Shoulder beef steak grilled al fresco with fresh spinach salad and red wine

After the storm, comes the calm and peace and the sun!

Having witnessed a brilliant 1 1/2 rainbow the evening before, today was the day for the return of the sun and a minimalistic meal al fresco.

Fresh oregano

The air was oozing with the aromas of the wet earth and the flowers and plants.

Rosemary

I always grill the beef cuts with only a sprinkle f olive oil, but I could not resist the temptation of placing them on a bed of fresh oregano, rosemary and bay leaves.

After the steaks have rested for a couple of hours, it is time to grill them.

Please note that I do not put anything on the meat, other than olive oil.

On the sides of the charcoals I place some branches of bay leaves. They moderate the heat and they give a wonderful aroma.

Fresh spinach salad and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Cava Petas

On the table a fresh spinach salad was waiting patiently.

The wine I selected was a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon made by my high school friend from Rhodes, Tassos Petas.

The contrast between the brown and the red is always inviting.

As the crust on the inside is formed, the inside remains juicy.

Provided the fire is strong enough, but not too strong.

I serve the meat medium rare.

And by the bones, a bit more rare.

Salt and pepper are added by the guests at their discretion.

I want to congratulate Tassos Petas for creating a wonderful wine. Six years after it was made and bottled, the wine had a full body, and a robust but not overwhelming bouquet. Well done Tasso!

Buon appetito e arrivederci!!!

Seafood!!! Images for the body and the soul (from Venice’s Rialto fishmarket)

Today’s post is food for the body and soul, images from Venice’s seafood market in Rialto.

Rialto Fishmarket in Venice

I love fishmarkets!!! As you can tell from a sequence of posts already dedicated to them!!!!

No words or explanations or arguments are necessary.

Red Mullets - Barboni - Μπαρμπουνια

Alici - Γαυρος

Sardines - Sarde - Σαρδελλες

Sardines - Sarde - Σαρδελλα φιλετο

Molli

Orate

Papaline

Monkfish - Rana peskantrice - Πεσκανδριτσα

Palombo

Eel - Anguila

Swordfish - Pesce Spada - Ξιφιας

Skate - Razza - Σαλαχι

Skate - Razza - Σαλαχι

Sole - Sogliola - Γλωσσα

San Pietro

Scorpion Fish - Scorfano - Σκορπινα

Tuna

Scallops - Canestrelli - Χτενια

Scallops - Capesante - Κοχυλια του Αγιου Ιακωβου

Cuttlefish eggs - Latti di seppia - Αυγα σουπιας

Small cuttlefish - Seppioline - Σουπιτσες

Cuttlefish - Seppie Grosse - Σουπιες

Small Octopi - Folpi - Χταποδακια

Octopi - Piovra - Οκταποδες

Calamaretti

Calamari

Mazzancolle

Scampi

Soft Venetian Crab

Canocce

Squilla - Canocce

Surf and Turf: Lunch at the Bar of Hotel Metropole, Venice, Italy

Hotel Metropole is one of the hospitality jewels in Venice. This I knew before my last visit to Venice. What I did not know was that for two years now they serve some real food dishes (not only sandwiches and salds) in the bar of the hotel every day of the week from 1230 to 1430. Taking into account that the famous gourmet restaurant of the hotel (with two Michelin stars) does not serve lunch except on Saturday and Sunday, the bar is a practical solution for a visitor who wants to have lunch.

Hotel Metropole, Venice

The Hotel commands a fantastic position on the promenade of the “Riva degli Schiavoni”, a few meters away from St. Mark’s square.

Lunch serving area of the Bar at the Hotel Metropole

The Bar is located on the ground floor, on the left side as you enter and before you reach the reception. It has beautiful wooden panels which are used as displays for the owner’s collection of objects.

Being in Venice, it is proper to start with the surf side of the menu.

Gamberi "in saor" - Hotel Metropole, The Bar

Gamberi (prawns) “in saor” (sweet and sour). A delightful appetizer. The prawns are seared for one or two seconds, literally, and then served on a bed of cabbage and pickled red onions, with raisins and raspberries (lamponi). On top the chef placed a few finocchio leaves. The flavor combinations are incredible! And if you do not have all the rest, go and get prawns and taste them with raspberries.

Prawns "al saor" detail - Hotel Metropole, The Bar

The red onions are pickled and caramelized, adding the mild sweet and sour background to the taste of the prawns.

Cod with asparagi and potatoes with mustard sauce - Hotel Metropole, the Bar

Merluzzo is “cod” of the Adriatic Sea. It was served on a bed of mashed potatoes with mustard seeds, and asparagus.

Cod - detail

The Merluzzo was seared on the side of the skin for a couple of minutes in very strong fire, that made the skin crispy and the flesh juicy, firm, and succulent. The fish was served with fresh oregano and dill. Wonderful execution!!!

We now move to the turf side of the menu: Italian Delicacies are the first chapter.

Prosciutto crudo di Sauris is the prince of this dish of mixed cured meats. Sauris is a locality near Udine, where this tender and tasty prosciutto crudo is produced. It tasted like it has more character than the prosciutto di Parma.

Soppressa di Valdobbiadene

Salsiccia del Veneto (deer and pork)

Speck di Alto Adige. Perfect balance of salty and sweet. When the pig has had the proper food, the fat is sweet and flavorful.

Salame del Piave

The silky and full of flavour “Veal Carpaccio (di Manzo)” completed the tasting experience.

After the qualitative parts of the food, it is time to come to the value for money summary. Not only is the food of top quality, not only is the service excellent, the value for money of the Bar’s Lunch Menu is unbeatable, the best not only in Venice, but in most of Italy!!! But please please please, keep this little secret to yourselves.

Lunch in Marathon: Pork chops – Lamb offal (Gardoumbes) – Aubergines

Among other things, I have recently moved out of the metropolitan area of Athens to the hills overlooking Marathon, some 40 kilometers away from the center of Athens. The arson fire that devastated the area in 2009 has left its marks on the landscape, a stark reminder that the worst enemy of Greece are the Greeks themselves!

After settling in, I invited the “closed” circle to come over and have lunch “al fresco”, in the open fresh air.

As the weather is still good, with temperatures reaching 21 degrees Centigrade, the cooking was done outside as well. Charcoals provided the much needed fire.

I start with the aubergines, or eggplants, which I can eat all the time, every time. I got them from a farmer who is down the road from where I am. I cut them in thick slices and put them in salted watr for one hour. The slices must be thick because they will be grilled and we do not want them to be burned and dried, but soft and juicy, albeit with a carbonated crust.

The pork chops came from the shoulder of the animal, in order to have the necessary marbling. I always prepare the meat by placing it in a mild solution of sea salt and herbs. After two hours the meat is juicier, its color lighter, and it tastes a lot better! If you have not done it before, try it now. With pork! It also works wonders with chicken.

Finally, the “Gardoumbes”, lamb’s intestines and sweetbreads on a stick, I got from a local butcher who promised me that they were fresh and local. He even showed me a bag with some intestines that he was taking home after work.

(Χορδήν έτρωγαν οι αρχαίοι Έλληνες, χορδούνιν οι Βυζαντινοί, γαρδούμπα οι Νεοέλληνες)

We now get to the very serious business of the grill. The aubergines need just a coat of olive oil in order not to stick to the grill base. Frequent turns ensure that the surface will be only marginally “burned”. There is a very sensitive balance between the brown and the black of the surface, so be careful!

The pork chops also require a coating of olive oil in order for them not to stick on the mesh. The surface must be golden brown and the inside juicy and tender.

I serve the chops on a bed of finely chopped garlic. The combination of the charcoal flavour with the garlic is simply unbeatable. I do the same with the eggplants, adding a bit of vinegar or lemon.

Finally, the “gardoumbes” take a lot of time to cook, and the fire must be relatively mild, otherwise the outside will be dry and the inside uncooked.

All in all, a lunch that honoured the Greek pastoral tradition with pork and lamb, the two animals that have supported the inhabitants of the south Balkan area for centuries.

String beans with bacalao – Αμπελοφασουλα με βακαλαο

Today’s dish belongs to the minimalist school, and as such requires tender loving care for the flavors and the textures. It is my own creation, and I am sure that if you like the ingredients, you will love the dish as much as I do.

Although it is the middle of October 2011, I had in the freezer  a bag with fresh string beans and in the middle of a rainy dark day I felt the urge to cook them. I cook them lightly in boiling salted water so that they remain crunchy. I love the texture of string beans and immensely enjoy the crunch. After boiling, I let them cool off in room temperature.

The day before I had put in fresh water two fillets of salted bacalao to desalinate. The marriage was inevitable, even though it was not the result of a plan, but of sheer coincidence. I have learned from my Basque friends to prepare the bacalao in low heat with the skin down, so I cut the fillets in pieces.

Both ingredients are best friends with garlic, so the next step was to chop plenty of garlic. I like very much the combination of garlic and chilli, so I chopped some chilli peppers and through them in a deep pan with the garlic and olive oil.

I place the pieces of bacalao on top and let it cook in low heat, so that all the natural juices of the fish mix with the garlic and the chilli in a mild way that preseres natural flavor to the maximum.

After 10 minutes the fish is ready and there is a fantastic sauce in the pan that is going to dress the beans.

Serve the dressed beans in a deep dish and put on top a piece of bacalao. Enjoy with a “Asyrtiko” white wine from the island of Santorini in Greece.

Ristorante “Il Colombaio”, Casole d’Elsa, Tuscany, Italy

One hot evening in August 2011 I found myself in the garden of the restaurant “Il Colombaio” in the outskirts of the beautiful Tuscan village of Casole d’Elsa.

Casole d'Elsa Coat of Arms

The restaurant came highly recommended by a friend who visits the village almost every year.

The restaurant is also listed in the Michelin Red Guide and has one star.

I started with a selection of salumi from a producer in the area.

It was divine.

Cinta Senese

I particularly liked the locally produced Prosciutto di Cinta Senese, which according to “Barilla” owes its sweet, slightly gamey flavor, oily fat and aroma to the heritage Italian breed of pig called “Cinta Senese” used to make the prosciutto.

Another first dish was based on polenta, with and without cuttlefish ink, and a vegetable mousse. Very light and tasty.

My main dish choice was a tartare from the famous “chainina” cattle breed.

The meat was served almost undressed. There was a touch of olive oil,oregano, some salt crystals, and a few peppercorns. The sauces were more decorative as they were extremely subtle.

Chianina

It was the first time I had tartare almost undressed. And it was worth it. The meat was juicy and sweet, after the first couple of bites I made subconsciously the switch from main dish to desert. What an experience!

Other main dishes were pork roast and pigeon breast, caramelized in a wine sauce.

The wine was a Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico 2001, priced extremely reasonably. The same comment applies to the whole of the wine list, which is a steal. Some of the best Tuscan wines, offered at prices that amaze me. Let alone that you cannot find them in the wine shop.

Overall, “Il Colombaio” is a restaurant I enjoyed and want to visit again. Both for its food, but also because of its wine list.

Palmyra: the marriage of crawfish and cod, on a bed of funghi porcini

Today I proudly present a dish I prepared in honour of my uncle George and my aunt Gail. Its name is Palmyra, for reasons not known yet to the human species.

Crawfish

I got some really fresh crawfish from my fishmonger, and had already in store some excellent salted cod.

So I decided to bring them into matrimony, with the help of funghi porcini that had just arrived in my kitchen.

Funghi Porcini

I boiled the crawfish heads and legs, while I lightly marinated the tail in extra virgin olive oil, a little lemon, and salt.

Crawfish tails

I added the crawfish stock to the funghi and let them loose the extra moisture, while absorbing the flavour.

Salted cod "boiling" in olive oil

A few centimeters away, I put a lot of olive oil in a deep pan, added some garlic, and after it got to about 50 degrees, I added the cod and let it “boil” there.

Funghi with crawfish stock and butter

In the meantime, I added butter to the funghi and after I took the pan off the heat, I added the tails and let them there for 60 seconds.

Palmyra

To plate the dish I added somechopped parseley and served.

Palmyra

The sweetness and tenderness of the crawfish tails, countere balanced the ferocity of the funghis’ earthy flavours, while the sublime cod fillet played the role of the mediator.

P.S. Next time I ill add more garlic ot the funghi.

Meze to welcome Uncle George and Gail – Μεζεδες για την υποδοχη του θειου Γιωργου και της Γκεηλ

Ο θειος μου ο Γιωργος ειναι αδελφος της μητερας μου. Εδω και χρονια ζει στο Σικαγο των ΗΠΑ, την ανεμοδαρμενη πολη διπλα στη λιμνη Μισιγκαν. Μια πολυ ομορφη πολη, που γινεται ολο και ωραιοτερη. Αυτες τις ημερες ηρθε στην Αθηνα με τη θεια μου την Γκεηλ και βεβαια ποιος καλυτερος τροπος να κουβεντιασουμε και να κανουμε παρεα απο το να δοκιμασουμε μερικα μεζεδακια;

Chicago Illinois USA

Uncle George is my mother’s brother. For many years now, he has made , Chicago Illinois his home. Chicago is a beautiful city by lake Michigan in the American Mid West. These days Uncle George is in Athens, with his wife, Gail, and there is no better way to welcome them both and touch base with all that is happening on both sides of the Atlantic, thna having some “meze”.

According to Wikipedia, meze is a Turkish word, meaning ‘taste, flavour, smack, relish’. It is borrowed from Persian مزه (maze, “taste, snack”). The English word was probably borrowed from the Greek version mezés (μεζές).

Αρχισα με μια σαλατα με φακες, τις καστανες πεντανοστιμες φακες απο την Ελληνικη γη.

I first prepared a lentil salad, using Greek lentils, that are golen brown and medium sized.

Lentil Salad

Τις βραζω καλα σε αλατισμενο νερο και δαφνη. Μετα, αφου κρυωσουν, προσθετω φρεσκο κρεμμυδι, κοκκινη πιπερια φλωρινης, λαδι, ξυδι και λιγο αλατι και πιπερι.

After cleaning and soaking the lentils in water, I boil them in salted water with a couple of bay leaves. After draining all the liquids, and once they cool down, I add chopped fresh onion, roasted red peppers (if you are in Greece try the Florina peppers), some garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Bell Eggplant slices fried in olive oil

Συνεχισα με το υπερτατο ζαραβατικο, Μελιτζανες τηγανητες. Διαλεγω μεγαλες φλασκες, χωρις σπορια, για να ειναι πολυ γλυκες, και τις τηγανιζω σε μπολικο λαδι. Μετα τις αφηνω να κρυωσουν για μια ωρα, και τις σερβιρω.

I continued with the superb bell shaped eggplants that we have in Greece. I slice them and fry them in olive oil, then add a little salt and let them cool off. When done right, the eggplant is sweet, and the olive oil leaves an aromatic aftertaste in the mounth.

Fresh calamari

Καλαμαρακια φρεσκα, στο καταλληλο μεγεθος για τηγανι, δηλαδη απο 5 εως 10 εκατοστα.

The next dish was fresh calamari. Size matters here, as they must not be very big, nor very small. Ideal length is from 5 to 10 centimeters.

Calamari fried in olive oil

Το τηγανισμα ειναι η μιση επιτυχια η αποτυχια, αφου το λαδι πρεπει να ειναι καυτο, και σε βαθυ σκευος με ψηλα τοιχωματα. Στην προκειμενη περιπτωση ειχαμε επιτυχια, σε 75 με 90 δευτερολεπτα τα τηγανητα καλαμαρακια ηταν ετοιμα, γλυκισμα σκετο.

I fry the calamari in olive oil that is really hot. Turn them once, and take than out in 75-90 seconds. The frying was a big success. the calamari was tender and sweet, as every fresh calamari should be.

Baby red mullets

Μπαρμπουνακια φρεσκα, σπανια βρισκεις. Τα βρηκα μια μερα σε μια ψαροβαρκα και τα εβαλα στην καταψυξη, εν αναμονη του θειου. Λιγο αλευρωμα, και τηγανισμα σε μετριας θερμοκρασιας λαδι. Καθαρισμα κανενα!

The last meze dish was baby red mullets. they do not require any descaling or gutting. Just flour them and fry in olive oil.

Baby red mullets fried in olive oil

Οι ειδημονες τα τρωνε σαν λουκουμαδες. Μια μπουκια και πολλοι αναστεναγμοι.

Contrary to the calamari that needs very hot oil in a deep pan, the baby red mullets require a shallow pan with moderate temperature, otherwise they will be burned. The small fish was divine. All the aromas of the sea were present, and the real coinneseurs ate them without deboning, they are just delicious this way.

Καλως ηλθες θειε Γιωργο!

Welcome uncle George!

Καλως ηλθες θεια Γκεηλ!

Welcome aunt Gail!

Osho Restaurant, Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest is a big city with a rather dubious reputation for restaurants. In addition to the fast food chains that sell the well known stuff, most of the restaurants in the city serve medium quality food at high prices for the value. I do not need to mention that the top “French” or “Italian” restaurants are mostly mediocre, and primarily places of social encounters rather than top quality food. Osho is a restaurant where this rule is violated. You get best value for a reasonable price, and can socialize as much as you want. And this is a good way to start a relationshsip!

Osho is located in one of the best areas of Bucharest, on the Spring Boulevard (B-dul Primaverii). It occupies the ground floor of a modern building, and its interior is unassuming and reminds me of  a New York deli shop. It is not an accident that the proprietor is an Istanbul-born Turk who has spent more than two decades in America.

When I first visited Osho, the proprietor asked me where I come from and I said Greece. He then said that he comes form Istanbul, which makes us “kardas”.

“kardeş = sibling in standard Turkish, though I think some dialects, especially outside of Turkey pronounce it kardaş. It’s also used as a familiar form of address, like “brother” in English.”

The restaurant prides itself in selling the best aged beef in town. I would just say: “the best beef in the country”. Aged beef is superior in flavor and tenderness to the ordinary beef as we know it. It requires strict temperature and moisture conditions, and is much more expensive than the ordinary beef. However, in my view it is worth every penny.

The first time I visited Osho I tasted the “Delmonico” cut.  According to the Osho owner, the Delmonico he serves is a boneless rib eye.

The steak was excellent: tender and flavorfull, the way real meat should taste. My friends tasted veal chops and were fully satisfied. Unfortunately I could not take any photos this evening, so I cannot show you the served dishes.

The second visit was for lunch. My friends took a cheeseburger and a hamburger, while I has the lamb loin out of curiosity. The votes on the hamburger were very positive.

Could Osho be as good in lamb as they are in beef?

Well, the answer is YES!!!! The lamb was served in stripes of succulent, juicy, tender meat, that had been marinated in spices and was pink inside. In one word: SUPERB!

Thank you guys, see you next time!

Pavillon de la Mer – A light dish for Spring days under the Sun

Today I share with you a dish that is perfect for the sunny days of Spring, and can be enjoyed al fresco as well as indoors.  I This is an original recipe of mine, and I gave it a rather pretentious name: “Pavillon de la Mer”.

The first ingredient of the dish is lightly cured bonito (lakerda), a fish in the tuna family. I gave the recipe for this wonderful fish back in 2008.  The only difference between then and now is that the fish is a lot smaller, and for this reason I fileted it before curing, rathern than cutting it across with the bone.

Lightly cured bonito (lakerda) filet

The second ingredient is a mix of vegetables. Carrots, coliflower, brocolli, and dill weed. Steam the vegetables for 10 minutes, let them cool off and then put in a blender.

The third ingredient is salted cod, or bacalao if you like (I like). After placing in cold water for at least 24 hours, I boil the fish in water with a just a little garlic.

The fourth ingredient is home made mayonnaise made with olive oil.

After 5 minutes in the boiling water, the cod is done. Remove from the pot and let it rest until lukewarm. Then mix thoroughly with the blended vegetables, and let the mix rest for at least 15 minutes.  After that, spoon in plenty of mayo and blend thoroughly.

Use a round open container to give the mix a cylindrical shape (a la pavillion), and place on top three fingers of the cured bonito. Finalize the simple layout of the dish with capers.

Enjoy with asyrtico white from Santorini.