Eat like the Greek with these four recipes

You don't need to head all the way over to Europe to sample authentic Greek flavours. Take inspiration and resolve to go Mediterranean this weekend

Fig & Walnut Salad
Prep time: 30 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
125 gm rocket or mixed leaves
10 gm picked parsley
10 gm picked mint
10 gm sliced spring onion
10 gm diced shallots
4 figs, quartered
50 gm toasted walnuts, crushed
30 gm graviera or Parmesan cheese
40 ml dressing (see recipe below)
For the dressing:
100 ml grapeseed oil
40 ml orange blossom honey
40 ml orange juice
20 ml yuzu juice
30 ml white balsamic vinegar
5 gm salt
Method
For the dressing, combine all ingredients and set aside (it can be stored in the fridge up to three days).
Remove any bruised leaves.
Mix all the ingredients for the salad together, reserving 15 gm cheese and 25 gm walnuts to be placed on top of the salad when finished.
Spicy Red Pepper Dip
Prep time: 30 mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients
200 gm roasted red peppers
100 gm soft feta cheese
100 gm semi-hard feta cheese
15 gm harissa paste
10 gm red vinegar
Method
To get roasted peppers, char grill or place peppers directly on top of gas flame. Keep on the fire till evenly blackened. Place in bowl and cover. Peel when cooled and remove seeds.
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend.
TIP: Do not blend too fine. You still want the cheese a little chunky. You can keep it refrigerated for up to three days.
Kleftiko & Feta Mash
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 6 hrs
Serves: 1

Ingredients
1 lamb shoulder (2-3 kg)
2 L chicken stock
50 gm celery
50 gm onion
50 gm carrots
30 gm whole garlic
20 gm parsley
10 gm thyme
For the feta mash:
2 kg Désirée potato
200 gm butter
200 gm cream
100 ml milk
100 gm feta
Method
Season lamb with salt and pepper, sear off the lamb and place in a roasting pan.
Add vegetables and stock to pan. If stock is not covering ¾ of the lamb shoulder, add water.
Cover with foil and cook at 150°C for 6-7 hours till meat is tender and falling off bone.
Drain all liquid from lamb; reserve 500 ml and reduce the rest until you get a sticky texture.
Pick all meat and add to sauce. Mix well and roll in cling film to form a round shape. Refrigerate until set.
For the mash, boil potato until tender. Drain till dry. Heat up butter, cream and milk. Press the potato through a ricer or drum sieve.
Add butter mixture to potato and slowly beat in (you may not need all the butter mix). Finish with feta cheese. Season to taste depending on how salty your feta cheese is.
To finish plating, slice the lamb shoulder into 3 cm rounds and sear in a hot pan. Place over mash.
Reduce the remaining liquid with 10 gm of mint until it resembles a gravy.
Top lamb with sauce and garnish as desired or with a mint salad.
Loukoumades
Prep time: 20 mins
Wait time: 5 hrs
Cook time: 6 mins
Serves: 1

Ingredients
240 ml water
240 ml milk
15 gm dry active yeast
30 gm sugar
450 gm flour
5 gm salt
40 gm melted butter
200 ml warm honey
Toasted pistachio
Lemon zest
Chocolate sauce
Ice cream of choice

Method
Heat water and milk to 30°C and add yeast and sugar.
Let the milk mixture sit until bubbly and frothy.
Slowly mix in flour and finish with the melted butter. Let it sit in a warm place between 28-30°C for around 5 hours till about four times the original quantity.
Heat a fryer to 170°C.
Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop mix into small balls and place in fryer.
When balls are done and removed, drain for 3-4 seconds, then place in honey.
Serve immediately in a bowl with ice cream and top with pistachios, lemon zest and chocolate sauce.