Steamed Cauliflower

I really don't understand people who hate broccoli or cauliflower. They both can used used as part of a salad, veggie tray, soups, casseroles or even for pickling!

Today, I'd like to share a simple and tasty version of cauliflower that's enjoyable in any of the seasons.



You'll need 1 head of cauliflower, a double boiler with a steamer implement or any other method that your prefer. Wash and cut of the leaves and stem from underneath and cut the cauliflower into quarters.

Place your cauliflower into the steamer and it should be "al dente" in 15 minutes. You can check for doneness by forking the stem part. There should be some resistance and it should be ready.

In a large bowl, pour 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tsp. of rice wine vinegar or lemon juice and coarse sea salt to taste. Whisk to incorporate and toss your cauliflower with the dressing.

Adjust for salt and you may add some black pepper (if you don't mind a few black specks) and throw in & toss 4-5 Tbsp. of chopped fresh chives. It's a refreshing, clean side dish or salad.

Deep Fried Courgettes (Zucchini)

I have now been blogging for just under a week and it's been a worldwind...no a hurricane...NO....Hurricane Blog!

Between life, work, family and my new passion - blogging about my passion for food has totally consumed me. My friends & family think I'm nuts, taking pictures before anyone eats.

However, while I have the time, I must acknowledge & thank some people who have provided me with valued assistance in my "pupa" stages of blogging.

First, I'd like to thank Katerina of Daily Unadventures in Cooking who, despite my being from Toronto and her being from Vancouver (east-west rivalry), she's been a doll and has tolerated my rudimentary questions.

Second, I'd like to thank Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen for her patience in guiding me into the Weekend Herb Blogging and assisting me with some web issues.

Thirdly, I'd like to acknowledge Jenn the Left Over Queen for allowing my blog to be viewed by many more through her brilliant Foodie Blogroll.

All you ladies rock!

Now, on to more food. I'm a big fan of simple foods and I never tire of Kolokithakia Tiganita or Deep Fried Courgettes. The recipe is simple but the execution is what makes the difference between crispy & delicious or soggy & bland.



You need a deep fryer or any other vessel you use to fry, a mandoline to slice your courgettes, all purpose flour, Courgettes, a bowl of ice-cold water, your preferred oil for frying (anything but olive oil) and salt for seasoning.

1) Wash your courgettes and cut of the stem part. Set your mandoline to make as thin of a slice as possible (wafer thin) and collect the slices in a large bowl.

2)Commence getting your oil heated. You're looking for french-frying heat (350-360f) and start dredging your courgettes in the flour and place on a large plate and reserve.

3) When your oil is hot & ready, taking each slice, dunk it in the cold water then carefully drop into the hot oil. Repeat until your have enough courgettes that fit in your fryer. Fry in batches and season with salt (like fries) as you go along.

You'll be amazed at how delicious these "zucchini chips" can be. I often serve them with a Tzatziki or Skordalia dip.

Provencal Potato Salad

One of my favourite food personalities has to be Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa. I've always liked the casual manner of the show, the relative simplicity of the food and her knack for offering recipes that work in practice and deliver with taste!

In my quest to eat healthier, I looked for a potato salad that did not include Mayonnaise and I tripped upon Ina's recipe as my inspiration. The two adjustments I made were adding chives and more creamy Dijon mustard.

For this recipe you will need:

6 pounds small white boiling potatoes
Coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons good dry white wine
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives


Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then allow the potatoes to rest while you're making the dressing.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside.

Cut your potatoes them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the onion, tarragon, chives and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, cover, and allow the dressing to get absorbed by the still warm potatoes. Set aside if they will be served soon or refrigerate however, allow the salad to get to room temperature again as I found them to be tastier in this state.

Weekend Herb Blogging - Melitzanosalata With Parsley

This entry will be my first in the exciting and very widely participated Weekend Herb Blogging and this weekend's hostess is Ulrike from Kuchenlatein . Here I introduce Melitzanosalata which includes flat-leaf Parsley.

In the summer in Greece, this Greek dip can often be found at tavernas among the several Mezedes (appetizers) ordered by a group of friends and it's most definitely on the table at home for family & friends. The "must-do" for this recipe is roasting the eggplant in a gas or charcoal grill to get the smokiness. Don't even bother trying this with an oven.

This recipe comes from my mom who is a fantastic cook (northern Greek origins) and I have a 1st cousin in Greece who will eat the whole plate himself!

I would also like to add that once again I'm making full use of the herbs in my garden and the parsley has gone bonkers...who wants some?

You will need a BBQ (either charcoal or gas grill) and a mortar & pestle to prepare this dish and here are the ingredients:

* 1 medium to large Italian eggplant
* 1 large clove of garlic
* extra virgin olive oil
* coarse sea salt
* A handful of good quality crumbled feta
* 2 tbsp of chopped flat-leaf parsley
* Small squeeze of lemon juice (prevents the eggplant from turning brown)

1) Your BBQ/Grill is on and you place an eggplant (on direct heat) that's been pricked with a fork a few times all around. The eggplant should take about 45 minutes and should be rotated until all of the skin has been charred by the grill.

2) When the eggplant is done roasting, let it rest for 5 minutes and take to mashing your clove of garlic in some coarse sea salt in the mortar & pestle. Your garlic should be a fine mash.

3)Take a knife and cut the eggplant open, vertically and peel open it to reveal it's light green meat. With a fork, scrape out the meat and place it into your mortar , add a squeeze of lemon juice and mash the eggplant & incorporate the garlic with the eggplant.

4) Now you will add, slowly, the olive oil to the eggplant while still mixing using the pestle. For one eggplant, usually 1/4 to a 1/3 cup of olive oil is sucked up by the eggplant.

5) Add the chopped parsley to the eggplant and the crumbled feta and adjust for seasoning (the feta usually rounds out the saltiness) and plate with a parsley garnish.

Get some rustic bread and dip away!