Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
A few months ago, my mother went to one of her favourite spots in France, the Belle-Île-en Mer, a picturesque island off the coast of Brittany. It wasn't her first visit, she's been to this tiny rock in the Atlantic Ocean countless times, and whenever I talk to her while she's there, she sounds like she just walked out of a spa. This island must be magic and I've wanted to discover it for myself for ages. I've tasted it though, at least some of it's produce. My mama knows my weak spot for all the culinary delights from this country, solid and liquid, so she gladly treats her ever hungry daughter to her new and old discoveries whenever she comes back. Last time she gave me a few beautiful tins of preserved sardines, the design is a bit old-fashioned, I love that, although it's just a fish tin, it's a pleasure to see it in the pantry. Once she gave me a large can of tinned fish soup from the same island, I liked it so much that it became my container for the kitchen brush and sponge!
The first time I tasted the preserved sardines refined with thin slices of lemon, it must have been early last winter, I got absolutely hooked on this oily treat. I've never been a big fan of preserved fish until that life changing moment, literarily, as since that day, I always eat my weekly Sunday pizza with these sardines, week after week. But today I thought they deserve a little variation. I had to change to another brand as our stock has been used up, it's not as good but still delicious, and I decided that the fish would make a scrumptious appearance on a juicy sandwich with ramp pesto and preserved lemons. It's that time of year again, I can't leave the grocery store without a bunch of ramp, due to their short season but mainly because we're almost addicted to it. So, another ramp pesto, another tin of sardines and a new sandwich, the kind you would eat at the sea, wrapped in paper, your fingers dripping of oil, and the wonderful taste of garlicky green, sour lemon and rich sardines in your mouth, fantastic!
This sandwich has been featured by Food52!
Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic white buns, cut in half, 2
quality preserved sardines in olive oil, boned and cut into fillets, 3 fish (about 70g / 2 1/2oz)
preserved lemon, cut into thin slices, 1/8 (alternatively, you could use the roasted lemon peel from this recipe)
cherry tomatoes, quartered, 2
rucola, a small handful
For the pesto (this will be a little more than you'll need but you can eat the pesto with pasta or as a spread on toasted dark bread)
bunch of ramp, the stalks cut off, 1 (around 45g / 1 1/2oz)
Parmesan 25g / 1oz
olive oil 55ml /2fl oz
salt 1/4 teaspoon
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender until smooth and season to taste.
Brush the bottom half of the buns with a little oil from the fish tin (just if it's quality olive oil), cover with rucola and lay 3 single fillets of the sardines on top. Garnish with the tomatoes and sprinkle with pesto and lemon slices.
Radicchio and Balsamic Butter Spaghetti with Marjoram and Pine Nuts
Bitter radicchio, sweet and sour balsamic butter and flowery marjoram is a very powerful combination, every single flavour is dominant rather than subtle. They all scream for attention, but somehow manage to merge in this comfy pasta dish to create something bigger, a new taste that's beyond their individual qualities.
Whenever I savour a meal with spaghetti, I'm always impressed by how such an easy dish can make me feel so good, comfortable and cosy, and at the same time, caress me with its sensuality. The most simple and quickest pasta dish, be it carbonara, bolognese, pure red sauce, or just butter and parmesan, can feel like a Mediterranean feast, it makes me forget about duties and sorrows, it's a celebration of life. I guess that's also the reason why there's often wine involved, at least at my dinner table. It makes me want to have the windows wide open, dreamy music in the air carried away by a soft breeze, this is one of the most sensual meals in the whole world, spaghetti! Just thinking about it, writing about it, wakes up my senses, seeing the plate in front of me, smelling the teasing aroma of radicchio, vinegar, butter, nuts and fresh marjoram, makes me want to sing out loud and raise the glasses! Buon appetito!
Radicchio and Balsamic Butter Spaghetti with Marjoram and Pine Nuts
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
radicchio, quartered, stalk removed, cut into 1cm / 1/2" thick slices, 430g / 15 ounces
fresh marjoram, a small handful
pine nuts, toasted, 20g / 3/4 ounce
balsamic vinegar 30ml / 1 ounce
butter 50g / 1 3/4 ounces
a pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
olive oil
Cook the pasta in salted water al dente.
In a sauce pan, bring the vinegar to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Take the pot off the heat and add the butter in 2-3 batches, let it melt in between and whisk well. Season with a pinch of sugar.
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and sauté the slices of radicchio on medium-high for 1 minute on each side (it will fall apart, that's fine). Take the pan off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix in the warm pasta and balsamic butter and serve with pine seeds and marjoram leaves. On the plates, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cod al Cartoccio with Ramp and Red Onion
My beloved ramp is back in season, ready to add its garlicky spiciness to fish, meat and vegetables, and to one of my favourites of course: fragrant ramp pesto!
I've been looking for it impatiently over the past few weeks and when I finally spotted the first bunch at my organic supermarket I had to call my boyfriend instantly, he's almost more obsessed with these green spring leaves than I am. We changed our dinner plans from gnocchi with blue cheese sauce to spaghetti with pesto, and that was just the beginning of our re-awakened green passion! Cod al cartoccio on a bed of ramp and red onions was next on my list. It's not only very delicious but also a very convenient match. I wrapped the fish in a parchment paper package with a little white wine, olive oil and lemon juice and cooked it in the oven for 15 minutes, all in all it took less than half an hour including the preparation! If you're still looking for a light and easy family Easter lunch, think al cartoccio. It cooks the fish to perfection while you can create your desired aroma of herbs and vegetables, it tastes divine and looks beautiful on the table.
Cod al Cartoccio with Ramp and Red Onion
For 2 people you need
cod fillet, about 2 1/2cm / 1" thick, 400g / 14 ounces
ramp, stalks cut off, a large bunch (about 50g / 1 3/4 ounces)
small red onion, cut in half and into thin slices, 1
white wine 2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
olive oil 2 tablespoons plus more for the parchment paper
sea salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (fan-assisted oven).
Cut 2 large pieces of parchment paper, big enough to wrap the fish, lay them on top of each other and brush the top layer with olive oil. Lay the ramp leaves in the middle of the oiled parchment paper (leave 2 leaves out and put aside), place the cod on top and season with salt and pepper. Lay 1 ramp leaf on top of the fillet and arrange the onions around the fish. Whisk the wine, olive oil and lemon juice and pour over the fish. Close the parchment paper like a bonbon and fold the top twice. Place in a baking dish and cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes, if you can separate the fish (gently) with a fork it's done, if it needs a little longer close the parchment paper and put back into the oven (mind not to overcook it!). Chop the raw ramp leaf and sprinkle over the cooked fish, serve with fresh baguette and a glass of chilled white wine!
Cardamom Lentil Burgers, Dill Sour Cream and Preserved Lemon Sandwich
I finally made my first preserved lemons of 2015, one of my new annual pantry traditions. Until last year, I focused on jams and chutneys in my kitchen, but then I remembered my grandmother's passion for preserving, her huge cellar packed with shelves up to the ceiling. I can still picture the long lined jars of preserved fruits, all those cherries, plums, pears and apples kept in colourful juices, the crop always came straight from her own or her children's garden. I used to love this room in her old house with the cherry tree in the garden, this was true kitchen magic for my young eyes.
In late summer, my family used to have so many fruits that preserving was the only way to prevent waste. Living in the city doesn't really confront me with this problem, we eat the fruit and vegetables as soon as I buy them or not long after. So unfortunately, there are no baskets full of ripe late summer harvests waiting for me on the kitchen top, but I discovered a couple recipes that are equally satisfying, in preparation and consumption: lemons and artichokes!
This year's preserved lemons are already as tasty as the last batch. I prepared them about 6 weeks ago and they still need a couple months to turn into perfectly tender bites, but I'm impatient and today's recipe asked for their salty sourness. I made meatless burgers with black Beluga and red lentils. The dark lentils stayed crunchy after I cooked them and the red legumes were quite soft, the perfect burger mixture. I refined them with cardamon, parmesan and red onions, squeezed them in a bun and topped the little beauties with a refreshing dill dip and my fruity lemons - a proper spring burger!
Cardamom Lentil Burgers, Dill Sour Cream and Preserved Lemon Sandwich
I made 15 lentil patties, for the 2 sandwiches you will only need 4.
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic white buns, cut in half, 2
rucola, a small handful
preserved lemon, very thinly sliced, 1/4 (alternatively, you could use the roasted lemon peel from this recipe)
For the patties
Beluga lentils 125g / 4 1/2 ounces
red lentils 125g / 4 1/2 ounces
small bay leaves 2
medium red onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 clove
organic eggs 2
Parmesan, grated, 100g / 3 1/2 ounces
breadcrumbs 70g / 2 1/2 ounces
cardamom 1 teaspoon
salt 1 1/4 teaspoons
pepper
olive oil, for frying
For the dill sour cream
sour cream 200g / 7 ounces
fresh dill, chopped, 4 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon for the topping
olive oil 2 teaspoons
heavy cream 1 tablespoon
a pinch of cardamom
a pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
Cook the red and black lentils separately, according to the instructions on the package, each with 1 bay leaf but without salt. My Beluga needed 20 minutes in 325ml / 11 ounces of water (they should be al dente), the red lentils took 10 minutes in 325ml / 11 ounces of water to be done (they should be soft and mushy). Drain both well once they are cooked and let them cool for about 10 minutes (I cooked mine a few hours before I made the patties).
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (fan-assisted oven) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, gently mix the lentils and the ingredients for the patties with a wooden spoon until well combined. Wet your hands and form 70g / 2 1/2 ounces patties. Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and fry the lentil patties for 2-3 minutes on medium on both sides until golden brown. You will have to fry them in batches. Transfer the patties onto the baking sheet and cook in the oven for 9 minutes.
Whip the ingredients for the dill sour cream until creamy and season to taste.
Spread a little rucola on each bottom side of the buns, lay 2 patties on top and drizzle some dill sour cream over the lentil burgers. Sprinkle with slices of preserved lemon and fresh dill. Enjoy!
Roast Onion, Spinach and Pomegranate Salad with Stilton
Some of my recipes start with a visual idea, with colours and textures that slowly merge into a dish in my head, and this salad was one of them. I could picture an early spring green combined with different shades of red. Green stands for crunchy freshness which I found in tiny leaves of baby spinach, red colours are juicy and sweet, like oven roasted red onions and crunchy pomegranate seeds. It may sound a bit far-fetched, but it's very simple, I find that, quite often, I can follow this rule: what looks good together tends to taste good together too. Maybe my mind only suggests flavour combinations which my taste buds already connect with a positive experience, I don't know, it definitely worked for this composition!
Texture was next, as soon as the colours for this dish were set. All these crunchy bites demanded some milky creaminess. A while ago my sister asked me to give blue cheese a little break on eat in my kitchen, she hates it but I love it and therefore I could use it all the time. For sandwiches, of course, salads, risotto, gnocchi or crackers, there's almost no dish on the savory side that can't deal with a little addition of this fantastic dairy product. So I knew that I'd have to refuse her request, it's just too tempting. And here it is again, English Stilton, kind of the queen of blue cheese, it's simply too good on warm onions and it was a true revelation in combination with the pomegranate. I'm sorry Nina!
Talking about colours and textures, my dishes got a new addition! A few months ago, I saw pictures of some very puristic plates, the simple shape and elegant lines caught my attention the moment I spotted them. I got in touch with the company, Broste Copenhagen, the same day but unfortunately, Esrum (my desired collection's name) wasn't available yet, it's a brand new series. I had to wait a few weeks, but then a huge box arrived right at my door step, filled with beautiful plates, ceramic mugs and golden cutlery. For almost 20 years, I've been using the same flatware, a rustic black set (a Finnish classic from 1952) and my delicate fine Bone China. I didn't feel bothered as I like both a lot. So, one day my mother mentioned with careful politeness that, for eat in my kitchen, a little change of plates in my photos wouldn't be a bad idea, just once in a while, for a little variation. I always listen to her wise words, so I started to look for some inspiration. This isn't an easy undertaking in my case, I prefer products that are timeless, minimal and practical designs, following the architect Mies van der Rohe's principal that form follows function. Broste seems to have a similar idea in mind and made the perfect plates for me, thank you!
Roast Onion, Spinach and Pomegranate Salad with Stilton
For 3-4 people you need
medium red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges, 3 (about 300g / 10 1/2 ounces)
baby spinach 200g / 7 ounces
pomegranate 1
Stilton, crumbled, 80g / 3 ounces
Daikon cress (or pepper or water cress), a small handful
olive oil 4 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons for the onions
balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons
white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
honey (liquid) 1 teaspoon
sea salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I used the Rotitherm setting) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the onions on the baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Gently mix with your fingers and roast in the oven for 10 min, turn the onion wedges and cook for another 7-10 minutes or until golden brown and soft.
For the dressing, whisk 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the dark and white vinegar and the honey, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the baby spinach on large plates, lay the onions on top and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and Stilton. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with the cress.
Mediterranean Octopus with Fennel and Orange
This is my favourite octopus recipe, tenderly cooked with star-anise, fennel seeds, bay leaf and garlic before it reveals its fine qualities in a refreshingly light salad side by side with crunchy slices of fennel and juicy orange filets. It's one of the purest ways to savour this seafood which is so unique in taste and so scrumptious when prepared well. Cooked octopus combines a smooth butteriness with the soft sweetness of the fresh sea, it doesn't need much more to caress my taste buds. A little fruity acidity and the flowery aroma of anise and it's complete.
It's that time of year again, when my summer holidays come back to mind and tease me, especially the culinary memories from Malta and Gozo, our second home, and I can't wait to revive them in a few months. This octopus salad makes an annual appearance and will definitely be on my plate more than once. It's one of my personal Mediterranean classics, cooked in my Maltese mother's kitchen and savoured in her garden for lunch, with a glass of crisp Maltese white wine and the sun on my back. So much to look forward to, so let the holiday dreaming begin!
Here's more about the man who taught me to cook octopus with star-anise and fennel seeds, Chef Kurt Micallef from Malta.
Mediterranean Octopus, Fennel and Orange Salad
For 2 people you need
For the octopus
octopus, skinned and cleaned, 300g / 10.5 ounces
star-anise 1 piece
a pinch of fennel seeds
bay leave 1
garlic, cut in half, 1 clove
small onion, cut in half
lemon, sliced, 1/2
For the salad
orange, peeled and cut into fillets, 1
medium fennel bulb, cut into very thin slices, 1, the green chopped
olive oil 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons
white balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon
salt and pepper
In a large pot, bring water with the star-anise, fennel seeds, bay leave, garlic, onion and lemon to the boil. Slip in the octopus and cook on low heat (simmering) for about 45 minutes or until the octopus is tender. Take the octopus out of the broth, let it cool and cut into pieces.
For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, orange juice and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the slices of fennel on plates and lay the octopus and orange on top. Sprinkle lightly with the dressing and fennel green, serve immediately.
Spinach Pesto and Mozzarella di Bufala Sandwich with Black Olives
The combination of mozzarella di bufala and pesto has been with me for as long as I can remember cooking. No matter if it's been praised or put down in the media, I always loved its honest simplicity. The little mounds of fine buffalo milk go so well with the fresh sharpness of green herbs, all these concentrated leaves packed with flavours, like basil, rucola or parsley. Mixed with nuts and seeds, parmesan and garlic, this dish offers one of the purest Italian pleasures in the kitchen.
Sometimes, one needs a little change without moving too far away from the original formula, a new variation which can lead to surprising results, nonetheless very satisfying. My pesto was next on this list! I replaced the traditional herbs with another tasty leave, baby spinach. Their fine aroma of iron, its distinct bitterness which isn't fully developed in the young leaves seemed like the right choice. The obligatory olive oil and parmesan made it nice and smooth but the fresh garlic had to stay out as I was worried that it would be too overpowering. I added some rucola (arugula) instead which gave the spinach a boost, nutty sunflower seeds instead of the sweet pine seeds, a hint of nutmeg, salt and pepper and it was done. It also tastes fantastic with pasta!
My pesto made quite a dramatic appearance on my Italian ciabatta sandwich. I topped it with aromatic black olives which turned them into a stunning Mediterranean beauty. What can I say about the first bite, it was juicy, fresh and green, the soft milkiness in contrast to the oily depth of the black fruits. It was great!
Spinach Pesto and Mozzarella di Bufala Sandwich with Black Olives
You can also use the pesto recipe for pasta.
For 2 sandwiches you need
ciabatta bread (with or without black olives), cut into thick slices
mozzarella di bufala, torn into bite sized pieces, 125g / 4 1/2 ounce
sblack olives 4-6
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, for the topping
For the pesto
fresh baby spinach 125g / 4 1/2 ounces
rucola 25g / 1 ounce plus a small handful
sunflower seeds 2 tablespoons
olive oil 100ml / 3 1/4 ounces
Parmesan, grated, 25g / 1 ounce
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
salt 1/4 teaspoon
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of nutmeg
pepper
Purée the ingredients for the pesto in a blender until smooth, season to taste.
Arrange a few rucola leaves on 2 slices of bread and lay the mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with the pesto, olives and the crushed black pepper. Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Asparagus Tortilla with Mountain Cheese and Tarragon
My first asparagus of the year found its way into my kitchen and I'm as excited as a kid on Easter morning. This is just the start, the beginning of the new season! I can't help thinking of all the other delicious goods which are soon to follow: the first ramp leaves spreading their garlicky aroma in a bowl full of pesto, crunchy fava beans mixed with Parmesan in a creamy risotto, juicy spring cucumber, so concentrated in flavour that some sour cream and dill is enough to throw a quick salad together and enjoy the purest and most simple pleasures of nature's annual awakening. I don't even want to imagine ripe tomatoes dripping juice, I've been missing them for so long and it'll still be a little while before I can savour them. For now I'm just over the moon to have the pretty slim stalks of green asparagus back in my pan.
So two things were on my mind in the past few days which filled me with excitement in the kitchen: the first asparagus of 2015 and my brave decision to make a tortilla after I failed miserably at my first and last attempt more than 20 years ago. My potato omelette was burned on the outside and undone in the middle, a complete kitchen failure created at the beginning of my active culinary journey. Somehow it had an intimidating effect on me considering how long it took to give this dish a second chance. But now I felt ready to give it a go again, my asparagus and some fragrant tarragon at hand to vary this rich Spanish potato classic with some green freshness and a little grated mountain cheese (Swiss Appenzeller) to add its hearty flavours to the vegetables. It's not as big a deal to get the potatoes right as I had imagined (or feared), the only trick is to find the right setting on your cooker. They should cook in the pan on medium heat while covered with a lid without turning black or mushy. It takes about 15 minutes and once they are done, you add some fried onions, eggs and asparagus and let the tortilla cook for a few minutes. I finish it off under the grill to melt the mountain cheese which created a smokey crust on the asparagus. It worked so easily, my tortilla kitchen trauma is finally solved!
Asparagus Tortilla with Mountain Cheese and Tarragon
For 3-4 people you need
green asparagus, trimmed, 400g / 14 ounces
medium waxy potatoes, peeled, 450g / 16 ounces
medium onion, cut in half and thinly sliced, 1
organic eggs 4
hard mountain cheese (like Appenzeller or Gruyère), grated, 60g / 2 ounces
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
olive oil
fresh tarragon, a small handful, to serve
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, to serve
Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes or until just al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain and set aside.
Slice the potatoes very thinly with a cheese or mandoline slicer, spread them between kitchen paper and pat them dry.
In a heavy pan (ovenproof, about 25 cm / 10"), heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for a few minutes until soft, take them out of the pan and set them aside. Put the pan back on the heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Spread the potato slices in the pan, close with a lid and cook for about 12 minutes on medium heat. Check the potatoes with a fork after 5-7 minutes by lifting them a little from the side, mind that they don't burn and adjust the temperature if necessary. After 12 minutes, carefully turn the potatoes with a spatula (like a pancake) and spread the onions on top, give them another 2 minutes. Whisk the eggs with 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour over the potatoes, close with a lid and cook for 2 minutes. Arrange the asparagus on top of the eggs, close the lid again and cook for about 4 minutes or until the egg is set. Lay the grated cheese on top of the tortilla and put the pan under the grill for just a few minutes until the cheese starts to bubble. Sprinkle with tarragon and crushed black pepper before serving.
Carpaccio di Capriolo with Herbs, Ginger, Lemon and Parmesan Crust
I forgot about this recipe completely, unfortunately, as it was divine! This isn't one of my own creations, it was made for me and my family by my cousin Thomas, a very talented young chef. It was definitely too good not to share on eat in my kitchen, so here's Thomas' Carpaccio di Capriolo, prepared and savoured by all of us in my mother's kitchen, we were thrilled!
A few months ago, in late autumn, I wrote about a special weekend at my mother's house in the countryside. My family met to eat, drink, chat and savour, as usual, but this time we had a whole deer to prepare. We got the animal from a farmer close by, he's a hunter but he also keeps deer on his vast land. My cousin Thomas who is experienced in butchering gave us more than a helping hand, he prepared the single cuts and parts to be frozen and used some for our extensive cooking. My mother cooked a heavenly stew for us and later on Thomas prepared two dishes himself, Pâté en Croûte, venison pâté in pastry crust, and one of the best carpaccio's I tasted in my whole life. He used the delicate deer's back which he had just cut, it was exceptionally good. If it's hard for you to find quality venison, especially at this time of the year, you could also prepare this recipe with beef fillet. I definitely recommend you to buy it from your trusted butcher or directly from a farmer as the meat has to be very fresh.
And here's the secret to Thomas' carpaccio: My cousin chef coated the meat in an aromatic crust of finely chopped fresh rosemary, sage and thyme mixed with ginger, lemon zest and aged Parmesan. The thin crust was far from being overpowering, just right to add its quality to the fine flavours of the meat.
I was so busy feasting this weekend that I didn't take many pictures of all the ongoing preparations in my mother's kitchen so I decided to share some of the amazingly beautiful fungi we found on our long walks in the forest. Not to be eaten but so beautiful!
Carpaccio di Capriolo with Herbs, Ginger, Lemon and Parmesan Crust
It works best to cut the carpaccio very thinly with an electric food slicer.
For 4 people you need
fresh venison fillet (or beef fillet) 300g / 10.5 ounces
mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme), finely chopped, 2 tablespoons
aged Parmesan, finely grated, 1 tablespoon
ginger, finely grated, 1 teaspoon
lemon zest 1 teaspoon
ground black pepper
rucola and tomato slices to serve
Mix the herbs, Parmesan, ginger and zest on a large plate and roll the meat in the mixture until evenly coated. Carefully wrap the fillet in cling film and close it like a bonbon wrapper. Keep in the freezer for at least 4 hours before you cut it very thinly with an electric food slicer. Arrange the slices on plates with the rucola and tomato and sprinkle with a little pepper, serve immediately. You could also drizzle some lemon oil over the carpaccio.
Pea Pesto and Caramelized Honey Bacon Sandwich with fresh Marjoram
My first green pesto in 2015! It's made with peas from my freezer as nature isn't exactly ready for my summery cravings yet, I'll have to wait a couple more months. This is the only frozen vegetable you'll find in my kitchen, throughout the whole year. I like to add them to easy pasta dishes, especially with asparagus, mustard and leak, and salads (like my potato salad with rucola pesto and peas). The legume's vitamins - and its taste - are well preserved in these little green balls of summery freshness when they are frozen and they often taste much better than the fresh ones from the greenhouse.
Frozen peas have another lazy advantage, they save me from peeling them which I can enjoy at times but today I wasn't too unhappy about this circumstance. It made the preparation for this sandwich very simple. I blanched the tiny legumes for just a minute to keep them crisp and then mixed them in the blender with fresh marjoram, a little garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. I ended up with the prettiest bright green pesto; the colour was mesmerizing, thick and lush, fresh flavours merged with the marjoram's flowery aroma. I paired it with crunchy bacon, caramelized with a spoonful of honey. Its savoury saltiness was a perfect addition to the sweet and smooth pesto.
When a sandwich is made with such tasty ingredients it can easily deal with strong, dark bread. I went for a nutty whole wheat bun, topped with linseeds, sunflower and sesame seeds. The whole composition was hearty yet fresh and light at the same time.
So, I’m ready, may spring come soon to pursue all my culinary cravings that have been waiting for months!
Here's the recipe for another one of my legume pestos: Fava Bean Pesto with Mint!
Pea Pesto and Caramelized Honey Bacon Sandwich with fresh Marjoram
For 3 sandwiches you need
fresh whole wheat buns, cut in half, 3
breakfast bacon 6 slices
honey 1/2 teaspoon
olive oil
For the pesto
peas (fresh or frozen) 200g / 7 ounces
garlic, quartered, 1 clove
fresh, young marjoram leaves, chopped, 3/4-1 teaspoon, to taste (mind that it's very aromatic), plus a few leaves for the topping
water used to cook the peas 1-3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon
olive oil 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
Blanch the peas and the garlic in boiling salted water for 1 minute, reserve 3 tablespoons of the water, drain and quickly rinse them with cold water. Purée the peas, garlic, chopped marjoram, water used to cook the peas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth, season to taste.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and fry the bacon on medium-high for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Add the honey and caramelize for 1 minute.
Spread the pea pesto on the bottom side of the buns, lay the bacon on top and sprinkle with a few marjoram leaves. Enjoy!
Crispy Pan-Roasted Fennel Potatoes
Fennel seeds are one my favourite spices, preferably the ones I buy from a lovely lady at the market in Marsaxlokk in Malta. Her harvest grows under the hot Mediterranean sun, the plants dig their roots into the limestone soil and clay, in the rich Garrigue. This is the name of a unique and protected ecoregion, scrubland that you find close to the island's coast line, it's rocky and dry and looks a bit like a moon landscape. The ground seems poor but it's actually quite rich in minerals washed out from the rocks, they nurture wild thyme and fennel and add a strong aroma to the vegetation. A single fennel seed is enough to smell and taste the difference compared to the products you can buy in most shops.
My Maltese fennel seeds and the plant's bulb (not from Malta but organic) are the fragrant secrets of my rustic pan filled with golden crisp potatoes. The seeds' and vegetable's sweetness fits perfectly to the yellow roots, together they create an aromatic variation on a comfy kitchen classic. I roasted my potato slices a few hours after they cooked, you have to give them some time to dry out a little if you're after a crisp result. They should always spread evenly in the (heavy) pan and not on top of each other while they are cooking. You might have to roast them in batches but the effort is worth it. I cut the fennel bulb in very thin slices, like a carpaccio, and sautéed them for only 2 minutes in fennel seed infused olive oil. They were just al dente when I mixed them in the pan with the roasted potatoes, crunchy fennel seeds, sea salt and coarsely crushed pepper. We picked up our forks and ate straight out of the skillet, a rather rustic style of eating that fit perfectly to the dish.
Crispy Pan-Roasted Fennel Potatoes
For 2-3 people you need
waxy potatoes, peeled, boiled and rinsed, 700g / 1 1/2 pounds
small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, the green chopped, for the topping, 1
quality fennel seeds (preferably organic), 1 1/2 tablespoons
olive oil
sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Let the potatoes cool and dry on a wire rack for at least 1 hour or a day and cut them into thick slices. In a large heavy pan, heat a generous splash of olive oil and fry the potatoes on medium-high for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Cook them in batches and turn them one by one with a fork to keep their shape. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a splash of olive oil in another pan and cook the fennel seeds on medium heat for 1 minute (they shouldn't get dark). Pull the pan off the heat, take just the seeds out with a tablespoon and set them aside. Put the pan back on and add the fennel slices, sauté them on medium for about 1 minute on each side without getting dark, they should be al dente. Gently mix the roasted potatoes, fennel seeds and slices in the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste, serve immediately.
Thyme, Rosemary and Parmesan Meatballs with Pasta and Tomato Sugo
This is the essence of Italian food for me, a huge plate full of warm pasta with tiny meat balls, fruity tomato sugo and fresh thyme and rosemary. A glass of the deepest red wine, Caruso on the vinyl player and the world is as perfect as it can possible be!
I first learned to enjoy burgers through my Maltese/ American partner, he introduced these rather well sized portions of meat to my cooking. In the past, I only used to shape little balls of minced beef, lamb or pork in my kitchen, that's how I learned it from my mother and I followed her recipe for years. She mixes the meat with eggs and breadcrumbs for a fluffy texture and lots of fresh herbs from her garden before she gives them a small round shape. In general, she's not a big fan of huge portions on her plate so the dimensions of a proper burger didn't really appeal to her. This only changed in the past few years, now she tells me with excitement about rustic burger nights in her kitchen!
I can't even say which size I prefer, sometimes my appetite calls for a massive burger, preferably pure minced steak stuffed between a bun with some greens and thin tomato slices. Small meatballs are a delicious (and addictive) snack, warm and cold. They are perfect nibbles for a brunch or casual cocktail party, and absolutely tempting when it comes to pasta. Cook them in an aromatic tomato sugo, or with lots of onions and white wine, and you'll have the most comforting dish on your plate. Their size should always be small enough to fit on a fork with a bit of sugo on top, heavenly! And here my mother's recipe comes in again, I mixed the minced meat with lots of fresh thyme, rosemary and garlic to give it a rich Mediterranean touch. And not to forget grated parmesan, 3 heaped tablespoons melted into the tiny balls added the cheese's wonderful aroma to the meat. For the sugo, I used tinned tomatoes, full of summery flavour and sweetness, at this point the fresh ones aren't an option yet. I added some red wine, Balsamico vinegar, a tiny bit of fresh orange juice and chopped rosemary to end up with a concentrated red sauce full of beautiful flavours. It looked stunning and tasted just as good.
Thyme, Rosemary and Parmesan Meatballs with Pasta and Tomato Sugo
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300g / 10 1/2 ounces
For the meatballs
minced beef 500g / 1 pound
organic egg 1
breadcrumbs 40g / 1 1/2 ounces
medium onion, finely chopped 1
garlic, crushed, 2 big cloves
fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons
fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon
freshly grated Parmesan 3 heaping tablespoons
salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
pepper
olive oil, for frying
butter 2 tablespoons, for frying
For the tomato sugo
red wine 75ml/ 2 1/2 ounces
fresh thyme 1 small sprig
quality tinned tomatoes 600g / 1 1/4 pounds
balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons, to taste
freshly squeezed orange juice 1 1/2 tablespoons, to taste
fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1 1/2 teaspoons
salt and pepper
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
Mix the ingredients for the meatballs with your hands or an electric mixer until well combined. Wet your hands and form walnut sized meatballs. In a large pan, heat a generous splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter and fry the meatballs for about 6 minutes on medium heat, turning them so that they can brown evenly. Take the meatballs out and set them aside, cover them with a lid. Put the pan back on the heat and deglaze with the red wine, add the thyme sprig and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, chop them and add the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes (bubbling) or until it starts to thicken and season with salt, pepper, orange juice and vinegar to taste. Add the meatballs to the sugo and cook for another minute on low heat. Serve with the spaghetti in warm plates.
Blue Cheese Omelette and Rosemary Prosciutto Ciabatta Sandwich
An especially luscious sandwich for an especially fun occasion: Anna from Pinterest asked me to join their March Breakfast Campaign with an eat in my kitchen sandwich board on my profile. After 65 creations on the blog dedicated to all the delicious culinary wonders that can possibly happen between two slices of bread, it's time to give the sandwich the attention it deserves.
I started my Pinterest profile around the same time as the blog, in winter 2013, to spark my own inspiration but also to share all my finds from the wide spheres of the web. All the wonderful dishes from all over the world that tickle my taste buds, the kitchen pictures that made me want to remodel parts of my own creative culinary space a couple weeks ago, and the endless great ideas you can find for interior design, fashion, architecture, gardening and traveling. I enjoy the time that I spend on this network as it gives me useful information directly connected to the original creator, that's fantastic! So, if you've followed my Sandwich-Wednesdays over the past 15 months and you're looking for a summary, and some more great recipes from other sandwich lovers, you can take a look at my new Pinterest Sandwich board here!
The celebration of this amazingly easy (most of the time) and highly loved snack called for a voluptuous recipe that combines a few ingredients which almost guarantee a scrumptious result: blue cheese, omelette, rosemary prosciutto and rucola on oily ciabatta bread. The sharp cheese definitely takes the egg to another level, even if you want to leave out the bread, you should try this duo one day. Rosemary prosciutto is my all-time favourite ham, thin slices of the finest Italian art of butchering refined with the woody herb, this is perfection made complete with the slight sweetness of the light and fluffy eggs and the salty cheese. It can't get any better when it comes to the easy enjoyments at table!
Blue Cheese Omelette and Rosemary Prosciutto Ciabatta Sandwich
For 2 sandwiches you need
medium ciabatta bread, cut into 2 pieces, 1
organic eggs 3
heavy cream 50ml / 1 3/4 ounces
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
blue cheese, crumbled, 50g / 1 3/4 ounces
Italian rosemary prosciutto, very thinly slices, 2-4 large slices
butter 1 tablespoon
olive oil 1/2-1 teaspoon
rucola, a small handful
fresh rosemary, a few sprigs, for the topping
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, for the topping
Whisk the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a pan and pour in the egg mixture, scramble very lightly and fold onto itself. When the bottom side starts to become golden flip it around. Brown it lightly from the other side for about a minute. Take the pan off the heat and sprinkle the blue cheese on top of the warm omelette.
Cut the ciabatta pieces in half and brush each bottom half with a little olive oil, lay a few rucola leaves on top. Divide the blue cheese omelette in half when the cheese starts to melt and lay on top of the green leaves. Sprinkle with a few rosemary needles and pepper and cover with the rosemary prosciutto. Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Green Bean, Artichoke and Grapefruit Salad with Kalamata Olives & Rosemary
The change of season is nearing (finally!) and the first spring vegetables are back in my kitchen, green beans! They aren't locally grown and had to travel a bit to reach my cooker but their crunchy green gave me culinary proof that the end of winter is near!
The recipe is easy, I went for a quick bean salad with bittersweet pink grapefruit and a light rosemary orange dressing. I had a colourful plate in mind with lots of different flavours, antipasta feeling combined with sharp freshness. I pulled out a few pantry treasures to mix with the fruit and vegetable: preserved artichoke hearts and juicy Kalamata olives. A strong composition without a single overpowering ingredient, the perfect salad to get prepared for all the summery, culinary pleasures ahead of us!
Green Bean, Artichoke and Pink Grapefruit Salad with Kalamata Olives and Rosemary
For 2 people you need
green beans, the ends cut off, 300g / 10.5 ounces
pink grapefruit, cut into fillets, 1
preserved artichoke hearts, quartered, 4
Kalamata olives 8
olive oil 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tablespoons
fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1 heaping teaspoon
salt and pepper
Blanch the beans in lots of salted water for 4-5 minutes or until al dente, rinse with cold water for 2 seconds and drain.
Arrange the beans, grapefruit, artichoke and olives in a large bowl. Whisk the olive oil, orange juice, rosemary, salt and pepper and season to taste. Sprinkle the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.
Shrimp Sandwich with Cumin Guacamole, Coriander and Chili Peppers
Sometimes I sit in my kitchen, or on my sofa in the living room, I close my eyes and imagine food. Just food. I can see colourful ingredients, vegetables, seafood, spices and herbs, or beautiful dishes carefully prepared on plates. I don't have to do anything, these pictures appear naturally in front of my inner eye. It's a helpful gift and the reason I never fear running out of inspiration, as long as I take my time to sit down with a cup of tea, relax and let go my kitchen ideas will come to me.
Culinary daydreams are fun and I particularly enjoy the ones about new sandwich creations. It makes me feel like a child in a toy shop. I can pull any ingredient out of the imaginary shelf, mix wildly and create whatever comes to mind on the plates, or I can keep it simple and work (or dream) minimal. Fruit and ripe cheese is always a great match, but there's so much more, sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy, sour and spicy, fresh and aged aromas, there are endless possibilities.
It's an exciting process as I never know how it will taste until I finished taking the last picture and enjoy the first bite. Some recipes are hard to imagine but I always follow my gut feeling (literally) and that's quite reliable. Today I felt like cumin guacamole, it's a great fusion of this distinctive spice and the wonderful velvety fruit, they truly bring out the best in each other! I merged this duo with the salty taste of the sea, fresh herbs and some hot spiciness. Shrimp, avocado, coriander and red chili peppers stuffed between a bun, my daydreaming was right, it was delicious!
Shrimp Sandwich with Cumin Guacamole, Coriander and Chili Peppers
For 2 sandwiches you need
buns, cut in half, 2
shrimps, cooked and peeled, 100g / 3.5 ounces
small ripe avocados, peeled, 2
sour cream 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
a pinch of cumin
salt and pepper
fresh red chili pepper, thinly sliced, 1
fresh coriander leaves, a small handful
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, for the topping
Cut 1 avocado into slices, chop the second one with a fork and mix with 2 tablespoons of the sour cream. Season with lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the guacamole between the 2 buns and spread it voluptuously on the bottom half. Lay the shrimp and avocado slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining sour cream, the chili pepper, crushed pepper and coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Wedges with Parmesan, Parsley and Onions
Oven roasting creates certain flavours and aromas in vegetables that you'd never achieve with other cooking techniques like blanching or sautéing. Sometimes it just adds a little finesse to the root, cabbage or squash's own qualities, but in some cases it puts the whole experience on another level. Aubergines are a great example. To me, they show their most delicious side when brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and crushed black pepper before they reveal their whole impact under the grill. The exceptional taste of a slice of perfectly grilled aubergine is the best that can happen to this fruit, in my eyes!
A few days ago, I wrote about my low enthusiasm for cabbage this winter, I'm just not in the mood, but still, I had to buy this little head of cauliflower cuteness when I saw it at the market. Sometimes you just need to the see and smell the food on your plate to wake up the taste buds. Oven roasting came to mind and seemed like the right approach to deal with this pretty vegetable. I remembered my baked fennel with homemade sausage I wrote about a year ago, I topped the blanched bulbs with a crust of fried onions, garlic, parsley and parmesan and roasted them under the oven. I prepared my cauliflower the same way, added some lemon zest but left out the pre-blanching. Cut into slim wedges, they only needed 15 minutes to turn into crunchy bites, al dente and with the wonderful aroma of all the roasted flavours.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Wedges with Parmesan, Parsley and Onions
For 2-3 as a main or 4 as a side dish you need
small cauliflower, cut into slim wedges, 1
medium onions, finely chopped, 2
garlic, crushed, 2 big cloves
fresh parsley, chopped, 3 heaping tablespoons
lemon zest 1 teaspoon
Parmesan, freshly grated (coarse, not fine), 80g / 3 ounces
olive oil 4 tablespoons plus more for frying
coarse sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, to taste
Set the oven to 220°C / 430°F (I used the Rotitherm setting).
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and cook the onions for a few minutes until golden and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stir in the lemon zest and parsley and set aside.
Spread the cauliflower wedges on a baking sheet and coat them with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the wedges and roast for another 5 minutes. Cover the cauliflower with the onion parsley mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.
Lamb Chops with Orange-Herb Crust & Mediterranean Mashed Potatoes
When the popular German food magazine Lust auf Genuss asked to feature eat in my kitchen in their February print issue I was more than excited. This magazine is a culinary gem! Their fantastic team creates so many amazing recipes and shares detailed information about our every day ingredients. I really love their special columns about wine makers and other fascinating food producers and their delicious products, just reading through the pages and seeing the pictures makes me want to cook!
I was very lucky, this month's issue was about citrus fruits which made my pleasure even greater, there is barely a recipe without oranges, lemons or tangerines coming out of my kitchen at the moment. So a whole magazine dedicated to my beloved powerful fruits felt like the perfect surrounding for a feature about me and the blog, especially because I was asked to contribute a new recipe which wasn't on the blog yet. My first choice was guinea fowl with lemon ricotta stuffed under the skin but the magazine's own cooking team had a similar recipe in mind. Lamb chops were next on my list. Easter is close and there'll definitely be lamb on the table at one point, it also combines wonderfully with citrus flavours. It seemed just perfect. The decision for the final recipe was actually made in the forest, during an afternoon walk with my mother. We chatted about the feature and within seconds the idea was set: the chops quickly seared and topped with a thin slice of orange then finished under the grill. The orange coated in a layer of chopped, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and sage) mixed with parmesan and olive oil. The ripe cheese creates a fine crust in the oven and adds its wonderful aroma to the composition.
I served the lamb with lemony Mediterranean mashed potatoes to keep it pure and simple, just olive oil, sea salt and a bit of lemon zest chopped with a knife into the roots. This is the right meal to get into the mood for spring and all its culinary pleasures!
Lamb Chops with Orange Herb Crust & Mediterranean Mashed Potatoes
For 2 people you need
For the lamb chops
lamb chops (1 1/2-2cm / 3/4" thick) 6, about 450g / 16 ounces
organic orange, ends cut off, very thinly sliced, 1 (you'll need 6 slices)
olive oil 3 tablespoons plus more for frying
mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme), finely chopped, 1 tablespoon
freshly grated aged Parmesan 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper
Set the oven to grill (broiler), the oven has to be hot when you put the meat in.
Whisk the olive oil, herbs and Parmesan and coat 6 slices of orange generously with the herb oil on both sides. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and sear the lamb chops over a high heat for 1 minute on each side. I like them rare, keep them in the pan for another 30 seconds if you prefer them medium. Take the pan off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of herb coated orange on each piece of meat and put the lamb chops under the hot grill for about 1 minute (just let cheese melt and the rind turn golden brown). Serve with the mashed potatoes.
For the mashed potatoes
potatoes, peeled and cooked in salted water, about 400g / 14 ounces
olive oil 50ml / 2 ounces
lemon zest 1 1/2 teaspoons
sea salt
Chop the warm potatoes with a knife until they have a lumpy texture adding the oil constantly. Stir in the zest and season with salt.
Grilled Endive, Ham, Raclette and Pear Sandwich
The thought behind this sandwich is simple: 1. I love the bittersweet combination of endive and pear, 2. the rustic duo of ham and endive gives me a cosy feeling which I desperately crave in February and 3. melted hearty raclette fits to (almost) everything. Just the idea of combining these four ingredients in a grilled sandwich sounded so promising that I could barely wait to take the first bite of my new creation. Usually, I'm quite disciplined while I take pictures for my posts but this time I truly suffered behind the camera. It didn't really help that the smell of this little beauty was even more tempting than its mouthwatering good looks, it was quite a cruel teaser!
The result was so pleasing that I quickly prepared a second batch as the first one went down so well. You can use any hard cheese for this sandwich as long as it melts well and tastes strong enough to stand up next to the other ingredients. I can imagine a ripe blue cheese or camembert would be just as good. I'm a big fan of raclette, its powerful aroma is just made to merge with vegetables, meat or pasta. This Swiss cheese is far from being shy without being obtrusive, and it forms these little smoky bubbles under the grill which smell and taste fantastic. The preparation is quick and easy, I sautéed the endives on both sides before I stacked them on a rustic bun between ham, pear wedges and a generous slice of cheese. Just a few minutes under the grill and the raclette took over my kitchen!
Grilled Endive, Ham, Raclette and Pear Sandwich
For 2 sandwiches you need
sourdough bread 4 slices
small Belgian endives, cut in half (lengthwise), 2
ham 4 slices
pear, cut into thin wedges, 1/2
raclette cheese, sliced, 80g / 3 ounces
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, for the topping
salt
olive oil
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and sauté the endives on medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, season with salt and pepper.
Lay 2 slices of ham on a slice of sourdough bread, spread the pear on top and finish with the sautéed endive. Spread some cheese over the vegetable and continue with the second sandwich. Put both sandwiches under the grill for a few minutes or until the cheese starts bubbling. Sprinkle with pepper and enjoy!
Rosemary Butter Beans with Maple Roast Roots
I don't know why but this winter I didn't really get into the mood for cabbage. Give me beans, lentils, all kinds of legumes and I'm happy. And whenever I pulled roasted roots out of my oven I was almost ecstatic, but cabbage, unfortunately, left me a bit uninspired. This is quite unusual for me, I would sometimes cook it every week in big batches in the cold season, cauliflower, kale, red cabbage heads and savoy, my freezer was always full with leftovers from my various cabbage creations.
I believe that you should follow your taste, your gut feeling in life. Whatever your appetite calls for stands for something that your body needs at that moment, not only when it comes to food. Lets leave out the excessive consuming of chocolate and cakes, this doesn't count in my train of thought, that's more for the soul rather than for the body, which is as important. My appetite definitely calls for legumes and roots! There weren't many cabbage recipes on eat in my kitchen this winter, just three, my Ginger Lemon Ricotta stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Savoy Cabbage with Coriander and Maltese Sausage and the Christmassy Roasted Red Cabbage with Orange Wedges. Roots, beans and lentils, that's what I put into my pots and pans most of the time.
Today's recipe combines both, velvety butter beans cooked with rosemary and caramelized mixed roots roasted in the oven in sticky maple syrup olive oil. The carrots, beetroot and Navet roots (yellow turnip) were still a bit crunchy and just as good when they were cold. This was our energising snack together with yesterday's olive oil bundt cake while we remodeled the kitchen. This dish works as a warming meal or a rich salad, just prepare a bigger batch and enjoy it for days!
White Rosemary Beans and Maple Roast Roots
For 3-4 people you need
dried butter beans, soaked in lots of water overnight, 250g / 9 ounces
broth to cook the beans (or 1 carrot, 1/4 celery root and 1/4 leek)
fresh rosemary, a small bunch
Navet roots (yellow turnip), cut into wedges, 3 (or 1 small rutabaga, peeled)
medium beetroots, peeled and cut into wedges, 2
carrots, peeled, cut in half (lengthwise), 10
cloves of garlic, in their skin, 6
olive oil 6 tablespoons
maple syrup 1 tablespoon
balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon
coarse sea salt and pepper
In a large pot, cook the beans in enough broth - or in water with the carrot (cut in half), celery (peeled) and leek (cut in half) - for about an hour, don't add any salt. Add a sprig of rosemary in the last 15 minutes. When the beans are done take them out with a slotted ladle and mix them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Season to taste.
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I used the Rotitherm setting).
Whisk 5 tablespoons of olive oil with the maple syrup and pepper. Spread the roots in a large baking dish or on a tray and coat them with the maple oil, add a few sprigs of rosemary. Sprinkle the roots generously with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and al dente, turn them every 15 minutes. Serve on top of the beans.
Homemade Malloreddus Pasta with Parmesan Butter
When I make my own malloreddus pasta at home, with a glass of Chianti in reach and crackling vinyl on the record player, I'm almost in Italy. Shaping pasta without a machine is pure meditation and it's just as relaxing. The dough is firm yet elastic and it feels so nice to roll it in your hands to a thin sausage shape. It takes a while, this isn't a 10 minute dinner, it's not something to have on the table as soon as possible, this is slow food, literally. Some people like to knit or sew, repair old radios or play an instrument to calm down, I like to roll my pasta.
Malloreddus is an old Sardinian pasta made of semolina flour often refined with saffron. Traditionally, it's rolled over a ridged surface that gives it a similar look to gnocchi and led to the second name, Gnocchetti Sardi. I learned another technique, here the pasta is pressed against the back of a knife which gives it a slightly bend shape, perfect to collect all kinds of sauces and meaty juices. Today I kept it simple, I wanted to enjoy the pure and honest taste of the semolina pasta so I just made a velvety parmesan butter. This is one of the many culinary tips from my mother, we visited her last week and I came home with lots of recipes and enough inspiration for the next few months. Her parmesan butter is mixed in a blender and unfolds a beautiful aroma when it's stirred into the pasta, it just needed some lemon zest, fresh basil and crushed pepper - Italian perfection!
Malloreddus with Parmesan Butter
For 2-3 people you need
durum semolina flour 300g / 10 1/2 ounces
plain flour 50g / 2 ounces
salt 1 teaspoon
water 170ml / 6 ounces
olive oil 1 tablespoon
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, to serve
flaky sea salt, to serve
lemon zest, to serve
fresh basil leaves, to serve
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
For the Parmesan butter
butter, at room temperature, 40g / 1 1/2 ounces
freshly grated Parmesan 40g / 1 1/2 ounces
Combine the semolina, flour and salt, make a well in the centre and add the water and olive oil. Mix with the electric mixer or a spoon until combined. Continue kneading with your hands for a few minutes until elastic, the dough shouldn't be sticky but firm and stretchable. Form a ball and wrap it in cling film. Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. You could also keep it in the fridge for a few hours.
Take a small piece of dough (keep the remaining dough wrapped) and roll it between your hands or on the kitchen top until it's about 7mm / 1/4" thick. Cut it into 2cm / 3/4" pieces and press them against the back of a knife (lengthwise). If you prefer the traditional ribbed surface you can roll the single pasta over a gnocchi ridger. Keep the malloreddus on a floured baking sheet and continue rolling the remaining dough.
In a large pot, bring salted water to the boil and cook the malloreddus for 4-5 minutes or until al dente.
Mix the butter and Parmesan in a blender (or with a tablespoon) until smooth.
Serve the pasta on warm plates mixed with a spoonful of the Parmesan butter, salt, pepper, lemon zest and basil.
