artichoke; the Elizabeth of vegetables

They have crowns instead of heads, but they pretend to be deeply modest. They are always seen in the fields resting quietly on their single leg, neglecting humans and looking at the sky into oblivion; but, they are dying for attention. Observing them from afar, someone may think that they stand side by side, almost touching each other; getting closer though, a strictly applied distance seperating them will be noticed. They seem really introverted; well, I've never met before such a narcissistic creature as artichoke.

According to ancient manuscript sources (371-287 B.C) artichoke is described as a cactus species cultivated in Sicily. Romans used to eat not only the heart, but also the hard leaves that had been marinated in salty water first; as for the Greeks, they used to consume different kinds of artichokes. However, the "domesticated" artichoke species of modern times, was cultivated and popularized by the Arabs of Andalusia. Artichoke is a vegetable that can be eaten in all her grown stages*; as a baby during winter, a teen in the spring and a woman in the early summer. And there is almost nothing that cannot do about our body.

Easter fast, to some Ea(s)ter torture, will meet an end at midnight. Those who went through the forty day fasting game - cheating or not- can't wait to use their forks, and experience the primitive taste of red meat, as well as feeling complete by charging their low battery spirit with overdoses of lamb protein. Am I one of them? Hmm, I don't think so. Although I love meat, fasting dishes are much more amazing for me, because of their creatively simple character.

Easter is my favourite celebration, leaving Xmas second, even third in my holiday list; it's just impossible for any Xmas tree, or New Year's city lights to overcome the epic beauty of Nature's rebirth, as I was so lucky to witness hundred of times in my village, Mani. Not to mention the divine dishes, men and women of the family used to cook and treat during the Easter fast: lobster with spaghetti, grilled shrimps, sea urchins with vinegar and olive oil, mussel risotto, octopus stew, boiled or grilled craps and the blood free food list goes on almost forever...

Days like these, after eating spaghetti with shrimps with the aunties, I  used to meet with my friends at the yard of Saint-Nicholas church and join the ceremonial in a very active way: me, reading prayers - it was fun to perform in front of many people - brothers and cousins in the sacred room, around the holy table, throwing small pieces of candles to each other and sneakily eating the Easter breads while the priest was reading the Gospel; and I could watch all these happening from the slightly open deep purple curtain that was separating the sacred from the common space of the church's interior. The most exciting part of those religious nights was for me to remain calm and serious in my performance, ignore the funny faces of the guys, and win against my impulse to laugh while the crowd was crying in front of the crucified Jesus.

I never feel away from home for the rest days of the year; it is because of Easter that I recall all these incredibly seducing memories and the only way to soften their nostalgic nature is to cook for friends. As my purpose was to revive a dinner from the fasting menu, I chose one of my favorite dishes ever, shrimps with spaghetti, quite spicy and perfumed with anise. All you need is jumbo shrimps, or whatever you like, as long as they are big. I get upset when such kind of spaghetti is served with tiny shrimps; shrimp's flesh is so delicate and shy, that if it is too small, it doesn't give you the time to chew and decode its flavor. You also need diced onions, grated garlic - I am married to both onion and garlic, so you decide about the amount - a lot of organic diced tomatoes for the sauce, a sheaf of fresh dill, two-three shots of ouzo, salt and black pepper, very few drops of tabasco. First of all, clean the shrimps but keep their heads; put them in a pot and boil them; our shrimp stock is ready. Heat a deep pan and saute the onions with olive oil; add the tomatoes, the garlic and the ouzo shots. When it gets thicker, add the cleaned shrimps and cook for ten minutes. Fill a pot with salty water - not crazy salty - and the rest of the shrimp stock; boil and add the spaghetti. Remove just before they become al dente, unite them with the shrimp sauce and cook for two more minutes. Serve immediately, but sprinkle some chopped dill first. Anise, garlic, shrimps; nobody ever flew over this gastronomical triangle without getting drowned in the spicy sauce.

Before shrimps, I cooked two different flavored mussel stew. I wanted them in their shells but it was impossible to find uncleaned mussels; fishermen at Karaköy fish market told me that I could have them whole only under request; it was quite heartbreaking as I cannot enjoy them in their coats spontaneously. Anyway...For the first dish, you need the juice of one or two lemons, one big onion , a glass of white wine, a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, olive oil, and a tablespoon of cold butter. In a comfortable pan, saute the onion with olive oil and add the sensual mussels. Now, pour the wine into the pan, cook for a few minutes, then add the lemon juice and a few plump drops of olive oil; taste and season if necessary. You're not looking for a dish without sauce, so remove the pan from heat before starts losing its water and complete with the butter, making cool, round movements as you hold it; that way you will make the sauce appear extremely confident. Do it in front of your friends, mussels will seem more glamorous than you thought. Serve in a soup plate and don't forget to sprinkle some finely chopped parsley. 

For the next dish, which I prefer as a garlic person, you need no less than four cloves - don't panic, use less if you want - two ouzo shots, one diced tomato, olive oil and fresh, chopped dill, also in generous amount, a tablespoon of butter, salt and black pepper. The first step is to grate the cloves and mix it with 30-50 ml - it's up to you - extra virgin olive oil. Heat a pan again, pour the garlicky mix and add the mussels. Go for the tomato and the ouzo shots. Cook for a few minutes in strong heat, taste and season if needed. Remove from the heat, add the butter and perform. Serve with chopped dill and fresh bread. Now, watch your friends losing themselves; trust me, it is kinky and special!

The religious welcome party to Spring is about to finish with Christ's resurrection. Today at midnight, we will kiss and wish a long and beautiful life to each other and possibly make some thoughts about the way we spent our lives and the people we share with ...The answer though is very simple: Do you love cooking for them?

PS. All the photos were taken by the super cool cell-phones of Boğaç, Angelis and Önder. The last one caused a civil war among the friends, because the first dish with the lemon mussel stew disappeared while he was taking pictures and he didn't have the chance to taste it. We are terribly sorry.

What really flushed ye iç sev was Viki's invitation to cook the wedding soup together at her friendly, high-spirited kitchen. The last time I visited friends and family in Athens, I had also in mind to ask Viki to meet for a coffee downtown. So, I sent her an e-mail explaing why I love her work and for that, I would like to know her in person. As we didn't meet before, Viki asked a friend to call her in the middle of our chat to rescue her if our blind date turned to be an awkard and weird one; this charming confession of Viki was the first step for both sides to begin sharing more ...Melina's cafe at Plaka hosted our conversation that lasted for hours and although it was really a cold day, I returned home with a deeply warm wind in my heart.

                                           

...They will always be hanged in my memory, because this was the first image that I captured on them. Or maybe this was not the first image; but, since I always enjoy tragedy, I prefer to imagine them as they are hanged. In the antique port of my village and under the summer sun, their long legs were swinging melancholically on a rope that was not silky at all. The truth is; the image of the octopuses is a little abnormal, different, dramatic and noble, but also a little unearthly. If they were human, they would, no doubt, be the emperors of a huge and mighty kingdom; anyhow, they must already own the crowns of the deep seas. Whatsoever, it is sometimes better not to know.


The presence of octopuses had always been overwhelming for me during the summer holidays of my childhood. Whenever something touched the toes of my feet while I was swimming, I always thought that a giant octopus was trying to grab me, take me to its dark kingdom, and serve me as the main dish for the royal family. This was the moment when the cells on my back were turned into little volcanic craters and I began to swim desperately shoreward. As soon as I reached the coast, I used to sit on the sand and while the beats of my heart were turning back to normal, I was thinking “Oh dear, that was close!” Of course, nobody was aware of what I had been through!



We used to go to the antique port with friends before the sunset. Our only purpose was to fool around and act naughty. The only true smell of the port was the grilled octopuses, shrimps, and lobsters. In fact, the smell was so dazzling that the people eating in the taverns were getting high; otherwise why they would come EVERYDAY, man? Our evening adventures with my “notorious” friends used to begin with a short visit to the hangouts of the fishermen and go on with their strange sea stories. I always noticed big buckets next to them filled with different sea creatures that were negotiating with their hunters for their freedom: fish, scared to death lobsters, lazy crawfish, esteemed and pride octopuses. How calmly were they swimming without despair and cry? They were as if telling “We are going to deal with this through dialogue.” I was almost sure that at the end they would convince the fishermen to set them free in exchange of legendary treasures of a pirate ship, although the octopuses were the first to be executed. They were hanged from an ordinary rope where everybody could see.

Once, I remember, my middle brother came out of the sea with a baby octopus in his hands. Whoa, how I envied him! And why didn’t he mention about this crazy operation, jerk? I got angry with him; but at the same time, I was dying to feel this little prince in my own hands. God, what a feeling! The baby octopus, slipping through my fingers and giving thousands of kisses on my palms with its buttoned legs, begged to turn back to the sea and cried, “My father will die of agony!” It was me who would decide about its fortune, but I was too intoxicated by its beauty to let it free… After a while, the baby octopus was beaten on the sharp rocks, spitted out foams of anger, and finally found its place on the rope of our garden. I, the traitor, as if I hadn’t witnessed this incident, got into a deep relation with the octopus by garnishing it with olive oil, vinegar, and oregano as soon as it was taken from the grill. I would keep this secret in my stomach, forever.


 The octopus holds a special place in Greek cuisine. Without drying it on the rope, it won’t actually work out; still you can enjoy it by cooking it in a pot, as it is one of the most favorite dishes of the Easter fast. Let’s sauté onions with olive oil, then add the octopus, boiled and cut, throw two bay leaves, and finish with red wine or vinegar. Adding fresh tomato concasse, finally, completes this glorious combination. (Crushed tomatoes are rather sad in the winter, but I couldn’t help it.) Now, put a little water in the pot and remove it from the fire before the octopus gets too soft. In order to strengthen the red color, it is possible to add a tablespoon of tomato paste; but I didn’t, as I was too afraid of losing the elegant taste of the sea. Meanwhile, salt and pepper are dying to jump into the pot, please don’t ignore them.


The traditional spaghetti with octopus is made with coquillettes, but I preferred to go with spaghetti, my favorite. Watch out, here, I have a tip for you: do not throw away the water in which the octopus is boiled, but use it to cook the spaghetti for eight minutes(unless they are fresh). Once the pasta is ready, mix it with the octopus and cook for two more minutes. Oh, when you serve, spread on your dishes small pieces of feta cheese and big shredded parsley and enjoy with someone you really fancy! Escort with dry white wine, it flirts with the buttoned king in a brilliant way.

What to say, “Bon Appetite?” I really don’t know except that I am mad about this dish…