Pagru (Bream) with Jerusalem Artichoke Quinoa Risotto

Quinoa Risotto recipe serves 4. I used the full grain for this recipe, and one cup dried quinoa took 3 cups of stock.  Using different variety may require less fluids, so be careful to add as required.

Quinoa Risotto
1 cup Quinoa
3 cups Chicken Stock
4 Jerusalem Artichoke (350g)
1 leek
2 spring onions
1 Green fresh garlic
1/2 cup shelled fresh peas(frozen may be used instead)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cream
Salt & Pepper

Pagru (recipe quantites for each portion)
1 Pagru 500-600g  De-scaled and
Filleted
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Capers in Vinegar

Rinse quinoa in cold water, then leave for about 15 minutes standing covered in cold water.  Meanwhile, peel Jerusalem artichokes and chop into small cubes.  Chop finely, onions, garlic and leeks and fry in 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a medium pan until soft and translucent.  Add Jerusalem artichokes and stir.  Add 1 cup chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.  Drain quinoa using a tight sieve, then add to onion mix with another cup of stock.  Simmer for further 10minutes or until the mixture dries out.  Add the final cup of chicken stock, cover and simmer for further 10 minutes till quinoa is cooked through but holds to it's shape.  Season with salt and pepper, and taste as Jerusalem Artichokes are sweet and require just that little bit more salt.  Finally remove from heat add cream and give a final stir before serving.

For Pagru fillets:

Season with salt and pepper, and fry skin side down in 1 tbsp olive oil for 3-4 minutes.  Add chopped butter and glaze the pagru fillets continuously so that they will also cook from top.  Add the capers in the last 30 seconds of cooking.  Serve on a large spoon of Jerusalem Artichoke quinoa risotto. Drizzle over the butter and capers from pan and sprinkle over the finely chopped green tops from the spring onion.

Seared Salmon and Buckwheat risotto with Miso and Sea Urchin

Title seems complicated but I could give it one fancy name and have a longer recipe.  It took me just 45minutes during which I enjoyed my favourite Gin Tonic with Cucumber and black pepper!!
Recipe serves 3

500g Fresh Salmon fillets (with skin on)
1 cup buckwheat
500ml prepared miso soup
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp Sea Urchin Roe
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
Salt & Pepper
1tbsp butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/4 tsp Bottarga Powder(optional)
Alfa alfa flowers & violets (optional)

Heat 1tbsp olive oil and 1tbsp butter in a medium saucepan.  Gently fry onions and garlic till translucent.  Add buckwheat and stir till all grains are coated with butter and contiue to stir for about 1 minute.  Ladle in stock and miso soup one ladle at a time and stir.  Turn heat to low and simmer, adding ladle of stock when it reduce.  Buckwheat takes about 30minutes to cook, however if you are preparing mixture in advance, it keeps on fluffing even off the heat. Keep covered and reserve one last ladle of stock to loosen mixture just before serving.

Meanwhile, or just before serving, prepare salmon by heating a frying pan over medium heat.  Drizzle olive oil over salmon fillets and crush over skin some black pepper and sea salt and fry skin side down for about three minutes. Turn and turn off heat immediately.

Re-heat buckwheat risotto adding the last ladle of stock and stir till all mixture heats up.  Add sea urchin roe and turn off heat immediately.  Spoon buckwheat in serving plate, arrange two small salmon fillets on top drizzle with some olive oil and garnish with flowers.  Finally dust over a little bottarga powder.

Bottarga powder can be found in good fish shops or supermarkes, or whenever you are in Scicily!  It is dried tuna roe.

Creamed Salmon and Mussel Pie

This recipe is enough to feed four.

800g Salmon Fillets
1kg Mussels
3 hard boiled eggs
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 celery stick
150ml fresh cream
300ml milk
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard
1/2 glass white wine
2 bay leaves
Sprig of thyme
Salt & pepper


1 kg potatoes
1 tbsp butter
Salt
1 egg

Chop onions and celery and crush the garlic.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan, add onions celery and garlic and fry gently till onions are translucent.  Add cleaned mussels and wine, cover and cook for 3 minutes till mussels are opened.  Remove from heat strain mussel juice through a sieve and reserve for later,  leave mussels to cool. 

Heat butter in a saucepan and when it melts add flour stir and cook roux for about 1 minute stirring continuously.  Add milk and using a whisk, stir to get a smooth thick mixture.  Add reserved mussel juice bay leaves and cream and continue to stir till mixture thickens and bubbles.  Cut salmon into bite size, add to mixture and lower heat down.  Cook for just 2 minutes.  Turn off heat, add mustard, shelled mussels and season with salt & pepper. Pour mixture in a shallow oven proof dish, roughly chop the hard boiled eggs and scatter around.

Pre heat oven 200c

Peel and boil potatoes till soft, drain leaving some of the liquid.  Mash with butter then add salt to taste. Finally add egg and beat with wooden spoon to get a smooth mixture.  Arrange mash evenly over the fish stew sprinkle with thyme leaves and bake in a 200c oven for 20 minutes till mash is golden.  Serve piping hot

Tuna Brochette with Jerusalem Artichoke Salsa and Tomato Conserve

Any Round Oily fish can be used for this recipe, such as Swordfish, Mackarel, Bonito, and Lampuka.  In this case I used Sawrella which is from the Tuna Family with a creamy flesh.  Make sure that you cut fillets evenly and never cook more than 10 minutes.  Fish should be slightly bouncy to the touch and not firm and rigid.

1.5K Whole Tuna Fish Filleted and skin removed

12-16 slices parma ham

1 teaspoon Nigella seeds

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs

1 clove garlic crushed

Salt & Pepper

Jerusalem Artichoke Salsa

500g Jerusalem Artichokes

2 clove Garlic

1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp chopped fresh parsely

Tomato Conserve

400g Tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tbsp capers in vinegar

Salt & Pepper

1 tsp chopped fresh marjoram

Pre Heat oven to 200c. In a glass bowl, add nigella seeds, 2 tbsp Olive Oil, crushed garlic, chopped fresh herbs and season with salt & Pepper.  Mix well then cut fish into 1 inch cubes and transfer half of them to the marinade and mix to coat well. Cover with cling film and set aside.  Cut each parma ham slice in two.  Wrap the remaining fish in Parma ham to make rolls. Skewer alternatively with the other fish and arrange on a baking Tray.  Bake for just ten minutes then serve on a bed of artichokes and spoonfuls of tomato conserve.

Jerusalem Artichoke Salsa

Clean and scrub Jerusalem artichokes and chop into small dice. Add to a pan and fill with enough water just to cover.  Add crushed garlic, grated lemon rind, olive oil, parsely and salt & pepper cover and bring to boil.  Lower heat then simmer with lid ajar, till all liquid nearly evaporates and artichokes are tender to touch.  Turn heat off and keep warm till needed.

Tomato Conserve,

Put tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, maple syrup and chopped marjoram in a casserole and bring to boil.  Cook uncovered till sause reduce by half and it becomes thick and pulpy.  Turn off heat, add capers and season with salt and pepper.

Rum & Raisin Ceviche

Ceviche is a delicate way to eat raw fish.  You have to be sure that your fish comes from a clean source and exceptionally fresh!  Prepare the fish even up to 6 hours in advance but marinade only forty minutes before serving!

250g white fish fillets, sea bream, monk fish, sardines, snapper,or sea bass

Juice of two limes

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 small fresh chilli pepper

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp white rum

1 tsp chopped fresh dill

Slice fish fillets into bite size of approx 3mm thickness.  Layer fish on a large glass dish.  In  a small bowl add lime juice, sugar, salt, chillies, raisins, rum and chopped dill and stir till sugar dissolves.  Pour over fish. Cover with cling film and chill for 40minutes. Right before serving lift fish from marinade and arrange on a serving plate and pour some of the preserving liquor over. Serve with brown bread and butter.

Crispy Skin Salmon, with Crushed Potato and Greens

Quantities are for four persons.  Preparation time is half an hour plus 15 minutes for cooking.

8 portions Salmon Fillets (1 inch thick)

5 medium potatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

3 Pack Choy

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp Chicken Powder

1 inch Ginger  - grated

1 tsp corn flour

1 tsp Peanut oil

Coarse Sea Salt

Freshly ground black Pepper

Peel Potatoes and cut into quarters.  Cover with cold water add 1 tsp salt and bring to boil, simmer covered until just tender.

Heat a large frying pan or wok, add peanut oil and  roughly chop the pack choy.  Adding stems first to pan and stir fry then add grated ginger and cover lightly for just 1 minute to create some steam. Dilute cornflour in 1 tbsp water.  Add chicken powder to pack choy and stir.  Add remaining soft leaves, then soy sauce and finally thicken with diluted cornflour.  Toss well and turn heat off.  Leave covered till serving.

Heat another large frying pan, pat dry salmon fillets and sprinkle 1 tsp salt all over the skin and a grind of black pepper. Drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil and dry fry on medium heat skin side down for two minutes.  Cover with lid and continue to fry for further two minutes.  Do not turn fish.  Top will steam and fish will cook through!

Drain potatoes leaving just little water and mash roughly once.  Add olive oil, and season to taste.  Stir well using fork.

Use a round three inch mold spoon potato in the bottom then top with pack choy.  Lift mold carefully. Arrange two salmon fillets per person.  Serve with hot crusty bread!

Eliconi with Calamari a Terra

This is my idea of how to marry two of my favourite summer ingredients... calamari and aubergines!  Sauce is very easy to make but ensure that you turn heat off  after just 1 minute that you throw the squid or else it becomes though and rubbery. Like so squid stays soft even when reheated!

500g Eliconi (or any other short Pasta)
5 Medium Squid cleaned and sliced
3 cups tomato Passata (1 can )
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 medium Aubergine diced
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh Marjoram
few sprigs of basil
100g panchetta
Salt & Pepper
Chilli flakes to garnish - optional

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan add panchetta onion and garlic at once, add diced aubergines and fry till golden.  Add tomato puree then simmer for 15-20mins till it reduce and thickens.  Add sugar, salt & pepper and chopped fresh hebs and stir.  Turn heat to high, add sliced squid and time just one minute.  Turn heat off, cover with lid and leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile boil pasta in plenty salted water till al dente, drain and return to pan.  Add sauce to pasta toss and serve.

Gravalax

This is a delicate way to cure fish.  All firm fleshed oily fish are suitable for this recipe, Salmon, Sea Bass, Sword Fish, Gurbell (as in this recipe), just make sure that the fish is ultra fresh and with no smell at all.  Normally after 24-36 hours it is ready to eat however you can keep it for 1 week.

2 kg Fish filleted, and all bones removed
4 tbsp Coarse Sea Salt
3 tbsp Demerara Sugar
1 tbsp Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tbsp Vodka
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

Prepare the curing mixture by mixing salt, sugar, pepper and chilli flakes in a bowl.

Cut 1 large piece of baking paper and place over aluminium foil of equal size.  Layer 1 fish fillet skin side down over baking paper.  Sprinkle over half the salt mixture then sprinkle over the chopped dill and then the remaining salt mixture. Pour the vodka all over then layer the other fillet over this time skin side up. Wrap carefully with baking paper then close securely with the foil.  Put wrapped fish on a plate then put another plate over and some weight ( a small brick wrapped in foil will do!) and leave in the refrigerator for about 24-36 hours (not more than a week, the longer the saltier it will become). Turn once or twice.

Remove from wrapping and carefully wipe away some of the dill and salt moisture.  Using a filleting knife, slice thinly and serve with lemon wedges and sliced chilli.

Baked Bream with Yellow Tomato and Cuttlefish Salsa

4 Black Bream Fillets (or Sea Bass)
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
8 slices Parma Ham
2 Cuttle Fish cleaned
100g Yellow cherry tomatoes
1 Red Chilli pepper sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp demerara sugar
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp Vodka
Fresh ground black Pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsely

Fill a small pan with water and bring to boil,  blanch cuttlefish for just 1 minute then lift and when cooled slightly slice thinly and add to a clean bowl.
Make the dressing by adding sugar, salt, lemon, mustard and vodka in a small bowl, then add olive oil slowly stirring continuously to achieve a smooth thick dressing. 
Add dressing to sliced cuttlefish, then add sliced tomatoes, sliced chilli pepper, chopped parsely, and ground black pepper and toss gently.
Make rosettes from Parma ham Slices.  Smear the fish with chopped dill, place on a baking tray skin side down, place two rosettes on each fillet and bake in 200c oven for 10 minutes.

Seafood Coconut Curry Rice

I used fresh Lobster as seafood in this recipe, however any firm fleshed fish such as monk fish or prawns are suitable.

1 cooked Lobster Tail

(or 500g Fresh Tiger Prawns Peeled and Deveined)

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

1 inch grated fresh ginger

1 chilli, seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh chopped dill

2 tbsp fish sauce

1x400g can Coconut Milk

1 Pack Choy

1 large tomato peeled and chopped

1 spring onion finely sliced

1 cup water

2 tsp corn flour

1 tsp sugar

Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp Ghee or Peanut Oil

Heat ghee in a pan, add onions, chilli, garlic and grated ginger and fry till onions are translucent. Chop the ends of Pack Choy and add to onions. Add tomatoes, fish sauce and sugar and stir.  Mix cornflour to water and add to mixture.  Add Coconut Milk, and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.  Add Chopped Lobster tails and remaining leaves from pack choy. Cook for further 1 minute then turn heat off.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with Fragrant rice and sprinkle with finely sliced spring onions.

 

Sawrella with Caper and Mustard Sauce

Sawrella is a cross between Mackarel and Tuna. It is commonly found in our waters from May to September. Make sure that you buy the freshest, and you will know that when the family comes home and no one notice you have fish for dinner.  Fresh fish has no smell at all!  

I bought this fish just few hours after it was cought and it weighed around 1.5Kg. Cleaned and filleted it had around 1kg of flesh and it was plenty for four persons.  Use Mackarel, Pilchards or Small sized Tuna if Sawrella is not around.  Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin and fillet them for you.

1kg Sawrella fillets (Mackarel or Tuna)
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp grated lemon rind
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plain flour
1 onion finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp Capers in Vinegar
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh Marjoram
Salt & Fresh Black Pepper

Cut the fish fillets diagonally, to have 1 cm escalopes and set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan, add onions ,garlic and crushed ginger and fry gently until translucent.  Add flour and cook stirring all the time for just 1 minute.  Add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently so that no lumps form.   When sauce cooks and thickens, add dijon mustard ,capers, lemon rind, lemon juice and chopped marjoram and stir. Arrange the fish fillets on sauce, be careful not to over-lap then cover with lid. Cook for just 1 minute on high heat then turn off heat and leave covered to steam for 5 minutes. Serve with Potato and Marrow bake.

Bream with Lemon Tomato Salsa, Black pudding and Squashed Potatoes

Black tailed Bream, or as we commonly call it 'Kahlija', is one of the finest fish found in our waters. The flesh is delicate and milky white so I simply fry it in a dry non stick pan. The rest are textures and flavours added to produce a meal fit for a King. 

4 Black tailed bream(approx 300g each) 

2 cloves garlic 

2 tbsp olive oil 

4 large potatoes 

250g black pudding 

4 slices Parma ham 

Salt & Pepper 

Tomato and Lemon Salsa 

4 large Tomatoes 

3 Pickled onions 

1 clove garlic 

2 spring onions 

1 lemon 

1 tsp honey 

4 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 

Salt & Pepper 

Clean, descale and fillet the fish. Divide each fillet in two lengthways place on a plate, cover and set aside. 

Skin deseed and dice the tomatoes put in a mixing bowl. Using a serrated knife, carve around the lemon removing both rind and pith. Slice out the segments and add to tomatoes. Squeeze remaining juice over. Add crushed garlic, chopped pickled onions, parsley, honey, oil, seasonings and mix well. Leave to marinade.

Wash potatoes and put in a pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for 20 minutes until cooked through. Drain and skin. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non stick frying pan, add crushed 2 cloves garlic, then add potatoes. Using potato masher just squash potatoes till they just break. Season with salt and pepper and continue to fry for just 5 minutes then turn off heat and cover to keep warm. 

 Heat another non stick frying pan, add Parma ham and dry fry till crisp. Set aside. In the same pan add black pudding, season with salt and pepper and dry fry to form crispy nuggets. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe clean the pan and heat again. Add fish fillets, skin side down and fry for just 3 minutes the cover and cook for further one minute. 

Finally, plate the dish by spooning squashed potatoes, then arrange fish fillets on top. Pour around tomato salsa and garnish with crispy Parma ham and fried black pudding nuggets.

Aljotta - Maltese Fish Soup

Normally this would be the starter coming out from my mum's kitchen every Friday!  She used to buy the 'small' fish and make this wonderful soup.  Nowadays with a little touch of sophistication, I make this fish soup using the double stock method in which I first make the fish stock with bones and heads then I strain and start the soup all over again using the first stock instead of water.

1kg fish bones and heads
2 large onions
4 clove garlic
2 celery sticks
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs Marjoram
8 white pepper corns
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium potato

In a large pot, put fish bones and heads, add two litres water, celery stick, 1 onion, 2 clove garlic crushed, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper corns, marjoram and 1 tomato cut in half ( do not skin or deseed). Bring to boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.  Save the cheeks from the fish head and any other meat.

Heat olive oil in a large pot, add 1 onion finely chopped, and remaining 2 clove garlic crushed and fry till golden. Add chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute.  Add the first stock, cubed potato, then simmer for half an hour till potato is tender.  Add reserved fish meat and cook for further two minutes.  Season with crushed pepper and salt if necessary and serve with crusty bread.

Gurbell with Bean and Potato Casserole and Dill Olive oil

Gurbell is a White Firm Flesh fish, sought after in the Mediterranean. When cooked it has large milky flakes, very deliacte in flavour. Similar fish is Bream or Snapper.
I prepared the potato casserole in a heavy cast iron pan, then I transferred it to the oven to continue cooking for further 45 minutes.  Enough time to fillet and cook the fish.

Bean  and Potato Casserole
2 large potatoes cut into small cubes
300g cooked or canned lima beans
250g button mushrooms quartered
300ml tomato puree
300ml chopped tomatoes (polpa)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt & fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon capers in vinegar
2 tablespoon black olives
1 tsp honey

1 Gurbell 2kg (to serve 4)
salt & pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Dill Olive Oil Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice

Start by preparing the Bean and Potato Casserole.  In a heavy based pan, heat the olive oil, add potatoes and rosemary then fry gently till just golden. Add onions and garlic and toss quickly.  Add mushrooms, tomato pulp and puree and stir. Finally add beans, honey, paprika, salt & pepper.  Continue the cooking in a 200c heated oven uncovered for 45minutes till sauce bubbles thickens. Remove from oven, sprinkle with capers and olives and serve piping hot.

Clean the fish, descale and fillet.  Cut into portions.  Season skin with salt & pepper drizzle with olive oil and fry for 10 minutes skin side down in a non stick frying pan. Do not turn fish but cover with lid, lower heat and fry for further two minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Prepare the dill dressing by transferring all ingredients in a jug then using a hand blender blend everything till combined.

Plate the dish by spooning the bean and potato casserole in the bottom then  arrange fish fillets on top, then drizzle dill and olive oil dressing over fish and around the plate.

Mediterranean Squid on Saffron Rice

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1/2 tsp Saffron

2 medium sized squid cleaned and sliced
400g can Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 anchovy fillets
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
50g ripe black olives
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
2 tsp honey
salt & peppr

Put rice in a casserole, add saffron and 3 cups water. Cover with lid then bring to boil on high heat, reduce heat to very low and cook for 10minutes. Turn off heat, remove lid, cover with clean kitchen cloth and place cover tightly on top. Leave to steam till serving time.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add chopped anchovy fillets, onions and garlic and fry gently till golden. Add squid and cook for just 1 minute.  Using a slotted spoon lift the squid and transfer to a bowl. In the same pan add 1/2 cup wine and reduce till it nearly evaporates.  Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 15minutes.  Add honey, olives and fresh herbs and cook for futher 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Finally add back the squid rings and capers stir quickly and turn off heat.  Serve on Saffron Rice and decorate with few basil leaves.

Prawn Curry with Coconut Pancakes

Prawn curry 

1kg king Tiger Prawns shelled

1 celery stick finely sliced

2 cloves garlic crushed

1tbsp grated ginger

1 green chilli finely diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 star anise

1 tbsp sultanas

1/2tsp salt

1tbsp ghee

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp fennel seeds

1tsp coriander seeds
1tsp turmeric                                                                        For Coconut Pancakes      

1kg tomatoes peeled and chopped                                         165ml coconut milk            

1 large onion finely chopped                                                  165ml Milk              

1 large potato peeled and                                                      1/2tsp salt            

2 carrots diced                                                                     1 tsp honey

                                                                                           3eggs

                                                                                           1 long fresh garlic finely chopped

                                                                                           1tsp ghee or sunflower oil for frying

                                                                                           2cups Garam Flour (chickpea Flour)

Heat a small frying pan add mustard, fennel, coriander and cumin seeds and roast till they pop. Taka away from heat and powder them in a spice grinder or using pestle and mortar.  Heat a large casserole, add ghee then onions, chilli, garlic and ginger and fry till golden.  Add turmeric and ground spices and stir.  Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, celery, star anise and 1 cup water. Stir well and simmer gently for 1 hour till curry is well cooked, taking care to keep stirring from time to time.  Add sultanas then peeled prawns, cover and cook for 5 minutes till prawns are just cooked.  Serve with Coconut pancakes.

Coconut Pancakes

Put all ingredients except ghee in a large jug, then using a hand blender mix till a smooth batter forms.  Cover with a kitchen cloth and leave to stand for 30minutes.  Heat a non stick pan add ghee, then add 1 tablespoon of batter per cake, and cook for two minutes on one side, then flip and cook for just 15 seconds on the other side. Mixture makes approx 30 mini pancakes.

Spaghetti Rizzi (Sea Urchin)

Perhaps the most requested pasta dish in the Maltese Restaurants! When we were young we used to dive in shallow waters and using just a fork we managed to pull out dozens.  Mum used to open them remove the sandy bits and give us some maltese bread to mop out the delicate sweet and salty roe. AAhh, so heavenly delicious. This is a very simple dish, and I can assure you that there is no need of fancy gadgets or extra special techniques to master, yet each mouthful will give you the taste of our sea!

500g Spaghetti or Linguine (long pasta is a must)

100g Sea Urchin roe or approx 1 heaped tablespoons per portion

2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsely

Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook for approx 7 minutes till al dente. Meanwile heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add chilli and garlic then chopped tomatoes and stir.  Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of liquid.  Add pasta to tomato sauce, also add the reserved pasta water and toss on high heat. Add sea urchin roe the last minute and toss quickly. Finally sprinkle  chopped parsely  and serve immediately.

Steamed Fish Fillets with Tamarind Glaze

4 white fish fillets (Jon Dory,bream,perch,snapper)
Bunch curly kale or spinach
250g Cellophane or rice noodles
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic crushed
Bunch fresh coriander
Lime cut into wedges

For the Glaze
2 tbsp light Soy Sauce
4 tbsp water
1 tsp Tamarind Paste
2 tbsp corn Syrup
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp cornflour
Few drops sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
Few chilli flakes

Layer fish fillets on a flat plate, sprinkle with garlic and ginger and steam for 10 minutes. Blanch the curly kale in boiling salted water for 1 minute then lift and rinse with cold running water. Leave to drain. Boil 1 litre of water, and pour over cellophane noodles. Stand for approx 10 minutes till water is nearly absorbed and noodles are just done. 

Prepare the glaze by dissolving the cornflour in 1 tbsp of water. Add the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, boil on medium heat stirring all the time. Add cornflour mixture to sauce and stir till it thickens. Plate in a deep bowl, starting with a portion of noodles, then blanched kale, then fish fillets then spoon over tamarind glaze. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander and garnish with lime wedge.

Calamari Rings with Bean and Broccoli Salad

For the Calamari Rings
3 Large Squid cleaned and skin removed
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 inch grated ginger
1/2 glass white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh Marjoram
1 tsp dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 green Chilli finely sliced
Salt & Pepper

For the Bean & Broccoli Salad
1 Medium Broccoli cut into small florets
Two handfuls of cherry tomatoes halved
Two cups Canellini Beans (cooked or canned)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parseley
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Slice the squid into 5mm rings. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan add crushed ginger and squid rings and fry on high heat for just 1 minute. Turn heat off, and scoop out the calamari rings to a serving plate leaving juices in the pan.  Turn heat on again add garlic, wine and chicken stock and reduce by half. Add chopped chilli, mustard, mustard seeds and chopped marjoram.  Season with salt & pepper and pour over the calamari rings.

Make the Bean and Broccoli salad by blanching the broccoli in boiling salted water for two minutes then drain and rinse under cold running water.  Drain well then transfer to a bowl.  Add cannellini beans, halved cherry tomatoes and parsely. Make the dressing by whisking together, crushed garlic, mustard, honey, wine, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently.

Pan Fried Sea Bass with Caraway Pumpkin Puree and Middle Eastern Radicchio Salad

The sweetness of Pumpkin with the bitterness of Radicchio, the saltiness of Seabass Skin with the tangy taste of orange are just heavenly.I chose three good  sized sea bass, and had enough fillets to feed four.

3 Seabass scaled and filleted skin on
4 tbsp olive oil
2 small radicchio
1 celery stick
1 small onion finely sliced
1 lime
1 orange cut into segments
1 tbsp sultanas
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
500 g Pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon Caraway Seeds
50ml cream
Salt & Pepper
Few mint leaves
Small Bunch Parseley
Broad Bean Flower to Decorate

Heat oven to 200c. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil on the pumpkin (leave with skin on but remove any seeds) add a little salt and sprinkle with caraway Seeds.  Bake in the oven for 1/2 an hour.

In a medium bowl, add finely sliced onion, then pour over freshley squeezed lime juice. Segment the oranges and add to onions.  Add radicchio leaves and finely sliced celery. Tear the herbs and add them to salad, add capers and sultanas and drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss gently. 

Scoop the flesh from pumpkin to a saucepan, add cream and blend to a smooth paste.

Season Sea Bass skin with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining olive oil.  Heat a large frying pan and add seabass skin side down and fry for 3 minutes, then cover and continue to fry for just 1 minute.  Serve immediately and decorate the plate with broad bean flowers.