Grecian Gourmet

I do love a good British Summer, don't you?

When it finally arrives, it's a mad rush to indulge in all its pleasures – achieving that all-important bottle-free tan for one – and doing so before the sun quickly disappears again.

Last summer, I holidayed in the enchanting ‘Mamma Mia’-style town of Parga, mainland Greece, a place that embodies a natural beauty. It's more authentic than Athens, the real deal – Parga is the Greek’s Greece.

As a country, Greece holds a strong sense of tradition and patriotism, yet life is a celebration for family and friends to revel in it.

The more acquainted I became with the Greeks, it was apparent that this is a nation that has captivated every essence of exquisite simplicity and has inherited a strong sense of community, which is reflected clearly in their gracious hospitality.

This became more apparent on ‘Greek Night’, where locals, young and old came together to celebrate life and cherish laughter. The night was filled with delicious Greek food, fragrant wine, live music and lots of ribald Greek dancing. Everybody joined in, even the grandmothers, who put our two left feet completely to shame.

Greece is an inspirational culinary destination. The streets are filled with heady smells of lemon, oregano and garlic – three of the key ingredients to be found in many traditional dishes along with crumbling chunks of delicious feta cheese. The Greeks are incredibly proud of their food and demonstrate an intoxicating passion for authentic flavour in their dishes, where every mouthful is heavenly. What caught my attention was a little old Greek lady on a stall selling a widespread collection of herbs. To me, this was Christmas come early, to the point I was perfectly willing to sacrifice the space in my suitcase saved for the duty-free gin! Many restaurants are family-run with mothers in the kitchen cooking dishes passed down through generations, whilst their sons and daughters welcome you at front of house.

The recipe I’ve concocted here brings together a host of key flavours, which I hope will titillate your taste buds and get your feet itching to visit Parga -www.parga.com.  A truly magical experience.

 

Grecian stuffed chicken

Serves 4

4 plump chicken breasts

12 slices of Parma ham

200g sun-blushed tomatoes

100g Kalamata olive tapenade

150g Halloumi cheese (alternative - feta)

Bunch of fresh oregano, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 lemons, juiced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pepper

Foil

Method

  Preheat oven to 170’C

Slice the chicken lengthways, in half and pad it out using a rolling pin

Smother the inside with olive tapenade

Then place sundried tomatoes, sprinkle with oregano, garlic and top with sliced halloumi

Close the chicken breast, making sure you secure all the filling in

Wrap in Parma ham, where the ends meet, add another slice to secure it

Drizzle with oil, lemon juice,  season with pepper

Individually wrap each breast in foil, fold up into a sealed parcel

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes

Serve with crushed new potatoes, drizzled with the juice from the chicken, a tomato and mint salad, with a dollop of Tzatziki. Not forgetting a large glass of white wine or a fresh strawberry daiquiri.

ACCOMPANIMENT: Timos  Spanos’s mouth-watering strawberry daiquiris, made with fresh strawberries. It’s a long way for a cocktail but it’s definitely worth it! http://www.kaminibar.gr

Enjoy...YAMAS!!!