RUSSIAN SALAD with DILL and CAPER MAYONNAISE (Olivier Salad/Ρωσική Σαλάτα)

This salad, very popular and seen on tables all over Europe, is of Russian origin. Each country has its own way of preparing it. The Spanish version is interesting in that it contains tuna fish. In other places, chopped pieces of ham or turkey get the nod. The Greeks prefer a vegetarian version, possibly because they are of the opinion (quite a sensible one, I must say), that salad should include nothing else but vegetables and dressing. 

What is called Russian Salad today, started out as Olivier Salad; it was the invention of Lucien Olivier, a nineteenth-century chef who owned The Hermitage, a famous and exclusive restaurant in Moscow. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Maxim Gorky ... they had celebratory dinners at The Hermitage!  

The original recipe for Olivier Salad does not survive; we are told that it was a rich mixture containing vegetables, goose, various other meats, and also on occasion, caviar. 

The scene of the crime: The Hermitage Restaurant, Moscow. The building survives still, and currently, it houses the School of Modern Drama

Interior of The Hermitage Restaurant in Moscow. 

It was the dressing, the mayonnaise which held it together, that made Olivier Salad or Russian Salad famous. Mayonnaise recipes were refined during the early 1800s and subsequently became popular. It was considered darn elegant to serve a dish slathered with mayonnaise. Slathered is a keyword: mayonnaise was used as a binding ingredient and then was additionally spread in a thick top layer as a means of decoration. Think of icing on cakes! 

Fortunately, the amount of mayo used has been toned down of late ... Below is presented a good Greek version of Russian salad. 

For a festive occasion, this Russian Salad was decorated with roasted red peppers and one green tomato (not fried, lol!). A simple yet bright presentation!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen peas, no need to cook them
2 medium carrots cut in half

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled 
3 eggs, hardboiled and chopped (best to use the whites only)
2 scallions diced
2 or 3 cornichons diced
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

some vegetables for decoration
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic cut in half

1 small whole onion, peeled and studded with two cloves

For the Dill and Caper Mayonnaise:

2 tablespoons capers rinsed and dried, then chopped
2 tablespoons dill, chopped and dried
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
zest of one lemon 
1/2 cup mayonnaise 

Simple:  To the mayonnaise add the capers, dill, Dijon mustard and lemon zest. Mix well. Or, if you are ever so diligent, make a mayonnaise from scratch and proceed from there! 

Directions for the salad:

Each vegetable must be cooked individually until tender but not mushy. It's important to allow all the vegetables to cool down prior to mixing. 

• In a medium pot bring some lightly salted water to a boil. Add the bay leaves, whole onion and garlic. 
• Add the carrots and potatoes to the liquid. Check the vegetable and using a slotted spoon, remove them from the pot when they are tender.  Transfer the vegetables to a colander so that they can drain. Leave them in the colander until they are cool enough to handle. 
• When all the vegetables are cooked, discard the liquid, bay leaves, onion, and garlic.
• Cut the potatoes into slices and dice the carrots. Season with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. 
• Add the peas, cornichons, scallions, and parsley. Toss gently. 
• Cover the mixture and let cool in the refrigerator for about an hour. 
• Add the chopped eggs (or egg whites). 
• Fold the mayonnaise into the vegetables and place the salad in a serving bowl or, for a nicer presentation, mould it into a nice shape and decorate it with slices of roasted peppers tomatoes and olives. 
• If you like, use other vegetables for decoration; make it look as fancy or as simple as you want! 
• This is a traditional choice for an accompaniment to New Year's dinner.

Russian salad on a bed of greens! A great meal!!!

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH FETA CHEESE AND OLIVES

This is a great tasting dip, folks!  Its taste is amplified because it contains roasted a roasted shallot, some roasted garlic, plus the juice of a grilled lemon. 

Pulse a few beans in the food processor along with a host of flavorful Mediterranean ingredients and you get an extremely tasty, creamy and healthy dip! 

• Healthy because the dip is low in fat compared to most other dips out there. 
• Healthy because it's high in protein, calcium and fibre.  
• Tasty!!!  
• Spread the dip on toasted pita slices and you have an irresistible treat!  A really, really delicious and healthy treat!

This recipe is fast to make.  It took me about 20 minutes, and that included cleanup. Who doesn't love the dishwasher??? 

***Here is a tip about feta cheese and olives: 

As these are salty ingredients we Greeks always rinse some of the brine from them.

For the feta cheese: just place the cheese into a bowl and pour water over it. Change the water once or twice, drain, and you're done. The feta will be significantly less salty. If for dietary reasons you want to remove lots of salt from the feta cheese, you can let it soak in water. Experiment with how much time is appropriate for your taste and dietary needs. 

For the olives: they usually also need a good rinsing. Once the job is done, place them into a container and pour a combination of canola and olive oil over them. (Olive oil congeals in the refrigerator, so it must be mixed with another type of oil to keep it from solidifying). The oil should come almost but not quite halfway up the container. Cover, shake gently to coat all the olives and store in the refrigerator. This can be done with just about any type of olives except the sun-dried variety. Those don't get rinsed because they will absorb water and will no longer be sundried.

How to make white bean dip with feta cheese and olives:

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans such as Great Northern  

5 cloves of garlic, roasted and mashed

1 shallot, roasted and chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, save a few for garnish

the juice of one grilled lemon

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

8 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Cut the lemon in half, brush each half with olive oil and grill. This can be done on the stovetop. 
• Drain and rinse the beans. Place them into the food processor and add the juice from the grilled lemon.   
• Add the roasted garlic, the roasted shallot, olive oil, feta cheese, rosemary, oregano, parsley and black pepper—no need to add salt because the feta cheese and olives contain enough of it.
• Blend in the food processor until all the ingredients are smooth and creamy.
• Add the olives and walnuts. Pulse a few times until they're coarsely chopped. Small pieces of each should be visible in the dip.
• Place into a bowl and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours. The dip is better if it gets a chance to rest. And really, aren't we all better when we get a chance to rest? 

Take the dip out of the refrigerator and place it into a serving bowl. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top of the dip. Decorate with a few rosemary leaves, and serve with your favourite crackers.  

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!

SALTY KOULOURAKIA / BÂTON SALÉ / AΛΜΥΡΆ ΚΟΥΛΟΥΡΆΚΙΑ AND A BEER

These little treats are just like potato chips, in that you can't eat just one. You have to go back and get another and another. It's just a guilty pleasure. They are salty, cheesy, buttery, they melt in your mouth, and they are irresistible! The dough is a little crunchy on the outside and a lot flaky on the inside!!! 

If you are familiar with koulourakia, you know that they are a sweet buttery Greek cookie. Here is a different version of koulourakia: these babies are not sweet ... they are savoury, or as Greeks call them, they are "salty koulourakia." They are also referred to as "bâton salé," which in French means "salty sticks." I don't know why they have two names but they can be found in patisserie shops all over Greece, and they are a very popular snack.

Bâton Salé or Salty Koulourakia  ... Presenting this wonderful, addictive, savoury cookie!!!

This recipe was given to me by my aunt Sophia, who told me that she got it from the owner of a patisserie shop. It's supposed to be a top-secret recipe. (Actually, it was top-secret up until the time I published it). I don't know what methods my aunt employed to get it, and I don't want to find out, either. Suffice it to say that it's a great recipe!  

Salty koulourakia go well with drinks, especially with beer. If you want to drink that Heineken so you can forget the one you love who doesn' love you back ... go ahead, drink the beer, you're probably not in the mood for a snack. On the other hand, if a party is happening where beer will be served, make salty koulourakia, I recommend them! These guys are also good with tea. Somehow, I don't like them with coffee. 

Mix by hand, no need to use electric appliances. This recipe is incredibly easy and quick to make. To prepare it requires only one bowl, a whisk, a measuring spoon, and a measuring cup! The full recipe will yield 70 pieces but it can be cut in half. 

Ingredients:

butter: use half of a pound which is 
           equivalent to 8-ounces, or    
           2 sticks, or one cup; for the 
           metrically inclined, the butter
           equivalent is 230 grams.         

1 cup good vegetable oil 

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup ground Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons feta cheese, finely crumbled

about 4 cups of flour

1 egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk, a few dashes of poppy seeds and a tablespoon of Pecorino Romano cheese: this will be used as egg wash
Additional toppings: sprinkle slivered almonds or sesame seeds on top of the egg wash

Directions:

Melt the butter, let it cool and then whisk it with the oil until well blended.  Add the eggs and continue whisking.
 

Add the milk, the black pepper, and the cheeses, and continue beating.

Sift the flour with the baking powder.  Add it gradually to the butter mixture, mixing between each addition. 

Turn the dough onto a board and knead, adding more flour if necessary, not so much that the dough gets tough. The dough should be soft and pliable.

Cut the dough into pieces of about 1 inch in diameter.
  

Shape into rods or circles.

Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and brush with the egg wash mixture.

Use some toppings if desired.
  

Bake in a preheated 350º F/180º C oven until golden in colour (about 25 to

30 minutes). 

give them different shapes ...

top them with almonds, have them with tea ...
 Pictured above is a previous version that had been baked. Notice how I had given them different shapes. Just have fun making them and shaping them! They're very enjoyable! 

SUMMER FRESH TOMATO and KALAMATA OLIVE BRUSCHETTA

This is a lovely bruschetta recipe packed with flavour.  Fresh tomatoes, a dash of garlic to keep away the vampires, and a mixture of fresh herbs that give a je ne sais quoi character to the appetizer, something that all good appetizers should have just to add a zany quality to your party! 

There is lots of fresh basil and parsley here. I decided to give it a Greek twist by adding some Kalamata olives, and then, at the last minute, I decided to throw in some capers. To top, I used one of my favourite cheeses, Pecorino Romano, freshly grated. I had some anchovies in the cupboard and I thought why not? For a few of the appetizers, I omitted the cheese and used an anchovy as a topping. Why? Because my guests deserve it, that's why! 

This recipe makes lots of appetizers, however, go ahead and adjust quantities as you need to. Here's my recipe:

Ingredients:

• 5 ripened plum tomatoes 
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• just a few Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
• some capers, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

• fresh basil sliced chiffonade style
• freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese  
• anchovies

Ingredients for the bread:

• Bread, cut into slices for serving. You could save your stale bread, cut it into slices and store it in a plastic bag until ready to use, and at that time you can lightly toast it.
• some olive oil 
• about one or two cloves of garlic 

Directions:

• Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Rinse the tomatoes under cold running water to make sure all the seeds are gone, and then dry with paper towels. Once the tomatoes are dry, dice them up.    
• Make a dressing by mixing the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. 
• In a medium-sized bowl mix the shallots, tomatoes, capers and olives. 
• Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and mix. 
• Set aside for about 3-4 hours. Do not refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Right before the bruschetta is to be served, top each bread slice with a little olive oil and place them in the oven. Toast lightly. 
• Once the bread is out of the oven rub some garlic on each slice. 
• Top with the bruschetta.
• Top with the basil chiffonade 
• Top some slices with freshly grated Pecorino Romano 
• Top a few slices with anchovies. 
• Arrange on a platter and serve.

It's a promise: you'll enjoy biting into the crunchy slices of bread, and you'll savour the medley of fresh herbs and vegetables that make up the delicious je ne sais quoi character of this treat! 

HUMMUS, HUMMUS, HUMMUS!

Eating delicious, eating healthy, eating HUMMUS! Can't make hummus without tahini, though. What is tahini?  It's a paste made from ground, toasted sesame seeds and vegetable oil, and it's popular in North African, Middle Eastern and Greek cuisines. In Greece, other than in recipes, tahini is used as a breakfast spread. Slather it on a piece of bread and eat it without another topping, or drizzle some honey on it. Tahini contains relatively high levels of calcium, protein, fibre, and iron. When tahini is combined with chickpeas it turns into hummus. And chickpeas contain fibre, lots of protein, folic acid and Omega-3. Because chickpeas are high in fibre they are a healthy source of carbohydrates for diabetics.  So make that hummus!  Try it with grilled eggplant, it's great that way! Use it instead of mayonnaise. Potato salad with hummus? Great!!! 

Here is my recipe for hummus, into which I add some 2% Greek yogurt.  This recipe is a protein and calcium powerhouse!!!  

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (about 15 ounces)

3 tablespoons tahini 
1 garlic clove finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of ground cumin
chopped parsley for garnish
a bit of olive oil to drizzle for garnish
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted lightly, for garnish

Directions:

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in the bowl of a food processor and add the tahini. Make sure the tahini is mixed well before you remove it from the jar. The oil from the sesame paste tends to float to the top of the jar, so it needs to be reblended with the paste. 
• Add the rest of the ingredients except the ones that will be used as garnish. Mix until a desired texture is achieved. You might want the hummus to be chunky, or smooth or somewhere in between.
• Remove to a bowl and chill for about two hours before serving. Pour the hummus into a serving bowl and sprinkle the parsley and toasted pine nuts on top to garnish. Finally, drizzle a little olive oil on the hummus and serve.
• Accompany with pita chips and raw vegetables.
• Hummus will keep in the refrigerator for about five days. 

EGGPLANT TURNOVERS – Bourekas de berengena or Borekitas de meredjena

Before we get on with the recipe, why not enjoy a special treat? Keep reading my darlings ...
Today is March 15. Which means that ...

We are celebrating the IDES OF MARCH!!! 

Let's take a few minutes to commemorate this very important day! First, we'll read a few lines from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar:" 

"Caesar:
Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry "Caesar!" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.
Soothsayer:
Beware the ides of March.
Caesar:
What man is that?
Brutus:
A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March."


And now, a lovely song! Why not spend some of this day brushing up on the bard's beautiful poetry?

Okay, let's cook: 

Eggplant turnovers or bourekas are a speciality of the Sephardic community of Thessaloniki. 

This recipe is found in the cookbook “Tastes from Sephardic Thessaloniki, Recipes of the Jews of Thessaloniki,” by Nina Benroubi (2002). The bourekas contain eggplant, and the author states that eggplant is the “star” of Sephardic cooking. 

Here are some interesting characteristics of Sephardic cuisine: 

• A limited amount of spices are used.
• There is a total absence of garlic 
• Ingredients are coated with egg (not breadcrumbs) right before frying 
• Dough is prepared by adding flour into a mixture of warm water and oil. 

Sephardic cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine, with Spanish, Arabic, Greek, and Italian influences. All combine to provide a most interesting chapter in gastronomic history.

I made the dough as per instructions, by adding the flour to warm water and oil. The final result was fantastic. The dough was supple, and smooth, and soft. Lovely! It didn't disappoint after it was cooked. A great tasting dough, that can be used with many different fillings. In Ladino, which is the language of the Sephardic Jews, the name of this recipe is Borekitas de meredjéna.  

For the dough:

½ cup olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup water

3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 ounces Greek yoghurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 egg yolk beaten with a small quantity of water, to use as egg wash

Sesame seeds for topping

• Place a medium pot over low heat and add the oil, water and butter.  Leave on the heat, mixing occasionally until the ingredients are warm and the butter has melted.  
• Mix in the sugar and salt.
• Turn off the heat and gradually stir in one cup of the flour.  
• Mix in the yoghurt. 
• Gradually add the rest of the flour to make a soft, slightly greasy dough. Mix only until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix.
•  Gather the dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap. Initially, I used a fork for mixing, and then, as more flour was added, I let my hands take over.
• Let the dough rest while preparing the filling.

Make the filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggplants

1 small onion, diced

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

¾ cups feta cheese, crumbled

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

about a tablespoon of breadcrumbs(optional)

• Place the eggplants on a sheet pan and roast them at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, or until their flesh is soft.  Cut them open and scrape out the flesh, then place it in a colander.  Squeeze the eggplant flesh with your hands to press out as much excess liquid as possible.
• Chop the eggplant into small pieces and place into a bowl. 
• Sauté the onions in the olive oil until they are very soft.  Add them to the eggplant, leaving behind any oil that has not cooked off.  
• Add the parsley, the salt and pepper, and mix.
• Add the cheese and the egg.  Mix everything really well.
• If the filling is too moist, mix in a small quantity of breadcrumbs so that they can absorb the moisture.

 To assemble:

• Tear small pieces from the dough and roll them into balls, each the size of a walnut. Roll each ball into a circular shape 3 inches in diameter. No need to use flour when rolling out the dough. 

   

• Place a tablespoon of filling at one end of each circle. 
• Then fold the other end over.  Press down the edges and decorate them with a fork.

• Place the bourekas one inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Prick them with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking. 
• Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle some sesame seeds over them.  Bake at 375° F for 30–35 minutes until golden brown and crisp. 
• Serve hot or at room temperature. Alternately, you can make the bourekas ahead of time.  Once they have gone on the baking sheets you can cover them with plastic wrap and freeze them, taking them out and baking them a day or two later. 

ARTICHOKE, CRAB, and PARMESAN CROSTINI

These crostini would make nice appetizers or even a delicious first course.

Ingredients:

8 slices (1/4 inch thick) of a nice, flavourful bread (I used garlic and rosemary bread)
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

lemon zest

6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry

1 (4-ounce) can lump crab meat, drained
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (save a little to use as a garnish)

3 tablespoon mayonaise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (plus more dill for decoration)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

juice and zest of half a lemon 

Directions :

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil and season them with black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. You'll need to turn them over during baking so that they can toast on both sides. Once they are done, set them aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the topping. Chop the artichokes finely, and place them in a bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, the dill and parsley, the black pepper, the crab meat, the mayonaise and the lemon juice. 
• Dividing evenly, spoon the topping onto the crostini, and if desired garnish with additional Parmesan. 
• Place the assembled crostini back in the oven for about 2 minutes, just to warm the topping and to give the cheese a chance to melt slightly.
• Take out of the oven and top lightly with the lemon zest and a tiny sprig of dill. 

These little guys are easy to make and very easy to eat!

SKORDALIA DIP WITH CAPERS AND ALMONDS

For Greeks, the garlicky puree called skordalia is a traditional accompaniment to fish. Skordo means garlic in Greek, and so it's safe to assume that the name of the recipe, skordalia, connotes a preparation where garlic is a key ingredient. 

Besides accompanying fish, skordalia can be served as a dip with sliced bread or crudités. Several ingredients can form the base of skordalia: walnuts, potatoes, bread, almonds. One ingredient all versions have in common is the addition of the aforementioned garlic, plus garlic, and some garlic. My stomach likes for me to tone down the amount of garlic I use in skordalia. You can use as much or as little as you like; it all depends on personal preference and social engagements. A good rule of thumb is to remember that garlic taste intensifies; therefore, a subtle garlic flavour will become more pronounced as the sauce is waiting to be served. 

Caper and almond skordalia is a traditional recipe of the Greek Islands. The version here is truly delicious (I mean it)!!! It's based on one by the wonderful cookbook author Aglaia Kremezi.  

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed day-old whole-wheat bread, soaked in water until softened
1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained; reserve one tablespoon of capers for garnish
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup blanched whole almonds, soaked overnight in water and drained
1 medium potato, boiled, peeled and mashed
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Salt is optional in this recipe

Directions:

• Squeeze the excess water from the soaked bread and place it in a food processor. Add the garlic and process until it forms a smooth paste. Add the capers and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil, a little at a time. Add the lemon juice and the almonds and pulse to coarsely chop.
• Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and fold in the mashed potato. (Do not add the potato to the food processor: it will turn gluey). Season with pepper and, if necessary, salt to taste. If you like, add more lemon juice to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
• Stir in a few tablespoons of water if the dip is very thick. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of capers.
• Best served with fish. Skordalia is the standard accompaniment to salt cod fritters, which are traditionally eaten during Lent, particularly on the feast day of the Annunciation (25 March), which tends to fall during the Lent season. Greeks will wait all year for a dinner of salt cod fritters and skordalia that's to be had on that day!