A Book of Mediterranean Food Read online

  The small amount of sauce which remains after the burning process should be strained before the fish is served. Dried fennel twigs from Provence, as also dried wild thyme on the stalk, and dried whole basil, can be bought from L. Roche, 14 Old Compton Street, London WI.

  TUNNY FISH

  The consistency of fresh tunny fish is not unlike that of veal. It does not often appear in England, although I have seen it in the shops once or twice. In the south of France it is plentiful and very cheap.

  The best way to cook it is to cut it into thick slices, like a salmon steak, and sauté it in oil or butter, adding half-way through the cooking 2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped, a handful of cut parsley, and a small glass of wine, either red or white.

  Serve plainly cooked potatoes with it.

  BOURRIDE

  For anyone who likes garlic this is perhaps the best fish dish of Provence, to my taste much superior to the Bouillabaisse or any of the Italian zuppe di pesce.

  Bourride is usually made with a variety of large Mediterranean fish, such as loup de mer (bass), daurade (sea bream), baudroie (angler or frog fish), mulet (grey mullet), but is successful with almost any white fish, and one variety alone will do. Grey mullet, a despised fish, but very good when properly treated, is excellent for a bourride, or whiting, rock salmon, gurnard, John Dory, even fresh sardines will do.

  Whatever fish is used is poached in a court bouillon previously prepared from an onion, bay leaf, lemon peel, fennel, the heads of the fish, salt and pepper all simmered together in water, with the addition of a little white wine or vinegar, for about 15 minutes. Leave this to cool, and strain before putting in the fish and bringing them very gently to the boil, and then just simmering until they are done.

  Have ready an aïoli (p. 188) made from at least 2 yolks of eggs and about ½ pint of olive oil. Have also ready at least two slices of French bread for each person, either toasted or baked in the oven (the second method is easier to manage, with two or three other operations going on at the same time). When the fish is all but ready put half the prepared aïoli into the top half of a double pan; stir into it the beaten yolks of 4 eggs, then a ladleful of the strained court bouillon in which the fish are cooking. Cook over very gentle heat, whisking all the time until the sauce is thick and frothy. Pour this sauce over the prepared toast in the heated serving dish, arrange the strained fish on the top, and serve quickly, with the reserved half of the aïoli separately.

  Octopus and Cuttlefish

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  A Greek Feast

  ‘… We learnt what is meant by a “Feast of the Church”.

  ‘The tables were disposed up, across, and down, in the form of a rectangle missing one end. At them sat a company of 60 or 70. In the middle, at the top, presided the bishop who had conducted last night’s ceremony, spare and dignified, whose diocese in Asia Minor had been annihilated in the war. By his side was Evlogios, handsomest monk on the Mountain, with his flowing iron beard and broadly chiselled aquiline features. The news had reached us at Vatopedi that he had just been appointed to the archbishopric of Tirana, and would thereby become Primate of Albania, an important post for a man of 47. But he was not certain, he said, whether he wished to exchange the idyll of Athonite existency for the turmoil of that uncouth political fiction.

  ‘The courses began with soup, and continued, four in succession, with octopus. There was octopus cooked amid segments of the garlic bulb, and octopus, more subtly delicate perhaps, alone. There was octopus with beans; and there was octopus again alone but for a hot gravy. Then followed roes, hard and round, an inch in diameter and three long. These were garnished with a yellow mayonnaise of beaten caviare. Their advent was pregnant with event; for, unaware of their resilience, I plunged my knife upon one, to see it fly over my elbow on to the spotless sheen of the father next me. He was ruffled. But, drying the spots with my napkin till they were invisible, I bathed him with such tears of remorse that he was restored to calm. The waiting, directed by Boniface, was faultless. And of the plenty of wine it is unnecessary to speak.

  ‘The climax was reached with snails. These, nine to a dozen on each plate, were served with the tops knocked off. They had to be wheedled therefore, not, as in the West, from the snail’s own door, but by an adroit twist of the fork from above. Boniface, all those around us, and even Evlogios from his vantage-point, were so concerned lest we should fail fully to appreciate them, that we were at pains to acquire the proper motion. Delicious they were. Meanwhile we drank as though it was ten at night instead of in the morning. All did the same. The conviviality grew. We laughed and shouted and toasted one another across the tables. Then, headed by Evlogios and the bishop, the assembled company took each an empty shell between thumb and forefinger and blew a blast of whistles, as though ten thousand milk-boys were competing for a prize.

  ‘Dessert of apples and grapes was succeeded by coffee and the lighter wine. The sun was in the top of the heavens when, having bidden regretful farewell to Boniface, the fierce Epitropos, and all the others, we started out for Caries.’

  The Station

  by Robert Byron

  OCTOPUS

  The octopus sounds alarming to those who have not travelled in the Mediterranean; it is in fact an excellent dish when properly prepared, rich and with a reminiscence of lobster.

  In Greece and Cyprus the large octopus are dried in the sun; the tentacles are cut into small pieces, grilled over a charcoal fire and served with your apéritif.

  To cook them fresh the large ones must be carefully cleaned, the ink-bag removed (unless they are to be cooked in their own ink, which makes a rich black sauce, with a very strong flavour), and left in running water for some minutes, then beaten like a steak (in fact I have seen the Greeks bashing them against a rock), for they can be very tough. Then cut off the tentacles and cut the body into strips about the same size. Blanch them in boiling water, drain them and peel off the skin.* The pieces are then put in an earthen-ware casserole with 2 or 3 large onions cut up, garlic, a branch of thyme, salt and pepper, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of tomato pulp, and covered with red wine. Simmer very slowly for 4 or 5 hours.

  There are two London fishmongers, Richards, and Hitchcock’s, both in Brewer Street, Soho, who sell fresh squid, but although octopus are found in great quantities in northern waters I have never seen them for sale in England, so this recipe can be used equally well for squid or inkfish.

  GRILLED CALAMARI (cuttlefish, inkfish, squid)

  Turn the pocket-like part of the fish inside out, clean under a running tap, remove the ink-bag, the intestines, the hard beak-like protuberance, and the transparent spine bone. Season the fish with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and marjoram, sprinkle with oil and put them under the grill for about 10 or 15 minutes. Served cold and cut into strips crossways these creatures make a good hors d’aeuvre.

  They can also be stuffed, with spinach or with savoury rice, and cooked en ragoût, with a wine or tomato sauce. Cut into fairly large pieces, they are often added to a paella or risotto aux fruits de mer, and to fish soups.

  Very small inkfish, in France suppions, in Italy calamaretti, in Greece calamarakia, are a great delicacy. They are usually dipped in batter, fried crisp in oil, and served with lemon.

  CIVET OF INKFISH

  3 lb inkfish, 3 lb onions, red wine, pine nuts or almonds.

  Clean the inkfish, keep the ink and mix it with a glass of dry red wine. Cut the inkfish small, and let them soak overnight in red wine. Next day cut the onions in slices and melt them in a mixture of oil and butter. Take them out, and put in the inkfish and let them take colour. Replace the onions, and a handful of pine-nut kernels or of blanched and split almonds. Add the ink with the wine, and the wine of the marinade. Add water if required. Stew till soft.

  Meat

  See also chapter on Cold Food.

  A Great Restaurant

  ***************************

  ‘Vaour is a village I don’t know how man
y miles off Fenayrols. I only know that we went there, and it lies eleven kilometres from a railway station. The Hôtel du Nord at Vaour is illustrious throughout the region for its cookery. People travel vast distances uphill in order to enjoy it. We did. We arrived at eleven o’clock and lunch was just ending. The landlord and landlady in the kitchen said that we were unfortunately too late for a proper meal, but they would see what they could do for us. Here is what they did for us:

  Soupe

  Perdreau rôti

  Jambon du pays

  Fromage Roquefort

  Confit d’oie

  Fromage Cantal

  Omelette nature

  Confiture de cerises

  Civet de lièvre

  Poires

  Riz de veau blanquette

  Figues.

  ‘We ate everything; every dish was really distinguished. I rank this meal with a meal that I once ate at the Étoile restaurant at Brussels, once, if not still, the finest restaurant in the world – and about the size of, say, Gow’s in the Strand.

  ‘In addition, there were three wines, a vin blanc ordinaire, a vin rouge ordinaire, and a fine wine to finish with. The fine wine was fine.

  ‘The total bill, for two persons, was seven francs.’

  Things that have Interested Me

  by Arnold Bennett

  Veal

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  PAUPIETTES DE VEAU CLÉMENTINE

  1 lb lean veal, 1 teaspoonful of capers, juice and peel of half a lemon, ¼ lb smoked bacon, flour, white wine, herbs, 1 onion, butter.

  Have the veal cut in very thin slices. On each small slice of veal squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle pepper and salt. Lay on top of each slice a small piece of smoked bacon. Roll and tie with thread. Roll the paupiettes in flour and fry in butter with the sliced onion, until brown. Add water, a glass of white wine, the lemon peel, capers and herbs, cover the casserole and cook slowly for 45 minutes. Before serving remove the thread from the paupiettes and strain the sauce.

  BOCCONCINI

  Thin slices of veal (as for escalopes), raw ham, fried bread, Gruyère cheese, egg, and breadcrumbs.

  The veal must be cut in very thin, fairly small slices. On each piece of seasoned veal put a piece of raw ham and then a piece of Gruyère cheese. Roll and tie with string. Roll in egg and breadcrumbs, fry in butter until golden. When cooked, the Gruyère cheese should be just melting. Remove the string and serve each one on a slice of fried bread.

  NORMAN’S RECIPE

  Thin escalopes of veal, raw ham or prosciutto, fresh sage leaves, fresh tomato sauce, flour, butter.

  On each piece of seasoned veal place a slice of raw ham the same size, and then 1 leaf of sage. Roll and tie with thread. Roll in flour and fry them in butter. Finish cooking them in a well-seasoned tomato sauce (about 15 minutes).

  OSSO BUCO

  Get the butcher to saw 6 thick pieces of shin of veal, leaving the marrow bone in the centre of the meat. Fry some onions in a wide, shallow braising pan. Pepper and salt the veal, roll in flour and brown in the same pan. Add a carrot, bay leaf, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, and a piece of lemon peel, a glass of white wine, a little stock, and enough freshly made tomato purée to come to the top of the pieces of meat but not to cover them. Cook very slowly for about 4 hours, until the meat is almost coming off the bones. Ten minutes before serving, sprinkle the osso buco with finely chopped celery or parsley and lemon peel. Be sure to keep the pieces of meat upright during the cooking, or the marrow in the bones will fall out. Serve a plain risotto as an accompaniment.

  CÔTES DE VEAU FOYOT

  For 4 good cutlets of veal put about 4 oz of chopped onions into a pan with a little butter and let them cook slowly until they are golden, then add a wineglass of white wine and the same amount of brown stock. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, roll them in grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese and then in breadcrumbs. Now butter a fireproof dish, put in a layer of breadcrumbs, then the cutlets, then the onion mixture. Cook uncovered in a very slow oven for about 1 hour, adding a little stock from time to time. Serve with a dish of fresh green peas.

  Lamb and Mutton

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  The Ideal Cuisine

  ‘ “You are quite right,” the Count was saying to Mr Heard. “The ideal cuisine should display an individual character; it should offer a menu judiciously chosen from the kitchen-workshops of the most diverse lands and peoples – a menu reflecting the master’s alert and fastidious taste. Is there anything better, for instance, than a genuine Turkish pilaff? The Poles and Spaniards, too, have some notable culinary creations. And if I were able to carry out my ideas on this point I would certainly add to my list a few of those strange Oriental confections which Mr Keith has successfully taught his Italian chef. There is suggestion about them; they conjure up visions of that rich and glowing East which I would give many years of my remaining life to see.” ’

  South Wind

  by Norman Douglas

  GIGOT À LA PROVENÇALE

  A recipe from an old French cookery book which I have left in its original French; as the author rather severely remarks, this dish is supportable only to those who are accustomed to the cooking of the Midi.

  ‘On insère symétriquement dans la partie charnue d’un gigot de moyenne grosseur douze gousses d’aïl, et deux fois autant de filets d’anchois bien lavés et employés en guise de lardons. Le gigot ainsi préparé est graissé d’huile, et cuit à la broche. Tandis que le gigot est à la broche on épluche d’autre part plein un litre de gousses d’aïl qu’on fait blanchir dans l’eau bouillante.

  ‘Elles doivent y être plongées à trois reprises différentes, en changeant l’eau à chaque fois, après quoi, on les laisse refroidir dans l’eau froide, et l’on achève leur cuisson dans une tasse de bouillon. Le gigot étant rôti à point, on dégraisse avec soin le jus qu’il a rendu, on en assaisonne les gousses d’aïl, et l’on sert le gigot sur cette garniture.

  ‘Ce mets n’est supportable que pour ceux qui sont habitués à la cuisine du Midi, dans laquelle l’aïl fait partie obligée de presque tous les mets.’

  ARNÍ SOUVLÁKIA (lamb on skewers)

  Cut a piece of lamb from the leg into inch cubes. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and marjoram.* Thread the meat on to skewers and grill them. Serve them on a thick bed of parsley or shredded lettuce, on the skewers, with quarters of lemon.

  Eaten on the terrace of a primitive Cretan taverna, flavoured with wood smoke and the mountain herbs, accompanied by the strong red wine of Crete, these kebabs can be the most poetic of foods. Exquisitely simple, they are in fact of Turkish origin, like many Greek dishes, although the Greeks do not always care to admit it.

  MUTTON OR LAMB KEBABS

  The unique flavour of these kebabs demands no adornment. They can be served on a mound of fried rice, but are best left on the skewers and laid on a thick bed of parsley or watercress or chopped lettuce.

  The lamb or mutton is cut up and seasoned as in the preceding recipe.* Put half a tomato on to each skewer, cut side facing the point. Then thread on alternately the squares of meat with tiny pieces of fat from the meat, bay leaves, and thick slices of onion. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, marjoram (see previous recipe), and lemon juice, and grill them.

  For 6 people allow about 3 lb (unboned weight) of leg of lamb or mutton, which should provide 2 full skewers for each person.

  LAMB ON THE BONE

  In the country districts of Greece, and the islands, the household cooking arrangements are fairly primitive and dishes such as this one are prepared early and sent to the village oven; they emerge deliciously cooked, better than they could ever be in a gas oven, but this method by no means ensures that the food will be served hot. The Greeks in fact prefer their food tepid, and it is useless to argue with them.

  Saw a leg of lamb into 4 or 5 pieces, leaving the meat on the bone. Insert a clove of garlic into each piece of meat, season well a
nd sprinkle with rosemary.

  Cook in a shallow pan in the oven or over a slow fire, with oil or dripping. About 30 minutes before the meat is done add sliced potatoes and tomatoes. Instead of potatoes, partly cooked rice can be added. In this case, drain off the fat and add plenty of thin tomato purée, which will be absorbed by the rice.

  The meat must be very well cooked and almost falling off the bone. Sometimes aubergines cut in half lengthways with the skins left on are added with the potatoes and tomatoes.

  TRANCHE DE MOUTON À LA CATALANE

  Take a thick slice from a gigot of mutton, put it into a braising pan with a good tablespoon of fat, and fry gently on each side; season with salt and pepper, and place round the meat 20 cloves of garlic* and cook for a few more minutes, sprinkle with flour and pour in a cupful of stock or water and a tablespoon of tomato purée.

  Simmer until the meat is cooked, adding more stock if it is getting dry. Serve the meat surrounded by the garlic and with the sauce poured over.

  KOKKORÉTSI

  The insides of a sheep – heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, brains, sweetbreads, everything – are cut into small pieces, heavily seasoned with mountain herbs and lemon and threaded on to skewers.