See José Andrés’ Athens list. 

We had compiled quite a few suggestions, but José surprised me when he chose Birdman, the Japanese-inspired Pub, for his fist afternoon bites and drinks in Athens. I had proposed we try a few cocktails there later in the night, since it was already past four, but this didn’t stop José from ordering most of the truly wonderful seafood and meat bites chef Ari Vezenes cooks on live fire. He loved the chicken liver and heart, even the Iberico Katsu that I was afraid would not meet his high standards…

* * *

Dinner was at Bobena fish tavern in Kesariani, arranged by avgotaraho producer Zafiris Trikalinos, ‘one of the world’s most incredible delicacies,’ according to José who could not stop eating it, especially freshly cured as we had it in various dishes throughout our meals. Fortunately, Tikalinos Avgotaraho is available in the US and ideal for a precious Valentine’s meal.

The taramosalata with avgotaraho was as I remember it from my early childhood when this iconic Lenten meze was prepared with this precious Greek fish roe –before cheap cod-roe from Norway and Iceland became available. We We also had linguine with avgotaraho, and loved the two kinds of home-baked breads, and the delicious sea-urchins from Chanea, Crete. The chef chopped and served us his incredible slow-roasted eggplant salad, and José created his avgotaraho-sprinkled olive-oil-fried eggs, as well as a sweet version of meringue lightly sprinkled with avgotaraho…

Before our visit to the Central Market the next morning, we stopped for coffee at Mokka, the usual coffee spot. Besides the traditional Greek/Turkish coffee prepared on hot sand, Jose tried the  cold brew which he loved. And we were surprised when visitors commented that these days Athenian cafés serve some of the best coffee in Europe.

January is a particularly good time for fish in Greece, and José was enchanted to find live karavides (langoustines) sold at a price that to me seemed exorbitant, but apparently it was considerably less than Spain or the US. He bought quite a few, and, at the newly established Hasapika restaurant in the Market, he proceeded to cook them for us full of joy! It is obvious that cooking is his favorite job and he misses it now that he is involved with World Central Kitchen and so many other things that keep him away from the kitchen. He simply boiled the langoustines in ‘water heavily salted similar to the sea,’  then peeled them and offered us sublime bites. He then braised some with olive oil and lemon, and fried eggs in their delicious sauce! For me this was one of the most memorable meals I ever had!

We then had a brief tasting at the humble Diporto, the old tavern José remembered from his previous visit, 20 years ago. Even after those incredible langoustines, the beans, chickpeas and fava still tasted wonderful, José exclaimed, as he was eager to be photographed with Mitsos, the old, tireless cook.

* * *

It was a pleasant, not too cold afternoon, and José and Tichi decided to visit the Parthenon. Then we all met at Pharaoh, the much talked-about new restaurant which has become the young Athenians’ favorite, but it is unfortunately small which makes it particularly hard to get a reservation.

Chef Manolis Papoutsakis’ homey dishes may not have included much avgotaraho, but José loved them, while chef Michael Costa besides the food enjoyed the jazz music, well-chosen by the DJ who plays old vinyl records on the turntable. We enjoyed the chestnuts stifado, with pearl onions and warm spices, a dish from the mountains of Crete, and José loved the humble rice with cabbage and leeks, and the rare monkfish avgolemono with ascolymvrous –the thorn particularly loved in Crete. The slow-cooked zygouri (1-2 year old lamb) risotto was exceptional, as was the lamb, and rabbit. As for the long wine list, it included some new Greek natural wines, along with an eclectic selection of international labels.

José, along with everybody else, were delighted and he immediately posted on his Instagram: “Amazing NEO Taverna, celebrating the traditional dishes of Greece with touches of Crete island in a cool place, with awesome food and unique Greek wines with many indigenous grapes and awesome music.”

* * *

Next morning I took chef Mickael Costa to Stani, the old loukoumades (fried dough-puff) and dairy shop, where my father used to take me and my sister when we were kids. It still makes THE best traditional, crunchy loukoumades in Athens.

On our way back, at a busy sidewalk we came upon a lady selling exquisite wild greens, in neat clean bunches: nettles, vrouves (white mustard shoots), mallow, chicory, sorrel, wild arugula. 

* * *

At Ergon Market we tried the freshly-grilled, sourdough Greek pita –very different from the crunchy-airy Zaytinya pita—which was drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with oregano and served with black, squid-ink taramosalata, which looked more impressive than it tasted. The lamb hunkiar, with mashed eggplant, and the shrimp saganaki were more interesting.

Nolan, star chef Sotiris Kontizas’ acclaimed small restaurant combining Japanese and Greek traditions, is always full. We only managed to get an outside table, braving the chill with portable heaters. We enjoyed zucchini and smoked eggplant salad with miso vinaigrette, raw shrimp and tuna in crunchy rice paper, and unusual fried chicken bites, among other dishes.

The last Athenian dinner for José and the team was at Kookoovaya, again lavishly arranged by Zafiris Trikalinos. He brought copious amounts of avgotaraho, which chef Periklis Koskinas served in various starters, mostly pairing it with morsels of  raw fish. I particularly loved the sea bream topped with blood orange slices and avgotaraho, but also the less sumptuous paper-thin fried zucchini and his rif on the traditional greens’ pie he simply accompanies with thick yogurt. 

Jose had a long discussion with the chef, and obviously would have loved to be able to get his hands on some of the exquisite fish the restaurant uses, but it was late and the kitchen was busy cooking for a large group of people…

Thinking back on my days with José in Athens, I would love to arrange for him to cook along with some of the chefs whose dishes he tasted. I only hope that he will soon return to Athens, which he characterized as a very interesting European food scene. Maybe he would also visit Crete and the north of Greece to sample wines and try his hand with our fish, vegetables, and meat, as it is more than obvious that the great José Andrés is certainly happier in the kitchen, cooking and creating for his friends and customers…

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Its flavor depends on the incredible freshness of the simple fish I use, which in most cases is almost alive when I get it from the caïque, less than a few hours out of the water.

I usually make the broth the day before, refrigerate it, then finish the soup the next day.

In kakavia, the traditional fish soup of the Greek fishermen, all kinds of small fish that cannot be sold, the cheapest kinds you find that are not suitable for grilling or frying, are boiled for with plenty of olive oil and a few vegetables and herbs, until the flesh almost falls from the bones and the vegetables are very tender. Then all trhe ingredients of the pot are strained, and fish witrh vegetables served in a platter along with the broth which is dressed with more fruity olive oil and lemon juice. I heard that in Provence the somewhat scarry weevers are considered ideal for the bouillabaisse; we also use them in this simple traditional fish soup.

In my version, if a couple of larger fish are available, I carefully fillet them, drop the bones in the pot, and refrigerate or freeze the fillets, to be added in the soup at the very end since they need no more than 2-3 minutes cooking.

Between kakavia and bouillabaisse

I strain the broth from the small fish and after I remove all bones and heads, I pass it again through a very fine sieve to make sure all scales and small bones are removed. Then I sauté leeks or onions and two-three coarsely chopped garlic cloves in plenty of olive oil, then add potatoes and other vegetables, and finally the fish broth, cook until the vegetables are tender.

I know that some fish mongers sell fish carcasses which can be boiled to make the stock. Below is my basic fish soup recipe, but you can certainly play around with the quantities and ingredients adding more onions if you have no leeks, celery leaves instead of root etc. Taking inspiration from the bouillabaisse of Provence, I also add a pinch of saffron.

My mother used to mash coarsely in the food mill all the vegetables at the end, but I like to keep a few pieces of potato, zucchini, and peppers, to serve in the soup plates together with the fish fillets.

I suggest you read the Serious Eats to see a detailed Bouillabaisse recipe, and the Rouille, the garlicky and peppery mayonnaise-like sauce of Provence to serve alongside the fish soup.

NOTE that you could probably use clam juice, or a good quality ready made fish stock if available, and skip the first part of boiling the fish and vegetables. But I wouldn’t use the Japanese shaved, dried tuna, dashi, or combu. In my opinion their taste is somwhat too prominent and very different from the delicate flavor of small fish and fish bones. But, during the busy summer months many Greek taverns use them…

Serving 6-8

The FISH BROTH

3 ½ pounds small and/or medium fish, gutted and scaled –the larger fish filleted and the fillets refrigerated or frozen

3 cups dry white wine

A small celery root with leaves, or 3 large celery stalks

2 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise, and/or 1-2 pieces squash

Most green part of 2-3 leeks, or 2 medium onions quartered

1 tablespoon allspice berries, bruised in a mortar

1-piece fresh ginger, about 2-inches, halved lengthwise

1 piece star anise

1 tablespoon anise seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar

About 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

FINISHING the Soup

½-2/3 cup olive oil

1 large onion, or 2 leeks thinly sliced

2-3 large garlic cloves, sliced

2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise; each piece cut into 3  

1 red and 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered

2 medium tomatoes, halved to remove the stem, then each piece quartered

1 pinch saffron soaked in ¼ cup boiling water

1-2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste

For SERVING

Juice of 1 lemon or more, to taste

A handful flat-leaved parsley leaves

Lemon halves or quarters

Fruity olive oil for drizzling

Rouille: peppery and garlicky mayonnaise-like sauce (optional)

In a large pot place the fish, all vegetables and spices, add the wine and water to just cover the lot, and cook in medium-high heat for about 45 minutes or more, until the flesh almost falls from the fish bones and all vegetables are very tender.

Strain the broth, setting aside the vegetables, after checking they are free from fish bones or scales.  Press and discard all other solids, then pass again the broth through a very small sieve. Set aside.

To finish the soup: In a skillet warm the olive oil and sauté the leeks or onion and the garlic until translucent, then add this to the rest of the vegetables and the fish broth; bring to a slow boil. Cook in medium-high heat until all vegetables are tender.  Remove half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside, then pass the rest through a food mill.

Return the broth to the pot, add the saffron, Aleppo or pepper flakes and lemon juice, and taste to correct the flavor. Add the fish fillets and the reserved vegetable pieces, and boil in high heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the fish fillets are cooked, depending on their size.

Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, and either serve the soup in bowls or bring the pot to the table.

Serve a piece of the fillet and some of the vegetables along with the delicious broth, decorating with parsley sprigs and bringing extra lemon and olive oil to the table.

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On Kea life is tied to the land –tending to sheep and goats, cultivating small gardens, and in the old days making wine, harvesting, and exporting acorn-cups, and almonds. As I remember from my grandfather, the sea didn’t attract them at all, it felt scary and they dreaded the short crossing to the mainland in the winter. The waters around the island are deep, with strong currents most of the year, especially in the northern parts where most fish is supposed to be found, so during the busy summers the seafood sold by Eleni, Nikolaras’ wife, at their shop on the port, has been fished by mainland fishermen and brought in by the ferry from Lavrion.

And just as the fruits and vegetables in this land of blazing sun and scarce rains are small but intensely flavorful, so the fish of the Aegean are neither large nor plentiful but exceptionally delicious. Freshness definitely plays an important role in the incredible taste of even the most simply prepared fish, as anyone who has tasted the grilled fish of the island tavernas can testify.

Whenever we get fish Nikolaras has caught, usually as soon as he unloads his little boat, it is a real feast for us! In June and early July, before the vacationers flooded the island, I made this simple dish adapting it for the different kinds of fish. Bear in mind that after May, we are not permitted to light the barbeque so Costas’ fig-leaf-wrapped fish is out of the question.

I first made it with our small, Mediterranean striped bass –absolutely delicious— then with some small hake, and also with pelagisia tsipoura —wild gilt-head sea bream, called orata in Italy, and dorade in France– the exquisite, and most expensive Mediterranean fish. All three versions were great, especially with the thick-skinned, almost sweet lemons from the old lemon trees in our garden, which are of the vintage kind grown also  in Amalfi.

You basically need no recipe if you would like to make it. Bear in mind, though, that using head-on fish is really important as it flavors the sauce and the potatoes beautifully.

RECIPE: Baked Fish with Lemon and Thyme

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You basically need no recipe if you would like to make it. Bear in mind, though, that using head-on fish is really important as it flavors the sauce and the potatoes beautifully.  Read more HERE.

Serves 4

2-4 (depending on the size) head-on, very fresh white fish (sea bass or striped bass, for example), about 2 ½ pounds (1.250 grams) total, gutted and scaled (See NOTE for filleted fish)

Sea Salt

2-3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 lemons or more, mostly zested with a vegetable peeler, and cut into thin slices

Olive oil

3-4 tablespoons white wine, as needed

Lemon Juice, to taste

Sprigs of fresh thyme, or fennel

Freshly ground pepper to taste, or Aleppo/Maras pepper flakes

Rinse and salt the fish liberally, outside and inside the belly. Place on a plate covered with a double layer of paper towel and transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the potatoes. Larger fish could be scored so they cook evenly and faster.

Heat the oven to 375 F (200 C)

Arrange the potatoes on a baking pan that would hold the fish somewhat snuggly – I always layer the pan with parchment paper; drizzle them liberally with olive oil, and 3-4 tablespoons wine, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a few of the lemon slices. Toss the potatoes and transfer to the heated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the  potatoes begin to soften.

Take the pan out of the oven, toss the potatoes, then place the fish over the slices. Put 1-2 thyme sprigs inside the fish belly and arrange the lemon slices on each fish. Drizzle with olive oil and some lemon juice, sprinkle with thyme and put back in the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes or more, depending on the size of the fish. Check with a thin knife to make sure it is cooked through. If it looks dry and needs more cooking –especially for larger fish—spritz with water a couple of times, and maybe cover loosely with parchment paper while cooking longer.

Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

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