Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/695268
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 JUNE 2016 14 Food Summer by the sea Summer has just set in and this makes us yearn to be by the sea, or at least eating what the sea has to offer. Last week Sean Gravina made some beer-battered scallops served with a rocket salsa verde for a different take on your regular fish and chips for Gourmet Today TV. He was also joined by Paranga's chef Claudio Farrugia who made a delicious seafood risotto topped with the freshest prawn tartare. Don't miss Gourmet Today TV, every Friday at 18:15. Beer-battered scallops with rocket salsa verde Seafood risotto with chives and prawn tartare COMING UP THIS WEEK This week Michael Diacono takes the reins in the Gourmet Today kitchen preparing using an ingredient we, as Maltese, love – the octopus. He puts a little bit of a twist on the traditional ways in which we prepare it. He makes a pan-fried octopus salad with beans and peas, a charred octopus with kamut salad and yoghurt dressing and a black octopus salad flavoured with red wine and beetroot topped with gremolata. Don't miss this week's episode of Gourmet Today TV, this Friday at 18:15. Ingedients • 150g plain flour • 2 eggs, separated • 2 tbsp olive oil • 180ml beer, at room temperature • 500g scallops, without roe, cut into 1.5cm pieces • 1 litre vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying • Lemon wedges, to serve Rocket salsa verde • 25g rocket, coarsely chopped • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped • ¼ cup chives, finely chopped • ½ tsp thyme, finely chopped • ½ tsp oregano, finely chopped • 45g anchovy, coarsely chopped • 1 shallot, finely chopped • 1 tsp lemon rind, finely grated • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • ¼ cup lemon juice • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Method 1. 1. Sift flour and ½ tsp salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre. 2. Whisk egg yolks, olive oil and beer together in a small bowl until just combined, then pour into well and stir until just combined; do not over-mix. 3. Cover batter and leave for 1 hour at room temperature. 4. To make the rocket salsa verde, combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use immediately or within 1 hour. 5. Place scallops in a bowl and season to taste. 6. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into batter until just incorporated. Spoon batter over scallops and stir gently to combine. 7. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 180°C and fry heaped tablespoonfuls of fritter mixture, in batches, in hot oil for 30-60 seconds or until golden, then drain on absorbent paper. 8. Place fritters on a platter and serve immediately with a bowl of salsa verde and lemon halves. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 17 June, 2016. Ingedients • 80g carnaroli rice • 150g mussels • 1 tomato, roughly chopped • 80g squid • 10g chives • 40g prawns • 10g butter • 25ml white wine • 15ml extra virgin olive oil Method 1. In a medium hot pan put olive oil, garlic, prawn heads, mussles and white wine and leave it to reduce. 2. When cooked, remove the mussels from the shell and save the stock, discarding the prawn heads and shells. 3. Add fish stock and complete cooking until the mussles are open. 4. In a saucepan over medium heat fry the rice in white wine until the wine has reduced. 5. Add the mussel stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue until all the stock is used up and the rice is tender (approx. 20 mins). 6. Add the cooked mussels without their shells, squid, chopped tomatoes and chives. 7. To make the prawn tartare, remove the prawn from the shell and chop into very small cubes. 8. Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt and some more chives. 9. Serve the ristotto topped with prawn tartare. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 17 June, 2016.