chocolate and butter are stirred in until smooth. The surface is covered with greaseproof paper and the custard is left to cool.
For assembly, the oven is preheated to 180C and a 31cm by 23cm baking dish is greased. Half the filo sheets are layered in the dish, each brushed with melted butter and left with overhanging edges. The cooled custard is spread evenly over the pastry, the overhanging filo is folded over the custard, and the remaining filo sheets are added on top, again brushed with butter. The edges are tucked in neatly and the top is scored into portions.
Any remaining butter is poured over the pastry and a light sprinkling of cold water is added to prevent curling. The dessert is baked for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown and crisp. It is then removed from the oven and the cooled syrup is ladled evenly over the hot pastry. The galaktoboureko is left for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.
Book and online group
The article states that Loulla’s book My Kosmos My Kitchen can be ordered from www.amazon.com or www.austinmacauley.com/book/my-kosmos-my-kitchen. It also says readers can join Loulla’s Facebook group, Loulla’s Recipe Share, for more traditional Greek and Cypriot recipes and inspiration.
