Taste of Corfu

Serves: 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes.

Firm white fish (grouper or hake), cut into steaks

800g

Extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp

Garlic cloves, sliced

4

Potatoes, peeled and quartered

2

Lemon, juiced

1

Salt and black pepper

to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped

small handful

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan and add the sliced garlic.
2. Add the potatoes with enough water to just cover them, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Lay the fish steaks on top, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the lemon juice.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally rather than stirring, until the fish is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
5. Scatter with parsley and serve with extra lemon and crusty bread.

Serves: 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 30 minutes.

Scorpionfish or firm white fish, cleaned and cut into pieces

800g

Onions, thinly sliced

2

Olive oil

4 tbsp

Hot red pepper (boukovo or cayenne)

2 tbsp

Sweet paprika

1 tsp

Red wine vinegar

1 tbsp

Salt

to taste

Water, to almost cover

as needed

1. Cover the base of a wide pan with the sliced onions and olive oil.
2. Sprinkle over the hot pepper and paprika.
3. Lay the fish on top and add just enough water to almost cover it.
4. Season with salt, then simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, without stirring, until the sauce thickens and the fish is cooked through.
5. Finish with the vinegar and serve with crusty bread.

Serves: 4. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 40 minutes.

Small soup pasta (kritharaki or vermicelli, broken)

150g

Olive oil

2 tbsp

Onion, chopped

1

Carrots, diced

2

Celery sticks, diced

2

Tinned white beans, drained

400g

Vegetable stock

1 litre

Salt and black pepper

to taste

1. Soften the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the stock and beans, and bring to a simmer.
3. Cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the pasta and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until al dente.
5. Season to taste and serve hot.

Serves: 8. Prep: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours proving. Cook: 30 minutes.

Strong white flour

500g

Caster sugar

100g

Eggs

2

Butter, melted

100g

Warm milk

200ml

Fast action yeast

7g

Orange zest

from 1 orange

Orange blossom water

1 tbsp

Salt

pinch

Egg, beaten, to glaze

1

1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs, melted butter, warm milk, orange zest and orange blossom water, and bring together into a soft dough.
3. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover and prove in a warm place for about 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled.
4. Shape into a round loaf or plait, place on a lined baking tray and prove for a further 30 minutes.
5. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 180C (fan 160C) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.

Serves: 1. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 0 minutes.

Hot double espresso (about 50ml)

1 shot

Sugar, to taste (for metrios or glykos)

optional

Ice cubes

handful, plus more to serve

1. Brew a double espresso, adding sugar now if making it metrios or glykos, and stir until dissolved.
2. Pour the hot espresso into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice.
3. Shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds until a thick crema forms on top.
4. Pour into a tall glass over fresh ice cubes.
5. Serve immediately with a straw.

For a freddo cappuccino, top the shaken espresso with a layer of cold whipped milk foam instead of drinking it straight. See the Frappe entry for how this cold espresso drink compares with Greece's older iced coffee.

Serves: 1. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 0 minutes.

Instant coffee

2 tsp

Sugar (adjust to taste)

2 tsp

Cold water

2 tbsp, plus more to top up

Ice cubes

handful

Milk (optional)

splash

1. Put the instant coffee, sugar and cold water into a shaker or tall glass.
2. Shake vigorously, or use a handheld frother, for about 30 seconds until a thick, pale foam forms.
3. Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
4. Pour over the frothed coffee.
5. Top up with cold water (and a splash of milk if liked) and serve with a straw.

Frappe was invented in Thessaloniki in 1957 and was once the default Greek iced coffee. See the Freddo espresso entry: most younger Greeks now order that or a freddo cappuccino instead, leaving frappe as the more old fashioned, tourist friendly choice.

Serves: makes about 500ml. Prep: 20 minutes, plus maceration. Cook: 40 minutes.

Fruit (sour cherries, small figs or bergamot), stoned or prepared

500g

Sugar

500g

Water

250ml

Lemon juice

from half a lemon

1. Layer the fruit and sugar in a bowl and leave to macerate for a few hours or overnight.
2. Tip the fruit, sugar and any juices into a pan with the water.
3. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming any foam, until syrupy and the fruit is glossy.
4. Stir in the lemon juice in the final few minutes to help set the syrup.
5. Cool, then spoon into sterilised jars and seal.

Serves: 2. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 5 minutes.

Graviera cheese, cut into 1.5cm thick slices

200g

Plain flour

2 tbsp

Olive oil

2 tbsp

Lemon wedges, to serve

as needed

1. Dip the cheese slices in flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until hot.
3. Fry the cheese for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden and just melting inside.
4. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon.

Serves: makes about 500g. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 40 minutes.

Kumquats, washed

500g

Sugar

500g

Water

300ml

Lemon juice

1 tsp

1. Prick each kumquat a few times, then simmer in water for 10 minutes to soften; drain.
2. Make a syrup with the sugar and water, and bring to the boil.
3. Add the kumquats and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until translucent and the syrup thickens.
4. Stir in the lemon juice.
5. Cool and store in sterilised jars, serving on a spoon with cold water in the classic Corfiot welcome.

The same fruit steeped in spirit rather than syrup makes Corfu's own kumquat liqueur, traditionally served chilled as a small digestif after dinner.

Serves: makes about 20 pieces. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes.

Egg whites

2

Honey

400g

Sugar

200g

Water

50ml

Whole almonds, lightly toasted

300g

Rice paper, to line

as needed

1. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
2. Heat the honey, sugar and water in a pan to 140C (hard ball stage).
3. With the whisk running, pour the hot syrup slowly onto the egg whites and continue whisking until thick and glossy.
4. Fold in the toasted almonds.
5. Spread onto rice paper in a lined tin, top with more rice paper and press flat.
6. Leave to set for a few hours before slicing into pieces.

Serves: makes about 300g. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 15 minutes.

Whole almonds

300g

Sugar

200g

Water

100ml

Ground cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp

1. Put the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil.
2. Add the almonds and cook, stirring often, as the syrup boils and then crystallises around the nuts.
3. Keep stirring over a low heat until the sugar melts again and coats the almonds in a glossy caramel.
4. Stir in the cinnamon, if using.
5. Tip onto baking paper, separate the nuts with a fork and leave to cool completely.

Serves: makes about 1kg. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 14 days curing, plus smoking.

Pork fillet

1kg

Coarse sea salt

50g

Black peppercorns, crushed

1 tbsp

Bay leaves

2

Red wine

200ml

Wood chips, for smoking

as needed

1. Rub the pork fillet all over with salt and crushed peppercorns.
2. Place in a dish with the bay leaves, cover and cure in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, turning daily and draining off any liquid.
3. Rinse off the salt, pat dry, then soak briefly in the red wine.
4. Hang the fillet in a cool, airy place (or a cold smoker) for a further 7 days to air dry.
5. Cold smoke over wood chips for a few hours for the traditional smoky finish.
6. Slice thinly to serve.

Serves: 6. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 2 hours.

Beef or rooster, cut into pieces

1.2kg

Olive oil

4 tbsp

Onions, finely chopped

2

Garlic cloves, crushed

4

Tinned tomatoes, crushed

700g

Tomato paste

1 tbsp

Cinnamon stick

1

Cloves

3

Allspice (spetseriko blend)

1 tsp

Red wine

200ml

Thick tubular pasta (bucatini or macaroni)

500g

Grated hard cheese, to serve

to taste

1. Brown the meat in batches in the olive oil, then set aside.
2. Soften the onions and garlic in the same pan.
3. Return the meat to the pan with the tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and wine.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender, topping up with water if needed.
5. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
6. Serve the pasta topped with the meat and sauce, finished with grated cheese.

Serves: 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 45 minutes.

Veal, thinly sliced

600g

Olive oil

4 tbsp

Garlic cloves, finely chopped

4

Plain flour, for dusting

3 tbsp

White wine

150ml

White wine vinegar

2 tbsp

Flat leaf parsley, chopped

large handful

Salt and black pepper

to taste

1. Season the veal slices and dust lightly in flour.
2. Fry in olive oil over a high heat until browned on both sides, then set aside.
3. Soften the garlic in the same pan, then return the veal to the pan.
4. Pour in the wine and vinegar, and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the parsley and enough water to make a light sauce, then simmer gently for a further 20 to 25 minutes until the veal is tender.
6. Serve with rice or mashed potato.

Serves: 8. Prep: 20 minutes, plus a day to firm up. Cook: 0 minutes.

Dried figs, stems removed

500g

Walnuts, chopped

100g

Ouzo or tsipouro

2 tbsp

Ground cinnamon

1 tsp

Ground cloves

half tsp

Orange zest

from 1 orange

Fig or vine leaves, to wrap

as needed

Sesame seeds, to coat (optional)

as needed

1. Finely chop or mince the dried figs.
2. Mix the figs with the walnuts, ouzo, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest until well combined.
3. Press the mixture firmly into a round or log shape.
4. Roll in sesame seeds if using, then wrap in fig or vine leaves.
5. Leave to firm up for at least a day before slicing to serve.

Serves: 4, as a side. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 20 minutes.

Mixed wild greens or chard, washed and roughly chopped

1kg

Olive oil

4 tbsp

Garlic cloves, sliced

3

Hot paprika or chilli flakes

1 tsp

Lemon juice

from 1 lemon

Salt

to taste

1. Blanch the greens in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain well.
2. Warm the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and paprika.
3. Add the greens and toss well over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and finish with lemon juice.
5. Serve warm as a side dish.

Serves: 2. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 15 minutes.

Ripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)

4 large

Eggs, lightly beaten

4

Feta, crumbled

100g

Olive oil

3 tbsp

Small onion, finely chopped (optional)

1

Salt and black pepper

to taste

Crusty bread, to serve

as needed

1. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan and soften the onion, if using.
2. Add the grated tomato and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until reduced and thickened.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour in the eggs and crumble over the feta.
5. Stir gently over a low heat until the eggs are just set into soft curds.
6. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Serves: makes about 1.5 litres. Prep: 15 minutes, plus 24 to 48 hours fermenting. Cook: 10 minutes.

Fresh ginger, peeled and grated

100g

Sugar

200g

Water

1.5 litres

Lemon juice

from 2 lemons

Dried active yeast (optional, for a natural fizz)

quarter tsp

1. Simmer the ginger in the water for 10 minutes to make a strong infusion.
2. Strain out the ginger, then stir the sugar into the hot liquid until dissolved.
3. Cool to lukewarm, then stir in the lemon juice and yeast, if using.
4. Pour into sterilised, sealable bottles, leaving a little headspace.
5. Leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours to develop a natural fizz, then chill well.
6. Open carefully over a sink, as pressure builds during fermentation.