Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two days of national celebrations, in totally different countries; Benito Juarez Day in Mexico, and National Independence Day in Greece. So this week’s recipes have a distinctly Mexican and Greek flavour to them. They are Chicken Enchiladas, Flour tortillas, Souvalaki, Chihuahuacocktail and the spice of the week is Mastic.
Benito Juárez (March 21, 1806 - July 18, 1872) was born Benito Pablo Juárez García, a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872. Benito Juárez was the first Mexican leader who did not have a military background, and also the first full-blooded indigenous national ever to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the Western Hemisphere. He resisted the French occupation, overthrew the Empire, restored the Republic, and used liberal efforts to modernize the country.
Today Benito Juárez is remembered as being a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy, equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples, lessening the great power that the Roman Catholic Church then held over Mexican politics, and the defence of national sovereignty. The period of his leadership is known in Mexican history as La Reforma (the reform), and constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences: the expropriation of church lands, bringing the army undercivilian control, liquidation of peasant communal land holdings, the separation of church and state in public affairs, and also led to the almost-complete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests, nuns and lay brothers. La Reforma represented the triumph of Mexico's liberal, federalist, anti-clerical, and pro-capitalist forces over the conservative, centralist, corporatist, and theocratic elements that sought to reconstitute a locally-run version of the old colonial system. It replaced a semi-feudal social system with a more market-driven one, but following Juárez's death, the lack of adequate democratic and institutional stability soon led to a return to centralized autocracy and economic exploitation under the regime of Porfirio Díaz. The Porfiriato (Porfirist era), in turn, collapsed at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.
March 21 is a day set to commemorate Juárez. This date has become a national holiday in Mexico, which has continued to grow in acceptance within Mexican culture.
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1830, with later assistance from several European powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassals, the Eyalet of Egypt and partly the Vilayet of Tunisia.
Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire, most of Greece came under Ottoman rule. During this time, there were frequent revolts by Greeks attempting to gain independence. In 1814, a secret organization called the Filiki Eteria was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities and Constantinople. The first of these revolts began on 6 March 1821 in the Danubian Principalities, but it was soon put down by the Ottomans. The events in the north urged the Greeks in the Peloponnese in action and on 17 March 1821 the Maniots declared war on the Ottomans. By the end of the month, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and by October 1821 the Greeks under Theodoros Kolokotronis had captured Tripolitsa. The Peloponnesian revolt was quickly followed by revolts in Crete, Macedonia andCentral Greece, which would soon be suppressed. Meanwhile, the makeshift Greek navy was achieving success against the Ottoman navy in the Aegean Seaand prevented Ottoman reinforcements from arriving by sea.
Tensions soon developed among different Greek factions, leading to two consecutive civil wars. Meanwhile, the Ottoman Sultan negotiated with Mehmet Ali of Egypt, who agreed to send his son Ibrahim Pasha to Greece with an army to suppress the revolt in return for territorial gain. Ibrahim landed in the Peloponnese in February 1825 and had immediate success: by the end of 1825, most of the Peloponnese was under Egyptian control, and the city of Messolonghi—put under siege by the Turks since April 1825—fell in April 1826. Although Ibrahim was defeated in Mani, he had succeeded in suppressing most of the revolt in the Peloponnese and Athens had been retaken.
Following years of negotiation, three Great Powers, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, decided to intervene in the conflict and each nation sent a navy to Greece. Following news that combined Ottoman–Egyptian fleets were going to attack the Greek island of Hydra, the allied fleet intercepted the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet at Navarino. Following a week long standoff, a battle began which resulted in the destruction of the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet. With the help of a French expeditionary force, the Greeks drove the Turks out of the Peloponnese and proceeded to the captured part of Central Greece by 1828. As a result of years of negotiation, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation in May 1832.
The Revolution is celebrated on 25 March by the modern Greek state, which is a national day.
My first recipe is
Chicken Enchiladas courtesy of
www.cook-eating.com.
Take 20mins to Prep and 20mins to cook.
700g x Shredded Chicken-no skin
200g x Sliced Black Olives
1/2 tsp x Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp x Dried Oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
1 x Med Onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp x Garlic Powder
1 x Bunch of Coriander, chopped
1 x Jar of Ready-Made Enchilada Sauce (or see recipe below for home made recipe)
340g x Cheddar Cheese, grated
10 x Corn Tortillas (see below for home made recipe)
Cooking SprayMix together in a bowl the chicken, olives, cumin, oregano, garlic powder,1/2 of the onion, and 1/2 the coriander, this is your filling for your tortillas. These can be cooked in oil or they can be coated with a food spray.
Pour a 1/4 enchilada sauce in pie tin and coat both sides of the tortillas with the enchilada Sauce. Spoon some of the mixture and a small amount of cheese inside, then roll and place in a baking dish, seam side down. (If you want to freeze your enchiladas now is the time - before sauce and cheese). Repeat this until all of the tortillas are rolled, then pour the remaining sauce over top, add the remaining coriander & onions. Bake in a preheated 180C gas mark 4 for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5mins then serve.
To make your own Enchilada Sauce, you will need:-
2 tbsp x Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp x All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp x Mild Chili Powder
1/2 tsp x Ground Cumin
230g x Passata
½ Litre x Water
1 tsp x Salt
1/4 tsp x Garlic Powder
Heat the oil in a large 2.1/2 litre saucepan, stir in the flour and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. This recipe makes approximately 750ml of enchilada sauce.
My next recipe is Flour tortillas recipe by Gino DiCampo, courtesy of GoodFood Channel website.
Makes 12, takes 30mins to prepare, and takes 25mins to cook.
500g x Plain Flour, sieved
1/2 tsp x Baking Powder
A Pinch of Salt
100g x Lard
120 ml x Warm Water
Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, rub in the lard. Add the water in a steady stream, and combine, until the mixture becomes a stiff, but pliable dough. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces and roll each piece out to form a 30cm circle. Cover with cling film to prevent them from drying out. Warm a heavy frying pan or griddle and cook each tortilla for 1 minute on each side, until the surface bubbles and has turned a light golden colour. Wrap the tortillas in a clean tea towel to keep them warm and pliable until you have cooked them all and are ready to use them.
Spice of the week – Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). In pharmacies and Nature shops it is called "arabic gum" (not to be confused with gum arabic) and "Yemen gum". In Greece it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins is produced in "tears" or droplets. Originally liquid, it is sun-dried into drops of hard brittle translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. The flavour is bitter at first, but after chewing releases a refreshing, slightly piney or cedar flavour.
The word mastic derives from the Greek verb mastichein "to gnash the teeth", origin of the English word masticate. The word for mastic is a synonym for "gum" in many languages. Within the European Union, mastic production in Chios is granted Protected Designation of Origin because, although the tree is native to the Mediterranean region, only the mastic trees of southern Chios "weep" the mastic resin when their bark is scored. The island's mastic production is controlled by a co-operative of medieval villages, collectively known as the 'Mastichochoria', which are also located in the southern part of Chios. There is even a small Museum of Mastic in the village of Pyrgi.
The harvest takes place from July until the beginning of October. First, the area around the tree is cleared and sprinkled with inert calcium carbonate. Then incisions in the bark are made: 5-10 on each tree, every 4–5 days. The resin flows from the incisions, falling on the ground where it solidifies. The pieces of dry mastic, can then be collected for cleaning and eventual sale. In addition to mastic, mastic oil is also produced.
Mastic has been used as a medicine since antiquity and is still used in traditional folk medicine of the Middle East. In Ancient Greece it was given as a remedy for snakebite, and in India and Persia was used to fill dental cavities. The first century Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides mentions the healing properties of mastic in his book De Materia Medica. Hippocrates wrote that the mastic is good for prevention of digestive problems and colds and Galenus suggested mastic was useful for bronchitis and improving the condition of the blood. For more everyday applications, mastic was highly valued in medieval times by sultans' harems, as a breath freshener and tooth whitener.
Mastic contains antioxidants, and also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. A Nottingham University study published in the New England Journal of Medicine claims that mastic can cure peptic ulcers by killing Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Other studies have indicated mastic has only a modest ability to eliminate H. pylori, but also suggested that refining mastic by removing the polymerpoly-β-myrcene may make the active components, in particular isomasticadienolic acid more available and effective. Mastic may also have some value in preventing tooth decay and gingivitis as chewing mastic reduces oral bacteria levels.
Regular consumption of mastic has been proven to absorb cholesterol, thus easing high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Mastic oil is widely used in the preparation of ointments for skin disorders and afflictions. It is also used in the manufacture of adhesive bandages.
One of the earliest uses of mastic was as chewing gum, hence the name. Mastic is used in ice cream, sauces and seasoning in Lebanon. In Egypt mastic is used in the preparation of different vegetable preserves, as well as jams with a gummy consistency, and in meats and soups. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods.
In Turkey mastic is widely used in desserts such as Turkish Delight, dondurma, puddings like sütlaç, salep, and tavuk göğsü, mamelika, and soft drinks, also in the preparation of Turkish Coffee on the Aegean Coast.
In the Maghreb countries mastic is used mainly for cakes, sweets, pastries, and as a stabiliser in meringue and nougat.
In Greece mastic is used to prepare mastic liqueurs mastic like Mastichato, a spoon sweet known as "vanilla", beverages, chewing gum, cakes, pastries, sweets, desserts, breads, and in cheese production. It is also a binding material or material preparation stabilizer for oriental sweets like "Turkish Delight" or mastic gum ice cream, and is suitable for preparing a pudding. In desserts, as an ingredient of jam or cakes, mastic is used to replace cornstarch and gelatin. It can also be used to stabilize ice creams.
My next recipe is Souvalaki, courtesy of GoodFood Magazine Website, first published Olive Magazine June 2010.
Serves 4 (makes 8 generous kebabs), takes 15-20mins to prepare & 13-15mins to cook, plus chill time for kebabs.
3 x Sweet Pointed Peppers (a mixture of colours is nice)
8 x Flatbreads, to serve
4 x Sprigs of Fresh mint, leaves picked
A small bunch of Fresh Dill, chopped (stalks and all)
Greek Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 x Lemon, to serve
FOR THE KEBABS
800g x Leg of Pork, shin if you can get it, the best quality you can afford, cut into 2cm chunks
1 tbsp x Dried Mint
1 tbsp x Dried Oregano
Juice of 1 Lemon
100ml x Good-Quality Olive Oil
2 x Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar
A Pinch of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A Pinch of Sea Salt
FOR THE TZATZIKI
½ x Large Cucumber
200ml x Natural Yoghurt
1 x Small Garlic Clove, peeled
1 heaped tbsp x Dried Mint
1.1/2 tsp x Red Wine Vinegar
If using wooden skewers, cut 8 to fit your griddle pan and soak them in a tray of water to stop them burning. Put all your kebab ingredients into a bowl and use your clean hands to mix everything together really well. Cover with clingfilm, then pop into the fridge for 30mins, or longer if you want the flavours to get a bit more intense. Meanwhile, blacken the peppers directly over the flame of your hob, in a hot dry griddle pan or under a hot grill. Turn them every so often and when they look almost ruined, pop them into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put to one side to steam for 5mins or so – this will help their skins to come off.
Make your tzatziki by coarsely grating the cucumber into a sieve set up over a bowl. Add a few good pinches of alt, then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as you can. Pour the water away, then tip the cucumber into an empty bowl and add the yoghurt. Pound the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt until you have a paste, and spoon that into the bowl with the cucumber. Add the dried mint and red wine vinegar and mix really well. Have a taste to make sure you’ve got the balance right, then put aside.
Preheat a griddle pan or grill on a high heat. Thread the skewers through the marinated pork pieces, leaving little spaces between them so that the heat cooks everything evenly. Cook the kebabs on the screaming hot griddle or grill for about 8-10mins, turning occasionally until done on all sides. Warm your flatbreads in the oven or in a hot dry pan while your kebabs are cooking. Just before your kebabs are ready, peel and deseed your blackened peppers, then tear them into strips and put them into a bowl. Roll up your mint leaves, finely slice them and add to the bowl along with the dill. Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar, a pinch or two of salt and pepper and a lug of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss and mix together, then have a taste to check the balance of flavours. Cut your lemon into wedges. Put a dollop of tzatziki and the meat from one skewer on each warmed flatbread. Top with some of your pepper mixture, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
60ml x Tequila
60ml x Grapefruit Juice
Pour tequila into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Add grapefruit juice and stir lightly. Some people like to add a dash of salt, while others like to rim the glass with salt as they would for a Margarita.
If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.
Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D
