Fresh Coconut Melt in the Mouth Cookies

3 Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups Castor Sugar
3 Cups Freshly Shredded Coconut
Juice and Grated Zest of 1 Lime
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour

200g plain chocolate

Beat the egg whites till soft peaks form, add sugar slowly and beat till it dissolves.  Add lime juice, grated zest, cornflour, rice flour and shredded coconut and using a metal spoon, fold everything int the egg white mixture.  Try to have an airy mixture that holds its shape when spooned on a baking tray.

Heat the oven to 200c.

Line a baking tray with baking paper then using two spoons spoon mixture over the baking paper leaving enough space for them to spread.

Bake for 10minutes then lower heat to 160c and bake for further 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. 

Melt the chocolate and brush the bottoms with chocolate and place on a grease proof paper.  Using a teaspoon, make brisk movement over the cookies with melted chocolate for the streaky effect.  Cookies keep well in an airtight container for 4-5days.  Makes approx 20 cookies

Lime and Coconut Merengue Pie

Normally butter is added to the tangy merengue filling, however in this recipe I took a twist and replaced it with coconut milk for a taste of paradise!

1/2 quantity Rich Short Pastry

Lime and Coconut Curd Filling
4 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp Malibu
3/4 cup coconut water (or water)
Juice and zest of 2 limes
150ml coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar

Merengue
4 egg Whites
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
1 tbsp water

Heat oven to 180c. Butter a 9 inch pie dish, roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness and line the pie dish with pastry.  Line the pastry with grease proof paper and fill with cooking beans.  Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove beans and baking paper and bake for an additional 5 minutes so that the pastry cooks and become golden.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Remove pastry from pie dish and place on a baking tray.

Prepare the filling by mixing cornflour, plain flour Malibu, coconut water, sugar, juice and grated zest of two limes in a casserole.  Put on a medium heat and whisk continuously till mixture boils and thickens.  Boil slowly for 3 minutes then add coconut milk and stir till well combined and mixture boils again.  Turn off heat and let the mixture cool for about 10minutes.  Separate the eggs then add yolks to mixture and stir well.

Whisk egg whites and water till soft peaks form, then add sugar beating continuously till sugar dissolves and merengue is silky smooth.

Add lime and coconut curd filling to pie shell, then pipe merengue over.  Bake in a 180c oven for 20 minutes till merengue turns golden.  Remove from oven then chill in refregerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tip:  If you have extra merengue pipe on to a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a 180c oven for 10 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 150c and bake for an additonal 30 minutes.  Cover in chocolate and press over freshly shredded coconut.

Prickly Pear, Lime and Vanilla Jam

Prickly Pears or cactus figs are abundant on our island.  The fruit ripens towards the end of Summer giving us a very sweet and unique flavour.  They are a bit difficult to peel as they come covered with nasty thorns, however, these days, vendors take care of this chore and sell them peeled and  ready to eat.  I do not advise children or people suffering from intestine problems to eat these fruit raw as they are full of seeds, however, this jam can be enjoyed by everyone. 

2.5kg peeled cactus figs

5 limes

1/2 stick vanilla

1 kg sugar

Using a lemon zester, zest the rind from limes, then squeeze out the juice.

Put the pears, lime zest and lime juice in a large pot, turn on heat to medium and mash slightly using a potato masher.   Simmer for 20 minutes stirring frequently.  Turn off heat.  Strain mixture through a sieve pressing down with a metal spoon to extract juice as  much as possible.  Discard all seeds.  Transfer strained juice to a clean pot.  Split vanilla bean in two and scrape out the tiny seeds. Add seeds and pod to pan then add the sugar.  Put on a medium heat and stir till sugar dissolves.  Turn on heat to high and boil mixture rapidly for about 20 minutes till it reaches 105c - jam setting temperature. Lift the vanilla stick and cut into small pieces. Ladle jam into cleaned sterilised jars, adding a piece of vanilla stick in each jar.  Close securely with lid and put upside down for 2 minutes to sterilise the lid.  Turn jars upright again and leave to cool.  Jam will improve in 3 months and will keep for up to two years.

Bigilla - Tic Bean Dip

This is a traditional Maltese dried bean dip.  Till now vendors go about in the streets selling piping hot bigilla smeared with chopped chillies in vinegar!! Yum.  We eat it with crusty Maltese bread or Galletti, the traditonal Maltese Water biscuits. The best beans to use are dried "Gilba" beans or Tic beans, but dried Broad beans are a good alternative.

350g Dried Gilba or Tic beans

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp vinegar

1 small fresh chilli

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsely

2 tbsp olive oil

Extra chopped parsely and dried chilli flakes to garnish

Wash beans cover with cold water  and soak overnight.  The following day, wash beans again then put them in a pressure cooker and add enough water to have at least 1 inch over the beans.  Seal and turn heat on.  When the pressure starts leave on for 15 minutes then turn off.  Leave to cool so that the pressure goes down, then drain the beans reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.  

Add beans and reserved liquid to a food processor, add crushed garlic, chilli, vinegar salt and pepper and process till paste is formed.  Add parsely  and give more pulses to mix.  Paste will be a bit runny at this stage. Scrape mixture to a serving bowl, garnish with more parsely and chilli flakes and drizzle with olive oil.

Apple Tea Cake

Autumn just around the corner, and Apples are in season.  I know that Apple Pies are an old time favourite but with the limited time everybody  has the days,  I find this cake a good alternative using just a fraction of the time to prepare.  It taste wonderful and it is very easy to cut and serve.  It keeps well if refregerated for 3-4 days.  Serve it cold or warm and custard or vanilla ice cream are very good accompaniments.  Don't forget to make some tea!

1kg cooking Apples
5 cloves
1/2 lemon
800g Self Raising Flour
300g sugar
450g plain yoghurt
250g butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
few drops vanilla essence
6 eggs

Peel  apples and cut roughly into chunks add to a medium pan then cover with water, squeeze the half a lemon over and then add to squeezed lemon to apples, add cloves cover and bring to boil.  Simmer for 15minutes then turn off heat and drain.  Transfer apples to a clean bowl, make sure that you remove the cloves and lemon, then break slightly using a fork and leave to cool completely.

Butter a lamington dish and pre heat the oven to 180c.

Sift the flour and baking powder. Cut butter into small cubes then put them in a food processor fitted with blade.  Pulse for a few times till butter crumbles in the flour.  Add sugar, eggs, yoghurt, milk and vanilla essence, and process till a smooth cake mixture is formed.  Layer half the mixture in the prepared lamington dish, then top evenly with cooked apples. Dust a cinamon powder all over and cover with the remaining cake mix.  Even out with a spatula and bake for 35 to 40minutes till golden and a skewer comes clean when inserted in the middle.  Turn over to cool on a wire rack.  Serve with ice cream or warm custard sauce.

Tuna and Sun Dried tomato Paste

1x180g Can Tuna in Olive Oil
1x200g Can Cannelini Beans drained
4 anchovy fillets
6 sundried tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp chopped pickled onions
1 tbsp chopped parsely
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 heaped tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp tomato paste
few dashes tobasco sauce

Olive Oil, pinch Paprika, lemon slice and mint to garnish.

Add all ingredients including oil from tuna can,  in a food processor and process for 1 minute till a semi smooth paste is formed. Scrape mixture to a clean serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with lemons mint and paprika.  Chill for at least 30minutes before serving and serve with crusty bread or biscuits.

Chorizo and Feta Cheese Stuffed Peppers with Crab Rice Crostini

Normally we stuff peppers with tuna and prawn mixture, however these long Mexican peppers come really nice stuffed with cheese and sausage. I use quinoa to absorb some of the excess moisture and I prefer it to bread crumbs because the pearls remain whole and give a nice texture.  Rice Crostini can be baked at the same time and can be a good alternative to bread or potatoes.

Stuffed Peppers
4 Green Peppers
100g Feta Cheese
100g Chorizo
1 Egg
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh herbs
1 tbsp Quinoa Pearls(or Bread Crumbs)
1 onion Finely Chopped
2 Cups  Garlic Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil

Crab Rice Crostini

240g Crab Meat
1 Cup Long Grain Rice
2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Fresh ground pepper
1 Small onion finely chopped
2 eggs
Butter to grease pan

Put rice and 2 cups water in a casserole cover with lid and bring to boil, reduce heat on lowest setting and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered to cool for another 15 minutes.  Add crab meat, onion and stir, then add eggs and cheese, ground black pepper and chopped herbs then stir so that all is well combined.  Grease pizza dish with butter, then spread rice mixture evenly and press gently with back of a spoon.  Bake in a 200c oven for 30 minutes.

Crumble feta cheese in a bowl, cut chorizo sausage into small cubes and add to cheese, add herbs, finely chopped onion, quinoa pearls and 1 egg and stir till all is well mixed.  Stuff peppers pressing filling gently inside with a spoon. Heat a griddle or electric sandwich toaster and grill peppers for just 5 minutes.  Put tomato sauce in an oven proof dish, then top with stuffed peppers drizzle one tablespoon olive oil and bake in 200c oven for 30-40 minutes till peppers are well cooked.  Serve with rice crostini.

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.

Cantuccini

These are Tuscan Biscuits, normally served after meal dunked in fortified wine, the Vin Santo.  They are so easy to make and keep well for weeks in an airtight container.  Make sure that all the moisture is drawn out in the final stages of cooking and biscuits are crumbly and crunchy so that they will keep for longer.  You can exchange 50% of nuts with candied peel, raisins or even chocolate chips! This mixture makes about 60 biscuits.

 

4 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups castor sugar

50g Butter

1 tsp grated orange rind

1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence

4 Eggs

1 tbsp brandy

1 cup Shelled Raw Pistaccios

1/2 cup Pine Nuts

1 cup Red Almonds

Heat oven to 180c.

In a food mixer, add sifted flour, baking powder, sugar, orange rind and chopped butter.  Using a K beater, beat on low spead for just one minute then add eggs, brandy and vanilla essence then beat again till mixture forms thick paste.  Finally add nuts and mix till all is combined. (Do not overbeat).  Lift the mixture and divide in three equal portions.  Carefully mould each portion into long rolls the shape of small baguettes and place on a baking tray.  Wet your hands with a little water and pat over rolls to get a smoother finish.  Bake for 30 minutes till golden.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 160c.  While still warm cut slices 1 cm thick using a bread knife, place again on a baking tray and bake for another 30 minutes turning once after 15 minutes. Ensure that biscuits are compeletly dry before removing from oven. Cool on wire rack and store in an air tight container.  Serve with a chilled glass of Vin Santo.

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.

Bean and Ham Hock Soup with Cheese Croutons

I prepare this soup in the morning before leaving off to work.  Then I continue to cook the last 30minutes when I return.

 

300g Dried Lima Beans

1 Ham Bone

1 Potato

1 Onion

2 clove Garlic

1 Celery stick

1 Bay Leaf 

2 tbsp chopped Kalamatta olives

Ground Black Pepper

Chopped fresh Parsely

4 slices brown bread

2 tbsp grated gouda cheese

Wash Lima Beans under cold running water, place in a large soup pot with Ham bone, chopped onions, chopped celery, diced potato ,crushed garlic, bay leaf and 2 litres water.  Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Turn heat off and leave covered for minimum 1 hour so that beans cook well and soak some liquid.  Remove the ham bone, scrape off any meat and return to pot. Turn heat on again and cook the soup for further 30 minutes.  Finally add chopped olives, crack some black pepper and add chopped parsely. Serve with cheese croutons.

Slice bread into thick sticks and place on a baking tray,  sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in 160c oven for about 20 minutes till it becomes dry and crispy.

Konafah and Ricotta Pie

Konafah is a middle eastern pastry of fine wheat strings.  You can buy it from Halal Shops and other Arab food Stores.  Although that it might look complicated, it is very easy to work with as the fine strings attach together and are a bit elastic too.  Make sure to be generous with butter and always give the final syrup glaze.  This recipe is for 7inch pie tin.

150g Konafah Pastry

60g butter, melted

500g Ricotta

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Eggs

1/4 tsp grated Nutmeg

2 tbsp ground pistaccios

2 tbsp Golden Syrup

Heat oven to 200c. Put Ricotta cheese in a bowl and mash with a fork,  add salt, nutmeg and eggs and stir till all is combined. Brush generously the pie dish using half the melted butter. 

Layer half the pastry and press a little to even it out.   Add the ricotta filling then layer the remaining pastry on top, make sure that all ricotta is well covered.  Brush the pastry delicately with remaining butter then sprinkle with ground pistacchios and bake for 30minutes till golden.  Remove from oven and while hot drizzle the golden syrup on top.