Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!
My husband’s father was from Lefkada. Lefkada is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea and along with five other islands, Corfu, Cephalonia, Ithaca, Zakynthos and Paxoi forms the prefecture of Ionian islands.
Its name came from a cape in the southern end of the island called “Lefkáta”. Close by the cape there is a temple of god Apollo in which the cape’s rock was devoted. One theory says that Lefkada was Odysseus’ Ithaca in Homer’s poems and not Ithaca as we know it today.
People of Lefkada in ancient history have participated in all big and important battles such as Salamina naval battle and Plataies battle against the Persians and they offered men to Alexander the Great’s campaign in Asia.
Aristotle Onassis, the very famous Greek tycoon during the 60’s, bought an island across the eastern side of Lefkada and called it Scorpio. This island accommodated many rich and famous people of that era such as Maria Callas who was also his mistress for a period of time, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier and Winston Churchill. In 1968 Onassis married Jackie Kennedy in that very island and the wedding was followed by a glorious party with many celebrities of the time.
In 2013 Athina Onassis daughter of Christina Onassis and granddaughter of Aristotle Onassis sold the island to the Russian millionaire Dmitri Rybolovlev. He completely renovated the houses in the island and his daughter Ekaterina threw a glorious party for her 25‘v birthday.
Lefkada has some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece and the Mediterranean and I am adding this you tube video for you to see. Apart from its natural beauties, the island is famous for making a delicious salami which looks like a sausage. The patent comes from Italy and most particularly Burano area. Some people from there came to Lefkada to live and they brought the art of making this salami to the island. It is made with pork meat and has a very fine garlic aroma, whole peppercorns, salt and nitrates. The final product is left to mature between 8 and 18 months depending on the size and the weather conditions.
A few days ago I visited along with some friends the restaurant of a very famous Greek chef. Of course he was not there at the moment; other cooks were in the open kitchen and cooked. I ordered as a first the squash soup, but I wasn’t happy at all with my choice, as it was quite sour and didn’t live to my expectations. Overall, I would say that I wasn’t impressed at all by the selection of dishes I’ve tried.
Anyway, coming back home I decided to make my own version and see if the soup was sour because of wrong doing or because it is that way. After making it, I can tell you that I was very happy with the result and the addition of Lefkada salami and halloumi croutons was just the perfect choice. I know that you probably won’t be able to find this salami, but you certainly can find halloumi. Try and broil it for a few minutes and then add it to any soup, you will be amazed by the result. It is exquisite and so was the soup!
- 1 kilo / 2 lb. butternut squash flesh
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 800 ml / 27 fl. oz. vegetables stock
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp dried sage
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cm / 0.7 in. of fresh ginger, minced
- 200 gr. / 7 oz. halloumi
- 200 gr. / 7 oz. Lefkada salami or any other sausage you have
- Olive oil for sautéing the onions
- In a deep pot pour couple of tbsp. of olive oil and sugar and sauté the onions in medium heat to caramelize about 20 minutes.
- Add the scallion and the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes.
- Add the squash and sauté for another couple of minutes.
- Pour the stock and add the herbs and spices except the ginger and the salt.
- Always salt soups towards the end because if you start from the beginning and because some of the liquid evaporates you may end up with a salty soup.
- Cook in medium/low until the squash is soft.
- Three minutes before the end add the ginger and some salt after you taste the soup.
- In your blender put all the solids and blend.
- Return to the pot and add the liquid as well and whisk.
- Cut halloumi in slices and put it under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Cut the salami and halloumi in tiny cubes in the size of croutons.
- Pour the soup in bowls and top it with salami and halloumi.
- Accompany it with warm bread.
- 1 κιλό σάρκα κολοκύθας
- 2 μέτρια κρεμμύδια, κομμένα σε φέτες
- 1 κρεμμυδάκι, ψιλοκομμένο
- 2 σκελίδες σκόρδο
- 1 κ.σ. ζάχαρη
- 800 ml ζωμό λαχανικών
- ½ κ.γ. μοσχοκάρυδο
- 1 κ.σ. ξερό φασκόμηλο
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι
- 2 εκατοστά τζίντζερ φρέσκο, ψιλοκομμένο
- 200 γρ. χαλλούμι
- 200 γρ. σαλάμι Λευκάδας
- Ελαιόλαδο για το σοτάρισμα
- Σε μια βαθιά κατσαρόλα ρίξτε δύο κουταλιές ελαιόλαδο, τη ζάχαρη και τα κρεμμύδια και σωτάρετε σε μέτρια φωτιά να καραμελώσουν περίπου 20 λεπτά.
- Προσθέστε το κρεμμύδι και το σκόρδο και σοτάρετε για άλλα δύο λεπτά.
- Προσθέστε την κολοκύθα και σοτάρετε για άλλα δύο λεπτά.
- Ρίξτε το ζωμό και προσθέστε τα βότανα και τα μπαχαρικά, εκτός από το τζίντζερ και το αλάτι.
- Πάντα το αλάτι στις σούπες το βάζουμε προς το τέλος.
- Εάν ξεκινήσετε από την αρχή και επειδή τμήμα του υγρού εξατμίζεται, μπορεί να καταλήξετε με μια σούπα αλμυρή.
- Μαγειρέψτε σε μεσαία/χαμηλή φωτιά μέχρι να μαλακώσει η κολοκύθα.
- Τρία λεπτά πριν το τέλος προσθέστε το τζίντζερ και λίγο αλάτι και δοκιμάστε.
- Στο μπλέντερ βάλτε όλα τα στερεά και λιώστε τα.
- Επιστρέψτε τα στην κατσαρόλα και προσθέστε τα υγρά και ανακατέψτε.
- Κόψτε το χαλλούμι σε φέτες και βάλτε το στο γκριλ για 3 έως 5 λεπτά.
- Κόψτε το σαλάμι και το χαλούμι σε μικρά κυβάκια στο μέγεθος του κρουτόν.
- Ρίξτε τη σούπα σε μπολ και από πάνω τα κρουτόν από το σαλάμι και το χαλλούμι.
- Συνοδέψτε με ζεστό ψωμί.
