Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/618165
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2015 Christmas IX Pippa Mattei Serves 6-8 Ingredients • 2 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 2 onions, peeled and chopped • 2 tsp grated, fresh ginger • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed • 2 tsp ground cinnamon • 2 dried chili • 2 bay leaves • 1 cinnamon stick • Salt and pepper • 1½ kg shoulder, or boneless leg of lamb cut into 4cm cubes • 2 tbsp tomato puree (kunserva) • 1kg ripe tomatoes, or 2x 400g can tomatoes, coarsely chopped • Handful of dried apricots, halved • 1 cup water • 3 tbsp Maltese honey To serve • 3 limes cut into wedges • Large bowl of Greek yoghurt Method 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. 2. Heat a large ovenproof casserole on a medium to high heat. 3. Add the olive oil, garlic, onions, ginger, chili and spices and season with the salt and pepper. Stir, then cook, covered, on a low heat for about 10 mins, until the onions are soft. 4. Add the lamb, toss for several minutes, then add the tomato puree, cinnamon stick, chopped tomatoes, water and honey into the saucepan, stir thoroughly. 5. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven for 2½ hours until the lamb is tender. Remove the lid of the saucepan halfway through the cooking time to let the liquid reduce and thicken. 6. If the sauce is still a bit thin, put the saucepan on the hob on a medium heat and without the lid. Stir occasionally and let the liquid reduce until a thick sauce begins to appear. 7. Serve with lime wedges, Greek yoghurt and lemon pomegranate couscous. Lemon and pomegranate couscous Ingredients • 1 large pomegranate – cut into half with seeds scooped out • 400g couscous • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 lemon, juice only • ½ litre chicken stock or water, boiling • Salt and pepper • 4 tbsp fresh mint, coriander or parsley, chopped Method 1. Place the couscous in a bowl and mix in the olive oil and lemon juice. 2. Pour the boiling stock or water onto the couscous and season with salt and pepper. 3. Allow the couscous to sit in a warm place for 5-10 mins until the liquid has been absorbed. 4. Stir in the chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds. Michael Diacono Ingredients • 1 pkt puff pastry • Knob of butter • Olive oil • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 cloves garlic • 2 large handfuls mushrooms • 2 small handfuls cranberries • Parsley • 1 cup rice • 2 cups water • 1 tsp turmeric • ½ lemon, zest only • 2 eggs, hard-boiled • 1 egg, for eggwash • Sesame seeds Method 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. 1. Melt a knob of butter in a pan with the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic. 2. When soft add the sliced mushrooms and add the cranberries. 3. Chop the parsley and add to the mushrooms. 4. Cook the rice in the water and add the turmeric and lemon zest. 5. Add to the mushroom and cranberry mixture. 6. Chop the hard-boiled egg and add to the mix and allow to cool. 7. Roll out the puff pastry and place the mixture in the centre. 8. Eggwash the sides and fold over the pasty pressing down the sides to seal. 9. Eggwash the top and decorate with pastry flower and sesame seeds. 10. Bake in the oven at 180C for 20 mins. 11. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing. 12. Serve with rocket and more cranberries. Sean Gravina Ingredients • 1 whole sea bass, gutted • 1 large aubergines • ½ garlic clove • ¼ lemon, zest only • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 2 tbsp olive oil • Handful parsley, chopped • Handful mint, chopped • ½ large pomegranate, seeds only • Salt and pepper Method 1. Place the aubergine directly on a moderate flames and roast for 15- 18minutes, until the skin is burnt and flaky and the flesh is soft. Use metal tongs to turn them around occasionally. Alternatively, score the aubergine with a knife in a few places, a couple of centimeters deep, and place on a baking sheet under a hot grill for about and hour. Turn them around every 10 min or so and continue to cook even if they burst and break. 2. Remove the aubergines from the heat and allow them to cool down slightly. Once cool enough to handle, cut an opening along each aubergine and scoop out the soft flesh, dividing it with your hands into long thin strips. Discard the skin. Drain the flesh in a colander for an hour at least, preferably longer to get rid of as much water as possible. 3. Place the aubergine in a medium bowl and add the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, ½ a teaspoon of salt and a goof grind of black pepper. Stir and allow the aubergine to marinate at room temperature for at least an hour. 4. Heat a grill on medium heat until very hot, in the mean time score the fish on both sides. 5. Place in a dish and drizzle plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot place the fish and don't touch for at least 4 minutes, turn and cook for about the same time. 6. When ready to serve mix in most of the herbs into the aubergine and taste for seasoning. 7. Serve the seabass with a generous spoon of the aubergine and scatter the pomegranate and the remaining herbs. Sean Gravina Ingredients • Seven-rib loin of pork • 1 bunch fresh thyme • 200g Butter • Salt and pepper • 8 fresh peaches, halved and stoned • 8 medium potatoes • 1 jar goose fat Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C. 2. Score the skin of the pork in a criss- cross pattern about 1cm apart, through the fat, nearly through the meat. 3. With a knife, carefully part the meat away from the ribs. 4. Scrunch up the chopped thyme into the butter and season with salt and pepper. 5. Rub and distribute a little of the butter into the gap you have made between the ribs and the meat. 6. Peel the peaches and dice. Stuff as many peaches as will fit into the meat, on top of the butter and finish with another layer of butter. 7. Tie the pork with butcher's string so that the filling remains in tact. 8. Par-boil the potatoes, making sure they are not cooked all the way through. 9. Place the goose fat in a roasting tray and put in the oven to heat for approx. 5 mins. 10. Slice the potatoes and place in centre of the roasting tray with the hot goose fat, to form a pivot. 11. Slice the remaining peaches and add to the potatoes. 12. Season with salt and pepper and some more thyme. 13. Place the stuffed pork loin on top of the potatoes and peaches. 14. Roast in a hot oven for 50 – 70 mins until the meat is tender. 15. Allow the pork roast to rest for at least 10 mins before carving. Roasted pork loin stuffed with peaches and thyme Vegetarian mushroom and cranberry roulade Grilled sea bass on burnt aubergine with garlic, lemon and pomegranate seeds Lamb tagine PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD