FOOD FROM THE AEGEAN

 Both wild plants and cultivated plants have been made into special Aegean dishes for centuries. They are cheap to buy and easy to prepare.

The wonderful variety of plants that the area provides is very important for it’s people to maintain a healthy diet.

These dishes will be delicious if they are prepared with the locally famous olive oil. In oddittion to this, one can decorate the dishes with, olives, green onions and pickles.

SALADS

WILD MUSTARD SALAD
These plants are just two of natures gifts in the area and are frequenty on the tables of Aegean People. One can only collect these plants in winter and early spring. But one can also freeze them and eat them in summer.After collacting the wild plants cut off any roots, wash well and boil until soft. Leave to get cold and serve with olive oil  and lemon.

WILD CREEPER SALAD
This plant grows in bushes or under olive trees. It can only be collected for a short time in spring. And it is quite difficalt to collect.One must pick only the new shoots from where they break easily. Boil until soft in planty of water, drain.Then, after washing them serve with olive oil and lemon.

 CABBAGE OFFSPRING SALAD
These plants are the unopened offsprings of cabbage. In the Aegean, they can only be found in the winter months. After cutting up the thick stalks, wash and boil it. Serve with olive oil and lemon when cold.

 PURSLANE SALAD
This plant can either be bought or collected wild. Cut the roots off and wash it. Then chop it up  (raw) and serve with olive oil, lemon and salt. One can also add garlic.

PURSLANE SALAD WITH YOGURT
Wash and cut up the plants into small pieces. Then mix yogurt,olive oil and salt. Add purslane to the mixture and serve. You can also make it with mayonnaise if you prefer.

BROAD BEAN TOP SALAD
Before the broad beans start to develop, collect the tops off the plants. Actually this is done so the plant does not use a lot of energy growing leaves instead of beans. These tops make a very good salad. After washing, cut up and serve with olive oil, lemon salt and garlic. You can also mix them with yogurt.

“DENIZ BÖRÜLCESI”
This plant grows by the seashore. After cutting the roots off and washing it, boil it till soft. Do not add any salt, because it is naturally salty. One can either serve it with olive oil, lemon and garlic or with yogurt. If you use yogurt, the thick creamy strained “kese yoğurdu” is best.

COURGETTE SALAD
To make this salad take care that the corugettes are small and without hard seeds. Wash and boil them whole. When cold cut into slices. Arrange them on a flat plate, add lots of olive oil, lemon and salt. Put them into the fridge to cool before serving.

GREEN BEAN SALAD
After washing the beans well, cut the edges off and brek them into equal sized lengths. Boil and serve with olive oil and lemon. One can also add garlic.

DRY BEAN SALAD
Sort the beans and soak them in water overnight. Then boil them till soft. When cold, add small bits of tomato, finely cut parsley, dill, fresh mint and spring onions. Serve with lemon, olive oil and salt.

DISHES

 FRIED BEATROOT
Wash and boil the beatroots. Peel the skin off and cut into small pieces (cubes) . Fry them in olive oil. It is good with some parsley added. After its cold, serve with yogurt and garlic.

FRIED LEEKS
Cut the green leaves of the leeks into small pieces. Wash them well and fry them in olive oil. Crack an egg on top and mix it well. Serve either hot or cold.

STUFFED COURGETTE FLOWERS
Before the courgettes form on the plants one can use the flowers. These flowers have to be collected very early in the morning. Otherwise the flowers close and can not be stuffed. After picking the flowers, the prickly bit hould be removed fromthe stem. Then wash the flowers and stuff them. The stuffing is made of rice, grated onion, finely chopped parsley, salt black pepper, dried mint, grated tomatoes and olive oil. After stuffing, fold in the petals of the flowers, stand them upright in a pan and add some water, not covering the flowers. Cook gently and serve with yogurt.

COOKED PURSLANE
If you collect this plant wild it does not lose much water when it is cooked. Wash the plants well and cut them up. Put them in a pan. Add grated tomatoes, finely chopped onions, some olive oil and salt. Mix gentlyand add a little water.

Then simmer. You can also add rice that has been soaked in boiling water, when the plants are getting soft. Because tomatoes are not very red in winter one can use use tomato paste instead.

GREEN BEANS
Wash and cut them up. Add them to the sauce made of fried onions, grated tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Add some salt and cook slowly.

Note: Everyone can prepare these dishes using the ingredients in the proportions they like best. There are no fixed rules. But if you would like any help send us an  e-mail at info@izmirror.net