Healthy Options

Continue the holiday at home with these Greek recipes!

Hummus (traditionally from Cyprus)

• 250g canned chickpeas
• 175g tahini
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika to decorate

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put into a food processor. Mix 3 tablespoons of water with the tahini if it’s a really thick consistency and blend together with the chickpeas. Add the lemon juice, crushed garlic and olive oil, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the paprika on top, serve with carrot or cucumber/celery sticks or with oat cakes as a snack.

Melizana (Aubergine dip) serves 6

• 3-4 aubergines
• 1 small grated onion
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• ¾ cup of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Bake the aubergines in a moderate oven for about an hour or until soft. Allow the skin to turn black to give the dip a smoky flavour. Skin the aubergines while still hot and add to a food processor, add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve with grilled fish and garnish with black olives and green pepper rings.

Tsatziki (cucumber dip)

• 1 medium cucumber
• ½ pint of yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of chopped dill
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Combine all the ingredients and chill for about an hour to blend the flavours. Serve as a dip with fish, salad, fried aubergines or zucchini.

Fakes (lentil soup)

• 250g brown lentils soaked for 2 hours
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Tomato puree
• Salt and pepper
• Cumin
• Chilli and other spices (optional)
• 1 bay leaf

Rinse the lentils after soaking and add 6 cups of water, along with the onion and garlic, bring to the boil and simmer for about half an hour. Add the oil, vinegar and tomato puree plus spices and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty brown bread and feta cheese.

Baked fresh fish (serves 6)

• 3 Ibs white fish steaks or whole fish such as red mullet, sea bream or mackerel
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• Chopped parsley
• ½ cup of white wine
• Salt and pepper

Sauté the onions in half a cup of olive oil and 4 tablespoons of water until soft. Add the tomatoes with 2-3 tablespoons of parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 30 mins. Spread the sauce evenly in a baking dish and place the fish on top. Pour over the remaining oil and wine, season with salt and pepper and bake in a moderate oven for 35-40 mins.

Stuffed tomatoes with rice (serves 5)

• 10-12 medium sized tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• ½ cup of currants
• 2 tablespoons of pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of chopped mint or parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Dried breadcrumbs

Wash the tomatoes and cut the tops off from the stem end (these will be used as the ‘lids’ later on). Scoop out the pulp with a teaspoon (and set aside) and sprinkle the inside with sugar. Heat half a cup of olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the rice, stir well and cook for a few minutes. Add half a cup of hot water, the currants, pine nuts, mint or parsley, remaining sugar and salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 mins. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture, leaving room for the rice to swell, replace the lids and place in a shallow baking dish. Force the remaining tomato pulp through a sieve and pour into the pan. Drizzle each tomato with olive oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake in a moderate oven for 1 and a half hours.

“Kali Orexi!” (Good Appetite!)