Rhubarb and Cucumber Caprese
After months of calming my mind and palate with familiar comfort dishes - creating a soothing counterpart to the uncertainties in the world - I suddenly feel a growing appetite for kitchen experiments again. Pizza, spaghetti Bolognese, German stews and roasts, and yes, baking sourdough bread, gave me comfort and safety while the world turned upside down and pulled me off my feet. But I recently started to feel curious and hungry again, searching and finding a refreshing caprese salad with pickled rhubarb, orange blossom water, cucumber, mozzarella di bufala and mint.
As I leaved through Marc Diacono's fabulous new book, Sour, which was nominated for a James Beard Award this year, I immediately stopped on page 147 as I spotted a vibrant pink Rhubarb and Radish Salad. Marc uses raw rhubarb that he cuts very thinly and marinates in rose water. That made me think. I always cook, bake or roast rhubarb and wasn't quite sure if I'd fall in love with its distinct taste and texture when raw. The British cookbook author adds blue cheese and dill and this, in combination with the rose water, wraps it up snugly. It's sour, it's bold and somehow harmonic, or in Marc's words: "The rose water sets everything off and encourages the radish and rhubarb to sit a little closer together while retaining their independence."
So I asked myself, would that also work with orange blossom water? And what about quickly pickling the rhubarb first and adding crisp cucumber and a hint of fresh mint? I find blue cheese too strong for cucumber but a creamy mozzarella di bufala or Burrata would work. All of a sudden I had a very unusual caprese salad in front of me that had all the crispness, sourness and excitement that I was hoping for. To be fair, one can only truly appreciate this unorthodox caprese variation if one loves sour and is up for having some fun with an Italian classic. I have a Winter Caprese with Blood Orange, Beet and Mozzarella di Bufala in my 365 book and when I came up with that recipe I understood that a) a good mozzarella di bufala and especially Burrata can deal with strong flavors and b) playing with a traditional recipe is a good way to keep tradition alive.
Rhubarb and Cucumber Caprese
Serves 2
1 slim rhubarb stalk (around 60g / 2 ounces), trimmed and thinly sliced with a mandoline slicer or sharp knife
60ml / 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
60ml / 1/4 cup orange blossom water (or freshly squeezed orange juice)
flaky sea salt
1 small / Persian cucumber (with skin, rinsed), thinly sliced with a mandoline slicer or sharp knife
125g / 4.5 ounces mozzarella di bufala or Burrata
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
crushed or coarsely ground black peppercorns
4-6 fresh (young) mint leaves, very finely sliced
Transfer the rhubarb to a medium, heat-resistant bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt to a boil. Stir in the orange blossom water, keep it on the heat just until it starts boiling then pour over the rhubarb and let sit for about 1 hour. You will use the rhubarb and the pickling liquid for the caprese salad.
Quicker but less satisfying: In a small bowl, mix the rhubarb with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt and let sit for 10 minutes. The texture will be tougher and not as crisp compared to the properly pickled rhubarb described above.
Spread the cucumber and 1/3 of the pickled rhubarb on a large plate, adding more rhubarb once you tasted it, and arrange the mozzarella in the middle. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid and 2 tablespoons of orange juice then drizzle over the salad. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and mint (mind that the mint is very powerful!). Taste and add more of the pickling liquid if you prefer more of a sour note. Enjoy the salad immediately.
Feta and Fennel Barley with Caramelized Kumquats
My latest discovery of a barley recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's stunning Jerusalem cookbook was a life changing event in my kitchen. I finally like barley!
For years my mother has been trying to convince me of the little grain's qualities - unsuccessfully. I'm not a huge fan of orzotto or risotto, I can enjoy both of them for lunch but I wouldn't call them a great source of inspiration. But then, as I thumbed through the pages of Jerusalem, page number 81 caught my attention: Parsley & Barley Salad. The title doesn't mention the ingredient that changed everything for me, feta. The two London chefs marinate the cheese in spiced oil before they finish off their composition with barley, lots and lots of parsley, and spring onions. They also add cashews but I skipped them, I'm not too fond of nuts in my cooking.
So what happens is that, when I really like a recipe, my mind starts spinning looking for variations. First I added much more barley than mentioned in the recipe to turn it into a richer meal befitting these cold winter evenings. Then I stirred in raw, thinly sliced fennel, blood orange juice, mint, and honey-caramelized kumquats (an inspiration from last year's celeriac salad). Ottolenghi and Tamimi use za'tar for their spice oil, which I replaced with ground cardamom and fennel seeds. Crushed coriander seeds and allspice berries are taken from their recipe and add a warming touch to it.
You'll end up with quite a vibrant dish that can be eaten cold, as a salad, or slightly warm, as a main or side dish. Although the spiced oil, salty cheese, and sour kumquats are quite prominent, the nutty barley and crunchy fennel aren't shy here either. What's great about it, is that you can play with it, add and change spices, fruits, and vegetables according to your mood and the season. Just stick to barley and marinated feta, that's the secret.
Feta and Fennel Barley with Caramelized Kumquats
Serves 3-4
pearl barley 100g / 1/2 cup
olive oil 5 tablespoons, plus a splash
coriander seeds, ground in a mortar, 3/4 teaspoon
allspice berries, ground in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon
fennel seeds, ground in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon
ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon
ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon
feta, cut into cubes, 150g / 5 ounces
medium fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced, 1
freshly squeezed blood orange juice 4 tablespoons
fine sea salt
ground pepper
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
For the caramelized kumquats
honey 2 tablespoons
kumquats, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, 12 (or 12 orange fillets, peeled)
freshly squeezed orange juice 4 tablespoons
Cook the barley in salted water until al dente, drain in a colander, and rinse briefly with water.
In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, coriander, allspice, fennel seeds, cumin, and cardamom. Add the feta and mix gently until the cheese is coated with oil and spices, set aside.
For the caramelized kumquats, in a small, heavy pan, heat the honey over high heat until liquid and bubbling. Add the kumquats and orange juice and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom, turn and cook for another 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until soft and caramelized; mind that they don’t become too dark.
Transfer the barley, sliced fennel, orange juice, and feta with the spiced oil to a large bowl and stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in a little more olive oil if it's too dry. Sprinkle with mint and arrange the kumquats on top. Enjoy warm or cold.
A Mediterranean Ħobż biż-Żejt sandwich and the most emotional book launch in Malta
So many emotions, tears and laughter, lots of food and wine, family and friends - I had the best time in Malta and enjoyed every moment of my second book launch event. Our plane landed late on our little island the Mediterranean, it was past midnight when I stepped out into Malta's humid air. However, it wasn't too late for a chat in the kitchen and a large piece of the island's famous lampuki pie (only in season during September and October). I slept like a stone that night which was good, as the next days were packed with excitement.
My mother arrived a day before us, so we had a date, early in the morning. My man and I went up to Valletta to meet her for breakfast and then we went on a mission. The three of us drove to Sliema to find a dress for my first TV interview. I had no idea how this premiere would turn out, so I wanted to look pretty at least, in case I made a fool of myself. We had fun and found my new favourite dress, it's cut perfectly and still allows me to eat as much as I want - an ideal dress in my eyes. Afterwards, we had enough time for a short dip in the clear blue sea and a drink to celebrate our reunion at our beloved beach bar, at Exiles. Knowing what was soon to come, we enjoyed the calm before the storm, before books and drinks had to be picked up for the big event on the following day, before phone calls and last minute decisions had to be made; and so the afternoon flew by.
The evening turned into a far bigger (and more excessive) feast than expected, we met family and friends at Chris' Legligin Wine Bar. We ate Maltese tapas, drank local wine, and then at the end, late at night, Chris sang a song for us to celebrate the Eat In My Kitchen book. There was a moment that I'll never forget, I looked into my mama's eyes and both of us couldn't stop smiling. It might not have been responsible to indulge in the pleasures of this long night a day before a book launch, but it would have been a sin to miss it. Although we all felt a bit rough the next morning, no one had any regrets.
The good thing about a busy event day is that there isn't really enough time to be nervous and think about what's going on. I got up, dressed up, drove to the TVM station, and started the interview before I even noticed that we were live on air. It was all over after just a few minutes and I found myself surprised, happy, and relieved in front of the TVM building. Thank you Ben Camilleri for inviting me to Twelve to 3! You can watch my interview here.
When we packed the car with all the things you need at a book launch (a lot!), we noticed that we didn't really think about where my mama would sit. Both of us dressed up in pretty dresses, we squeezed ourselves onto the front seat of our wobbly jeep (my mother says this car feels like a boat) and arrived safely in front of the impressive gates of the stunningVilla Bologna. Jasper de Trafford and his lovely mother Charlotte were so kind to share the baroque gardens of their beautiful villa with us for our special night. Villa Bologna is one of these places that feels unreal when you see it for the first time. It's too beautiful, too special, too out of this world, it's simply too perfect to be true. I fell in love with the building, but even more so with its gardens. To have been able to celebrate my Malta book launch right there, is a great gift, it's a precious memory that I'll never forget in my whole life. Thank you Jasper and Charlotte!
The night flew by far too quickly, as always when life feels so good that you could hug the whole world. There were only smiling faces around me, friends and family who are close to me, but also people who I've never met before who just seemed so happy to see their local culinary treasures in a book. I don't know of another country where people support each other so genuinely. I felt so much love that night, so much excitement. When I held my speech - the most emotional of all my speeches so far - I felt my heart pumping like a race car, but at the same time it felt so good to be surrounded by all my loved ones. By my mama, who inspired me to write this book, by my man who goes through the roughest times with me no matter what obstacles we find in front of us, my Maltese mama Jenny who brought so much joy - and her son - into my life. Prestel UK's PR executive, Emma Cook, who flew down from London to welcome our guests together with Peter Carbonaro, our dear friend who came straight from Ibiza to join our celebrations. Mr Cini, my salt man from Gozo and his wife Rose, their daughter Josephine and her family, they all came from Gozo just for this night. And then, when my salt family met my honey man, Arnold Grech, we witnessed one of the many highlights of this night. It was a moment that we'll all never forget, two of Malta's food ambassadors met in front of the historic setting of Villa Bologna. Mama, stuttering and in awe, said 'this is like a Fellini movie'. I usually wouldn't choose this word, but here it fits perfectly, this moment was epic.
Luckily, lots of pictures were taken by the great photographer Kris Micallef, thank you for catching all these unforgettable memories. The lights went off in the magical gardens of Villa Bologna, and then, just happiness, and a last glass of wine in Valletta at The Harbour Club before I said goodnight to my Malta, and went to bed.
When I decided to jump into my extensive book tour in Europe and in the US, I made a wise choice. I knew that I wouldn't have enough time to cook the recipes from my book myself. In Malta, I had the helping hands from my dear friend Marina Fabic, I wouldn't have managed this without her. She's an angel and a fantastic chef, thank you for your belief, support, and help, my friend! Dani Vella, the young founder of Flora's in Naxxar, baked the cakes for our event and she and her team made my creations look even prettier than in my book. You guys are amazing, thank you! There's one recipe in the sweet chapter of my book, which isn't my own, it's Joanna Bonnici's delicious Pudina. When I tried this local speciality at her house for the first time, I knew I'd need her Maltese bread pudding recipe if there was ever an Eat In My Kitchen book. I wrote a book, Joanna gave me her family recipe, and now we're both in a book. Joanna is the sweetest mama, she's a true inspiration in the kitchen, and the right person to talk to if you want to learn about Maltese cuisine.
I wanted my book launch events to be like a family feast, or like a relaxed dinner party with friends, with good food and lots of wine. And we managed so far. A great man and connoisseur, Karl Chetcuti from the Meridiana Wine Estate Malta, is the reason why we have exceptional wine at all of my book launch events. Karl, without you and your wine, my book tour wouldn't taste as good and it wouldn't be as much fun either. Thank you for supporting me and even traveling through Europe with us.
The event in Malta was the biggest of all of them, there were more than 120 people. As I saw our guestlist becoming longer and longer, I called for help. Brian Calleja from Island Caterers answered immediately and sent me Jesmond and his colleagues. From that moment, I didn't have to worry about anything. They set up all we needed, served our dishes, and had the whole event under control until the last guests disappeared and silence returned to the gardens of Villa Bologna. Thank you!
And last but not least, a shout-out to Jo Caruana and Iggy Fenech, my fabulous PR team in Malta. You took care of this event, you spread the word about the Eat In My Kitchen book, and you've both done an amazing job.
And then the calm came back. On the last night before my mother left the island, we enjoyed an unforgettable dinner at Rita's Lapsi View. We were the only guests sitting outside, as a chilled breeze blew over the cliffs. The view was too good and the silence out there too tempting to leave our table and go inside (which is also quite an experience, thanks to the restaurant's original 60s interior, and hopefully it'll never change!). The owner had to be waiter and chef that night, usually he's neither, but he didn't mind. He only asked my mother for help, to mix our Aperol Spritz, an offer that she gladly excepted. She went straight behind the bar and our chef started cooking.
I've eaten at Rita's very often, and it's always good, but this night's dinner was outstanding: raw and grilled Maltese prawns, calamari and caponata, pasta rizzi (sea urchin), a whole St. Peters fish cooked to perfection, and freshly baked mqaret. It was a feast - another one. At the beginning of our extensive dinner, as we enjoyed the last sips of our drinks mixed by mama, looking into the golden sunset, our chef teased our appetite with a Maltese classic: the popular Ħobż biż-Żejt. Thick slices of Maltese sourdough bread spread with olive oil and kunserva, a concentrated, sweet tomato paste. The most basic version would be to season it with salt and pepper, at Rita's they add thin slices of raw red onion and fresh mint leaves. My mama almost went ecstatic, she was so impressed by the flavours and the simplicity of this local pleasure.
And this is the recipe I'll share with you today. I mentioned last week that I'll only be able to write about quick and easy creations while I'm on my book tour. I love to be on the road, I enjoy this adventure to the fullest, but when I have a few days at home, I can't tell you how much I treasure some bread, cheese, and nibbles in my own kitchen. I just have to make my Maltese sandwich and all the beautiful memories of the craziest week in Malta come back. Ħobż biż-Żejt is great for breakfast, a delicious lunch snack, and a fantastic (and very easy) appetizer for your next dinner party.
You can see all the pictures of the book launch in Malta taken by Kris Micallef here.
Thank you Malta! xx
Ħobż biż-Żejt
Serves 2
white rustic bread, 2 large, thick slices
olive oil, about 2 tablespoons
kunserva (tomato paste), about 1-2 tablespoons
flaky sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
medium red onion, cut into very thin strips, 1/4
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
Drizzle the bread generously with olive oil, then spread with kunserva and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut the bread in half and sprinkle with onion and mint. Serve and enjoy!
Back on the islands: Grouper with Watermelon and my first days in Malta
I'm back, I'm back, I'm back! My first days in Malta have been packed with excitement, overwhelming joy, and a tight schedule. When you haven't seen your Maltese family and friends for so many months, you have to be prepared that everybody wants to see you as soon as possible - which led to two weeks of dinner parties and long chats at breakfast tables and in beach bars. Whenever it was possible, I squeezed in extensive snorkeling trips and my beloved visits to the fish market, my vegetable man Leli, and the (almost) daily treats at my confectionary in Msida, Busy Bee.
We went to a beautiful wedding just two days after we arrived to celebrate the love of Michelle and Michelangelo. The event was announced as a 'farm wedding', so I slid into a simple flowery dress. However, my German idea of a farm had nothing to do with the venue that extended before my eyes as the heavy gates opened. We passed countless trees, a gorgeous cubistic house built of golden Maltese limestone, and a bubbling fountain. After a quick stop at the tempting cocktail bar, I found myself in the middle of a huge space surrounded by fields, filled with beautiful people wearing long dresses and swallow-tailed coats. Needless to say I felt a little underdressed, but that didn't matter at all, as the food was served and the dancing began, no one gave any thought to the dress code.
The following days were so windy that most of our favourite snorkeling spots were not safe for swimming, the currents were too strong. Luckily, my Maltese mama Jenny pointed out a protected bay I had never visited before, which allowed us to jump into the clear blue Mediterranean Sea despite the strong winds. Xrobb l-Għaġin bay is framed by white cliffs and a nature park situated on a small peninsula in the south east of Malta. It's a hidden spot, which isn't known by many tourists and a bit hard to find, so we had the whole bay almost to ourselves. Sunday morning started with a creamy cappuccino in Marsaxlokk and a look at the fishermen's latest catch. After a little bargaining we drove home with 2 pounds of sardines and the same amount of mackerel, an octopus, and some swordfish. Lunch was long, accompanied by a nice bottle of chilled white wine, and the rest of the day was rather lazy.
I celebrated my birthday last week and I always have the same gift for myself: a day in Gozo with my man and no internet. We went to Il-Kantra at the tip of the Mgarr ix-Xini bay, had an espresso, and enjoyed the sparkling blue as we jumped off the rocks. It's one of my favourite spots for swimming and snorkeling. You can see a lot of fish there - and bright red starfish. There were a few jellyfish this time, they looked beautiful, sparkling purple in front of the bay's mesmerizing turquoise. I always wear my goggles to avoid an unpleasant and painful collision with these slow moving creatures. I could have stayed in the refreshing waters for hours but our lunch appointment urged me out of the sea. A table at my most beloved restaurant in the whole world was waiting for us. Noel treats his guests at his Rew Rew Kiosk/ beach bar/ restaurant to the most amazing seafood fresh from the sea and the glasses are filled with Livio Felluga's wonderful Sharis wine, an elegant cuvée of Chardonnay and Ribolla-Gialla grapes. We ate grilled Barracuda, which was divine, juicy tuna belly, and calamari from the BBQ. A chameleon came to visit us in the branches above our heads before we finished the meal with a scrumptious crème brûlée. We left Noel and his restaurant 4 hours later with happy smiles on our faces. The Blue Hole at Dwejra was next on our schedule, a moody spot in the sea, which is too rough to swim in most of the time. We were luckily, the sea was almost as calm as a lake and allowed us to explore its breathtaking underwater scenery until we felt ready for dinner. We picked up our obligatory Gozitan ftira pizzas at the Maxokk Bakery, our appetite was surprisingly strong after our luscious lunch, and enjoyed them on the rocks of Daħlet Qorrot bay. We had a sundowner at Gleneagles Bar in Mgarr (another one of our countless traditions) and took the ferry back to Malta. It was a happy birthday.
Cooking in Malta feels so different to cooking in Berlin. The produce is fresher - straight from the fields and the sea - and everything seems tastier, the food is honest and pure and so satisfying that I don't even bother mixing too many ingredients together most of the time. This leads to very simple salads, seafood seasoned only with pepper and a little lemon and some herbs. To combine grouper, called Ċerna in Maltese, with watermelon, basil, and mint, is as far as it gets at the moment. I'm after easy treats when I live under the hot Mediterranean sun. The combination of the firm fish and the sweet and juicy fruit didn't let me down, we enjoyed every single bite of our lunch snack.
Grouper with Watermelon, Basil and Mint
For 1-2 people (makes a lunch snack for 2)
large slice of watermelon, peeled and seeded, cut into chunks
olive oil
lemon 1/2
flaky sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
grouper fillet 1 (about 200g / 7 ounces)
fresh basil leaves, a small handful
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
Divide the watermelon between plates, drizzle with olive oil and a little lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat and cook the grouper for about 2 minutes on each side until just done. Cut the fish in half and divide between the plates, then season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little lemon juice. Sprinkle with basil and mint and enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine!
Gooseberry and Fennel Chicken with Mint
Fruits are my new vegetables!
Recently, stone fruits and berries replaced zucchini, tomato, and aubergine in quite a few of my recipes, I became experimental and now I'm hooked. The acidity of gooseberries and red, white, or black currants can be challenging, but at the same time it's exactly this quality that makes them a perfect partner for meat and seafood dishes. I don't have to worry about overpowering natural sweetness, instead I work with their slightly sour juices. Cooking makes them less harsh and a dash of maple or elderflower syrup or honey mellows the most pungent fruit.
I found my inspiration for this recipe in my own archive. Almost 2 years ago, I pulled the most delicious tray of Moscato Chicken with Grapes and Thyme out of my oven. The meat was wonderfully succulent, infused with the honey-like aroma of Moscato grapes and woody thyme. The chicken thighs needed less than half an hour to be done, including a few minutes under the broiler for the skin to become nicely browned and crispy. There was no reason to change this promising cooking method, but I introduced different flavours to the palate. The sweet grapes gave way for sour gooseberries, I stirred some maple syrup into the white wine, and placed the whole composition on a bed of thinly sliced fennel. Some mint on top and my summer chicken was done.
Yesterday, I received the first advance copy of my book, you can see the happy moment on Instagram!
Gooseberry and Fennel Chicken with Mint
Serves 2 to 4
medium sized fennel bulb, cut in half, cored, and thinly sliced, 1
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 4
gooseberries 300g / 10 ounces
fruity white wine 5 tablespoons
maple syrup 4 tablespoons
olive oil 1 tablespoon
black peppercorns, crushed with a mortar and pestle
flaky sea salt
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (conventional setting). If your oven is equipped with a Rotitherm roasting setting, use this setting instead. You just have to adjust the cooking time (it'll need a few minutes less) and skip the broiler at the end of the recipe.
Cut off any large chunks of fat from the chicken thighs.
Spread the fennel on the bottom of a medium sized baking dish and place the chicken and gooseberries on top. Whisk together the white wine, maple syrup, and olive oil, pour it over the meat and fruit, and rub it in a little with your fingers. Sprinkle with crushed peppercorns and salt. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the mint and roast, spooning the juices from the pan over the chicken every 10 minutes, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when you prick the thickest part of a chicken thigh with a skewer. Turn on the broiler for a few minutes until the chicken skin starts sizzling. Sprinkle with the remaining mint, and season with flaky sea salt and crushed peppercorns to taste.
A juicy Lamb, Pomegranate and Pistachio Halloween Sandwich
This has been the longest sandwich break ever since I started my Sandwich Wednesdays almost 2 years ago - and I missed them badly. There's something deeply satisfying about creating a sandwich, taking the pictures of this luscious dish - and especially - eating it! It's back again and although it was supposed to be a Halloween sandwich I must admit that it didn't really work out. I expected my creation to look a bit messier, wildly dripping with red (pomegranate) juices, but it turned into a pretty sandwich beauty instead. Never mind.
Anyway, the flavours count more than the looks and they are more than promising in this recipe. A bit more than a year ago I shared my juicy lamb sandwich with preserved lemons and capers with you, it was a much loved and often featured sandwich that called for a new interpretation. Seared lamb fillet only needs a little salt and pepper to become the most tempting piece of meat you can possibly have on your plate, so there's no need to change the preparation. But this time the composition went into a different direction. Sour and salty gave way for sweet, sour and nutty. The fine taste of the fillets goes unbelievably well with the tangy, deep red juices of the pomegranate and unsalted pistachios. The topping of mint leaves should be handled with care. The herb can easily be too overpowering and I don't recommend using the whole leaves as you can see in the pictures but slice them thinly instead. Apart from this rule, you only have to stuff the composition between two slices of thick, juicy ciabatta - or even better, potato bread - and enjoy!
Lamb, Pomegranate and Pistachio Sandwich with Mint
If you don't feel like a sandwich enjoy the creation without bread, just juicy lamb fillets sprinkled with pomegranate, pistachios and crushed pepper.
Makes 4 sandwiches
olive oil
lamb fillets 250g / 9 ounces
fine sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
juicy, white bread 8 thick slices
fresh rocket leaves, a small handful
pomegranate seeds about 4 heaping teaspoons
unsalted pistachios, chopped, about 4 heaping teaspoons
mint leaves, thinly sliced, 8
Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan and sear the lamb for 1 1/2-2 minutes on each side (not longer!), the meat should be pink and slightly undone in the middle. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper and wrap them in aluminum foil. Set them aside for a few minutes before you slice them thinly.
Brush the inside of the slices of bread with the juices from the pan and a little olive oil. Spread some rocket leaves on each slice of bread, lay a few slices of lamb on top and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, pistachios, a little mint and crushed pepper. Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Orange and Fennel Couscous with Orange Blossom Water and Mint
I decided to make couscous and cooked enough to feed a family of six - it shows that I don't work with this grain very often. The package looked tiny but the result was humongous! It didn't do the pleasure any harm though, the recipe was delish, we just had enough couscous for days.
Inspired by a phone call with my mother and our obligatory recipe exchanges, I mixed the earthy North African dish with crunchy fennel sliced like carpaccio and juicy orange fillets. To focus on the citrus a little more, I roasted orange peel in olive oil in the oven to create a fragrant oil and some crunchy citrus bites. An open bottle of orange blossom water in my fridge convinced me to go for an orange trilogy - a good choice. Each of them added their individual depth, texture and aroma: the juices of the fruit paired beautifully with the crisp peel and the flowery scented water. Fresh mint leaves on top to finish it off and three happy people at the table ate far more couscous than we ever have before.
Orange and Fennel Couscous with Orange Blossom Water and Mint
Serves 4
olive oil
long strips of orange peel 6
oranges, cut into fillets, 2
freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tablespoons (collected while cutting the fillets)
fennel bulb, very thinly sliced (like carpaccio), the green chopped, 1 (about 250g / 9 ounces)
couscous 300g / 10 1/2 ounces
quality orange blossom water (preferably organic), to taste
salt and pepper
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
Set the oven to 220°C / 430°F (top / bottom heat).
Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a shallow baking dish, add the peel and cook in the oven for about 6 minutes until golden brown and crunchy, mind that the peel doesn't turn too dark. Take out of the oven and set aside.
To cut the orange into fillets, first peel off the outer skin with a knife and then cut off the white pith. Hold the orange in one hand and cut with the knife along the skin between the fruit's fillets to end up with skin-free fillets. Collect the juices.
For the couscous, put the grains in a large pot. In a kettle, bring double the amount of water to the boil (or adjust to the instructions on the package), pour the boiling water over the grains in the pot and close with a lid, let it sit for 5 minutes. It's not necessary to cook the couscous on heat.
Transfer the cooked couscous to a large, deep bowl and gently stir in the fennel, orange oil, orange fillets and about 3 tablespoons of the collected juices (to taste). Season with orange blossom water (about 1-3 teaspoons, depending on the brand), salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and sprinkle with the roasted orange peel (broken into pieces), fresh mint and the chopped fennel green. Serve warm or as a cold salad.
Watermelon Caprese with Mozzarella di Bufala, Basil and Mint
The past few days on the island called for light and easy treats from the kitchen - it's been hot in Malta and quite a challenge for a northern girl like me. I witnessed 50°C (122°F) measured in the sun and, although I prefer warmth over cold, it's been beyond enjoyable. The sea is my daily escape, whenever I get the chance to jump into the cool waters, it feels like my brain cells finally start working again. There's a reason why life's pace is slower in the Mediterranean, the body just can't cope any other way. Luckily, we're off to Berlin today and we'll have 3 weeks to cool off a little before we get back to Malta's burning sun.
On the culinary side, I tried to defy the extreme weather conditions with lots of water, juicy peaches and melons. I noticed a growing watermelon trend in the web in the past few weeks that I had wanted to avoid. It felt like a flood of melon popsicle, melon soup and melon salad recipes - no need to bother you with another one on eat in my kitchen. But then, I thought of this delicious combination of chilled watermelon, creamy mozzarella di bufala, olive oil, sea salt, basil, mint and a little black pepper and I thought it wouldn't be fair not to share this easy pleasure. If you find yourself in the Mediterranean, or anywhere else in the world where the temperatures seem unbearable and where sweet and juicy watermelons are accessible, prepare a plate of melon caprese, slow down and relax!
Watermelon Caprese with Mozzarella di Bufala, Basil and Mint
Serves 3-4
chilled, ripe watermelon, sliced into thin triangles, 1/8-1/4
mozzarella di bufala, torn into bite sized pieces, 125g / 4 1/2oz
olive oil
fresh basil leaves about 16
fresh mint leaves about 8
flaky sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
Arrange the melon and mozzarella on a large plate, drizzle with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle with basil, mint, salt and pepper.
Green Bean, Pea and Kumquat Salad with Turmeric and Mint
Nature is blossoming all around me! Crisp young leaves sprinkle the branches of the Linden trees in front of our house with their fresh green, thousands of yellow, pink and white flowers take over the city, visually and with their fragrance. It feels so refreshing and wakes up all my senses!
So many colours bursting around me inspire my culinary activities, I need crisp greens, beans, peas and mint, and a little orange, sweet and sour kumquats and fresh turmeric root for a light vinaigrette. You could also enjoy this composition as a warm side dish, with a splash of olive oil instead. I wanted to take my time, to prepare one ingredient after the other without hassling about keeping everything warm. I chose to slow down my pace, the kitchen windows wide open and the birds seemed as excited about this outburst of spring as I am. It was a cold salad in the end, enjoyed with a relaxed mind and a couple slices of fresh ciabatta.
Green Bean, Pea and Kumquat Salad with Turmeric and Mint
For 2 as a lunch or 4 as a side dish you need
flat green beans, the ends cut off, 380g / 13 1/2oz
peas, fresh or frozen, 150g / 5 1/4oz
kumquats, rinsed and scrubbed, thinly sliced, 4
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
For the dressing
olive oil 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tablespoons
freshly grated turmeric root (or ginger), a pinch, to taste
salt and pepper
In a large pot, bring salted water to the boil and blanch the beans for 3 minutes or until al dente. Take them out with a slotted ladle and rinse them under cold water for a second (to keep the fresh colour). Blanch the peas in the same pot for 1 minute, take them out and rinse them for a second with cold water.
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing and season to taste. Arrange the beans and peas on a large plate, sprinkle with the dressing, the slices of kumquat, mint leaves and a little more grated turmeric root.
Braised Lamb Shanks with Kumquat, Fennel, Cardamom and Mint
This is the most tender, aromatic and colourful braised dish you can possibly have on your plate at this time of year, at least in the Northern hemisphere. Cardamom, cumin, fennel and coriander seeds refine the deep red juices of summery (tinned) tomatoes cooked with succulent lamb shanks before tiny yellow kumquats add their bittersweet fruitiness. The fresh mint leaves on top are more than just pretty in this warming composition, their job is to freshen it up! A sheer explosions of aromas!
Over the years, I have become a big fan of shanks in my kitchen whenever I'm in the mood for a stew. Be it beef, veal or lamb, I prefer this cut over chuck steaks. The meat around the bone is packed in fat which keeps it juicy and tender while it braises in a fragrant broth of wine, fruit and vegetables. Shanks usually taste quite strong, they can easily deal with spices and herbs, perfect for Mediterranean comfort cooking with lots of rosemary, thyme, sage and garlic, or to find some inspiration in the Arabic cuisine. All those spices, those warming corns, pods and powders, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon and many more, this is the best moment to let their qualities shine. Spices are great on their own but even better in a team. Be experimental, combine your favourites and use a little bit more than you usually would, the meat and sauce can take it!
Braised Lamb Shanks with Kumquat, Fennel, Cardamom and Mint
You need an oven proof dish / casserole dish with a lid for this recipe.
For 3-4 people you need
lamb shanks 3-4
fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar, 2 teaspoons
coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon
ground cardamom 1 teaspoon
ground cumin 1 teaspoon
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, cut in half, 4 cloves
white wine 400ml / 1 pint
tinned tomatoes of good quality (it's worth going for a good brand!) 400g / 14 ounces
bay leaves 2
orange peel 4 long strips
kumquats, rinsed, 8
sea salt and pepper
olive oil
fresh mint leaves, a small handful
Set the oven to 160°C / 320°F.
In a casserole dish, heat a splash of olive oil and sear the shanks for a few minutes until golden brown on all sides. Take the meat out and set it aside but keep the casserole dish on the heat. Add a little more olive oil and the fennel seeds, coriander, cardamom and cumin, cook for about 20 seconds on medium heat or until you smell the spices, stir constantly. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix the lamb shanks with the spices and onion and pour the wine over the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the orange peel, bay leaves and tomatoes, chop them roughly, mix everything and bring to a simmer. Close the casserole dish with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Add the kumquats (whole, not cut) and cook for another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and you can lift it with a fork off the bone.
If necessary, take out the meat when it's done and cook down the sauce. Season to taste and serve with fresh mint leaves and thick slices of white bread or flatbread.
meet in your kitchen | Isa's Beetroot Risotto with Chèvre and Mint
On to part II of Berlin's Hauptstadtmutti cooking session! The popular mother, fashion and lifestyle blog is run by Isa and Claudia, both such vibrant and inspiring ladies that I had to visit both of their culinary spaces. Two weeks ago, I learned how to make Claudia's Ukrainian Pelmeni dumplings (you can read about it here) and now it's time to cook in Isa's kitchen.
It was cold and snowy as I made my way to meet Isa, the city was wrapped in a wintery grey and, although it was already 10 in the morning, it was quite dark when I reached the old house where the young mother lives with her little family of four. The imposing building is one of the few on the street which hasn't been renovated, the facade crumbling between the majestic window frames which gives it quite a morbid charm, you can still see the beauty of the past. It looks a bit like an abandoned house in a fairy tale, it's more than impressive and it sparked my fantasy when I walked up the creaking steps to knock on Isa's wooden door. But then, when I entered her home, I was speechless, endless rooms and corridors, herringbone parquet floors, high ceilings lined with decorative stucco and large windows which let in the most dreamy light. Within seconds I fell in love with this elegant but cosy home!
Isa started Hauptstadtmutti in 2011 together with Claudia. In the first part of our cooking series I talked about their fascinating and complementary personalities which led to the two meet in your kitchen features. Both women share an international upbringing which confronted them with various cultures at a young age. Claudia grew up with an Eastern European background and Isa had quite an adventurous childhood, she lived in Baghdad in Iraq during the first 4 years of her life. Her father was a successful engineer who used to live in East Germany with his wife before his skills took him and his young family to the Middle East to design pump stations. Back in East Germany, he was also involved in the construction of the GDR's first nuclear power station. Despite this experience, or perhaps because of it, the whole family turned to a more alternative lifestyle in the following years. They became politically active, focussed on natural home grown food and raised awareness for healthy living.
As a teenager, Isa joined yoga and meditation classes together with her father and mother. Today, her parents practice Tai Chi together with their friends in the family's grand garden which is part of an old farm established by Isa's grandfather. The family takes their well-being into their own hands, one generation after the other, and the next one is waiting in line. Isa passes her experiences on to her children and although they are still quite young they can already enjoy her delicious food. Isa's cooking truly pleases the taste buds, she creates culinary moments of bliss without regrets, her food is healthy, with organic ingredients, and full of flavour. She made a fantastic beetroot risotto for me, it was cooked to perfection, the rice corns and roots were al dente, just how I like it. She refined her composition with chèvre, parmesan and fresh mint - a great composition I can only recommend!
Beetroot Risotto with Chèvre and Mint
For 2-3 people you need
small beetroot 2
risotto rice (Arborio) 250g / 9 ounces
onions 2
clove of garlic 1
honey 1 tablespoon
a shot of white wine
vegetable broth 1/2-1 l / 1-2 pints
freshly grated Parmesan, a handful
butter 1 tablespoon
olive oil
salt and pepper
mint 4 small branches
fresh goat cheese (chèvre), for the topping
Peel the beetroot, garlic and onions and cut them into cubes. The larger the beetroot cubes, the more bite they'll have. Warm up the broth in a saucepan, it should be simmering.
In a large pan, heat some olive oil and cook the onions and garlic until glassy and soft. Add the beetroot and honey to the onion and let it caramelise slightly, add the rice and let it cook for a minute. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and add a ladle of broth. When the liquid has been absorbed add more broth, a little at a time stirring in between. When the rice is al dente, take the pan off the heat. Stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese and let them melt into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with chèvre and mint to serve.
You spent the first three years of your life in Iraq due to your father's work as an engineer before your family moved back to East Germany. How did this experience influence your family and how did it effect your own personality?
Concerning that I should probably explain that my parents were neither in the communist party nor in the homeland security of former East Germany so it was quite a mission for them to get to live and work outside the country. But they made it because of their skills and raised my brother and I to believe that "You can get everywhere if you really want it". That really brought me to a lot of places and made me later want to live in other countries as well. We also have a very open minded attitude towards other cultures in our family.
Do you think traveling is important for children to get to know different cultures and mentalities? Can you give some tips for traveling with young children?
If they are very young I don't know. They will not really remember it. We did not travel too far away with our kids yet. Switzerland, France, Denmark. It is not that stressful for them but sometimes for us, the parents. Sometimes it is more fun to spend a week at the Baltic Sea than to travel for hours and hours. It is always good to have plenty of books with you, especially Wimmelbücher (picture books).
Your parents encouraged a great awareness for natural food and a healthy lifestyle by their own way of living. How did they influence your consumption, your cooking and the food you buy?
Oh yes, my mother was very into healthy food when we were young and still is. She cooks her own jams from the fruits of her garden and we always ate fruits and vegetables from the garden. She always uses fresh and natural ingredients. The older I get, and of course with children, I try to live as healthy as I can too. I usually buy local or organic fruits and vegetables.
You went to high school in the US for one year, what fascinated you about this new culture? What are your culinary memories?
Everybody was very very friendly and I just had a very great teenage time there. Culinary memories? Donuts, cheeseburger, tacos and ice cream (smiling)!
As an au pair in Paris, you also experienced the French cuisine for one year. What did you like about the food there?
It is very pure, many vegetables and beef and lots of seafood. I liked that very much and the oysters. I learned how to eat oysters. Delicious!
Did your cooking change since you became a mother? Do you have any tips to make cooking for and eating with young children easier?
I really changed into organic and local food. Eating with young children is easy. I always cooked the baby food by myself. This is totally easy and does not take a long time. What I learned is that young children want a variety and a change of food every day. They do not like to eat the same thing every day over and over. My tip is to always try to eat the same as your kids. They copy you and will (often) try more.
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
The first dish was Spaghetti Bolognese. I learned this when I was 12 when my mother was away for an allergy cure and our father taught it to my brother and I.
As a fashion observer and blogger, which are your 3 most helpful fashion tips for young mothers?
1. Always carry a large scarf for nursing in public.
2. Get a new haircut. It makes you feel good.
3. Buy at least 3 shirts or dresses which make nursing comfortable.
Where do you find creative inspiration?
In Berlin, walking around the city and on the internet reading international blogs and magazines.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin?
I love to eat at Cordobar. Great food and the largest selection of wine. And I like to buy food at Mitte Meer.
What did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen?
Beetroot risotto.
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Janine (a friend), roasted root vegetables.
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
Risotto!
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Spaghetti Bolognese and now it is fish, especially Sushi.
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
Together with others.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Planned.
Which meal would you never cook again?
Octopus.
Thank you Isa!
Spice Roast Chicken Legs with Butter Beans and Mint
Five tasty C's: coriander seeds, cumin, curcuma longa (turmeric), cardamom and cayenne pepper! The list of spices for my roast chicken legs is long but each single one adds its strong character to the aromatic result. I mixed a generous amount of their fragrant qualities into a golden marinade made of olive oil and lemon juice to let them infuse the chicken's sizzling skin while cooking in the oven. The air in the kitchen smelled just wonderful and so did the meat when I put the tray onto the table. I also cooked some slices of lemon and butter beans in the spiced oil, the legumes skin burst and their velvety, soft inside mixed with the juices. It literally asked to be soaked with fresh ciabatta bread!
My mother often makes chicken legs in larger quantities when she has many people staying at her house, when my cousins visit to help her in the garden, or when her grandchildren visit and she isn't up for an extensive dinner. I completely understand why, this dish is the ultimate comfort food, it's easy to prepare (all you have to do is put the chicken legs on a tray and cook them in the oven) and you can easily customize the recipe. In late summer I cooked chicken legs with Moscato wine, grapes and thyme and in spring I glazed the skin with honey and roasted the meat with carrots and sage. You could also adjust my chicken with spiced peaches and work with the legs instead of the whole bird and enjoy the fruit's sweetness together with the tender poultry. There are so many options! Sometimes my mother just cooks it with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic, plain and simple. Just the idea of sitting in her garden eating the chicken leg with my fingers makes my mouth water!
Spice Roast Chicken Legs with Butter Beans and Mint
For 2-4 people you need
chicken legs 4
canned butter beans, rinsed and drained, 250g / 9 ounces (double the amount for 4 people)
coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar, 1 teaspoon
ground cumin 1 teaspoon
ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon
ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon
cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, 1/4 teaspoon
lemon, cut into thin slices, 1, plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
olive oil
coarse sea salt
fresh mint leaves, a small handful, to serve
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm setting which works perfectly for poultry).
Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice and spices. Arrange the chicken legs in a baking dish, rub them on all sides with the spiced oil and sprinkle the skin generously with sea salt. Mix the beans with a splash of olive oil and arrange them around the meat. Put the slices of lemon on top and cook 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. Check the meat with a skewer, only clear juices should come out when it's done. If you like, turn the grill on for a few minutes until the skin starts sizzling. Serve with fresh mint and ciabatta bread.
meet in your kitchen | Mimi's spicy Bulgur with Basil and Mint
Mimi and KD's apartment is a creative laboratory, an exciting place where music, fashion, painting and design come together, created by two wonderful people. Mimi, the musician, painter and designer grew up in London, while musician and producer KD lived in Haifa in Israel before he moved to Berlin. Here in the city, the two created a space where all of their ideas can come alive, the studio where they write their music and where Mimi works on her paintings and tailoring. The rooms overlooking a picturesque river, dense trees and Berlin's famous TV tower are packed with guitars, audio equipment, a piano, beautiful fabrics, boxes of wool and Mimi's paintings. On the shelves and window sills, the two have arranged a collection of little figures and old toys, hats and post cards, souvenirs from their tours, gifts from friends and memories. It's a truly magical place.
For our meet in your kitchen feature, Mimi decided to take over the kitchen as she's the cook in the house. She likes her food spicy, like the curries that she used to have in London made with exotic spice mixtures that she often can't find in Berlin. When we met she cooked a delicious bulgur salad made with tomatoes, bell pepper, basil and mint. It was hot and spicy but not painfully. She used the chili pepper's seeds as well and although I was a bit worried that it would be too hot for me (I'm quite a baby when it comes to spiciness) I loved it! It wasn't the kind of growing spiciness that you still feel minutes later, it was present the moment it hit my taste buds!
A telling indication of Mimi's English upbringing is a cup of tea that follows her no matter what she does! During our lunch we spoke a lot about food, culinary memories and habits and cooking with our mothers. After we shared a bowl of her spicy bulgur, Mimi showed me her beautiful prints and designs for the silk jackets and pyjamas that she will soon present on Etsy. She only works with very fine silk, printed by two young artists in Scotland. Many of the designs show her animal characters, another great passion of hers. Mimi used to work on a farm on the weekends when she lived in England, although at the moment, the only animal in her life is Gomez, the cutest and fluffiest grey cat I've ever seen, roaming around the rooms of the flat.
Both musicians are working on various projects at the moment. Mimi is currently working on new songs for her next album and she contributed her song 'Get Me Back' to the 'Love, Rosie' movie starring Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse and Jaime Winstone.
Mimi's spicy Bulgur with Basil and Mint
For 4 people you need
bulgur 1 cup
water 2 cups
sweet vine tomatoes, chopped, a handful
bell pepper, chopped, 1
garlic, very finely chopped, 1 small clove
shallots, finely chopped, 2
fresh basil, chopped, the leaves of a large bunch
mint, chopped, the leaves of a large bunch
fresh chillies, chopped, to taste
juice of 1 lime
yoghurt 4 generous tablespoons (more to taste)
salt
Boil the water and add the bulgar. Cook for 7-10 minutes depending on the bulgur you use, some coarser kinds can take longer.
Put the garlic, shallots, bell pepper, tomatoes, herbs and bulgur in a big bowl. Add the lime juice, yoghurt and the chillies, mix thoroughly and season with a little salt.
Mimi, you grew up in England and KD, you spent your childhood in Israel, what are your food memories of those days?
Mimi: In England we have the most wonderful Indian food. When I was tiny, my mum's friend, Chris, would bring late-night super hot curries and beer. I miss that and I'm still completely hooked on chillies. They feature in pretty much everything I make.
KD: My favorite as a child was schnitzel and mashed potatoes! Great comfort food. Later on I became quite addicted to hummus.
Why did you choose Berlin as the place to live and work?
Mimi: I loved Berlin the first time I came here. It was so exciting to find a place that felt alive and like it was still growing. I felt I had space here to create and grow too.
KD: I grew up in Haifa, Israel, but my mum is coming from a German family and I have a German passport. When I had to choose between moving to the nearest big city, Tel Aviv or moving further to an even bigger city with more opportunities for musicians, I decided to give Berlin a shot. I was 23 then and I'm still here now!
What effect did the move to Berlin have on your cooking and eating habits?
Mimi: I found it really hard at first because most of the ingredients I used back home were Indian spices or very hot chillies, which you can get everywhere. Over here I had to seek them out. I discovered new things because of that and started making more Italian-style dishes like risotto and baking my own bread.
KD: I like to eat simply and you can get great ingredients here. I'm mainly cooking fast as I work and forget I'm hungry so pasta is generally a good choice.
What are your favourite places to buy and enjoy food in Berlin, London and Haifa?
Mimi: In London I'm always headed to Brick Lane for a phial curry, or the Naz in Church Street, Twickenham for their special prawn curry. I also love Belgo in Camden for a massive pot of mussels and amazing beer. I miss pub Sunday lunch too. In Berlin we cook at home a lot but we love the tapas place round the corner from us, Gastón and we love our local Kalle Klein.
KD: In Haifa there is a really nice bourekas place in the Carmel Mountains that I always visit when I go back. In Berlin, as Mimi says, but also the hummus at Azzam, Sonnenallee is great.
What was the first dish you cooked on your own, what is your first cooking memory?
Mimi: I used to make breakfast in bed for my mum sometimes with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and little bits of charred toast but my favorite memory (or more like the one mum always tells) is when I was 9, I read the flour packet in the cupboard and made the recipe for bread, that was printed on the back, one Saturday morning ... My mum loved it despite it not looking very elegant.
KD: I don't remember!
What or who inspired you to become musicians?
Mimi: My mum inherited a piano from her grandmother and I started by just enjoying tinkling around on that when I was a very small child.
KD: My older brother!
KD, your band NÖRD will release their first album 'Na Und? Wir kennen euch doch auch nicht' in the beginning of next year and soon you will be on tour with the band after months in the studio. How did you experience the time in the studio? What do you like about working in the studio and being on tour as a keyboard player?
We had a lot of fun in the studio. We were recording in Hamburg mainly which also allowed us to focus on the music away from home. I joined the band just a few months before we went into the studio so the time there was very important and we bonded a lot musically and personally. I'm really proud of the album and looking forward to sharing it with people live!
Mimi, you released your second album 'Nothing but Everything' together with your band The Mad Noise Factory in March which you presented on tour this year. You're also a visual artist and responsible for the band's artwork. What's the difference between working visually and as a musician? Is there a different creative approach?
My music is like a release of emotion. I need it as an emotional output. It's honest and it doesn't seem like I have much control on what happens to come out! The artwork is creating a dreamland that I see in my head and takes a long process filled with tiny detail.
What are your upcoming projects and plans for the next months?
Mimi: I have a song coming out with a fantastic new movie called 'Love Rosie' (the song is 'Get Me Back') and I am working on new songs hoping to have something ready for next year. I will also be starting a new Etsy shop selling clothes that I make using fabrics printed with my drawings. The shop will be called 'MiMi says I'm Special' and should be up and running soon!
KD: I have a new album out with a project called Hamlet. It's just me playing piano and my friend, Fran singing. I will be producing a few artists in the near future, and, of course, touring with NÖRD.
Mimi andKD, what did you choose to share on eat in my kitchen?
Spicy Bulgur!
If you could choose one person to cook a meal for you, who and what would it be?
Mimi: I'd have my mum make me what she makes when she has just a few things left in the fridge. I don't know how she does it but she can make a few eggs, some random vegetables and rice into an amazing feast.
KD: The Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show to come and make me singing vegetables! That would be awesome.
You're going to have ten friends over for a spontaneous dinner, what will be on the table?
Mimi: A big mushroom and spinach risotto with tons of parmesan.
KD: Whatever Mimi cooks (laughs).
What was your childhood's culinary favourite and what is it now?
Mimi: Curry and still is!
KD: Schnitzel and mashed potatoes and now it's a big bowl of mussels!
Do you prefer to cook on your own or together with others?
Mimi: On my own but with someone to chat to.
KD: On my own.
Which meals do you prefer, improvised or planned?
Mimi: Improvised.
KD: Improvised.
Which meal would you never cook again?
Mimi: I used to make Sunday roast back in England… way too much washing up!
KD: I never cooked anything that was too horrible ... yet!
Thank you, Mimi and KD!
Parsley, Tomato and Mint Salad
There's a beautiful little take away restaurant close to my flat which offers the best Chickpea Falafel and Chicken Shawarma in town, and this is not just my opinion! This tiny place is called Salsabil and it's run by a very nice guy from Tunis, we've known him for years and he always brings us a cup of hot tea as soon as he sees us, even if we're just passing by! His food is honest and authentic, he doesn't offer that many dishes but each of them is delicious. In summer, we like to sit outside at one of the tables on the pavement and the rest of the year we enjoy the cosiness inside. We sit on wooden benches opposite a photography of the old city walls of Tunis which always reminds me of the Silent City of Mdina in Malta. The light is dimmed and they usually play traditional Tunisian music, it feels a bit like a short holiday in one of the old towns of Tunisia! When it comes to the menu I follow a bit of a tradition, I always order some juicy Falafel in pita bread with different vegetables and sauces, some of their amazing hummus and a very aromatic parsley, tomato and onion salad.
Since I already wrote about my hummus recipe and I'm not experienced enough yet to make my own Falafel in my kitchen (but that will soon change!), I will share my tomato, parsley and mint salad to create a bit of a Salsabil atmosphere at home!
This fresh salad is also great for parties and barbecues!
Parsley, Tomato and Mint Salad
For 2 people as a side dish you need
fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped, 40g / 1.5 ounces
large, ripe tomato, finely chopped, 1
fresh large mint leaves, finely chopped, 6
small red onion or shallot, finely chopped, 1
garlic, crushed, 1 small clove
olive oil 3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon
white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
salt and pepper
For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the dressing with the tomato and herbs and serve in a bowl.
Basil and Mint Lemonade and organic farming on the island
My Maltese brother Alex has been telling me about his own juices, lemonades and non-alcoholic cocktail creations for months and when I saw him in the kitchen, chopping herbs and fruits, crushing ice cubes and working on new colourful compositions every few days, I asked him if he would like to come up with a refreshing lemonade recipe for eat in my kitchen.
It was a hot afternoon and I had just come back home from my visit to a farm in Bahrija. I had a peppermint plant in my hand which I got from Peppi Gauci who runs the Bahrija Oasis farm and Alex decided to mix a chilled basil and mint lemonade for me. It was delicious, not too sweet, fresh, lemony and with strong herbal flavours! You should try this recipe on one of these hot August afternoons, you just need to mix everything in a blender and within a few seconds you'll have a drink ready to revitalise your senses!
In the past few weeks I went to two farms in Malta which have completely different visions and approaches to farming. One of them is Bahrija Oasis which is a bio dynamic farm with organic produce (although not certified organic). Bahrija is part of the Permaculture Research Foundation Malta project, a holistic design philosophy which aims to create "community eco-systems in which plants, animals and human beings, and all forms of ecological diversity interact to produce a prolific, ecologically-sound and regenerative system that can support itself and life indefinitely". The idea is to provide all we need to live, like food, water, shelter, energy and health consistent with the Earth's natural balanced ecosystems, symbiotic and synergistic. This project brings together likeminded people with interests in green issues, ecological designers and students and the Bahrija Oasis provides the ground and platform for this work.
Eleven years ago Peppi got the land from his family and it wasn't cultivated at all at that point, just rocks, some weeds and steep hills, but over the years he managed to establish a working permaculture project. He changed the dry and arid landscape into a fertile farm, a biotope with a much greater biodiversity producing organic crops such as sprouts, herbs, seeds, medical plants and vegetables. Many students and volunteers visit the farm to learn more about sustainability, eco-education, wildlife and permaculture at the workshops hosted at the farm.
To get to the farm, we had to walk along a little stream covered with tall bamboo for about 10 minutes. This water is home to the very rare, endemic Maltese freshwater crab, Qabru. Their population is declining steadily and we were lucky to find one in the shallow water looking at us!
My second visit brought me to a beautiful place in Ahrax in Mellieha which is owned by Louis Cini (you can see his farm in the last 10 pictures). It's been in his family's hands for generations and his concept is completely different. It's a certified organic farm producing a great selection of wonderful fruit and vegetables. Organic farming isn't as established in Malta as it is in northern Europe but Louis is one of the pioneers. His fields produce some of the best grapes, figs and tomatoes I've ever eaten. He also grows sweetcorn, various kinds of lettuce, cabbage and marrows and much more, this farm looks as peaceful and welcoming as Louis' smile!
What made this visit very special to me, apart from meeting Louis, was being able to see the old rooms at the back of the farm which are no longer used and where his relatives used to live. Louis decided to leave them untouched, in the exact way they looked when his uncle who was the last to live there, passed away. It felt like traveling in time, to see the old furniture, the small, very basic kitchen working without electricity in the olden days, colourful enamel cookware in shelves that have been rusting for years, battled boots from the times of war, manual farming tools under piles of dust, quilts and pillows, photographs eaten away by time, by the wind and the salty air. Louis told me to take pictures, and I took many but at first I wasn't sure if I should show them. It felt like such an intimate insight in someone's life who isn't even here but Louis encouraged me, he feels proud to share his family's heritage. This is what life in the Mediterranean looked like 100 years ago, nothing changed in these rooms, this is a great gift!
Basil and Mint Lemonade
For 500ml / 1 pint of lemonade you need
fresh big basil leaves 10
fresh mint leaves 20
water or soda water, chilled, 500ml / 1 pint
freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 big lemon
granulated sugar 1 teaspoon plus more to taste
ice cubes for serving
Put the ingredients in a blender and mix well. Fill the lemonade in big glasses with ice cubes.
This is Louis Cini's beautiful farm in Mellieha
Melon, Mint and Lemon
One of the great things about living in the Mediterranean in summer is that you can find fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables at every street corner. Farmers offer their harvest of the morning on little open vans, ripe tomatoes, zucchini, aubergines, the sweetest peaches, melons, grapes and the biggest bunches of basil I've ever seen in my life. They are so big that you have to hold them with both of your hands! These mobile shops are the social meeting points of each street or village. It's a beautiful scene of women buying their groceries for the next days, checking the quality of the offers, exchanging gossip and enjoying the fresh air before the heat takes over again.
My trusted vegetable man, Leli, comes to Msida twice a week, a humble man with beautiful eyes as blue as the Mediterranean sea! Unfortunately, I haven't managed to meet him yet. He comes to our village on Tuesday and Friday in the morning and I was busy driving around on the island on both days. Jenny told me that his face lit up with a big smile when she told him that we were soon to arrive! I asked her to buy some vegetables for me before I arrived and she bought me one of the sweetest melons that I have ever eaten. It was like honey, so juicy and ripe!
We enjoyed a couple slices before I threw a handful of mint leaves from Jenny's garden on top. Then I drizzled some fresh lemon juice over the yellow fruit, a tip a got from my Maltese auntie Sandra. It's perfectly refreshing on these days that push to almost 40°C (104°F) on the thermometer! All you need is a very ripe Galia melon - Bettiegh in Maltese - skinned and cut into slices, a handful of fresh mint leaves, the juice of half a lemon and the heat can come!
Sea Bream with Mint and Parsley on Onion and Tomato
A whole fish cooked in one piece is ideal to stuff with herbs, vegetables or spices. Be it baked in the oven or on the grill, the meat doesn't dry out and absorbs all the strong aromas, it's my favourite way to cook it. It's also less fragile to handle, a fact that always puts me off when I think of flipping over thin fish fillets in a pan.
When I cook a whole fish in the oven I simply follow my nose, at one point the air is filled with the smell of cooked fish and that's the sign for me to check it. I make a short cut along the middle line on one side to see if I can lift the fillet off the bone. Most of the time this works, but don't worry I will give you a time you can set for this sea bream recipe!
I stuffed the bream with parsley and mint and put it on a bed of onion, tomato and garlic, a splash of white wine on top and 20 minutes later my kitchen was filled with the most wonderful aroma. I could trust my rule, the meat was done to perfection, firm and delicious!
Baked Sea Bream with Mint and Parsley on Onion and Tomato
For 2 people you need
a whole sea bream 450g / 16 ounces (or 2 small ones but mind the shorter cooking time)
small onion, cut into thin slices, 1
medium tomato, 1/2 diced and 1/2 cut into thin slices, 1
garlic, sliced, 2 cloves
parsley, the leaves of a small bunch
mint 4 big leaves
white wine, around a glass
olive oil
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F and brush the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
Spread half of the onions and garlic and the sliced tomatoes in the baking dish.
Season the fish with salt and pepper on the inside and stuff it with the parsley, 3 mint leaves, the diced tomatoes and half of the onions and garlic. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, cover with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and put 1 mint leaf on top. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with white wine and bake for 20 minutes until the fish is cooked through and you can lift the fillets off the bones.
Serve with ciabatta bread or potatoes - and a glass of white wine for me!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
The beginning of July is the perfect time to throw a few of my favourite vegetables on a big plate of spaghetti. This dish is basically a Mediterranean Caponata, just without aubergine as it would have stretched the cooking time and changed the texture - I didn't want a juicy sauce, I was after some crunchiness! I mixed lots of zucchini with my Gozitan capers, anchovies and garlic and sautéed everything for a very short time. This way, the vegetables stay firm and fresh like a salad.
My tomatoes, olives and basil weren't even cooked, I just mixed them together with some olive oil into the warm pasta. When vegetables reach the peak of their season they don't need long to spread their aroma. Spoiled by the sun, strong in flavour and full of vitamins, they have this intense taste of summer that I've been waiting for for months. A few minutes in the hot pan and they were done, that's one of summer's kitchen qualities!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Olives and Basil
For 3-4 people you need
spaghetti 300-400g / 10.5-14 ounces
zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 350g / 12.5 ounces
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 1 1/2
garlic, thinly sliced, 3 cloves
capers 2 heaped tablespoons
tomatoes, cut into cubes, 350g / 12.5 ounces
black olives (whole or chopped) 8
fresh basil leaves 10
optionally: fresh mint, chopped, 5 leaves
black pepper
olive oil
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a large heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil, add the anchovies, garlic and capers and cook for 1 minute on a medium heat. Add the zucchini and a little more oil and cook for 5 minutes on high-medium temperature, stirring every now and then. Season with pepper (no salt!) and mix into the spaghetti, add a tiny bit of olive oil if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, basil and mint and serve immediately. There should be enough saltiness from the anchovies and capers, I didn't need to add anymore.
Feta and Tomato stuffed Bell Pepper with Mint
The smell of fresh mint is still in my nose! I spent last weekend at my mother's house in the countryside, more precisely in her garden and kitchen and the smell of herbs and flowers was always around us. She is one of those lucky people who has a green thumb and lots of space to prove it. The strong sun and heavy rain of the past days turned her garden into a blossoming green world with various shades of red, pink, violet and yellow. Whenever I passed her flower and vegetable beds a cloud of roses, thyme, lavender and mint followed me. This was aroma heaven and the the strong mint was a very persistent companion! My mother's vegetable garden made me jealous, artichokes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, peas and many more, she can honestly compete with my market stands at home! Her herbs grow like weeds, some of them have had their roots in this ground for almost twenty years.
The path from her garden to the kitchen isn't long and we brought lots of these goods inside the house in the past days. We cooked big artichokes with three different kinds of dips, a delicious, light pasta recipe with tomatoes and bell pepper and fish soup. On the sweet side, we had strawberry tarts, ice cream in espresso and I also got to love a great summery aperitif with Limoncello, white wine, lemon rind and mint, needless to say that it was all wonderful and I will write more about it in the coming days.
Back to the fresh mint, here is a recipe so quick to prepare, it looks beautiful and combines a few ingredients which I love for my cooking in summer, bell pepper stuffed with feta, tomatoes, parsley and mint. After twenty minutes in the oven it's done, having four or ten people to feed doesn't make much of a difference, this is a real crowd pleaser!
Feta and Tomato stuffed Bell Pepper with Mint
For 4 people you need
red bell peppers 4
feta cheese, 250g / 9 ounces
medium tomatoes, chopped, 3
parsley, chopped, 3 heaping tablespoons
mint, chopped, 8-10 big leaves
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F.
Cut the top off the bell pepper and set aside. Mix the feta, tomatoes and herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the bell pepper with the cheese mixture, close the fruit with the lid and put in a baking dish. Bake for 17 minutes, the bell pepper should be al dente.
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.
