QUICK FIXES.

From Greek dakos with tomato and feta to an almost instant tiramisu, it's a week for quick fixes - always a good idea even if nothing is broken.

I’m not a big fan of the word ‘cheat’ when it comes to food, because how can cooking something nice be cheating? And who on earth are you cheating? A clever recipe hack is really just a quick fix, and we all need those on occasion.

It has been a week of going out, eating well and gathering good ideas to see me through the forthcoming long hot summer: a fabulous Greek tomato and feta salad that will be a life-saver, and an almost instant tiramisu, ditto. You’re welcome.

OCEANIA CRUISES’ DAKOS WITH TOMATO AND FETA

Eating the Greek food of Peter Conistis at Alpha in Sydney is always a treat. Joining the team from Oceania Cruises to hear about the new Oceania Allura, launching in June 2025 with a very Greekish Mediterranean itinerary from Athens to Istanbul, made it even better.

Cruisers (defined as people who love cruising, if you don’t mind) adore Oceania for its itineraries, cabins and the effort they put into their dining options. It’s sophisticated cruising for grown-ups, the Business Class of the ocean waves.

I’ve not met Oceania Cruises’ Executive Chef (and Director of Culinary Enrichment) Kathryn Kelly but I like her recipes; she really gets the simplicity, seasonality and healthy qualities of Greek cooking.

This is her recipe for dakos (also ntakos), which was pulled together in a fun cooking demonstration before lunch by Peter Conistis and the unstoppable Lyndey Milan. It turns those tough-twice-baked barley rusks from Crete into a gorgeous meze dish, perfect for eating while sitting outside with a glass of wine.

It’s the perfect example of Greek ingenuity – using fresh tomatoes and creamy feta to bring to life a product that has been dried and preserved in order to last a long time. It is also testament to great olive oil, which brings it alive. (New favourite: Ladi Biosas from the Peloponnese, infused with lemon or orange). Food of the gods - and goddesses.

Dakos Serves 2

• 2 large tomatoes, cut in half

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek

• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and crushed

• 2 tsp finely minced (or grated) red onion

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• 2 large barley rusks (see note above)

• Quarter of a cup of feta or mizithra, crumbled

• Dried oregano to serve

Using a box grater, coarsely grate the tomatoes into a bowl, saving all the juices.

Add the olive oil, capers, onion and vinegar and mix well.

Soak the rusks in water for up to 10 seconds to soften and drain.

Place each rusk on a plate and spoon the tomato mixture on top, allowing it to be absorbed.

Add the feta and scatter with oregano (black olives can be good, too).

Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Tip: You’ll find dakos or similar rusks at your nearest Greek food shop. If not, use torn chunks of tough, rough, stale sourdough or rye bread, - you could bake them in a slow oven for 30 minutes to dry them out further, or grill them on the barbie to give them a bit more structure.

Also, Peter’s Mum used to soak her rusks in orange juice. Consider also using the runny tomato juices, you’ll have plenty. Also, Lyndey added some chopped tomato to the grated tomato, for extra texture; great idea.

LA MARZOCCO & WINNINGS’ ALMOST INSTANT TIRAMISU

La Marzocco launched a fab new espresso machine for the at-home barista this week (news of which will be in Good Weekend magazine this Saturday), so I dropped in to check it out at the launch event at Winnings flagship Redfern showroom.

 As part of a gorgeous breakfast spread, Winnings’ national culinary manager, Chloe Skipp, set out what she called a ‘cheat’s tiramisu’ that caught my eye.

This could be just the thing for all the summery entertaining that’s on the way. You pile mascarpone cream into a glass, add a sponge finger biscuit and square of chocolate, then pour over hot expresso coffee, which puddles and pools at the base, melts the chocolate, and is sucked up by the cakey biscuit so that the whole thing coalesces into one very spoonable dessert. Or snack. Or, at a pinch, breakfast.

ALMOST INSTANT TIRAMISU  Serves 6

• 300 ml thickened cream

• 125 g mascarpone

• 70 g caster sugar

• Half tsp vanilla extract

• 6 to 12 savoiardi sponge finger biscuits

• 6 fine squares of milk or dark chocolate eg Lindt

• 1 shot of espresso for serving

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cream, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until light soft peaks form, and the sugar has dissolved.

Spoon quarter of a cup of the cream mixture in to 6 glasses, and poke 1 or 2 sponge finger biscuits into each (cut in half if that suits the glass)

Pop in a fine square of chocolate.

You can set this aside or refrigerate for an hour or two if you need.

To serve, pour over a shot of hot espresso coffee and serve immediately with a spoon.

You can grate more chocolate over the top as well if you like.

HERE IT IS IN ACTION, WITH HOT EXPRESSO OOZING OVER THE MASCARPONE CREAM (THANKS TO MAX FROM LA MARZOCCO):

Thanks for dropping by! And as always, thanks for your comments and suggestions. Special thanks to Oceania Cruises, Alpha Restaurant, Barking Owl Communications, Peter, Lyndey, and Chef Kelly for the Greek inspiration, and La Marzocco Home, Chloe Skipp and Winnings for the genius tiramisu. And to Terry for keeping the office running while I’m gadding about free-loading, I mean working.

I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters upon which I work, live, cook and play; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I fully support the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to be recognised in Australia’s Constitution. That’s a YES from me.