 |
| info: kathimerini |
On Good Friday especially, the table is never set and people observing Lenten customs to the letter will eat such things as steamed shellfish, lettuce dipped in vinegar (signifying compassion with the ordeals of Christ) and plenty of raw vegetables. In Macedonia and Thrace, Greeks eat preserves made with dried fruit and without sugar, drinking up the juice, while in other parts of the country they eat raw broad beans soaked in water and sprinkled with rock salt and oregano as a fortifying snack.
Below are three recipes for tasty oil-free dishes.
RECIPES
Green salad
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 small tender endives
1 bunch rocket
1 bunch shepherd’s needle
5 spring onions
1 bunch wild radish leaves
5-6 fresh button mushrooms, sliced finely
10 dried prunes, halved
Salt and pepper
Dressing:
Juice of 1 large orange
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
3 tbsp molasses or honey
Roughly chop all the greens and place in a large bowl with the mushrooms and prunes. Beat the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and pour over the salad, adding salt and pepper to taste. Toss well by hand or with a spoon before placing in the salad bowl. Note that the nuts, which excrete natural oils, are a substitute for olive oil.
Evi Voutsina
Velvety lentil soup
Ingredients (serves 4)
150 gr brown lentils
50 gr red lentils
1 onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
3 bay leaves
1 large potato, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp oregano
To serve:
1 tbsp cider vinegar
8 small rusks
Wash the lentils well and boil in a deep saucepan for 10 minutes. Drain and wash them again before placing them in fresh water, which should cover them by two fingers. Add the remaining ingredients and boil on a medium heat for approximately 20 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat and take out the bay leaves. Blend the entire mixture completely and pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan in order to get the velvety consistency. Boil for another 5 minutes, adding hot water if the mixture gets too thick. Sprinkle with vinegar and serve with rusks. If you are not observing the strict fast, you can add a tablespoon of olive oil on the last boil.
Vegetable pasta sauce
Ingredients (serves 4-5)
500 gr pasta (any kind will do)
500 gr tinned plum tomatoes
1 Florina red pepper, cleaned and diced
1 onion, grated
1 spring onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 leek (the white part only), finely sliced
1 carrot, diced
8 mushrooms, sliced
3-4 sprigs spearmint (leaves only), chopped for the garnish
Salt and pepper
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the directions on the packet. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the tomatoes to the boil and then add the rest of the ingredients, except the spearmint, simmering for around 15-20 minutes. When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes, mixing it well. Serve with a sprinkling of spearmint.
info: kathimerini Niki Chrysanthidou-Parliarou
Book a hotel room in Athens Greece www.economyhotel.gr
check on line availability - prices and make a reservation https://economyhotel.cosmores.com
