with Anne Zouroudi
We are delighted to welcome mystery author Anne Zouroudi to Omnimystery News.
Anne's fourth "Deadly Sins" mystery is The Lady of Sorrows (Little, Brown; March 2014 hardcover, audio and ebook formats) in which the inimitable detective Hermes Diaktoros faces forgery, betrayal, and superstition, and the consequences of all-consuming rage.
In honor of Easter, Anne has provided us with two special recipes that you can make and serve to your guests: Kourabiethes (Greek Butter Cookies); and Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini and Feta Cheese Fritters).
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Photo provided courtesy of
Anne Zouroudi
Kourabiethes — Greek Butter Cookies
These shortbread-like cookies are traditionally served on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. They're easy to make, and drenched in powdered sugar they make a lovely centrepiece for any family gathering.
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: About 40 cookies
Ingredients:
• 1 lb softened butter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus plenty more for dusting
• 2 tbsp ouzo, or rosewater, or orange-flower water — if you can't find any of these, use water. (Bergamot oil is lovely too, if you can get it — add a few drops to 2 tbsp water)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and finely chopped
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
Method:
Cream the butter (easiest using a food-processor or electric mixer) until it's light and fluffy. Add the egg-yolks and the half-cup of confectioner's sugar and mix until incorporated. Stir in the ouzo (or whichever flavouring you're using), vanilla and chopped almonds and mix again.
Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and add to the butter mixture a little at a time until it makes a firm dough. Only mix for the minimum time necessary to form the dough or the cookies will lose their lovely crumbly texture. If the dough's too crumbly, add another egg-yolk.
Wrap the dough in cling-film and chill for about half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Traditionally, kourabiethes are shaped into crescents. Take a piece of dough about the size of a walnut, roll it into a log (not too thin), bend it into a curl and pinch the ends to form a crescent "moon".
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Whilst the cookies are still hot, dredge them in confectioner's sugar. Be generous, but take care with the cookies, which are fragile when warm. The sugar will partly melt into the cookies forming a sugary shell. When they're almost cool, dredge them with more sugar so they're pristine white and ready for the table.
Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini and Feta Cheese Fritters)
Easy to make and delicious, these savoury fritters are a great alternative to traditional Greek meat-based keftedes.
Makes about 12 fritters.
Ingredients:
• 1 large peeled potato
• 3 zucchini, washed, topped & tailed
• ½ onion
• 1 pack feta cheese
• 1 egg
• A few sprigs of fresh dill, or 1tsp dried – mint is good too, if you prefer
• Salt and pepper
• A little all-purpose flour
• Oil for frying
Method:
Grate the onion, potato and zucchini into a bowl. You can do this by hand (mind your knuckles) or use a food-processor. Squeeze any excess liquid from the raw vegetables.
Mix in the chopped herbs, egg, feta and salt and pepper, being generous with the seasoning.
Over low to medium heat, pour enough oil into a frying pan to cover the base. Form the vegetable mixture into small patties (if the mixture is wet, add a little flour) and dip in flour before frying gently, turning when the first side is golden brown.
Serve with salad and a dip of thick Greek yogurt or skordalia.
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Anne Zouroudi was born in England and has lived in the Greek islands. Her attachment to Greece remains strong, and the country is the inspiration for much of her writing. She now lives in the Derbyshire Peak District with her son.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at AnneZouroudi.com or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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The Lady of Sorrows
Anne Zouroudi
A Seven Deadly Sins Mystery
