Savoy Cabbage with Coriander and Maltese Sausages

Last week's guest, my Mediterranean mama Jenny, brought so many mouthwatering delicacies from her home island to our kitchen that I didn't even know where to start: Maltese sausages, pies, bread and cheese! Earlier this year, I shared our table with you, covered with gifts from another frequent and beloved guest, my partner's sister Emma. To get an idea of our delicious feast, take a look here.

After a couple pies and a few slices of the wonderful sourdough bread, we continued the next morning, with a scrumptious English breakfast. Bacon, beans and the strongly seasoned island sausages with lots of coriander crowned our plates. You couldn't ask for more on a late Sunday morning! As Jenny knows how much we love this spiced meat composition, she brought enough of it with her to feed a big Mediterranean family. So here's what we had next on our table:

It has been cold outside in the past few days as we watched the last red and yellow leaves fall outside our windows. This is the start of the comfy food season, the best time to have a hearty meal of Savoy cabbage, potatoes and meat, all cooked in one pot and placed on our wooden table. It was quite a cosy scene! For the first time, I cooked the cabbage with coarsely crushed coriander seeds inspired by the Maltese sausages. I refined it with spicy mustard and a little cream and it was great. Not many of you will have the chance to find these kind of sausages but you can easily replace them with salsiccia or any other strong sausage, or wait until the end of this week:

On Friday, I'll have a special treat for you! I met an Australian butcher to learn how the professionals make sausages and I can't wait to share it with you in the next meet in your kitchen story!

Savoy Cabbage with Coriander and Maltese Sausages

For 4-6 people you need

• coarse sausages 4-6

• Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored, 1.2kg / 2.5 pounds

• potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes, 500g / 1 pound

• medium onions, finely chopped, 2

• white wine 300ml / 10 ounces

• heavy cream 100ml / 3.5 ounces

• water 200ml / 7 ounces

• coriander seeds, coarsely crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon plus more to taste

• Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon plus more to taste

• olive oil

• salt and pepper

Cut each quarter of the cabbage into thick slices and then into cubes. Rinse and drain them.

In a large pot, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for a few minutes until golden and soft. Put the wet cabbage on top of the onions, add 1/3 of the wine, stir and close with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes before you add the potatoes, the remaining wine and the water. Add the coriander seeds and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat (lid closed) until the cabbage is between soft and al dente. Add the cream and season to taste. Put the sausages in between the cabbage and let them cook (covered) for 5-10 minutes until they are done.

meet in your kitchen | Stefanie's Königsberger Klopse - Prussian Meatballs with Capers

The first time I met Stefanie, we chatted the night away! It was an icy cold Berlin evening last winter, both of us had just arrived at a private supper club where a couple girls prepared a wonderful Italian dinner for about twenty people. Stefanie and I started talking and we just didn't stop for hours. Apart from the general topics women love to discuss when there are no men around (although there where a few but we didn't pay much attention) we spoke a lot about art and food.

Stefanie describes herself as an artist who fell for the crafts, with a passion that evolved into her profession a few years ago. She is an artistic lace maker and creates the most delicate and beautiful pieces of  bobbin lace I've ever seen. She uses this handcraft for her topographic artworks but also for her upcoming jewelry label InLace which she'll be launching in a few months. She showed me some of the handmade pieces she'll be presenting and I love them. Lace in red, blue and black on silver and golden chains snuggled around the neck, it's beautiful!

When I asked my lace maker what she would like to cook for me in her kitchen, she answered quickly: Königsberger Klopse! This is her signature dish loved by her family and friends, so much, that they meet regularly to savour them together. It's a traditional Prussian dish which my grandmother often used to cook as well. The name was given from the city of Königsberg which is today's Kaliningrad. It's made of meatballs cooked in a broth which is used afterwards for a creamy sauce mixed with roux, egg yolk and capers. This hearty meal is traditionally served with potatoes, it's perfect for the cold season. I understand why Stefanie has been called the queen of Königsberger Klopse, it was delicious!

Königsberger Klopse

For 3-4 people you need

• medium potatoes, peeled and cooked, 6-8

For the meatballs

• minced meat, mixed beef and pork or veal, 600g / 1.5 pounds

• stale white bread, soaked in water for about 10 minutes, 600g / 1.5 pounds

• organic egg 1

• medium onion, chopped, 1

• salt and pepper

Squeeze the bread, mix well with the meat, egg, onion, salt and pepper and form 10 meatballs with your wet hands. 

For the broth

• water 1.5l / 3 pints

• medium onion, cut in half, 1

• bay leaf 1

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon

In a large pot, bring the ingredients for the broth to the boil. Carefully put the meatballs into the broth (with a tablespoon) and let them cook for 20 minutes on medium-low heat (simmering). Take the pot off the heat and leave the meatballs in the broth. 

For the sauce

• butter 50g / 2 ounces

• plain flour 4 tablespoons

• organic egg yolk 1

• freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

• capers (preserved in vinegar) 40g /  1.5 ounces (drained weight), plus more to taste (or salted capers, rinsed, plus apple cider vinegar to taste)

• sugar, salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter. When the butter is hot, turn down the heat and whisk in the flour. When combined, add some of the broth used to cook the meatballs. Whisk constantly and add more of the broth until the sauce has a liquid but thick consistency, you won't need all of the broth. Whisk in the egg yolk and add the capers. Season with lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste and add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve with the cooked potatoes.

You spent most of your life in and around Berlin where you grew up. What is typical about the traditional cooking in the area you come from?

As far as I remember, we used to eat hearty comfort food on the weekends in my family, such as hotpots, goulash and chicken fricassee. And of course, it was always prepared fresh by mother. My sister and I always loved to eat and we could eat a lot, that never changed! We were always hungry and my mother tried to keep up with us.

How did you experience the kitchen at home as a child? How important was cooking and baking in your family?

Like I said, my mother used to cook for us on the weekends and I remember that my grandmother was responsible for the baking. She made the best cherry cheesecake but unfortunately, she changed over to frozen cakes from the supermarket. She likes the taste and enjoys the convenience of it. I often try to change her mind which isn't so easy, unfortunately!

What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?

I made my first cooking experiences in a cooking class at school, the subject was called Arbeitslehre. We tried different recipes and that's where I leaned to prepare the dish I chose to cook for you.

What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin?

Omoni in Kopenhagener Straße, it's a Korean restaurant which I can only recommend. And there's a small organic shop on Weserstraße where I love to go when I'm in the area.

You are an artistic lace maker creating lace as a topographic 3D map but you also work together with designers on crochet fashion. Do you see yourself more as an artist, an artisan or both?

Although my work is artistic in nature, it demands my craft skills to be able to realise my ideas in that artisan field, apart from patience and a huge interest in the art of lace making. Therefore, I would call myself an artist who fell for the crafts. Lace making is my passion, it's a kind of meditation for me. Maybe that sounds a bit exaggerated but that's how I feel sometimes while I'm working. I also really enjoy learning new techniques, be it in the fields of knitting, crochet or lace making, it's quite easy for me as well.

How and when did you find lace making and crochet as the means of your expression?

Crochet was a kind of hobby for me, something I would do on the side. And then, when it brought in some money, it was quite convenient as I was working on my university diploma at the masterclass at that time.Lace making is different. Once a friend asked me if I could make lace for him and I thought that's not a bad idea. So that's what I did for my diploma. It's very easy to have lace made but I wanted to understand exactly how this wonderful fabric is made by hand. Thanks to the internet, I spotted a group of women who meet every week to make lace together in Berlin-Rudow which is where I learned the art of lace making and I remained true to these women until today.

Are there any other forms of art that influence your work?I met an artist who works with lace in a similar way to me. Olivia Valentine inspired me a lot and I'm so happy to have met her. Talking to my friends, such as the designer Lena Moritzen influences my work and approach to it in a very positive way as well.

You live and work in Berlin at the moment and have just finished your diploma at the master class of the art college Kunsthochschule Weissensee. What are your upcoming projects for the future?

At the moment, I work half of the week at an embroidery in Berlin-Kreuzberg. I will also launch my own jewelry label at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. It's called InLace and I focus on handmade necklaces made of bobbin lace.

What did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen and why?

I will cook Königsberger Klopse for you (a Prussian speciality of meatballs in white sauce with capers). We have a dinner tradition in my family, I cook Königsberger Klopse and we all meet at the table together with friends, everybody loves them!

If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?

Gebrüder Witzkewitz, they are very good friends of mine and everything that Pascal Witzkewitz cooks tastes fantastic!

You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?

(Laughing) I'm the queen of Königsberger Klopse, any more questions?

What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?

Buttermilchgetzen (grated potatoes cooked in buttermilk), it has always been my favourite and it still is. It's a speciality from the Saxony region in Germany.

Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?

Both, with friends but I also enjoy it on my own.

Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?

Both.

Which meal would you never cook again?

I'm sorry, I have no idea!

Thank you Stefanie!

In the countryside: Pâté en Croûte - Venison Pâté in Pastry Crust

Two weeks ago, we spent a few amazing days in the countryside and the pictures are still as vivid in my mind as if it was only yesterday that our family met at my mothers house to cook together. Our culinary activities became more of a task than usual due to a phone call that my mother received from a local farmer who offered to give her a whole deer. She gladly accepted and various dishes and long dinners later, I can say that I learned a lot!

When I wrote about our fantastic venison stew with apple gratin and spaetzle last week I mentioned that there were more recipes to come from this extensive cooking session and here is another one of them, my cousin Thomas's Pâté en Croûte! Thomas is a passionate baker and chef and he joined us for this adventure. He skinned and dressed the deer as he acquired this skill during his education as a chef. This was a new experience for me, so I was curious but also a bit nervous. Apart from teaching me how to cut game, he also showed me how he make his delicious venison pâté, an aromatic filling of venison refined with spices and liver wrapped in puff pastry. So finally, another one of my mother's exotic kitchen purchases came to use, a custom made metal mould with a heavy lid to cook French pies and pâté! The lid prevents the dough from rising too much which would create a space between the pastry and the meat. Traditionally, this air space is filled with aspic through a hole in the top but we left this out as it would have taken another 1-2 days to sit. After we spent so much time in the kitchen we just wanted to enjoy the fruits of our work!

Here are some of the tips I got from Thomas that I didn't know of before: he told me that for fine pâté and sausages, the meat should be mixed with a bit of crushed iced while it's puréed in a food processor. If it gets too warm through the mixing process, the protein in the meat can set which stops it from binding while the pâté is cooking. He also adds some egg white with the ice to help the process.

As much as I prefer to use homemade pastry for pies and pâté when it comes to short crust, it's absolutely fine to use good quality store bought puff pastry for this pâté. That's what we did and it didn't do it any harm!

Pâté en Croûte - Venison Pâté in Pastry Crust 

For 1 pâté in a 16 x 8cm / 6 x 3" terrine or pâté mould with a lid you need

• puff pastry, defrosted, enough to line all sides of the form, plus an overlapping pastry lid

• venison, minced or cut into small pieces, 450g / 1 pound

• venison, chicken or veal liver, cleaned, 125g / 4.5 ounces

• fatty bacon, lardon or fatback, cut into cubes, 125 / 4.5 ounces

• organic egg whites, whisked with a fork, 2 plus 1 egg white to seal the puff pastry

• ice cubes, finely crushed in a food processor, 3 cl / 1 shot

• juniper berries, crushed, 2

• garlic, crushed, 1 clove

• thyme leaves 1 teaspoon

• small bay leaf, crushed in a mortar, 1

• brandy 1 tablespoon

• salt and pepper

• lingonberry jam to serve

Set the oven to 160°C / 320°F (fan assisted oven) and butter the mould well.

Roll out the pastry evenly and very thinly and line the mould. Mind that you have enough dough for the top to close the pâté by overlapping the pastry from all sides.

Mix the ice and the 2 egg whites.

In a food processor, purée the meat, bacon and liver, adding the ice-egg white mixture gradually. Add the spices, herbs, garlic and brandy and season with salt and pepper.

Fill the meat mixture into the pastry lined mould and push it down well. Close the pâté with the pastry from the smaller sides first, finishing with 1 long side that should cover the whole mould. Seal well with the mixed egg white. Close with the lid of the mould and bake for 1 -1 1/2 hours. You could check the pâté with a meat thermometer, it should be 75°C / 170°F inside when it's done.

Here's another of Thomas' tips: You can also check with a metal skewer if the pâté is done, insert the skewer into the meat, pull it out and carefully (!) touch your lip to the metal. If it feels cold, it's not done yet, if it's hot you can take the pâté out of the oven.

Let it cool before you take it gently out of the mould and serve with lingonberry jam.

Tarte Flambée - Alsatian Flammkuchen with Taleggio, Apples and Bacon

When I lived close to the French border a few years ago I loved to drive over to France on a Sunday morning for a short day trip to the Alsace region, especially at this time of the year! The vineyards were all red and golden and the first young wines were ready to be enjoyed. I mentioned these trips about a month ago when I wrote about my Zwiebelkuchen which I used to eat at the traditional restaurants in the small villages. Another Alsatian classic to accompany the new harvest is the Flammkuchen (Flammkueche in the Alsatian dialect), the famous Tarte Flambée! It's similar to pizza but the dough is made with milk instead of water, it's spread with a thin layer of sour cream mixed with an egg yolk and the result is crunchy and light. The basic version is made with onions and bacon but after years of visiting this region I started experimenting with the toppings in my own kitchen and here's one of my favourites.

The combination of cheese and fruit works just as well as on a sandwich. I like to mix thin slices of sour apples like boscoop with a creamy Italian taleggio cheese from the Val Taleggio in the Lombardy region. I baked some thin slices of bacon on top of the Flammkuchen to bring in some smoky saltiness. It's important to put them on top so that they become crispy and release their juices into the fruity cheese mixture.

Flammkuchen with Taleggio, Apples and Bacon

I bake my Flammkuchen and my pizza on a hot baking sheet which has a similar effect to a pizza stone. I preheat it on the bottom of the hot oven and turn it around to bake on the hot surface.

For 1 big Flammkuchen you need

• plain flour 250g / 9 ounces

• dry yeast 1 package (for 500g / 1 pound of flour)

• salt 1/4 teaspoons

• sugar 1/2 teaspoon

• milk, lukewarm, 120ml / 4 ounces

• olive oil 2 tablespoons

For the topping

• sour cream 120g / 4.5 ounces

• organic egg yolk 1

• a pinch of salt

• taleggio, cut into cubes, 80g / 3 ounces

• sour apple (like boscoop), cored, quartered and cut into thin slices, 1/2 -1

• thin bacon slices 6

• pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the lukewarm milk and the olive oil and mix with your dough hooks for 5 minutes until well combined. Continue kneading with your hands for a few minutes until you have an elastic dough ball. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise in a 35°C / 95°F warm oven ( top / bottom heat, no fan!) for about 1 hour.

Take the dough out, punch it down and roll it out into a flat circle on a well floured surface. It should be a bit smaller than the size of your baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise for another 10-15 minutes.

Set your oven to 260°C / 500°F. My oven has a special pizza setting but you can use top / bottom heat as well. Put the baking sheet on the bottom of your oven to heat it (for around 10 minutes).

Whisk the sour cream, egg yolk and a pinch of salt.

Take the hot baking sheet out of the oven, turn it around and place it carefully on two stable wooden boards or mats as it will be very hot. Quickly place your risen dough onto the baking sheet.

Spread a thin layer of the sour cream egg yolk mixture on top of the dough, you might not need all of it. Spread the apples and taleggio on top and season with pepper. Top with the bacon and bake in the hot oven for a few minutes until the Flammkuchen is golden brown and crisp.

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.

Bavarian Beer Roasted Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Parsnip

Update: You can also find this recipe in my 1st book, Eat In My Kitchen - To cook, to bake, to eat, and to treat.

This is the ultimate roast - Bavarian beer roasted pork, also known as Bayerischer Schweinebraten or Krustenbraten. When I visited the Deyerling siblings last week for a meet in your kitchen feature, they reminded me of this traditional roast. You can't really ask for more, tender, juicy meat and crunchy crackling on top, perfectly roasted and crispy. This is hearty, honest autumn food, for those cold nights after a long walk out in the countryside. That's exactly what we did!

A few days ago we decided to leave the city for a few hours to visit one of Berlin's beautiful lakes that you can reach after a short train ride. The Müggelsee lake is my beloved escape whenever I need a break from the buzz. It's a huge lake, peaceful and quiet surrounded by thick forest. Autumn is just starting to show, so the leaves were still quite green but I could smell the change of the seasons. We have a little tradition, we always stroll down the town's high street before we go to the lake. We visit the local bakery and butcher, for some cake and bread, sausages and to look for some inspiration. Both of them are traditional businesses, and I have to say that I look forward to checking their daily offer just as much as to walking at the lake. This time we made our choice as soon as we got into the butcher's shop. A nice big piece of pork caught our attention and reminded us of the wonderful Bavarian beer roasted pork we cook in winter. The butcher put it aside for us along with a few other delicacies while we continued our walk. On our way back to the train station we picked up our bags and couldn't wait to get started with our oven roast!

There are various ways to roast pork to achieve the perfect crackling. My mother cooks it skin side down first in a little bit of broth before she turns it around. As much as we love to share recipes, here we disagree. I cook mine skin side up without turning the meat. I rub lots of salt and crushed cloves into the scored rind and cook the meat in its own juices for 1 1/2 hours. At this point I add the beer and vegetables, cinnamon, star anise and mustard seeds. I chose sweet potato, onion and parsnip to roast in the strong juices until it's all golden and crisp on the outside and soft inside. I like to season the gravy with some Dijon mustard and fruity jelly, like elderflower or peach, but you could could also use honey or maple syrup.

I can't really say how I prefer this dish, fresh and warm out of the oven with a pint of beer and some potato dumplings on the side or the next day, sliced thinly with some chutney in a sandwich!

Bavarian Beer Roasted Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Parsnip

Update: you can also find this recipe in my 1st book Eat In My Kitchen - To cook, to bake, to eat, and to treat.

For this recipe, you need a well sized piece of pork shoulder, smaller pieces tend to dry out, it can be boned or on the bone. I have made this recipe with both. The rind has to be scored in a pattern (as you can see in the pictures). You can ask your butcher to do this or cut the pattern yourself with a sharp knife, just mind that you don't cut into the meat!

If you want to make potato dumplings on the side, the famous Knödel, you can use my Gnocchi dough. You just have to shape walnut sized balls out of the dough and fill each of them with 3 small cubes of white bread. Cook them in lots of salted water for about 10 minutes on medium-low temperature until the dumplings swim on the surface.

For 4-6 people you need

• pork, shoulder piece, boned, scored, 1500g / 3.5 pounds (if you use a piece of pork with the bone leave it in the oven for 1 - 1 1/2h after you poured over the beer)

• cloves, ground in a mortar, 10

• salt

• beer 500ml / 1 pint

• medium onions, quartered, 3

• sweet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into cubes, 2

• parsnips, scrubbed, cut into cubes, 3

• cinnamon stick, broken into 3 pieces, 1

• star anise 3 single pieces

• mustard seeds 2 heaping tablespoons

For the gravy

• broth 175ml / 0.5 pints

• elderflower (or any other fruity) jelly 1 tablespoon plus more to taste

• Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon plus more to taste

• pepper

Set the oven to 175°C / 350°F (I use the Rotitherm setting).

Mix the cloves with 2 heaped teaspoons of salt and rub into the scored rind, depending on the meat's surface you might need more salt. Put the meat on a deep tray skin side up and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Take the tray out, pour the beer over the meat and arrange the spices and vegetables on the sides (don't add the jelly and Dijon mustard yet). Cook for another 30-45 minutes until the crackling is crisp. Take out the vegetables and meat and mix the gravy on the tray with the broth, jelly and mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Take out the cinnamon stick and star anise and pour into a gravy boat (you can cook it down in a sauce pan for a few minutes if you prefer a more concentrated taste). Serve with the meat and vegetables.

If the rind isn't crisp enough yet, turn on the grill (broiler) for a few minutes after you've removed the vegetables, gravy and spices and cook the meat until the crackling is light and crispy!

meet in your kitchen | The Deyerling's Venison Burger with Bavarian Potato Salad

When I met Anna and Clemens Deyerling for the first time, I noticed the blind understanding and wordless communication between them that only close siblings can have. They know and respect each others roles, in their private life but also in business as they decided to start a company together with their partner Julius, an old friend of Clemens'. In 2010, Sitzfeldt was born, the beginning of an exciting journey and the start of a young online business for affordable design furniture. The Deyerlings come from a family background of furniture and design and they wanted to continue this family tradition, but in their own way. They sat together with designers who already were or became friends over the years and developed various sofa collections. One of them, the Set sofa system, already won the Interior Innovation Award and the renowned Red Dot Design Award.

A few months ago, the young entrepreneurs presented a selection of their collections in one of Berlin's old manorial flats. One spacious room followed the other, separated with large double wing doors, high ceilings decorated with opulent stucco and beautiful timbering on the walls. The siblings chose an amazing location for the presentation but they also managed to create a beautiful evening with great people and food. One of the (not insignificant) reasons why I still remember that day so clearly are Clemens' skills in the kitchen, this man can cook! He treated us to a buffet of various soups and dips, fresh bread and wine and everybody loved it! On that day, Anna was the perfect host, she's not only responsible for the creative presentation of the design which led to a very comfortable atmosphere, but her soft and warm way makes you feel welcome right away. So while her brother was busy in the kitchen on his own (if you read the interview, you'll know why) we got lost in chatting. When I met the two siblings in Anna's gorgeous flat this week for our meet in your kitchen feature, the roles were more or less the same, us chatting while Clemens was cooking.

Clemens made a fantastic venison burger - called Fleischpflanzerl where he comes from - with the most amazing meat from a butcher in the Brandenburg area outside Berlin, accompanied by a light warm Bavarian potato salad inspired by the region where they grew up, the south of Germany.

Venison Burger with warm Bavarian Potato Salad

 For 4 people you need

For the burgers

• minced venison 500g / 1 pound

• white bread, rind cut off, 3 slices

• milk 80ml / 3 ounces

• medium onion, finely chopped, 1

• eggs 2

• orange zest 1/2 teaspoon

• lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon

• mustard 2 teaspoons

• fresh parsley, chopped, a small bunch

• dried or fresh marjoram, chopped, 1 teaspoon

• freshly grated nutmeg

• salt 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons

• pepper

• olive oil

Soak the bread in the milk for a few minutes. Tear the bread into pieces and mix with your fingers.

Cook the onion in a little olive oil until soft. Whisk the eggs, mustard, orange and lemon zest and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Mix the minced meat with the bread/ milk mixture, the onions, the egg mixture, marjoram and parsley and form the burgers.

In a large, heavy pan, heat a splash of oil and cook the burgers on medium heat until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. 

For the potato salad

• warm, waxy potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced, 1kg / 2 1/4 pounds

• medium onion, chopped, 1

• garden radish, thinly sliced, 4

• cucumber, peeled, cut in half and sliced, 1/2

• chives, snipped, 1-2 tablespoons

• olive oil

For the salad dressing

• broth, hot, 400ml / 13.5 ounces

• red wine vinegar 3-5 tablespoons

• mustard 1 tablespoon

• salt and sugar

Cook the onions in a little olive oil until soft.

Mix the hot broth with the vinegar and mustard and season with salt and sugar to taste.

Slowly mix the potatoes with the dressing (not all at once). Stir in the onions, cucumber, radish and chives.

Serve warm with the venison burgers.

Anna and Clemens, you grew up in the south of Germany, in Bavaria. Both of you studied in Germany and in London, when and why did you decide to move to Berlin?

Clemens: I fell in love with Berlin during my studies and tried to find my first job here. I was lucky. In the meantime our entire family - our sister and our parents - also moved to Berlin.

Anna: We grew up in quite a small town in Bavaria. I always dreamt of living in a big city. Berlin has always been on my list and after having spent a few months during my master's program here, I always wanted to come back. I just love the openness and the variety of Berlin. I finally moved here 10 years ago and since then Berlin became home more and more.

Do you miss the kitchen of the south? 

Clemens: Oh, yes. I miss it badly. Especially the Schweinebraten (pork roast) our grandmother used to make every single Sunday. I still need it at least once a month, but do it myself now. And what else? Pretzels, Pretzels, Pretzels… I will never understand why no one outside of Bavaria can bake Pretzels as they should be.

Anna: I used to miss it, but fortunately the southern kitchen became quite popular in Berlin over the last few years. So there are good places all over Berlin. When it gets really bad again, I go to Meierei in Kollwitzstraße or I hope for a lunch invitation for Sunday by my brother.

What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?

Clemens: I am not quite sure. I guess, I used to cook with our Mum when we were children. But the first real remembrances to consciously cook was my grandma making the Schweinebraten every Sunday.

Anna: I guess, it was only Clemens who cooked with our Mum... At least, I did not. Because I remember always calling my Mum to ask for help once I lived on my own. And this was for the very basic things, like cooking pasta…

What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin? 

Anna: Soluna in Gneisenaustraße, Market at Südstern, Markthalle 9, Meierei, Nansen, Restaurant Obermaier, Massaniello, Txokoa Gastro Bar, Hoastaria del Monte Croce.

Clemens: Markthalle 9, Fräulein Dickes in Stargarder Straße

You started Sitzfeldt, an online company specialised in affordable designer sofas in 2010 together with Julius, an old school friend of Clemens'. What moved you to work in the field of designer furniture?

Due to our father’s business, we have always had a great affinity to furniture and design. At the end, it was this affinity combined with the business potential of selling furniture directly to the end customer via the internet. And of course the wish of building up our own company.

Your father established a successful furniture business and you continue this family tradition with your own company. How does this affect your work? Do you feel responsibility, is the family tradition a gift or a burden?

Anna: Once, someone called Sitzfeldt the 'Unternehmensnachfolge 2.0' (Business successors 2.0). That is pretty much how I feel. Without my father and his experience, we would not have been able to build up Sitzfeldt so quickly. But it makes me proud, that we have always done it our way. And: It makes me happy to see my father proud. Of course, he is happy that something he built up is continued somehow. So, it is a gift – for sure.

Clemens: It is easier to be an entrepreneur, if there are other entrepreneurs in the family. I feel supported and challenged by my family at the same time. And it helps that worries and doubts are understood and shared. The family tradition is a gift – no burden – because it really helps to build upon failures and successes.

Two of your collections have been nominated for the German Design Award 2015. Who are the designers you're working with at the moment and how do these collaborations start?

Anna: The designer we work with the most, is Steffen Kehrle. He actually is an old friend of Julius' who we all met in Milan in 2010. That was the year when the volcano in Iceland was active, so our flights were all cancelled. Steffen had a car and three free seats, so we drove together from Milan to Munich. During that ride we talked a lot about our plans, visions and ideas. When we arrived, it was clear that we would have to work together. That is when we first started to develop our sofa system Set which won the Interior Innovation Award 2013 and the Red Dot Design Award. Since then, we work together with Steffen a lot. We developed the new table GAME with him and are planning many more projects. Sebastian Herkner is a good friend of Steffen, that is how we met. HEIM is the first project we launched with Sebastian.

Clemens: In the end, we decide if a designer fits to Sitzfeldt. Our philosophy and their philosophy need to match. So it definitely helps that we are good friends with Steffen. It is fun to work on both of our ideas and plans and it is even more fun to see that people actually like what we do.

What are your plans and visions for Sitzfeldt?

Clemens: We want to work hard in order to strengthen our market position and our brand. Of course, the long term vision is that everyone who is looking for a sofa takes Sitzfeldt into account (laughs). No seriously, there are three basic elements Sitzfeldt is built upon: design, sustainability and fair prices. We work on all areas and think in small, realistic steps. In the end, we want to continue our journey of the last four years.

Anna: I cannot add anything to that, besides one thing: I hope that we will always enjoy what we are doing.

Anna and Clemens, what did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen and why?

Warm Bavarian Karfoffelsalat (potato salad) with cucumber. Why? This tastes like home and is so delicious with the right potatoes. Coming with a Boulette made of Dammwild (venison burger) from Brandenburg. There is no way of enjoying meat more sustainably and the Boulette is also well known in Berlin. This all comes with Preiselbeeren Salsa (lingonberry salsa).

If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?

Anna: Our grandmother is getting older and she is the only one who knows how to make Wuchter (Bohemian dumplings) as they should be. Clemens, we need to learn this! So, it is my grandmother.

Clemens: Angela Merkel, no matter what...

You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?

Anna: Pasta. And to be honest, it is also pasta for not-so-spontaneous dinners.

Clemens: Pasta. The entire year, there is always something good to have with pasta. And if they really surprise me, I always have homemade pesto in the fridge.

What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?

Anna: Childhood: Wuchter – a special kind of the Bavarian Knödel (Bavarian dumplings). Today, I still die for Wuchter.

Clemens: Bayrischer Schweinebraten (Bavarian pork roast).

Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?

Anna: I prefer to cook on my own, but love being entertained by friends and wine while cooking.

Clemens: I love to cook for others, but I can’t stand any 'assistant' in my kitchen. You can ask my wife …

Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?

Anna: Planned.

Clemens: Planned and it really bothers me when I forget something at the grocery store.

Which meal would you never cook again?

Anna: Bayrischer Schweinebraten (Bavarian pork roast) – my brother’s is just better …

Clemens: Gluten-free pasta.

Thank you Anna and Clemens!

Roast Rosemary Lamb with Garlic and Tomatoes

A piece of meat slowly roasted to perfection, with fresh herbs, garlic and vegetables is the essence of my mother's cuisine. The fragrant smell teases me for hours while the roast is cooking, the depth of the meat's taste, the rich sauce of juices mixed with seasonings is the most comfortable cooking that can happen in a kitchen!

When I saw this leg of lamb I made a quick decision, roast lamb for dinner! Thinking of my mother's famous Sunday lunches, I also packed lots of garlic and tomatoes in my shopping basket as I had a Mediterranean style roast in mind. I also bought a bunch of rosemary as my plant looks rather sad at the moment. I planted it in a pot together with mint and that wasn't a good idea. The roots of peppermint plants spread into every corner of the pot, there's no soil left for my poor rosemary. If you ever decide to plant rosemary and mint together, leave the mint plant in a plastic pot before you put it in soil, this stops the roots from spreading (I got this tip from a lady with a green thumb at the market). My big thyme plant is the complete opposite, it looks as fresh and green as it should (in its own pot). That's the second herb in this recipe to add flavour to the meat.

Back home, I made a thick marinade with 2 tablespoons of each of the herbs and a little crushed garlic. I mixed it with lots of olive oil and rubbed it into the leg of lamb. You could keep it in the fridge like that for a day or two, but we were hungry, so I added two whole garlic bulbs and 5 large tomatoes, all cut in half and cooked the meat in the oven for a bit more than an hour. The meat was perfect, juicy and soft, and the tomatoes and garlic were almost caramelized. They were dark on the outside but sweet inside and thickened the juices which was simply divine! Fruity, oily and fragrant!

Roast Rosemary Lamb with Garlic and Tomatoes

For 3-4 people you need

• leg of lamb, with the bone, 1.5kg / 3.5 pounds

• olive oil 70ml / 2.5 ounces

• fresh rosemary, chopped, 2 tablespoons plus 5 small sprigs

• thyme, chopped, 2 tablespoons

• garlic bulbs, cut in half, 2 plus 1 big clove, crushed, for the marinade

• large tomatoes, cut in half, 5

• salt and pepper

Set the oven to 180°C / 355°F (I used the Rotitherm setting).

Put the leg of lamb into a roasting tin. Arrange the tomatoes (cut side down) and garlic (cut side up) next to the meat. Mix the oil, crushed garlic clove and herbs, rub into the meat and sprinkle a bit over the tomatoes and garlic bulbs. Put the rosemary sprigs under and next to the meat. Season everything with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for 75 minutes, turn the garlic around after 45 minutes, pour the juices over the meat once or twice while it's cooking.

When the meat is done, wrap the roast leg in aluminum foil for 5 minutes.

Cut up the meat and serve with the roast tomatoes and garlic. You could have some potatoes on the side but we enjoyed it with a fresh white French loaf which was perfect to scrape the tasty juices out of the pan.

Moscato Chicken with Grapes and Thyme

A luscious sauce needs time, herbs, spices and wine but sometimes a good 20 minutes in the oven works just as well, when there are chicken legs, Moscato grapes and wine, thyme, bay leaf and garlic on the tray. The meat's roasting juices mix with the sweetness of the fruit and wine and turn into a heavenly rich sauce. We left the roasting pan clean and spotless after we soaked up the last drops with fresh baguette!

This recipe needs lots of garlic! I pushed some thin slices of garlic together with some small sprigs of thyme under the chicken's skin to infuse the meat with their aroma. I also cooked quite a few whole garlic cloves in their skin on the tray which makes a wonderful smooth paste. It tasted so good spread on a slice of bread with a couple roasted grapes and a piece of tender chicken with its crisp skin!

I like to cook with Moscato wine a lot, I use it often in my kitchen as it adds a mellow fruitiness. A Pinot Gris or a Riesling would also be nice for this recipe but it comes down to your personal preference and how much you want to invest in your sauce. Personally, I believe that the wine you use for cooking can easily be more simple than the one you fill into the glasses to accompany your dinner.

Moscato, Grape and Thyme Chicken

For 2-4 people you need

• chicken legs 4 (around 1.2kg / 2.5 pounds)

• sweet green grapes (like Moscato grapes), on their stalks, 250g / 9 ounces

• thyme sprigs, a small handful

• garlic, 8 cloves in their skin and 2 cloves cut into very thin slices

• fruity white wine (like Moscato) 250ml / 8.5 ounces

• small bay leaves 4

• olive oil

• flaky sea salt

• pepper

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm setting which works perfectly for poultry).

Spread the chicken legs on a baking dish or tray and push a few thyme sprigs and slices of garlic under the skin of each of them. Rub them on all sides with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Arrange the grapes, garlic cloves and thyme around the meat, put 1 bay leaf under each chicken leg, sprinkle with a splash of olive oil and pour the wine over the meat and fruits.

Cook the chicken legs in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown, pour some of the juices over the meat a couple times while it's cooking. After 20 minutes, check the meat with a skewer, only clear juices should come out. Turn the grill on for a few minutes until the skin starts sizzling and turns dark and crisp. Serve with baguette.

Juicy Lamb, Moroccan Lemon and Caper Sandwich

Maltese capers, dried tomatoes, wild fennel seeds, honey and sea salt, these were just some of the goods I took home with me from my last trip to the Mediterranean island and these were also the ingredients I offered Malin from The Bread Exchange to choose from for our next sandwich. The sourdough queen went for salty capers and then it was my turn to come up with an idea for our next eat in my kitchen x The Bread Exchange creation.

Malin called me in the morning when the bread was done, after a night without much sleep as she had to get up a couple times to take care of her caper sourdough bread. I jumped on my bike excitedly to meet her in her kitchen which was already filled with the sweetest smell of freshly baked bread when I arrived. When she showed me her beautiful loaf of bread, juicy and spongy on the inside as always, refined with capers and the amazing oily crust that Malin mastered to perfection, I couldn't wait to get started in my kitchen! A colourful composition of a few strong flavours, a wave of tastes on the tongue, that was my idea when I held the warm bread in my hands.

This inspiration led to a rich sandwich voluptuously stuffed with tender slices of lamb fillet, cooked for just a few minutes to keep it pink on the inside, thin strips of my Moroccan preserved lemons, crisp lemon peel roasted in olive oil (I used both the infused oil and the rind), salty capers and spicy rucola leaves. This was one of those moments when I wasn't sure if I went a bit overboard with the flavours, especially when they are all so powerful on their own. But the first bite cleared any doubts, there wasn't too much of anything, it was just right!

This sandwich has been featured on Food52!

Lamb, Moroccan Lemon and Caper Sandwich

For 4 sandwiches you need

• the best sourdough bread you can get, 8 thick slices

• lamb fillet 250g / 9 ounces

• Moroccan preserved lemons, cut into thin strips, 1/4

• lemon peel, 6 long strips

• olive oil 3 tablespoons plus more for frying

• capers, rinsed and drained, 1 heaped tablespoon

• rucola (arugula) leaves, a small handful

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

• salt

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F. 

In a small baking dish, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon peel and roast in the oven for 6 minutes or until the lemon is crisp and golden (it shouldn't be brown!). Set the oil and roasted peel aside.

In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil, season the lamb fillet with salt and pepper and brown for 1 1/2 -2 minutes on each side. The meat should stay pink to keep its juiciness. Wrap the fillet in aluminum foil and set aside for a few minutes.

Drizzle a little of the lemon oil on a slice of bread and cover with a few rucola leaves. Cut the lamb fillet into thin slices and spread on top of the greens. Scatter over some strips of Moroccan lemon, roasted lemon peel, capers and lemon oil. Sprinkle with some crushed black pepper and close with another slice of bread.

Here are more eat in my kitchen x The Bread Exchange sandwiches:

• Sainte-Maure Chèvre, Rosemary Oil and Olive Sandwich

• Roast Apricots on Turmeric Bread with Cardamom Crème Fraîche

Lemon and Cumin Burger with a Mint, Cardamom and Cinnamon Sauce

When I go out for a burger I prefer my meat pure and steaky, like at The Bird, my favourite burger place in Berlin. But when I make burgers in my kitchen I like to get out my spice box and play with different aromas. I even add an egg and some breadcrumbs sometimes (which is not acceptable for purist burger lovers!). I don't restrict myself, I just add whatever I feel like.

Yesterday I wrote about my parsley, tomato and mint salad which I love to eat at a Tunisian restaurant and today's burger is the perfect companion for this dish, my lemon and cumin burger with a mint, cardamom and cinnamon sauce!

The mixed minced meat is seasoned with lemon zest, cumin, parsley and spicy crushed black peppercorns, it's so rich in aromas but none of them is overpowering. When I came up with this recipe I got so excited that I decided to bake my own flat bread, it's not really necessary but nothing beats warm bread which is cooked in a cast iron pan to accompany a burger. I used my Umbrian Torta al Testo recipe. My idea was to stuff the burger into this pita style bread and add a fresh sauce on top, made of sour cream mixed with cardamom, cinnamon and fresh mint leaves. Just delicious!

Lemon and Cumin Burger with Mint, Cardamom and Cinnamon Sauce

For 4 burgers you need

• mixed minced meat (beef and pork) 550g / 19.5 ounces

• zest of 1/2 lemon

• cumin 1 teaspoon

• black peppercorns, coarsely crushed in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon

• salt 1 heaping teaspoon

• fresh parsley, chopped, 2 tablespoons

• vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce

• sour cream 100g / 3.5 ounces

• olive oil 1 teaspoon

• fresh mint leaves, chopped, 3-5

• a pinch of cardamom, to taste

• a pinch of cinnamon, to taste

• a pinch of salt, to taste

For the bread recipe click here.

Whisk the ingredients for the sauce and season to taste.

Mix the ingredients for the burgers with your hands or the hooks of your mixer and form 4 flat burgers.

In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of oil to cover the bottom of the pan and fry the burgers for a few minutes on medium-high heat until they are done the way you like them. Put each burger between kitchen roll to remove excess oil.

Cut a flatbread in half, fill with a burger and sprinkle with mint sauce.

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.

meet in your kitchen | Joanna Bonnici cooks Maltese Bragioli

When my gorgeous friend Chris told me about his friend Joanna Bonnici and her fabulous skills in the kitchen I knew that I had to meet her! He praised her food so much that I sent her an email the same day he mentioned her!

Many generations of women in Joanna's family have been great cooks and food lovers. Her grandmother and aunts, her sister who lives in Sicily, but her mother especially, all influenced and taught her to become the fantastic cook she is today. Her cooking is honest, very intuitive with lots of respect for good ingredients. She likes to go back to the traditional cooking of the past and to adjust it to her personal style. Joanna loves to enjoy life, she loves to cook, to eat and to share her creations with her family and friends. She reminds me a lot of my mother, the two women celebrate cooking in a similar way and appreciate the time they spend in their kitchens. For them, the feast doesn't start at the table but in their culinary working space.

At one point Joanna decided to compile all the wonderful family recipes in a book to pay tribute to the creations of these women and also to save their recipes for future generations. She has a little box stuffed with cards, recipes for soups, cakes, puddings, pastry, meat, fish and pasta dishes, which she plans to turn into a book. It's a culinary treasure box and I'm very happy that I got the chance to try a few of these creations.

Joanna told me that she would cook a traditional Maltese meat dish with me called Bragioli (Bragoli in Maltese), beef olives stuffed with egg, bacon, cheese, parsley and breadcrumbs, but Joanna makes her roulades with pork. They were divine, the meat was juicy and tender, the sauce was thick and rich in flavours. She prepared two versions, one made the traditional way with peas and the other one is her creation, with green bell peppers. This dish is often served as two courses, first the sauce with pasta or potatoes and then the meat as a main course.

We met Joanna in the morning, my boyfriend happily joined in when I told him about her cooking, and she treated us to the most amazing food for hours. She served our coffee together with Maltese bread pudding, a recipe by her mother, which I will share with you on Sunday and which was the best bread pudding we ever ate (my Maltese Mama Jenny agreed on that after she tried a piece)! We had fresh bread from a bakery in Gharghur sprinkled with olive oil, a luscious salad of rucola and sweet figs stuffed with soft blue cheese (like dolcelatte) before we savored the delicious Bragioli. Joanna finished the menu off with little short crust tarts lined with a thin layer of sponge cake and filled with ricotta and candied fruit. She garnished the tartlets with bittersweet chocolate and hazelnuts, a perfect Mediterranean dessert similar to kannoli. When she offered us her homemade ice cream made of condensed milk (a Maltese speciality) with a big smile on her face, we couldn't refuse. This woman just loves to share her kitchen creations!

I fell in love with Joanna's food, so much that I decided to ask her if she would like to share some of her recipes once in a while on eat in my kitchen. We will start this Sunday with her Maltese bread pudding and there will be a few more. There's so much I can learn from her about Maltese cooking and I look forward to the delicious recipes to come!

Maltese Bragioli

For 4 people you need

• pork slices (silverside) 1kg / 2 1/4 pounds

• organic eggs, hard boiled, 3

• parsley, chopped, the leaves of a bunch

• onions 2

• carrots, cut into sticks, 3

• green peppers, sliced thickly, 2

• garlic, 2 cloves

• streaky bacon, chopped, 200g / 7 ounces

• organic egg 1

• fresh breadcrumbs, a big handful

• Kefalotiri cheese, grated, 100g / 3.5 ounces

• thyme, a sprig

• bay leaf 1

• stock cube

• ground coriander

• a pinch of mixed spice

• a pinch of Ras el Hanout spice mixture

• tomato paste 3 tablespoons

• Worcestershire Sauce

• white wine 1 glass

• salt and pepper

• plain flour to dust the roulades

• vegetable oil

Chop 1 onion and 1 garlic clove finely and sauté them in some oil for a few minutes. In a mixing bowl crumble the hardboiled eggs, then add the chopped parsley, the sautéed onion and garlic, the chopped bacon, fresh breadcrumbs, the cheese and bind the mixture with a raw egg.

Put 2 tablespoons of this mixture on each slice of meat and roll them up tightly. Finally give them a light dusting of flour.

In a large saucepan fry the bragioli searing them well. Season them well (with salt and pepper) and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a glass of white wine. Let the wine reduce and remove from heat. Now in a casserole pot sauté 1 sliced onion, 1 chopped garlic clove, the carrot sticks and pepper slices.

Next add the bragioli, the tomato concentrate, the stock cube, the spices and herbs and some water. Let the bragioli simmer for at least two hours until the meat is tender. Add water if need be but be careful not to render the sauce too watery. Serve with mashed potatoes or fries.

Who are the people in your family who influenced your cooking the most and why?

I had the fortune to live minutes away from my maternal grandmother’s house and we spent the larger part of the day there because my mother had to take care of the elderly members of the family while her sister – my Aunty Fifi, who was unmarried, worked as a home economics teacher. My grandmother, great-aunt and mother were all very traditional but excellent cooks, while my Aunty Fifi introduced me to more sophiscated cooking. All four of them in their own way influenced me but the confidence I have is the merit of my mother. When I was nine years old, I baked her a Mocha cake for mother’s day and it was an absolute flop. She made me slice it up and bake it again like crostini and told me that my next one will be better. We ate the crostini and I was happy enough to go on to my next cake. I also have to mention my sister Mariella and my sister-in-law Miriam who are both amazing cooks and we exchange recipes and ideas constantly. My brother Ray, engineer by profession, now part-time organic farmer taught me all there is to know about food regarding the ingredients and how important it is to source out the best.

You've decided to compile the favourite recipes of the women in your family in a cook book, what have you found through this work besides the collected recipes?

When my aunt and my mother passed away it seemed to me that a chapter in my life was sadly closed. The two persons who taught me the little I know were here no more so I felt the need to pay them tribute and pass on what they gave me to the next generation of wives and mothers-to-be in my family. This compilation is also a reminder that simple wholesome food should still feature on our dinner table. Lentil soup and Toqlija (pasta soup) are simplicity itself and have been firm favourites with my family for generations so they also have a place in this collection. Most of the recipes are imprinted with the personality of their owner – for example Aunty Fifi’s gateau was the subject of many a discussion. This sublime dessert is flamboyant, rich and sweet and it portraits my aunt’s personality making it her signature dish. The timing when it was served, however, was not optimal because we usually had it after a heavy Maltese Christmas lunch and to do it justice it should be eaten after a very light meal. On the other hand, the Maltese pudding reflects my mother’s simplicity and goodness. Going through the recipes and remembering the wonderful memories attached to them has reinforced my belief that there are few occasions that beat the ones when family and friends gather around a table to share good food.

For how many years have you been cooking for your family and how did your culinary style develop over the years?

I have been cooking since I was 9 years old. My sister and I loved to prepare afternoon teas for my parents and we set the table like we were entertaining royalty (which they were, in our opinion). I will never forget that. Unfortunately my father died when he was 53, so when I got married I lived in my mother’s house together with my husband and my sister. So that was 3 women in the kitchen but we got along very well because our style was very similar. Eventually my sister got married and moved to Sicily but my mother lived with me till she died last February. She made amazing soups and pastries and I could never beat her at that. I became more adventurous by time and tried out many recipes which my aunt passed on to me. Before I got married, I bought the Robert Carrier’s cookery books and they opened up a new vista. I used to wait for each new release to add to my collection, and my sister and I spent many lovely afternoons trying out new dishes. I still go back to his books and am continually amazed at how progressive he was. Nowadays the internet makes everything more accessible but in the eighties, this was really something special. I guess my style is not a sophisticated one. It is a mish mash of all the good things my family and friends cooked over the years, together with a good dose of inspiration from Robert Carrier.

What are your favourites in the Maltese cuisine?

There are few dishes which are typically Maltese because our cuisine had been influenced by our neighbours, invaders and colonizers throughout the years. However these are my favourites.Timpana – A rich pasta dish of layers of maccheroni with a meat sauce, bechamel sauce and hard-boiled eggs, encrusted in flaky short-crust pastry. This is our traditional pasta dish for Christmas and even though I would like to be more original my family does not let me remove it from the menu so it is there to stay. I love the combination of gooey pasta with the crispiness of the pastry and the taste conjures up the image of all my family seated at the dinner table devouring this delicious pasta and begging for more ... The first time I tasted it cooked this way, was at my Aunty Maria‘s and she passed on the recipe.Tuna, Anchovy and Spinach Pie or Lampuki Pie – Two of my favourite pies. My mum used to cook these for me. I can still picture her chubby, capable hands kneading the dough. She made the most divine pastry. The tuna and spinach pie is delicious and my great aunty Terry used to top the filling with sauteed potatoes or chips. I still make it that way and it’s delicious.Stuffed Calamari – I love them because they taste of summer. When the calamari are good (sometimes they are disappointingly tasteless), this can be a lovely summer dinner main course. My aunty Fifi taught me how to cook these, and the stuffing with walnuts and the tentacles from the calamari is simply delicious.

What is your feeling about the state of home food culture in Malta today? What changed over the past 5, 10 or 20 years?

Unfortunately I tend to see too many young families in restaurants and fast food joints. I cannot understand why people find it so difficult to dish up a meal for their family. I think the Maltese are too influenced by the media and advertising and they are forgetting their roots and their culture. I have battled this all my life even with teachers who took my children (on a school day trip) to eat a burger instead of offering them a simple but delicious Maltese hobza biz-zejt. I think that home food has changed in Malta. Some dishes which were staples (such as widow’s soup) are forgotten by the younger generation and convenience foods are becoming more and more popular. Nevertheless, people are becoming more aware of what they eat and hopefully the Maltese will gravitate again towards the simple and wholesome dishes and resist the temptation to eat junk.

What was the first dish you cooked or baked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?

Mocha cake for Mother’s Day when I was nine. It was a disaster.

What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Malta?

• Restaurants: Fumia and Sciacca for fish

• Bar: Bridge Bar on a Friday night for jazz and wine

• Cafe: Cordina’s in Valletta for its old world charm, people watching and capuccino

• Shopping for food: Veggies just round the corner from my house from Salvu who grows his own, from Lucy because she is a nice lady, from Sunny because I have known him for years and from Alex and Paul who own the mini-market 5 minutes away from my house. Also sometimes from my brother Ray.

Where else do you get your inspiration for your recipes apart from your family?

From my friends Maria and Gordon who are both superb cooks; from cookery books which I still prefer to the internet although that is where I go when I need ideas in a hurry.

What did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen and why?

I chose Bragioli because it is a very popular Maltese recipe, however I will be doing it my way.

If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?

It would be Gordon Axiaq (not a trained chef but the best cook I know) and I would ask him to cook his fabulous pasta with Maltese prawns and crema di noci.

You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?

Pear, walnut and parmesan salad with rucola and some bruschette. For main pasta with my home-made Maltese sausage and dolce latte and for dessert my vanilla and lemon ice-cream. All stuff I would normally have in my fridge or freezer.

What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?

Rice and lentil soup, bread, pasta and pizza. Still bread, pasta and pizza.

Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?

Both.

Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?

Both as long as they are good.

Which meal would you never cook again and why?

Liver. I hate the texture and do not cook it or eat it.

Thank you Joanna!

Chicken Sandwich with Red Cabbage and Orange Olive Oil

I asked for a chicken sandwich recipe and I got one that is hard to beat in aroma, juiciness and lusciousness!

My boyfriend is the one who got me hooked on sandwiches. One of his sandwich creations was actually the reason I started my Sandwich Wednesdays. He's been going on about a chicken sandwich for weeks and I think he just got tired of waiting any longer. I asked him to come up with an inspiration but he created a whole new sandwich instead. Thick and juicy slices of chicken breast, topped with red cabbage coleslaw, spring onions and a fantastic olive oil which he infused with orange peel for a few minutes in the oven.

My job was to choose the bread! I bought my Swabian soft buns again, the same I used for my Kirschenmichel. They have a nice sweet and eggy taste and the perfect soft texture to soak up all these juices. We could squeeze them easily, which is quite important when you have a sandwich this tall and you try to take the first bite! Eating it was a joyful mess, look at the pictures and you can imagine the scene.

The orange flavoured oil was so good that I have a few ideas in mind to use it for. You just need to put a baking dish with strips of orange peel and some olive oil in the oven and after 8 minutes you'll have the most aromatic infusion on your table!

Chicken Sandwich with Red Cabbage and Orange flavoured Olive Oil 

For 6 sandwiches you need

• soft buns, cut in half, 6

• chicken breast 400g / 14 ounces

• small red cabbage, cut into thin strips, 1/4 (around 160g / 5.5 ounces)

• apple, peeled, cored and cut into julienne, 1

• yoghurt 100g / 3.5 ounces

• spring onion, cut into slices, 1

• orange peel 4 long strips

• freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tablespoon

• olive oil 5 tablespoons plus more for the chicken

• salt and pepper

In a bowl, mix the cabbage with 1 teaspoon of salt and rub with your fingers. Let it sit for 10 minutes to soften the texture. Mix the cabbage, apple, yoghurt and orange juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F.

You can cook the chicken and orange flavoured olive oil at the same time but in 2 separate dishes.

In a small baking dish, mix 5 tablespoons of olive oil with the orange peel and set aside.

In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the chicken breast on medium temperature for a few minutes on each side until golden. Put the chicken in a baking dish and roast in the oven together with the orange oil for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Check with a skewer, only clear juices should come out.

Cut the chicken into thick slices (18 for 6 sandwiches). Drizzle a bit of the orange flavoured oil on the bottom side of a bun, cover with 3 slices of chicken and a heaped tablespoon of coleslaw. Sprinkle with spring onion, close the bun and start the mess!

Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches

This is peach heaven! Finally the fruits are so juicy and ripe, that every bite into their velvety skin is so sweet and refreshing that I eat them every day, in the morning, for lunch or as an after dinner dessert. As always, I can't stop myself at the market, I buy them in bulk, the round and yellow ones, round and white and the flat galaxy (or vineyard) peaches. The whole variety finds its place in my kitchen! Sometimes I end up with more than we can eat, so peach jam is definitely on my list but for now I use them in my Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches.

A few years ago I cooked a roast chicken recipe from a Jamie Oliver book, he prepares the meat with pineapple and spices and purées some of the fruit to a thick sauce. My boyfriend who loves this dish cooks it quite often, we changed a few things and always replace the pineapple with peaches, rub the chicken with lemon oil and add some thyme which is great in this combination. The two of us disagree on one point and that's how much of the fruit should be turned into a smooth sauce. He prefers lots of sauce and I like it chunky, so it's up to you how much of the roasted peaches you put in the food processor. He is for a half - half ratio and I prefer 1:3!

Either way it tastes delicious, fruity and spicy, the meat is perfectly juicy and the skin is crisp - you can't ask for more when there's roast chicken on your table!

The leftovers, meat and sauce, are great on a sandwich!

Roast Chicken with spiced Peaches

For 2-3 people (or 4 if you have a starter and dessert) you need

• free range/ organic chicken 1,5kg / 3.5 pounds

• big galaxy (vineyard) peaches, quartered, 8

• bell pepper, cut into strips, 150g / 5.5 ounces

• small red onions, cut into 8 pieces, 3

• fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped, 1/2

• fresh ginger, a 2cm / 3/4" piece, thinly sliced

• garlic, 3 cloves, 1 thinly sliced and 2 in their skin

• thyme, a small bunch

• parsley, the leaves of a small bunch

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon

• olive oil 2 tablespoons plus more for the peaches

• fennel seeds, slightly crushed in a mortar, 1 tablespoon

• black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon

• coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm roasting setting).

Put the peaches, bell pepper and onions in a baking dish and mix with the chili, ginger, the slices of garlic and a splash of olive oil. Lay half the thyme and parsley on top.

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil and rub into the chicken's skin. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, stuff it with the rest of the herbs and sprinkle with pepper, salt and fennel seeds and rub slightly into the skin.

Roast for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Check with a skewer, only clear juices should come out. If you want the skin to be a bit more crisp turn on the grill for the last 1-2 minutes.

Set the chicken aside. Take out the thyme, peel the garlic out of its skin and put together with 1/3 to 1/2 of the fruit, vegetables and parsley into the food processor and purée to a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy together with a juicy chicken breast or leg and some chunky fruit.

Caramelised Elderflower Rosemary Chicken with spicy Potato Wedges

My Elderflower Syrup gets put to good use once again! I marinated chicken breast for a couple hours in elderflower syrup together with some fresh rosemary and was rewarded with the most aromatic, tender meat. Flowery and woody flavours wrapped the chicken, the sticky marinade caramelised the soft surface, it was absolutely delicious! I seared it first and then baked it for 8 minutes, this way it keeps its juiciness. My old method of frying the chicken until it's done left it a lot drier.

I don't cook chicken that often but when it finds its way to my kitchen I like to play around with strong flavours. You could replace the elderflower syrup with maple syrup or any other flowery taste, honey works of course but it's nice to try something different. I used the rosemary as it's great in combination with elderflower and poultry, it turned smokey which added a bit of a flame grilled touch.

This meal had a rustic feeling to it, so crisp potato wedges felt like the right company. Flavoured with maple syrup, they also got a spicy coating. Don't worry about the long list of spices, just use what you find in your spice box and what makes sense for your taste buds, this is what I mixed together: cumin, star anise, harissa, cloves, cayenne pepper, fennel seed, sweet paprika and black pepper.

Caramelised Elderflower Rosemary Chicken with spicy Potato Wedges

If possible, marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes, a few hours would be even better.

For 2 people you need

• chicken breast 2 (around 400g / 14 ounces)

• elderflower syrup 50ml /1.5 ounces

• rosemary, chopped, 1 tablespoon plus 2 little sprigs

• salt and pepper

• olive oil for frying

For the potato wedges

• potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges, 500g / 1 pound

• maple syrup 1 tablespoon

• olive oil 2 tablespoons

• cloves, ground in a mortar, 6

• harissa powder 1/2 teaspoon

• ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon

• star anise, ground in a mortar, 1 piece

• ground Hungarian (sweet) paprika 1/2 teaspoon

• cayenne pepper, a bit more than a pinch

• fennel seeds, ground in a mortar, 1/4 teaspoon

• black peppercorns, ground in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon

In a bowl, cover the chicken breast with the elderflower syrup and rosemary and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the potato wedges in lots of salted water  for 8 minutes, rinse with cold water and lay on a cooling rack to dry (for at least 10 minutes to a day).

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotithem setting).

For the wedges, whisk the maple syrup, olive oil and spices. Spread the potatoes in a baking dish and cover with the spicy syrup. Roast in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown and crisp. You can turn on the grill for the last minute.

While the potatoes are in the oven, heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and sear the chicken breasts (covered in marinate and rosemary) for a few minutes on both sides till golden brown and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. Put the meat in a baking dish when the potatoes are done and roast in the oven for 8 minutes. Turn on the grill for the last minute. Check with a skewer, only clear juices should come out.

Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper

Meatloaf was one of the few meals with meat that I really liked as a young child (apart from Wiener sausage). My mother used to make a big portion of it which we ate cold the following days. I still prefer it that way! When we were younger, my sister and I weren't very experimental when it came to our food, that changed over the years and it effected my mother's cooking. Now she fills her meatloaf with vegetables and herbs, a Mediterranean version but in those days she kept it simple to please our sensitive taste buds and picky taste.

I hadn't made meatloaf for years, I had forgotten about it to be honest, but two summers ago my mother cooked it  for a garden party. My whole family (which is quite big) was there, it was a hot day in July and no one wanted to stay inside the house. We just went to the kitchen to fill our plates at the long table piled with lots of summery dishes and then went straight outside again to sit on the grass. It was a big picnic, a beautiful day with eating, drinking, laughing and playing music - and the cold meat was my happy rediscovery!

This meatloaf is very juicy, it's cooked with zucchini, leek, bell pepper and lots of herbs. Thyme, oregano and rosemary give it a Mediterranean touch, either warm or cold, it's best with a light salad and some baguette on the side.

Mediterranean Meatloaf with Zucchini and Bell Pepper

For 6-8 people you need

• minced beef 1kg / 2 pounds

• zucchini, roughly chopped, 140g / 5 ounces

• red bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces

• yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped, 160g / 5.5 ounces

• leek, cut in half and thinly sliced, 100g / 3.5 ounces

• milk 360ml / 12 ounces

• dry breadcrumbs 45g / 1.5 ounces

• organic eggs 2

• thyme leaves from a small bunch

• parsley, chopped, 4 tablespoons

• rosemary, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons

• oregano 1 1/2 tablespoons

• salt 3 1/2 teaspoons

• pepper

Set the oven to 170°C / 340°F (I used the Rotitherm setting but you could also use fan).

Mix the milk and breadcrumbs. In a large bowl mix the other ingredients, add the milk and combine well with your hands or a mixer. Put the mixture in a baking dish and form a loaf. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, the meatloaf is great for summer parties and picnics!

Lemon-spiced Chicken Wings with Cumin, Harissa and Mint Yoghurt

Chicken wings are often underestimated, unfortunately. Their tasty meat is packed in between the bones which keeps it juicy and due to the short roasting time it doesn't dry out. There isn't much meat on the wings which is an advantage to me as I prefer a small portion of meat especially when it's getting closer to summer and the temperatures rise. It's definitely enough for a spicy treat together with some aromatic cumin, harissa, lemon juice and a few slices of my Moroccan preserved lemons (which you could replace with lemon zest).

The spices and lemon made a delicious skin, golden and crisp after 20 minutes in the oven and packed with wonderful aromas. I like to eat the wings with my fingers, to feel their sticky juices and dip them in a refreshing sauce of yoghurt, sour cream, lemon and mint.

You could also throw them on the grill which would add some smoky flavours or take them out with you on a summery picnic. It's almost June and my mood calls for an early summer picnic with friends and lots of pots and plates of delicious food, so one dish is already sorted!

Lemon-spiced Chicken Wings with Cumin, Harissa and Mint Yoghurt

For 2 people as a main you need (we had half for lunch)

• chicken wings 8

• olive oil 4 tablespoons

• freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons

• ground cumin 1 teaspoon

• harissa 1 teaspoon

• black peppercorns, crushed, 10

• preserved lemon, sliced, 1/4 (or lemon zest 1 teaspoon)

• coarse sea salt

For the yoghurt dip

• yoghurt 4 tablespoons

• sour cream 2 tablespoons

• freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

• mint leaves, chopped, 10

• salt and pepper

Set the oven to 210°C / 410°F top / bottom heat.

Whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, cumin, harissa and black pepper and stir in the slices of the preserved lemon or the lemon zest. Place the chicken wings in a baking dish or on a baking sheet and coat with the spice oil. Sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Mix the yoghurt, sour cream, lemon juice, mint, salt and pepper and whisk until creamy.

We ate this with a simple green salad on the side and some baguette to dip into the juices. The French bread was also great with the yoghurt dip although Naan bread would have been more authentic.

Rabbit wrapped in Sage and Bacon roast on Rhubarb

Sweet and sour rhubarb, salty bacon and aromatic sage wrap my juicy pieces of rabbit in a delicious composition of spring flavours. You could use pork fillet in this recipe as well but I like rabbit meat, it's tenderness and unique taste. We often eat it when we're in Malta where rabbit is so popular that it became the national dish. Be it as a Mediterranean stew with olives, tomatoes and wine, often cooked together with pork for a stronger aroma, or in a pie, I've enjoyed some of the best rabbit meals on this island!

Rabbit meat isn't very challenging to cook as long as it's kept moist and not overcooked. The little packages of sage and bacon in my recipe infuse the meat with their flavours but also keep it juicy. The steaming rhubarb roasting under the meat has the same effect. Its juices add a fruity taste to the meat and make sure that it doesn't dry out while it's cooking.

Rabbit wrapped in Sage and Bacon roast on Rhubarb

For 4 people you need

• rabbit, without bones, 500g / 1 pound for 8 portions (I bought rabbit back and legs, the fillets from the back were the easiest to prepare)

• rhubarb, cut into 5cm / 2" pieces, 500g / 1 pound

• granulated sugar 3 tablespoons

• garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves

• fresh sage 16 leaves

• bacon 8 slices

• white wine 75ml / 2.5 ounces

• olive oil 2 tablespoons

• salt and pepper

Set the oven to 210°C / 410°F. My oven has a Rotitherm roasting setting which works perfectly for this recipe.

Cover the bottom of a baking dish with the rhubarb mixed with sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the rabbit in 8 portions, season with salt and pepper and wrap each portion in a slice of bacon together with 2 leaves of sage and 3 slices of garlic. Place on top of the rhubarb and pour the wine and olive oil over it.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, pouring some of the juices over it from time to time. For the last 3 minutes sprinkle the bacon with some sugar.

Pork Fillet with a Grainy Dijon Mustard and Tarragon Crust

I don't need meat on my table often, once a week is enough for me, but on some days my hunger needs more than just vegetables. This week I got hooked on a nice piece of pork fillet which when properly prepared is uncomplicated, juicy and also great as a leftover meal. I bought a whole 600g (1.5 pounds) of fillet knowing that it would be a bit much for the two of us but we were happy to enjoy it the next day, cold cuts at its best!

Pork fillets are always delicious in combination with herbs, with sage for example, you could wrap the meat in prosciutto similar to a Saltimbocca alla Romana but I felt like mustard, a spicy, grainy mustard crust enhanced with the flavours of tarragon. When I make a crust, I like a thick, slightly crunchy cover on the meat, concentrated and strong. The classic Dijon mustard with its fine spiciness would work as well but the rougher, grainy one makes a better crust. Dijon mustard's history goes back to 1856, when Jean Naigeon of Dijon first substituted verjuice (the acidic juice of unripe grapes) for the normal vinegar.

Sometimes, meat dishes are quicker and easier to prepare than vegetarian meals, this is one of them. I mixed the ingredients for the crust in a blender, fried the meat and baked everything in the oven for just 15 minutes. After frying the meat, I deglazed what was left in the pan with vermouth which turned into a thick juice. The meat didn't really need a sauce but it was nice to dip it into this concentrated syrup.

Pork Fillet with Mustard and Tarragon Crust

For 4 people you need

• pork fillet, one piece of  600g / 21 ounces

• butter 40g / 1.5 ounces

• dry breadcrumbs 20g / 3/4 ounce

• whole-grain Dijon mustard 3 heaping tablespoons

• garlic, crushed, 1 clove

• tarragon, chopped, 14 leaves

• salt and pepper

• olive oil for frying

• vermouth, 150ml / 5 ounces

Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (top/ bottom heat).

Mix the butter, bread crumbs, mustard, garlic and  tarragon in a blender and season with salt and pepper. Roll out the paste between 2 layers of cling film, it should have roughly the shape as the pork fillet.

In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil on high temperature and fry the meat seasoned with salt and pepper for a few minutes until golden brown on all sides. Take the meat out of the pan and deglaze the bits and pieces left in the pan with the vermouth. Let it cook for 30 seconds, season with salt and pepper and take off the heat.

Put the meat into a baking dish, cover with the mustard butter paste and press it softly onto the meat. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, switch to grill function and let the crust turn brown and crisp for 3 minutes.

Serve the meat in thick slices with a few drops of the thick concentrated vermouth sauce.