2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 glass of dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5.
2 Slice the tops off the tomatoes, carefully scoop out the flesh and set it aside for the stuffing.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the shallots and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes, until softened.
4 Add the tomato flesh, herbs, pine nuts and salt and pepper, then cook gently for 6–8 minutes.
5 Stir the cooked rice, mushrooms, tomato purée and wine into the mixture. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary, then remove from the heat.
6 Fill the tomatoes with the mixture, brush them with a little olive oil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve straight away.
Kevin’s Tip
The tomatoes used to make this in Greece tend to be large, distorted in shape, with uneven colouring and lots of ugly blemishes. But what wonderful flavours they have! In England I look for organically grown tomatoes. If they aren’t in season, try the large beef tomatoes and concentrate even harder on developing the flavours of the filling.
Taramosalata
Some fresh, crusty bread, a large glass of ouzo and a bowl of freshly made taramosalata. Utopia!
preparation time 10 minutes
serves 4
Ingredients
4 slices of white bread, crusts removed
125 g (4 oz) smoked fish roe
50 g (2 oz) onion, finely diced
125 ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Soak the bread in a little cold water, then squeeze it dry. Remove the skin from the fish roe.
2Using a fork, mix the fish roe, onion and bread together until they become smooth and well blended (you could do this in a food processor or liquidizer for a smoother texture).
3Gradually beat in the oil, followed by the lemon juice, and then season with salt and pepper. Chill until required.
Kevin’s Tip
The great thing about making your own taramosalata is that you can adjust the proportions of the ingredients to suit your personal taste, especially the amount of oil.
Horiátiki
On offer in every taverna, this salad varies greatly but feta, tomatoes, olives and lettuce are common denominators.
preparation time 15 minutes
serves 6
Ingredients
1 iceberg lettuce
6 shallots, finely diced
1 green pepper halved, deseeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
500 g (1 lb) tomatoes, diced
1⁄2 cucumber, diced
12 green olives
250 g (8 oz) feta cheese, cut into cubes
6 anchovy fillets
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
150 ml (5 fl oz) virgin olive oil
12 capers, rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Remove the outer leaves of the lettuce and discard. Shred the lettuce as finely as possible, then wash and pat dry. Place in a large bowl.
2 Add the shallots, green pepper, herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and anchovy fillets. Gently mix together.
3 Whisk the vinegar into the oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour this dressing over the salad ingredients, add the capers and toss lightly until all the ingredients are coated with the dressing. Serve immediately.
Mithia Tiganitá
I found this dish on one of Greece’s liveliest islands. The town of Karthamena, 20 km (12 miles) from Kos, is popular with young Brits whose idea of a good holiday is to dance all night and sleep all day. The mussels are fried in a light, herby batter and make a delicious starter.
preparation time 40 minutes
cooking time about 15 minutes
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 kg (2 lb) mussels
150 ml (5 fl oz) dry white wine
juice of 1 lemon
75 g (3 oz) plain flour
vegetable oil for deep-frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the batter
2 eggs
75 g (3 oz) self-raising flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Scrub the mussels under cold running water. Pull off the beards and scrape off any barnacles with a small sharp knife. Discard any open mussels that do not close when tapped lightly on a work surface.
2 Heat the wine in a large pan, add the mussels and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook over a medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes, until the mussels have opened.
3 Drain the mussels in a colander set over a medium saucepan to catch the cooking liquid. Discard any mussels that have remained closed. Remove the opened mussels from their shells and set aside to cool.
4 Add the lemon juice to the mussel cooking liquid and then boil it until it is reduced to half its volume. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
5 To make the batter, lightly beat the eggs together. Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and cayenne and whisk into the eggs until smooth. Add the dill and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 3–4 tablespoons of cold water to give a batter the consistency of single cream; beat until smooth.
6 Spread the plain flour over a plate and lightly coat the mussels in it, shaking off any surplus flour.
7 Heat some vegetable oil in a deep pan. Put the mussels in the batter a few at a time and then carefully place them in the hot oil. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until golden brown.
8 Drain the mussels on kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve immediately, with a little of the reduced cooking liquid.
Kevin’s