‘Fasolada’ is a warm bean stew made in Greek homes all year around. It is the ultimate healthy village comfort food. White beans, carrots, celery, potatoes, sun ripened tomatoes, dried chilly and generous quantity of extra virgin olive oil to bind everything together. Add feta cheese and parsley for a great finish! You’ve never dipped your bread in anything better!

Recipe serves: 4 persons. Total cook time: 1.5-2 hours (60 mins if using pressure cooker)

Ingredients

300g dried white small Greek beans
6-7 cups of fresh water
1 red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (with their leaves), thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large bay leaves
1½ cups tomato passata or thick crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP. tomato paste
2 medium sized potatoes, cut in large cubes
½ tsp. dried organic Greek oregano
¾-1 tsp. sea salt --- freshly ground pepper --- red pepper flakes
1-2 TBSP. vinegar
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil (at the end)
200g Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese (serving suggestion)
50g Kalamata or Sun Dried Olives (serving suggestion)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans, discard malformed or stone-like ones. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight (preferably).

2. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot with just enough fresh water to cover them. Bring to a boil. You will notice that white foam will rise to the surface of the water. Remove it with a spoon and then drain the beans in a colander. (This step is necessary to get rid of the impurities and it also makes the beans much easier on your stomach!)

3. Place the beans back in the pot with the six cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the beans cook, prep the vegetables.

4. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ⅓ cup of olive oil and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, potato and the seasoning. Cover the pot partially and continue simmering for about 30 minutes more, or, until the beans are very tender and the soup is thick and creamy. Check to see if a little more liquid is needed, and if it does add a little warm water. The consistency of the soup should be casserole thick.

6. Just before removing from the heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar and the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

7. Serve hot with some hearty bread, seasoned olives and Greek Feta cheese.

Notes

The cooking time depends on the age and condition of the beans. Older dry beans take much more time to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

This soup is even more flavorful the next day. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. Reheat the soup gently in a pan on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

If you use a pressure cooker, then follow steps 1-2 as above in an open pan and then combine steps 3-5 under pressure. Essentially add all the ingredients together, stir and then pressure cook. Cooking time can be around 35-45 minutes depending on your pressure cooker. Add more water and continue pressure cooking until beans are soft and creamy.

A customary weekday dish in Cyprus, full of goodness and flavour. Usually eaten with a side of Greek yoghurt and fresh crusty bread for mopping up juices. If you don’t like lamb, chicken legs are a good replacement. I made mine with lamb ribs a couple of weeks ago. I love this way of cooking because you can cook once and eat twice, or thrice! Any leftovers can sit in the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for that day you really can’t be bothered to cook (we all have them!)

Cleaning the beans can take a bit of time but it’s a necessary step. Trim the ends by snapping the top and tail and pulling the connected string off. No one wants to find strings in their beans mid-meal.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1kg lamb ribs - Cut ribs so each piece is 2 ribs (lamb shank cut in pieces is also fine)
800g green string beans, ends snapped off and strings removed
2 red onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
400g potatoes, peeled, washed and quartered
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tin (400g) peeled tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes chopped)
500ml water, room temperature
Salt/ Black Pepper
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

1. Lightly sauté the lamb or chicken in a large pot with some olive oil on a medium-heat and remove once browned slightly.

2. In the same pot, add some more oil, the diced onions, chopped carrots, quartered potatoes and sauté for 10-12 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic for a few minutes.

3. Put the lamb back to the pot and add tin of plum tomatoes and the water and stir everything in.

4. Add the green beans, salt and pepper, bay leaves and bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for about an hour, maybe a bit longer, stirring occasionally until the vegetables and meat have softened and cooked through. The lamb should be almost off the bone and the water reduced to be half covering the food.

5. If you have a pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 20-25 minutes and then open and cooke a further 20-25 minutes to reduce the liquid.

6. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread, some spring onions and a bit of yogurt on the side.

If you’re like me, you’ll squeeze half a lemon over your plate! But then again, that’s optional.

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Dark leafy greens are the predomi­nant vegetables around Greece and in Crete, where more than 100 types grow and they are often paired with beans in sautes, stews, omelettes and pies. Bean stews are a staple food in Greek cuisine and is part of the vegetarian tradition that many families follow as part of the balanced Mediterranean diet.

It's the kind of dish that you can make a lot of and keep in the fridge for many days to keep revisiting, each time the flavours fuse and evolve into something better.

Yield: serves 4-6
Time: 3-4 hours (1-2 hours if using pressure cooker)

Ingredients

500g dried chickpeas
3⁄4 cup Ananias extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 small garlic cloves, smashed
1 large onion (9 oz.), diced
1 cup dry white wine
1⁄4 cup raisins
1 large tomato (about 6 oz.), chopped
500g spinach, large stems trimmed, rinsed well
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a large bowl or vessel, add the chickpeas and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Let soak overnight. Drain and rinse well.

• In a large pot, combine the drained beans and enough water to cover by 4 inches (do not salt). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 2 hours. Remove the froth that will initially bubble up from the chickpeas. Drain the beans, keep a little of the cooking liquid, and set aside. If you have a pressure cooker, pressure cook for 30-40 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and onion and season lightly with kosher salt; saute, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 10–12 minutes. Add the beans, liquid you kept aside and wine and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach in batches until it is absorbed into the stew. Then add the raisins, cover, and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, 20-30 minutes. Uncover the pot, stir in the tomato and spinach, and season with salt and black pepper.

• Transfer the pot to the oven (do not cover). Bake, shaking or stirring the pan occasionally, until the greens are soft and dark and all most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm.

A soothing veggie stew with garlic, allspice, cumin, and coriander, this bright and lemony-tasting dish is one many Palestinian families turn to for comfort. It’s nutritious, delicious, filling and inexpensive. It tastes even better a few hours after it’s made, so try to cook it ahead of time. Serve it with rice, or a dry crusty bread.

To make this you will need a medium pot, a small skillet and a mortar and pestle. Let’s do this!

Yield: serves 4
Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil,
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, coarsely crushed with mortar and pestle
Two 500g cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 1⁄4 cups vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
500g fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 1⁄2 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄2 tsp. ground allspice
1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more as needed

Serve with

Any crusty white bread or steamed rice

Instructions

In a medium pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly translucent, 10–12 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a small skillet over medium heat. Add the the cumin and coriander seeds and toast, stirring constantly, until the spices are aromatic and slightly browned, 45–60 seconds. Transfer the seeds to a clean, dry mortar and pestle and let cool to room temperature.

When the spices are cool, grind them with the pestle and transfer them to the pot of onions. Add the garlic, allspice, black pepper, and nutmeg, stir well, and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant but not yet caramelized, 2–3 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cover and cook until the chickpeas are plump and very tender, 30–35 minutes. Stir in the spinach. (You may need to add it in batches and wait for each batch to wilt.) Then, add the lemon juice, salt, and the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Cook for 5–10 minutes, to reduce water and depending on how you like your spinach, then adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice or salt as desired.

Serve hot, with crusty bread or white rice if desired.

Traditional red bean casserole (fasolada) serving suggestion

On a typhoon day like today, what better than a warm, tomato based bean casserole with a lovely sourdough bread to dip in.

Once considered a poor man’s food, this dish and others like it are making a comeback, as they are now being highlighted as the cornerstones of the healthy Mediterranean diet. At my family home, I remember my mother always insisting on at least 2 vegetarian days a week, which was quite common. So beans, pulses, legumes were the go to on those days. Sometimes she would pair up with freshly fried sardines. Oh, those moments…

The traditional way to prepare this casserole is using good quality white dry beans and soaking them overnight. It takes some time for the beans and the vegetables to simmer and the flavours to develop but the result will be a robust, delicious and nutritious soupy casserole, that will warm your soul on a dull, stormy day at home. Serve it with Kalamata (my preference is sun dried black oiives) olives, some Greek Feta cheese, and always a loaf of crusty bread.

Recipe serves: 4 persons. Total cook time: 1.5-2 hours (60 mins if using pressure cooker)

Ingredients

300g dried white small Greek beans
6-7 cups of fresh water
1 red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (with their leaves), thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large bay leaves
1½ cups tomato passata or thick crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP. tomato paste
2 medium sized potatoes, cut in large cubes
½ tsp. dried organic Greek oregano
¾-1 tsp. sea salt --- freshly ground pepper --- red pepper flakes
1-2 TBSP. vinegar
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil (at the end)
200g Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese (serving suggestion)
50g Kalamata or Sun Dried Olives (serving suggestion)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans, discard malformed or stone-like ones. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight (preferably).

2. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot with just enough fresh water to cover them. Bring to a boil. You will notice that white foam will rise to the surface of the water. Remove it with a spoon and then drain the beans in a colander. (This step is necessary to get rid of the impurities and it also makes the beans much easier on your stomach!)

3. Place the beans back in the pot with the six cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the beans cook, prep the vegetables.

4. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ⅓ cup of olive oil and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, potato and the seasoning. Cover the pot partially and continue simmering for about 30 minutes more, or, until the beans are very tender and the soup is thick and creamy. Check to see if a little more liquid is needed, and if it does add a little warm water. The consistency of the soup should be casserole thick.

6. Just before removing from the heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar and the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

7. Serve hot with some hearty bread, seasoned olives and Greek Feta cheese.

Notes

The cooking time depends on the age and condition of the beans. Older dry beans take much more time to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

This soup is even more flavorful the next day. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. Reheat the soup gently in a pan on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

If you use a pressure cooker, then follow steps 1-2 as above in an open pan and then combine steps 3-5 under pressure. Essentially add all the ingredients together, stir and then pressure cook. Cooking time can be around 35-45 minutes depending on your pressure cooker. Add more water and continue pressure cooking until beans are soft and creamy.

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Few things bring a smile to my face (and stomach) like my mum’s 'kritharaki'.

'Krithariaki' is the Greek name for 'orzo' pasta, which looks like grains of barley (‘kritharaki’ literally means little barley) but is actually a wheat pasta. The recipe I love is cooked with a rich tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and good quality fresh ground beef. It's the ultimate comfort food, you cannot go wrong and everyone loves it!

Orzo is a great pasta that is not very well known, but is so versatile and delicious. You can use it in a soup, as a traditional pasta or in a stew. If you have anything 'soupy' or with excess juices, just throw in some orzo and it will absorb everything to become a lovely part of the dish.

So mum's 'Kritharaki' recipe, with no further ado! Serves 4 persons.

Ingredients

500-600g ground beef
250g Rummo orzo pasta
¼ cup Oluem extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 grated carrots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
600g freshly grated/chopped ripened tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
Pinch of dry oregano
Pinch of cinnamon
Up to 2-3 cups of water
2-3 tblsp ketchup for little sweetness
100g crumbled Feta cheese and 200g grated Halloumi Cheese
Finely chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

Step 1
In a large wide pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the ground beef. Use a large wooden spoon to break up the chunks until mince is even. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and oregano, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened and water has evaporated.

Step 2
Add the chopped/grated tomatoes, the grated carrots, the ketchup and 1-2 small cups of water.

Step 3
Cook for about 30 minutes in a medium/low heat until liquid is reduced and taste for flavour. Remember to stir occasionally during cooking. Sauce should look like a thick gravy by now. Add more of whatever you feel it needs. Greek cooking is not an exact science! Go with your taste and preference.

Step 4
Once the mince has cooked, add the orzo to it, stirring it in so it doesn’t stick together and add enough water, so the orzo is just covered. Cover the pot with the lid and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Stir regularly from the bottom of the pan to stop the orzo sticking and burning. Add a little water at a time as needed, keeping the sauce thick.

Step 5
When orzo is soft, and water is reduced to a thick gravy, remove from heat. Top with the grated cheeses and parsley and serve.

I hope this brings as much joy to you as it does me!

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