Venison Stew with Apple Gratin and Spaetzle and a trip to the countryside
A few days ago I mentioned our little adventure in the countryside while we visited my mother and a kitchen project which involved the whole family!
My mother found out about a little farm in her area just recently. It's a beautiful and peaceful place surrounded by green hills and dense forest. They raise and sell geese, turkey and deer, wild and farmed, and the lady who owns the farm offered one to my Mama. Ours was wild and we had to skin and dress it, something that none of us had ever done before. Luckily, my mother remembered that my cousin Thomas who is an excellent chef, is also experienced in butchering so he joined in to help us. We drove to the farm to pick up the game and I was quite excited but also a little nervous. When you see an animal that has been shot for your consumption you feel lots of respect. Buying our food from the supermarket takes this important experience away from us, but this is what happens when we buy meat, every day, all over the world, an animal is killed but we don't see the steps in between. It's cut up and wrapped in plastic and we pay for that but I believe that it's important to build up this connection again, to the animals and where they come from. This is the natural cycle of our food and not the industrial. I joined my cousin while he prepared the deer and I learnt a lot from him. These days in my mother's kitchen in the countryside were a great experience, when, as a family, we cooked for two days to use what was given to us. We made venison carpaccio, stew, paté and broth and my mother put the remaining parts, like the fillets and the back in the freezer. We used all of it and enjoyed every single meal!
My mother is the absolute queen when it comes to stew, hers are simply best! She knows how to combine the right spices and herbs, how to cook the meat so that it becomes tender and succulent. Whenever she makes a ragout it's simply perfect! We also made Spaetzle as nothing beats these little homemade Swabian noodles to soak up an aromatic sauce. Our side dish was sweet and fruity, an apple gratin topped with crème fraîche. My mother found the inspiration for this recipe from one of her favourite food journalists, she just added lemon zest and pink peppercorns on top. It was wonderful, like the whole trip!
I didn't want to share all these venison recipes with you at once, so I'll write about my cousin's delicious paté and his amazing carpaccio with a herb, spice and parmesan crust next week.
Venison Stew with Apple Gratin and Spaetzle
You can cook the stew in the oven or on the cooker like we did.
For 6 people you need
For the venison stew
venison leg or shoulder, boned and cut into chunks, 1.2kg / 2.5 pounds
leek, the white and light green parts, finely chopped into small cubes, 1
carrots, finely chopped into small cubes, 2
celery, finely chopped into small cubes, 1 1/2
medium onion, finely chopped into small cubes, 1
garlic, cut in half, 2 big cloves
bacon, a small piece, around 60g / 2 ounces
red wine 1 bottle
broth about 1l / 2 pints (enough to cover the meat)
tomato paste 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
olive oil
bouquet garni (bound with a string):
small sage sprigs 2
small rosemary sprigs 2
small thyme sprigs 2
bay leaf 1
spices (wrapped in a spice bag if you prefer):
black peppercorns 10
juniper berries 6
allspice 6
cloves 3
cinnamon stick 1
ginger, chopped, a 2cm / 1" piece
optional: dried porcini 3
lingonberry jam to serve with the stew
In a large heavy casserole or pot, heat a splash of olive oil and brown the meat in batches, season with salt and pepper once it's done. Set the meat aside and add a little more olive oil to the casserole, add the vegetables and cook for a few minutes on medium heat until golden. Turn up the heat and add the tomato paste, stir and deglaze with a little red wine, repeating this about 5-6 times. Add the meat, the bacon, the remaining wine and the broth to the casserole until it's all covered in liquid. Put the bouquet garni and the spice bag into the liquid. Season with salt and pepper, stir and bring to the boil.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low heat (simmering) for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with Spaetzle (you can find the recipe here, just leave out the cheese and onions), apple gratin and lingonberry jam.
For the apple gratin
firm and sour apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced thinly, 3
freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
granulated sugar 2 teaspoons
crème fraîche or sour cream 300g / 10.5 ounces
heavy cream about 100 ml / 3.5 ounces
zest of 1/2 lemon
pink peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1-2 tablespoons
butter for the baking dish
Set the oven to 175°C / 350°F.
Whip the crème fraîche with the heavy cream, add enough cream until the texture is light and creamy.
Butter 1 large baking dish or gratin form (or 4-6 small ones). Arrange the apples in circles in the form and sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar. Spread the cream on top and sprinkle with the lemon zest and pink peppercorns. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top.
meet in your kitchen | Mimi's spicy Bulgur with Basil and Mint
Mimi and KD's apartment is a creative laboratory, an exciting place where music, fashion, painting and design come together, created by two wonderful people. Mimi, the musician, painter and designer grew up in London, while musician and producer KD lived in Haifa in Israel before he moved to Berlin. Here in the city, the two created a space where all of their ideas can come alive, the studio where they write their music and where Mimi works on her paintings and tailoring. The rooms overlooking a picturesque river, dense trees and Berlin's famous TV tower are packed with guitars, audio equipment, a piano, beautiful fabrics, boxes of wool and Mimi's paintings. On the shelves and window sills, the two have arranged a collection of little figures and old toys, hats and post cards, souvenirs from their tours, gifts from friends and memories. It's a truly magical place.
For our meet in your kitchen feature, Mimi decided to take over the kitchen as she's the cook in the house. She likes her food spicy, like the curries that she used to have in London made with exotic spice mixtures that she often can't find in Berlin. When we met she cooked a delicious bulgur salad made with tomatoes, bell pepper, basil and mint. It was hot and spicy but not painfully. She used the chili pepper's seeds as well and although I was a bit worried that it would be too hot for me (I'm quite a baby when it comes to spiciness) I loved it! It wasn't the kind of growing spiciness that you still feel minutes later, it was present the moment it hit my taste buds!
A telling indication of Mimi's English upbringing is a cup of tea that follows her no matter what she does! During our lunch we spoke a lot about food, culinary memories and habits and cooking with our mothers. After we shared a bowl of her spicy bulgur, Mimi showed me her beautiful prints and designs for the silk jackets and pyjamas that she will soon present on Etsy. She only works with very fine silk, printed by two young artists in Scotland. Many of the designs show her animal characters, another great passion of hers. Mimi used to work on a farm on the weekends when she lived in England, although at the moment, the only animal in her life is Gomez, the cutest and fluffiest grey cat I've ever seen, roaming around the rooms of the flat.
Both musicians are working on various projects at the moment. Mimi is currently working on new songs for her next album and she contributed her song 'Get Me Back' to the 'Love, Rosie' movie starring Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse and Jaime Winstone.
Mimi's spicy Bulgur with Basil and Mint
For 4 people you need
bulgur 1 cup
water 2 cups
sweet vine tomatoes, chopped, a handful
bell pepper, chopped, 1
garlic, very finely chopped, 1 small clove
shallots, finely chopped, 2
fresh basil, chopped, the leaves of a large bunch
mint, chopped, the leaves of a large bunch
fresh chillies, chopped, to taste
juice of 1 lime
yoghurt 4 generous tablespoons (more to taste)
salt
Boil the water and add the bulgar. Cook for 7-10 minutes depending on the bulgur you use, some coarser kinds can take longer.
Put the garlic, shallots, bell pepper, tomatoes, herbs and bulgur in a big bowl. Add the lime juice, yoghurt and the chillies, mix thoroughly and season with a little salt.
Mimi, you grew up in England and KD, you spent your childhood in Israel, what are your food memories of those days?
Mimi: In England we have the most wonderful Indian food. When I was tiny, my mum's friend, Chris, would bring late-night super hot curries and beer. I miss that and I'm still completely hooked on chillies. They feature in pretty much everything I make.
KD: My favorite as a child was schnitzel and mashed potatoes! Great comfort food. Later on I became quite addicted to hummus.
Why did you choose Berlin as the place to live and work?
Mimi: I loved Berlin the first time I came here. It was so exciting to find a place that felt alive and like it was still growing. I felt I had space here to create and grow too.
KD: I grew up in Haifa, Israel, but my mum is coming from a German family and I have a German passport. When I had to choose between moving to the nearest big city, Tel Aviv or moving further to an even bigger city with more opportunities for musicians, I decided to give Berlin a shot. I was 23 then and I'm still here now!
What effect did the move to Berlin have on your cooking and eating habits?
Mimi: I found it really hard at first because most of the ingredients I used back home were Indian spices or very hot chillies, which you can get everywhere. Over here I had to seek them out. I discovered new things because of that and started making more Italian-style dishes like risotto and baking my own bread.
KD: I like to eat simply and you can get great ingredients here. I'm mainly cooking fast as I work and forget I'm hungry so pasta is generally a good choice.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin, London and Haifa?
Mimi: In London I'm always headed to Brick Lane for a phial curry, or the Naz in Church Street, Twickenham for their special prawn curry. I also love Belgo in Camden for a massive pot of mussels and amazing beer. I miss pub Sunday lunch too. In Berlin we cook at home a lot but we love the tapas place round the corner from us, Gastón and we love our local Kalle Klein.
KD: In Haifa there is a really nice bourekas place in the Carmel Mountains that I always visit when I go back. In Berlin, as Mimi says, but also the hummus at Azzam, Sonnenallee is great.
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
Mimi: I used to make breakfast in bed for my mum sometimes with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and little bits of charred toast but my favorite memory (or more like the one mum always tells) is when I was 9, I read the flour packet in the cupboard and made the recipe for bread, that was printed on the back, one Saturday morning ... My mum loved it despite it not looking very elegant.
KD: I don't remember!
What or who inspired you to become musicians?
Mimi: My mum inherited a piano from her grandmother and I started by just enjoying tinkling around on that when I was a very small child.
KD: My older brother!
KD, your band NÖRD will release their first album 'Na Und? Wir kennen euch doch auch nicht' in the beginning of next year and soon you will be on tour with the band after months in the studio. How did you experience the time in the studio? What do you like about working in the studio and being on tour as a keyboard player?
We had a lot of fun in the studio. We were recording in Hamburg mainly which also allowed us to focus on the music away from home. I joined the band just a few months before we went into the studio so the time there was very important and we bonded a lot musically and personally. I'm really proud of the album and looking forward to sharing it with people live!
Mimi, you released your second album 'Nothing but Everything' together with your band The Mad Noise Factory in March which you presented on tour this year. You're also a visual artist and responsible for the band's artwork. What's the difference between working visually and as a musician? Is there a different creative approach?
My music is like a release of emotion. I need it as an emotional output. It's honest and it doesn't seem like I have much control on what happens to come out! The artwork is creating a dreamland that I see in my head and takes a long process filled with tiny detail.
What are your upcoming projects and plans for the next months?
Mimi: I have a song coming out with a fantastic new movie called 'Love Rosie' (the song is 'Get Me Back') and I am working on new songs hoping to have something ready for next year. I will also be starting a new Etsy shop selling clothes that I make using fabrics printed with my drawings. The shop will be called 'MiMi says I'm Special' and should be up and running soon!
KD: I have a new album out with a project called Hamlet. It's just me playing piano and my friend, Fran singing. I will be producing a few artists in the near future, and, of course, touring with NÖRD.
Mimi andKD, what did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen?
Spicy Bulgur!
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Mimi: I'd have my mum make me what she makes when she has just a few things left in the fridge. I don't know how she does it but she can make a few eggs, some random vegetables and rice into an amazing feast.
KD: The Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show to come and make me singing vegetables! That would be awesome.
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
Mimi: A big mushroom and spinach risotto with tons of parmesan.
KD: Whatever Mimi cooks (laughs).
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Mimi: Curry and still is!
KD: Schnitzel and mashed potatoes and now it's a big bowl of mussels!
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
Mimi: On my own but with someone to chat to.
KD: On my own.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Mimi: Improvised.
KD: Improvised.
Which meal would you never cook again?
Mimi: I used to make Sunday roast back in England… way too much washing up!
KD: I never cooked anything that was too horrible ... yet!
Thank you, Mimi and KD!
Spicy Cumin Fennel Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Ricotta and Lemon
A few days after we got home from our summer holidays, the two of us met in the kitchen late in the evening, not sure what to make for dinner. Usually, a night like this calls for pasta and a simple tomato sauce, but we were in the mood for more, we wanted some spices on our plates! A quick look in the fridge offered a bunch of cherry tomatoes, fresh ricotta and a jar full of my Moroccan preserved lemons. The parsley on the kitchen counter looked like it wouldn't last much longer but the leaves were still crisp and green. We pulled out the mortar and the pan, heated up some olive oil and crushed a spoonful of black peppercorns and our Maltese fennel seeds. We cooked the spices with a pinch of cumin in the oil for just a minute to unfold their aromas. When their peppery smell filled the whole kitchen, we added the chopped lemons and cherry tomatoes. After 3 minutes it was all done, ready to be mixed with the spaghetti, some lumps of ricotta and the fresh parsley leaves.
It was great, spicy and fragrant, a delicious mixture of the Italian and Arabic cuisine. Unfortunately, we had forgotten about this dinner. It was quite late, we were tired and we went to bed straight after we savored this meal. Weeks later, I remembered our spontaneous cooking session but it took me a while to recapture the recipe. So here it is, we cooked it again and loved it just as much!
Spicy Cumin Fennel Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Ricotta and Lemon
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quartered, 400g / 14 ounces
ricotta 125g / 4.5 ounces
Moroccan preserved lemon, chopped, 1/4 or the zest of 1/2 lemon
black peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons (depending on the spiciness you want to achieve)
fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon
cumin, a generous pinch
salt
olive oil
parsley, the leaves of 1/2 small bunch
Cook the pasta al dente in lots of salted water.
In a large, heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the spices on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon (preserved or zest) and cook for a few seconds before you stir in the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften and take the pan off the heat. Season with salt, mix in the spaghetti and top with ricotta and parsley.
Zucchini Risotto with crisp Sage
There's something about fresh sage cooked in a little olive oil to the point of perfection! When the thick leaves become all glossy and golden, crisp and so full of flavour that they turn a simple dish into a fragrant composition with such ease - that's exactly what this bunch of herbal crunchiness did with my simple risotto!
Our dinner started innocent and pure, I just cooked my Arborio rice with some chopped onions in white wine and broth before I mixed in juicy slices of golden sautéed zucchini. The vegetable added a fruitiness which made the whole composition light and fresh, but the crisp sage leaves on top put it on another level. The rich oil they cooked in was an aromatic concentrate of the herbs best qualities, warm and strong! When I arranged the risotto on the plates, I poured this herbal essence over the rice to coat them with this golden syrup.
That's the secret to a great risotto (and not only for risotto), combining just a handful of ingredients that allow their individual qualities to spark!
Zucchini Risotto with crisp Sage
For 4 people you need
zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 350g / 12.5 ounces
sage leaves 30
Arborio rice 400g / 14 ounces
medium onion, finely chopped, 2
vegetable broth around 1800ml / 4 pints (depending on the kind of rice you will need more or less liquid)
white wine 120ml / 4 ounces
salt and black pepper
olive oil
butter 1 tablespoon
Sauté the zucchini in a little olive oil in a pan until golden on both sides and soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
In a small sauce pan, heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil and add the sage leaves. Let them fry until golden and crisp, for about 1 minute but mind that they don't turn dark, set the pan aside.
In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and the butter, add the onions and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until soft. Stir in the rice and cook on medium heat for about a minute. Add the wine and some of the broth, the rice should be covered, stir and turn the heat down to medium-low. When the liquid has been absorbed add more broth, a little at a time stirring in between. Depending on the rice, it will need more or less liquid. When the rice is al dente and the broth is more or less absorbed take it off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Close with a lid and let the risotto sit for a minute.
Divide the risotto and zucchini between the plates, sprinkle with some of the sage oil and top with crisp sage leaves, serve immediately.
Golden Hokkaido Pumpkin Spaghetti
The glowing Hokkaido pumpkin is back in my kitchen! Although I've spotted the bright orange fruit at the markets for quite a while, I wanted to wait a little before it became a permanent part of my weekly purchases again. I know that as soon as it's on my kitchen tops, nothing can stop me and I use it for everything, quite excessively, soups, risottos, pasta and breads, spreads, salads, cakes, the whole range from sweet to savory. One of my favourite pumpkin meals is oven roasted wedges coated in spiced olive oil and herbs. I could eat that every week!
For now, I will start with a pasta dish and for this recipe I use all a pumpkin offers, the flesh and skin, its seeds and fragrant oil. I mix my shiny spaghetti with a little bit of the water I used to cook the pasta in before I stir in very thin pumpkin slices pan roasted for just a few minutes to soften them and sweeten their taste. I sprinkle the pasta on each plate with a bit more than a tablespoon of pumpkin seed oil and a teaspoon of the fruit's crunchy roasted seeds. This dish is an ode to the most delicate of all pumpkins, a true Hokkaido feast! It makes the pasta so smooth, almost velvety in texture and sweet and nutty in taste. Each plate looks like the late afternoon sunlight that lights up my kitchen between late summer and early autumn, golden and warm!
This recipe has been featured on Food52 Halfway To Dinner!
Hokkaido Pumpkin Spaghetti
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5 - 14 ounces
Hokkaido pumpkin (squash), with skin but without the fibres and seeds, about 200g / 7 ounces (you can also use peeled butternut or Musquée de Provence pumpkin)
butter 1 tablespoon
olive oil
sugar 1/2 teaspoon
salt and pepper
pumpkin seed oil, 4 1/2 - 6 tablespoons plus more to taste, for the topping
toasted pumpkin seeds, for the topping
Keep the plates for the pasta in a warm place for a few minutes (80°C / 175°F in the oven) before serving.
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente. Keep some of the water used to cook the pasta. Drain the spaghetti and mix with a splash of the water they cooked in.
Cut the pumpkin with a cheese or vegetable slicer into very thin slices. In a large heavy pan, heat the butter and a splash of olive oil, add the sugar and pumpkin and roast for a few minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the slices are golden brown on both sides and soft enough to break with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta and pumpkin slices between the plates, sprinkle each plate with 1 1/2 tablespoons of pumpkin seed oil, a teaspoon of pumpkin seeds and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spinach Ricotta stuffed Conchiglioni on Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
The trilogy of spinach, ricotta and tomatoes is one I use a lot for my pasta dishes, be it in lasagna, ravioli or canneloni. And if I need a really quick dinner I go for conchiglioni, the pretty pasta shells. It's so convenient to stuff these little beauties with all kinds of sauces and vegetables, a thick Bolognese or Ratatouille, mashed pumpkin or a tuna stew, they deliciously carry whatever I choose to fill them with! I also like that I can cook them in advance and just bake them with some cheese under the grill to warm them up, another easy solution for a spontaneous dinner party!
For this recipe I can skip all of the preparations that my classic lasagna requires, no Béchamel, no slow cooked red or meat sauce. I just put a bunch of cherry tomatoes under the grill until their skin starts to burst, it's the same preparation that I used for my orecchiette recipe in July. The roasted fruits are so soft and sweet that I only need to stir in some olive oil, Balsamico vinegar, salt and pepper to turn them into an aromatic and juicy sauce. I spread the conchiglioni on top of the tomatoes in the same dish as soon as they are done, lusciously stuffed with blanched spinach and creamy ricotta and sprinkled with Parmesan. Another 3 minutes under the grill and dinner is served!
Spinach Ricotta stuffed Conchiglioni on Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
For 3-4 people you need
conchiglioni, cooked al dente, around 25 pasta shells
spinach, the hard stems cut off, cleaned, 400g / 14 ounces (mine weighed 600g / 21 ounces before I prepared it)
ricotta 200g / 7 ounces
cherry tomatoes 500g / 1 pound
balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon
olive oil 2 tablespoons
nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste
salt and pepper
Parmesan, grated, around 40g / 1.5 ounces, for the topping
In a large pot, bring salted water to the boil. Blanche the spinach for 1 minute, rinse with cold water in a colander, drain and squeeze out the water with a spoon. Chop the spinach roughly, mix with the ricotta and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Put the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish (big enough to spread the stuffed conchiglioni on top when the tomatoes are done) and roast the fruits under the grill for 15 minutes or until their skin starts to burst, turn them once or twice. When the tomatoes are done, stir in the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper and gently squeeze the tomatoes with a spoon.
Fill the pasta shells with the spinach ricotta stuffing, spread them on top of the tomatoes and push them gently in between the tomatoes. Sprinkle the shells with the Parmesan and some more pepper and put under the grill for around 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Like with lasagna, it's best to let the dish sit for a few minutes before serving.
Mojo Verde inspired by the Canaries
When our friends came back from the holiday they spent on Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands, they told me about their culinary discovery with such passion that I had to try it, Canarian Mojos! The name derives from the Portuguese word molho (meaning sauce) and stands for an endless variety of sauces made of (fresh or dried) green or red peppers, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, like coriander or parsely and spices, like cumin, caraway seeds or sweet paprika. Most of these traditional Canarian dishes praise the local peppers which must be extremely aromatic and strong in flavour and cover the whole range from mild to very hot and spicy. Some sauces are made just with herbs, similar to a thick pesto or with dried spices mixed with breadcrumbs. I also read about a sauce which mainly features grated hard cheese, the Almogrote which originates from the Canarian island La Gomera. There are so many delicious sounding names like the spicy, red Mojo Rojo Picón made of dried red hot peppers or Mojo de Almendras mixed with roast almonds. These sauces will be one of my winter kitchen projects as many of them can be made with dried peppers and they offer a great field to experiment with strong aromas.
My friends told me that they savored these sauces with almost every dish, with fish, meat, vegetables and potatoes and they encouraged me to give them a try although I've never visited the Canarian Islands myself. So I don't claim authenticity, I just felt inspired to mix my own Mojo inspired by these islands' signature dishes. For my Mojo Verde, I mixed mild green bell pepper with garlic, fresh hot chili pepper, (lots of) olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of cumin and salt and pepper and I was very pleased with the result when I mixed it with my pasta!
Mojo Verde
For 4 people you need
long or round green bell pepper (preferably organic as they taste stronger) 1
olive oil 2-4 tablespoons
fresh red chili pepper 1
garlic, 2 big cloves
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper
optional: a pinch of cumin, to taste
Mix the ingredients in a blender, or more authentically but also more time consuming, grind them in a mortar to a thick paste. Season to taste and serve with pasta or on grilled bread or vegetables.
Black Olive and Parsley Pesto with Capers, Anchovies and Lemon
This pesto is so rich in unbeatably strong aromas, velvety black olives, fresh parsley, salty capers and anchovies, spicy onions and garlic and some lemon juice and mustard to finish it off! It resembles the Provençal tapenade but the parsley and onions give it a lighter and fresher touch, it makes this dish feel Italian. It's great with pasta but also as a spread on crunchy grilled bruschetta. Although I'm not the biggest fan of raw onions I must say that they make sense in this recipe, they add more of a sharp spiciness than an overpowering taste of onions which is quite often the case when this uncooked vegetable is involved.
This is another one of those convenient pantry/ fridge/ balcony dishes, made with ingredients that I always find in these three places! My mother used to make a similar pesto with pasta, I played around with it over the years, added a few flavours until it became this recipe. You could also add some sun-dried tomatoes, chop in some fresh tomatoes or replace the parsley with basil. That's what I love about pesto, it can follow your mood and kitchen stock!
Black Olive and Parsley Pesto with Capers, Anchovies and Lemon
For 3-4 people you need
linguine or spaghetti, cooked al dente, 300-400g / 10.5-14 ounces
For the pesto
black (preferably Kalamata) olives 15
parsley, the leaves of a medium bunch (set aside a few leaves, roughly chopped, for the topping)
anchovies, rinsed and dried, 2
capers 1 tablespoon
shallot 15g / 1/2 ounce
garlic, 2 cloves
pine nuts 15g / 1/2 ounce
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon plus more to taste
mustard 1/8 teaspoon plus more to taste
olive oil 50ml / 1 3/4 ounces
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar for the topping
For the pesto, mix the ingredients in a food processor; it should be a smooth paste. Season with lemon juice and mustard to taste.
Serve the pasta with the pesto on warm, big plates, sprinkled with black pepper and parsley.
Rabbit Stew, Fenkata and my beloved Valletta - my last post from Malta
My last Malta post celebrates a wonderful dish and an amazing city, both represent this island and what I love about it! Let's start with the food, the famous Fenkata (Fenek biz-zalza) which is the island's national dish! This meal is usually savored in a big group of friends and family at a big table, a whole rabbit (or a few), marinated and stewed in wine. The meat is cooked with aromatic spices and herbs and served in its aromatic sauce with pasta or potatoes. I'm sure that there are as many recipes for this meal as there are families on the island!
A Fenkata is fun to cook together with your guests, it's a celebration of the time we spend together with the ones we love, it's about enjoying life, food and wine together. We usually cook the rabbit in red wine, but white wine works as well, sometimes we add olives, capers and parsley. This time we kept it pure and simple and added just a few carrots, tomatoes, some onion, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. The meat was tender and the sauce was fantastic, rich in flavours and slightly thickened by the vegetables. We enjoyed our Fenkata together with our friends and family, with some pasta and a big smile on our faces!
And now it's time to tell you more about my favourite city, my beloved Valletta, Malta's capital! I love its graceful architecture, the tall buildings made of the island's typical limestone, the facades opened with wooden balconies, painted in dark green, blue, red or white. They line the main roads densely, Republic Street, Old Bakery Street and Merchant Street which snuggle into the city's hills like snakes, before they stop in front of the dark blue sea, at Fort St. Elmo. The atmosphere is magical, unique, it's busy during the day and relaxed at night, that's when I love it the most. When I visit Valletta to shop or to linger in the streets, I like to stop at Prego Café & Bar or Caffe Cordina for a cappuccino and some sweets, both are old family businesses. Prego is in a quiet side street, South Street, it's very popular with locals, especially in the morning or around noon. It opened in 1946 and today it's run by the brothers Giorgio, Joe and their cousin Carmelo. The coffee is exquisite, imported from Sicily, the minimal furniture didn't change since the sixties which adds a beautiful nostalgic charm to this place.
One of our most frequently visited restaurants in Valletta is Legligin where Chris cooks delicious Maltese tapas and offers a great selection of wines (I love the local Syrah which he produces with one of his friends). Il Horza restaurant is famous for its meat dishes and Michael's for fish but at the moment he hosts Aziamendi100 at his place until October, a temporary restaurant by the Basque 3 Michelin star chef Eneko Atxa. Nenu, the Artisan Baker makes a nice Maltese Ftira pizza but I'm particularly fond of their traditional coffee made with spices and their wonderful desserts. I can recommend the Maltese bread pudding which isn't as good as Joanna's but still very good, the trifle and the Mqaret (pastry filled with dates).
If you want to learn more about life in Valletta you should visit Casa Rocca Piccola, a beautiful private 16th century palazzo with a big collection of antique furniture and artworks. Nicholas de Piro, the owner, is a member of Malta's aristocracy, he lives with his family in some of the more than 50 rooms of this grand building but opened most of them to the public.
Another very special Valletta experience is the Sunday morning service at the Baroque St John's Co-Cathedral. The intimate mass is held in Latin accompanied by a great choir. The cathedral's museum shows some of Caravaggio's master pieces, like the Beheading of St John the Baptist, the artist lived and worked in Malta from 1607-08.
If you like Jazz music, don't miss Bridge Bar's Friday night concerts! A nice crowd of people sits outside on the stairs under a big pink Bougainvillea listening to the music and enjoying the atmosphere with a glass of wine!
Now, it's time for my Berlin kitchen agin, time to say good bye to my Maltese summer, to my big Maltese family, Jenny's kitchen, the sea, my vegetable man Leli and all the others who make every stay on the island so special. It's a thankful good bye!
Fenkata, a Maltese Rabbit Stew
The rabbit is best when it's marinated in red wine for about 8 hours.
For 4 hungry people you need
whole rabbit, with innards, cut into 8 pieces, 1
dry red wine 0,75l / 1.5 pints
carrots, cut into big pieces, 3
big onion, cut in half and into slices, 1
garlic, cut in half, 8 cloves
large tomatoes, quartered, 3
bay leaf 1
fresh thyme, a small bunch
olive oil
plain flour
sugar about 1/2 teaspoon
salt and pepper
In a large bowl, marinate the rabbit in half of the wine for about 8 hours. Keep the wine, take the meat out, dry with kitchen roll, dust the rabbit pieces lightly with flour and season with salt.
In a casserole dish, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the rabbit for a few minutes until golden brown on all sides. Take out the meat and set aside. Add the innards and sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic, onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Deglaze with a splash of red wine, add the tomatoes, the meat and the rest of the wine (from the marinade and the bottle). Add the bay leaf and thyme, close with a lid and cook for one hour on medium-low heat. When the meat is tender, take it out and set aside. Sieve the sauce, put it back into the casserole dish, season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste and add the meat (either on the bones or boned, as you prefer).
Serve with spaghetti or potatoes.
A thick Basil Pesto with Spaghetti and Tomatoes
This pesto is as concentrated as basil pesto can be! I had two big bouquets of this aromatic herb on the table filling the air in the kitchen with the most beautiful smell - fresh, sweet and green! After half an hour of picking the leaves off the stems, I got rewarded with a big pile ready to be turned into a pesto! The weight was about 150g (5.5 ounces), a Mediterranean luxury I can only dream of in the city. I think I would have to buy 20 pots of basil at home to gather this amount!
Here in Malta I can create a luscious pesto which is richer than any pesto I've ever eaten before. It's more of a spread than an oily sauce! The recipe is a classic, I mix the herb with pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, olive oil and a bit of salt, but the amount of basil leaves and their intense taste make the difference. Herbs that grow in pots don't develop such a strong aroma, the right soil and hours of sunshine, that's what you taste in the end.
I often chop some fresh tomatoes into this dish, I like the freshness they add. Sometimes I mix in a few sautéed slices of zucchini but the red fruit is still my favourite!
Spaghetti with Basil Pesto and Tomatoes
For 4-6 people you need
spaghetti or linguine 400-600g / 14-21 ounces
tomatoes, chopped, 4-6
basil leaves 150g / 5.5 ounces
olive oil 150ml / 5 ounces plus more if you prefer the pesto more liquid
pine nuts 30g / 1 ounce
Parmesan 40g / 1.5 ounces plus more for topping
garlic 2 big cloves
salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water, al dente.
Mix the basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil in a blender and season with salt to taste.
Divide the hot pasta between the plates and add a dollop of pesto on top. Sprinkle with the tomatoes, parmesan and crushed pepper, serve immediately.
Moscato Prawn Pasta and a Festa to celebrate our arrival in Malta
I'm finally back in Malta! I can't describe how much I've been looking forward to having my feet on Maltese ground again. I just wanted to smell the air, feel the sun on my skin and see all the beloved faces at the airport again - and finally we're here again!
When I went to Malta for the first time I learnt that the arrival at the airport is the beginning of a big, endless family feast. Aunts and uncles, cousins, the grandmother of course, sisters, brothers and my Maltese Mama Jenny, there is always a big welcoming committee waiting for us at the gate and escorting us to the house in Msida, our home town for the weeks to come. On the way there I took a deep breath of the salty air mixed with the sweet scent of oleander and wild thyme, this is Malta to me!
In the next weeks I'll be cooking and baking in Jenny's kitchen - and her garden as that's where the grill is. I will share some of my favourite summer dishes with you, show you around on the islands a bit and introduce some passionate food and wine lovers to you. I will show you this wonderful place in the Mediterranean through my eyes but for a bigger picture I will be meeting and writing about Arnold, the bee keeper and Sam who produces his own olive oil, my baker, the butcher, farmers, wine and cheese makers, chefs and Maltese Mamas who've been cooking traditional meals for their families for many years. We will exchange recipes so that you and l can get the chance to learn a few more secrets of traditional Maltese cooking. These people, their profession and passion will show you the side of Malta that I fell in love with nine years ago. I hope I can give you an insight into this culture and food but also its warm, hospitable people who make me feel at home every time I come back.
One of the many things I'm always looking forward to impatiently when we're in Malta is to go to the fish market in Marsaxlokk in the south of the island. The freshness and variety is overwhelming, especially for someone like me who lives in the city far away from any water (apart from rivers and lakes). Every Sunday, the fishermen offer their catch of the last night. They go out in the dark into the open sea with their colourful boats in blue, red and yellow to come back from their fishing trip a few hours or days later and fill their tables with swordfish, tuna, sea bream, moray eels, prawns and many more. These aren't big companies, these are families who have been in the fishing business for many generations.We went there yesterday and I didn't know where to start and when to stop filling our ice box!
One of our purchases were Maltese prawns, the best I ever ate, almost sweet in taste. We threw them on the grill with some garlic and lemon, and enjoyed them with Maltese bread and wine to celebrate our arrival!
Next time when I write about one of our seafood meals I will tell you a bit more about Marsaxlokk, the fishing village and it's picturesque atmosphere but for now I'm off to the beach!
The weekend of our arrival happened to be Msida's Festa - the holy feast - in honour of Saint Joseph. Each village praises its patron saint with days of celebration including fireworks and a long procession with the saint's statue carried through the whole village. If you ever get the chance to join a Festa in Malta you will understand a lot about the Maltese culture, its traditions but also about the people's untamable will to celebrate and enjoy life!
Moscato Prawns with Linguine
For 4 people you need
linguine 300g / 10.5 ounces
prawns (in their shells, the heads removed) 300g / 10.5 ounces
garlic, quartered, 2 big cloves
Moscato wine 75ml / 2.5 ounces
water used to cook the pasta, 50ml / 1 3/4 ounces
freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons plus more to taste
olive oil
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
salt
Cook the pasta al dente in lots of salted water.
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil together with the garlic. When the oil is hot add the prawns and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze with half of the wine, add the rest of the wine, the lemon juice and the water. Mix in the pasta and season with salt, crushed pepper and lemon juice to taste, serve immediately.
Spaghetti in Fennel Oil with Chorizo and Cherry Tomatoes
In March I cooked a pasta dish with lots of fennel seeds roasted with crunchy bacon. For the sauce I mixed these aromatic and oily bits and pieces of spice and meat with tinned tomatoes because at that point the fresh ones were still far away from offering more than a watered down hint of what a real tomato tastes like. I enjoyed this meal a lot, it was rich and hearty, it felt like comfortable late winter food. The only problem was at that point I was already thinking of all the fresh vegetables I would be cooking with as soon as the cold season would be over. I could see fresh tomatoes, ripe and strong in taste, straight from the market ending up in my pan.
Here's a pasta meal that was one of my visions for summer which also includes fennel seeds. This time I cook the seeds in a bit more olive oil than I would normally use and let them spread their aroma. When the oil is infused I cook slices of spicy chorizo in it together with a thinly sliced fennel bulb. The vegetable softens after about 5 minutes of cooking but I make sure that it doesn't lose its bite, I keep it crisp. To finish the meal off, I mix the spaghetti directly in my heavy pan in these spicy and oily juices and top it with the halves of fresh cherry tomatoes, uncooked, pure and sweet. I dreamt of this meal in March and got it in July. That wasn't that bad, some things take longer!
Spaghetti in Fennel Oil with Chorizo and Cherry Tomatoes
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5 - 14 ounces
fennel bulb, cut in half or quartered depending on the size and cut into very thin slices, 300g / 10.5 ounces
spicy chorizo salami, very thinly sliced, 60g / 2 ounces
olive oil 50ml / 1 3/4 ounces
fennel seeds, slightly crushed in a mortar, 1 1/2 tablespoons
cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 15
salt and pepper
Cook the spaghetti in lots of salted water al dente.
In a large heavy pan, heat up the oil on a medium heat and add the fennel seeds. Let them infuse the oil for 2 minutes, add the chorizo and cook for 1 minute. Add the slices of fennel, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes or until al dente. Take the pan off the heat, mix the spaghetti with the vegetable and oil and add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Orecchiette with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil
This meal started off with an image in my head. Quite often I imagine recipes visually, I can see the colours, the texture, the whole composition is just waiting to get out of my head onto a plate. For days I've been mentally carrying a Tuscan picture with me (it's Tuscan to me at least). I had a big bowl of orecchiette in mind, topped with roasted cherry tomatoes on a branch. I could see the woody sprig turning black and the firm skin of the red fruit grilled and burst creating a smoky sweetness to mix with my pasta. Sprinkled with pieces of Buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil it turns into a tasty beauty in green, white and red - the Italian flag on a plate!
This is another one of these simple and perfect Italian dishes, the classic combination of tomato, mozzarella and fresh herbs which I love so much in various recipes. It is as good as an insalata caprese which I mix with mint as it is in a Panzanella, a Tuscan salad made with stale bread, a recipe which is on the top of my cooking list for when I'm in Malta (which will be very soon!). You can throw it on pizza, quiche or mix it with any kinds of pasta, warm or cold, with rosemary, oregano, thyme or whatever your herb garden offers. This is the essence of pure Italian comfort food!
Orecchiette with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil
For 2 people you need
orecchiette 200g / 7 ounces
cherry tomatoes on a branch 500g / 1 pound
Buffalo mozzarella, torn into bite sized pieces, 125g / 4.5 ounces
big basil leaves, torn, 10
olive oil 50ml / 1 3/4 ounces
garlic, cut in half, 1 clove
salt and crushed black pepper
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
Turn on the grill of your oven, put the tomatoes (on their branches) on a baking dish and roast for 12 minutes or until their skin starts to turn black and burst.
In a saucepan, warm up the olive oil together with the garlic and leave on a medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Divide the pasta between 2 big plates, mix with the garlic olive oil and top with mozzarella, basil and a roasted branch of tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and crushed pepper.
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto with Rosemary and Thyme
7:1! That was a crazy night and I still can't believe that Germany beat Brazil in the semi final with such an unbelievable result. After the 3rd goal I thought I was dreaming, and it went on, and on and on! Although I'm not the biggest football fan even I couldn't keep my eyes off the game!
Time to calm down now, and nothing relaxes me more than a nice portion of carbohydrates! Luckily it's Sandwich Wednesday again and after last weeks fruity and sweet roast apricots on Malin's delicious turmeric bread I felt like something hearty again, a concentrated sun-dried tomato pesto with rosemary and thyme spread on an oily focaccia bun. I love this rich pesto just as much mixed with spaghetti, therefore I always prepare a big bowl to last for a few days and include at least one pasta meal. It's great on pizza too and I'm sure there are a few other combinations you can come up with!
I always buy Maltese, Gozitan or Italian dried tomatoes. The ripe fruits taste so intense when they dry up under the Mediterranean sun, a bit oily and salty through the sea salt that helps the drying process. Before I throw them in the food processor I cook them in a bit of water for just a minute to soften them and rinse off excess salt. I purée them together with some pine nuts, garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, olive oil and a bit of the salty liquid used to cook the tomatoes. Sometimes I add some fresh chili or cumin, basil is nice too! It's one of these recipes you can easily adapt to your mood and taste!
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto with Rosemary and Thyme
For 4 people you need
sun-dried tomatoes, cooked in some water for 1 minute, 70g / 2.5 ounces
water used to cook the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons (if you use the pesto for a pasta dish add 6-8 tablespoons)
olive oil 50ml /2 ounces
pine nuts 20g / 1 ounces
garlic, 1 big clove
fresh thyme leaves 1 1/2 tablespoon plus more for topping
fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon
optionally: chopped fresh chili, a pinch of cumin or fresh basil
For sandwiches
4 focaccia buns or 1 loaf of bread
For a pasta dish
spaghetti 400g / 14 ounes
Purée the ingredients in a food processor to a smooth paste and spread on the bread or mix with spaghetti cooked in lots of salted water (al dente).
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
The beginning of July is the perfect time to throw a few of my favourite vegetables on a big plate of spaghetti. This dish is basically a Mediterranean Caponata, just without aubergine as it would have stretched the cooking time and changed the texture - I didn't want a juicy sauce, I was after some crunchiness! I mixed lots of zucchini with my Gozitan capers, anchovies and garlic and sautéed everything for a very short time. This way, the vegetables stay firm and fresh like a salad.
My tomatoes, olives and basil weren't even cooked, I just mixed them together with some olive oil into the warm pasta. When vegetables reach the peak of their season they don't need long to spread their aroma. Spoiled by the sun, strong in flavour and full of vitamins, they have this intense taste of summer that I've been waiting for for months. A few minutes in the hot pan and they were done, that's one of summer's kitchen qualities!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5-14 ounces
zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 350g / 12.5 ounces
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 1 1/2
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
capers 2 heaped tablespoons
tomatoes, cut into cubes, 350g / 12.5 ounces
black olives (whole or chopped) 8
fresh basil leaves 10
optionally: fresh mint, chopped, 5 leaves
black pepper
olive oil
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil, add the anchovies, garlic and capers and cook for 1 minute on a medium heat. Add the zucchini and a little more oil and cook for 5 minutes on high-medium temperature, stirring every now and then. Season with pepper (no salt!) and mix into the spaghetti, add a tiny bit of olive oil if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, basil and mint and serve immediately. There should be enough saltiness from the anchovies and capers, I didn't need to add anymore.
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
La dolce vita, I can hear it calling me! I need a holiday, some Mediterranean vibes, the sea that slows down my pace! For now I only have my beloved Mediterranean food but there's only a month between me and a little dolce far niente! Our flights are booked and in four weeks we will be heading South, but my mind is already there, in Malta, our beautiful rock in the Mediterranean Sea. I find myself daydreaming about all the things I will do and eat.
I have a plan, I will enjoy the sea and spend lots of time with our friends and family as I always do but I will also share some of my culinary hotspots with you. Over the years, I found so many delicious restaurants, small producers of olive oil, cheese, bakeries, winemakers and my salt pans in Gozo of course. I met many people who are as passionate about eating and cooking as I am, chefs and Maltese Mamas who have treated their families to years of the most delicious traditional dishes. Soon, I will meet these food lovers, we will talk about food, I will watch them cook and share their recipes with you on the blog. I'm very excited and I can't wait to show you this amazing island, its food and natural beauty!
For now I can only enjoy all the lovely dishes that feed my memories and fit my daydreams, like spaghetti with pangrattato (meaning grated bread in Italian), crisp breadcrumbs fried with anchovies and garlic! I sprinkle it with freshly squeezed lemon juice, crushed black pepper and parsley, a summer meal which couldn't be quicker and easier!
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
dry breadcrumbs 5 heaping tablespoons (if you have some stale white bread left put it in a food processor and turn into breadcrumbs)
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 2-3 big fillets (use 3 if you like a strong fish taste)
garlic, finely chopped, 2 cloves
parsley, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons
lemon 1/2, to drizzle over the pasta
black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
salt
olive oil for frying
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the garlic on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the anchovies and fry for a few seconds before you pour in a little more oil, add the breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown and crisp. Divide the spaghetti and the pangrattato between 2 plates and sprinkle with lemon juice, black pepper and parsley. Season with salt, carefully as the anchovies are very salty.
Farfalle with Asparagus, Peas and Leek in Mustard Sauce
This is one of my oldest, most beloved and often cooked spring/ summer recipes. It's been with me for so many years and I still savour it as I did the first time I cooked it. It works both warm as a comfy pasta dinner with a glass of rosé wine, the windows wide open and the flowery smell of June in the air but also as a cold, summery picnic salad, enjoyed outside in the fields under the rustling leaves of a swaying tree.
I'm talking about the wonderful combination of the fine flavours of white asparagus together with sweet peas in their crunchy pods, leek and a light sauce made with spicy Dijon mustard. All this on top of a big bowl of pretty Farfalle pasta, little bow-ties of perfect size and shape to catch all these nice vegetables like a shovel!
This meal tastes fresh and light and is absolutely easy to prepare. You just need to cook the asparagus (green or white), sautée the young pea pods and leek (you could also blanch some peas), deglaze them with white wine or vermouth and mix everything together with the cooked pasta, some mustard and cooking liquid, salt and pepper - that's it!
Farfalle with Asparagus, Peas and Leek in Mustard Sauce
For 2 people you need
Farfalle pasta, 200g / 7 ounces
asparagus (white or green), peeled (if necessary), bottoms cut off, 500g / 1 pound
young peas in their pods, cut into bite sized pieces, 150g / 5.5 ounces
leek, cut into slices, 1/2
water used to cook the asparagus 150ml / 5 ounces
Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons plus more to taste
white wine or vermouth for deglazing
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
Cook the pasta al dente in lots of salted water.
Cook the asparagus al dente in lots of salted water with a pinch of sugar and cut into bite sized pieces.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the leek for a few minutes until soft and golden, add the pea pods and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with a splash of wine, add the pasta, mustard and water used to cook the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper, add the cooked asparagus, mix and serve on big plates.
Spaghetti with Green Asparagus Anchovy Pesto
Asparagus season could be extended for months if it were up to me! So many recipes bring out different sides of this vegetable, be it green or white asparagus, it's so versatile thanks to its strong taste.
So here’s an asparagus pesto, light and fresh with a smooth texture, almost velvety. The preparation is the same as the broccoli pesto I made in March, the cooked vegetables are mixed with some of the water they are cooked in. I added garlic, fresh hot chili peppers, tarragon (my herb of the month) and anchovies. The fish adds subtle saltiness, which really makes this composition complete. I once made this pesto without the fish as I had run out and it really wasn't as good. I use 4 anchovies for 500g (1 pound) of asparagus, I originally started with just 2 when I made it the first time. I thought they would be too strong for the pesto but sometimes in cooking you shouldn't be shy, being bold and brave is the key to success!
For more asparagus recipes, click here!
Spaghetti with Green Asparagus Pesto and Chili Peppers
For this meal it’s best to warm up the plates in the oven.
For 2 hungry people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
green asparagus, the woody bottom part cut off, 500g / 1 pound
water used to cook the asparagus 30ml / 2 tablespoons
olive oil 60ml / 1/4 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
anchovy preserved in salt, rinsed and dried, 4 fillets
garlic, crushed, 3 cloves
tarragon 12 leaves
fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped, 1, half for the pesto the rest for topping
salt and pepper
Cook the spaghetti al dente.
In a large pot, cook the asparagus in lots of salted water for 7 minutes. Keep the water, take the asparagus out with a slotted ladle and cut into 3cm / 1″ pieces. Set the heads aside and leave for the topping.
Purée all the ingredients for the pesto in a blender (except the asparagus' heads and the chili peppers for the topping). Season with salt (carefully, I didn't need to add any because of the salty fish), pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Arrange the spaghetti, pesto and asparagus' heads on the warm plates and sprinkle with chili and crushed black pepper.
Parmesan Risotto with crisp Fava Beans
When my sister told me abut her latest risotto discovery from her trip to Italy, she sounded so thrilled that I couldn't wait to get the pot on the cooker. She was talking about a parmesan risotto which by itself isn't necessarily spectacular but this one is different. It's made with bigger pieces of cheese which are stirred into the creamy rice when the risotto is done. The parmesan melts, partly, but a few crumbs keep their crunchy center which makes it taste stronger, more concentrated. I was absolutely impressed, this method of preparation lifts parmesan risotto onto another level!
I had some fava beans left on my window sill which I added to the rice, I prefer to have some vegetables with my risotto. Be it a simple salad or some sautéed greens on the side, I need my vitamins as much as my carbohydrates! I fried the beans with some garlic, deglazed them with white wine and let them simmer for a few minutes. I wanted them al dente, a crisp topping for my smooth risotto!
I cooked the risotto with the water I had used to cook asparagus in a few days ago. It's a light broth which I always keep and freeze, great for recipes which need a soft vegetable aroma.
Parmesan Risotto with Fava Beans
For 4-5 people you need
Arborio rice 400g / 15 ounces
medium size onion, chopped finely, 2
broth around 2200ml / 4.5 pints
Parmesan, cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes, 80g / 3 ounces
fava beans, peeled out of their pods and shells, 800g / 28 ounces (around 300g / 10.5 ounces peeled beans)
garlic, roughly chopped, 1 clove
white wine 120ml / 4 ounces
salt and black pepper
olive oil for frying
butter 2 tablespoons
In a large pan, heat a little olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, add the garlic and beans and fry on a medium heat for a few minutes until golden. Deglaze with half of the wine and let it cook for a minute. Season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the wine, close with a large lid and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large pot, fry the onions in a little olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until golden and soft, stir in the rice and fry on a medium heat for a minute. Add some of the broth, the rice should be covered, stir and turn the heat down to medium-low. When the liquid has been absorbed add more broth, a little at a time stirring in between. Depending on the rice, it needs more or less liquid. When the rice is al dente and the broth is more or less absorbed take it off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the Parmesan, close with a lid and let it sit for a minute. Arrange on plates together with the fava beans.
Fava Bean Pesto with Mint on a Sandwich
Finally, fava beans are back in season and just peeling them is a sensual experience! These beans are crunchy beauties wrapped in silky transparent shells, protected by the velvety inside of their fleshy pods. To peel them, smell them and finally taste them is a spring highlight to me! I know it sounds a bit overwhelming, but spring vegetables have this effect on me. Luckily, the preparations have a meditative side effect as you have to buy lots of beans to end up with just a handful of this green treasure, but the effort is worth it. The firm texture and fresh green taste stands for everything I love about spring!
Usually I peel the beans out of the shells to achieve a finer taste but for my pesto I skipped this part. The beans were so young, the skin so tender and soft that I could keep them in their shell which also has a nutritional value.
This time, I made a pesto out of my fava beans, cooked only 5 minutes and mixed with garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and fresh aromatic mint. You could mix it with pasta and some grated Pecorino but I spread it on a sandwich. I covered my juicy focaccia bun with a thick layer which I sprinkled with even more chopped mint leaves.
Fava Bean Pesto and Mint Sandwich
For 4 sandwiches you need
focaccia or soft buns 4 (you could also use thick slices of ciabatta bread)
fava / broad beans, peeled out of the pods, in their shells, 900g / 2 pounds for around 260g / 9 ounces of peeled beans
garlic, quartered, 1 clove
water 100ml / 3.5 ounces
freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 teaspoons
olive oil 1 tablespoon plus more for frying
fresh mint, chopped, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
salt and black pepper
In a sauce pan, fry the garlic in a little oil on medium heat for 1 minute and mix in the beans. Add the water, season with salt and pepper, close with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes. With a slotted ladle (you will need some of the liquid), take the beans and garlic out of the pan and purée in a blender (or with a stick mixer) together with 1 tablespoon of the liquid from the beans, the lemon juice ,1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of mint. Season with salt, pepper and mint to taste and spread voluptuously on your sandwich.
