I Quit Sugar for Life (33 page)
Read I Quit Sugar for Life Online
Authors: Sarah Wilson
SERVES
Consider this a lesson from the Ikarians in eating olive oil correctly like the Ikarians do. The Ikarians don’t eat moderate amounts of olive
oil, they eat lashings of it. Embrace their secret and use more than you’re used to in this dish. Soufiko is a classic Ikarian dish served at almost every meal. It’s basically fresh
vegetables slow-cooked in oil.
The vegetables I’ve used here are best suited to summer. If something here isn’t in season, use beans – flat or string –
some okra, corn cobs, and so on, or up the amounts of the other vegetables. I personally like it best with just courgettes.
1 large aubergine, cut into 2-cm pieces
2 onions, cut in half then sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 peppers (red or green or both), cut into 2-cm pieces
2 courgettes, cut into 2-cm pieces
2 tomatoes, cut into 2-cm pieces
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 teaspoons good-quality dried oregano
full-fat organic plain yoghurt, to serve
Layer the vegetables in a large frying pan with a heavy base and a lid, or a very shallow saucepan, in the order listed (i.e. the longest-to-cook vegetables on the bottom),
seasoning with salt and pouring the olive oil over the top at the end. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20–30 minutes. Sprinkle oregano over the top and drizzle over extra olive oil to serve.
Eat hot or cold with bread or Sardines ’n’ Roots or yoghurt . . . and more oil!
Courgettes are, in fact, my favourite vegetable
with 3 X New York twists
SERVES
Sardines are the best fish. Period. They’re super high in DHA, their edible bones are brimful of minerals, they are low in mercury and the most
sustainable option at the fishmonger. They’re currently not overfished, there’s little or no by-catch and you can eat the whole thing. And they’re dirt-cheap. PS Studies show
oven-baking is the best way to preserve sardines’ healthy oils.
You can buy sardines whole and fillet them yourself by cutting from just beneath the head down the belly and removing the gills and insides. Wash
under running water and rub to remove blood and scales. Pat dry. (I personally eat the heads and tails . . . the best bit, ask any Italian.) Squeamish? Get the fishmonger to do it for you so you
start with butterflied fillets.
1–2 cups (150–300 g) sliced pumpkin, potato or sweet potato, skin on
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sardines (16 if you’re going to save some for the variations below. You can use tinned sardines for these recipes if you like)
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed but skin on couple of sprigs of thyme or oregano or rosemary, chopped
pinch of chilli flakes
1 lemon (½ cut into wedges, ½ reserved)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste, but be generous)
Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas 6). Arrange the root vegetables in an even layer on a greased baking dish or tray, season and drizzle with half the olive oil and bake for
20–25 minutes.
Place the sardines over and scatter the onion, garlic, herbs, chilli, plenty of pepper and salt and the lemon wedges around. Squeeze the juice of the reserved lemon over and
the rest of the oil. Return to the oven and roast for 10 more minutes until the sardines are just cooked.
If you’re cooking extra sardines, set these next to your roots, or place on another lightly greased tray, insides facing up, sprinkle with extra herbs, chilli flakes,
pepper and salt and oil and cook at the same time (also for 10 minutes).
SOLO COOKERS + FOURSOME FAMILIES:
This recipe is a one-pan-wonder-for-one, easily expandable to serve 4 or more. I
recommend solo cookers cook up a bunch and then set aside to eat as below.
New York Variations:
During my recent visits to New York, I noticed sardines were quite de rigueur. Here are a few NYC-inspired recipes.