Stewed Salmon (Solomos Stiffado)

Stewed Salmon (Solomos Stiffado in Greek), is a healthy, light and delicious dish, cooked with onions and perfect for diet .  

While taking a break from blogging and trying to stay away from food in order to reach my goal and loose the weight I have gained over the past four years, I almost forgot that August is my four year blog anniversary. 

I still can't believe all the wonderful things I've learned during these past four years and all the amazing people I've been privileged to meet and  become friends with, during these past four years. 

I am forever grateful for the continued support and encouragement from all of my wonderful friends and readers.

I now find myself with four blogs.  

Kopiaste started four years ago as a biligual blog in Greek and in English and then I separated the blog into an English and a Greek blog. 

After the publishing of my cookbook, I decided to create a blog where I would post anything relating to the book and only Cypriot recipes and recently after our decision to relocate, I am now also writing a chronicle of this project, hoping that one day I may start a new business there. 

I have added a new post a few days ago and I would appreciate your help and your feedback on some decisions I need to take.

Some of my readers asked me to post the diet recipes which I cook now that I am on a diet. I don’t cook anything special for me but just follow the Mediterranean diet, with the supervision of my dietitian, of course.

The only thing I avoid is sugar, salty food and use less salt to cook, butter, fatty meat and cook everything with less oil.

The portions have also been downsized and I eat lots of salad with every meal and drink lots and mean LOTS of water (about 2 - 3 litres) and walk almost every day.

Yesterday, I was feeling creative again and after over two months, I made a new recipe which I would like to share with you, as it was healthy, light and delicious and perfect for diet.  

Stiffado is traditionally made with wild hare or domesticated rabbits as well as beef but new versions have been appearing with chicken, lamb, or sea food.

Stiffado is a Greek and Cypriot stew made with lots of onions, which add a sweetness to the dish as well as red wine, vinegar and honey, producing a mildly sweet and sour sauce.

The word “stiffado or stifado” comes from the Italian word “stuffado” which was introduced to Greece and Cyprus by the Venetians.

Originally no tomato was included in this dish but after the introduction of the tomato, to the Europeans, after the discovery of America, the Greeks added tomato to this stew.

In Cyprus, however, it has kept its original form and is made until today without tomato.

The traditional Cypriot recipe for Stiffado is included in my cookbook.

Salmon is not part of Greek or Cypriot cuisine as it has only appeared during recent years. I based this recipe on the Cypriot stiffado, this is why I am including it here, in my Cypriot blog, but as I love fusion cuisine, I have added ingredients which, in my opinion, match with salmon.

Salmon cooks quickly, so after marinating and sautéing the fish, I removed it and cooked the onions for 45 minutes, until soft and the liquid ingredients reduced by ⅔.

I then added the fish which I immersed in the sauce, turning it over briefly to absorb the flavour of the sauce.

The dish turned out delicious and very light, as I used minimum amount of olive oil and sweetened the sauce with the addition of orange juice and epsima (grape molasses), called petimezi in Greek.

Limassol from the aeroplane (new port, ladies' mile, salt lake and Akrotiri military British base)

Captain's Cabin, at Limassol

Beach near old Port of Limassol

Avdimou beach (Limassol district)

I've been to Cyprus for a week and now we are enjoying the beach, here in Athens, which is almost empty.  

Next week we shall be going away again for a week and I still don't know when I'll be back to regular blogging.  I hope to be adding a blog post every now and then.

Beach in Attika

All I can say is thank you again for a fantastic four years!

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!