Olive Oil & Fire

What's inside

180 pages in six parts, with photographs throughout.

1. Part One My Story

   A village, a fryer in Melbourne, and the long way home.

   Popi's life in four chapters: the village in Crete, thirty years of frying fish in Oakleigh, the doctor and the word "keto", and going home.

2. Part Two The Rules

   Part rulebook, part scolding, all of it for your own good.

   What keto is, in plain words. The Ten Rules of the House. Olive oil, the seven greens, fish, and why she doesn't trust anything in a wrapper. What the first two weeks feel like, protein after sixty, and who must ask the doctor before starting.

   In Yiayia Says No, she tastes eight fashionable keto products and ranks them. Ten is the worst.

   

3. Part Three The Kitchen

   Kitchen Tuesdays: Cretan food, one pan, no nonsense.

   Thirty-six recipes in seven groups. Most are Greek, and some come from further round the Mediterranean: Italy, Spain, Turkey, Lebanon, Morocco and France. Each one tells you how many it serves, how long it takes, the net carbs per serving and what it contains, for allergies. After them comes a week of meals at Yiayia's table.

   The 36 recipes

   Open a group to see its recipes and their pages in the book.

   Greens and vegetables 7 recipes

   1. Horta Vrastapage 38Χόρτα βραστά Boiled wild greens
   2. Cauliflower "Pilafi"page 40Κουνουπίδι πιλάφι A Kitchen Tuesday favourite
   3. Hortopita Without the Pitapage 42Χορτόπιτα χωρίς φύλλο Crustless greens pie
   4. Briampage 44Μπριάμ Summer vegetables baked in olive oil, without the potatoes
   5. Imam bayildipage 46İmam bayıldı Aubergines stuffed with onion and tomato
   6. Zaaloukpage 48زعلوك Moroccan aubergine and tomato, cooked down
   7. Bamies laderespage 50Μπάμιες λαδερές Okra in tomato and olive oil

   Eggs and cheese 4 recipes

   1. Sfougatopage 52Σφουγγάτο Cretan courgette omelette
   2. Strapatsadapage 54Στραπατσάδα Greek scrambled eggs with tomato and feta
   3. Zucchini frittatapage 56Frittata di zucchine Italian egg cake with zucchini and Parmigiano
   4. Bouyiourdipage 58Μπουγιουρντί Baked feta with tomato and peppers

   Salads, dips and small plates 7 recipes

   1. Choriatiki the Cretan Waypage 60Χωριάτικη Village salad
   2. Romaine and dill saladpage 62Μαρουλοσαλάτα Shredded lettuce with spring onion and feta
   3. Tzatzikipage 64Τζατζίκι Cold garlic yoghurt with cucumber
   4. Smoked aubergine dippage 66Μελιτζανοσαλάτα Roasted aubergine mashed with garlic and oil
   5. Black olive tapenadepage 68Tapenade noire Crushed olive paste from Provence
   6. Yiayia's Seed Crackerspage 70Παξιμάδι των σπόρων The rusk without the flour
   7. Dakospage 72Ντάκος The Cretan salad on a rusk

   Soups 3 recipes

   1. Kakaviapage 74Κακαβιά Fisherman's soup without the potatoes
   2. Chicken Avgolemonopage 76Κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονο Egg-lemon soup with cauliflower rice
   3. Stracciatella alla romanapage 78Stracciatella alla romana Roman egg-drop soup

   Fish and seafood 7 recipes

   1. Sardines on the Coalspage 80Σαρδέλες στα κάρβουνα The fisherman's lunch
   2. Octopus Ksidatopage 82Χταπόδι ξυδάτο Octopus in oil and vinegar
   3. Chochlioi Boubouristipage 84Χοχλιοί μπουμπουριστοί Snails face-down
   4. Shrimp saganakipage 86Γαρίδες σαγανάκι Shrimp with tomato, feta and ouzo
   5. Whole roasted sea bass or sea breampage 88Λαβράκι ή τσιπούρα ψητή με λαδολέμονο With an oil and lemon sauce
   6. Marinated anchoviespage 90Boquerones en vinagre Fresh anchovies in vinegar and olive oil
   7. Sicilian swordfishpage 92Pesce spada alla ghiotta With tomatoes, olives and capers

   Meat 5 recipes

   1. Lamb with Lemon and Oreganopage 94Αρνί λεμονάτο One pan, Sunday only
   2. Chicken souvlaki with tzatzikipage 96Κοτόπουλο σουβλάκι Lemon and oregano chicken skewers
   3. Baked Greek meatballs with fetapage 98Κεφτέδες Keftedes made without bread
   4. Lebanese kafta kebabspage 100كفتة Grilled beef and lamb with parsley and onion
   5. Veal saltimbocca alla romanapage 102Saltimbocca alla romana Veal with prosciutto and sage in butter and wine

   Breakfast and sweet things 3 recipes

   1. Yoghurt with Walnuts and Cinnamonpage 104Γιαούρτι με καρύδια The only dessert you need
   2. Labneh with olive oil, za'atar and cucumberpage 106لبنة Strained yoghurt for breakfast
   3. Sugar-free lemon panna cottapage 108Panna cotta al limone Lemon cream set with gelatin, sweetened with stevia
   • Horta Vrasta
   • Shrimp saganaki (AI image)
   • Dakos
   • Briam (AI image)
   • Sardines on the Coals
   • Chicken souvlaki (AI image)
   • Chicken Avgolemono
   • Baked Greek meatballs (AI image)

4. Part Four Move Every Day

   The sea in the morning, the steps all day, and a chair to hold on to.

   Three chapters. The first, How much movement, says what the health services and the World Health Organization ask for, in plain numbers, and how to start if you have not moved in years. Lifting things explains why muscle matters as you get older and gives Popi's water jug workout, six exercises with a jug of water or a kettlebell. Not falling has the NHS balance exercises, and covers shoes, medicines, making the house safe and what to do if you fall.

   Each chapter says who must ask the doctor before starting.

   

5. Part Five Living Well

   Sleep, the bad days, company, and a little sun.

   Four chapters. Sleep covers how many hours you need, habits that help, naps, snoring, and what to know before you take anything to sleep. The bad days is about stress, breathing, the garden, grief, and when to ask for help. Company is about why the people around you matter for your health, eating with others, and giving something back. Sun, water and a glass of wine covers vitamin D, how much to drink, and alcohol with your tablets.

   Each chapter ends with a few small things to do this week.

6. Part Six Questions from the Grandchildren

   Answered while shelling almonds and cleaning fish.

   Fifteen questions, about fruit and beans, cholesterol, cheat days, exercise, sleep, wine, feeling low and living alone. Then a last word from the kitchen table, a glossary of the Greek words she uses, and the sources: Where the Recipes Come From, Where the Health Information Comes From, and For the Curious.