Hot Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs, bones removed

For the sauce

 

225 grams onions, quartered

1-1½ scotch bonnet or other chillies according to taste, halved and seeded

50 grams root ginger, peeled and chopped roughly

½ teaspoon ground allspice

small bunch fresh thyme

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

120 ml white wine vinegar

120 ml dark soy sauce

How  to cook:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Place the chicken in a large ball, pour over the sauce, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.

 

Grill the chicken for 30 minutes, basting now and then with the leftover sauce. As it cooks, the thick sauce will go quite black in places, but don't worry, as it falls off it will leave behind a really well flavoured, crisp skin, with lovely moist tender meat underneath. Take them in a plate and taste with parsley.

You can serve with rice, potatoes or whatever you like :) Kali oreksi!

Ouzo Marinated Shrimp Souvlaki

 

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, peeled and seeded

 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
 4 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, minced
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 Grated zest of 1 lemon
 3 tablespoon ouzo
 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
 Pinch of cayenne
900 grams shrimp, deveined and shelled
Parsley to serve

How to cook:

Chop the tomato and puree in a food processor. Combine the tomato with the olive oil, basil, garlic, lemon zest, ouzo, and vinegar. Mix in the cayenne, to taste.

Toss the shrimp in the marinade and let stand, covered and refrigerated, for one hour.

Preheat the grill or barbecue.

Divide the shrimp evenly among six or eight skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them first in water to prevent them from burning.

Grill the shrimp for 3-5 minutes, turning to cook on both sides. When the shrimp are bright pink, remove and serve. Kali oreksi'

Baklavas

Ingredients for Syrup:

1 1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ingredients for Baklava:

454 gr phyllo pastry (20 sheets)
1/2 cup (125 ml) + 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup pistachios, ground
6 tablespoon cream 35%

3L (13x9x2") Pyrex casserole dish

To prepare the Baklava syrup place the water and sugar in a pot. First bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Then simmer for 15 minutes and turn the heat off. Add lemon juice and place the syrup in another bowl so that it cools down quickly.

Place the block of phyllo sheets on the counter. Cut the sheets in half. Now there are two blocks of approximately 40 sheets. After cutting in half, the size of the sheets should the same as the size of the pyrex dish. Keep the blocks separate as half the sheets will go below the baklava filling, and the rest above.

Brush the inside of the pyrex dish with the butter. Then lay down 2 sheets. Spread more butter on top, and then place two more sheets on top and butter again. Continue until you finish the first block of the phyllo sheets. Then brush on the cream evenly on top.

Spread the pistachios on the cream evenly. Then finish second block of the sheets the same way. Don't forget to brush the very top with butter.

Dip a big, sharp knife into hot water to cut the Baklava in rectangles. Cut 4 vertically and 6 horizontally to get 24 piece of Baklava. However, don't cut all the way down, only cut halfway until you reach the pistachio. This will ensure only the top parts will rise when you bake it.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the pyrex dish on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes. At this point turn the heat down to 325 F while the dish is still in the oven. Bake for 30 more minutes and take the Baklava out. Leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Then using the same knife, re-cut the Baklava all the way down.

With a tablespoon pour the lukewarm syrup evenly along the cut lines. Make sure not to pour it all over, only between the lines, otherwise Baklava won't turn out well. 

Sprinkle some pistachios on top of each Baklava. Let it rest at least 4 hours before serving. The syrup should be completely absorbed. You don't need to refrigerate it. Kali oreksi!

Oysters With Champagne Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup champagne or sparkling white wine
1 hallot, finely chopped
125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
Freshly ground white pepper
Rock salt, to serve
12  pieces of oyster, in the half shell
Fresh chives, chopped

How to cook:

Place the champagne and shallot in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-5 minutes (until reduced by half). Add the cream and season with white pepper. Simmer for 3-4 minutes (until reduced by half) and the sauce is thick and creamy.

Preheat grill on high. Scatter rock salt over the base of 2 small heatproof serving dishes. Arrange the oysters on the rock salt. Pour the cream mixture evenly among the oysters. Cook under grill for 1-2 minutes. Set aside for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Sprinkle with chives to serve. Kali oreksi!

Coconut Shrimp With Beer

Ingredients:

1400 grams shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 cups flour

3 eggs

330 grams beer

225 grams coconut, shredded

1/4 cup flour

Peanut oil to fry

How to cook:

Mix the cup flour and the coconut in a shallow dish. Set aside. Heat a large skillet or wok with about peanut oil. Heat until 365 degrees. Rinse and pat dry the shrimp.

Whisk the eggs, flour and beer in a large bowl. Dip the shrimp into the batter, getting rid of the excess. Place the coated shrimp into the dish with the prepared coconut. Coat well on both sides. Place all coated shrimp in a single layer and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place the shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown. Flip and cook until the other side is golden as well. The whole process should take between 4 to 5 minutes. Kali oreksi!

Salmon Burger

Ingredients:

400 grams salmon

1 egg white

1 tablespoon flour

2 teaspoon mustard

2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

½ red onion, chopped 

¼ teaspoon each sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

1/3 cup organic low-fat plain yoghurt

1 heaped tablespoon mint leaves, chopped 

1 heaped tablespoon dill, chopped 

Spritz of fresh lemon juice

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

How to cook:

Chop the salmon and add to a bowl with the other pattie ingredients. Mix lightly using your hands. Heat one tablespoon of sunflower oil in a non-stick pan and cook the salmon patties for 1.5-2 minutes per side. so the outside is golden and the centre is still slightly pink. Combine the dressing ingredients. Assemble the burger with the cucumber slices first, then the salmon pattie and dressing and finally the watercress. Kali oreks,!

Grilled Scallops With Fennel

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
1 tablespoon anise-flavored liqueur
24 sea scallops, tough mussels removed
Salt and fresly ground pepper
1 bulb fennel, trimmed (reserving fronds for pasta sauce)

How to cook:

Heat grill to medium-high. Mix 2 tablespoons oil with the lemon juice and liqueur in a bowl. Add scallops and toss to coat. Slide scallops horizontally onto small skewers. Season with salt and pepper.
Place skewers on grill. Grill, rotating, until scallops are golden outside and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from grill.
Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise, and slice lengthwise again into 0.5 cm. thick pieces. Toss with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, and grill, turning, until fennel just wilts and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve warm. Kali oreksi!