Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Lemonato

My favourite way of deciding what to cook/eat is by going to markets or shops and seeing what looks nice on the day. Last weekend we went to Brockley Market. I really like it there, though it can get quite busy. We tend to go a little earlier and that way we skip the queueing. Missy also gets to roam fairly freely, chase after the dogs and help herself to the bread and cheese samples. Or maybe that's me - I shouldn't blame everything on my daughter, should I?

I should do a separate post for Brockley market with pictures and all, as it is very deserving of one! There is great produce there for sale, but also fantastic food - like burgers, burritos, pastries etc. One stall that caught our eye was a meat stall and the beef looked fantastic. So we bought some - chuck steak for braising. Initially the plan was to make beef Carbonade, but a few hours later I felt like having rice with it, and it is a fact that Carbonade has to be eaten with fries. So we changed the plan to Lemonato, a fairly simple, yet delicious Greek pot-roast. Traditionally it is made with either chicken on the bone or a nice joint of beef. I had cubed braising beef. The usual story really.

Greek food is fairly simple really. The complexity in cooking it often comes from trying to make simple ingredients shine or go a longer way. The secret to good Greek cooking, as to all cooking really, is good ingredients. I 'm not saying you should go out and buy organic oregano, but make sure that your main ingredient is of good quality. Free range or organic meat, where the animals have been treated well, really does make a difference. 



Serves 4 - 6

1 whole chicken in pieces or 1kg rolled joint of braising beef or (simpler yet) 1kg cubed braising beef
2 large onions, halved
2 carrots, whole
4 garlic cloves
4 tbs olive oil
200ml dry white wine
3 tbs lemon juice

3 tsp Dijon mustard
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper

Season the mustard with salt and pepper (or just pepper in our household), and make a few narrow slits into the meat (if using the cubed braising beef, don't worry about the slits). Add a clove and some of the mustard in each slit (if using the cubed beef, just add the mustard and the garlic cloves into the pan after you brown the meat). Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in the pan and brown of the halved onions and the meat - in batches if you need to. Once browned add the white wine, carrots, bay leaf and lemon juice (if using the cubed beef, add the garlic and mustard at this stage).

Cover and simmer on a gentle heat. If cooking the chicken cook for around 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked though. For the beef, whether cooking the joint or the cubes, cook for at least 2-3 hours on a very low heat. The meat should be nice and tender.

Once cooked, remove the meat from the pan - this is a little more time consuming if using the cubed beef. Remove the bay leaf and blend the carrots and onions into the sauce to thicken it. Carve the join of beef or serve the chicken/ beef cubes on a large plate and pour the sauce over. Serve with mash or long grain rice and a little grated Parmesan.


Friday, 20 April 2012

Cooking - once again

I have some pretty exciting news; I 'm going to be cooking much more come May! I am going to be cooking alongside Jassy Davis of Gin and Crumpets in a local new cafe - The Dish and the Spoon, in Nunhead. Did I say that I 'm very excited? No? Well, I am!

I am really looking forward to enjoying cooking again. I won't have to worry about making too much noise while cooking, nor will I have to worry about tripping over a little pickle (to be clear, I mean my daughter, and not a stray gherkin), while trying to reach for the herbs. I will, once again, be cooking proper food for people to eat and, hopefully, enjoy!

The whole project is really quite exciting. Shona Chambers, the owner of The Dish and the Spoon, decided to open a family friendly cafe in Nunhead, at 61 Cheltenham Road. She is a local mother herself, and felt that there was a need for a family friendly cafe in the area, with good food and, crucially for parents and morning commuters, good coffee.

The coffee will be provided by Dark Fluid, to my husband's excitement, and the tea from Tregothnan. The menu is currently being developed by Jassy, based around British produce. The plan is to have a variety of delicious salads, tarts, soups and lots of cakes. Mmmm cake. I might end up eating all the cake! Only kidding...

Well, I thought I should let you know of my future plans in food. I, for one, am very happy about it all. I look forward to seeing some of you at the cafe and I'm sure I will keep the rest of you informed, if you can't make it to Nunhead for some reason. You can always follow me on Twitter @hungry_sylvia too for more updates!


Wednesday, 11 April 2012

Lahanorizo - Cabbage with rice

This week is building up to Greek Orthodox Easter. Even less-religious Greeks tend to follow lent this week, meaning that they eat a vegan diet. I made this dish last night and didn't even realise it was vegan until today - vegan food is fairly normal in our weekly diet, lent or no lent. Don't get me wrong, I am currently munching on a slice of bread covered in butter. I am not following lent this year. It is hard enough doing it in Greece, let alone a county where even bread seems to be egg or milk washed in some shops!

This dish is a cheap one, probably originating from using up left over and cheap ingredients and bulking them out into a meal. Traditionally you can either get lahanorizo (translating as cabbage-rice) or spanakorizo (spinach-rice). Personally I prefer spanakorizo, I find it more comforting because of its soft, mushy texture.(I will get the recipe off my mother asap!) But I was trying to use up cabbage, hence making lahanorizo. It is also traditionally made with white cabbage, but I had red cabbage... you get the idea!



Serves 2 (plus leftovers for lunch)

2/3 cabbage, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 can chopped tomatoes
3 cups of water
1 cup of rice
generous handful of sultanas
generous handful (or two) of pine nuts
pinch of ground cinnamon
salt and pepper

Sweat the onions in the olive oil for a few minutes, until softened. Add the cabbage and continue to sweat for a few minutes, until the cabbage is beginning to soften too. Add the tomatoes and the water and bring to the boil, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Give it a stir and serve with a few pine nuts sprinkled on top. It is a great side dish, but as I mentioned, can be enjoyed as a main dish too. Kalo Pasxa - Happy Easter!