NEW RECIPES

                                             SEAFOOD CHOWDER

A delicious fish soup which is a full meal

3 mini pumpkins, cut in half 

Salt the freshly ground black pepper to taste

Smoked paprika

Chilli flakes

Olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

300 ml (10 fl oz) fish stock

150 ml (5 fl oz) milk

75 ml  (2.5 fl oz) white wine

1 bouquet garni /(1 bay leaf - 1 sprig parsley - 2 sprigs thyme)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

75 g (2.5 oz) of each, salmon, cod and seabass cut into chunks

150 ml (5 fl oz) cream

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp snipped chives

2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Scoop out the seeds but don't discard them.  Place the seed s on a baking tray and drizzle a little olive oil over and sprinkle with salt and black pepper, Cayenne pepper and smoked paprika.

Brush the pumpkin cups sith olive oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes and bake for 25 minutes.  At this stage also place the pumpkin seeds and bake for 5-10 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, sweat the onions and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, pour in the fish stock, milk, white wine the bouquet garni along with the Cayenne pepper,  Bring to a boil and add the potato cubes and simmer until the potatoes are just cooked add the seafood and simmer gently for2-3minutes or until the fish is thoroughly cooked and flakes when tested with a fork.  Discard the bouquet garni and  stir in the lemon zest, cream, chives and chopped parsley,

Ladle the seafood soup into the pumpkin cups and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley before serving. 

  

 

                                   CAULIFLOWER CAKE WITH FETA AND BASIL

One could prepare this recipe also with spinach, feta and dill.

1 medium-sized cauliflower, trimmed, boiled in salted water and strained

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

1/2 cup basil, chopped

6 eggs, separated whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cup feta, crumbled

1 cup plain flour sifted with 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp black sesame seeds, roasted

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp white sesame seeds, roasted

Preheat the oven tom180 C (350 F) and line a round tin (32 cm (12 inch) in diameter) with buttered baking parchment/

Saute the onion and garlic in butter, stir in the cauliflower and remove the saucepan from the heat and cool.  

Add the chopped rosemary, basil and egg yolks and feta cheese and stir well together. Fold in the flour/baking powder mixture, the black sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the white sesame seeds and, finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites.  Spoon the cauliflower batter into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tested inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.   Allow cooling slightly in the tin before reversing on a serving dish.

Serve warm with crusty brown bread and good white wine.    

                                             AUBERGINES PARMIGIANA

A fantastic Maltese side dish.

 

2 kg (4 lb) aubergines, peeled, sliced lengthwise thinly and soaked in salted water for at least 1 hour

 

1 ½ kg (3 lb) tomatoes, skinned deseeded and chopped

100 g (3 oz )  grated Parmesan

500 g (1 lb) mozzarella

3 egg whites, whipped stiff

A bunch of basil leaves

Oil for frying

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Sauté the chopped tomatoes in a saucepan with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and finely chopped basil leaves. The sauce should be quite thick.

 

Rinse the aubergines and pat them dry.  Dip the aubergines slices into the egg whites, fry in batches and place o kitchen paper to drain.   Slice the mozzarella and shred the remaining basil leaves.

 

Pour a little sauce in an oven-proof dish, place a layer of fried aubergines on top, slightly overlapping each other.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Cover with slices of mozzarella and chopped basil. Pour more tomato sauce on top and carry on layering ending with tomato sauce sprinkled with Parmesan.

 

Bake in an oven preheated to 180 c (350 F) for about one hour.  Let the aubergine parmigiana rest for a few minutes before serving.

 

 

                                            WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Here is a recipe for a creamy and comforting risotto.

60 g (2 oz) dried porcini mushroom soaked in

500 ml (2 cups) hot water for 12 minutes

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

250 g (1/2 lb) white mushrooms, wiped and thinly sliced

250 g (1/2 lb) oyster mushrooms, wiped and thinly sliced

400 g (15 oz and tbsp) Arborio rice

185.7 ml (3/4 cup) vermouth or white wine

1.25 litres (4 cups) or more tasty chicken or vegetable stock

2 heaped tbsp butter at room temperature 

60 g (2 oz) Parmesan, grated

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Drain the porcini and discard the last 2 tbsp of liquid (to remove possible sand), reserve the remaining liquid and chop the porcini finely.

Saute the onion and garlic 1.5 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes until soft.  Add all the mushroom, season with pepper and simmer until the mushrooms are tender and dry,  Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more then pour in the liquor and cook until the alcohol evaporates.

Pour in the porcini liquid and stir until the liquid is absorbed,  Continue adding hot stock a cupful at a time, each time stirring constantly until the stock is absorbed and the risotto is creamy.  Taste for doneness, the grain should be soft outside and al dente in the centre, add more chicken stock by the spoonful until cooked to perfection.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir the butter, half the grated Parmesan and the chopped parsley.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan.     

 

                                             Autumn Flowers by Iane Pompei