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Maria Shebets

Vegetables

Jerusalem artichoke and apple soup with grilled lettuce

 

jerusalem-artichoke-soup

Yesterday it seemed like winter was still here. Should we switch to soups again instead of sticking with crispy salads? I personally think we should.

Jerusalem artichoke is one of those root vegetables, which blends into soups perfectly, giving a dish a smooth and silky texture.

Apart from soups, there is so much you can do with this knobby root! I find its nutty earthy taste and sweetness even more unfolding when browning slightly in ghee or butter. You can sauté and roast this root, too. Oven baked Jerusalem artichokes are dangerously addictive!!!  More unusual way to use Jerusalem artichoke is to turn it to an ice cream. I must admit, it’s not my idea. Kurt Micallef prepared it for us during our interview it was absolutely delicious!

Going back to the soup, I hope you will give it a try and like it! Keep warm!

Jerusalem artichoke and apple soup with grilled lettuce

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Jerusalem artichoke
  • ½ lemon
  • Olive oil
  • 2 leeks, white part only*
  • Water or vegetable stock
  • 1 small head of lettuce
  • 1 big apple, not too sweet and not too sour
  • Salt and pepper
  • Toasted hazelnuts, sesame seeds, chervil, hazelnut oil and crostini to serve

Instructions

  • First peel the artichokes. Prepare a big bowl filled with cold water and squeeze the juice of a half lemon. Peel the artichokes, washing them under a cold running water as you go and place the peeled roots to the bowl with acidulated water.
  • Heat the oil in a medium pot. Roughly chop the leeks and add them to the pan. Sweat leeks until soft but do not let them brown.
  • Chop the artichokes in chunks and add to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, turning them in oil and then add water or stock just to cover them. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook until the roots are tender, approximately for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile grill the lettuce. Preheat the grill to medium-high, wash and dry the lettuce. Cut it in half and place on the shallow baking sheet and brush with some olive oil. Cook under the grill turning it every couple of minutes until the lettuce is nicely charred but not burnt. Remove from the oven and then let it cool slightly.
  • When the artichokes are almost ready, wash, peel, core the apple, cut it in chunks and add to the pot for the last 5 minutes.
  • With a slotted spoon lift the artichokes and apple from the liquid and place in a blender. Whizz them until smooth adding as much liquid d as you need to get the desirable consistency.
  • Pour the soup in a clean pot, season it with salt and pepper and reheat.
  • Pour in the soup between warmed bowls, garnish with lettuce, hazelnuts seeds and greens and a splash of hazelnut oil. Add one or two crostini to each bowl and enjoy it piping hot!

Notes

*small, local ones

Vegetables

Farmers market salad with ġbejna friska

watermelon and cheese salad

Like many of you, every Saturday morning I go to Ta’ Qali market. It has become a weekly ritual I cannot skip. I usually go there very early in the morning trying to get the local produce as fresh as possible and I have even developed my own little paths, which I follow: this row for tomatoes, those farmers selling the best cucumbers, fresh herbs stand on my way to the car.

Then comes another part of the ritual: distribution of fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. And I’m very serious about that… figs in the fridge, tomatoes on the countertop and pumpkin into the pantry.

While unpacking my shopping bags, I’m thinking of what to do with the ingredients I bought. I usually have a lot of ideas but, to be honest, I’m getting so hungry by lunch that I end up preparing something really simple: I just chop everything, tear some fresh soft herbs and flavor everything with some nice olive oil, some sea salt flakes and cracked pepper. Don’t forget about freshly baked bread to soak all the juices up!

It’s true that the secret of any successful dish lies in the quality of its ingredients. Use the sweetest watermelon you can find, ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh ġbejna. Torn some basil leaves over the plate just before serving and enjoy!

mixed cherry tomatoes

Farmers market salad with ġbejna friska

to make a big bowl that serves approximately 2

Ingredients

  • ½ medium seedless watermelon
  • A big handful of mixed cherry tomatoes (red, orange, yellow and green)
  • 1 shallot
  • A handful of dark olives (better pitted)
  • 2 pieces of ġbejna friska (I use one from sheep milk)
  • Olive oil
  • Some fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Basil flowers (if you have on your bunch)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Chop the watermelon flesh into cubes. Wash and dry tomatoes and cut them in halves. Finely slice the shallot. Pit or sliver olives or leave them whole. Drain ġbejna well and crumble it into big pieces.
  • Mix everything in a bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and juice over it, tearing some basil leaves and seasoning with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy to use your hands (perfectly clean of course!) to toss all these delicious and colorful goodies together.
  • Sprinkle with some basil flowers and serve.

 

 

Fruits

Watermelon gazpacho

refreshing watermelon gazpacho

Watermelon gazpacho is yet another staple food to survive hot Maltese summer. It is also one of my favorites. Honestly, I guarantee you would love it, too. Absolutely effortless, light and refreshing meal that lasts for couple of days!

The ratio of vegetables is approximate; you might use your own taste and preferences as a guidance. Most importantly, I would advise you to choose sweet watermelon and ripe sweet Maltese tomatoes because these two perfectly complement each other, especially when highlighted with picante chili.

There are so many variations of toppings for this gazpacho: feta, pecorino, croutons, chopped tomatoes, seeds, avocado, fresh soft herbs or a mix of vegetables.

You could also add a few ice cubes in your bowl, if you want to refresh yourself even more.

Imagine a hot day; you crawl into your house, tired and hungry. You open the fridge and here it is… Super summery watermelon gazpacho is waiting for you for the whole day, ready to eat, nice and chilled.What could be better?

Therefore, I think you really need to try it out! Enjoy!

Watermelon gazpacho

to make approximately 2 litres

Ingredients

  • 1 medium seedless watermelon
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes
  • 2 red peppers (seeds removed, roughly chopped)
  • 1 large cucumber (peeled, roughly chopped)
  • ½ sweet red onion (roughly chopped)
  • 4 tbsp. of olive oil
  • 1- 2  tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey (optional)
  • Zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
  • salt
  • chilli flakes

Instructions

  • Roughly chop watermelon flesh and place it in a big mixing bowl.
  • Peel and deseed tomatoes. To peel tomatoes score a cross in the skin of the base of a tomato. Place in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Leave for a minute, drain and peel off the skin. Remove the seeds and chop roughly. Add to the bowl.
  • Add the rest of the vegetables in the bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a good pinch of chilli flakes and honey (optional). Season with salt and mix everything very well with your hands.
  • You can either use a hand blender or a standing blender to whizz everything until very smooth.
  • Taste the mixture, adjust seasoning if you wish. You might want to add some more vinegar, mix everything again, place it in the fridge and let it chill thoroughly.
  • Decorate. Drizzle with some olive oil and serve.

Notes

To add some texture, you can decorate your gazpacho with finely chopped watermelon (I used yellow for color), onions and cucumber.

Vegetables

Watercress, kale and celeriac soup

watercress kale and celeriac soup topped with some fresh ricotta and edible flowers

I love pureed soups! They are endlessly versatile and hit the spot especially during this time of the year! A lot of ingredients, which loose appearance and taste in normal minestras, could be successfully used in this type of soup.

Today I’m going to introduce this beautiful watercress and kale soup. In order to thicken it up, I prefer to use celeriac (celery root) instead of traditional potatoes. The end texture is similar to that of potatoes, though it appears to be a bit less smooth. Celeriac is lower in calories and carbohydrates compared to potatoes and, at the same time, contains essential minerals, such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, copper, and manganese, as well as a number of vitamins (C, B, K) and antioxidants.

I find fresh flavor of celery root more compatible with greens. In particular, I find it perfectly complementing slightly tangy and peppery taste of watercress (which represents yet another bonus in our diet). Fresh cress contains a good amount of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Lastly, I’m pretty sure that everyone is aware about a variety of nutrition benefits that kale holds.

So, I hope you will enjoy this bright, delicious and healthy meal! Buon appetito!

celeriac root

Watercress, kale and celeriac soup

Serving 6-8

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 3 baby leeks
  • 900 gr celeriac
  • 5 cups water (or more)
  • 100 gr kale, taught stems removed
  • 125 gr watercress, leaves and tender stems only
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Ricotta for topping
  • Edible flowers to decorate

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot and add the leeks. Season with salt and cook the vegetables over a low to medium heat until soft and translucent.
  • Meanwhile peel the celeriac, wash it very well and dice it into cubes. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender.
  • 5 minutes before celeriac is cooked, add the kale to the pot and let it wilt.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and add the watercress.
  • Let the soup cool a little bit and puree it in batches in a blender.
  • Pour the soup back into the pot and reheat. Check and adjust seasonings.
  • Pour the soup in a bowl and add your favourite topping.

Notes

Some ideas for soup toppings: gbejna, ricotta, pecorino, seeds, croutons, thick yoghurt, sour cream.

Vegetables

An ode to radishes

french breakfast radishes

These pinkish globes and their green leaves bring liveliness to our kitchens, don’t you agree? When I see small bright bunches in a market or a shop, my mind automatically conjures the image of a big bowl of salad, topped with crunchy radish wedges, so fresh and peppery! Or even better: radishes dipped in salt and eaten with buttered bread or dipped in sour cream. What a great appetizer!

Yes, usually we think of radishes as something to be eaten raw, as an appetizer or part of a salad. Like a lot of produce, radishes are at their best when eaten straight after you’ve bought them from a market. The fresher the better- and sadly, radishes from grocery shops have often been there a little longer than they should be, so they lose their crispiness very quickly.

radishes with sour cream

radishes with sour cream

The problem is that delicate spring radishes like the French Breakfast variety aren’t often seen here in Malta. On that note… do French people actually eat radishes for breakfast? At a farmer’s market, you can usually see other radish varieties, which are often much bigger and tend to be much more pungent than their delicate relatives.

Here’s a good news: these radishes are great for cooking! Honestly, I only found out how great radishes can be in a cooked dish a couple of years ago- and I was pretty surprised. I knew, of course, about pickles but it had never occurred to me to try and roast, braise, boil or sauté this vegetable. So from experience, let me assure you, it tastes fantastic even when cooked.

Wait, there’s even more good news: radish leaves are edible too! Tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads, just like rucola. Mature leaves are a great addition to vegetable stews, or can be cooked on their own, like spinach.

colourful radishes

Choosing and storing radishes:
  • Choose radishes which feel heavy for their size. The ones which feel light will most likely be spongy inside.
  • Peel radishes if they have skin, as it can be too hard and woody. Peeling will help to make overly pungent radishes more palatable.
  • To store radishes, remove their leaves first, since they are prone to spoiling very quickly.
Radishes go very well with:
  • Butter and salt
  • Sweetish white wine vinegar (I like to use white balsamic or poppy seeds vinegar)
  • Fresh thyme; poppy seeds

 

crunchy radishes

Radish salad with honey dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pungent radishes (like Watermelon, Black Spanish)
  • Small bunch of delicate tasting radishes (like French Breakfast)
  • Dark coloured salad leaves, washed and dried
  • Microgreens
  • 2 hard boiled eggs (optional)

Dressing:

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or other white vinegar with sweet flavor) + some more for drizzling
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • Salt
  • 1-2 tsp poppy seeds
  • Dried barberries (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel pungent radishes if you wish. Using a mandoline or really sharp knife slice radishes as thin as possible. Drizzle with some vinegar and set aside while preparing dressing.
  2. Mix all ingredients for dressing and stir well until combined.
  3. Arrange salad leaves on a plates. Drain radishes and put them in a bowl with dressing, mix well.
  4. Arrange on the top of the leaves and sprinkle with microgreens and chopped egg.

radish salad

I’ll admit, this one was an absolute improvisation. I was lucky to have a huge bunch of various radishes. First, I enjoyed delicate ones just dipped in sour cream. Then, a thought occurred to me: I also had a bunch of broccolini and they would certainly make a nice couple. That’s how this recipe was born:

Light spring stew of radishes and their leaves, with spring garlic and broccolini

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • ½ head of spring garlic, divided into cloves
  • A bunch of broccolini
  • Water
  • 3-4 big radishes (Black Spanish, Watermelon)
  • A handful of spring radishes and their leaves
  • Lemon, cut into wedges
  • Salt
  • Pecorino to serve

Instructions

  1. Wash vegetables very well. Cut small delicate radishes into halves. Peel big radishes and cut them into wedges.
  2. Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic, and stir until almost translucent, season with salt.
  3. Add broccolini and big radishes, stir to coat in oil and add some water until the vegetables are about half submerged. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes- it should be no longer than 5.
  4. Now, add small radishes and their leaves and cook for a couple of minutes more until the greens are just wilted.
  5. Squeeze some lemon juice and check the seasoning.
  6. Shave some pecorino on top.
  7. Enjoy while warm!

radish stew

 

Sautéed radishes

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • A bunch of small radishes, leaves removed
  • ½ head of spring garlic, divided into cloves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
  • Salt flakes

Instructions

  1. Wash radishes, dry them and cut in a half.
  2. Heat olive oil in a shallow frying pan over a medium heat.
  3. Put the radishes into the pan, cut side down (to get nice golden colour)
  4. Cook for 10-12 minutes
  5. Drizzle with vinegar, stir.
  6. Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!

sauteed radishes

Next time you know what to do with your radishes!

 

Vegetables

It’s all about chard

chard and lentil bowl

To be honest, I can’t leave the famers market without getting a big bunch of rainbow chard. The first time I bought this beautiful green was because of its appearance, but shortly after I started truly appreciating its other qualities. Apart from being rich with vitamins, chard has a sweet and delicate flavour, more refined comparing to other greens. It also can be used in various dishes: soups, frittatas, stews, bakes, fritters, salads and gratins! You may use the leaves and stalks in one or separate dishes, it’s up to you!

When buying chard, make sure you choose the one that has bright and solid leaves and stalks. Wrapped in plastic, you can store this green in the fridge for about 2-4 days.

chard and lentil bowl

Chard and lentil bowl with yoghurt dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ½ bunch of chard leaves
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and roughly chopped
  • A bunch of parsley, leaves only
  • Salt
  • 200 g of red lentils

For yoghurt dressing:

  • 1 cup (250 ml) of Greek yoghurt
  • A big handful of basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. First, you need to blanch the greens. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and immerse leaves for 10-15 seconds. Then drain, cool and chop roughly.
  2. In a deep sauté pan heat a good drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat and add shallots. Cook until soft and coloured nicely.
  3. Add tomatoes and chard leaves to a pan and cook for a few minutes until heated through.
  4. Season well with salt and pepper and add parsley.
  5. Meanwhile cook red lentils following the instructions on the pack. You may use vegetable stock instead of water.
  6. For yoghurt dressing: simply put all ingredients in a hand blender container and process until smooth.
  7. Divide lentils and chard sauté between 4 bowls and add some dressing, mix everything and enjoy!

griddled chard stems

Griddled rainbow chard stems with brown butter vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • Stems from 1 large bunch of rainbow chard
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper (I use mix with white pepper)

For brown butter vinaigrette:

  • 35 g salted butter
  • Small wedge of lemon
  • 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped

Instructions

 

  1. Prepare a big bowl of iced water.
  2. Wash and trim stems. Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Blanche chard stems for 2-3 minutes depending on their size. Don’t put a whole bunch in a pot, do it by batches. Drain stems and put when in the iced water to prevent further cooking and refresh their colour. Drain again and pat dry.
  3. Heat griddled pan on a medium high heat.
  4. Drizzle stems with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Toss very thoroughly.
  5. Cook stems by batches till charred.
  6. Meanwhile make brown butter vinaigrette: heat 35g of salted butter in a fraying pan over medium-high heat for few minutes till it foams and turns beautiful nutty colour. Pour it in a small bowl and add a squeeze of lemon juice. You will have about 3 tbsp of brown butter.
  7. Add a white balsamic vinegar and shallot to the butter and whisk lightly until smooth.
  8. Pour the vinaigrette over the hot stems and serve immediately sprinkling your dish with hazelnuts.

Notes

Add any additional notes here.

soup with chard and poached egg

Soup with rainbow chard and poached eggs

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 1 leek (white part), roughly chopped
  • 1 thick slice of pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1-1,5 litres vegetable stock (homemade preferably), hot
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ½ bunch of rainbow chard leaves, roughly chopped
  • Olive oil
  • Salt, pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a big pan over a medium heat.
  2. When heated enough, add all vegetables except tomatoes and chard leaves to the pan. Stir to cover it with oil, season well with salt and pepper, cover with a lid on and cook for about 10 minutes.
  3. Add stock to the pan and bring to boil, then reduce the heat to a medium–low and simmer until pumpkin and carrots are almost cooked through, for about 25-30 minutes. The quantity of stock you add to the pan depends on how thick or watery you want your soup to be.
  4. Then add tomatoes and chard leaves to the pan and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust it if needed.
  5. Meanwhile poach 6 eggs (follow the instructions).
  6. When everything is ready, divide the soup between 6 bowls, add poached eggs and sprinkle with pecorino or parmigiano shavings.
  7. Serve hot with toasted Maltese bread.

bruschetta with chard

Bruschetta with chard

To make 4 big bruschettas

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 big leaves of rainbow chard, ribs trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
  • 4 slices of crusty Maltese bread
  • Pine nuts
  • Parmiggiano
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a big heavy pan over a medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant and lightly coloured.
  2. Add chard . Sauté until the leaves are wilted and tender, just for a few minutes.
  3. Meanwhile toast the slices of bread.
  4. Season sautéed leaves to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
  5. Divide mixture between bread slices, sprinkle with pine nuts, parmiggiano shavings and some more olive oil if you want.

IMG_4024

 

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