Purists in Italy will tell you that cheese and fish or seafood do not work together and they will probably be right. But like in everything in life, there are always exceptions to the rule. The further South in Italy you go, the least the rule becomes rigid and there are examples of Sicilian dishes for example which break this rule. I have also come across stuffed squid with smoked provolone from the Campania region in Italy which proved exquisite. When a three Michelin star chef of the calibre of Heinz Beck (see interview here) proposes a pasta dish which has as one of its main elements Grana Padano and then combined it with shrimps you need to stop and think. It is a dish that in a way challenges you. The German chef of La Pergola served this dish at Flemish Food Bash. The cheese was not added at the end but was rather integrated into the pasta with the potatoes which was probably the reason why it worked so well. Here is the recipe: Serves 4 Ingredients Pea … [Read more...]
Red Mullet with a Mediterranean salsa
Childhood memories and nostalgia play a very important role in food. We tend to love the flavours that we have grown up with or those which let us reminiscent about our childhood. Red mullet is abundant in the Mediterranean and when it is in season it is also a relatively cheap fish. I loved the taste of this fish but when I was young I was sometimes hesitant of eating this fish particularly because of the small bones. Along the years, this has changed though because of young children I normally tried to avoid cooking fish which have small bones. But when I found fresh red mullet at our fishmonger I could not resist particularly since it was a nice sunny day. Red mullet is a versatile fish and one which can be found not only in the Mediterranean but also in the North as well. I tried to retain the pure flavours of the red mullet while making it simple to eat. If I had to take the nostalgic route, I would have coated the fish in flour and then pan-fried it whole. Instead I … [Read more...]
Recipe 7 – Spaghetti ai ricci (with sea urchins)
Rizzi as they are called in Maltese remind me of my lazy childhood summer days. Swimming on the beach at St Paul's Bay overlooking St Paul's Islands (see below), parents of young children would go snorkelling to pick up the sea urchins. Time flies and this must have been a good 30 or so years ago. They would go snorkelling for an hour, fill up a plastic bag with sea urchins which were caught from the rocks or seabed and then come back to the beach were the mothers and fathers would get a knife, gently cut open the sea urchin in half and give it to the children with a spoon to scoop out or else serve on top of bread like a very rustic version of bruschetta. These memories still make my mouth water given the sea urchins would have an incredible but delicate taste of the sea. It is said that the presence of sea urchins at sea reflects the cleanliness of the sea water. I am not sure whether this urban legend is to be believed or not but over the years this tradition has since been … [Read more...]
Recipe 6: Tuna with a Mediterranean salsa
The season for lampuki (a typical Mediterranean fish that is incredibly popular in Malta and one of the most traditional fish you can find at this time of year) has just started but the fish at the fishmongers were still small so I opted for tuna steaks. The temperature is still extremely high in Malta making cooking anything elaborate a bit complicated. The fishmonger was making brisk business as queues lined up to get fresh fish for lunch or dinner. To beat the heat in the kitchen, there is no better way then to get fresh tuna steaks that cook in minutes and prepare a very quick 'salsa' which needs no cooking and which is mouthwatering. I therefore prepared the quick sauce to accompany the tuna steaks. I chopped one shallot and added sherry vinegar to the shallots to add some acidity. Then I seasoned with Maldon sea salt. I chopped some green olives in, added some pine nuts, a clove of garlic (finely chopped), some cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley. Once all the … [Read more...]
Recipe 5: Raw marinated prawns with orange zest
The cicadas are screaming like there is no tomorrow, it is impossible to walk in the sun as the temperature soars above 30C. To joke, some people bluff that if it gets any hotter, they might fry an egg on their car bonnet. This is life in the Mediterranean on a hot summer's day. To refresh oneself in these conditions, water is essential, either to drink and rehydrate or else to jump into and cool down. Then comes the evening and the cicadas make way to long lazy evenings, preferably outdoors. There is a smell of burning charcoal wherever you walk. People are outdoors because the houses inside still retain the heat that has accumulated during the day. As the sun starts to set, a nice breeze suddenly arrives. This is the time to enjoy the fruits of ones work. In this case, the recipe below is the essence of simplicity. What you need is a good relationship with your fishmonger. Tell him or her what you have in mind, make sure what you are buying is extremely fresh and then let … [Read more...]
Recipe 4: Pasta with fresh tuna and slivered almonds
The good fresh fish shops in Mediterranean countries are a joy to visit. When you have a kitchen available, all you need is to just follow your instinct and choose what is fresh and appealing. A visit to my favourite fish shop in Malta led me to fresh tuna, which at the moment is available in abundance and incredibly cheap. What I miss most about the Mediterranean is sea urchins or what we call in Maltese rizzi and in Italian ricci. I have been dreaming of a Spaghetti ai Ricci for a rather long time now. It is the thing I probably miss most from my home country But alas it was not available at my fish shop and it seems unlikely to be available anytime soon (probably the restaurants at this time of year buy whatever they can find given it is peak tourist season). There was an incredible choice but given the fact that the fresh tuna looking incredibly good, I opted for penne with tuna. The following is the recipe. Ingredients (Serves 4) 500 grammes fresh tuna … [Read more...]
Recipe 3: Guinea Fowl with chickpeas and olives
Cooking is a passion but on a daily basis it can sometimes become difficult especially when you try to juggle with 100 things. Quick midweek recipes, or those which you can prepare quickly while retaining the wow factor are therefore always winners. This recipe is great because it can easily be prepared in less than 30 minutes. With its bold flavours it is both good as a quick midweek supper and also fit to be served if you are hosting. Guinea fowl is one of my new favourites given I can find it pretty easily at my local butcher. I hope you try this recipe because it is really easy to make and also delicious. Guinea Fowl with chickpeas and olives (Serves 4) Ingredients Four guinea fowl breasts 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Butter One can of the best quality chickpeas you can find 24 olives 4 Anchovies 3 cloves of garlic 50ml of Madeira (you can also use Marsala) Fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Rosemary Method 1. Season the guinea … [Read more...]