The Newsy Neighbour
January Issue #111
Article written by: Kathryn Hartwell
I really must confess that I am not a huge fruit eater, and
I never have been. If you asked me what my favourite fruit was, I would really
have to sit and think about it. The Canadian Food Guide says that you should
eat at least 4 serving of fruit or vegetables per day and if you are over 51
years of age, you should have 7! Seriously, I wonder how many people can say
that they do this. I didn’t think I have enough time in the day to eat that
much fruit!
But that has all changed and all because of a garage sale—I
knew there was a reason I went to garage sales. As we all know, garage sales
always have a box or two of books. I cannot remember when I have been to a
garage sale that was not selling books! I don’t need more books and at any
given time I’m trying to get rid of all the books I have. But, of course, I
always must go and look into the book box just in case there is a hidden
treasure in there. Lo and behold, I found that hidden treasure—a book that made
me consider eating fruit. Miracles do happen.
Let me explain. As I was flipping through the pages of
“Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes,” I noticed that several of the recipes in this
fabulous recipe book contained alcohol. Now that is my kind of cookbook. And
the recipe that caught my eye was right there on page 196 “MELON WITH OUZO”. I
immediately bought the book for a whole $1.00--smoking deal and a book that got me excited about eating fruit. For
those of you who do not know what “Ouzo” is, it is distilled from grapes and the best ouzo is known to
come from the Greek island, Lesvos. It is made at about 45% alcohol, so it’s
very strong. The Greeks include ouzo in their kitchens, using it to create some
signature Greek dishes and give food and/or desserts that anise taste. Love
those Greeks—no wonder Greece has always been my number one vacation spot on my
wish list. (You cannot always find “Ouzo” but “Sambuca” is much the same.)
Now, when you are wondering what to serve at your
next dinner party that is going to get your guests excited, probably in more
ways than one, I am going to share this super easy absolutely Luscious recipe
with you.
MELON WITH OUZO
2 cups cantaloupe, cubed (I also used honeydew)
½ tbsp sugar
1 – 2 ounces’ ouzo (or Sambuca)
This is not rocket science – cube the fruit and
pour the liqueur over the fruit. Let stand about 40 minutes or so and serve.
Really, you could use this recipe for any of your favourite fruits. And when
you think about it, you could also use any of your favourite liqueurs. Just
think about the possibilities! Why had I not thought of this before? I guess
maybe I might start eating my 4 servings of fruit a day after all. See, you
just never know what treasure you might pick up at a garage sale.
And because I’m in an Ouzo state of mind, I thought
I would also share these Luscious recipe as well.
KOTOPOULO ME OUZO
AND LAHANIKA: CHICKEN IN CREAM SAUCE
Ouzo adds a delightful light anise taste to this dish of
chicken with vegetables in a cream sauce.
1/2 pound of skinless chicken breasts
2/3 cup of carrots, coarsely grated
2/3 cup of zucchini, coarsely grated
6 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of ouzo
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Cut the chicken into large square chunks. Heat the oil in
a heavy-bottomed frying pan. When hot, add the chicken and sauté for 4 minutes.
Add the carrots and zucchini and continue to sauté 3 minutes longer. Add the
ouzo, cream, salt, and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes more until the sauce melds.
Serve hot. This
recipe is only enough for one person, so double or triple recipe as necessary.
MAKARONIA
ME THALASSINA KAI OUZO: SEAFOOD PASTA WITH OUZO
Seafood pasta is given a bump up in taste with the addition of the
light anise flavouring from the ouzo.
1 tablespoon of chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 pound of shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled, cut into small cubes
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of parsley, finely chopped
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of ouzo
1 pound of penne pasta
In a large, deep frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat,
add chives and sauté. As soon as the chives soften, add shrimp, and continue to
sauté for 2-3 minutes. Douse (deglaze) with ouzo. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaves,
and parsley. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper, reduce the heat, and cook
for 10-12 minutes. In a large stock pot, boil the penne pasta in plenty of
well-salted water per package directions. When done, drain, and toss the pasta
with a little olive oil. Spread pasta on a serving platter, and top with the
seafood mixture (remove bay leaves before serving).
Just a few more quick and easy ideas:
Use ouzo to
flambé dishes with sautéed shrimp, prawns, or crawfish with vegetables.
Add a couple of
tablespoons to marinades for grilled shellfish or meats.
Add a teaspoon
to vinaigrette dressings.
Use ouzo to
sauté onions for use in pitas, salads, or as a side dish with meats.
In recipes
calling for fennel or fennel seed, try using ouzo instead.
Use ouzo in
crust recipes to add light leavening and crispness.
I hope that this
little article will inspire you to eat at least a couple of servings of fruit a
day – Hiccup!
Εβίβα (Cheers in Greek)
Kathryn Hartwell
References:
about.com
No comments:
Post a Comment