Prawn Youvetsi with Mediterranean Delicacies Feta

The Mediterranean lifestyle has always been characterised by a balanced, flavoursome, and varied diet. If you have been to Greece (or to a Greek restaurant), you will know that Mediterranean food makes the most of natural ingredients, using lots of vegetables, herbs, and spices.

Today we suggest that you try a prawn youvetsi. A youvetsi is a traditional clay dish used to prepare stews, and so any recipe cooked in a youvetsi takes its name. Traditionally, youvetsis are hearty meat dishes, but there are variations where meat is replaced with seafood. This prawn youvetsi recipe is a delicious variation that is perfect for an al fresco summer dinner. Although the ingredient list is extensive, the actual preparation process is very simple.

Ingredients you will need (to serve 4 people):

For the sauce:

• 2 cups of fresh tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and crushed
• 4 tbsp Mediterranean Delicacies extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Salt and pepper

For the prawn dish:

• 1kg of fresh prawns
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups of Mediterranean Delicacies feta cheese
• ½ cup Mediterranean Delicacies parmesan, grated.
• 3 tbsp Mediterranean Delicacies olive oil
• A handful of chives
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• ¼ cup of ouzo (ideally) or brandy

The basis of any youvetsi is the tomato sauce. This has to be homemade, as it will enhance enormously the flavour of the prawns. Follow these steps to make your Greek tomato sauce:

Mince the garlic cloves and chop the onion as finely as you can. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for 3 minutes. When they are tender, add the peeled and deseeded tomatoes, the cloves and the cinnamon stick, and sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper and wine. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the longer you let the sauce simmer, the thicker it will be. Remove the cloves and cinnamon when it is finally cooked.

While the sauce is cooking, peel and devein the shrimps. Rinse the feta cheese under cold water for a few seconds (this will firm it up). Using your hands, crumble the cheese into small chunks and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200 or to gas mark 6. While it heats up, place the prawns in a bowl and sprinkle them with lemon juice and ouzo. Sauté the prawns in olive oil on medium heat, until they acquire a pink colour. Add the chives and tomato sauce to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.

Transfer the prawns and sauce to an oven-proof dish (if you don't have a clay dish, a casserole will do the trick), and sprinkle the parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble.

This dish is high in protein and has 480 calories on average. It is best served with a side dish of rice or a salad.
Enjoy!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

The Cheese Festival

One of the biggest events in the cheese industry calendar, the 11th annual South African Cheese Agri-Expo Festival kicks off on April 27th at Sandringham outside Cape Town. This four-day event showcases the best cheeses from far and wide, as turophiles (that's a cheese connoisseur to you and me) descend on the festival to treat their taste buds to the staggering range of cheeses on offer.

The festival is divided into distinct parts: Dairy Square, Carnival Park and Meander. Meet the new and upcoming artisan cheese makers at Dairy Square as they share their handmade cheeses with the festival crowds. There will be speciality cheese makers from Williston, Buffeljagsrivier, Johannesburg, the Southern Cape and Stellenbosch. This is a rare opportunity to taste exceptional local cheeses that are often unavailable outside their local farmers' markets. Check out the Checkers Cheese Theatre, next to the Checkers Cheese Emporium, to see a variety of radio and television personalities, as well as celebrities from the world of sport, acting and modelling, try their hand at cooking their favourite recipes while being interviewed about their careers. Then head to Carnival Park for some live music, child-friendly entertainment and refreshments.

The DStv Food Network Theatre will have a programme of local chefs and celebrity food bloggers showcasing the latest cooking trends and sharing their favourite cheese recipes. Stop by the food and drink stalls selling cheeses, wines, preserves, artisan breads, pastries and other delicacies. There will be tastings and demonstrations, as well as the chance to fill up those shopping bags with goodies. Take in the mouthwatering sights, sounds and smells of a culinary treat for the senses. There's even the opportunity to take part in a cheese carving competition - if you fancy yourself as the next Michelangelo on the cheese block.

Mediterranean Delicacies will be there to show produce from its range of cheeses, dips, olives, meze and pickles. 

Ode to Dolmades

New Blog Post from The Foodie

Dolmades, dolmades, dolmades. Aside from being a tasty vine leaf-wrapped rice snack, it is also one of those culinary words that are enjoyable to say. Like Vichyssoise. Or Mozzarella. Or Puttanesca. It rolls off the tongue just as nicely as it tastes on it, except unlike Puttanesca, it’s not named after a whore or anything like that. Nope, ‘dolma’ means ‘wrap,’ that simple.  Very innocent.

And here’s the thing: if you end up as fat porker it won’t be because of dolmades, because they’re rather healthy too. On more than one occasion (generally after midnight at the 24-hr shop and suffering blurry vision) they’ve saved me from shoving a pie and tons of potato chips down my throat. Just yesterday morning, suffering the strangest symptoms (sore head, fatiugue?) after imbibing a fair too many Old Fashioned’s the night before, I was saved from starvation and delusional thoughts by dolmades. Not that they’re just a late night or mid-morning healthy alternative, but with friends’ Tzatziki, Humus and Kofta, they make a neat mezze platter for friends, family or that neighbour who happens to always come over just as you’re serving food.

No, dolmades are not just a bit of rice between some leaves, they’re a champion food. Zeus probably lived on the stuff. And if it’s good enough for the Greek Gods, well, that says it all. Oh, dolmades are also a delicious reminder that you should get to Greece soon. At least while it’s cheap and you can drink ouzo till you start sweating liquorice. Who doesn’t want to do that?

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Pickled Fish

Amongst the feasting of Easter weekend was this discovery: pickled fish on hot cross buns. WTF? Yup, I didn’t know it but apparently this is a Cape Malay tradition. The Google Machine quickly confirmed via an article by top local chef Cass Abrahams talking on how this has been her family tradition for years. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for anyone.

I tried it out, at first rather skeptical, but it worked beautifully. The raisins and cinnamon in the buns worked perfectly with the curry flavour. In the end I devoured a whole container of Mediterranean Delicacies pickled fish with plenty toasted buns this weekend. Healthy, tasty snack indeed, washed down with mugs of rooibos tea. Not exactly hedonism defined, but beyond satisfying.

I love pickled fish anyways, but this was further motivation to EAT MORE. If you’re after an easy dinner, try some pickled fish with mashed potatoes. Simple and delicious. Maybe washed down with some beer (try one of these).

The Mediterranean Delicacies pickled fish is a bit sweeter and more concentrated than what I’m used to, but delicious. They’re giving me a selection of products over the next few weeks for me to try out, so stay tuned for more. I pretty much live off their humus and roasted red pepper dip as a snacks, so am pretty chuffed with this.

Read Original Article Here

The Manne with the Panne – Michael Olivier & Jeremy Freemantle cook up a storm

Wine and food guru, Michael Olivier spent a weekend at African Relish serving up a star-studded list of wines and craft beers, together with some mouthwatering meze, slow cooked delights and decadent desserts.

Mediterranean Delicacies supplied delicious product to Michael Olivier (a very big fan) to use during this very exclusive weekend at African Relish. He cooked a selection of the recipes he did on Expresso using some of his favourite Mediterranean Delicacies products. The guests were also treated to a spread of Mediterranean Delicacies Meze lunch. 

http://africanrelish.com/the-manne-with-the-panne-michael-olivier-jeremy-freemantle-cook-up-a-storm/