Coleslaw with Prawns

After a hectic eating schedule in Greece which included a lot of rich, yummy foods I needed to get back on track with some lighter eating. Salads are a good way to do this but they don't have to be boring by any means. They can be a decent meal themselves. Just make sure you follow the "fresh is best" principle and you can't go wrong. I was inspired by the many flavours I encountered in Greece and as a good food blogger I came back to experiment. Many of the salad dressings I tasted there were quite basic. But they weren't boring. The simplicity of extra virgin olive oil mixed with lemon juice was just magical on the taste buds.



Drawing inspiration from those fresh flavours I decided to make coleslaw and give it a slight twist. I've never really had a good relationship with coleslaw over the years. As a child, I had to endure eating this dish drowned in really bad mayonnaise. It was devoid of any character or taste. When I set myself the task of making this I wanted it to be fresh and summery. It's very easy to construct. I shredded a small portion of both red and white cabbages. I grated a carrot and thinly sliced some cucumbers on my mandoline. I also thinly sliced some red onions and added some freshly grated green papaya or green mango. The addition of the papaya gave it that extra lift. I just wish I had more to add as it didn't really generate much from a single grating. And finally, I blanched some king green prawns and added them on top to make a complete meal. (I bought my prawns all cleaned and shelled. I love saving time!). The dressing was, you guessed it. A blend of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice with some fresh sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. It was crunchy, slightly sweet, slippery and tangy at the same time. A really nice twist on an old favourite and much better this time around. Enjoy!
Pete

Tags:Salad Seafood

Spanish Churros with a chocolate and chilli dipping sauce

What a way to get back into the cooking game. A few months ago I joined the passionate foodie community over at The Leftover Queen. Jenn, who runs that site, holds a monthly competition where food bloggers compete to create a dish based on 3 ingredients. It's called the Royal Foodie Joust and its a great way to keep everyone's cooking imagination active. I had been a long time observer but this time decided to contribute. This month's challenge involved chocolate, chilli and some kind of grain i.e. rice oats etc. I thought long and hard about what I was going to contribute and my creative juices came up with that ol' Spanish fave, churros! Churros are basically a doughnut and traditionally they are served with a chocolate dipping sauce. Mine has the wicked addition of chilli in it and makes it all that little more sensual.

These can easily be served at the end of a meal or created for that special occasion. I think they're kind of sexy actually. Served warm and dipped in a good quality couverture chocolate, you can't fail. You may opt to roll them in cinnamon sugar and relive those child hood memories of yesteryear. I consulted my good friend the internet and found a number of recipes for churros. Mine is basically a hybrid version form all the recipes I discovered. It wasn't too difficult either. Have fun making these.

CHOCOLATE CHILLI CHURROS

For the churros:
1 cup of water
110 grams of butter
1/4 tsp of salt
1 cup of plain flour
3 eggs
Oil for deep frying

For the chocolate chilli dipping sauce:
Half a block of good quality grade couverture chocolate (at least 70%)
half a teaspoon of smoked chipotle chilli powder

1. Heat the water, butter and salt and bring it to a rolling boil. Once it's all combined an boiling away add the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until you get a smooth dough formed. Now add your eggs one by one making sure to beat thoroughly after each addition. The dough should look glossy and everything should be well combined.

2. Make sure you have your oil heated in a pan or saucepan suitable for frying. We're looking to deep fry here. And make sure the temperature is at a medium heat. We want the churros to fry evenly and not too quickly.

3. Place the dough in a piping bag and use a wide star tip to pipe the churro dough into the hot oil. Be VERY CAREFUL and if you don't feel comfortable with just piping the dough into the oil, pipe them onto a tray and freeze them for about 20 mins. (Then slot them into the hot oil).

4. Drain on a late covered with absorbent paper. Allow them to cool slightly. Just!

5. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Spoon in the chilli powder and combine well.

6. Serve the churros on a plate with the chocolate chilli dipping sauce on the side. Dip and enjoy!

N.B. The chilli you use is entirely up to you. Just don't over do it. We don't want to burn ourselves from the intense heat. Instead we're looking for a slight warm sensation that makes the person eating them say "wow...mmmm".

Tags:recipes Sweet Treats royal foodie joust

The beautiful mountainous terrain of Sparta

I am now coming to the end of my holiday writing about Greece. I wanted to leave you with a few snapshots from my portfolio. These were taken whilst I was visiting friends and famiy in Sparta. Sparta is a 3 hour drive, south of Athens at the base of the Peleponesse. It has a small population of about 20,000 people. Its surrounded by rugged mountainous terrain. There is a lot of history in this part of Greece as well. Namely due to king Leonidas and the battle with Persia. Legend has it that 300 soldiers took down an invading army of Persians and won. The city of Sparta has a statue dedicated to Leonidas and it sits proudly in the city.


KIng Leonidas of Sparta

The amount of churches I noticed in my travels all over Greece were phenomenal. Whether I was in the city or on a long, winding road leading to a far away village, lo and behold another church would appear. They were everywhere and they came in all shapes and sizes.


Greek church

An opportunity arose whilst I was in Sparta to visit a seaside town nearby called "Gytheio". Don't worry too much about the pronunciation of this place. It's a port city and it too caters well to tourists. It's about 45 mins away by bus and its a very cute place. I remember coming here to swim in the summertime as a child.


The port city of Gytheio

Walking around you almost feel like you are on one of the Greek islands. Little holiday houses and bed and breakfasts dominate this seaside town. Fishermen bring in their daily catch from the sea. A giant light house overlooks the water, once used to guide ships in the night. It's almost cliched and very postcard like.


The lighthouse at "Gytheio"



Oh look! Another church

And of course after walking around all day lapping up the local culture I wanted to eat. So I headed to one of the many restaurants and began another feast, fit for a king.


Souvlaki and fried chips


Wilted wild greens with olive oil and lemon juice


Fried squid or "calamari"


Fried zucchini fritters with feta cheese

Lets dissect the menu. Being true to my blogs name I ordered the souvlaki. To my surprise, the majority of souvlaki served in Greece are made using pork meat. I always assumed it was lamb. Nevertheless, they were tender and had been grilled to utter perfection. The fried potatoes on the side were a nice bonus. Wild greens are served everywhere in Greece and they are very good for you. This mantra was repeated to me all the time as a child. It's only as an adult I realise how true this is. They are blanched and served with a liberal amount of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. They are very cleansing and can really help with detoxing the system. The pan fried calamari were a little too tough for me. The waiter exclaimed that they were fresh but had perhaps been over zealously cooked! The zucchini fritters were something else. Vegetarians rejoice! These are so simple but bang out a lot of flavour. Grated zucchini, mashed potato, feta cheese and dill make up the delicious morsels. I had seen them on a few menus but only now attempted to try them. The wait was worth it. These numbers would be great in a tapas menu. They are moreish and you really won't be able to stop at one.


This concludes my current series of posts about Greece. I could go on forever show you all my holiday snaps. But I wouldn't want to bore you. I have a lot of recipes I want to try and to photograph as well. Overall, it was a great time in Greece. It was good to reconnect with family and friends after nearly 30 years. I had left a child and returned a man. A man with a Nikon DSLR camera, that is! So, on with the show as Souvlaki For The Soul tackles the next chapter in its existence. I hope you stay on for the ride!

Pete

Tags:Greece

Traditional Greek coffee

While in Greece I couldn't stomach the local coffee very much. If anyone has ever tried "Greek style" coffee you'll know what I mean. It's a mean brew, all thick with a rich sediment that forms on he bottom of the cup. I personally believe it's an acquired taste and one that I'm not really keen on enjoying. Still, every house I went to, I was offered this rich brew and I politely accepted.




Greek Iced Coffee or "Frappe"

However, I did get to enjoy the local iced coffee otherwise known as "frappe". Dark, rich, cold with a golden foamy top this drink is very popular especially in the summer months. People sit at cafes for hours with one of these sipping it very slowly enjoying its rich, intense flavours. The cruel irony for me is, that's it's made with instant coffee!!! Shock! Horror! I couldn't believe it. Apparently this is the best way to achieve the golden foam on top. While I believe instant coffee does serve its purpose (in extreme emergencies) I reckon I could achieve a similar outcome if I used freshly brewed espresso coffee from my machine. There a re numerous ways to order it and I noticed the locals were quite specific about how they wanted it prepared. It's basically strong instant coffee added to cold water and ice cubes. It's then vigorously shaken in a cocktail shaker. Modern cafes tend to use electric mixers to achieve that creamy foam on the top.



"Frappe" served with milk

I was just glad that I could order espresso. Phew! That's my coffee of choice. Actually, a double espresso is my favourite. It kick starts the system like no other. So as you can see there are numerous types of coffees to order in Greece. The frappe was nice but I could probably stomach it better on a hot day. The traditional Greek style coffee is something I would have with relatives out of polteness. Cafe culture is alive and thriving in Greece. Cigarettes optional!


Double espresso for me please

Tags:Greece Coffee

Ok. I can hear the cries and screams of protest (I think I can!). I want to welcome you to the new look for my blog and website. It's the fourth time I've changed themes or templates this year. Blogging was a new activity that I undertook at the beginning of this year. Well, who knew that my inner geek was going to come rushing out! Apart from writing and photographing about my passion, which is food, I also have a passion for web design. I wanted a site to represent my foodie passion. And I specifically wanted it to look good. So after 3 previous attempts at html, css and Photoshop I bit the bullet and had it professionally designed.

My blogging platform of choice is Rapidweaver. It's a made for Mac product that specialises in producing cool and good looking websites. All made on an Apple of course! For all you Macheads and fanboys this is a must see. I contacted one of the 3rd party theme designers and he came up with this great design. Florian over at ADHD Graphics is a very talented young individual with a great passion for designing websites. And he's done a great job here at SOUVLAKI FOR THE SOUL.

Notice the cool spotlights on top of the page. Similar to the downlights you find in kitchens. In fact, the website/blog has a feel of a warm wooden kitchen environment. Where I hope to conjure up a whole lot of epicurean creations. Just a warning. This site plays well in most browsers. However, you won't get the full benefit of it if you are using Internet Explorer 6. It'll show up but you won't see any of the cool Web 2.0 effects.

Ok. Let's get on with the show. I have a whole heap of posts that need updating. Now that I have my new look completed I can start to ramble on about food!

Pete

Tags:Blog

Mousaka in all its glory

So after a cultural day of sightseeing and analysing ancient Greek lifestyles, I set off to find a place to eat. Nafplio, was well equipped for this with many restaurants on offer. I was so looking forward to eat a mini feast and indulge in a lot of "traditional" foods. I wanted to be transported to epicurean heaven. I found a place near the water's edge and ordered a few too many dishes and consumed them with hungry abandon! As usual, lots of bread arrived to accompany my choices. The menus were in Greek, English and German. I was really hanging out for mousaka. Even though the weather dial was slightly above average, I wanted to try this and see how its represented in modern day Greece. Mmmmm...perfect. Creamy bechamel sauce on top, covering a layer of fried eggplant, zucchini and potatoes. And let's not forget the mince meat with its slight aroma of cinammon.


Fried banana chillies

The dishes come out in no particular order. I was happy to pick a little here and there. The banana chillies were fried to a delightful crispness. Not too soggy and went well with the bread. I adore banana chillies! They are sweet and not spicy hot at all.


"Skordalia"...aka garlic mashed potato dip

The skordalia was next. This dish is usually served with fried "bacalao" or dried cod fish. Or sometimes its served with boiled wild greens. It's a blend of garlic cloves, mashed potatoes, sometimes bread and olive oil. I smothered mine hungrily on the bread. There are a few variations on this dish and each region tends to add or omit certain things.


Marinated octopus

Marinated octopus is another favourite. It lived up to all its expectations. "Htapodi Xidato" (try saying that a few times) as its known, is featured heavily in many seaside restaurants. Freshly caught octopus is tenderised and left out to dry. It is then boiled and left to "cook" in a mixture of olive oil, vinegar and oregano. It's during this process that it becomes soft, moist and oh so tender. Usually served in a tapas style serve or "meze" with pre dinner drinks. Dipping of the bread in the juices is compulsory!


Fried eggplant slices


"Yemista" or stuffed tomatoes and peppers

Let's not forget the vegetables. They play a huge part in the Mediterranean diet. And the Greeks have their own unique way of cooking and serving them. I mean how simple are fried eggplant slices. I've often ranted on about how the simple things are often the best ones to cook and the most tasty. And these were no exception. Simply slice your eggplant and salt it to remove the bitterness. Dip into some flour and fry in olive oil. The exterior has a nice crispness to it and the insides are warm and soft. I also couldn't go by the "yemista". I've also had them here, if you've dared to read that far back! Basically translated as stuffed vegetables, the "yemista" are also featured on a lot of traditional eateries' menus. Mince meat and rice are stuffed into hollowed out tomatoes and peppers, with a mixture of dill and parsley. They are then baked in the oven with olive oil and sometimes potatoes. Again, the accompanying juices are fantastic to dip bread in.


Grilled sardines

And last but not least I ordered a bit of seafood. Our waiter kindly explained that they had a great morning catch and the chef would prepare them for us, simply grilled. I was a bit hesitant when he mentioned sardines. All those childhood memories of icky canned sardines came rushing back! But this was a whole different kettle of fish, so to speak. The sardines were simply grilled and then doused with extra virgin olive oil and lots of lemon juice. They were not "fishy" at all. They were tender and soft and the flavours blended well. And they were definetly fresh. A great end to a very satisfying meal. I had indulged in so many foods that were so satisfying I couldn't move! It wasn't expensive either. All of the above, plus a few beers and water came to 50 Euro. (I can only imagine the peak summer prices though). All in all, a fantastic intro to greek foods and eating.

Kali orexi! (bon apettite!)

Pete

Tags:Greece

Summer colours

Continuing in my (delayed...sorry!) Greece series of recent adventures, I made my way to the port city of Nafplio. What a delightful change from the hustle and bustle of Athens. It was October and the weather was hovering around the mid 20's mark. It was so "summery" and I could just imagine how busy this place would be in the bustling summer months. It serves tourists very well and there are a lot of ancient areas nearby that can easily be explored. Nafplio is located on the Argolic Coast, Northeast in the Peloponnese, one and a half hours south of Athens. The "older" part of the city, is situated on top of a peninsula, which faces the gulf.



The old part of the city

As with most parts of Greece, there is a lot of history here. Both ancient and modern. The city once served as the capital of Greece and was once considered to be part of the Ottoman Empire stronghold. There is a famous castle/fortress that overlooks this beautiful city, where many prisoners of the Greek war of independence were held. As I made my way up the castle I could see the emerging areas of the gulf and the whole city below me. Just amazing! I also had a chance to wander the many small streets, where rooms are offered for rent to tourists and restaurants prepare for the days trading.


Seaside architecture


Shutter windows and balconies of the many apartments


Cute streets with plenty of dining options

I also relished at the opportunity to visit the ancient city of "Epidavros" or Epidauras, located about a half hour's drive away. More history surrounds this area and I am constantly amazed at how much history there actually is in Greece and the attempts to preserve it, by the government. The famous landmark here at Epidavros is the amphitheatre. Used as a source of entertainment in old times, concerts are still performed here in the summertime. The thing that stands out here are the acoustics. It's been said and also documented through various modern trials that you can hear the strike of a match all the way up at the top of the theatre' seats. It was also good to read while I was here, that this area of Epidavros had been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also lots of restoration work going on as a means of maintaining the local history.


The ancient amphitheatre of Epidavros

Tags:Greece

The eerie setting of The Acropolis...look at those clouds!

It has been used as a temple, a fortress, a citadel and a place to house virgins. It currently lends itself as one of the new 7 ancient wonders of the world and has thousands of tourists adorning its once sacred grounds. Welcome to The Acropolis. Smack, bang right n the centre of Athens. I was in absolute awe as I walked up the many steps, making my way to photograph a place that truly symbolises Greece. If you ignore the restoration scaffolding you can almost feel the Ancient Greeks beside you, happy that you are viewing their architectural phenomenon. Literally meaning "on the edge of the city", the Acropolis houses a number of temples and the famous Parthenon. It has seen numerous wars, starting from the 5th Century B.C right up until the mid 1600's during the Ottoman conquest.

It looked like it was going to rain that day but it never did. Instead the clouds provided a stunning backdrop, creating an almost eerie feeling and added a sense of "ancient atmosphere". I hope you enjoy this visual display.


The Parthenon. Viewed from the back...it almost looks like it is on fire.


Side view of one of the many temples.


And another...


Ancient Greek architecture


Looking out to the sea side part of Athens

I walked away humble and very quiet. No matter what I thought of Athens, this place up here, that once guarded the ancient city, had left me speechless. So may times we "tick the box" with tourist attractions when we visit a country. I'm guilty of that I admit. But today was different for me. It's hard to explain. Greece has so much history and because of my Greek heritage, I felt a "connection" up there, on top of the Acropolis. I was proud and amazed at the same time. A truly unforgettable experience.
Pete

Tags:Greece

The city of Athens...viewed from one side of the Acropolis

Finally after nearly four weeks of holidays I have returned back to Australia. And I'm tired, both physically and emotionally. I had returned back to my parents' homeland after an absence of nearly 30 years. I took about one thousand photos and I have tried to cull this down to give you a good indication of what I got up to when I was away. Of course I also want to show off my photography skills!!! So, enjoy the view and have a laugh at my adventures.

My first stop in Greece was Athens. It had taken me nearly 40 hours to get here. I discovered a city filled with cars, smog, scooters and humidity. The traffic was noisy and my cab driver abused everyone as we zoomed through automobile mayhem. It was only 3 pm and this city was pumping. It was a lot to take in and as an experienced traveller I could feel the onset of culture shock. People often laugh as I explain this. It doesn't matter how worldly you are, it can still happen. I had a lot of nervous excitement about this journey and it had been building up for a while.

After a decent rest I managed to get a few good days here in Athens. It's an an interesting city. Its over populated and very crowded in my opinion. It's best described as organised chaos. Its comparable to some other European cities as in life is very fast paced here. No matter which way I say this it will come across as nasty but I can assure you its not. It's a jungle. You have to be tough here or you will get chewed up and spat out. Before I say anything nice, I have to warn anyone who is planning a holiday there. BE CAREFUL OF THE TAXI DRIVERS!!!!! They will attempt to rip you off at every opportunity. ( That's if they take you as a passenger in the first place...lol.). I had three incidents with these scum and I was lucky that I spoke the language. Always ask for a printed electronic receipt and never allow the cab driver to force you to share a taxi with a stranger (this happens a lot!).

Besides nasty cab drivers the shopping here is quite good. Some local brands compete with the usual clothing suspects. Eating is also good and you can eat cheap and tasty souvlaki for about 8 euro in a "cheap eat" style restaurant. (I'll save the food pics for a few posts time). The thing that amazes me about Athens is how the Ancient ruins stand side by side with modern urban existence. I mean people have houses right under the Acropolis!!!


Another view of Athens...with ruins of course!

I quite liked "Monastiraki" and "Glyfada". These areas have great food and entertaining options and are very tourist friendly without being overly cheesy i.e. no "Zorba" music playing in the background. The "Plaka" area and "Syntagma" are also fantastic to visit. The Plaka has pricey cafes and bric a brac shops selling all sorts of Greek goodies, from wine to cheesecloths. It's located right under the Acropolis so it attracts many visitors, especially in the evenings. "Syntagma" is a central square where Greek Parliament resides. Here you'll find some great shops also. There are also many hotels in this area of Athens.


Crossroad at Syntagma

One fascinating feature of Greek Parliament (politics is lived and breathed in Greece and is almost religious) is the giant marble plaque that stands as a tribute to the "unknown soldier". This plaque is representative of all soldiers who have died in war. It's also guarded by two soldiers wearing traditional Greek headress. They stand silently guarding the plaque and Parliamentt House staring into the distance. They do this for 6 hours straight and every 15 mins change over sides. It's a big process with great pomp and ceremony and lots of saluting. Naturally there are people clicking away furiously (yours included in this).


Greek Parliament House aka "Syntagma"




Soldiers in traditional dress guarding Parliament House..standing silently


The changing of the guard

Tomorrow: The Acropolis

Tags:Greece