Lawlessness threatens to turn heart of Athens into no-go zone

ATHENSPLUS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
GASTRONOMY
Gladiator of the seas is
pleasure for the palate
Firm swordfish fillets lend themselves to a variety of recipes – while the season lasts
BY DINOS KIOUSIS
This fast-growing giant weighs 24
kilos at the age of one year, beefing
up to 140 kilos the next and
can reach 650 kilos when fully
grown.
Xiphias gladius, commonly
known as swordfish, reaches up
to 7 meters in length.
Its “sword,” which accounts for
about a third of its length, is its only
weapon, as the adult swordfish
has no teeth. Extremely aggressive,
it is known to attack whales,
dolphins, sharks and even small
The best homemade lemonade in Athens
Two women present their take on traditional recipes for fruit juices and preserves
BY MYRSINI LAMBRAKI
Piles of lemons from the fragrant
orchards of Ileia and Chios and
sacks of green walnuts from Pelion
greet visitors at the headquarters
of Idiston in the Athens suburb of
Nea Philadelphia, where Anastasia
Aroni and Athanasia Lazarou
transform top-quality raw ingredients
both conventionally and
organically grown, into concentrated
fruit juices, preserves and
jams.
Unadulterated
No preservatives are used
in Idiston juices
“Primary produce is the most
important thing in our workshop,”
said Aroni. Although far
from the source of the produce
they use, the two women travel
from one end of the country to the
other in search of the best fruit and
vegetables. The citrus fruits and
tiny grapes are all from organic
farms. The plums are from Skope-
32
boats (they can pierce 10 centimeters
of wood) at speeds of up
to 65 kilometers an hour.
In Greek waters they are most
plentiful in the sea off Methana
and Poros, south of Kythera, off
Halkidiki and Karpathos, and
around Lemnos.
Fresh swordfish in the market
is exclusively Greek. Fishing this
species is banned between October
1 and January 1. Usually sold
in fillets, prices range from 16-18
euros per kilo.
The best way to enjoy swordfish
is grilled, but be careful not to dry
los, the sour cherries from Tripoli.
“Our main concern is to choose
the fruit in season when they have
ripened properly. These lemons
are fresh, juicy and unwaxed with
an authentic aroma. That way we
get the best flavor and all the nutritional
value.”
Nine years of experience goes
into their products, but the recipes
go back much further.
“My grandmother used to serve
her recipe for lemonade on hot
days, when I was a child at her
home in Sparta,” said Aroni.
The lemons are all cut and
squeezed by hand and the juice enriched
by the zest of green, unripened
lemons and very little sugar.
No preservatives are used.
The mixture is then left to simmer
for at least 10 minutes – it is the
most sensitive of all the juices as
it can’t have too much sugar.
That also applies to the mandarin
and sour cherry juices,
which require only as much sugar
as needed to sweeten the mixture
without masking the fruit flavor.
A little sour cherry pulp is left
Last chance
Get it fresh before the
annual ban on swordfish
fishing starts on October 1
it out. Cubed and skewered with
onions, tomatoes and sprinkled
with basil and oregano, cooking requiresno
more than 10-12 minutes,
but keep turning and basting.
Ask your fishmonger to cut
them in thicker slices of 3.5to 4 centimeters
for skewering to obtain
larger cubes.
The lemons are all cut and squeezed by hand and the juice enriched
by the zest of green, unripened lemons and very little sugar.
in the juice to boost the taste.
Their only complaint is the fact
that some customers wonder how
a firm based in Athens can produce
an “authentic” product –
even more reason for them to continue
focusing on specializing in
juices and preserves while keeping
quality at an optimum.
Idiston juices and
preserves are sold at
delicatessens, grocery shops
and stores selling traditional
products throughout Greece.
The headquarters is located at
10 Zaimi Street in Nea
Philadelphia (tel
210.253.3698).
RECIPES
Grilled marinated
swordfish
Ingredients (for 6)
3 swordfish fillets (350-400 gr each)
240 ml white wine
60 ml gin
1 tsp green pepper
1 tsp crushed thyme
1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
3 sliced garlic cloves
3 tsp olive oil
Finely chopped leaves of 6 parsley sprigs
Mix the wine, gin,
pepper, thyme,
rosemary and half
a cup of water in a
large bowl. Place
the fillets in the
marinade so that
they are covered
and leave in the
refrigerator for
about three hours,
turning every 45
minutes. Strain
the fillets, keeping the liquid aside and saute in
the oil with one of the garlic cloves, sliced, for
one or two minutes. Remove and set aside. Add
the rest of the garlic to the pan and simmer for
10-12 minutes until the liquid is reduced by
about half. Put the fillets into a baking dish and
grill them, basting with the sauce, for about 5-7
minutes on each side, depending on the
temperature. Serve garnished with the sauce
and the chopped parsley.
Baked swordfish
in wine
Ingredients (for 6)
6 swordfish fillets (180-200 gr each)
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped in the blender
5 sliced garlic cloves
1 large onion, sliced in rings
120 ml red wine
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
Preheat the oven to 220C. Mix all the ingredients
except the fish and the onion in a bowl. Spread
half of the mixture in a baking dish, topped first
with the onion rings and then with the fish fillets.
Pour the rest of the mixture over the fish and
cover the dish with baking paper. Bake for about
25 minutes. Halfway through, remove the
baking paper and turn the fillets over to brown
on the other side. Test with a fork – it should
stick to the bone. To obtain more sauce, add a
third of a cup of water after removing the paper.
Serve with rice.