Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini Balls)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 medium size zucchini, washed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill weed, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Black pepper

 

How to cook:

 First grate zucchini and then squeeze with your hands to get the water out. Then add all the ingredients above, with the egg going in last. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Pour some sunflower oil in a large skillet, about 1 cm deep. When the oil warms up, take a lump of the mixture with a spoon and put in the skillet. Fry each side approximately 3 minutes at medium-high heat. When done, put the pieces on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Serve with a bit of caciki on top of each piece. Kali oreksi!

Feta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

 

Ingredients:

10 Zucchini Flowers

Filling:

3 cups feta cheese, crushed
2 fresh mint leaves, cut in julienne
1 green onion, only white part
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 pinch red pepper
Salt
Pepper

3 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 large egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Sunflower oil to fry
How to cook:

Gently soak all the flowers into the cold water. Remove and dry on paper towel.

Mix all the filling ingredients. Gently open flower, remove the pistil by snipping it off. Do not to tear the petals open and place 1 teaspoon filling. Then, gently twist and close the flowers.

Pour the sunflower oil in a frying pan and heat it up. Place the flour on a plate. Beat the egg with water in a bowl. First dip each one in the flour, then dip in the egg. Fry them until they're a light golden colour.

Afterwords, place on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Kali oreksi!

Courgette Soup

Ingredients:

60 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Handful nasil leaves, chopped
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
1 kg courgettes, cut lengthways into quarters then into 1cm in slices
750 ml chicken stock
60 ml single cream
handful parsley, chopped
50 grams freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

To serve:

Crusty bread,

Ground black pepper

How to cook:

Heat the oil in a pan. Cook the garlic, basil, salt and courgette slowly for 10 minutes. Add white pepper to taste, then pour in the stock and simmer for 8 minutes, uncovered. Remove from the heat. Put three-quarters of the soup mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and stir in the cream, parsley and parmesan. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over more parmesan, to taste. Serve with crusty bread. Kali oreksi!

Feta Stuffed Zucchini Rolls

Ingredients:

5 large zucchini, cut in thin slices, lenghways
100gram feta
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped
fresh rocket
juice of ½ lemon
salt & pepper

How to prepare:

Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil and grill in a pan until. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Mix feta, mint and chilli in a food processor and blend. Spread the feta mixture on the grilled zucchini slices, followed by a piece of fresh rocket and roll up. Kali oreksi!

Zucchini Roasted With Parmesan

Ingredients:

2 zucchini – cut into 4ths – length wise

1 tablespoon olive oilsalt

garlic powder

black pepper

1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese

How to cook: 

This is very easy to cook. I try to have this appetizer when I have guests at home and also my wife likes it very much. Preheat oven to 400. Lay zucchini on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Brush olive oil on each and sprinkle: salt, pepper, garlic powder. Top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender and cheese is browned.