GREEK RECIPE BOOK RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. I think it’s quite nice to have different shapes and sizes in a salad, so cut your medium tomato into wedges, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the beef tomato into large rounds. Put all the tomatoes into a large salad bowl. Slice the onion very finely so it’s wafer thin and add to the tomatoes. Scratch a fork down the sides of the cucumber so it leaves deep grooves in the skin, then cut it into thick slices. Deseed your pepper, slice it into rings and add them to the salad along with the cucumber.
  2. Roughly chop the dill and most of the mint leaves, reserving the smaller ones for garnish. Add the chopped herbs to the bowl of salad, then squeeze your handful of olives over so they season the vegetables, then drop them in.
  3. Add a pinch of sea salt, the vinegar and the extra virgin olive oil. Quickly toss everything together with your hands. The minute all those flavours start working with the veg is when the magic starts to happen. Have a taste, and adjust the flavours if need be.
  4. To serve, pop the block of feta right on the top of the salad. Sprinkle the oregano over the top along with the reserved mint leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take it straight to the table. It’s confident and scruffy with a bit of attitude. Delicious.
  5. PS I’ve been known to pop leftover Greek salad into a liquidizer with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a few ice cubes, then blitz it up to a smooth consistency so it's basically a Greek gazpacho. It’s not a classic thing to do, but it is very delicious, not to mention a great way of using up leftovers!

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Use a speed-peeler to strip the lemon zest into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic bulb.
  3. Peel and quarter the onions and separate into petals, destone the olives, and slice the potatoes 1cm-thick. Add to the pan, pick in the oregano leaves and cook for 5 minutes, or until just starting to soften and colour.
  4. Quarter and add the tomatoes, then season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
  5. Pour 500ml of water into the pan and bring to the boil, stirring well and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom.
  6. Discard just the tatty outer leaves from the cauliflower, then cut a cross into the stalk and push it right down to the bottom of the pan.
  7. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, cover, then place in the oven for 1 hour, or until golden and caramelised, basting occasionally and removing the lid halfway through.
  8. Remove the cauliflower to a serving platter and pick out the garlic bulb, then place the pan back over a medium heat on the hob, stir in the peas or broad beans, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  9. Carefully squeeze all the garlic out of the skins and stir back into the pan. Taste and tweak the seasoning, if needed, then pour over the cauliflower and finish with a good squeeze of lemon juice.