Written by Karen Watts
Those of us who love this island, spend our lives promoting it. We do this in many ways – your hosts Pete & Phil provide a haven of luxury and an experience with their villa, VLK, that lead people to return time after time. Most Lindos residents are renowned for their good natured welcome and their ability to make life long friends with visitors ensuring that the majority will always want to come back and many see the village almost as a second home; obviously I write this blog, I attempt to welcome any new visitors I happen to meet to entice them to see more of what the island has to offer and I have to admit I am a regular contributor to the Rhodes TA Forum.
After 8 years of all year round residence I have come to realise that the people who don’t return, who have not been bitten by the “Rodos Bug”, are those who visit and don’t actually experience the island and all that it has to offer. I am talking, of course, about the hideous and globally damaging phenomena of AI (All Inclusive to those of you who have never considered it). The price of a week in many of the AI establishments on Rodos is actually more expensive than a week at Villa Kalliopi – including going out for meals. And for all that extra money you will not eat Greek, drink Greek, meet any Greek people or see beyond the fencing of your compound’s “water park”. This is a tragedy for both visitors, the island and Greece.
———-
This week I am thrilled to have two contributions from regular visitors to the island…
Chris Moir (with Val, Mark and Carol) have been dealing with Phil and Pete for a number of years – but this year was their first visit to VLK itself (their guest review at http://rhodesluxuryvilla.com/testimonial/moments-take-breath-away/ ) This year prior to their stay at Villa Kalliopi they asked Phil & Pete if the villa kitchen included a Paella dish. Your hosts being the kind of people they are immediately acquired this useful addition to any Mediterranean kitchen.
Here is Chris’ Paella:
This is my BBQ signature dish paella recipe…. Short version lol..
Ingredients.. For 4 people
4 small chorizos sliced
2 chopped red onions
1 sliced red pepper
4 chicken breasts chopped into chunks
2 cup fulls of frozen peas
1 litre of chicken stock
350 grms of paella rice (75gms per person)
Pinch of Saffron
Table spoon of paprika
12 large uncooked prawns (head & tails still on)
4 pitta breads
Method…
Place paella pan over hot(ish) charcoals.. Not searing hot… And add a good glug of olive oil.
Then add..chorizo,red onions & red pepper. Cook until chorizo starts to brown and onions have softened.
Add rice…cook for about 2 mins until rice has taken on some colour (don’t burn!)
Then add to the pan… Chicken stock…saffron..peas & chicken. And stir in paprika.
Cook for further 20/25 mins until liquid has reduced. Stir pan regularly. MUST NOT STICK!
Then add 12 prawns.. Spread them around the pan & cook for approx another 10 mins until they are nice and pink and all the stock has been absorbed.. Stir occasionally.
Season with salt & pepper if needed.
Taste rice.. Should be soft and fluffy.. If not cook on until it is.
Remove pan and over the embers of the charcoal quickly toast off the pittas on both sides. This takes barely a minute otherwise you will end up with toast!
Serve with salad & a slice of lemon each (optional).
———-
I want a Paella dish!
———-
My second contributor this week is Brian Noon, an ex-butcher from Harrogate. The Noons have been coming to the island twice a year for 9 years. They got married in Lindos in 2009 and dream, a lot, of leaving the UK and living on the island permanently.
Here is Brian’s advice for butchering meat for Stifado:
“hi Karen please see the attached beef short ribs.This is what Kosmas (Caesar’s Restaurant in Lindos) is using for Stifado. So we are having these this evening. These are about 8 inch long. At the moment they are marinading in a beef rub. After four hours I will start to cook slow for about 8 hours.
We love your food and island blog.
Thought this may give you a winter idea. When the butcher prepares these he needs to split the cap muscle down the primal and remove, that way the thickness of meat on the ribs is roughly the same down the 6 useable ribs.The 2 top and 2 bottom ribs are either too fatty or too thin.
I know you are warm and living where you desire, [I’m] not jealous.”
———-
Thank you both so much for your food input and Brian – yes, you are!
———-
And a little something from me…
Spice Oil
Chris loves this with cold roast chicken and cheese but it goes well with almost anything if you want a spice hit.
250 ml Olive Oil + 3 extra tablespoons
1 Clove of Garlic, peeled
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 cm Piece of Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp Garam Masala
Make a paste with 1 tbsp of olive oil and the garam masala.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and add the garlic, coriander and cumin seeds, the ginger and the curry paste. Stir and cook over a medium heat for about 1 minute. Add 250 ml of olive oil, stir and cook for another 30 seconds. Leave to cool and transfer to a clean glass bottle.
For the next Kalliopi Kitchen blog – CLICK HERE
