Semolina Halva with Fig Molasses and Figs
Semolina Halva with Fig Molasses and Figs
An easy, quick, fasting-friendly, and delicious halva for all occasions. You've probably enjoyed the traditional halva with almonds and raisins, but have you ever tried halva with fig molasses and pieces of figs? The classic ratio is 1-2-3-4, but because it turns out somewhat sweet for my taste, we'll adjust the proportions a bit. The mom's style measurement is to use the same cup for all ingredients. If you like the idea, there's nothing left but to make it!
Our Ingredients:
• 1 cup Oil (½ olive oil, ½ vegetable oil)
• 1 cup Fine semolina
• 1 cup Coarse semolina
• ½ cup Fig molasses (CUMA)
• 2 cups Chopped sugar
• 4 cups Water
• ½ cup Dried figs, finely chopped
• ½ cup Almonds
• 1 stick Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ? tsp Ground cloves
• 1 Orange zest
Christmas Pie
During these festive days, we associate certain smells and tastes with the holiday season. What could be more beautiful than having a delicious Christmas pie on the table? It can be a great addition to your Christmas feast, both impressing your guests and satisfying their taste buds!
Here are the ingredients you will need:
• 1 package of pastry sheets
• 500g ground beef
• 2 Portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 dry onion, finely chopped
• 300g chicken liver, minced
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 200g grated pumpkin
• 100g grated quince
• 200g boiled and finely chopped chestnuts
• 5 dried figs, finely chopped
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 fennel bulb
• 60g fig or honey
• 60g red wine
• Salt, pepper, and cinnamon
• Olive oil
• Mixed butter and seed oil for brushing the pastry sheets
• Black sesame and sesame seeds for the pastry
Dried Figs
Dried Figs It's fig season now, and everyone in my homeland is gathering figs to dry them for the winter. We use dried figs in salads, meat dishes, vegetable rice, and even as a side for a cozy evening by dipping them in tea. The process I will describe is the one my father has been using for years, ensuring that there are no worms or pests. Let's see the steps:
Chestnut cream with honey from figs
The perfect combination of chestnut and fig flavors and sweetness can only be experienced by making this wonderful, velvety, aromatic, delicious, quick, easy, and why not, festive cream.
Our ingredients:
450g raw chestnuts
260g water
40g honey from figs (CUMA)
1 cinnamon stick
Kymi Dried Figs
Kymi dried figs are a recognized product by the European Union with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) since 1994 and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). They have great nutritional value, rich in calcium (100g of dried figs contain 162mg of calcium), tannins, carotenoids, copper, selenium, zinc, dietary fiber for smooth intestinal function, prebiotics, antioxidants, phenols, low in fat, potassium for regulating blood pressure, muscle cramps, and headaches (100g of dried figs contain 640mg of potassium), magnesium for the proper functioning of our nervous system, and iron to help individuals with anemia (100g of dried figs contain 2.03mg of iron). They are also rich in folic acid, which is beneficial for women during menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation.
In the Bible, it is mentioned that the Garden of Eden had a fig tree where Adam and Eve covered their bodies with fig leaves. In ancient Greece, figs were the third most important fruit after olives and grapes and were associated with the worship of the goddess Demeter, who was said to have offered them to mortals as a gift, as well as the god Dionysus. In ancient Greece, figs were offered for consumption to athletes before the Olympic Games and were given as prizes to the winners. The inability to preserve this fruit for a longer period led to the method of drying, which had a longer shelf life. Thus, it became a significant source of income for the ancient Athenian state. Cleopatra, whose favorite fruit was the fig, died from a snake bite hidden in a basket of figs that were offered to her.
In modern times, there are many large cooperatives that continue to follow this traditional drying method, as the entire process is done manually.
Kymi dried figs are not only used in pastry, such as spoon sweets, cereal bars, cookies, and jams but also in cooking, with various cheeses, salads, sweet and sour sauces, as well as in meat dishes such as beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and game. They are also excellent as a snack and pair well with herbal teas that enhance their flavor.
In Kymi, the land of figs, during August, all the houses, rooftops, balconies, and courtyards are filled with wooden trays of figs drying in the sun, preparing them for winter. Every house has at least one large fig tree that produces hundreds of figs. My father also makes dried figs every year using the traditional process we use at home. Read step by step with care and passion. It is a tradition, and we know the method well.
Let's also see how St. Stephen of Agron (Stefanos tis Agros) in Mentuli of Kymi makes them.
Rice with Figs and Sage
Enjoy an enticing simplicity with our recipe! This quick and delicious dish is perfect for accompanying meats and poultry, and it can also provide a more refined option for a festive table. With its light character and healthy ingredients, it can be enjoyed by all dietary needs and special dietary groups.
The ingredients we will need are:
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 bunch of fresh spring onions, finely chopped
5-6 dried figs, thinly sliced
5-6 sage leaves (dried) or 2-3 fresh leaves
Salt, pepper,olive oil
Dried Figs
It's fig season now, and everyone in my homeland is gathering figs to dry them for the winter. We use dried figs in salads, meat dishes, vegetable rice, and even as a side for a cozy evening by dipping them in tea. The process I will describe is the one my father has been using for years, ensuring that there are no worms or pests. Let's see the steps:
Pork Neck Steaks with Beer and Figs
Every place, every village, is influenced by the products it produces in its cooking. Thus, the famous figs of Kimi are not only used in sweets but also in savory dishes. One of these dishes is pork with figs. Here, we will see it with neck steaks, marinated with beer. And not just any beer, but beer from my own place, SEPTEΜ, meaning seven in Latin, as many as the days of creation... Each with its own distinct aroma and flavor. Thus, a unique dish emerges with aromas and flavors that you can serve on a Sunday or festive table.
Our Ingredients
4 pork neck steaks
3 tbsp fig syrup or thyme honey
2 glasses of beer (Septem Black or regular beer)
6 dried figs, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 dried onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp thyme olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
salt
2 star anise
Freshly ground mixed peppers
Salad with Fresh Figs
Salad with fresh figs: An unexpected treasure from nature!
Who would have imagined that our fig tree, even in early October, would produce fresh, flavorful, and colorful figs! And what better way to enjoy this unexpected treasure from nature than in a delightful salad? And to add even more complexity and flavor, we will combine them with pomegranates from our own pomegranate tree!
Our ingredients are simple and fresh:
6 fresh figs with their sweet juice,
a pomegranate with its aromatic seeds,
a few leaves of red lettuce,
wild arugula, spinach, and beetroot, coarsely chopped
Aegina pistachios, finely chopped
basil leaves,
olive oil for dressing,
and salt and pepper to enhance the flavors.
Crispy Cookies with Fig molasse
One of the products that my homeland produces abundantly is figs. We've learned with them, grown up with them, and, of course, from generation to generation, wonderful recipes have emerged that are worth recording and making. Fig jam, therefore, comes from ripe figs; it is quite dark in color and thick. We incorporate it into sweets, sauces, and even in cooking as a honey substitute. Here, I have made crispy cookies for all occasions, adding finely chopped dried figs inside. They contain no eggs or butter, so they are light and can be consumed during fasting periods.
Ingredients:
• 250g sugar
• 250g fig molasse
• 110g orange juice
• 250g extra virgin olive oil
• 10 dried figs, finely chopped
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp (almost - as much as it takes) soft flour
Fruit Salad
We are all aware of the nutritional value of fruits. They provide our bodies with vitamins and rejuvenate us after a demanding and tiring day. So, what could be better than a refreshing, tasty, light, and aromatic fruit salad?
Strawberries are loaded with Vitamin B and C, along with manganese, iron, and plenty of dietary fibers. They are antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, beneficial for heart health, contribute to improved vision, regulate blood sugar, assist in rheumatoid arthritis, and much more.
Blueberries, also known as "blueberry," are the elixir of longevity. A guardian angel for our bodies. "Myrtinites Oinos," the wine of the goddess Aphrodite, was consumed for health, longevity, beauty, and "Myrtinon Elaion," which was enjoyed for its flavor, color, and aroma. Rich in vitamins A, C, E, B-carotene, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, metallic salts, and inorganic acids, as well as dietary fibers, pectin, anti-cancer properties, aiding vision, cardiac and brain function, urinary system, and serving as a kingpin in anti-aging, assisting neurodegenerative diseases. It enhances memory, neutralizes free radicals.
Oranges, our favorite. Rich in Vitamin C, A, B1, containing phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sugars. It has anti-cancer effects, anti-inflammatory action, and powerful antioxidant properties. It lowers cholesterol, strengthens the immune system, and prevents kidney stones.
The wonderful green apple is aromatic and beneficial! Abundant in dietary fibers, vitamins A, B, C, helping combat arthritis, supporting our intestines, and, of course, benefiting our hair, skin, and weight loss.
Raspberries, a luscious delight. A powerful taste with high nutritional value. Rich in Vitamin C, K, and K, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, and copper. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, with anti-cancer effects, combating sugar and obesity.
Mango, the king of fruits! A satisfying and nutritionally rich fruit with great taste, aroma, and value. Rich in B-carotene, a shield against various cancers, containing almost all our daily requirements of vitamins C, A, B, calcium, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates that contribute to boosting metabolism and aiding calorie burning.
Our wonderful pineapple stands out in this smoothie, packed with valuable nutrients, riboflavin, thiamine, B5, B-carotene, magnesium, Vitamin C, copper, and sulfuric acid, enhancing fertility in both men and women. Antioxidants care for our skin by eliminating free radicals, and with the help of Vitamin C, they promote collagen production in the skin. Pineapple is also the source of BROMELAIN, an enzyme that aids protein digestion.
Banana, the fantastic one! The name originates from the Arabic word "baban," meaning finger. Beloved by young and old alike, cherished for its nutrition, deliciousness, aroma, and practicality in transport and storage. It combats stress, anemia, rich in potassium, calcium, against cramps, fatigue, bodily and mental exhaustion, and loaded with vitamins A, B, Ps, E, iron, selenium, and copper. What more could you want from a fruit?
The precious fig, one of the first fruits cultivated and dried by ancient Greeks. From the beginning of the Bible, it mentions the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover themselves. Cleopatra's favorite fruit, after she lost her life from a snake bite, she was surrounded by a basket of figs. The famous Euboean figs from my beloved place, they are fat-free and rich in potassium, calcium (half a cup of figs is equivalent to half a cup of milk). Full of dietary fibers, prebiotics, antioxidants, making this wonderful fruit our top preference. Whether you choose white, black, red, or orange (small) figs, you will undoubtedly enrich the dish with valuable nutrients.
Grapes, the unique one! Packed with vitamins A, B, C, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. It increases urination, combats fluid retention, and toxin elimination. It has anti-aging and anti-cancer properties, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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