Yiayia is an original legend: fire master and cucumber whisperer with the strongest calves in Perivoli village. Now she’s a local celebrity after her film got 4.7 stars on film platform, Nowness.
We’ve been to Corfu a few times now, to film, cook and photograph Yiayia (a diva attitude is starting to show). The minute we get into her village, family members start appearing, from behind bougainvillea bushes, through beaded curtains, rising from their plastic chairs – approaching our Anastasia and embracing her. The biggest hug comes from Yiayia Anastasia, cheek bones smashing from the force of the two kisses. Hugs turn to abuse quite quickly. Last time she told Ana to tell me that my bum was much bigger than the previous year and then broke into hysterical laughter as this information was translated.
It’s better for everyone that she keeps her manipulations to the fish, which she prepares with great prowess, then slips them into the fire at exactly the right moment, flicking olive oil across their bodies with her stick of dried oregano. With Greek salad made with her own tomatoes and cucumbers, chips cooked in her own cloudy olive oil (when else do you get such luxury?), fresh lemon juice and a blob of skordalia, it really is Yiayia on a plate. We’ve styled, photographed and filmed this dish so much it’s become almost iconic.
Don’t be tempted to put the potatoes for skordalia into a blender. It will resemble wallpaper glue and cling to the roof of your mouth. We made this mistake when cooking a Yiayia-inspired supper for 40, and Yiayia was both cross and disappointed when she heard.
(Iska on Anastasia’s grandmother)
Marinated Sea Bream
Feeds 4
Takes 25 minutes
Ingredients
4 medium whole sea bream, gutted and descaled
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
2 tbsp dried oregano
15 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
Method
With a sharp knife make 3 or 4 incisions along each side of the fish and rub all over with sea salt flakes before placing in a large dish.
In a bowl, prepare the marinade by combining the oregano, olive oil and garlic.
Spoon the marinade over the fish, rubbing the mix all over and inside the fish to coat.
Cook the fish over a fire, on a barbecue or under a hot grill for about 8–10 minutes on each side, until the skin is blistered and the fish cooked through.
Squeeze the lemon juice over just before you serve (don’t add during the cooking, as it makes the fish stick to the grill).
Garlic dip (skordalia)
Feeds 4–6
Takes 35 minutes
Ingredients
8 medium floury potatoes, peeled and halved
1 whole bulb garlic, cloves separated and peeled
100ml olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
Method
Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for 15–20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and leave to steam in the pan for a moment.
Bash the garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar until they form a paste, or finely grate. Yiayia’s pestle and mortar is a thing of wonder and big enough for her to add the potatoes, but if yours isn’t, simply transfer the garlic into the potato pan with the olive oil and mash or blend gently with a hand blender until smooth.
Finally, add the lemon juice and season to taste. Then add a little bit of water at a time, until it reaches a runny consistency. Serve with an extra trickle of oil on top, if you like.
Greek Salad
Feeds 4
Takes 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ red onion, finely sliced into half-moons
25 kalamata olives
1 long green pepper, sliced into rings (optional)
1 x 200g block feta cheese
½ tsp dried oregano
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Method
Place the chopped cucumber, tomato and red onion into a bowl, add the kalamata olives and mix together.
Spread out onto a serving dish and top with the slices of green pepper, if using, followed by a huge slab of feta and a sprinkling of oregano.
Layer on lashings of olive oil and a sprinkling of vinegar. Put it straight on the table and let everyone break off hunks of cheese as they serve themselves.