EAT UP / WINE DOWN
R
ound about now our eating habits change dramatically; we
no longer crave the light, zingy salads that hot weather
made appropriate over the summer season. Instead, our
stomachs and taste-buds cry out for warming, nourishing comfort
food; something to keep us going through the cold winter months.
There’ll certainly be a lot of thick, olive-oil enriched bean soups
bubbling away in Greek homes during winter, and lots of steamy
windows as a result – not the kind Tina Turner was talking about
though! But what to cook for that special occasion? Next summer
is a reassuringly long way off, so no need for calorie-counting yet;
and if that isn’t a good enough excuse to throw caution to the wind
and cook up something a little special, then just blame your glut-
tony on the Christmas season! The below recipes are indulgent,
but not horribly fattening or rich; the flavours are perfect for sea-
sonal entertaining with a Greek and Corfiot twist.
Duck breasts with kumquat
Kumquat is Corfu’s signature product, and personally I
find it much easier to cook with than to drink... This recipe
is so much easier than the classic duck a l’orange and, in
my humble opinion, tastes just as good. This is also the
perfect way to use up those festering bottles of kumquat
from your larder (come on, admit it, we all have them!)
Chicken or pork fillet instead of duck would work well too.
Serves 4
4 duck breasts
Filo tarts with smoked Metsovone
1 tbsp olive oil
cheese & sesame seeds
250ml kumquat liquer
1 handful of kumquat in syrup, pips re-
moved and sliced into slithers
Inspired by a starter at Trilogia Restaurant in Kassiopi!
1/2 tbsp flour
Metsovone is a delicious smoked cheese produced in
Salt, pepper
Metsovo, high in the mountains of mainland Greece. You
could substitute it for goat’s cheese, brie or camembert.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Season the duck breasts,
add them to the pan, skin side down, and cook over a moderate
Serves 4
heat for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the flour with
Filo pastry
some cold water to give the consistency of single cream.
Melted butter or olive oil
4 thick slices of Metsovone
Drain off the excess fat, turn the duck breastsover and cook for
thyme
a couple more minutes.
Sesame seeds
Add the kumquat liquer along with the kumquat fruit, if using.
Open out the filo pastry and cut through all the layers to make
Add a large spoonful of the hot kumquat sauce to the flour mix-
4 large squares – you want to be able to fit the slice of cheese in
ture and stir well. Then pour it all into the pan and stir well so no
the middle, with plenty of pastry left around the sides for folding
lumps form. Cook until sauce has thickened and season to taste.
in (there will be filo left over for another time) Lightly oil a baking
This is good served with mash and sautéed spinach. (Depending
tray, then begin brushing each layer of filo pastry with the melted
on the size of the duck breasts and on whether you like them pink,
butter or oil and layering up 5 layers of filo on top of each other
you may need to adjust the cooking times slightly. This recipe pro-
– don’t align the corners perfectly, you want them to stick out at dif-
duces pink duck)
ferent angles. Then place a slice of cheese in the middle of each filo
pile and bring the sides of the pastry up to make the sides of your
tart. Brush the sides with a little more butter or oil and sprinkle
sesame seeds and thyme over. Refrigerate until you are ready to
cook them. Then cook in an oven preheated to 180C for 15 minutes,
or until the pastry is golden and the cheese melting. Serve with a
rocket salad.
Note: this recipe makes quite large tarts, so you might like to make
smaller ones by simply crumbling the cheese in rather than using a
whole slice per tart.
0 ISLAND ISSUE 9
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