Zucchini Revisited
Freshly harvested from the garden, our new crop inspired me to create an unusual salad. PLUS highlights of the welcome reception for this years first Kea Artisanal group.
Our first harvest does not look much, but I can assure you these humble zucchini were beyond delicious, made into a simple salad.
We spoke at length last year about our love for zucchini.
Zucchini Demand Respect!
Kolokythia (ko-lo-KEE-thia, zucchini) is the most common Greek dismissive expression. If someone tells you a completely fabricated story, or gives a visibly false statement, the answer is usually ‘Kolokythia.’
Now we whipped up this colorful salad, thinly slicing the raw, super fresh zucchini, and pairing them with beets and arugula, dressing the salad with our favorite vinaigrette —lemony with some Dijon mustard.
It was THE perfect spring salad, sprinkled with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. I thin that it could become a lovely lunch, accompanied by your favorite grilled or cold poultry, or complementing any kind of meat or fish.
Our season just started
Last night we welcomed the first Kea Artisanal guests with our customary mezze and dinner at the veranda.
We started with freshly baked Lagana (flat bread) Topped with Tomatoes, Smoked Cheese, and Rosemary (top). Smoky Eggplant Spread with Peppers and Parsley, Marinated Artichokes and Kalamata Olives with Wild Fennel, also Red Pepper and Hazelnut Spread with Pomegranate Molasses, and Tsirosalata: Smoked, Sun-dried Mackerel with Scallions and Dill.
And of course we Charcoal-grilled Octopus, and served it with Santorini Fava topped with Caramelized Onions and Capers. For main course we served Slow-baked Local Rooster with Sour Cherries in Sweet Wine Sauce with Bay Leaves, accompanied by Bulgur, Buckwheat, and Toasted Vermicelli Pilaf.
We ended with fresh Strawberry ‘tourta’ with Lemon Cream, and our Strawberry Jam, inspired by one of my mother’s festive desserts made with a base of lady fingers dipped in Grand Marnier.
This morning we rolled delicious grape leaf dolmades.
We will continue over the next days making goat’s milk myzithra (ricotta), breads, pies with home-rolled phyllo etc…
Looks beautiful, lucky you - nothing much growing in the UK yet a-while.
So much fun, and SO delicious, Aglaia and Costas, you are amazing hosts! What an experience—highly recommend.