Halva (Greek Semolina Cake)

 Ingredients

1/2 cup of vegetable oil (olive oil is preferable but any vegetable oil will do)

2 cups of sugar

3 cups of Coarse Semolina (in some countries it's sold as 'Extra Coarse Semolina')

5 cups of water

1/2 teaspoon of  salt

Various nuts and fruit, optional (you can use almonds, walnuts, raisins etc)

Method

Mix the sugar and the salt in the water and put it to boil

Use a wok or a deep pot and heat up the oil for a couple of minutes and then add the semolina.

Keep shifting the semolina constantly until it's well roasted (it normally takes the same amount of time as the water with the sugar to come to boil). You can add the nuts from the beginning or during the roasting, but add the fruit only at the end or they will stick on the pan.

Once the water comes to boil turn off. Turn off the fire on the wok momentarily as well.

Pour slowly and carefully the water on to the wok with the semolina as you stir it. Take care not to burn as it will boil violently for a few seconds.

Put the wok back on the fire for a minute or so, until all the water has been absorbed. That's it!

Place in a tray and let it cool. Serve either hot or cold with a dusting of cinnamon powder.

Sourdough Bread

For 3 loaves of bread you will need:
1 and 1/2 cups of sourdough
3-4 cups of water (depending on your flour)
9 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of salt.

Making sourdough bread is not hard work it just takes a long time. You will need to pick a day that you are home because it's a whole day project.

Starting in the morning I'll set here some times as a reference.

8.00 am: Mix the sourdough and the water, pour the flour, add the salt and knead the dough until it's all well mixed. You don't have to mix for a long time, just enough to make sure it's all mixed well. Start with 3 cups of water and add some more to make sure you have a nice soft dough.

8.00 am to 12.00 noon: Knead every 45 minutes by taking from one side and bringing to the middle and then from the opposite side. Then turn again from the other two sides and repeat this process 3 times. Let it rest in between and cover the dough so it doesn't dry.


From 12 noon to 4.00 pm: Let the dough rest

4pm: Lightly flour a counter, pour your dough and divide in three parts.
Grease your tins,  knead each piece in the same way as before, shape and place in the tins. Place each tin in a plastic bag (the dough will probably rise above your tin so do not cover with film as it will restrict from rising).

6.30 pm Turn on your oven at 180 degrees (if possible, fun and heat from the bottom). If your oven has steam use it, if not place a pan with hot water in the bottom of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes.

7.10pm. Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool

8.00 pm: Enjoy a slice of crusty, gluten free, sourdough bread.

For information as to why sourdough bread is gluten free see here: https://glutendude.com/not-gluten-free/is-sourdough-bread-gluten-free/

Camping Recipes

Sharing here with you simple recipes that you can cook on a two burner stove like ours, or on a BBQ.
Buying a ready-made meal is an abomination for our family; we like to prepare our food with fresh, healthy ingredients. Food is so much more than just fuel to consume in order to keep you going.
We are into healthy and sensible eating and most of our recipes are simple and have a Mediterranean flavour.
Enjoy!

Falafel

Falafel

 This middle-eastern dish is nutritious and delicious. For about a dozen falafel you will need:
1 cup of dried chick peas
1 large onion
½ head of garlic
1 bunch of parsley
Hot green pepper, to suit your taste (or use paprica instead, if you don't like spicy food)
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
oil (for frying)
flour
DIRECTIONS
Soak the chick peas overnight and drain.
In a food processor or a pestle and mortar, grind and mix together all the ingredients, starting with the garlic and adding the onions, the parsley, chick peas and spices.
Use a little flour to bind it together.

Shape into meatball shape and deep fry. If, like us, you are not too kin on deep frying, you can place on a greased tray and bake in the oven until golden brown.


Serve with tomatoes and parsley or other salad in a pitta bread.


If you don't have an oven in your camper, you could use a non-stick frying pan with lid and fry in very slow heat. In this case you may like to shape them a little flatter and turn them over after 20 minutes or so.

Humus

Humus

Humus is one of those middle-east dips, very popular is Cyprus, that are so yummy and so easy to make.

These are all the ingredients you need:

• A tin of chick peas (unless you want to boil your own of course)
• 5 table-spoons of Tahini
• 1/2 large lemon (or a whole small)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Approximately 1/3 glass of water
• Salt according to taste

If you've got a food processor just crush the garlic and then stick everything in. If you've got a mortar and pestle just follow the same process, and enjoy it with pitta bread or just the normal bread that you like.

Dandelion

Dandelion

Have you got some dandelions in your garden and you are thinking of going to the store to buy some chemical poison to get rid of them so that it doesn't spoil your lovely lawn?
Why don't you eat them instead? You will find dandelions growing everywhere in spring and throughout the summer and early autumn. So if you are camping and you go for a walk in the fields, have a look and see if there are some dandelions around.

The leaves are edible and tasty with a slight bitter taste to them!!

I normally take a knife and cut it near the root. I leave the root in, so that I could get another crop. By leaving the root in, the plant remains alive. (Of course if you want to clear your lawn from them, pluck them by the root).
If they have flowered, throw the flowers away but if they have already seeded, take care so that  the hundreds of little seeds will not spread everywhere. You want leaves that are big enough and still tender. Note: the older the leaves are, the more bitter they are.

Boil them for 10 minutes and then change the water. Boil them for another 10-15 minutes, adding some salt in the water, and they are ready. You must change the water to get rid of the bitterness.

Dress them with olive oil and lemon and serve as a side dish. They are a great companion to fried or BBQ fish.

Melitzanosalata

Melitzanosalata
(Aubergine or Egg-plant Salad)

Here is another one of those great meze to dip your bread.

Ingredients:

2 large Bell Aubergines (Egg Plants)

3 cloves of garlic

3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil

half a lemon

a pinch of salt

Ideal for when you have a BBQ. When you light the coals or your wood and you are waiting for the coals to get ready, then just place the aubergine's on the flame. When soft and can be squeezed with a spoon, take them off the fire and let them cool down. Cut them in half and with a spoon scoop out the inside of the aubergines. Crash the garlic and add it with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and serve.

You can try different variations by adding one of the following: Paprika, feta cheese, walnuts. 

Fish Soup

Fish Soup

Here is another great soup for the winter

Ingredients:

½ Kg of boneless fish

2 Carrots

1 Onion

2 Potatoes

5 medium size celery leaves with stems

½ cup of Rice

Olive oil

Lemon

1 teaspoon of Salt

Method:

Boil the fish in half a pot of water with the salt for 2 or 3 minutes. Fish doesn't take long to cook, but please do make sure that it's cooked

Take the fish out and in the broth now place the potatoes and carrots (cut in small pieces) and a whole onion. Wash the rice and add it. Let them boil until the potatoes and rice is cooked.

Add the fish and let everything boil for another 2 or 3 minutes

After it's cooked add a bit of olive oil and black pepper for taste.

Serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Tuna and Rice salad

Tuna and Rice Salad

Ingredients
1 cup of rice
1 tin of tuna
seasonal fresh vegetables for example: half  cucumber, 1 large tomato, half a lettuce, 1 red or green or orange pepper, 1 large carrot, one spring onion, half pointed cabbage, sweet corn etc.
fresh herbs either parsley, dill or coriander
olive oil
one lemon or lime
salt and pepper

Method
Wash the rice in the pot and drain the water. Add just less than 2 cups of water. (if basmati is used 1 and a half cup of water is sufficient). Add a teaspoon of salt and place on high fire until it comes to boil. Then immediately lower the flame to the minimum and boil until water is fully absorbed. (Normally 10 minutes)

In the meantime prepare the vegetables. You can choose 3 or 4 from the list. Wash them and chop them or grate them (carrot). If you use frozen vegetables boil them briefly in water and drain.
  Put all vegetables in  a large bowl. Add the cooked rice and the tuna (drained if in water). Mix everything well, add the olive oil, some salt and the freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Variations:
You can use pasta twists or penne instead of rice.
You can use mayonnaise instead of the olive oil and lemon.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a refreshing Greek dip. It's extremely easy to make and it makes a wonderful starter or side dish.

Ingredients

½ Kg of Greek Yoghurt

3 cloves of garlic

1 cucumber (half if large)

5 table spoons of olive oil

a pinch of salt

1 table spoon of vinegar

Oregano or thyme (optional)

Grate the cucumber on a hand grater and if too watery squeeze and drain the water.

Grate the garlic and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well and that's it. Καλή όρεξη.

Bean Soup - Fasolada

Bean Soup

 

This is the national food of Greece

Ingredients

One cup of white beans

2 carrots

1 onion

2 stems of celery

one heaped teaspoon of Salt

Two fresh tomatoes or a tin of peeled tomatoes

Olive oil

Method

Boil the beans in a pot for about 5 minutes.

Drain the water

Add 4 cups of fresh water

Add all the ingredients except the olive oil.

Close the pressure-cooker and once in pressure cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add fresh olive oil and serve.

If no pressure cooker is available then, in order to save on your camper's gas, you must soak the beans from the night before. Then, on the day, just boil the beans and change the water as described above. After that, boil just the beans for 20 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients as above. You may need to add more water because some will be evaporating.

Serve with fresh bread, feta cheese, olives, pickled vegetables etc.

Lentil Soup - Faki

Faki - Greek Lentil Soup

Now that it's getting cold, there's nothing like a good wholesome soup to warm you up in your campervan. 

Ingredients

One cup of green lentils

2 carrots

1 onion

3 spoons of garlic

2 bay leaves

one heaped teaspoon of Salt

Two fresh ripe tomatoes or a tin of peeled tomatoes

Olive oil

Method

Boil the lentils in a pot for about 5 minutes.

Drain the water

Add 4 cups of fresh water

Add all the ingredients except the olive oil.

Close the pressure-cooker and once in pressure cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add fresh olive oil and serve.

If no pressure cooker is available, depending on the variety of lentils you may have to cook for about 30 minutes and you may have to add a little more water.

Serve with fresh bread, feta cheese, olives, pickled vegetables etc.