Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1805580 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From Amazon.co.uk
A glance at the index reveals this to be a book of Greek recipes without moussaka! Real Greek Food has a lot going for it already. The name derives from the restaurant The Real Greek opened in the fashionable East End of London (imagine being able to write such a phrase) in 1999 by Theodore Kyriakou to very considerable acclaim. Expert midwifery from food writer and journalist Charles Campion has effected a transfer of his cooking to the domestic realm with mouth-watering effect. This is Greek food of a type and quality very different from the usual dismal offerings of the dreaded moussaka, souvlakia, kleftiko and the rest. For one thing, Kyriakou is from Athens, not Cyprus, and seems to have been brought up with sophisticated culinary expectations: in his preface he pays tribute to his parents' devotion to "Greek gastronomy", not ordinarily a pairing of words easy to compute. Sample menus might include Belly Port with Leeks, Parchment-Wrapped Liver and Potted Chicken with Walnuts. Other unusual but delicious dishes are Pork and Quince Casserole, Crab Claws Stewed with Muscat Wine and Poached Rack of Lamb with Fennel. Desserts include Caramel and Hazelnut Tart and the intriguing, medieval-sounding, though obviously modern, Mustard Ice Creams, which tempers the hot tang of Dijon mustard with Greek honey. It all adds up to a very fine collection, smart and modern, recommended to anyone who feels there must be more to Greek cooking. --Robin Davidson

Review
Recreate those idyllic summer days spent in the Greek islands, dining under the stars with a warm sea breeze carrying the aromas of the local cuisine. Theodore Kyriakou, owner of the renowned London restaurant, The Real Greek, shares his family recipes, proving that Greek food is not just about kebabs. With dishes dating back to Ancient times, he demonstrates the enormous variety of tasty concoctions that have originated in this popular country. Reflecting the Greeks warmth and friendliness, the dishes inspire comfort and well-being: casseroles, pastries, roast meats and preserved fruits and vegetables. Lavishly illustrated with the photographs of Gus Filgate, it is a visual reminder of holidays past, enabling cooks to recreate the taste of Greece in their own home. - Lucy Watson

From the Publisher
Real Greek cuisine is the cuisine of the family, rich in the flavor that comes from fresh, healthful ingredients. Central to these savory dishes are olive oil, vegetables, yogurt, honey, fresh fish, and wine, providing all the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and more. In Real Greek Food, London’s leading Greek chef presents 100 authentic recipes arranged in sections that follow the progression of a traditional meal: mezedes (starters), fagakia (small dishes), main courses, cheeses, and desserts. Featured among the recipes are a purée of yellow split peas whipped into unusual lightness with olive oil and herbs; crab claws simmered in fragrant Muscat wine; okra baked with tomatoes and parsley; succulent roast lamb ribs with crackling; and a rose petal meringue with blackberry–scented Manouri. Throughout, the many pleasures of Greek cuisine are captured in 70 tempting color photos.