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

Feta and Zucchini Fritters

From the Drizzle and Dip and Mediterranean Delicacies Series

This is a recipe that celebrates my love affair with Zucchini, and yes I have love relationships with certain food. Its one of the most versatile vegetables, a perfect carrier for flavour and can be eaten raw and cooked.

These are so easy to make and are a wonderful addition to a picnic and brunch or if made nice and small, are the perfect canape base onto which you can top a variety of things.

I love them cold the next day too.

For this recipe I used the Mediterranean Delicacies Danish Feta which is soft and extra creamy.  They gave them a lovely rich and soft texture.

• 4 courgette / zucchini grated and then squeezed (about 1 full cup)
• 50gms of Mediterranean Delicacies Feta
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• thyme, mint, parsley (about 2 teaspoons of each chopped)
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 2 Tbs of flour
• 4 small spring onions finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of crumbs (I like to use Panko Asian crumbs because they are crispier)
• salt and pepper
• oil for frying
• tzatziki for dipping
• lemon wedges to serve

Grate the zucchini and then place in a tea towel and ring out all the liquid, you want these to be as dry as possible. Put in a bowl and add the flour and coat the zucchini.  Add all the other ingredients and mix to combine.  Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and fry dollops of the mixture, turning when golden brown on the one side.  Drain on paper towel and serve with fresh lemon wedges and Tzatziki.

For added convenience you can use the delicious and ready made Mediterranean Delicacies Tzatziki

Reminding me of Greece and summer, this recipe is going to be made over and over again.

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Ostrich Kebabs with Feta & Herb Sauce

From simply-delicious.co.za and mediterranean delicacies series

When I received a tub of Mediterranean Delicacies’ Feta & Herb dip I knew it would go incredibly well with meat. And even though Ostrich isn’t necessarily ‘meat’ (it does come from a bird after all), it’s still very meaty in flavour, texture and appearance, reminding me of a mix between beef and venison. I know it might not be something that is easily obtainable in other countries but in South Africa we have great ostrich meat and the fact that it’s such a healthy meat alone is enough to get me to eat more of it. However, this recipe can also be made with beef and even lamb.

simply-delicious.co.za

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Summer Entertaining Mediterranean Style

Summer is the best time of the year for entertaining friends and family. These casual affairs should be as stress-free as possible for the host. Small, easy to make appetizers are the best bet for this kind of gathering. Many cultures of the Mediterranean region enjoy small plates of food, good wine, and great conversation almost daily. This is very true of the Mediterranean lifestyles of Greece, Italy, and France. Generally, this diet and lifestyle focus on traditional foods that are found in the region. These include olive oil, tomatoes, capers, many different cheeses, fresh fish, a variety of vegetables, olives, whole grains, red wine, and fruit. When combined, most dishes are low in unhealthy fats and can even help people lose weight.

A great Mediterranean spread that is easy to make and versatile is basil pesto. If you are tight on time and want a great product, try Mediterranean Delicacies Basil Pesto Mayo. This basil pesto mayo is the perfect staple of any Mediterranean lifestyle dish you choose. A simple crostini recipe is to take a nice crusty French baguette, either home made or store bought, slice it into one-inch pieces, and spread some Mediterranean Delicacies Basil Pesto on each slice. Then grate fresh Parmesan cheese over each slice and top with an oil-soaked sun-dried tomato and large basil leaf.

Another delicious recipe with the basil pesto mayo is for bite-size sandwiches. Take two slices of whole grain bread, spread Mediterranean Delicacies Basil Pesto Mayo on each slice. Crumble Mediterranean Delicacies feta cheese over each slice. Arrange tomato slices, red onion slices and cucumber slices on one piece of bread. Place the slices together to create a sandwich, and cut into quarters. These cute little sandwiches are much like a Greek salad.

There are many other tasty recipes you can make with basil pesto mayo. Make your summer get-togethers fun and simple the Mediterranean way. Bon appetit!

It's always better with feta-stuffed peppadews wrapped in vine leaves.

Heritage Day kicked off braai season a few weeks back, and now that it's in full-swing we thought we’d showcase a very simple and delicious snack that will add a Mediterranean twist to your summer gatherings.

Ingredients:

• Mediterranean Delicacies Vine Leaves, drained.
• Mediterranean Delicacies Stuffed Peppadews with Feta (2 Peppadews to every vine leaf)
• Mediterranean Delicacies Olive Oil
• Cocktail sticks

Method:

1. Place the cocktail sticks in water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
2. Add some water to a saucepan and bring to the boil before adding the vine leaves for 1 minute to blanch. Then drain completely with a sieve and lightly pat the leaves to remove any excess liquid.
3. Place two stuffed Peppadews on either end on each leaf and fold in the sides. Then fold in the top and bottom of the leaf to make a neat parcel. There should be no holes, but you can always patch these up with another leaf if you run into trouble.
4. Skewer a drained cocktail stick through each parcel to keep it together.
5. Brush your grid with some Olive Oil and add the parcels. Grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, turning several times. Serve hot.

This dish provides a great accompaniment to the traditional wors, chops and steak, and if there are any vegetarians present they’ll most likely be impressed with the ‘effort’ you’ve put in.