Balanced meals to counter festive overload

With Christmas and New Year indulgences still fresh in our minds, these recipes felt like a perfect and comforting way to begin the year, lighter, wholesome and full of flavour.

Red Cabbage Salad with Beetroot and Pomegranate Seeds

A vibrant winter salad, I think it’s one of the prettiest and most delicious salads, crisp and crunchy, full of vibrant seasonal produce and full of flavour. The pomegranate seeds look like jewels on top.

250g red cabbage, tough core and thick ribs removed, shredded
3 cooked beetroot, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
A small bunch of coriander, chopped
Seeds of 1 medium pomegranate
Citrus Vinaigrette
Juice 1/2 fresh orange
Juice 1/2 lemon + zest
2 tbsp red/wine vinegar
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 garlic cloves, grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the shredded red cabbage, beetroot and sliced onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss well.
Whisk all ingredients for the dressing together until combined and emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and season to taste. Mix the chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds.
The salad tastes better after a couple of hours when the cabbage softens and the flavours come together.

Courgette Pie

It’s called “lazy” courgette pie without pastry is a very easy and simple, comforting dish that gives you all the flavours of a traditional courgette and feta pie without the fuss of filo or pastry. It’s especially popular in Greek home cooking and is often called “kolokithopita without filo.”

3 medium courgettes, grated and placed in a sieve with a little salt
1 medium leek, washed and thinly sliced
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup natural yoghurt + 2 tbsp milk
200g feta, crumbled
2.5 cups self-raising flour approximately
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped or parsley
A little salt to taste
Lots of ground black pepper
A little ground nutmeg (optional)
For the topping
1 courgette, thinly sliced into rounds
Sesame seeds white and black

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté the leek and spring onion until softened, allow to cool.
In a bowl beat the eggs and olive oil. Add squeezed courgettes and the sliced spring onions and mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Place in a 24 x 20cm greased and floured oven tray topped with sliced courgettes and sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden. Cool the pie for 5 minutes then, cut and serve.

Chicken with Taro Root

Kolokassi (Colocasia Esculenta) is a starchy root vegetable commonly known as taro root, similar to yam. It is native to the Pacific Islands and is the Hawaiian national dish called Poi. It’s believed that the Romans introduced it to Cyprus, and it is unheard of in Greece apart from the island of Ikaria.

There were villages in northern Cyprus named Kolokassi and Rizokarpasso, which were known for growing taro. Today, the main area of production in Cyprus is Sotira, in the south of the island near my village, Avgorou. Each region of Cyprus has its own recipe for kolokassi. This is mine, and it’s how my dear mum used to cook it, but I added carrots too.

8 medium chicken thighs, with skin and bone on
1 kg kolokassi (taro root)
½ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 sticks of celery, cut into chunks (keep the leaves)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
3 tbsp tomato purée
1 medium cinnamon stick
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

Prepare the taro root: Top, tail, and peel it as you would a potato, but slightly deeper. The correct way is to snap chunks off with a knife rather than slicing, it prevents the taro from becoming slimy and helps it cook evenly. Do not wash the taro after peeling, just wipe it clean.
Brown the chicken: Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok and fry the chicken gently until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside.
Fry the taro: In the same oil, fry the taro pieces until golden all over. Remove and set aside.
Cook the vegetables: Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots until soft. Return the chicken to the pan, then add the cinnamon stick and taro root. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the tomato purée and celery leaves, and pour in enough warm water to just cover the chicken and taro. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 50 minutes. Try not to stir too much, as taro can become mushy.
Finish: Add the lemon juice, shake the pan gently, taste the sauce, and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve the Cypriot way, with plenty of thick sliced onions and lots of crusty bread.

Loulla’s book My Kosmos My Kitchen can be ordered from www.amazon.com or www.austinmacauley.com/book/my-kosmos-my-kitchen. For more traditional Greek and Cypriot recipes and inspiration, join Loulla’s Facebook group Loulla’s Recipe Share