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Herby Quinoa & Hake Dolmades with Sultanas and Pine nuts

January 24, 2013 in Food & Travel, Mediterranean Delicatessen, Recipe, Seafood

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Mediterranean Holiday Series –5. Mikrolimano, Athens

 

Mikrolimano piraeus. Image via Athens.com
Mikrolimano piraeus. Image via Athens.com

About 15 kilometers from the centre of Athens, lies the Piraeus, or port and Mikrolimano, the second largest marina in the area. Here you find yachts and recreational boats, fishermen and a strip of seafood restaurants, loved by locals and visitors.

I was brought here by super food blogging trio Pandespani where we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of food and conversation. Eating Greek seafood with Greeks is an incomparable experience. And yes, I’d like more ouzo on ice, please.

 

 

The Piraeus is worth venturing out of Athens for, and if I had more time I’d have liked to spend the afternoon exploring and taking pictures – fishermen casting rods, families coming out for lunch, waiters in starched whites, the fleet of yachts and little fishing boats bobbing on the blue waters.

image Wikicommons
                                                                                                                       image Wikicommons

Non-Conventional Dolmades

 

quinoa and fish dolmades

 

My recipe for dolmades, the Greek and Turkish rice stuffed vine leaf snack, is not traditional at all. In fact it breaks a few rules and after all the taste tests, I can confirm it tastes scrumptious. If you are a fan of the classics, you may need to stand back for this one.

Instead of rice, I use quinoa - the health carb, high in protein that has had the world in a frenzy over the last few years. Also, quinoa cooks far quicker than rice and has a lovely, slightly crunchy texture that I enjoy. Use it as a starch, in salads and stuffings - it is really versatile.

Sultanas are not as sweet as you may think in this recipe, they give a needed contrast and lose some of the sweetness during the cooking process. The herbs are essential to add freshness. In fact you can add a little more after the quinoa has cooked and cooled. Toasted pine nuts are a wonderful Mediterranean ingredient, they add contrast and a buttery nuttiness. Lemon zest adds sprite and white fish is the perfect ingredient for summer.

 

dolmades with fish

Usually dolmades are cooked in a pot, covered in a lemony water for 40 minutes or longer, until the water evaporates. Using cooked quinoa and a delicate fish would not work with that long cooking time, also it would strip the seasoned quinoa of all that lovely flavour. So, I experimented with the less agressive steaming method. The leaves do not turn to mush this way, and I prefer the slight bite to them. Al dente vine leaves! Do use the old fashioned method, if you prefer.

dolmades on bamboo steamer

I used a bamboo steamer, suspended over a wok of simmering water, allowing the water to get to a slight roll and topping it up as needed. 25-30 minutes is long for a little fish strip, but the leaves need the time to soften; the fish still has a lovely texture as the steaming is gentle.

I used a double steamer and rotated the layers halfway through the cooking (saves time), you can do it this way or one at a time, as per my method below.

When the dolmades are ready, brush with olive oil and serve with tzatziki.

Want the recipe? Click here

steamed dolmades recipe

 

Greek Dolmades

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dolmades with pine nuts

 

This post forms part of the series of recipes I am preparing for Mediterranean Delicacies. It is a Food and the Fabulous Endorsed project and I will be remunerated for it.

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Asparagus on Sweet Potato Hash with Saffron Yoghurt

October 16, 2012 in Food & Travel, Recipe, Salads & Soups, Vegetarian

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Reflections on Chefchaouen – The Blue Jewel in Northern Morocco

She turns her face around abruptly, I see deep lines etched into her skin. I’m surprised by its paleness. A straw hat like a pyramid sits atop her head, grey hair in a braid. She tugs at the mule’s reigns and turns away. 

The mule, packed with prickly pears and vegetables from the old woman’s garden in the mountains moves forward with his cargo dutifully. Her skirt of vivid red and white stripes is a strangely hypnotic sight against the sharp edges of the hills as the pair continue their descent into the next town.

 I follow the red-and-white with my eyes for a few more minutes, the shape diminishing as I blink, like some desert-induced trick, except we aren’t in the desert. We are at the foot of the Rif mountains. 

Our refreshment break is over. I note that Abdou, our driver, is shifting his weigh awkwardly, eager to get a move on. It’s been a pleasant but taxing few hours from Meknes. The tarred roads are evidence of development in Morocco’s infrastructure, but they twist and turn, sometimes jarring the body uncomfortably with sudden bumps. And it is hot. Thirty degrees Celcius.

Abdou keeps the windows open instead of using the air conditioner, I’m not certain this is the best method to remain cool but he’s in charge and I don’t think he’d appreciate instructions from a foreigner. 

Later that day, after a late lunch in Chefchaouen, the hilly city where houses are washed in a pale blue paint,  I see women in red striped skirts on mules, heading back towards the mountains. 

Is she with them, I wonder.

All things fresh and salad-y are currently the darlings in my life.

Pretty robust declaration for the girl whose twitter bio reads ‘life’s too short for lettuce’. But, there’s a time and a place. Post trip exccess (think lamb tagines, rich couscous with at least seven veggies and some sort of meat,  sweet almond flour pastries and biscuits, pancakes (beghrir) and stiff semolina cake slices (harcha) for breakfast every single morning and sugar-cube sweet mint tea, the body is demanding otherwise.

For the recipe, click here

Fear not. I am supplementing with the odd cookie (Jelle found a box of speculaas cookie mix in the grocery cupboard when we were doing a clutter- out on Sunday night and made a tray of cookies that reminded him of Holland and his family). Also desserts and chocolate now and then, but the aim is fresh and ‘clean’ most of the time. Thankfully Jelle and my brother add the hungry male contingent ever eager to “test” out my trial recipes so there isn’t a worry about the cheese puffs or beer bread going to waste.

I made this simple salad to celebrate a new season, slightly complex in texture – soft asparagus, browned sweet potato cubes with crispy edges and the silky, cooling velvet of plain yoghurt (I used low fat, use double cream if you wish), speckled with enchanting saffron threads.

I used a copper frying pan and napkin (Berber style stripes) that I bought in Chefchaouen in Northern Morocco to style this shoot. I was there less than a week ago, I can hardly believe it!

Since we spent a lot of time out and about exploring the natural beauty of the Blue City and I shot and ate this dish outside in the garden, I thought it would be a nice tie-in to tell you a little about Chefchaouen too.

But first, the recipe….

 

Let me share Chefchaouen with you, my guide to the city here

 

 

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Chilli Prawns (Gambas Pil Pil) on Couscous Nests

October 10, 2012 in Food & Travel, Recipe, Seafood

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A Fresh take on Three Weeks of Travel on One Plate

gambas pil pil on coucous nests

I’m delighted to be back in Cape Town. 30 odd hours of travel to get back, but none of that matters when you are greeted by the sight of that majestic mountian, the blue skies and familiar accents.

I joyfully unpacked some of the spices from Spain and Morocco, carefully nestled between bright Berber cloths and well worn summer dresses. Having dined on one too many rich tagines and bowls of olive-oil dripping tapas, I wanted to capture the flavours of the three weeks of travel in a fresh dish, one fitting with the gorgeous summer Cape Town high 5!  Also, the jean zipper! Bloody traitor.

Click here for the recipe 

 

 

I used a Gambas Pil Pil spice (prawns in a chilli and garlic butter – a very popular tapa throughout Spain) from Granada and pan fried shelled prawns in the littlest splash of olive oil. You can use paprika and an extra garlic clove, sliced.

I made whole-wheat couscous ‘nests’ in small cupcake holder pans, flavoured with ras-el-hanout from Meknes in Morocco (I bought this spice from each town/city we visited). Use normal couscous if you prefer.

I added parsley (commonly used in Morocco) and lemon zest to a chunky cottage cheese. The cheeses in Morocco are usually white and mild, even the goat’s cheese.

Green pepper and celery diced, along with baby rosa tomatoes added a fresh summer crunch and a splosh of colour.

We enjoyed these two-bite morsels and the flavours of our most recent trip came through reassuringly, a thrill with each bite.

Click here for the recipe 

 

http://www.foodandthefabulous.com/recipes/chili-prawns-gambas-pil-pil-on-couscous-nests/

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Food and the Fabulous Turns 2 – Amazing Prizes for you!

September 25, 2012 in Food & Travel, The Fabulous

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Last day to enter….

Food and the Fabulous turns 2 years old this month!

Oh, and the stories to share.

Incredible Prizes for You

Thank you for sharing this space with me, your support on the blog and via the other social media channels. I have, in conjunction with some amazing, generous sponsors who have been part of my journey, gathered a set of three ultra luxurious prizes for you. Details of the hampers and how to win, below.

 

For all the details, click here

 

These are some of the things I have learned and drawn on in the last two years:

1. There must be an eternal supply of chicken salad varieties. For as many people blog about food, as many tastes exist. And it’s the endless options that make having a blog and belonging to a blogging community rewarding. There’s a slice of the pie of everyone.

2. On that note, not everyone believes that pie can be cut into that many slices. You can choose to believe that. Or you can make your own pie and eat it and soon enough someone or lot of someones will come over to ask if you’ve really added figs/brambleberries/pink peppercorns (insert your latest food ingredient obession) to a Julia Child classic, intrigued.

Discovering the local honey in Istanbul – yum, in a word

3. When you run a business/ or someone else’s business or work a 9-5 job (mostly the case, I’d hazard a guess), consistency is tough. I don’t run a tight schedule of posts, despite having a bulging drafts folder, with our line of work-on-the-move I can not. I aim for 2 times a week but there have been weeks when I post less or 3-5 times a week. Find out what works for you – a schedule, inspiration, obligations to clients, time on your hands. I think finding balance here will be on-going for me.

4. Food is about sharing. And it’s mighty assumptive of me to say so, as not everyone who enjoys food will have a partner, a gaggle of kids with finely tuned palates or a home they feel comfortable to host dinner parties at. Cook your favourite roast chicken and visit your cousins, bringing your meal with you. Reach out beyond the industry events and PR invite restaurant tables. Find ways to share your love of food and cooking/experimenting with like minded individuals. Or keep drooling at the endless supply of salted caramel cakes (many of them yours) behind your computer….in a way that’s sharing too. You’re adding to someone’s hits. Yeah!

with incredible bloggers from Pandespani, Athens

5. Speaking of hits – I know I have a niche audience, not a mass one. Despite good advice, I have never been able to “optimise” or post what is popular according to google search words. I figure the world has a dearth of posts on chocolate, cupcakes, sriracha and salads with arugula. I’m being smart – going to hit them hard when they’re on the downward curve. You too? Post what catches your eye for the moment. The blog is about you, your kitchen, your life right now after all.

Most sublime carnivore experience, in Athens

6. Twitter is a magic tool. It transformed the way I connect with people in the food blogging/travel community and beyond. So many of these people, from all corners of earth and life, have come into my life because of it. I’ve lost contact with some, which is always a pity when you extend the hand of friendship, despite how you met. But I am closely connected to a dear circle too. And some I have hopped on a plane to meet in the flesh as well. Twitter. is. incredible!

With twitter friends Gata from Poland and Audrey from England, in Barcelona in may 2012

7. Making true friends as a result of a connection on Twitter is not always the norm. If  you have, then high *5* to you! This is what I think about social media. First and foremost, it is social. Show people who you are, but keep the cleanest and dirtiest of laundry off it. Know what I mean? If you tell me you’re drunk-as-a-skunk-on-a-dance-pole-wooohooo!!! I expect your subsequent tweets to be bitingly funny and not to have you regale the timeline about your commitment issues/ eating disorders etc.  Contact me via the blog and I’d love to engage further about the ‘Fab Rules’….just made that up, btw.

The bottom line: those “followers” are not fans. Unless you are a world-size celebrity. They are people like you and me, with ups, downs, grief and joy and possibly a level of education/life experience you may not know of. You have an ideal opportunity to share information about your field of interests/expertise and your own life, in a manner that could make your followers chuckle or ponder and if they are feeling like it, engage. The most embarrassing thing to witness on any social media platform (apart from the drunkie skunkie above) is someone with an elevated sense of importance speaking hogwash and speaking down at someone who, off the time line they’d never have the opportunity to have an audience with. Make your point heard but do not abuse public figures who use their Twitter accounts to assist with community issues and upliftment.

8. Was that bossy, prescriptive, patronising, condescending, lecture-ish, yawn-some? You betcha! Social media can be, too.

Exploring Lisbon with Twitter buddy Paula C Neto

9. Make your own opportunities. Take the risks and make the sacrifices you need to get what you want. The crowd is important but if you think about it, the crowd may not necessarily be doing what you want and may not share the exact sentiments on how you see the future of your blog. If you see yourself as a dedicated food blogger, spend some pennies on your blog design, in much the same the way you would on kitchen gadgets, linens, crockery or your home. The blog is, after all a virtual representation of your kitchen.

Mermaid in warsaw Old Town – put your best side forward

10. Your sense of integrity is light years more important than what an individual or group expects of you or what you think they expect of you. You do not have to attend every event or feature every product offered to you.  The only thing that matters is if you are happy with the choice and that in making these choices you do not willfully hurt anyone in the process. Freshly baked cookies can solve most things, top tip.

How do you like your pancakes?

10. Be kind. If you spot an “ego” on a foodster, run for the woods, climb a tree and military crawl up said tree – hufpuff. Then pummel them with something squishy that has gone off in your fridge. I mean that happens to real cooks, right? Things go off. As for the egos? It’s only food, I’ll say it again. And have fun!

11. ‘eck, what do I know? I’m making it up as I go along, and you should too.

Do it your way

 

What can you win?

Luxury Box 1:

Dinner for two at Reuben’s at the One & Only Hotel

R200 Spar Freshline voucher

Selection of Sasko Flours and Quick Treats products

Luxury Box 2:

Tea for two at Azure and the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

Spar Freshline Voucher R300

Sasko selection of flours and Quick Treats Products

Luxury Box 3

Wellington’s Picnic Kit

Yuppie Chef voucher worth R250

Selection of Sasko Flours and Quick Treats products

Competition Rules **

1. One entry on the blog, per person. Prizes are Cape Town based, so keep this in mind. You will have to make travel arrangements and fetch your prize yourself if you live outside the Western Cape.

2. If you have not liked the Food and Fabulous FaceBook page yet please have a visit here.

3. Leave a comment on this post on the main blog, mention you liked the FB page, with your FB user name and tell me which Luxury Box 1, 2, OR 3  you would like and why. Mention the sponsors and get creative.

4. Tweet this for an additional entry (you can enter as many times as you wish via twitter, just include my handle and hashtag so that I can trace it)

“RT WIN incredible luxury prizes with @FoodandtheFab and her 2nd Blogoversary. I entered here: http://bit.ly/Qi3R4A  #FoodFabBirthday!”

5. Competition will be open for exactly one week, and closes today.

6. Winners will be elected via a random draw. If you get your friends to enter, more chances of them taking you to one of the dinners etc.

7.  For the prizes not handed out by the agents directly, the remainder will be awarded upon my return to Cape Town in mid October.

8. The Fab Kitchen’s decision will be final!

Good luck!

*Note: I have arranged these prizes for you and will receive no kick-back or similar as a result. Hope you enjoy them!*

** Terms and Conditions Apply**

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Cheddar Cheese and Parsley Beer Bread – Exploring the birthplace of Fado – Mouraria

June 22, 2012 in Bread & Pastry, Food & Travel, Recipe

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Cheddar Cheese & Parsley Beer Bread – Exploring the birthplace of Fado – Mouraria

Her arms speak of family and home and pride

Her face tells of laughter and sorrow and time

She is a fountain. She is light

In the historic, sleepy district of Mouraria, where the typically cobbled Portuguese streets are ever so slightly narrower, an artist Camilla Watson installed photographs of some of the eldest residents along the walls, close to their homes. The photographs are a triumphant tribute – sensitive and thoughtful. Out of them jump the personalities of Mouraria’s eldest. Some retreating and shy, others calm and fearless, others yet playful. The more you look, the more they reveal.

A street in Mouraria
Portrait of a gentleman in Mouraria, Lisbon

 

A tribute to the elderly by the artist

In a world as explained to me by Paula, my friend and Lisbonite, where some of the elderly are left alone by families who move away, and the cost of nursing care is exorbitant, and where they only survive because of the exceptionally low fixed rents, this project serves to preserve their dignity and spirit.

Apart from museum installations and exhibits, it’s rare to find older ordinary folk given the limelight in works of art. I hope that these pieces will leave the legacy they intended to create and that they will be preserved and treasured by the community and tourists alike.

I’ve seen and witnessed much in the past two months and some travelling around Europe, of it all, these photographs are one of my most special experiences.

Thank you for sharing this with me, Paula.

This slide show below is set to a fado track, a decidedly more upbeat number sang by the beauteous, gracious rising star Cuca Roseta whom I had the absolute privilege of watching perform at the Teatro Tivoli on Wednesday night. She has a bright future ahead of her and I can confirm, is possibly better looking in real life, if that is possible.

Fado, means destiny or fate and the music is characterised by songs of loss or mourning, regret and sorrow. But, as you can hear in this upbeat song, this isn’t always the case.

* You can read more about the history of fado and Mouraria here*

I can not attach the slide show that I made to Food 24 blog, but you can visit it on my blog or by clicking here: http://slides.ly/Pwwyvs

I can get immersed in the images in this slide show and while doing do, I thought a nice slice of cheddar and parsley bread with salted butter would be the ideal accompaniment. I have made a few beer breads as posted on this blog, as you may remember: Onion and Anchovy Beer Bread and Lemon and Thyme Beer Bread.

It’s really simple and quick. Try it!

  Recipe at Food and the Fabulous

Inline images 1

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Girl with the Red Spatula – Lisbon Part 1

April 24, 2012 in Food & Travel

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Girl with the Red Spatula – Lisbon Part 1

Join me at WeFeedback.org

 

I have been in Lisbon for four days now and settling in well. You know you’re becoming one with the people when you can hail a cab, recite your street address fluently, even if you have to hand over a piece of paper with your destination, purchase detergents and cleaning cloths for the apartment and drink vinho verde at every opportunity. I’ve also been enjoying some of the local food, as you can see in my pics and videos.

*note, noisy – at Cape Town International airport*

To join me on this journey of sharing, simply click on this link here and join my WeFeedback Network.Together we can share more and make a bigger difference to keep children in schools and hunger-free.

Do I really think any of this will make a difference?

Is it a way of assuaging my guilt for living it up in Europe? Ha. What about concentrating work and energy to raise funds in Africa and South Africa, more specifically? Will there be those who conclude I am misguided and the project is worthless?

I’ve thought about all this. Maybe you are right. But, maybe you are wrong and it’s on that premise that I will (to the embarrassment of my husband), wield the Red Spatula in restaurants, malls, markets and even private supper clubs and push out of the comfort of my shell to show food lovers how easy it is to share meals.

*dinner at BocdeSantos restaurant*

How does it work?

1. Wefeedback is the world’s largest community for sharing food via easy to make online donations, and thereby changing lives.

2. I am sharing a variety of meals and calculating the value per plate or meal.

3. Join my network on the link above and donate the value of the meal, a multiple of it or a faction of it. So, if a meal cost € 5, that would feed 25 kids. You can donate the €5, multiples of it, €10, €15 etc or even a part of it, say €2. In rands €2 will equate to around R20.

4. Follow my journey through Europe as I try to raise awareness about the value of our meals.

Remember: the biggest difference comprises a cumulative of the smallest actions. Avoid food wastage wherever you can: share food with those around you, use up left overs, recycle and compost where you can.

Images will be posted on Pinterest here: http://pinterest.com/foodandthefab/girl-with-the-red-spatula/

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