Books & Literature

Cookbook Extract: Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking, by Mary Valle

Discover a healthy life through simple and delicious Mediterranean cooking with three free recipes from this new cookbook, released this month.

Mary Valle, author of My Greek Kitchen, now reveals her key to a healthy life through simple and delicious Mediterraneon cooking. Her love for the Greek food cooked by her parents inspired her to write down the memories and recipes to share with her own family.

Join Mary as she takes you on a culinary tour of the Mediterranean. The wholesome, balanced and enticing recipes in Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking showcase the best cuisine of the area.

This book includes everything the home cook needs to reproduce the highest quality meals from Greece, Italy, France and beyond, and includes helpful hints for stocking your pantry and selecting fresh, seasonal produce all year around. The recipes cover everything from basic sauces, pickles and preserves to sumptuous mains to share with the whole family.

From spectacular starters and small plates to tempting desserts, Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking is a must-have for anyone interested in Mediterranean cuisine. It’s released this month and thanks to Buzz Group and New Holland Publishers, we’ve got three recipes for you to sample: Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, a Greek Roast Pork, and a Revani semolina cake for dessert.

Καλή όρεξη! (that’s Greek for bon appétit!)

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 16–20 zucchini (courgette) flowers
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 200 g (7 oz) rice
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, grated parsley, finely chopped, to taste
  • dill, finely chopped, to taste pinch of dried oregano
  • 60 ml (2 fl oz) olive oil salt, to taste
  • freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare the zucchini flowers, rinsing and carefully removing the stamen. In a frying pan heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until soft. Add the rice and mix well coating the rice with the olive oil and about 120 ml (4 fl oz) of water. Add the tomatoes, herbs and season to taste. Simmer for 3–4 minutes and allow it to cool for a bit.
  2. Place a spoonful of the mixture carefully into each zucchini flower and fold tops over. Arrange in a baking dish. When all finished drizzle a little extra olive oil over and pour 120 ml (4 fl oz) of water into the baking dish.
  3. Bake for about 20–30 minutes or until cooked.  You may need to add more water to the baking dish if it is looking too dry.
  4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Greek Roast Pork

Serve 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 kg (3 lb) leg of pork salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 5 garlic cloves, halved

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Prepare the meat by washing and patting dry with some kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, score the top into square or diamond shapes.
  2. Place the pork onto a roasting pan and, using your hands, rub salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon and orange juice all over the meat. Tuck the garlic into the skin where you have scored it.
  3. Place into oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. I always like to pour a little water into the baking dish as well, about 250 ml (1/2 pint) is fine. The meat won’t need turning but baste it with the juices in the pan occasionally, adding more water if you think it is getting too dry.
  4. Turn the oven to 220°C (420°F) for the last 20 minutes so that the pork crisps up to a glorious golden brown.
  5. Serve hot with roast potatoes and salad.

Revani (Semolina Cake with Syrup)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 500 ml (17 fl oz) oil
  • 250 g (8 1/2 oz) caster sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 250 g (8 1/2 oz) semolina
  • 500 g (17 oz) self-raising flour
  • 250 g (8 1/2 oz) sugar lemon zest

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. Using an electric mixer, combine the oil and sugar.
  3. Slowly add eggs, one at a time. Add the orange juice, vanilla, semolina and flour and keep mixing until well combined.
  4. Pour into a prepared baking dish and bake for about 30–40 minutes, or until cooked. Allow to cool.
  5. To prepare the syrup, bring 500 ml (17 oz) water, sugar and lemon zest to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour onto the cake slowly. Once the syrup has been absorbed you can cut into pieces.
  6. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking, by Mary Vall

Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking, New Holland Publishers RRP $35.00 available from all good book retailers or online newhollandpublishers.com.

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