Georgina Hayden

Feeding since 1982

Cyprus! Taverna! What a few months…

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Lets be honest if there was ever a time when I should have been blogging regularly, it was probably the last few months. So much has been going on! A book, filming stuff, writing… There is a backlog. BUT you’ve all been asking for Cyprus recommendations and I’m aware the summer season is very much upon us so I’m going to start with that. I’ll bombard you with the videos and Taverna chat later. I have to say though, when we go, we’re very much local – eating at our aunts and uncles houses. Staying at my grandparents apartment. I stayed at a hotel there for the first time this year, but hopefully there is some useable stuff in here for you!

TIPS

  • My biggest tip is to hire a car. It’s a small island, and unless you are hell bent on staying by the pool all day the best thing really is to hire a car and explore. All the good, less touristy stuff is inland.
  • If you are there on a weekend ask a local if there is a paniyiri nearby. These are religious festivals, which can take over an entire village. Stalls, food, music – lots of fun and worth seeking.
  • Try the local wine. Cypriot white and rose is GOOD.
  • Drink like a local: frappe! All Cypriots love an ice coffee in the heat. When they ask how you like it, start with half and half (half water/ half milk) and one sugar and go from there.
  • Try the local bakeries. If you are a fan of tahini get a ‘tahinopita’ – a tahini, honey and cinnamon swirl. My achilles heel.
Pistachio tahinopita from Galette bakery

LIMASSOL

Until I grew up and began to drive, Limassol was where I spent most of my time and I have a real soft spot for it. The city isn’t picture postcard like other parts of Cyprus but there has been some real investment going on and it’s really transformed. Also it has a lot of history and I would say is the quirkiest/ least touristy place (which I love). The sea front has an urban promenade, play parks, eateries along the beach and a sparkly new marina which is the current hot area. The old carob mill is just brilliant, the shopping and university areas are very hip – lots of cool coffee shops and graffiti (my favourite part). This is all to the west of the city. The east of the city is all large hotels and can feel a bit unloved. The west of the city definitely has a more vibrant scene.

Limassol promenade
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Pancake Day!

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I’m like a big kid on pancake day – all normal eating rules go out the window and anything goes. Fluffy pancakes with cream, butter and maple syrup, crepe style with copious amounts of lemon and sugar. I even like to properly regress and have a savoury pancake with beans and sausages. If you do want to move away from the standard crepes and American style bad boys, here are a couple of ideas for you. My apple pancakes are like little tart tatins – with a fluffy praline-esque pancake and caramelised fruit underneath. And my wholemeal dutch baby makes the whole event a bit simpler, you just make one big pancake in a pan and let everyone tuck in. It’s a showstopper, and doesn’t feel particularly indulgent (great for little ones if you don’t want to ply them with too much white flour and sugar). But don’t worry if you don’t have wholemeal flour – regular flour is fine too.

Photography by Laura Edwards

 

Apple, ricotta and hazelnuts pancakes

Serves 4

  • 2 nice eating apples (I like coxes or braeburn, nothing with a waxy skin)
  • 1 orange
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • A good pinch of salt
  • Groundnut oil
  • 250g ricotta
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 125g wholemeal flour
  • 50g hazelnuts, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 175ml milk
  • Greek yoghurt, to serve

Place the nuts in a food processor and grind until slightly coarse. Slice the apple into thin 1/2cm slices, then toss in a bowl with the orange zest and mixed spice. Spoon the ricotta into a sieve and press out any excess liquid. Transfer it to a bowl and mix in the egg yolks, vanilla and milk. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and most of the hazelnuts and mix till just combined.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric whisk (or just good strong arms) until you have stiff peaks. Fold one spoonful into the ricotta mixture to loosen, then fold through the rest of the egg whites.

Using a pastry brush or some kitchen towel, rub a large non-stick frying pan with an even thin layer of groundnut oil. Pop onto a medium heat and add all of the apple slices (if you have 2 pans make them all in one go). Squeeze over the orange juice and cook the apples for 3 – 4 minutes to soften slightly, then flip them over for a couple more minutes. Remove half of the apple and leave to one side on a plate. Push the slices in the pan into 4 rounds and drizzle with half the maple syrup. Ladle over 4 ladles full of the pancake batter over the apples- about half the mixture. Fry for 4 minutes, until the underneath is golden, crisp yet sticky then flip over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes on the other side. Serve the pancakes straight away with a dollop of yoghurt, a sprinkle of the reserved hazelnuts and extra maple syrup on the side. Then repeat for the final batch of cooked apples and batter.

Photography by Laura Edwards

 

Blueberry and honey wholemeal dutch baby

Serves 4

  • A knob butter
  • 180 milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • 120g plain wholemeal flour
  • Sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • A few sprigs of basil
  • 250g blueberries
  • 200g Greek yoghurt

Preheat your oven to 220. Whisk the flour, poppy seeds and a good pinch of salt together, then beat in the eggs and milk until you have a smooth batter. Add a splash more milk if it feels too thick, it should be pourable. Also, if you are making the batter in advance, just give it a quick whisk beforehand, with a little more milk. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet or frying pan, around 28cm, and when it’s really hot and bubbling pour in the pancake batter. Quickly transfer the pan to the oven, and leave it to bake for 16-18 minutes. Don’t open the oven door or you’ll have a flat pancake! While the dutch baby is cooking poach the blueberries. Pop them in a small pan with the honey and basil and place on a medium heat. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes, until the blueberries have softened slightly and the honey is rippled with their purple juices. As soon as the dutch baby is ready remove from the oven and serve in wedges with a big dollop of Greek yoghurt and a spoonful of the honey poached blueberries. Delicious.

Batch, budget cooking – Beef Rendang

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Oh January you funny month. When pay day can’t come soon enough, no one can be bothered to leave the house (SO COLD), and an empty diary is a dream – or is that just me?

And now for slight digression (bear with me). I get asked to do lots of interesting things via the weird and wonderful world of Social Media, brands that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with a food writer. I mostly end up saying no because, well, authenticity. However last year Voucher Codes got in touch to ask me if I’d be up for filming a budget friendly family recipe for them. Interesting. Whilst they are not a food brand I appreciate their aim to help people save money and be more savvy. I am constantly trying to be less wasteful, for the environment and for our pockets. So I said yes, and gave them one of my favourite batch cook recipes.

At the time I had just cooked this beef rendang for friends that had come to stay. There were 4 adults in total and 3 children, aged 9, 5 and 16 months. I actually made it with chicken thighs, which you can very easily do. And left out nearly all the chilli, as Persephone was due to eat it too (I sneaked in a very little bit). I simply added chilli oil to the adult portions at the end.

So, here you go, if you can face it, theres a video below of yours truly demonstrating how easy it is to make said Rendang. Perfect for all ages (just adjust the chilli), great to make in advance, little involvement and it freezes really well. I hope you like it.

BEEF RENDANG

  • 4 – 6 dried red chillies
  • 2cm piece of ginger
  • 2 lemongrass stalks
  • 2cm piece galangal (if you can’t find galangal replace with an extra piece of ginger)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 3 shallots
  • 1kg beef shin or stewing beef
  • 1 x 400g can of coconut milk
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves
  • 50g desiccated coconut (unsweetened ideally but don’t worry if not, just soak it in boiling water for a few minutes first)
  • Basmati rice, to serve
  • ½ bunch of coriander

Store cupboard ingredients:

  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Groundnut or vegetable oil
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method:

  1. Place a large casserole pan on a medium heat and toast the dried chillies for a minute.
  2. Meanwhile peel and roughly chop the ginger, galangal (if using), garlic and shallots.
  3. Add to a food processor along with the turmeric and toasted chillies.
  4. Blitz the spices to a paste, adding a splash of water if need be.
  5. Trim the lemongrass stalks and bash them gently in a pestle and mortar.
  6. Pop a large casserole type pan on a medium heat and pour in a couple of tablespoons of groundnut oil.
  7. Add the star anise, cinnamon and lemongrass and fry for a minute.
  8. Spoon in all the spice paste from the food processor and reduce the heat a little.
  9. Gently saute for 10 minutes to soften, stirring often so it doesn’t catch.
  10. Chop the beef into 3cm pieces, removing any large pieces of fat, and add to the pan.
  11. Fry for a few minutes to brown then add the coconut milk along with the kaffir lime leaves.
  12. Turn the heat up and gently bring to the boil. Stir in the brown sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
  13. Once boiling cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat for around 2 – 2.5 hours.
  14. Check the beef, it should be tender and falling apart. If using shin it may take longer, up to 4 hours.
  15. While the beef is cooking toast the coconut. If your desiccated coconut is sweetened, soak in a small bowl in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain it in a sieve to remove the excess sugar.
  16. Toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over a low heat until lightly golden, then keep to one side.
  17. When the rendang is ready, remove the lid and stir in the toasted coconut.
  18. Turn up the heat and bring the rendang back to the boil. You want to cook it over a medium- high heat for a further 15 – 20 minutes, so that the liquid completely cooks away and you are left with a sticky and gnarly curry, that is coated in the coconut spice mix.
  19. Don’t be afraid to let it catch slightly as it cooks, you want it to darken and caramelise.
  20. Cook your rice according to packet instructions and serve alongside the rendang, garnishing with the chopped coriander leaves.