FOODIST DEC 2018 ISSUE 8

December 2018 / Issue 08

/ Festive Twists Alex Mattei / p.10 // Unwrapped Victor Paul Borg / p.22 // // Say Cheese! Chef Dario / p.40 // I Can Feel It Ramen...Fat Louis’s / p.46 //

CHRISTMAS EXTENDED SHOPPING HOURS REGULAR SHOPPING HOURS Mon - Wed 08.00-20.00

Sat 07.30-20.00

Thu - Fri 08.00-21.00

Sun 09.00-14.00

Sun 25 Nov 08.00-18.00

Sun 2 Dec 08.00-18.00

Sat 8 Dec 07.30-20.00

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welcome

Wrapped up

At times we seem to get wrapped up in things that are not so important. And we tend to give too much thought to the ‘perfect’ present we’d like to buy our loved ones for Christmas.

Ultimately, there’s more to Christmas then just presents. And the perfect present is in actual fact being present. Enjoy this season with your loved ones, and make sure you reflect on all the things that make you thankful.

But what Christmas atmosphere would it be without those delicious smells wafting from our kitchens? Foodist has put together some unique and traditional recipes this Christmas to feast your eyes on. We’ve also shared some alternatives to the traditional large Christmas meals for those looking to have a smaller family do this Christmas.

And Christmas wouldn’t be complete without having some handy kitchen gadgets, so do get a glance of what’s in store this Christmas by sifting through our gadget corner.

So if you are ready for Christmas, you’ll find all sorts of recipes and food ideas in this edition.

Christmas apart, Foodist features two different food trucks that have taken to the streets to serve you fresh food, one of which specialises in Vietnamese cuisine.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We also run a feature ‘Good things come in small packages’ which is accompanied with some unique recipes that once ready, will make great Christmas gifts.

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Contents

Eat religiously.

December 2018 / Issue 08

08 Festive twists

16 Good things come in...

22 Unwrapped

29 On the right side of the road

28 35 Let’s cele(ry)brate

40 Say cheese!

45 Roll up your sleeves and...

46 I can feel in ramen...

52 Gingle all the way

56 Outlets

58 Aviation - The American Gin

58 The Grassy Hopper hops to...

8

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recipe

Festive twists Sometimes families for one reason or another do not partake in the large extended family lunch. The usual Timpana, Turkey and Ham may be too much for a family of four, so Chef Alex Mattei has come up with some interesting Christmas alternatives to the traditional large meals.

All ingredients are available from Park Towers Supermarkets except for the Guinea Fowl, which can be ordered from your neighbourhood butcher or bought frozen.

Alex Mattei

Starter -

Beetroot Cured Salmon (gravadlax) Prepare this 24-36 hours before as this needs to cure. You will need cling film, large dish, a salmon carving knife.

You need 1kg fresh salmon (cut into two equal sides, skin on, pin boned) 1-2 cooked beetroots (sliced very thinly or grated coarsely) 6 tablespoons of sugar 4 tablespoons of coarse sea salt or large rock salt granules 300ml brandy A hand full of dill Extra chopped dill to garnish Lemon wedges to garnish

Method

10

Spread all the ingredients onto the salmon flesh and sandwich them together, skin side on the outside. Wrap tightly in cling film and place a heavy plate on top to exert pressure on the salmon parcel. Allow this to cure in the fridge in a dish. Place a heavy plate on top to weight down the salmon as this will help to absorb the flavour of the ingredients and lose the excess liquid.

24-36 hours later unwrap this and wash lightly with cold water. Cut thin slices of the salmon and eat on toasted brown bread with sweet mustard sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice and sprigs of chopped dill.

Main -

Roast Guinea Fowl You will need a large roasting dish.

You need One Large Guinea Fowl 1.5kg or larger, or two Small ones 200g butter 10 slices of Pancetta or 5 slices of Bacon 1 Orange cut into quarters Mixed herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)

Method Stuff the Guinea Fowl with the butter, herbs and orange segments. Place slices of pancetta on top.

Pre-heat your oven to 200c and place the bird in the oven once heated. After 15 minutes, lower the oven to 180C and cook for a further 50 minutes. Check that this is cooked through, by cutting into the leg joint and making sure there is no blood. Allow to settle, before carving and serving.

11

recipe

Side -

Brussels Sprouts You will need a small roasting dish.

You need 500g Brussels Sprouts

10 Slices of pancetta

100g of pecan nut (uncooked)

200 ml Maple syrup

Method Line the base of the dish with half the pancetta slices. Boil the Brussels sprouts for 10 minutes. Once these are cooked place in the dish on top of the pancetta along with the pecan nuts and pour

12

over the maple syrup and top with the remaining pancetta slices.

Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180c.

Side -

Hassleback Potatoes You will need a small roasting dish and skewers.

You need 8-10 Medium Potatoes

200ml Vegetable Oil

200g Butter

Garlic (optional)

Method Clean the potatoes well or peel them if desired. Place a skewer through each of the potatoes about 1cm from the base, (so that one can cut slices into the potatoes without going right through

them). Once you have cut the potatoes rub with oil and butter, and season. Place on a baking dish with unpeeled garlic and cook for 1hr on 180C.

13

recipe

Dessert -

Individual Mont-Blanc

14

You will need a hand whisk or cake mixer with whisk attachment, baking tray and baking paper.

Meringues You need

Topping You need

2 egg whites

400g sweetened chestnut purée

110g white caster sugar

250g mascarpone

Method Place egg whites in a large bowl and whisk for 2 minutes till foamy, continue whisking on medium speed for another minute and then on high till egg whites are stiff. Now while still whisking, add the sugar a spoonful at a time (this very important) until you have a stiff glossy mixture. On a large baking tray lined with baking paper, spoon the meringue mixture into large mounds. Using the back of a tablespoon hollow out the centres.

Place the tray in the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 140c and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave meringues overnight to dry out. These can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer or in an air tight container until ready to use.

200ml crème fraîche 2 dessertspoons caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method To assemble Mont Blanc, spoon equal amounts of the sweetened chestnut purée into each meringue.

Whisk the topping ingredients together and spoon equal amounts on top of the chestnut purée.

Lightly dust with icing sugar to finish.

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recipe

Good things come in small packages While Christmas shopping is in itself an event, sometimes it’s nice to give something that little bit more personal. Anna Marie Galea met foodies Martina Guillaumier and Matthew Mamo who came up with some unique recipes which, once ready, will surely make a great gift for Christmas. But as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding‌ is in the eating.

Anna Maria Galea

All ingredients are available from Park Towers Supermarkets.

Provolone Bacon Biscuits Yields approximately 70 biscuits Keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container

Martina Guillaumier

You need 225 grams salted butter 250 grams flour 100 grams grated parmesan and an extra 25 grams for sprinkling 100 grams grated provolone piccante 100 grams smoked back bacon, fat trimmed and finely chopped 3 eggs

16

2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard 1 teaspoon white pepper Generous pinch dried thyme

method Preheat the oven to 180c. Fry the finely chopped bacon in a little bit of butter till crispy. Allow to cool. Put 2 eggs, butter, flour, cheeses, white pepper and thyme in a processor. Blend and switch to pulsing when it starts to come together. Add the bacon and wholegrain mustard. Leave one egg aside for the egg wash. Take the dough out of the processor, wrap it in cling film and chill till it sets, which will take at least an hour. Flour your surface and roll out the dough to around four-millimetre thickness. Cut the biscuits using a cutter not bigger than five centimetres in diameter.

Place the biscuits two centimetres apart on a tray lined with greaseproof paper.

Brush the surface with beaten egg and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges start to look golden. Cool on rack.

Chocolate Salami Yields 6

You need 200 grams good quality dark chocolate minimum 70% cocoa, chopped finely 100 grams salted butter 2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon cocoa 1 tablespoon caster sugar 2 tablespoons spiced rum 50 grams ginger biscuits crushed into small pieces, not crumbs 50 grams roasted hazelnuts, chopped Zest of 1 big orange Chilli flakes 50 grams dried prunes chopped 50 grams dried raspberries chopped

method Soak chopped fruit in spiced rum for at least two hours or till it softens.

On a low heat melt finely chopped chocolate and butter in a Bain-marie.

When smooth and melted, add the egg yolks and stir for one minute. Remove from heat. Add sugar and cocoa powder immediately after. Stir till it dissolves.

Add ginger biscuits, fruit and rum, nuts, orange zest, and chilli. Combine. Let the mixture cool to room temperature till its solid enough to handle. Shape into logs around five inches long. Wrap in plastic cling, twisting the ends of the cling on both sides. This will give the log a slight tapered effect. Give them a bit of a roll to make sure they’re cylindrical before placing them on a plate. Put in fridge till solid; can take a couple of hours. Roll in icing sugar and add pretty string detail.

17

recipe

Matthew Mamo

Clementine and Prosecco Jam You need 400 grams clementines (about 5 or 6) 300 grams jam sugar Juice of ½ a lemon 80 millilitres prosecco 15 grams unsalted butter

method

18

Peel and break down the clementines, ensuring that you remove any pips by chopping as necessary. Puree them using a blender or food processor before placing them into a pan along with the sugar, lemon juice and prosecco. Place two plates in the freezer ahead of time to test the jam. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring frequently. Once it has reached a boil, turn down the heat to medium and simmer the jam for 45 minutes, using a spoon to remove any scum forming on the surface. Test the jam by spreading a small dollop on one of the chilled plates before returning it to the freezer for two minutes. Touch the jam and check if it wrinkles and feels gel-like. If it doesn’t then simmer the jam for another 5 minutes and repeat the test, same as before.

Remove the jam from the heat and fold in the cubed butter. Set the jam aside while you sterilise your jam jars. Wash the jam jars in hot soapy water before placing them in a 150°C oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before filling them with jam and securing them tightly with a lid. The jam will keep for three to four weeks if stored in a fridge, or a cool, dark place.

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recipe

Scones You need 52 grams granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt 360 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 113 grams chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

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1 large egg, beaten 300 millilitres heavy cream, plus more for brushing

method Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 360 grams’ flour in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse a few more times to incorporate it with the dry ingredients. Be sure not to over-mix; there should still be pea-sized pieces of butter visible in your mixture. Transfer to a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and 300 millilitres of heavy cream to the well. Use a fork to incorporate the dry ingredients a little at a time, forming a shaggy dough. Lightly knead the dough until it just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it down into a one-inch round. Cut into eight, equally sized wedges and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar before baking until golden brown which should take around 25-30 minutes.

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recipe

Unwrapped 22

Victor Paul Borg

Victor Paul Borg speaks to traditional home cook Frances Busuttil about the obscure and brilliant Christmastime Qagħqa tal-Kavatella.

The name of the cake might be tonguetwisting – it’s merely a variation of the word kavata, which means pastry coated in honey – but the medieval Qaghqa tal-Kavatella is as traditional as you can get with Christmastime sweet pastries in Malta. It originated from Sicily, its history in Malta goes back to the Medieval Ages; it is said to have been common during the epoch of the Knights of Malta. These days it has become obscure and rare, superseded by the ubiquitous Christmas log and other cakes more famous in the European mainland. But if you prefer to cook up something that guests will remember, a taste of Malta (and Sicily) in the Medieval Ages, then nothing would beat the Qaghqa tal-Kavatella.

The Qaghqa tal-Kavatella has largely survived in the kitchens of home-cooks fixated on traditional, wholesome foods.

One of those is Frances Busuttil, an aficionado of all dishes traditional.

“I do many sweets for Christmas,” she says. “I do fruit cakes, biscuits using recipes from around the world, I spend entire days cooking in the festive season.

I make it a point to use local ingredients as far as possible, and enquire about the traditional ways with cooking. Even for foreign recipes get a local twist from the use of local ingredients.”

Frances is staunchly faithful to traditional methods and ingredients. Her dishes are infused with a local essence not only because she uses fresh local ingredients in season but also because she prepares much of her ingredients herself. “It makes a difference when you make all your ingredients from scratch,” Frances explains. “You can really go local. For example, in Maltese traditional dough they didn’t use eggs: instead they used orange juice and Sambuca and lard.”

For Christmastime sweets, including the kavatella, she starts preparing the ingredients weeks in advance. She usually starts with the candied fruits, a

23

recipe

long process of slow-cooking. Chopped rinds of select local vegetables are soaked in brine for three days, then rinsed, blanched and patted dry before sugar is added according to weight – the idea is to add the same weight in sugar.

Then the sugar and peels are put in a pot on a low flame and simmered (the sugar melts) for about 10 hours before being stored in airtight containers.

Frances even makes the lard that goes into the dough for the kavatella. Fat is made from suet (sunsa in Maltese), which is chopped and heated slowly, then strained through a sieve. “In the olden times,” Frances explain, “the remains after extracting the lard by cooking – the browned, crispy, gnarled strips of fat, called qriemec in Maltese – were used in baked macaroni, timpana. Nowadays hardly anyone buys sunsa – the Maltese term for suet – and butchers just bin it.”

She makes the lard in a special pot that she bought from the Great Market Hall in Budapest. “I love that market, which I used to visit when my son was studying in Budapest,” Frances says. “The butchers are very traditional, they sell every part of the animal. This pot for lard is called ‘zir’ in Hungarian.”

24

The Qaghqa tal-Kavatella is the cousin of xkumvat (a dough that is fried in Carnival) and prinjolata, the all-time favourite Carnival cake.

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recipe

Qagħqa Tal-Kavatella You need For the dough 600 grams flour

Around 300 grams honey

200 grams sugar

3-4 bay leaves

200 grams lard

2 cinnamon sticks

Juice of two oranges

12 cloves

One tablespoon Sambuca

800 grams of nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and other nuts to your liking)

method 26

For the rest

Knead the dough in small balls the size of large marbles (about half the size of ping pong balls). Then deep fry or bake it in the oven (Frances bakes it).

200 grams chopped glace cherries 200 grams candied peel (you can buy this in jars or make it yourself – Frances uses a mix of mandarin, oranges, grapefruit and lemon rinds to make the candied peels for kavatella)

method Roast the nuts with the spices for about 20 minutes, then discard spices and crush the nuts. Mix the balls of dough, nuts, cherries, and candied peels.

Heat up the honey in pot, mix in all the ingredients and then set the entire mixture on a serving dish in the form of a ring.

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food trucks

On the right side of the road

Jamie Iain Genovese

Jamie Iain Genovese takes to two different trucks that hit the roads in 2018, Ann’s Van and Banh Mi. Jon Favreau’s 2014 film Chef, starring and directed by himself, has done for food trucks what Sideways (2004) did for pinot noir. While Chef is more about the creative process than it is the culinary world, but it has nonetheless formed an indelible image in the mind of its audience, of consumers. There’s a cool factor to food trucks – a rebellious streak that’s got an independent spirit.

For while they conform to the standards set by the law, they are a living response to kitchen-culture. They roam like nomads across the country and find the hungry, the hands that make the food belong to the person giving you the food – the person that you thank, the chef that can hear the compliments first hand.

That being said, it’s definitely no easy ride.

29

food trucks

Ann’s Van Debuting January of last year, Ann’s Van is a tale of adventure unto itself. The food truck itself serves a most pleasing menu of ftajjar and wraps to be had with fresh smoothies and home-made lemonades and ice teas. With fillings like chicken and lime with a yoghurt marinade, or the more traditional hobz bi-zejt, and others, there should be a little something for anyone. Some vegan, some very much not.

I myself got to try the mushroom spread ftira, with its melted mature cheddar and perfectly toasted bread and it hit all the spots it could on what turned out to be an unexpectedly cold and wet autumn day.

30

Ann herself is not a lifelong culinary professional. Save for some experience with front of house in her youth she had forged a career as a graphic and web designer in Belgium, until a fated day that forced her to re-evaluate her life. After a motorcycle accident that had her put up in a bed for two months and in physical therapy for many more, she found herself drawing again – something she hadn’t done in a long while – and she was, as it turns out, drawing the flowers that have now become the livery of the eponymous van. No more office work, no more being bound to a computer, and no more being afraid of driving. A pilgrimage was had, driving the van down to Malta, back to her former home, and she was to start a new leaf after being spurred on by her friends for her, as I can testify, tasty food. A business was born, challenges were faced, and fears were rightly conquered.

It was in this period of challenges, as first years for new businesses tend to be rather tumultuous, where she learned an important lesson: social media is important.

An initiative she tried to take up at that time was to offer a free coffee to anyone that picked up any of the roadside garbage to throw away, it earned her a spot on a Buzzfeed article and threw her into a viral whirlwind. As good as it was for visibility and customers, though, only one person ever took her up on the challenge.

She wisely started off slow, taking the van to quieter areas in Mosta near the MCAST premises so that she may work into the groove of cooking for customers in modest numbers. Taking on a challenge is good, but taking on a realistic one is even better.

Cooking and serving food may look easy, but it requires people that are cut from a very wilful cloth, people that are ready to discipline themselves. It is, in fact, one of the perfect parallels in Favreau’s Chef: to make art or to cook food as a business requires both rigidity and flexibility.

For what it’s worth, though, she has made sure that her van could have as little of an ecological impact as it could, from being completely battery powered and not generator-powered to using ecologicallyfriendly packaging, conscious business practice is clearly important, it’s why she (in full understanding of the demanding work involved) would never want to pay less than 6eu an hour, and rather pay more if she could. This business conscious attitude brings to focus another challenge that she surprisingly faced: not being seen

as a ‘hippy van’, which due to the simple presence of flowery livery and a vegan option, was a label that threatened to loom overhead. Apparently, people don’t think an excellent ftira can come from a ‘healthy’ food truck. How very wrong.

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want to eat at benches and have a lovely day in the sun.

Banh Mi Jeremy and Emily have, since this past summer, been earning their kitchen badges of honour in their Vietnamese food truck.

Emily’s background is in websites (a trend, it looks like), and not kitchens, so it’s been a baptism by fire to say the least. That being said, business for the duo has been good, and they’ve been constantly perfecting their menu over the summer months.

They’ve also got the post-shift clean-up down to a science, too, apparently. Fifteenhour days will do that to you.

32

Over the summer they’ve chosen a few hotspots to work in, having now moved from Ta’ Xbiex to the Malta International Airport where Skyparks office salary men and women as well as tired arrivals come in droves for a hot and fresh meal. They’ve even begun to set up at Vincent’s Eco Farm in Imgarr on Sundays for people that

Jeremy has taken to fine tuning the menu, which boasts authentic Vietnamese ingredients, Emily jests that he’s even improved on her recipes as he picks at ideas and traits of both Northern and Southern Vietnamese food, hoping to strike a balance that comes across like jazz across a menu that’s got something for all appetites – big or small, mild and bold, from Japanese Curry to Vietnamese Curry, from spring rolls to their namesake: the delicious banh mi, the iconic Vietnamese street-food, the so-called ‘dumpling-taco’.

Challenges have been, as one could expect, numerous, but the rewards have been countless. To Jeremy and Emily, being able to launch the Banh Mi food truck as a full-time endeavour where they work to serve people that come back to thank them for the food has been life-changing, and not only because the duo will be exchanging wedding vows in Vietnam this December. But don’t worry, they’ll be back after New Year’s.

There’s something to the nomadic ways of the food truck, the way it completely cuts the barrier between the hands that feed and the mouth that eats, that puts a face to the meal you enjoy. There’s nothing ‘new’ about food-trucks, since every village fest for decades has had them, but the trend of people taking it up as a vocation of sorts, as a passion project with a mission that wants to deliver good food to all people?

That’s new, and it’s still a little exciting. At least for this writer.

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Recipe

Let’s cele(ry)brate Chef Callaby shares some festive recipes using some traditional ingredients.

All ingredients are available from Park Towers Supermarkets.

Crown of Roast ‘Majjal ta Malta’ with a chestnut stuffing Serves 2

You need 2 racks of pork loin prepared for crown of pork.

Sage Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

For the filling 1 large loaf of Bulgur Wheat Bread 3 sticks of celery Sage 2 oranges with rind Kosher Salt and Pepper 600g raw chestnuts in the shell 3 eggs 3 cloves Garlic 1 cup white wine

method Preheat the oven to 200C. Prepare 2 loins of Pork for a crown of Pork preparation. Ask the butcher to sew the loins together, or do it yourself, turn the loin inside out so that the side where the pork skin was before cutting away is now on the inside of the circle. Tie both ends of the loin together, one end piece sewed on to the end piece of the other loin and repeat with the other 2 ends.

Rub the pork with Kosher salt, pepper and sage and leave to rest out of the fridge for at least half an hour until the stuffing is made. Chop the celery into thin slices and zest the oranges.

Tear the Bulgur wheat bread apart and roast in a hot oven until it’s toasted without colour, so that the water from inside the bread would have evaporated. Bring out of the oven when ready and leave to cool.

Chef Callaby

In a blender whizz together the chestnuts and bulgur wheat bread.In a separate dish place the chestnuts and roast in a hot oven until the shells start to break. Leave to cool and peel. Heat a pot with oil and together add the garlic, sage and orange rind. Cook on a low heat for a few minutes until tender.

Add the wine and leave to reduce by half. Add the celery and cook until translucent. Add the chestnuts, bread and orange juice and take off the heat.

When the filling is cooled, mix in the eggs. Leave to rest.

Place the stuffing in the centre of the crown and place in the oven. Reduce the heat to 150 degrees Celsius and roast for 3-4 hours. If you prefer the ribs to be less coloured cover them with foil. It may be a good idea to lightly cover the stuffing to avoid it getting burnt.

35

Recipe

Yorkshire Puddings with mixed mushrooms and horseradish foam You need Yorkshire Puddings

For the mushrooms

Horseradish Foam

Eggs 100 ml

Choose various mushrooms of own choice (button, brown, portobello, oyster)

500 g horseradish

Milk 100 ml

Garlic

250 ml cream

Spelt Flour 50 g

Dry Sherry

100ml Milk

method

36

Mix ingredients until a smooth batter of dropping consistency is reached. Heat tray in the oven. Add pork dripping from the roast to the tray and allow to heat up and smoke. When ready add the batter. Leave to cook in a hot oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the batter is of a golden brown colour. Clean and wash the mushroom. Fry in garlic until tender. FlambĂŠ with the dry sherry.

Reserve until time to serve. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan

until they reach boiling point. Turn off from the heat. Peel the horseradish and grate. Boil in the milk and cream mixture until tender. Strain and leave to cool. When cool, whisk with a blender until a foam is achieved. Repeat this with the remaining liquid until all the foam required is made. Place in a bowl until required. It may only take a few minutes for the foam to return back to a liquid state, so it is advisable to use immediately..

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Recipe

Dark Chocolate Souffle with ‘Lumi-Larinġ’ Serves 4

You need Lumi-Laring oranges – 4 200g Fairtrade dark cooking chocolate 100g Palm sugar 3 whole eggs and 1 egg white 50g butter Extra butter for oiling the ramekin 1 cup spelt flour 1 tsp baking powder

For the orange syrup Juice of 3 oranges 50 g caster sugar Cornstarch

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method Preheat oven to 160C. Separate egg yolk from egg white in two separate containers. Use 3 egg yolks for the batter and 4 egg whites for the whisked egg whites. In a saucepan heat the butter and melt the palm sugar together.

Leave to cool. Temper the egg yolks by placing a bit of the butter sugar mixture in the egg yolks. Then place the egg yolk mixture into the melted butter and sugar mixture. Heat slowly, preferably on a Bain Marie, without the egg curdling. In the meantime whisk the egg whites in a clean separate bowl.

Ensure that the bowl is free from any type of fat. Wash with soap and dry well.

Add the flour and baking powder to the egg yolk mixture and ensure to end up

with a thick smooth batter. Fold in the egg whites until completely mixed. Be careful not to mix the egg whites too much so as to retain as much air in the batter as possible. Line the ramekins with melted butter. Fill the ramekin with the batter and smoothen on top to end up with a smooth flat surface approximately 1/2 inch less than the top of the ramekin. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until the souffles look firm. For the orange syrup, heat the orange juice in a saucepan. Add the sugar, allow to melt. In a separate bowl add the corn-starch and some water, mix well. When dissolved at to the orange juice, stir in well, bring to the boil and then sieve before use.

recipe

Say cheese!

Chef Dario puts together some delicious dishes you can use as snacks or light lunches.

Chef Dario

All ingredients are available from Park Towers Supermarkets.

Photography by Chris Sant Fournier

Quick salmon, gorgonzola and avocado snack You need 2 slices smoked salmon

1 fennel

Gorgonzola

Black garlic

2 slices scramoza

1 avocado

Heirloom tomato

Fresh dill

You also need a ring rutter and a small mould or cup to shape.

Method 40

Line the mould/cup with cling film and lay the smoked salmon and 1 slice of scramoza, ensuring the salmon pieces come up to the top of the moulds. In a bowl, gently crumb up the gorgonzola, chop up the other ingredients, season and mix together. Fill up

the salmon mold with this mixture. Cover the mould with the other slice of scramoza, fold over the excess salmon and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. Turn the salmon mould out onto small side plates to serve.

1 fennel Black garlic

Heirloom tomato

1 avocado

Fresh dill

Gorgonzola

2 slices scramoza

2 slices smoked salmom

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recipe

Warm brie and goats cheese vegetarian Wellington You need Asparagus Goats soft cheese Brie Baby carrots Pineapple Artichokes Shallots Broccolini You also need puff or shortcrust pastry

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Method Bring a pot of water to a simmer; put the asparagus, carrots, artichoke hearts and broccolini in the warm water for 8 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200ยบC and before it reaches temperature transfer the vegetables from the water into the oven for 1 minute (or less) until dry. Remove from oven and put on a kitchen paper to drain. Meanwhile, cook the onions in balsamic vinegar and set aside to cool. Roll out your pastry, put the cooled onions and assemble the rest of your vegetables on top lengthwise along with the chopped pineapple and cheese. Gently roll your pastry to form a cylinder shape. Bake until golden brown.

Broccolini

Shallots Pineapple Artichokes

Goats soft cheese

Asparagus

Baby carrots

Brie

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cooking sessions

cooking SESSIONS

Roll up your sleeves, and b[re]ake the mould!

16th Edition of the Foodist Cooking Sessions in collaboration with Park Towers Supermarkets and Chef Dario.

The monthly sessions will start on Thursday 17th January 2019 from 6pm till 8pm.

The free cooking sessions are back at the St Venera outlet kitchen. Learn to prepare quick, affordable, healthy and delicious meals.

Seating is on a first-come basis and can be booked by calling on 7714 8155 or email hellochefdario@gmail.com by January 14.

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recipe

I can feel it ramen in the air tonight Fat Louie’s chefs Nicholas Diacono and Luke Sciberras share some Ramen recipes that are sure to make your evening more ramentic than ever.

All ingredients are available from Park Towers Supermarkets.

Nicholas Diacono and Luke Sciberras

Chicken Ramen You need

method

For the chicken broth

Place the whole chicken in a pot and cover with water. Poach at roughly 80 degress for two hours or until meat starts to fall off the bone. Clean all meat off the bones, keep stock, bones and meat separately. Roast picked chicken bones along with chicken wings until golden brown. Roughly chop mirepoix and other ingredients.

1 whole chicken

4 garlic cloves

1kg wings

4 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 white onions

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

4 celery sticks

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1 Leek 1 bunch spring onions

1 piece daikon 1 handful button mushrooms

Add ingredients to a large pot and brown, stirring occasionally.

Add browned carcasses and wings and mix well. Add the previous stock along with more water, about 5 litres. Bring up to the boil and immediately turn down to a very low heat. Leave to barely simmer for 4 hours. Skim excess fat (only if there is too much). Strain stock.

Reduce by half in a fresh pot over medium heat.

For the Tare (ramen seasoning) 1 cup soy sauce 1 cup mirin 1 cup rice wine vinegar 4 shiitake mushrooms 4 garlic cloves Sugar to taste 4 tbsp chicken fat (skimmed off the broth or reserved from roasting tray)

method Add all ingredients to a pot, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve and set aside.

For the crispy chicken skin (garnish) About 4 square inches’ chicken skin Seasoning

method Flatten out chicken skin and season. Sandwich in between sheets of baking paper. Bake at 180c for an hour sandwiched between 2 trays to help keep its shape. Set aside.

For the eggs 1 tblsp soy sauce 1 tblsp mirin 6 tblsp water

method Mix all these ingredients together. Make sure to use eggs straight out of the fridge. Bring water to the boil enough to cover the eggs properly - at least 1 inch above. Place eggs in water reducing heat to a gentle boil (eggs shouldn’t be dancing around). Cook for 7 minutes - Test 1 egg first as the cooking time depends on the size of the egg. Immediately place eggs in plenty of ice cold water and leave to cool. Gently peel the eggs once cool and leave submerged in marinade for up 24 hrs.

Coming together 1 handful pre-cooked noodles (whichever you prefer)

1 slice lime

1 heavy pinch pulled chicken meat - we like to use the dark meat

1 piece of crispy chicken skin

1 ramen egg

Tare to taste

Pinch chopped spring onion

method The final step is to put everything together. Place hot reduced chicken stock in bowl and season with tare, stir and season to taste, I will not tell you much to add as everyone prefers their own amount of saltiness, we like it salty. Add pre-cooked noodles, chose whichever noodle tickles your fancy, we like to use ramen or udon noodles. Gently cut the egg and in half and place on top of noodles. Add a pinch of pulled the chicken meat that we kept from the whole chickens, we prefer to use the leg meat, again use whichever you prefer. Add a wedge of lime. Add a pinch of chopped spring onions. Add a teaspoon of sambal oleik (a good store bought hot sauce does the trick) again, this is also optional.

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recipe

Pork Belly Ramen You need For the Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) 1 pig’s head - split down the middle

4 celery sticks

4 garlic cloves

1kg trotters split down the middle

1 Leek

1 handful fresh ginger

1 rack of spare ribs

1 bunch spring onion

1 handful button mushrooms

3 white onions

5 dried shiitake mushrooms

1 piece of daikon

method 48

Soak all the pork in cold water overnight (ideally changing the water 3 times) - this helps remove some of the bitterness. In a large pot bring the bones to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Throw away the water. Carefully wash the bones to remove any remaining scum. Add fresh water to bones just to cover and bring up to a boil. Maintain this boil for 16-24 hours - time will teach you when

the bones have nothing more to give. Water should be white and milky as all the fat and gelatine has been extracted from the heads and trotters. For the final couple of hours add the roughly chopped mirepoix and veg and simmer. Skim excess fat - be careful not to remove too much, again, it depends how fatty you want it. Strain using a fine sieve. Reduce by half.

For the miso seasoning 5 garlic cloves 2 tblsp pork fat (skimmed from tonkotsu) 100g red miso 100g white miso 50g soy 50g mirin 50g sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce Add seasoning to taste

For the slow cooked pork 1kg pork belly 1 tblsp red miso paste 2 tblsp brown sugar 1 tblsp cracked pepper 2 tblsp soy sauce

method Rub the pork belly in paste and marinade overnight. Braise in some broth using a dutch oven until tender, low heat for about 2 hours. Remove from liquid and set aside.

Coming together 1 handful cooked noodles

Miso seasoning to taste

1 pinch chopped spring onions

4 slices slow cooked pork belly

1 ramen egg

1 tsp sambal oleik

method The final step is to put everything together. Place hot reduced tonkotsu broth in bowl and season with miso, stir and season to taste, I will not tell you much to add as everyone prefers their own amount of saltiness, we like it salty. Add pre-cooked noodles, chose whichever noodle tickles your fancy, we like to

use ramen or udon noodles. Gently cut the egg and in half and place on top of noodles. Neatly slice the pork belly and place besides. Add a pinch of chopped spring onions. Add a teaspoon of sambal oleik (a good store bought hot sauce does the trick) again, this is also optional.

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recipe

Rabbit Offal Ramen You need For the stock 1 whole rabbit (remove kidneys and liver) 2 cups chicken stock 2 medium carrots 3 sticks celery 1 leek 5 spring onions 4 dried shiitake mushrooms 2 cloves garlic 1 thumb piece of ginger 1 handful of button mushrooms 1 piece daikon

method Poach rabbits at roughly 80 degrees.

Pull meat off bones, keeping stock and meat separate. Roast picked bones and veg together until golden brown. Add stock and some more water to cover and simmer for about 3-4 hours. Pass through a fine sieve. Reduce to desired consistency.

Season with sea salt.

Coming together 1 handful cooked noodles Kidneys and liver of one rabbit

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method 1 heavy pinch pulled rabbit meat 1 fresh chilli

2 tblsp canola oil

1 lime

Seasoning

1 pinch spring onion

1 ramen egg

Sea salt to taste

The final step is to put everything together. Place hot reduced rabbit broth in bowl. Adjust seasoning with sea salt (if necessary). Add pre-cooked noodles, chose whichever noodle tickles your fancy, we like to use ramen or udon noodles. Gently cut the egg and in half and place on top of noodles.

Add a pinch of the pulled rabbit meat. Add sliced fresh chillies and wedge of lime. Bring a pan up to heat and pan fry the kidneys and liver, we like to keep them pink, season well. Add browned offal to bowl. Add a pinch of chopped spring onions.

Seafood Shio Ramen You need For the broth 1kg moral Eel - or any other gelatinous fish - Eel is our favourite choice 500g Red Gurnard 500g Scorpion fish 2 litres water 4 dried shiitake mushrooms 4 spring onions 3 celery sticks 1 thumb piece of ginger 50g kombu

method Add roughly chopped mirepoix and vegetables to a pot with a little oil and cook until soft. Add the roughly chopped fish and stir well. Add water and bring to a boil. Add the kombu just before it

boils. Reduce to a gentle simmer and leave to cook for 20 mins. Strain and add 1/4 of its volume in chicken sock and set aside.

For the shio seasoning

method

50g kombu

150g sea salt

2 cups light soy

2 cups water

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Turn down and leave to simmer for 20 min. Strain and set aside.

1 handful katsobushi

Coming together 1 handful cooked noodles

1 tblsp sesame oil

1 medium sized fresh local calamari

1 ramen egg

1 tblsp soy sauce Shio seasoning to taste

1 fresh chilli 1 thumb sized piece of bottarga

method The final step is to put everything together. Place hot fish stock to bowl. Add pre-cooked noodles, chose whichever noodle tickles your fancy, we like to use soba noodles for this seafood version. Gently cut the egg and in half and place on top of noodles. Lightly season eggs with

freshly grated bottarga. Lightly season fresh local calamari with soy sauce and oil and grill over a charcoal grill, making sure to charr nicely. Neatly cut calamari and add on top of noodles.

Add a pinch of chopped spring onions.

Add a pinch of chopped spring onions and sliced fresh chillies

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cocktails

Gingle all the way Dayna Clarke gives readers a round of Badass cocktails that are sure to add some spirit to your holidays.

Dayna Clarke

Photography by Chris Sant Fournier Christmas cocktails are an excellent way to celebrate the festive season. Whether it’s for Christmas day, New Year’s Eve or the party season in the run-up to Christmas, you’re sure to find the perfect

cocktail drink that your guests will love.

From classic Pimm’s to vodka basedbeverages, as well as other creative cocktails, there’s no shortage of great Yuletide inspiration.

We caught up with the team at the Badass Balluta bar for some pointers. So, get the guests gathered and let the good times flow with their top 4 super easy festive cocktails.

Monkey M A gin cocktail with elderflower On the second day of Christmas, my true love poured for me…a Monkey M! This gin-based cocktail offers an elderflower twist to 2018’s most fashionable spirit.

You need 50ml Aviation gin 100ml Thomas Henry elderflower tonic 3g mint

method Build in a glass.

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Girlfriend Material Not quite sure what to do with that jar of fig jam sitting at the back of the shelf? This Girlfriend Material recipe couldn’t be easier.

You need 40ml Frangelico 20ml Aviation Gin 10g fig marmalade 15ml lemon juice 1 piece of egg

method Shake all ingredients without ice to create a foamy texture.

Shake short after with ice to cool it down. Serve with crushed hazelnuts on the top.

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cocktails

Espresso Martini

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This silky smooth, espresso cocktail is the ideal warmer for those slightly colder Maltese days - or as a cheeky, alcoholic alternative to dessert. Many cocktails call for a sugar syrup, often referred to

as “simple syrup” or “1:1 sugar syrup”. This is made by mixing equal parts water and caster sugar in a pan and stirring over a medium heat until all the sugar grains are dissolved. Simple!

You need

method

40ml Absolut vodka

40ml Kahlua

40ml chilled espresso coffee

10ml Simple syrup

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake as hard as you can with ice. Pour it in a Martini glass and finish it off with 3 coffee beans.

Pimm’s Badass Cup As winter rolls in, you may fancy a cocktail that manages to be both fresh and warming. So here we have added a touch of ginger to wake up your taste buds.

You need 50ml Pimm’s

60g cucumber

5g mint

100ml ginger ale

60g orange

method Take a high ball and add all the fruits and Pimm’s in the glass. Fill with ice-cubes and ginger ale. Garnish with mint.

OUTLETS

outlets

Available from all Park Towers Supermarkets check-out points.

Eat, drink and pick up a free copy of Foodist magazine from these outlets.

...............................................

67 Kapitali ...............................................

Anshel Bar ...............................................

Badass Balluta Badass Express, Spinola Bay Bahia Restaurant Bean & Loaf Beer Kitchen Blackbull Bus Stop Lounge ...............................................

Cafe Society Camarata Wine and Craft Beer Bar Camilleri Paris Mode Carmen’s Bar Casino Maltese Caviar & Bull Chalk Café Charles Grech outlets City Lounge City Crown Cleland & Souchet, MIA Cleland & Souchet, Portomaso Cleland & Souchet, Vivaldi Coral Café Cork’s Irish Bar and Bottle Shop Costa Café Cru Wine Bar ...............................................

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D’Office Don Berto Dr. Juice Gzira ...............................................

Emma’s Kitchen ...............................................

Fat Louie’s Flock Lounge Fontanella Tea Garden Form ...............................................

...............................................

Gugar Hangout & Bar ...............................................

Rampila Rocksalt Rusty Knot ...............................................

Hammet’s Gastro Bar Happy Dayz Bar Hole in the Wall Pub ...............................................

Il-Barri Restaurant Il-Hnejja Il-Pup ...............................................

Jubilee, Gzira ...............................................

Kefa Kafe Kennedy Bar & Bistro Kuya Asian Pub Kuya Beach (summer only) ...............................................

L-Arlogg L’Artiglio Restaurant La Bottega La Giarra Leglegin Longhall ...............................................

Maori Bar Master Cellars Mint ...............................................

New York Best, Junior College New York Best, Paceville New York Best, Sliema New York Best, University

Phillipe Martinet Fine Wines Pure - Juice & Health Bar Pure - Living ...............................................

Sailor’s Arms Salumeria / Malta Warehouse San Paolo Naufrago Sapori Café Shoreditch Sistina Stanjata Streat Whiskey & Bistro Summer Nights Pub and Grill ...............................................

Talbot & Bons The Beer Cave The Deli The Grassy Hopper The Grotto Tavern Restaurant The Master Cellar The Ordnance Pub The Pastry Park The Pulled Meat Company, Gzira The Pulled Meat Company, Valletta The Team Bar ...............................................

Vino’s Cafe & Bar ...............................................

Walk to Wok Wild Honey

HOTELS Corinthia Palace Hotel Corinthia San Gorg Excelsior Hotel Hilton Hotel Intercontinental Hotel

Le Meridien Hotel Phoenicia Hotel Radisson Blu Resort Radisson Golden Sands The George Hotel

The Palace Hotel Westin Hotel Xara Palace Hotel

HIP HOP

HOORAY! [ h a ppy h o l i days]

57 www.redoctobermalta.com Enjoy Responsibly

Trade Enquiries: Red October Co. Ltd

Tel: 2147 0400 Email: info@redoct.net

/RedOctoberMalta

promo

AVIATION The American Gin

Aviation’s unique American-style gin starts with its unique blend of spices, shifting away from the usual overabundance of juniper toward a more forward balance of botanicals. Aviation’s unique blend of botanicals are infused in a neutral spirit, and distilled in a 1500-litre stainless steel still at 78°C. After distillation, the head and tail is removed, retaining the previous heart.

Pure Oregon water is added to achieve 84 proof. Aviation Gin is the world’s highest rated gin (97 points, Wine Enthusiast) and helped establish a new style of American

gin - softer and smoother, with juniper in the background and citrus and floral notes in the front. There are 7 botanicals resulting in more balanced cocktails. Aviation was created by a unique bartender/distiller partnership and is crafted in small batches in Portland, Oregon.

In February Ryan Reynolds invested in Aviation Gin after tasting it for the first time. “Aviation is the best tasting gin in the world. Once I tried it, I knew I wanted to get involved with the company in a big way.”

The Grassy Hopper hops to evenings Popular vegetarian restaurant The Grassy Hopper in Gzira has decided to start serving patrons in the evenings instead of during the day after five years of operating. Keeping in mind the same beliefs that the food we eat is one of the foundations of how happy and fulfilling our lives can be, Grassy Hopper promises to continue to bring happiness to its customers by offering a unique experience.

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Patrons are taken on a global journey of food and cultures – an experience which shows that there’s much more to than just eating plant-based food. The Grassy Hopper believes that there are two unique languages that brings people from all walks of life together and that is none other than food and music.

“It doesn’t matter which country you are from, the religion you follow, the culture you represent, the food we serve is for all tastes,” The Grassy Hopper’s management says.

The cafe has switched to a restaurant with a team that is happy to welcome every customer. “We highly recommend you come see for yourself. The Grassy Hopper is not a place just for vegans or vegetarians, it is definitely for everyone who enjoys superb food, and great evenings.”

For more information about the bistro or events, visit facebook.com/ TheGrassyHopper. Bookings are required as space is limited.

“If you think all gin tastes the same, you’d be mistaken,” said Reynolds, who enjoys Aviation on the rocks. “Aviation is in a completely different league and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of the company.”

Reynolds is playing an active role in the day-to-day business and oversees creative direction as part of his mission to introduce the world to the great taste of Aviation.

For trade enquires contact Red October Ltd, T: 2147 0400, redoctobermalta.com