Gourmet Today Issue 38

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E T A L O C O CH E C N E G L U IND HERO INGREDIENT EASTER’S

SC AY CHEESE HEESY WEEKEND SNACKS

T U O G N I DIN TOS ITE R R U O V A F R OU

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RABBIT IN E SAUCE CHOCOLAT

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OPEN NOW! Brass&Knuckle offers a new experience within the local culinary climate. It provides a range of quality meat and deli items, either cooked to perfection as a dine-in experience, or take it away to be cooked as you wish.

For more information, find us on facebook or visit us at: 5, Triq L-Oratorju, Naxxar.

brassandknuckle.com

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(+356) 7940 5205

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Gaby Hollan

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Pippa Matte

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Editor’s note

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fter seven successful years of Gourmet Today we’ve gone ahead and given the magazine a re-vamp. We’ve been working hard to achieve a trendier look while sticking to the content we know you love.

Today is the first day of spring, though, to be fair, we haven’t really had much of a winter, it comes new brightness. The days will be getting longer as of next weekend and the fruit and vegetable stalls are filled with the colours of spring, strawberries, fresh peas and broad beans are everywhere, and we are looking forward to bright coloured salads full of flavour.

But before salad season, Easter weekend is just around the corner and we have a great selection of recipes for you to indulge in. Pippa Mattei likes to go to Gozo for the weekend, though misses her superbly- equipped kitchen at home. Her solution is to cook before and take food with her. She shares some of her favourite recipes for this time of year – dishes which travel well and leave plenty of time in Gozo to do absolutely nothing!

The Preca sisters have taken over Gourmet Today TV for a short stint and share some of the recipes that they enjoy making at home to share with their own families.

We hope you enjoy this brand new edition of Gourmet Today and look forward to receiving your comments and suggestions.

Bon appetit!

Michael Diac

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Sean Gravin

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Janet Grech

Pascal Holla n

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The Preca Sis

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Robert Spite

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CONTRIBUTORS

Rachel Agiu

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CONTENTS Contact us Managing Editor: Saviour Balzan Editor: Rachel Zammit Cutajar gourmet@mediatoday.com.mt Sub-Editor: Rachel Agius

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GOURMET TODAY WISH LIST These are a few of our favourite things

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THE DEFINITIVE(LY) GOOD GUIDE CHEF OF THE YEAR Marvin Gauci talks to Gourmet Today about what it takes to get to the top, and how to stay there

Design: Kevin Grech Photography: Ray Attard Head of sales: Adriana Farrugia afarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Contact for advertising: Erika Arrigo earrigo@mediatoday.com.mt Phillipa Zammit pzammit@mediatoday.com.mt Joanna Grezlikowska joannag@mediatoday.com.mt

11 TABLE-HOPPING We just love to eat out. These are our favourites this season 31 GOZO PACKING WITH PIPPA MATTEI Pippa Mattei loves a trip to Gozo but misses her fully-equipped kitchen. She has all the answers

Published by:

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Vjal ir-Riħan, San Ġwann SGN 9016 Malta Tel: +356 2138 2741 Fax: +356 2138 1992 www.maltatoday.com.mt

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CHEESE SAY CHEESY WEEKEND SNACKS

L AT E C H O C OGENCE DER’SUHELRO INGREDIENT IN ST EA

G OUSTTOS DININ ITE RE VOUR OUR FA

Cover photo: Chocolate Fudge Cake by Robert Spiteri at Radisson Blu Resort, St. Julian’s Photography: Ray Attard

al a me WIN two at for ar and Cavi ll bu

Printed at: Print It Printing Services

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March 2016

S’ SISTER PRECA LUNCH FAMILY

T IN RABBI SAUCE OLATE

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41 CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE Robert Spiteri of the Radisson Blu, St Julian’s has got Easter covered with these sinful recipes

45 EASTER AT HOME Our Homecooks make the perfect Easter Sunday lunch 53 FAMILY TIME Family and food are what the Preca sisters do. Check out some of their favourite family recipes 60 EASTER EGGS THE GROWN UP WAY How to make Easter eggs for grown ups – just add booze!

62 WHAT’S IN SEASON Gaby Holland gets into the spring season with fresh peas 65 FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE Everyone loves a cheesy weekend.

This is how we do it

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WISH LIST

A job in food media comes with its own hazards, one of which is the huge wish list we put together when checking out different shops, meeting chefs and dining in restaurants. These are some of the items that have topped our list this season.

Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or looking for a gift for a foodie, these are certainly worth checking out

A pinch of salt

Maldon smoked sea salt Any professional chef will list a good salt in one of their top three ingredients they could not live without and for many of them it will be Maldon sea salt. What makes this so special is the sophisticatedly subtle smokiness, guaranteeing an extra frisson of flavour.

Available at any decent supermarket or specialty store worth its salt, or The White Sheep. www.thewhitesheep.eu Price: €3.25

Tea for one

Bread bitter

Babylone, The Belgian Beer Project Belgian craft beers are all the rage these days. This one by The Belgian Beer Project is only recently available on the local market. Made with fermented bread, this beer has a uniquely bold bitterness. The saying a beer feels like two slices of bread has never been more true.

Available at selected bars and restaurants. www.beerproject.be Price: €4-5

Guilt-free goodies

Tognana teapot with cup This smart little teapot and cup is perfect when you want to spend a sophisticated night in. The teapot nestles into the cup keeping it warm whilst your tea brews. Go on then, cancel those plans, put the kettle on and rip into that packet of biccies.

Available from Cose Casa, Balzan. www.cosecasa.com Price: €37.69

Honest This has literally just been launched but we’ve been lucky enough to get a secret sample. This young company promises handcrafted treat using Honest ingredients.

No refined sugar, no gluten, no dairy and most importantly no nasties… therefore no guilt.

Honest products include chocolates, energy balls, protein bars, granola, chia jams and others. We could snack on these ALL day.

Available online from Facebook Honest Food Malta Prices range from €1.50 to €12 depending on the product 6 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Wine ‘n’ cheese Fromage cheese board with cutter We love this funky cheese board from the Fromage range. The jazzy cheese cutter that comes with the board is not only convenient but it also makes a cool table piece..

Available from Hometrends, San Gwann. www.hometrends.com.mt Price: €39.00

WISH LIST Fruity burst with half the mess

NutriBullet Pro 900 Smoothies are all the rage these days. You gotta get up and get that green smoothie down if you want to live your life right, right? What we love about this one – aside from the health benefits of extracting nutrients rather than simply blending them – is that its so easy to use with very little washing up. All you do is whack those fruits and veggies into the cup, fill with liquid of your choice, attach the top (which is ultimately the blade) and give it a whizz. You then drink your smoothie straight out of the cup so washing up is minimal.

Retro kitchen accessories Pure and Living Pasta Jar We love anything with a bit of a vintage feel. This pasta jar has a high gloss finish with a wooden top, making it feel like one of granny’s hand-me-downs. Also the air-tight lid stops those horrid little pasta bugs from ruining your precious spaghetti!

Available from Cose Casa, Balzan. www.cosecasa.com Price: €30.21

All-inclusive carvery buffet weekends at Ta’ Marija

Available from Forestals among other suppliers. www.forestals.com Price: €175.00

Don’t miss out on Ta’ Marija’s all-inclusive Carvery Buffet at just €25 on Saturday evenings and Sunday lunches, complete with unlimited wine, water and coffee. Bring friends and family to their carvery feasts, which come with a delightful choice of Mediterranean and Maltese dishes, also featuring a seafood medley. Their traditional Maltese rabbit and “bragjoli” (beef olives) are always available, and leave room for home-made desserts.

Popular singer Corazon entertains every Saturday night, and promises to enchant you with her powerful voice and emotional songs.

And for those who want to travel back in time whilst savouring exquisite food, don’t

forget the Maltese extravaganza nights every Wednesday and Friday night, complete with strolling musicians and a superb Maltese folk dance show.

Open Monday to Sunday, for lunch and dinner.

Ta’ Marija Restaurant Constitution Street, Mosta Tel: 21 434444 Email: info@tamarija.com Web: www.tamarija.com

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KEEPING PASSION ALIVE

Marvin Gauci is chef patron of three of Malta’s most popular restaurants, Tarragon in St Paul’s Bay, Caviar & Bull in St Julian’s and Buddhamann, also in St Julian’s. He is the winner of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Chef of the Year for 2016.

He talks to Gourmet Today about his passion for food and what inspires him to create culinary delights.

How important do you think formal training is for a chef?

It is absolutely essential for a chef in today’s kitchen to have some form of formal training, setting basic standards and establishing a baseline from which to grow and develop creativity, skill and flair.

What do you think is the secret of your success?

For anyone to be successful in any business requires hard work, determination and vision. For me personally it is creativity, consistency, passion and love for what I do.

Which celebrity or internationally renowned chef has most inspired you in the kitchen and why?

I started young and 20 years ago when I was starting in this business, celebrity chefs were almost unheard of and didn’t enjoy the popularity they do now. My inspiration came from watching my mother and how she used the freshest ingredients to create the most simple, 8 www.gourmettoday.recipes

amazing dishes. I was fortunate, also, to have a grandfather who owned a traditional Maltese bakery.

Heston Blumenthal, I must admit, inspired me for his ability to push the boundaries of what can be achieved with imagination and creativity when it comes to food. My colleague and friend Ettore Bottrini was my inspiration in molecular cuisine.

Which is the best restaurant you have ever eaten in outside of Malta?

I’ve been lucky enough to travel and have been to many restaurants around the world that I have enjoyed where chefs have produced amazing dishes that always inspired me. I’ve eaten some of Tarragon 21, Church Street, St Paul’s Bay. Tel: 21573759 Facebook: tarragonmalta

the freshest, most amazing seafood in Morans on the Weir in County Galway, Ireland and the famous German chef Alfons Schuhbeck’s beef with rocksalt was truly impressive; for Asian cuisine Buddkan on 9th Avenue in New York is a favourite. In London there are just too many to mention, so I won’t start on that.

It’s difficult to pick just one – I’m a foodie at heart.

Who is the most famous person you have ever cooked for?

I’ve cooked for heads of state, Nobel prize winners, actors, directors and sports men. Who was the most famous? I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you!

After food, what is your greatest passion?

After food my greatest passion is my wife and my four amazing children.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career as a chef?

Stay focused, stay committed and most importantly - never lose your passion or creativity.

We know you never rest on your laurels... what is your next project?

Right now I’m very busy with three successful restaurants, who knows what tomorrow may bring. I do have something in the pipeline but at this point I’ve probably said too much already...

Caviar & Bull Corinthia Hotel, St George’s Bay, St Julian’s Tel: 99993301 Facebook: Caviar-Bull

Buddhamann Corinthia Hotel, St George’s Bay, St Julian’s Tel: 77283342 Facebook: buddhamanmalta

Win a meal for two at TARRAGON, CAVIAR & BULL or BUDDHAMANN with the DeďŹ nitive(ly) Good Guide and Gourmet Today.

WIN a meal for tw o

Like the Gourmet Today Facebook page and let us know why you would like to eat at these restaurants.

Competition ends 31 March, 2016.

The winner will be randomly selected.Terms and conditions apply.

Vote for the Chef of the Month The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Chef of the Month competition, supported by The Catering Centre, aims to recognise chefs who make a restaurant the success that it is.

A number of the top 150 restaurants as voted into The Guide in the 2015 survey have nominated their chef to participate in the Chef of the Month. Nominated chefs are featured on www.restaurantsmalta.com and diners are asked

to vote for who they think should win based on presentation of the food, variety of ingredients used and creativity in their use.

To vote for the Chef of the Month go to www.restaurantsmalta.com and let us know who should win.

The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co

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A NIGHT AT THE

awards ceremony T

he Medina Restaurant won the top restaurant award in The 2016 Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants Awards Ceremony sponsored by HSBC, which was held at the InterContinental Arena Conference Centre on 8 December 2015. Based on the results of the September online survey only 150 restaurants make it to be included in each edition of The Definitive(ly)

THE DEFINITIVE(LY) GOOD GUIDE AWARDS IN ORDER FROM MOST HIGHLY RATED Medina Restaurant Buddhamann Oceana Giannini TemptAsian Tarragon Ta’ Frenc L’Ortolan Tosca Ristorante La Vela Bacchus Caviar & Bull Lovage Sepia Waterbiscuit Giuseppi’s

La Buona Trattoria del Nonno Zeri’s Venus Okurama Japanese Dining Country Terrace Wejla The Boathouse The Harbour Club Il-Horza Trattoria AD1530 Da Luigi Rebekah’s Luna Palazzo Preca Patrick’s

Vinotheque Beppe’s Pintonino San Andrea Portovecchio Trattoria San Lawrenz Zest The Villa Brasserie Fra Martino

Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo and its official portal www.restaurantsmalta. com. 37 new restaurants were included in this year’s edition, which was launched on the evening.

Managing Director Lisa Grech announced the awards, which were presented by Roderick Galdes, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, Andrew Forbes from HSBC and Alfred Cuschieri of Continental Purchasing on behalf of Villeroy & Boch, who supplied the commemorative award plates for the occasion.

Awarded restaurants were chosen from the highest rated restaurants, both overall, and in the various price categories for Malta and Gozo, taking into account not only the Overall rating but also individual Food, Service and Ambience ratings, the number of people rating, value for money, comments and other data from the survey.

ADDITIONAL AWARDS • Best Food (sponsored by Mc Cain represented by Alf Mizzi & Sons) – Ristorante La Vela • Best Service (sponsored by Lurpak represented by Applecore Foods) – Oceana • Best Maltese Food (sponsored by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co) - Ta’ Marija Restaurant • Best Business Entertainment (sponsored by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co) – Caviar & Bull • Most Romantic Restaurant (sponsored by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co) – Caviar & Bull • Most Children-Friendly (sponsored by the Malta Baby & Kids Directory) – iPlace • Best Restaurant offering Vegetarian options (sponsored by Good Earth Ltd) – The Blue Elephant

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• Best Value for Money (sponsored

by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co) – iPlace • Most Lively Atmosphere (sponsored

by Route 66 Limousine Services) – Caviar & Bull • Best Newcomer (sponsored

by Mibrasa Charcoal Ovens) – Buddhamann • And in memory of Colin Best – co-founder of the Restaurant Guide. - The Colin Best Award for the Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant in Malta & Gozo for 2014/2015 –Oceana.

• The Best Chef Award (sponsored

by The Catering Centre) – Marvin Gauci • Most Mentioned Restaurant in Survey (sponsored by placeabooking.com) - iPlace

WINE AWARDS •

• • • • • • •

The People’s Choice Wine List taken from the results of the returned surveys - Tarragon.

The Best Maltese Wine List – La Mere The Best Fine Wine List – Patrick’s Lounge & Restaurant The Best Designed Wine List – Del Borgo The Best Assortment & Diversity Wine List - Pintonino The Wine Experience of the Year – Patrick’s Lounge & Restaurant Wine List of the Year – Tarragon Commended Wine Lists were: Caviar & Bull, de Mondion Restaurant Xara Palace and Palazzo Preca

Table-hopping As much as we love to cook at Gourmet Today, we also love to eat out. New restaurants are popping up all over the island, some that stay and some that don’t seem to make it.

We take it upon ourselves to find out which ones are worth your while‌ a job we take very seriously. These are our favourite tables this season.

Photo: Sciacca Grill by Ray Attard

THE INGREDIENTS ARE LOCAL, THE STANDARDS ARE GLOBAL, THE FEELINGS ARE UNIVERSAL.

Personalised dining has a new perspective at InterContinental Malta. The finest ingredients, crafted together with generosity and skill offers every discerning guest a distinct experience, delivered with exquisite service, impeccable flavour and a vibrant ambience.

Do you live an InterContinental life?

For more information or to make a reservation, please contac us on 2137 7600, email malta@ihg.com, visit intercontinental.com/icmalta.

In over 170 locations across the globe including HONG KONG• LONDON• NEW YORK• PARIS

TABLE-HOPPING

DUO – AN EASY RECOMMENDATION In this line of work we, at Gourmet Today, get asked to ‘recommend a good restaurant’ all the time. Though we are always on the lookout for new establishments, we like to revisit old favourites too. RACHEL AGIUS heads down to Duo Restaurant in Qawra to refresh her memory and comes back with nothing but praise

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ood restaurants are hard to find. Restaurants you’d be willing to recommend are even harder to come by. ‘Know a good place to eat?’ is a question I dread and one which, given my line of work, I face often. Between my terrible memory and a real dearth of acceptable options, my reply is often a blank stare and an apologetic shrug of the shoulders.

Because what makes a good restaurant anyway?

This slippery question is one we’re constantly trying to answer at Gourmet Today and the answers are not always the same.

I had visited Duo before, several years ago and before I started writing seriously about food. As the meal took place a long while back, I can’t recall all that much about the details – my only memory is a clear recollection of excellent food and impeccable service.

When I was assigned to review the restaurant, I was keen to find out if my vague-but-positive memories held any water.

I needn’t have worried – my memory is not so bad after all. My guest and I were welcomed to Duo by a conscientious waiter, who would then check in with us regularly throughout the meal. We were seated and took a look at the menu and specials for the day as we enjoyed an aperitif. The options are pretty well balanced between meat and fish, interspersed with some unexpected entries – I can’t say I’ve seen many

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menus with a velouté on offer.

We made our selections and were presented with a sort of minimalist take on bruschetta while we waited, thinly sliced bread toasted to a satisfying crisp and served with a moreish hummus, topped with tiny tomato and onion cubes, like a stripped back salsa.

The starters were both delicious and visually impressive. You could tell that whoever made them has a very specific idea of how they wanted these dishes to look. I tucked in to a Danish Camembert wrapped in filo pastry; a decadent, melty, irresistible parcel of deliciousness, paired with the counterpoint of forest fruits. The addition of fruit to savoury dishes proved to be a theme during our meal and was used to good effect. In fact, sautéed cherries accompanied my guest’s pan-fried foie gras, alongside a beautiful golden brioche.

Next up came the pan-fried duck breast for me and the pork medallions for my guest. The duck was paired with a date and greens saladette, expertly heaped, and strips of mango – again, a sweet/savoury combination that worked exceedingly well. The duck was crispy on the outside and had a beautiful colour gradient inside. A bird well done.

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The pork came with what I first thought were beetroot rounds but turned out to be blue potatoes, which have a simultaneously familiar and unusual flavour. The meat sat atop a mound of apples, cooked in apple brandy. There were sounds of approval from both ends of the table.

There is no dessert menu – you’ll need to ask your waiter what Chef Tonio has prepared on the day.

Alternately, you may be able to get a word with the chef himself, as he often emerges from the kitchen to check on his diners, a practice I feel more chefs should take on.

I had a crème brulee, my go-to choice when it’s on the menu, and my guest opted for the lavender panna cotta.

The first thing we noticed about these dishes was their size. If you weren’t full before, these babies will certainly do the trick – a nice change from the smear of ice cream or the single bite of chocolate fondant some other restaurants present you with. The brulee had a proper, crunchy crust to crack through, unleashing the delicate treasure beneath. The lavender panna cotta was a wonderful lilac colour and encircled a rich strawberry reduction for the perfect pairing. A scattering of berries completed the dish.

With indoor and outdoor

“THE ADDITION OF FRUIT TO SAVOURY DISHES PROVED TO BE A THEME DURING OUR MEAL”

seating, Duo would make for a good experience whatever the weather.

Though I didn’t get the chance to sample them this time, the formidable cocktail menu looked like lots of fun.

So would I recommend Duo? Yes I would, and this time, I’m pretty sure I’ll remember it.

Duo Restaurant Triq il-Qawra, Qawra.

Tel: 21578236 Email: tonio@duorestaurant.com.mt Web: www.duomalta.com DuoRestaurantMalta

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PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

TABLE-HOPPING

WEJLA, TARTARUN’S SLICK LITTLE SISTER Tartarun in Marsaxlokk has a reputation for delivering the very best in dining experiences in the south. Her little sister Wejla, at Smart City, is walking in her footsteps but taking on a little character of her own

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n the face of it, the slick, shiny new Smart City is very far removed from the quaint fishing village of Marsaxlokk. A modern concrete metropolis seems to have little in common with a sun-drenched locale, steeped in history and tradition, save perhaps their proximity to the sea.

But there is a thread that connects the two – a family passionate about offering their diners quality produce and an unforgettable experience. I sat down with Stephen Schiavone to find out more.

Tartarun came first. Stephen’s parents opened the restaurant in 2009, helped by Stephen and his brother, chef James. It was a natural progression for them. The family had been involved with fishing and the industry for many years and, living in Marsaxlokk, opening a fish restaurant seemed like a no-brainer. The focus was and remains on preparing the freshest fish and seafood possible in a way that respected the ingredients and really brought out their potential. The catch of the day remains a customer favourite at Tartarun, according to James, probably because it’s hard to walk past the display of freshly caught fish without wanting to try it. The prawn carpaccio is also a crowd pleaser, says Stephen, as are the crab, langoustine and prawn tortellacci.

At its sister restaurant, Wejla by Tartarun, fish has certainly remained an important element of the menu but it shares the limelight with a formidable grill selection. Here customers have gone mad for the bouillabaisse and the lobster agnolotti, as well as the exceptional Côte de veau, a veal rib on the bone. Wejla is the somewhat slicker little sister in the family. Wejla’s minimalist and clean design contrasts with Tartarun’s more rustic and traditional interiors, which remain closely connected to the heritage and history of both the Schiavone family and of the village itself. Stephen tells me the Smart City location has plenty going for it – large

windows flood the place with natural light, ample outdoor seating makes it an excellent summer venue and the fact that the road and all its traffic are a way off makes it easier to enjoy the expansive view of the sea while also being family–friendly.

What Stephen, who runs Wejla full time now, was going for was a fish and grill restaurant that didn’t scream traditional while still being comfortable and friendly.

Though they have their own very individual personalities, Tartarun and Wejla share some solid core values. The first is a focus on top-notch, seasonal ingredients. This is absolutely nonnegotiable. Service is similarly sacrosanct to both – attentive staff and white linens are proof of this.

Creativity is another important element these two sisters share – the room to explore and tweak and modify ingredients in out-of-the-ordinary ways means customers can try familiar ingredients in prepared in new and unusual ways. Both revamp their menus regularly, giving new dishes their chance to shine.

The two also work in tandem when it comes to supporting their communities.

Stephen explains how Smart City, despite its detractors, will bring more commerce

and tourism to southern villages that never quite recovered from the fall of the Jerma Palace hotel. Tartarun and other restaurants in the south stand to gain from the success of Smart City, while Wejla too benefits by means of the reignited interest in fine dining close by. Everybody wins.

At the end of the day though, it’s the customer who really gets the prize.

Tartarun and Wejla have committed themselves to serving up some spectacular dishes, whether the main ingredients have fins or hooves. Stephen tells me he has many exciting ideas for Wejla in the pipeline, including a set surf’n’turf menu that pairs fish and meat in innovative and mouthwatering ways. There a big things ahead and Wejla by Tartarun is making sure to serve them up with its own unique style.

Wejla Smart City, Kalkara Tel: 79258177 Web: www.wejla.com.mt wejla

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A NEW HOME for an old friend With a host of loyal regulars and a impressive culinary pedigree, Drift Meze and Café by Bouzouki has strived to bring elements of its past into a beloved venue. RACHEL AGIUS finds out how

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hen you open a business – any sort of business – one major worry is attracting clients. The heart and soul of any enterprise, it’s difficult to draw in customers in this age of stiff competition.

On this point however, the folks at Drift have a real edge. You see Alex and Daniela, who run the popular café, come from something of a prestigious pedigree, as restaurants go. Both had worked at Bouzouki, the much-loved and sorely missed Greek restaurant in Paceville that was owned by Alex’s father. After it closed down a few years back, the question of whether there was any intention to resurrect what had become an institution kept coming up.

This is where Simon Mamo comes in. He had taken ownership of Drift, a

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popular stationer-cum-café in the heart of Ibragg and was wondering what to do with the café part of the property.

The place was a beloved favourite with the locals for many years at this point, serving basic fare along the lines of coffee, tea and toasties.

So the idea of a meze and café came about, merging the experience and the reputation of what may have been Malta’s most well known Greek restaurant, with an accessible location and an already enthusiastic clientele. The rest, as they say, is history.

Alex is quick to point out however that the Greek theme is not so much a fixed motif but more of a guideline. The menu contains a variety of foods – salads, and platters as well as the traditional meze, breakfast options and sweets – drawing on plenty of different sources of culinary

inspiration. There is plenty of room for creativity here.

Still, the Greek mezes remain a huge draw. Small sharing dishes always seem to inspire the sort of conviviality the Mediterranean region is known for and the same applies here. A number of mouth-watering dips – including the somewhat legendary taramsalata, made to the Bouzouki recipe – are available alongside Greek classics like stuffed vine leaves, hummus and moussaka, all made on site from the freshest ingredients.

What’s the average day like at Drift?

It starts off with the breakfast service, people popping by for a coffee or a quick bite first thing. At lunch, you’ll find a number of locals enjoying fine weather outdoors or settling inside if it’s chilly, over a protracted lunch and maybe a drink or two. It’s also a perfect pitstop for a cheeky glass of wine after work, with the added advantage of being able to take some dips home. Sundays are, to use Alex’s word, somewhat chaotic – after every service finishes at the church next door, customers stream in, looking for a warm drink and a snack. Drift is happy to oblige.

So what’s next for this Ibragg favourite?

For one thing, there are plans to introduce some main course-sized dishes, bringing back just a little more of the Bouzouki essence fans have long been requesting. Excellent news for customers looking for something more substantial to sink their teeth into.

Combined with their variety of specials, which change every day, even regular customers have plenty to look forward to at Drift. Though I suspect they hardly need any reason to return to this beloved haunt.

TABLE-HOPPING

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

Drift Meze and Café

by Bouzouki Drift Meze and Café by Bouzouki Ibrag Road, Ibrag.

Tel: 27138540 Drift-MezeCafe

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TABLE-HOPPING

EASTER AT LOVAGE BISTRO What to do on Easter Sunday? The answer is always to spend it with family. But do you have everyone over and cook a lavish meal? Or do you get another family member to invite you over? Avoid squabbles over who is doing the cooking (and the washing up) by booking a table at Lovage Bistro for traditional Easter lamb and an overall great day out

T

ucked away in a corner of the sun-kissed town of Bugibba, is one of our favourite spots. Any regular readers of Gourmet Today will know that we love this little place. Chef patron Matthew Schembri’s passion for creating new dishes with fresh local ingredients is hard to beat. In the summer they have a great outdoor terrace and in the winter they have cosy indoor seating. With a menu that changes regularly, this really is a place for all seasons.

In spring time, what you really want is a little bit of sunshine with excellent food, which is not

“CHOOSE FROM FIVE EXQUISITE MAIN COURSES INCLUDING TRADITIONAL BRAISED LAMB SHANKS” something that will be lacking at Lovage Bistro, and as Easter is just around the corner, it is time to start planning to where enjoy this special holiday. Treat your loved ones to a superb lunch at Lovage Bistro on Easter

Sunday for just €38 per person.

The set menu has something for everyone including a number of choices for starters, five exquisite main course options including their traditional braised lamb shanks and a delicious assortment of treats for dessert, prepared by chef Matthew Schembri.

Lovage Bistro Triq l-Imhar, Qawra, St. Paul’s Bay Phone: +356 21 572088 Mobile: +356 79 594098 E-mail: info@lovagebistro.com Web: www.lovagebistro.com LovageBistro

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Celebrate this Easter with Infinitely Xara. We have created an array of different menus for our venues; The Xara Lodge will be hosting a delightful lavish buffet menu at just €39.00 per person inclusive of wine and water. Our fine dining restaurant the de Mondion will be serving a gastronomic haute cuisine experience at €42.00 per person while Palazzo de Piro in Mdina has opted for a total Easter feast of live food stations situated around the venue at €34.00 per person. Entice your taste buds with all the flavours of the Easter tradition and make this a truly unforgettable day. You and your loved ones will spoil yourselves with the sumptuous lunch menus prepared especially by our kitchen brigade for this occasion.

Tel: 21450 560 Email: info@xarapalace.com.mt

TABLE-HOPPING

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

LIJA’S FAVOURITE LOCAL GETS A TOUCH OF EXPERTISE Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge has always been a popular haunt for Lija locals as well as not so locals, and after two years, it has finally re-opened its doors. Johan Martin is taking his expertise in wines and artisanal food to breathe new life into this tiny little bar

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hoosing where to sit down for a drink has become a daunting task. Bars and cafes have sprung up like daisies after a spring rain and deciding on one of them can really put a damper on any evening.

To those who are familiar with the wine bar scene, we have good news. In the heart of Lija, surrounded by stately villas, narrow little roads and a smalltown atmosphere, an old favourite has been brought back to life.

Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge has opened its doors once again, this time helmed by Johan Martin and his wife Lucienne, who took the place on as a way to simplify things.

You may remember Johan – he’s the guy who helped make Sciacca Grill, in Valletta, the beloved institution it is today.

So why take on this little wine bar in the heart of the island? It’s something of a change of pace from his previous job.

“I was looking for a new challenge,” he explains.

He initially had no intention of taking

“THE GOAL HERE ISN’T MASS PRODUCED FARE BUT CAREFULLY CHOSEN ARTISANAL PRODUCTS”

on a project like this one but when the place came up for sale, he knew he had to have it.

Describing Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge as anything other than ‘tiny’ would be misleading.

It will comfortably seat about ten people, 18 standing. This intimate venue also encourages patronage by a certain type of customer – this is not the place for rowdy youngsters and Johan is quick to tell customers that making a racket is not an option.

So what does this little refuge offer? A fully stocked bar, including a variety of whiskies and wines, should keep even the most discerning drinker happy. There are also plans to expand the range of wines to include high-end vintages by the glass.

The menu changes daily and consists of a platter, dips, cold cuts, salads and one other hot option – the goal here isn’t mass produced fare but carefully chosen artisanal products from all over the Mediterranean. This allows Johan to change up the ingredients often for an experience that will make return customers happy every time. A selection of desserts is also available.

So what’s next? Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge has already hosted a

Valentine’s Day themed event, offering customers a degustation menu and a unique setting on the most romantic night of the year. Similar events are in the pipeline. The venue can be booked for small private functions and has the advantage of making it easy to mingle with your fellow guests in a one-of-a-kind environment.

It was with a sigh of sadness that the locals (and not so locals) watched Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge close its doors, about two years ago. Luckily for them, a real expert has stepped in to welcome them back into this sleepy little town for some good food and a relaxed spot for a drink. The next time you’re looking for somewhere to go, consider your decision made.

Tal-Villagg Cafe & Wine Lounge 77, Triq il-Forn, Lija.

Tel: 27427058 • 9940 4487 Email: talvillagg@gmail.com talvillagglounge

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DINING OUT

TABLE-HOPPING

SIMPLE FOOD SERVED WITH PASSION Benny Muscat is what you could call a veteran in the industry and experience has taught him a thing or two. However his passion for great food and great service is still paramount after all these years. RACHEL AGIUS heads down to La Buona Trattoria del Nonno to find out what makes him tick

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urprises make life interesting, for better or worse. There’s nothing like the unexpected to help reignite the curiosity that most of us seem to have lost once we grew out of school uniforms and moved into the adult world.

I was pleasantly surprised when I sat down with Benny Muscat, whose name has been synonymous with the restaurant business ever since Malta’s burgeoning tourism found its feet decades ago. The ‘nonno’ in the restaurant’s name – La Buona Trattoria del Nonno – he has many a story to tell about what it was like when he opened Ta’ Marija, an awardwinning restaurant that is celebrating its 52nd anniversary this year. He later also ran Palazzo Pescatore, home to countless conferences and weddings before it was shut down some years ago, much to patrons’ dismay.

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Walking in to the trattoria, you’d be forgiven for wondering what the fuss is all about. An open kitchen overlooks a cosy front room… and that’s pretty much it.

Or so I thought. Benny guided us outside and switched the lights on. Here was a seemingly endless dining area, bounded by trees and garden, shielded from the elements by awnings and canopies hung with fairy lights. Further along, we came to another indoor dining room, complete with its own kitchen services. Further still were an outside bar, more seating and even a kids’ area. If you want to appreciate its full glory, don’t visit on a stormy Thursday night like I did.

There was plenty to keep us occupied indoors though. The menu was vast – anything from salads and fresh pasta to pizzas, fish and selections from the grill.

Benny has been in this business a long time and his mantra was and remains ‘second best is not good enough’.

It was quite obvious that his staff, both in the kitchen and outside it, took this very seriously. We were met with a welcome drink and some nibbles while we made our minds up on what to choose. We settled for sharing a half rack of ribs and a pizza, just to make sure I could offer you a balanced review. You’re welcome, by the way. We also ordered a salad to share, just because we had both seen pictures of the ribs and knew we had our work cut out for us.

The ribs are something of an institution here. Named after Benny’s daughter, who came up with the marinade recipe, Lara’s Special Marinated Honey Spare Ribs are something else. Fall-off-the-bone tender, I suggest you eat these with you hands to fully appreciate their sticky, sweet rich flavour (ask the staff for an apron – they have those on hand for just this sort of

Lara’s Honey Spare Ribs

thing).

The wood-fired oven made quick work of our pizza, which arrived with a light crust, which was not too greasy, and topped with moreish fior di latte mozzarella. We had trouble stopping ourselves on this one, despite being full to bursting already.

La Buona Trattoria del Nonno is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a family-run and familyfriendly place to eat almost anything you can think of. Dishes are made with fresh ingredients and are allowed to take their time – good food is not made in a rush, as Benny told us. What did surprise us was the immediately obvious and genuine passion for food and good service – other restaurants could learn a thing or two from the way this place is run.

La Buona Trattoria del Nonno St. Paul’s Street, St. Paul’s Bay. Tel: 21573182 / 99470811 Web: www.trattoriadelnonno.com LaBuonaTrattoriaDelNonno

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SCIACCA – A CONSISTENT FAVOURITE Although we like to try new places at Gourmet Today, we sometimes go back to our old favourites. RACHEL AGIUS returns to Sciacca Grill and remembers why she calls this her favourite steakhouse

I

t really is difficult to fill these pages sometimes. Readers want to hear about what a restaurant is like - how the interiors, the service, the ambience and the food come together to create a dining experience unique to that one place – and that is a mission I take very seriously.

In an effort to record the tiny details (my memory isn’t what it used to be – I blame those pre-dinner gin and tonics that I have no intention of giving up), I take meticulous notes in secret code. Actually that’s not true. It’s not a secret code, just bad handwriting that even I occasionally have trouble deciphering. But moving on.

I always go to these reviews armed with a notebook and write down things that stand out. Not all of these make it into these reviews, partly because of space limitations and partly because I understand that my readers may not be as interested in, say, the state of the bathrooms as I am. To each his own, I suppose.

But what happens when I’m sent to somewhere like Sciacca? Firstly, I feel like that sentence may be misleading – there is nowhere like Sciacca. My last visit was about a year ago. Little has changed and

thank goodness for that.

However my dilemma remains. Because really, this review could be over very quickly. It would read something like: “This is my favourite restaurant, the food is unparalleled, the service excellent. You should go here.”

Sadly my editor is not so easily swayed.

More words are needed and so I shall oblige.

Sciacca has made itself the mecca of meat over the past two years. Carnivores come here for the vast selection of cuts, sourced from the beef-producing capitals of the world. Whiskey lovers come here for the firewater, the bar shelves straining under bottles and bottles of the stuff. Everyone comes here for the combination of the stellar, brisk service, the impressive stock of wines and the open kitchen, which offers a somewhat primal scene – chefs bustling about in their shirt sleeves, cooking slabs of meat on a roaring fire. An image that warms the cockles of my heart.

There have been a few changes since my last visit, I’ll be honest. The presence of an ageing cabinet, hung with hefty cuts, each developing a nice dark outer crust, was a

pleasant surprise. It was nice to see a place take that much care in the preparation of its products. The specials menu had also expanded. While there have always been specials available at Sciacca, this time one could see a bit more variety – pastas and salads and a formidable looking burger feature in the new version, welcome additions for those not as interested in the meat (though really, why are you guys here at all?).

On my most recent visit, we sat down to a wonderful selection of food – beef carpaccio, beetroot salad with straciata mozzarella, an Uruguayan Angus rib eye and a simply sublime Argentinian rib eye.

We ended the meal with a crème brulee to share and came to pretty much the same conclusion we came to last time. Sciacca knows food and they know service. It has been consistently superb in all the aspects that make a restaurant stand out from its peers and I would not hesitate to call it my favourite steak restaurant on the island.

You should go here.

Sciacca Grill South Street, 1103, Valletta Tel: 21237222 Email: valletta@sciaccamalta.com Sciaccagrill

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TABLE-HOPPING

THE PERFECT MEAL FOR ANY OCCASION

First dates, business lunches or family gatherings, Ristorante La Vela is one of the few places on the island that gets it right no matter the company you keep. RACHEL AGIUS heads down there to check it out

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ll-rounders are hard to find in this restaurant business. In my (very well fed) tenure with this magazine, only a tiny fraction of the places I’ve had the pleasure of eating at can really be considered versatile enough to be suitable for any kind of event. A good first date sort of place may be too smart for a quick bite. A perfect venue for a big family gathering may not be professional enough for a business lunch. Some restaurants do one thing and they do it well, and kudos to them really – there’s nothing wrong at all with catering to a certain clientele or atmosphere.

But there is one place that has consistently proven itself worthy, whatever requirements I happen to throw at it. Dining at La Vela for this review is probably the fourth or fifth time I’ve visited. Among those visits were one rowdy family reunion, a birthday dinner with friends, and your run-of-the-mill dinner-for-two. Each time, we were met with a few constants – impeccable service, a balanced menu and a wonderful view.

Sitting down to lunch, I could see that I wasn’t the only one there on work business – several suits and ties took up a number of tables. It seemed like La Vela had ticked that box too. And why wouldn’t it? A central location with great parking makes it an attractive prospect for those looking to squeeze in a business deal at lunch.

Fish is the order of the day here – sitting this close to the marina, it seems like a

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natural choice. The menu also includes pasta and meat dishes, with something for every palate.

Our first course arrived – filo pastry spring rolls stuffed with Angus beef and ricotta and pasta with a mix of seafood. My spring rolls were what those awful Chinese buffet frozen specimens can only dream to be – moreish, crunchy and delicate. I could have easily eaten another four or five, had I not had a main course to leave room for.

As for the pasta, I would be letting my

readers down if I failed to mention that my guest literally threw her head back, eyes closed, after that first bite. It was that good.

Next up (disclaimer: we skipped the primi piatti but there were some interesting gnocchi trying to catch my eye) was a grilled and deboned bream, selected from a large, very heavy-looking tray laden with shiny specimens, and veal sirloin wrapped in bacon. Both of us were more than satisfied. The veal came with a grilled slice of scamorza, a drizzle of honey and carrot and pea purees. The fish was no-need-for-a-knife tender and obviously prepared with care. A melodious symphony of flavours, without being too cluttered.

We shared dessert – a crème caramel with little puffs of an airy chocolate mousse, accompanied by large shards of dark chocolate sprinkled with pistachios.

I will neither confirm nor deny that there may have been some quiet arguing over the last bite.

In all, La Vela met my expectations once again. The gentle lapping of the sea, the classy (but not pretentious) interior and the option for outdoor dining make it a place I would be happy to return to, whatever the occasion, if only to try those tempting gnocchi.

Ristorante La Vela Triq ix-Xatt, Pieta.

Tel: 99269090, 21230336 Email: michmus68@gmail.com Web: www.lavelamalta.com Ristorante-La-Vela

THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

Obesity is a disease and the only way to end obesity-related deaths is to find a cure.

However, until that day comes we need to work on prevention. This is what Chris Fearne, parliamentary secretary for health, told RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR over lunch at Giannini’s in Valletta

“Ultimately, what we need to do to fight obesity, and the diseases related to it, is to find a cure,” Fearne said. He said that today doctor’s place a large amount of blame for obesity on the patient themselves and that telling and obese person suffering from high blood pressure to simply lose weight doesn’t work in the majority of cases.

Though there are some people that lose weight and keep and it off – these tend to be the more motivated of the group – for most people there is some initial weight loss followed by a regain of weight.

“You wouldn’t tell someone suffering from cancer to take responsibility for their disease and just fix it. We need to be more understanding of the limitations facing these people and the real reasons they cannot keep the

weight off until we find a cure,” Fearne said.

Fearne believe that a cure for obesity isn’t as fantastical as it sounds.

Diseases like tuberculosis (TB) killed patients less that 100 years ago. Today deaths from TB in the western world are all but unheard of. However, this magic cure is not yet a reality and until then we need to work on prevention.

The cause of obesity is not exactly baffling. Too much food and not enough exercise have put Malta’s obesity rates at the top end of the scale of stats collected in the west, however a World Health Organisation (WHO) prediction for 2025 puts Malta’s obesity rates at the same levels they are today. With obesity rates climbing in other western countries, Fearne says that government initiatives have helped

to put Malta at the forefront of obesity control.

Fearne said that this is the result of a number of campaigns run by the government over the last year.

Research has shown that breastfeeding reduces the tendency towards obesity thus their Breast Is Best campaign, which was launched in 2013. The removal of sugary foodstuffs from school tuck shops and the introduction of the Kids On The Move campaign ensures that kids are eating better and learning the importance of moving around, which they will then take with them into their adult life.

“Some schools have even gone as far as organising food prep classes to motivate the kids to eat better and the response has been great. People want to look after their healthy better,

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they just need a little bit of help getting there.

Awareness and small lifestyle changes is what will keep this epidemic under control until we find a cure.”

Fearne emphasised the importance of following a Mediterranean diet. “We live in the heart of the Mediterranean and yet we do not really follow a Mediterranean diet.” What this involves is giving priority to fresh produce, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats with less of an emphasis on meats and dairy and consuming products.

Fearne insists that it is important to look at this as a sustainable lifestyle and not just as a temporary diet to get rid of a few kilos. Eating the odd pastry every now and then shouldn’t make you feel that everything is lost. Keep some – limited – treats in your diet but try to make sure that only 10% of your daily intake of calories comes from processed sugars.

“One day this will no longer be a problem and there will be a cure and treating obesity will not be as expensive as treating the diseases that result from obesity but until then we need to keep up the work involved in prevention.”

EAT LIKE A GREEK • Eat 5 – 10 servings of fresh produce a day • Choose healthy fats – olives, olive oil and avocados • Include nuts, seeds and legumes in your diet • Choose your protein wisely. Go for fish and eggs, limiting red meat • Have some dairy, though this is best if it is from cultured milk. Think yoghurt • Choose whole grains over white • Use herbs and spices for flavour • Make water your go-to drink • Choose local

• Make it social – relax and enjoy meals with family and friends 28 www.gourmettoday.recipes

HEALTHY LUNCHBOXES Gourmet Today TV and The Ministry of Health have teamed up to provide some easy recipes that are easy to prepare and will keep in your kid’s lunchbox until lunchtime. Though these ideas were mainly aimed at kids, it would be a lie to say that the Gourmet staff haven’t been seen snacking on these at the office!

Ricotta and apple wholegrain pitas SEAN GRAVINA Ingredients • Wholegrain pitas • 1 apple • squeeze lemon juice • 4 tbsp ricotta • ½ tsp cinnamon • 1 tbsp honey Method 1. Slice the apple and toss in lemon juice to prevent from going brown.

2. Mix the ricotta, cinnamon and honey together.

Coconut balls

Apple crisps

Michael Diacono

Sean Gravina

Ingredients • 1 cup dried figs • ½ cup raisins • ½ cup oats • ½ cup coconut • ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Ingredients • 2 gala apples • 2 tsp sugar • ½ tsp cinnamon • Pinch of salt

Method 1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until sticky.

2. Roll into balls and roll in more dedicated coconut.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 18 December, 2018.

Method • Preheat oven to 120°C. • Carefully, slice the apple as finely as possible.

• Mix cinnamon, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.

• Add apples and toss.

• Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.

• Spray or grease the surface.

• Set apple pieces in a single layer on baking sheets. Do not let them overlap.

• Bake for one hour until golden brown and very thin. Rotate pan halfway through.

• Cool 5 minutes.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 29 January, 2016

PIPPA MATTEI

EASTER WEEKEND IN GOZO Many of us love to go to sister island Gozo for the Easter weekend. Its early Spring and Gozo looks green and lush and we can start to smell the sea, which gives us a taste of the summer to come!

As sometimes the facilities in our places in Gozo don’t match the facilities we have in our kitchens at home, and because we all want to have a relaxed weekend, a little bit of forward planning and cooking is a good idea.

Here I give you my favourite recipes for the weekend which can be prepared ahead, and transported easily from home to Gozo

TORTA BL-ISPINACI U T-TONN SPINACH AND TUNA PIE Ingredients • 500g puff pastry • 1.5 kg fresh spinach, washed, cooked and well-drained (alternatively use 500g frozen spinach, cooked) • 200g tuna (1 large tin and 1 small) • 4 anchovy fillets • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed • 4 tbsp good olive oil • A handful of cooked peas • 6 olives, stoned and chopped • 2 tbsp tomato puree (kunserva) • 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves • 1 tin (200g) ratatouille (kapunata), optional • 2 tbsp capers • A little salt and freshly ground pepper

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

Method 1. Toss the chopped onion and crushed garlic in heated olive oil till golden.

2. Add all the other ingredients one by one tossing the mixture over the heat the whole time until all are well coated in the fat and there is no liquid left in the pan.

3. Allow the mixture to cool.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. 5. Roll out the prepared pastry, lining the bottom of an oven dish, add the cooled pie-filling pressing down into the pastry case.

6. Carefully cover with the pastry lid sealing the edges and pricking all over with a fork.

7. Bake the pie for about 45 mins until golden.

8. Allow to settle and eat, preferably at room temperature

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Don’t make ahead

It is super easy. Ju ingredients and a larg st take the e pot and get the gbejniet in Gozo.

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PIPPA MATTEI KUSKSU BIL-FUL FRESH BROAD BEAN & PASTA SOUP Serves 6

•

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

1kg fresh broad beans ½ a large jar tomato paste (kunserva tat-tadam) (approx. 6 tbsp) 2 onions, peeled and sliced 2 potatoes, peeled and diced 100g kusksu pasta (little beads) or Barilla ‘Tempesta’ 100g fresh or frozen peas Salt and pepper 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube Parmesan cheese to garnish and six fresh gbejniet Approx 1 litre of water

2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp good olive oil

Method 1. Prepare the beans by peeling twice.

2. Toss the chopped onions and diced potatoes in butter and oil heated over medium heat.

3. When vegetables are well coated, add the prepared beans and peas if fresh (frozen peas are added later) and toss once or twice.

4. Add the tomato puree and stir well.

5. Add water to cover, and the

6.

7.

8.

crumbled stock cube. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the beans are soft (approx 20 mins).

Add the pasta beads, stir well, and continue cooking, until these are transparent, (another 20 mins).

Add the peas if using frozen ones, and cook a few minutes longer until all the vegetables and the pasta beads are tender.

Serve this soup with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh Gbejna per person.

Pork and pumpkin pie Serves 6-8 Ingredients • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1kg orange pumpkin, peeled then cubed • 500g puff pastry • 300g long grain rice • 1 beef cube • 500g fresh pork, minced or cubed • 4 rashers bacon • 8 green olives, pitted and chopped • 100g grated cheese (Parmesan, Grana Padano or Cheddar) • Salt and pepper and seasoning (a pinch of chilli or herbs of your choice like fresh parsley and sage, or mixed dried herbs) • Olive oil • Butter Method

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Melt oil and butter in a large frying pan, and fry crushed garlic and chopped onion until soft.

Add pumpkin pieces and continue cooking until pumpkin is soft and tinged with brown.

In a medium sized pan, fry chopped bacon and then add the minced or cubed pork and cook till all liquid evaporates.

Also in another pot, boil water and add the beef cube.

Add the rice and cook for barely 10 mins until the rice is ‘al dente’. Strain.

Add this together with the meats to the large frying pan with the cooked pumpkin. Mix well and adjust seasoning adding lots of freshly ground pepper and possibly a pinch of chilli or some herbes de

Provence or chopped fresh parsley and sage.

8. Add the chopped olives and the grated cheese. Mix altogether, set aside to cool slightly.

9. Roll out pastry thinly and cut out three quarters to line a deep pie dish. Fill this with the cooled pumpkin mixture, then top with the remaining pastry.

10. Press the edges together to seal all round.

11. Bake in a pre-heated oven until golden (approx. 45 mins).

12. Remove from oven and allow to settle and serve warm. www.gourmettoday.recipes 33

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PIPPA MATTEI

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PIPPA MATTEI

make a

Curry benef it head before it is se s from being made deepen result rved. The f lavours in meal. Make a g in a rich delicious he the fridge for ad and store in a few days.

LAMB DHANSAK Serves 6 Ingredients • 3 tbsp sunflower oil • 1kg diced lamb – (shoulder, or leg, or a mixture) • 2 onions, finely chopped • 25g fresh ginger, peeled (with a teaspoon), left whole • 4 cloves garlic, also peeled and left whole • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped • 10 green cardamom pods, or 1.5 tsp ground cardamom • 1.5 tbsp ground cumin • 1.5 tbsp ground coriander • ½ tbsp ground turmeric • 400g tinned, chopped tomatoes (1 tin) • 200ml beef stock • 75g dried red lentils • 3 tbsp clear honey • Salt and pepper Method

1. Preheat oven 150°C. 2. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan.

3. Add half the lamb and fry until browned.

4. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, then brown the other half of the lamb and set aside.

5. Add the remaining oil to a casserole pot, add the onions and fry for 4-5 mins until beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, place the ginger, garlic and chilli into a small food processor and whizz until finely chopped.

6. Bash the cardamom pods with the end of a rolling pin to split the husks, then remove the seeds and grind them to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar (or use 1 ½ ground cardamom) if you don’t have a pestle and mortar).

7. Add to the pan along with the remaining spices and the garlic and ginger mixture.

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8. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and add the lamb.

Bring to the boil, then cover and place in the oven to simmer for 1-2 hours till tender. Check the seasoning and serve.

BASMATI PILAFF Serves 6-8 Ingredients • 500g basmati rice • 100g butter • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 1 large sprig fresh thyme • 2 bay leaves • 2 cinnamon sticks • 8 cardamom pods, split open • 3 cloves • 3-6 thinly sliced strips lemon zest • 1 litre boiling chicken stock or

• •

water 1.5 tsp sea salt Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Rinse the rice well and drain.

3. In a large casserole melt twothirds of the butter and sauté the onion for about 5 mins.

4. Add the rice, stir well, then add the herbs, whole spices and lemon zest and cook for one minute.

5. Pour in the boiling stock or water and mix into the rice, along with the salt and pepper.

6. Cover and bake for 25 mins.

7. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then remove the lid and fork through the remaining butter until the rice is fluffy and separated.

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make aheaedd These can be stor in the fridge for up to two days.

CUCUMBER RAITA Ingredients • 1 small cucumber, peeled • 350g Greek yoghurt • 5 tbsp chopped mint Method

1.

2.

FRESH TOMATO RELISH Ingredients • 1 onion, finely chopped • 6 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves • ½ lemon, juice only • ½ red chilli, chopped (optional) Method

1.

Have a great Easter weekend and don’t forget to take your FIGOLLI. For perfect Figolli, see Pippa’s cookbook Pippa’s Festa.

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Mix all the ingredients together and chill.

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes.

Place in a bowl with the yoghurt and mint and chill.

CHOCOLATE EGGS AND CHOCOLATY DESSERTS Easter is a time for celebration and we do that best with chocolate. Whether we are cracking open chocolate eggs or sitting down to a chocolately hunk of cake, this is our go-to at this time of year. Robert Spiteri, Head Pastry Chef at The Radisson Blu Resort, St Julian’s has shared some of his chocolaty recipes with Gourmet Today. Though they may look too beautiful to eat (and definitely too perfect to try at home) a rougher version will be equally delicious yet more manageable. Try these recipes at home or head down to the Radisson Blu Resort, St. Julian’s and celebrate Easter at Le Bistro, Kontiki or The Bridge

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

Chocolate brownie with milk chocolate mousse and peanut flakes Serves 6 Ingredients Brownie • 100g butter • 160g chocolate • 3 eggs • 125g sugar • 25g flour • Pinch salt • 25g peanuts Milk chocolate mousse • 500ml milk • 400g chocolate milk • 5 egg yolks • 12g gelatine • 500ml cream, whipped

6.

Peanut flakes • 100g peanut • 50g cornflakes • 35g white chocolate Method 1. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 160°C. 2. Melt the chocolate and the butter and mix until smooth.

3. Beat the eggs with the sugar and fold into the chocolate mix.

4. Fold in the flour and the salt.

5. Place into a greased baking tin and bake for 25 mins.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

To make the milk chocolate mousse, bring the milk to the boil.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk.

Add the gelatine.

Add the whipped cream and fold in. Set aside.

Roast the peanut and the cornflakes until fragrant.

Melt the chocolate and fold in the nuts and cornflakes.

To assemble, fill a jar with pieces of brownie.

Top with chocolate mousse and finish with peanut flakes.

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40 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Double chocolate fudge cake Serves 6 Ingredients Chocolate mousse • 500ml milk • 100g egg yolk • 400g chocolate • 25g gelatine • 500ml whipping cream Chocolate sponge • 225ml water, boiling • 200ml oil • 220g plain yoghurt • 2 eggs • 400g sugar • 300g flour • 60g cocoa powder • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1 tsp salt Chocolate ganache • 800ml milk • 50g butter • 650g chocolate Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Beat the eggs, water, yoghurt, oil and sugar.

3. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

4. Bake for 35 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5. To make the mousse, bring the milk to the boil.

6. Beat the egg yolks and add to the hot mix, folding in.

7. Melt the white chocolate and mix into the egg.

8. Add the gelatine and set aside.

9. To make the chocolate ganache, bring the milk and the butter to the boil.

10. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

11. Remove the tartufo balls from the moulds and cover in ganache.

12. Allow to set and serve.

13. Slice the sponge in two and sandwich with the chocolate mousse.

14. Cover with chocolate ganache and garnish with chocolate shavings and strawberries.

Ingredients matter

The chocolate flavour and texture is important, so splurge on a good brand, around 70% cocoa solids or more.

Tartufo Serves 6 Ingredients White chocolate mousse • 300g white chocolate • 500ml milk • 5 egg yolks • 10g gelatine Dark chocolate mousse • 300g dark chocolate • 500ml milk • 5 egg yolks • 10g gelatine Chocolate sponge • Chocolate ganache • 800ml milk • 50g butter • 650g chocolate Method 1. Bring the milk to the boil.

2. Beat the egg yolks and add to the hot mix, folding in.

3. Melt the white chocolate and mix into the egg.

4.

Add the gelatine and set aside.

5. Make the dark chocolate mousse using the same recipe substituting the white chocolate with dark.

6. Grease 6 cups and place a tablespoon of white chocolate mousse into the centre.

7. Place a piece of chocolate sponge in the centre and cover with dark chocolate mousse.

8. Place in the freezer for at least two hours until firm.

9. To make the chocolate ganache, bring the milk and the butter to the boil.

10. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

11. Remove the tartufo balls from the moulds and cover in ganache.

12. Allow to set and serve.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 41

Coconut and chocolate tart Serves 6 Ingredients Chocolate pastry • 450g flour • 50g cocoa powder • 250g butter • 250g sugar icing • 100ml water Dark chocolate ganache • 1200ml cream • 180g glucose • 800g chocolate • 150g dessicated coconut Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Beat the butter and the sugar 42 www.gourmettoday.recipes

3.

4.

5.

6.

until pale and fluffy.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and into a bowl.

Add the water to the butter mix, and fold the dried ingredients.

Bake blind for 20 mins.

To make the dark chocolate ganache, boil the cream and the glucose.

7.

8.

9.

Pour over the broken pieces of dark chocolate and allow the chocolate to melt. Mix until smooth.

Add the coconut and mix well.

Pour the chocolate ganache over the tart and garnish with coconut and chocolate shavings.

St. George’s Bay St Julians Malta Tel: 2137 4894 Email: info.stjulians@radissonblu.com Web: www.radissonblu.com/en/stjuliansresort-malta RadissonStJulians

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W I T H S P E C I A L T R E AT S AT L E B I S T RO, KO N T I K I A N D T H E B R I D G E , R A D I S S O N B L U R E S O RT, S T. J U L I A N S I S T H E P E R F E C T D E S T I N AT I O N F O R YO U A N D YO U R FA M I LY THIS EASTER.

Email: info.stjulians@radissonblu.com Call: (+356) 2137 4894

Attard & Co. Food Ltd Tel: 21 237555 facebook.com/attardcofood

HOMECOOKS

Y: RAY ATTARD

PHOTOGRAPH

HOMECOOKS

Easter is just around the corner and planning for that family meal is in full swing. Our homecooks love to entertain and will use any excuse for a meal with family and friends. In this issue they prepare an easy meal that is suitable for Easter Sunday lunch. Janet Grech makes a stuffed artichoke, with new artichokes just in season. Gaby Holland makes an interesting dish of rabbit in chocolate sauce and her son Pascal makes a delicious pumpkin bake for dessert.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 45

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HOMECOOKS

Steamed artichokes stuffed with porcini and fresh herbs Ingredients • 4 artichokes, middle cleaned, washed and ½-inch tip removed Stuffing • 2 stalks fresh garlic, chopped • 200g mushrooms, porcini or button • 100g black olives, chopped finely • 2 slices stale bread, pulsed into breadcrumbs • Fresh oregano, crushed • Fresh thyme, crushed • 4 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp balsamic • Salt and pepper

Method 1. Place all of the ingredients for the stuffing into a food processor and process into a paste.

2. Fill a heavy-based pot with one cup of water and 3 tbsp of olive oil.

3. Stuff each artichoke and place in the pot, adding any remaining stuffing to the liquid.

4. Cover and cook on a low flame until the artichokes are tender (approx. 30 mins).

5. Serve with some sprinkled peeled green beans.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 47

Rabbit in chocolate sauce Serves 4 Ingredients • 1 large rabbit, cut into 8 pieces • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1½ cups plain flour • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1½ cups red wine • 1 large onion, roughly chopped • 1 medium-sized leek, chopped • 2 large carrots, roughly chopped • 2 large stalks celery, roughly chopped • 1 large fennel bulb, thickly sliced • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 1 tbsp fennel seeds • 1tbsp red peppercorns or juniper berries • 1 tsp salt • 2 sticks cinnamon • 3 bay leaves • 1 cup chicken stock (recipe below) • 2 cups (or more) port or full bodied red wine • 1 tbsp kunserva (tomato concentrate) • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp honey • 3 tbsp chilli chocolate (use plain if preferred), finely grated • ¼ cup pine nuts or slivered almonds Method 1. Marinate the rabbit in red wine for a least a couple of hours.

2. Drain and pat dry.

3. Pour the flour and seasoning into a sealable plastic bag and place a few pieces of rabbit at a time to coat evenly with a light dusting of flour.

Shake off excess flour.

4. Heat some olive oil and fry the rabbit pieces in batches until lightly browned.

5. Set aside and, using the same frying pan, lightly brown the vegetables.

6. Layer the rabbit and vegetables together with the rest of the spices in an oven proof dish with a tight-fitting lid. (Ideally use one made of castiron).

7. Mix the wet ingredients together with the grated chocolate and honey and pour all over the rabbit and vegetables.

8. Tuck the bay leaves and cinnamon stick around the rabbit.

9. Place the dish in a hot oven 180°C and cook for around 1½ hours or until rabbit is tender and sauce has reduced and thickened.

10. Toast the pine nuts until they are golden brown and scatter over the rabbit before serving.

48 www.gourmettoday.recipes

HOMECOOKS

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HOMECOOKS

Sweet pumpkin bake with tahini cream Ingredients • 500g pumpkin • 30g butter • 10 Digestive biscuits • ¾ tbsp cinnamon • ¾ tbsp vanilla extract • Pinch nutmeg • 4-5 tbsp sugar • 80g pecans • 4-5 tbsp caster sugar • 1 tbsp tahini • 1 tbsp fresh cream • 4 tbsp mascarpone • 1 tbsp honey Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Place the biscuits into food processor and process until they are fine breadcrumbs. Melt butter in a microwave, then pour into processor and blend.

3. Peel and roughly chop pumpkin into small pieces,

then steam until soft.

Line baking tray with greaseproof paper. Drizzle a little water on pecans and lightly coat with caster sugar, place in oven for a few minutes. Watch carefully as they can burn quite easily.

5. Line baking tray with greaseproof paper. Grease the insides of the moulds and place on tray.

6. Press biscuit mixture into the ring mould to a thickness of 0.5cm. Chill for half an hour.

7. Once pumpkin is cooked, mash and place into nonstick frying pan with a little butter over a low heat.

Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and consistency thickens. Place pumpkin mixture into a bowl, add sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.

8. Take the moulds out of the fridge and fill with pumpkin mixture, making sure not to over fill.

9. Cook in pre-heated oven for around 35 mins.

10. Meanwhile loosen tahini with some fresh cream and honey until smooth and gently fold into mascarpone and set aside.

11. Once the pumpkin bake is cooked, allow to cool slightly.

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PRECA SISTERS

FAMILY DAYS WITH THE PRECA SISTERS

Roberta and Ramona Preca are all about family.

Growing up in their father’s kitchen at Tal-Familja in Marsascala, they acquired a taste for the catering industry at an early age and now run their own restaurants – Ramona runs Palazzo Preca and Roberta runs The King’s Own Band Club, both in Valletta. The family close their respective restaurants and spend a family day sitting around a table enjoying a meal. They have been sharing some of their recipes with Gourmet Today TV, aired every Friday at 18:15

Veal ribeye with caramelised onions Serves 2 Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

600g veal ribeye 3 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, cut julienne Salt and pepper 1 tsp brown sugar Knob butter Dash Worchestershire sauce 200ml chicken stock Handful parsley

Method 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet.

2. Saute the onions for 5 mins and season with salt and pepper.

3. Lower the heat add some stock and the brown sugar and cook for 30 mins, until caramel coloured, stirring occasionally.

4. Add remaining oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot.

5. Sear the veal until the outside is well browned, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.

6. Use a probe to cook to your liking.

7. Place the veal on top of a warm plate and spoon the caramalised onions on top.

8. Garnish with parsley leaves and drizzle some onion juice around the veal.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 12 February, 2016.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 53

Chicken breast in honey and mustard with smashed potato Serves 4 Ingredients • 800g chicken breast • 60g butter • 20ml olive oil • 20g garlic, minced • 100ml brandy flamed • 15g flour • 50g mustard seeds • 50ml honey • 250ml water • 75ml cream Smashed potato • 400g potato • Salt and pepper • Chopped parsley • 100ml Benna fresh cream, warmed • 140ml unsalted butter, melted • Pinch grated nutmeg (optional) Method 1. To make the smashed potato, cook the potato in a saucepan of boiling water for 15 mins or until tender. Drain. Return to pan.

2. Add the warm milk and butter and mash, leaving some small 54 www.gourmettoday.recipes

chunks of potato so they are not as smooth as mashed potato.

3. Season with salt, pepper and chopped chives.

4. Meanwhile, heat oil, butter and garlic in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

5. Cook chicken for 7 to 8 mins each side or until cooked through, basting with half the mustard mixture for the last 2 mins of cooking.

6. Add the honey and flambé with brandy.

7. Allow the sauce to reduce and remove from the heat, adding the flour, water and finally the cream.

8. Place the potato on a plate and then the chicken on top, drizzling with any sauce remaining in the pan.

This recipe will apprear on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 8 April, 2016.

PRECA SISTERS Profiteroles in Baileys chocolate cream Ingredients Chox pastry • 90g butter • 2 tsp sugar • Pinch salt • 90g flour • 2-3 eggs, lightly beaten • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract • Benna fresh milk, for glaze • 1 cup water Crème patissiere • 4 egg yolks • 60g caster sugar • 25g plain flour • 2 tsp cornflour • 280ml Benna fresh milk Baileys chocolate sauce • 70g chocolate chips • 20ml Benna fresh cream • 1 shot Baileys Irish Cream Method 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Combine butter 1 cup of water and bring to the boil over high heat.

2. Add flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to incorporate

and continue beating until mixture leaves the sides of the pan (approx.

1 min).

3. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 mins to cool.

4. Add the eggs to paste, one at a time, beating vigorously to combine after each addition before adding the next.

5. To make profiteroles, spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.

6. Pipe into 2cm-diameter mounds onto a baking paper-lined oven tray.

7. Bake for 15 mins, then reduce heat to 180°C. 8. Prick pastries with a skewer or tip of a small knife and bake until golden and dry (approx. 5 mins).

9. Allow pastries to cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

10. To make the crème patissiere beat the egg yolks and sugar for a few minutes until pale and slightly thickened.

11. Whisk in the flours.

12. Heat the milk in a saucepan until stating to boil.

13. Whisk the milk into the egg mix.

14. Put the whole lot back into the pan, stirring all the time until thick and boiling.

15. Take the pan off the heat - cover with cling-film to prevent a skin from forming.

16. To make the Baileys sauce, melt the chocolate bain Marie, add the cream and stir in the liqueur.

17. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

18. When the profiteroles and the crème patissiere are cold, place the cream in a piping bag and fill each profiterole with cream.

19. Dip the rim of 6 glasses into the melted chocolate sauce and allow the chocolate to drip down the sides and set aside to allow the chocolate to set.

20. When ready to serve place a tablespoon of the sauce at the bottom of the glass, fill with 3 or 4 profiteroles and pour over more chocolate sauce.

This recipe will appear on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 8 April, 2016.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 55

PRECA SISTERS

Crème brûlée with forest fruits This French classic comes with a berry surprise at the bottom of the ramekin. Ramona Preca makes the perfect make-ahead dessert.

Serves 7-8 Ingredients • 200g frozen mixed berries • 2 tbsp sugar Custard • 600ml Benna fresh cream • 90g sugar • 8 egg yolks • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped • 1 lemon, zest only • 1 orange, zest only Caramel • 4 tbsp brown sugar • 2 tbsp white sugar

Method 1. Preheat oven to 150°C. 2. Heat the berries in a pan with the sugar until the juice starts to run.

3. Place a tablespoon into 6 ramekin and place in the freezer for approx. 1 hour.

4. In the meantime make the custard by beating the egg yolks, orange, lemon zest, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.

5. Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil.

6. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.

7. Pour the liquid into the ramekins.

8. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour

enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

9. Bake just until the crème brûlée is set, but still wobbly in the centre (approx. 40-45 mins.)

10. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

11. In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tbsp white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard.

12. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 mins or use a blowtorch. Watch carefully so as not to burn.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 12 February, 2015.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 57

PRECA SISTERS

Coq au vin This one-pot meal is the perfect dish whether you are entertaining friends or feeding the family during the week.

Delicious, nutritious and very little washing up – what’s not to love?

Serves 2 Ingredients • 6 bone in chicken thighs • 150g new potatoes • 100g smoked bacon • 100g button mushrooms • 7 shallots • 400ml red wine • 350ml chicken stock • 1 bay leaf • 1 fresh sprig rosemary • 2 fresh sprigs thyme • 1 tbsp tomato paste • 1 tbsp cornstarch • 1 tbsp butter • Salt and pepper 58 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Method

1. Finely chop the bacon, trim and halve mushrooms, quarter shallots and roughly dice potatoes.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan and sauté bacon, mushrooms, shallots and potatoes, lightly season with salt and pepper.

Then remove from pan and set aside.

3. Salt chicken legs and fry in the same pan. Once the meat has coloured on both sides, add tomato paste, pinch sugar and brown together.

4. Next, deglaze with half of red wine and boil for approx.

5 mins until the alcohol

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

evaporates.

Put the cooked vegetables back into the pan.

Pour in remaining red wine and chicken stock.

Add bay leaf, thyme and rosemary and let simmer for approx. 30 mins with closed lid on medium heat.

Thicken the sauce with cornstarch and season to taste.

Serve in a deep dish or casserole dish.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 19 February, 2016.

Take your pick from the World of Wines The World of Wines shop at Blue Harbour, Ta’ Xbiex marina, is Malta’s first wine boutique that promises the most prominent world class wine brands that are locally available from a number of dedicated importers. The wines of Palladino, Zonin, Masi, Gaja, Frescobaldi, Luce, Antinori, Banfi, Ornellaia, Donna Chiara and Donnafugata are just a part of extensive Italian portfolio. Bordeaux and Burgundy Grand Cru are being cascaded down to many rarely known ‘village’ wine appellations. The choice of Champagne is spread over a large selection of greatest names and formats that currently go up to six litres (8 bottles)

Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina DOCG is one of the historic wines produced at the Castello di Nipozzano.

This wine always retains its close relationship with the Castello di Nipozzano terroir.

Nipozzano Riserva greets the eye with a deep, purplish red. The nose is remarkably rich and multi-faceted, showing cleanly-delineated aromas of sour cherry, raspberry, and dried plum, lifted in turn by spicier impressions of black pepper, vanilla, cocoa powder, and espresso bean. A warm alcohol complements its smooth overall texture in the mouth, and a clean, vibrant acidity and silky, wellintegrated tannins contribute to an impressive elegance. An almost-endless finish, with abundant aromatic fruit, completes a harmonious, well-balanced wine. Nipozzano blend is 90% Sangiovese, 10% others (Malvasia Nera, Colorino, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)

Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B’Kara Tel: 2131 5064

www.gourmettoday.recipes 59

EASTER EGGS F R GR WN UPS

Easter’s chocolaty celebrations all revolve around the kids. Think Easter egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. This is a great recipe that the grown ups will love. Serve these homemade chocolate egg shells filled with a grown-up drunken chocolate mousse or try a white chocolate mousse for a perfect ending to Easter Sunday lunch

Watch out

Chocolate eggshells Serves 6 Ingredients • 200g dark chocolate Method 1. Blow up 6 small balloons.

2. Melt the chocolate over a bain maire, or in the microwave.

3. Dip the balloon in the hot chocolate making sure it is half covered in chocolate.

4. Place the balloons on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

5. When the chocolate has completely solidified, use a pin to make a tiny hole in the balloons and let out all the air.

6. Peel the burst balloon out of the shell and they are ready for filling.

Drunken chocolate mousse Ingredients • 200g dark chocolate • 4 tbsp butter • 4 tbsp whisky • 1 tsp cayenne pepper • 4 eggs, separated • 8 tbsp sugar • pinch of salt • 1 cup double cream

60 www.gourmettoday.recipes

. The Don’t use water bomb balloesons ll hint is in the name. Th oeconwitac burst when they come intd make ta wi th the hot chocolate an ss! great chocolaty me Method 1. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a simmer.

2. Place a heatproof bowl over the saucepan making sure it does not touch the water.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter in the bowl.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the whisky and cayenne pepper.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 4 tbsp sugar over the simmering water and continue to whisk until foamy.

6. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate bowl and set aside.

7. Whisk the egg whites with the salt, gradually adding the remaining sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.

8. Fold into the chocolate mixture.

9. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.

10. Fold into the chocolate mixture.

11. Place into the chocolate eggs and refrigerate for 2 hours until set.

White chocolate mousse Ingredients • 200g white chocolate • 100ml milk • 2 egg whites • ½ tsp lemon juice • 225ml double cream Method 1. Melt the chocolate and stir in the milk. Set aside.

2. Whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice to stiff peaks.

3. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

4. Whip the cream to soft peaks.

5. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture.

6. Divide into the chocolate egg shells and chill for at least 2 hours.

PEAS PLEASE

In Season

By Gaby Holland

W

e know that spring is just round the corner when fresh peas make their short-lived appearance.

This is one of my favourite notto-be-missed spring vegetable, with its sweet, juicy, creamy, texture so I try and use them in as many ways

Peas 62 www.gourmettoday.recipes

as possible. Many think of peas as a cheap restaurant side dish but when cooked properly they add sweetness and vibrancy to your recipe. Fresh peas are easy to shell (unlike broad beans another favourite spring vegetable) and cook fast. Once purchased, use them at their freshest, within a couple of days

at most, since peas begin converting their sugar to starch and their texture alters.

Green peas come from a family of plants based on herbs, originating from central Asia and the Middle East. Because their cultivation dates back many thousands of years, green peas are recognized as one of the first cultivated food crops and were thought to have been consumed as a dried legume until as late as the early 17th century when they realised that peas may also be eaten fresh from their pods.

Green peas are low in calories in comparison to other beans, but high in everything else! They are a rich source of protein and many minerals such as calcium iron, copper, zinc, manganese, B, D and K vitamins and contain healthy amounts of fibre.

If you can’t have fresh green peas, it is good to know that the frozen variety freeze well and retain their colour and nutrients, especially if eaten within three months.

Fun Facts

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY ATTARD

Although considered a vegetable, green peas really are a fruit since they contain seeds developed from a flower.

Pea leaves are considered a delicacy in China.

Peas are said to give relief to ulcer pains in the stomach because they help ‘use up’ stomach acids.

During the Middle Ages field peas were easy to grow and saved many from starving.

Fresh green peas did not become popular till the 16th century.

Gregor Johann Mendell used peas in genetic research.

It is believed that peas that are boiled with onions and spiced with cinnamon are a powerful aphrodisiac.

A 100-calorie serving of peas (three quarters of a cup) contains more protein than a whole egg or tablespoon of peanut butter.

Easy creamy peas This makes a great change from just adding ordinary peas to your main dish but also delicious as a topping for crostini or simply as a dip.

Ingredients • 2 cups fresh or frozen green peas • 2 cloves garlic • ½ lemon, juice and zest • ¼ cup olive oil • ½ cup fresh mint • Small piece of fresh chilli, finely chopped • Salt and pepper

Method 1. Steam peas and garlic cloves until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Place in a small food processor together with the fresh mint and lemon zest.

3. Pour in the oil and lemon juice 4. Pulse until quite smooth.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

www.gourmettoday.recipes 63

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SAY CHEESE

Nothing beats a great hunk of cheese. Whether you are trying to get over a hangover at the weekend or just looking for a little bit of indulgence over the holidays we have some cheesy treats that will delight guests – the question is, do you really want to share them? At Gourmet Today, we love us a cheesy weekend! www.gourmettoday.recipes 65

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF BRIE

T

here’s a meme doing the rounds on social media lately. It’s a cheesy remix of that famous Eurythmics song. It starts off with ‘Sweet dreams are made of Brie…’

Here at Gourmet Today, we’re inclined to agree. And science has weighed in on the matter too - a recent study, published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, shows that cheese (more specifically, a protein in cheese called casein) releases opiates during digestion, triggering addictive elements in the brain. That’s right. Eating cheese produces the same kind of reaction that follows the use of hard drugs. No wonder it’s difficult to put the cheese knife down once you’ve gotten started on a Camembert.

So what are the cheese addicts to do when the cravings hit? The average shrink

wrapped plastic fare simply won’t do.

Luckily, Zammeats have done the hard work of tracking down fine cheeses, condiments and charcuterie so their clients don’t have to We caught up with Mark, the owner of Zammeats at Arkadia, who said that not all cheese is created equal and as such, not all of them are up to his rigorous standards. The majority of the cheeses lined up neatly in the refrigerated display are made in France, arguably the world’s most skilled producer of fine fromage. There is a smattering of Italian and British cheeses too - one should not underestimate the power of a good Wensleydale and it’s difficult to have a well-rounded cheese counter without a pecorino or two.

Older cheeses, aged to different degrees,

are preferred because of the deep layering of flavour they contain, thanks to the complex chemistry that takes place as the cheese is left to develop.

All the cheeses available at the counter are certified as being appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) or the equivalent this means that they are sourced from a specific geographical place, be it in France, Spain, Italy or the United Kingdom, and made using tightly controlled processes, many of which will have been developed over centuries of tradition and come with a rich cultural history.

So whether you’re looking for the perfect companion for a particular wine, something to satisfy those cravings or a selection with which to wow your dinner guests at the end of your meal, the friendly folks at Zammeats have the expertise and the cheese to help you make the right choice.

trivia In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge blamed cheese for causing his ghostly night-time encounters

Zammeats Arkadia Foodstore Portomaso, St Julian’s Tel: 79405205 Email: zammeats@onvol.net Web: www.zammeats.com Zammeats

66 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Everybody loves a

cheesy

Diets go out the window at the weekend. Whether you need something to help you recover from a rough night out or something filling and comforting during the cold (ok, ok, it wasn’t that cold) afternoons, these cheesy treats will hit the spot.

Peach, pesto and provolone toastie Ingredients • 2 thick slices Maltese bread • Butter • 1 tbsp pesto • 1 thick slice provolone • ½ peach, sliced Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. 2. Butter both slices of bread on the outside.

3. Butter one slice on bread on the inside.

4. Spread the pesto over the buttered side.

5. Layer with cheese and slices of peach. Top with the other slice of bread.

6. Place the toastie on a hot griddle plan and cook for 2 mins on each side until golden.

7. Finish in the oven for a few mins until the cheese has melted.

8. Cut the toastie in half and serve immediately.

Cheesy pull-apart bread Ingredients • 1 long loaf of bread (Maltese or French baguette) • 113g butter, melted • 1 tbsp pesto • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • Two large handfuls mixed cheeses, grated (cheddar, gbejna, provolone) • 1 spring onion, sliced • Handful pine nuts, toasted 68 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. 2. Take the loaf of bread and carefully cut diagonal lines all the way through the loaf. Do not cut through the loaf. Leave the bottom in tact so that it does not fall apart into slices.

3. Turn the loaf over and cut diagonal lines through the loaf again so that you have diamond shapes of bread that are easy to pull out.

4. Mix the melted butter with the crushed garlic and the pesto.

Season with salt and pepper.

5. Put the loaf on a piece of foil large enough to wrap the whole loaf.

6. Pour the melted butter mixture over the bread, making sure it

weekend

gets into all the cracks.

Stuff the grated cheese into the cracks, taking care not to break the loaf.

8. Wrap tightly with foil.

9. Bake for approx 25 mins until the cheese has melted.

10. Open the foil, top with sliced spring onion and toasted pine nuts and serve immediately in the foil.

7.

Provolone

This comes in 2 types. Provolone Dolce is aged for 2-3 months and is sweet in taste. Provolone Piccante is aged for more than 4 months and is sharper in taste.

PHOTOGRAPHY: RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR

SAY CHEESE

GENIUS GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES Avoiding gluten is all well and good until you want something comforting. Unfortunately there is nothing quite as comforting as bread, pies and pastries. Using Genius gluten-free products allows you create the dishes you crave without the pesky gluten, so whether you are allergic to gluten or just trying to stay a little healthier, check out some of these great recipes that make perfect snacks or light suppers

Cinnamon raisin swirls Flaky pastry, hints of cinnamon and juicy raisins will make our gluten-free Cinnamon Raisin Swirls irresistible.

Makes 12 Danish pastries Ingredients • 1 block Genius Gluten Free Puff Pastry • 60g softened butter • 30g Traidcraft golden caster sugar • 1 tsp Good Earth ground cinnamon or mixed spice • 60g Good Earth Californian Raisins • 1 egg

Method 1. Roll the pastry out evenly to approx. 20cm by 30cm rectangle.

2. Pre heat oven to 180°C. 3. Mix together the butter, sugar and spice. Spread this mix thinly over the pastry rectangle.

Sprinkle the raisins evenly over this.

4. Roll the pastry tightly starting from one of the short ends.

5. Cut carefully in slices about 1cm thick. You will have to discard the end slices as these will not be properly filled with raisins and sugar.

6. Place your slices on a non-stick baking sheet, brush with egg wash and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins until golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

Classic Quiche Lorraine A deliciously simple recipe for a classic quiche - perfect for a party buffet lunch or served with a jacket potato for a light meal.

Serves 6-8 Ingredients • 1 x 24cm blind baked pastry case made with Genius Gluten-Free Shortcrust Pastry • 1 tbsp Pantaleo Extra virgin olive oil • 6 lean rashers of good quality smoked streaky bacon, sliced thinly • 1 medium onion, finely chopped • 4 large eggs, beaten • 300ml crème fraiche • 110g Gruyere cheese, grated • Generous grating of nutmeg • Large pinch of salt and 4 grinds of black pepper • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced bacon until pale golden brown.

3. Beat the eggs, crème fraiche, nutmeg and seasoning together with a fork. Stir in the grated cheese, bacon and onion.

4. Pour the mixture into the baked pastry case, sprinkle over the thyme leaves and bake in the oven for 35-40 mins until the filling is just set in the middle and light golden brown on top.

5. Leave to set for 10 mins in the tin before turning the quiche out onto a plate.

6. Serve hot or cold with new potatoes and a crisp, dressed green salad.

15-20 mins until golden brown.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

70 www.gourmettoday.recipes

Good Earth Distributors Ltd.

Hard Rocks Industrial Park Burmarrad Road, Naxxar, NXR 6345 Malta Tel: 21 431309 • Fax: 21 421873 Email: info@goodearth.com.mt Good Earthoday.recipes Distributors71 Limited www.gourmett

MARCH 2016

RECIPE INDEX STARTERS Steamed artichokes with porcini

47

MAINS Spinach and tuna pie Kusksu Pork and pumpkin pie Lamb dhansak Pilaf rice Rabbit in chocolate sauce Veal rib-eye with caramelised onions Chicken breast with honey and mustard Coq au vin Quiche Lorraine

31 33 33 36 36 48 53 54 58 70

DESSERTS Chocolate brownie with peanut flakes Double fudge cake Tartufo Coconut and chocolate tart Sweet pumpkin bake with tahini Profiteroles in Baileys chocolate cream Crème brulee with forest fruits Chocolate eggs filled with mousse Cinnamon, raisin swirls

39 41 41 42 51 55 57 60 70

ACCOMPANIMENTS Cucumber raita Fresh tomato relish Smashed potatoes

38 38 53

SNACKS Apple and ricotta pita Apple crisps Coconut balls Easy creamy peas Peach, pesto and provolone toastie Cheesy pull-apart bread

29 29 29 63 68 68