Frappé

A memory from Greece: What do you drink on a well shaded Greek terrace when it's scorching hot?   FRAPPÉ ! Cold coffee Greek style. 

• a scoop of instant Coffee, more if you like it strong
• sugar, non fat milk if you like sweet and/or white coffee
• (crushed)ijs
• hand held blender
• narrow high bowl or jug

Put the instant coffee, sugar or sweetener - more than you drink in hot coffee - in the  bowl and add water and some milk(optional) till the bowl is filled up for about a third.

Mix with the hand blender till it is thick aan fluffy.

Pour the Frappé over crushed ice in a nice glass. Serve with a straw.

variaton:

1. add a bit of vanilla.
2. serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
3. add a dash of kahlua(coffee liqueur) over the crushed ijs before you add the Frappé
4. whipped cream
5. a combination of any of the above

enjoy!

Spritz

A refreshing but "firm" drink that you will see the people in Venice enjoy in the late afternoon sun. One of my holiday souvenirs

• 1 part italian bitter like Campari, Cynar, Select or Aperol
• 2 parts dry white wine
• a firm squirt of sparkly mineral water
• a slice of lemon or orange
• ice cubes

Mix the wine with the "bitter" in the glass and top with the mineral water. Spritz with Campari or Cynar has a more bitter taste and they are served with a slice of lemon. Spritz made with Aperol(a low alcohol bitter) or Select is somewhat sweeter and served with orange. Take care that the wine and the water are chilled well....
Instead of wine and water you can  choose  to use prosecco instead.

Monin makes  a "bitter" syrup that has no alcohol. Use this if you want to make a lighter version. For a virgin Spritz  replace wine wine a non alcoholic white.
 
Cin Cin

Tomato Quiche

This delicious tomato-quiche is a nice snack with a beer, a great lunch dish and with a salad it even makes a nice main dish

• ready rolled puff pastry
• Roma tomatoes
• (Dijon)mustard
• grated cheese, f.e Gruyère
• grease proof paper
• fresh milled pepper

Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and pre heat the oven at 180°C/365°F.
Put your puff pastry on the sheet and make some holes with a fork, not round the edges. Use a brush to cover with a thin layer of mustard. 

Sprinkle on a layer of cheese.

Cut the tomatoes in abt a third of an inch thick slices. The amount of tomatoes needed depends on how large your quiche is going to be. Lay them on your quiche close together but not overlapping.

Mill on some fresh pepper, sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt, maybe some fresh thyme leaves and some more grated cheese.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!

Watermelon Soup

[Soup, Summer]

This delicious cold soup will be the star of your summer buffet or dinner.

• 1 watermelon (no pips)

for every pound of watermelon flesh

• 5 oz cherry tomatoes
• 5 floz whipping cream
• a dash of extra vergin olive oil
• leaves of  ½ a bunch of basil

Cut the top of the watermelon so you have a nice lid and very carefully cut a tiny bit from the bottom so it wil stand up. Scoop the flesh out and get the pips out if you did get one with pips.  Select some of the basil leaves for garnish. Blend the watermelon flesh and juice with the cherry tomatoes and the rest of the basil leaves.  Bring to taste with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Whip the cream not to firm. Serve the soup in the scooped out melon with some of the cream on top and garnished with basil.


Of course you can make this soup in small amounts. Serve it in a fancy glass

have a lovely summer

Tyrosalata

[Dips, Spreads, Mezze]

Years ago I got this recipe from a Greek friend from the Korinthos region.  In turn she got it from a local restaurant owner who had been a cheff on large cruise ships.  The recipe was not very specific and mentioned mixing soft feta cheese with peppers and adding some sesame. It was not clear at all if bell peppers or chily pepper was meant. TYRO in Greek means HOT, so it sugested me to try chily. This dish is also know as tyrokafteri.

For years I made this mezze with chily pepper (recipy 1).
Nowadays you can buy jars of lovely PEPPADEW peppers. They are amazing, sweet spicy not not to hot. They are just perfect for this dish......
Because I cant get "soft feta" here I take normal feta and add some cream cheese or a few spoons of   crème fraîche to make a soft and creamy dip. I Greece I had this dip made with green pepper btw.

Recipe 1

• abt 200 gr Feta
• abt 100 gr of cream cheese and/or some crème fraîche
• 1 tbs tahin (sesame paste)
• 1 small chili peper (or a few peppadews)

Crumble the feta and (with a (hand)blender) mix in the cream cheese and/or some crème fraîche.
Carefully take the seeds and white stuff fout of a small chily pepper and chop finely. (dont rub your eyes!) Haal voorzichtig(niet in je ogen wrijven). Mix the pepper in the creamed cheese and add some tahin for extra flavor

Recipe 2

After a few years the above recipe changed to this version

• abt 200 gr Feta
• 2 large pieces of grilled red bell pepper(from a jar) an quite a few peppadews
• 2 tbs tahin (sesame paste)
• 1 tbs sweet red  chili sauce(less when you use peppadews)
• 3 tbsl crème fraîche
• some lemon juice

Crumble the feta and mix with all intgredients with a (hand) blender until you have a nice paste.

This dip is served with some warm focaccia, french or pitta bread. If you dont like carbs, just serve with cucumber.

Enjoy with good company and good wine and....

Kalli Orexi

Karpouzi me Feta

[Salad, Starter, Side Dish]

This fresh, summer watermelon-feta salad from Greece is a great side dish when you are cooking out. But when you serve it in a fancy glass it will even be a surprising starter at your summer dinner party. These 4 ingredients have so much flavour, you wont even need to add salt and pepper. 

• abt 1/3 watermelon
• 250 gr feta cheese
• a hand full of roasted pine kernels
• abt 5 fresh mint leaves

Take the rind of the watermelon, get the pips out and cube it. Collect the juice that comes off. Put the melon on 4 plates and crumble the feta cheese over them. Tare up the mint leaves and top your plates off with pine kernels and mint. Pour some of the watermelon juice over each dish.

Enjoy all the warm summer days ahead and....
"Kali Orexi"

Moving On

Eddas-Menu ~ Somethin's Cooking is moving on.  I will post al the best recipes from my website
eddas-menu.com here. If you have any recipe requests? Please let me know below