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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2015 14 Food Jewels of the sea With spring settling in and some calmer days making fresh fish more abundant as fishermen go out to sea, cooking starts to take a fishy twist. Gourmet Today TV has selected some great ideas for meals from the deep with some out- of-the-ordinary fish Blue potatoes are not entirely new, with origins in the Andean highlands in South America. They are available in Malta in selected stores and though they offer much the same flavour as new potatoes, their bright blue colour with purple skin gives vibrancy to any dish. The blue colour is completely natural and comes from the same pigments found in purple cabbage, pomegranates and blueberries and contain antioxidant properties. Michael Diacono Ingredients 500g bucatini (or pasta of your preference) • 6 red mullet (trill) • Plain flour • Salt and pepper • Olive oil • 10 cherry tomatoes • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 tsp chilli flakes • Squeeze lemon • 1 glass white wine • Bunch fresh parsley, chopped • Bunch fresh basil, chopped • 1 tbsp black olives • 1 tbsp pistachios, roasted • A few rocket leaves • Method Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. 1. Add the bucatini and cook until al dente. 2. In the meantime, fillet the red mullet (you can 3. ask your fishmonger to do this for you) Dredge the fillets through the plain flour, 4. seasoned with salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the 5. tomatoes. Add the garlic and the chilli flakes. 6. Add the trill fillets when the tomatoes have 7. started to soften. Season with salt and pepper. 8. Add some lemon juice and the white wine and 9. allow to evaporate. Add the basil and parsley and the black olives. 10. If the sauce is starting to look dry, add a ladleful of water from the pot where the pasta is cooking. Allow to simmer for a few mins. 11. When the pasta is appox. 1 min away from being 12. cooked, drain from the water and add to the pan with the sauce. Mix and allow to simmer for approx. 1 min. 13. Place in individual bowls or in one large bowl to 14. place in the middle of the table. Add some more parsley and basil on the top as 15. well as the pistachios and rocket. Serve immediately. 16. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 27 March, 2015. Michael Diacono Ingredients 2 skate fillets • 2 artichoke hearts • Olive oil • Knob of butter • 1 small onion, chopped • Flour • Salt and pepper • 1 glass white wine • Handful parsley, chopped • Method Remove the white skin that runs along 1. the skate fillet and the central bone. Clean and peel the artichoke hearts, 2. making sure to remove the chairy choke in the centre. Slice the artichoke into chunks. 3. Melt the butter in a pan, adding olive oil 4. to stop the butter from burning. Add the onion and artichokes and cook 5. for approx 3 mins. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge the skate through the flour, 6. seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove the onions and artichokes from 7. the pan and set aside. Add some more olive oil and fry the 8. skate fillets for a few mins on each side. Add the white wine and allow to simmer 9. for a few mins until the wine has reduced. Add the onion and artichoke mixture. 10. Add the chopped parsley and allow to 11. simmer for 5 mins. Serve immediately topped with the 12. onion and artichoke mixture. TThis recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 27 March, 2015. Sean Gravina Ingredients 1kg octopus, cleaned, frozen for at • least four days, then thawed 1 onion • 2 sticks celery • 2 carrots • 1 bay leaf • 1 sprig fresh thyme • 10 black peppercorns • 200ml red wine • 2 tbsp olive oil • 10 blue potatoes, cooked and halved • 250g cooking chorizo sausage, • skinned and cut into 1cm dice 2 tbsp confit shallots (see recipe) • 1 lemon, segmented • 1 sprig of fresh parsley, finely • chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black • pepper 1 heaped tbsp capers, deep-fried for • 30 secs until crisp • Method 1. Make sure the octopus has been frozen for at least 4 days before cooking. This breaks down the connective tissue in the boneless head and tentacles, making the meat more tender. 2. Deep-fry the capers in hot oil for 30 seconds until crispy. Set aside on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. 3. Place the octopus in a large saucepan, and add the onion, celery, carrots, herbs and peppercorns. 4. Pour in the wine and enough cold water to cover and slowly bring to the boil. 5. Lower the heat and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, or until the octopus is tender. 6. Allow it to cool in the stock, then remove to a board, taking care as the skin is delicate and can come away. 7. Cut into 2.5cm pieces discarding the vegetables. 8. When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. 9. Add the potatoes and the pieces of octopus and lightly brown. 10. Add the chorizo and cook until the fats are released. 11. Sauté together for 2-3 mins, then add the confit shallots, lemon segments and parsley. 12. Give everything a good mix and sauté for a few mins and season with salt and pepper. 13. Serve with crispy capers. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 27 March, 2015. octopus and lightly brown. for a few mins and season with salt and Bucatini with red mullet and fresh herbs Skate with onion and artichokes Octopus with chorizo, blue potato and capers Try his the salad as the