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MT 8 May 2017

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maltatoday, MONDAY, 8 MAY 2017 14 Food ElectionMunchies Strawberry jam Ingedients • 750g strawberries • 1 kilo jam sugar • Juice of one lemon • Knob of butter Method 1. Wash, dry and hull the strawberries then crush, using a potato masher (for a jam with a smoother texture you can put the fruit into a food processor). 2. Put the crushed strawberries in a large saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice. 3. Heat very gently, stirring all the time, until the sugar dissolves. Do NOT allow to boil at this stage. 4. Add the butter, still stirring. 5. Increase the heat and bring to a vigorous boil that rises in the pan and cannot be stirred down. 6. Allow to boil for 4 minutes exactly then remove from the heat. 7. Working quickly, pot in sterilized jars and cover with waxed paper circles, then cling film or jam covers. 8. Label and date. 9. Let stand in your store- cupboard for at least 3 weeks before using. To sterilize jars wash in hot water and place in very low oven to dry. Use straight away. Blueberry tart Ingedients Crust • 1 ¼ cups plain flour • 1/3 cup sugar • ¼ tsp salt • 113g unsalted butter cold, cut into pieces Filling • 6 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried • 1/4 cup water • 2 tbsp cornstarch • 2 tbsp water • 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated • 3 tbsp lemon juice • 2/3 cup sugar • pinch salt • Strips of lemon zest for garnish Method 1. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 200C. 2. In a food processor, all ingredients for crust until large crumbs form. 3. Transfer dough into a 9" round tart pan with removable bottom. 4. Press dough evenly into bottom and sides and place in freezer until firm, approx 15mins. 5. Prick bottom of crust all over with a fork and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely. 6. To make the filling, reserve 1 cup of blueberries for the topping. 7. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring ¼ cup water and 1 ½ cups blueberries to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 mins until berries begin to break down. 8. In a small measuring cup combine cornstarch and 2 tbsp water to form a slurry and stir into the berries. 9. Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 to 60 secs until thickened. 10. Remove from heat, stir in 3 ½ cups blueberries 11. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell and smooth with a spatula. 12. Top with reserved 1 cup blueberries, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. 13. Top with strips of lemon zest. 14. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 mins and up to overnight. Orange chocolate soufflés Ingedients Serves 4 • 40g butter, softened to grease • 70g caster sugar, plus an extra 40g to coat the dishes • 250ml freshly squezzed orange juice • 125ml milk • 3 egg yolks, plus 6 egg whites • 10g plain flour • 10g corn flour • 2 oranges, very finely zested • 30ml grand marnier (optional) • 20 – 30g icing sugar, to dust • 4 chocolate balls Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. 2. Brush 4 ramekins or small soufflé dishes, about 8cm in diameter and 6cm high, with butter. 3. Put the 40g caster sugar in one of the buttered dishes and rotate it at an angle so that the sugar coats the inside entirely, then tip the excess into the next dish, tapping it as you do so. Repeat until all the dishes are coated. 4. Simmer the orange juice in a pan over medium heat, to reduce by half to 125ml. 5. Slowly bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan over gentle heat, then whisk in the reduced orange juice and continue whisking until it returns to the boil. 6. Whisk the egg yolks and 20g of the caster sugar together in a bowl for 1 minute, then add the flour and cornflour and whisk for a further minute. Pour on the boiling milk and orange juice, whisking all the time, then mix in the orange zest. 7. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. 8. Gradually whisk in the remaining 50g caster sugar. 9. Using a whisk, incorporate one third of the whites into the soufflé mixture, without overworking. 10. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir with a whisk over a gentle heat until it comes to the boil. 11. Allow to boil gently for 1 minute, stirring, then add the grand marnier, if using. Pour the orange flavoured crème patisserie into a bowl, cover with cling film and set aside for 10 minutes. 12. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites using a rubber spatula, until the mixture is just smooth and homogeneous; take care not to over work. 13. Using a large spoon, divide the soufflé mixture, filling each ramekin around half way. 14. Place a chocolate ball into the ramekin and fill the rest of the ramekin with soufflé mixture. 15. Give each a light tap on the work surface. 16. Slide the blade knife around the inside edge of each dish, to give the soufflés a good shape as they rise in the oven. Bake for 7-8mins 17. On removing from the oven, sprinkle to tops with icing sugar. 18. Serve immediately. Asparagus risotto Ingedients Serves 4 • 500g asparagus, woody ends removed • 850ml chicken stock • Salt and pepper • 1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped • 50g unsalted butter • 3 tbsp olive oil • 250 g risotto rice • 50ml vermouth • 150g Parmesan, freshly grated Method 1. Heat the chicken stock. 2. Cut the tips off the asparagus and keep to one side. Chop the tender parts of the stalks into approx. 2.5cm pieces. 3. Blanch the asparagus tips for 2 mins, then blanch the stalks for about 3 mins. 4. In a blender, pulse the stalks with a ladle of the stock. 5. In a heavy saucepan, cook the onion in half the butter and the oil over a low heat for about 6 mins until soft. 6. Add the rice and cook gently, stirring for 2 mins to coat the rice with the oil. 7. Start to add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, stirring constantly, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. 8. Continue until the rice is al dente, usually about 20 mins. 9. Add the stalk puree, vermouth, asparagus tips, the rest of the butter, and the Parmesan. 10. Stir to combine and season. 11. Serve with more Parmesan. Red, blue, green or orange?

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