By DAVID DARMANIN

1.     How much is the fish? For all the sea that surrounds us, the scarce amount of fishmongers in comparison to the butcher shops scattered around the island only points at meat being a more favoured staple to fish. This is certainly not a question of price, or at least it shouldn’t be. By all means, certain types of white fish are expensive. But then so is Black Angus rib-eye. Certainly, beef topside goes at €4 per kilo, but then so does parrotfish (pappagall) – which is grilled on a hot plate, scales on. Other lovely cheap fish on your fishmonger’s counter may include cinturin (scabbard fish) – which can be tossed in extra virgin olive oil with some chili; imsell (garfish) – bakes beautifully; alongi (albacore tuna) – marinated in ginger and lime and then seared; mazzolla (dogfish) – stewed in tomato and black olive sauce; and fresh sardines – which can be deboned and eaten raw with some lemon juice, seasoning and parsley.

2. Forbidden fruits. A couple of years ago, The Sun and The Telegraph had made a fuss over a rare plankton-feeding bream (Sarpa Salpa) that was found meandering through the waters of the English Channel. The news had hit the front pages because Sarpa ostensibly causes hallucinations when consumed, and its trips are said to last for days. It transpires that the fish is so commonly found in Malta that some fishmongers will stock it reluctantly due to its very low resale value. At the time, I decided to conduct some fieldwork for a follow-up article to this curious UK news item. So I finally took up the offer of my fish supplier for some free ‘Xarpa’ for aljotta - an item I cooked and ate in prolific amounts purely for research purposes, of course. Let us say that any perceived effects I may have had were diagnosed as placebo, so thankfully, the story never went to print.
Xarpa may not be illegal, but fishing for date mussels warrants harsh legal consequences. This type of shellfish, which resembles dates in both shape and colour, grows right into the seabed – so it can’t be fished without causing serious collateral damage to the environment. It is rumoured that a Valletta family illegally farms date mussels by allowing them to grow in boulders that are eventually hauled up and broken on the hard to retrieve the delicate prize without having to damage the seabed. Albeit less morally wrong, date mussels may contain a very high allergenic content due to the fact that little or no current flows through them while in the sea. They’re worth the risk though, or so it is said.

3. Lampuki netting exceeds a hundred tonnes a year, but we often (and perhaps unfairly) limit this delectable oily fish exclusively for frying or as filling for pie. A lampuka makes fantastic sashimi. It also lends itself to a memorable ceviche – a Peruvian recipe of raw diced fish marinated in citrus, chillies, onions and coriander leaves. And once we’re on the ‘a crudo’ theme – lampuki tartare: following the same recipe as for your ceviche but replacing the coriander with parsley and cutting your ingredients into very tiny dices to allow shaping into a patty. But watch out for raw lampuki… ensure the fish is day-fresh and stored in low temperatures before eating raw. Such species (along with tuna, pilot fish and sardines) tend to cause scombroid food poisoning as they develop histamines when exposed to temperatures higher than 16 degrees Celsius for extended periods of time.

4. Tuna. Someone like Raphael Vassallo would certainly be better versed on the issue, but in my books, boycotting tuna consumption in Malta will do very little to slow down its route to extinction. Local consumption only constitutes a fraction of the tuna that is exported to Asia. Besides, Malta astonishingly does not allow for a bycatch contingency, meaning that if a blue-fin tuna is caught unintentionally its captor will be left with no other option but to smuggle it in and eat it himself… or sell it illegally. So chances are that if we stumble on just-caught, wild, off-season, blue-fin tuna that screams ‘hot’ at the fishmonger, this could simply be the result of chance rather than of malicious fishing. Be it prized blue-fin (sold to us at a tenth of its price in Japan) or yellow-fin (which breeds in the Atlantic and is less endangered) that reaches our fridges – keep in mind two golden rules for it: never cook it through (keep it rare) and match it with a sweet ingredient like honey, raisins, lime, marjoram or port wine. Chili is also a near-must.

5. Gandofli (venus clams) may cost as much as Eur10.00 per kilo, but when you see them, jump on them. A fishmonger worth his salt will purchase them alive, and keep them in an aquarium or in a large bucket of seawater. Take a container with you and ask for some seawater to store them in until you reach a hot pan. Such clams tend to be very sandy, so before cooking - drain, place them in a closed container, shake vigorously and then cleanse under running water. Toss with chili until the shells open and finish off with some fresh parsley.

6. Red prawns are not exactly cheap either, but certainly cheaper than the red prawns found in Italy’s fish markets. Red prawns are sold in Malta at about the same price as Argentinian pink prawns – which are tasteless in comparison. For an even tastier and cheaper red prawn – go for the L2 (medium) size rather than the giant ones. Toss in extra virgin olive oil, flambé with some tequila and finish off with a little fresh orange juice. Remember to suck the heads.

7. Fine white fish is expensive, so if you’re treating yourself see to getting your money’s worth. Farmed fish is not vile, but it is no match to wild counterparts. Wild fish like kahli (saddled bream), sargu (silver bream) and cappullaz (rock fish) are commonly found at many a fishmonger. All you need is garlic, sea salt, pepper, marjoram, olive oil and white wine to insert in its cavity. Roll in aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes per 400 grams.

8. Frozen and fresh. To tell whether fish has been pre-frozen, tap on it and see if the flesh bounces back. If it forms a pit retaining the shape of your finger, chances are that it has been frozen. You will hardly be able to tap around a barracuda when inspecting fresh fish at a restaurant. Good kitchen practice involves cleaning out the fish prior to freezing. If a fish is presented to you cleaned and gutted for inspection – it could simply mean that it was done to enable faster kitchen processes. But it also means that your chances of knowing whether or not the fish has been pre-frozen are diminished. To ensure freshness - gills must have a vibrant red colour, the scales must be all intact, the skin must be nice and shiny and it should smell of the sea and not ‘fishy’.

9. Octopus. Inserting cork in the pot while cooking octopus will not tenderize it, that’s an old wives’ tale. Freezing will, but it will also take away much of the fresh taste of the sea. Another way of tenderizing octopus is to beat it thoroughly with a kitchen mallet. Wear an apron while doing that. Cook under a lid on a low flame in liquid until tender.

10. Salmon features among the fastest moving fish in local markets. As delicious as gravlax and many other recipes may be, salmon is not a Mediterranean species so it must travel for hundreds of miles in boxes before reaching our homes. Its popularity is undeserved on this island.

First carried by MaltaToday 02 Sep 2011

By DAVID DARMANIN

You can’t live on pastizzi every day, granted, but it’s worth considering that two ricotta pastizzi (360 Kcal in total) are likely to cost less than making a sandwich at home.

1.      No one ever starves here. As expensive as it may have become to buy food from a supermarket or to eat at a restaurant in Malta, we are still blessed with the possibility of paying a quick visit to any of the pastizzerias found in every Maltese piazza whenever we like and at a pittance. Our national street food is filling, cheap and cheerful. I believe there is also universal consensus on its deliciousness. The claim that each pastizz is worth 500 Kcal of energy is as fake as a three-euro note. You can’t live on pastizzi every day, granted, but it’s worth considering that two ricotta pastizzi (360 Kcal in total) are likely to cost less than making a sandwich at home and are possibly less fattening and more filling... And once we’re touching the subject of calorific count, pea-filled pastizzi (which are far from being true to proper Maltese tradition) are about 20% more fattening than ricotta ones.

2. Roll up your sleeves. Less time in the kitchen has made our food bills rocket. Had I been working in an office I would undoubtedly turn into a convenience food junkie. No matter how hard foodies try to escape it – junk food is as tasty as it is practical. And children love it. Pity that we don’t think about how terribly unhealthy some preserved or fast food can be. Frozen pizza being one of my pet hates, I once challenged my 12- year-old son that I would prepare a homemade pizza faster than the time it takes for a frozen one to defrost in the microwave. Even though I lost the challenge by a minute or so (read 15) – each pizza portion cost me five times less, was far tastier and definitely healthier. Same thing applies to burgers, potato fries, chicken nuggets and the like. And let’s not even get started on popcorn.

3. Restraint. Cooking is more about feeding others than feeding yourself. Let’s face it, hiding our satisfied looks is a hard feat when others show us even a slight degree of appreciation for what we manage to slap up onto their plates. We like to impress at times. I most definitely do. Before becoming a professional cook, my idea of impressing with home cooking was to dump in as many ingredients as possible into the pot. Admittedly, the technique may have worked whenever I needed to cover up some bad mistakes. But the real mistake was not to think about how much my pseudo-Escoffier style was coming up to in terms of food cost. Stop experimenting with 500 ingredients and keep things simple and delicious. Take a leaf out of an Italian cookbook and you’ll see what I mean. Carbonara – four ingredients. Amatriciana – five. Polpette – four ingredients. Bistecca alla Fiorentina – two ingredients. Gamberoni a crudo – one ingredient. And the list goes on.

4. Fish. Not all fish and seafood is costly. Salmon is. Wild red snapper is. King size red prawns are. But less cliché and (arguably) tastier fish costs nothing. Parrot fish (Pappagall, ideal for grilling) – €2.00 to €3.00 per kilo. Amberjack tuna (Plamtu, ask for it filleted – take it home and just sear it) – €3.50-€4.50 per kilo. Xalpa (al cartoccio would be nice) – ask for it for free and they won’t think you’re that rude. Fresh mussels – €5.00 per kilo. Fresh sardines (eat raw with grapefruit for breakfast) – dirt cheap. The trick is to go for local, wild and common fish. Some fishmongers specialise in this kind of ware.

5. Secondary cuts. The price of meat scares us. Beef fillet for instance, may cost about €30.00 per kilo. That’s steep. Frying a minute steak (at €5.00 a kilo) will hardly match, but stewing rump chunks (€8.00 per kilo) will surely work the magic if it’s a rich meal you’re after. Lamb rack costs a ridiculous €23.00 per kilo. Hind shanks – which can be nicely braised – cost about €6.00 per kilo. Veal T-bone? €19.00 per kilo. Veal topside (cut thinly, roll in breadcrumbs and shallow-fry in extra virgin olive oil) – €7.50 per kilo. I know it’s not the same thing, but hey.

6. Seasonality. Veggies are cheaper when they are in season. No news there. But if you’re really after saving some euos, the trick is to exercise patience with seasonal produce – wait until it peaks. Artichokes for instance, start at €4.00 each and gradually move on to four for €1.00. Same applies to strawberries, figs, pears, broad beans and many others. Another way of exploiting the beauty of seasonal ingredients is to use them as a replacement when you follow a recipe. Strawberries could replace cherries for certain dessert recipes; peaches replace apples; grapes replace berries and so on and so forth.

7. Preserving. Oldest trick in the book. You just need time and patience. When seasonal produce is at its cheapest – buy in bulk and make it last. I know of a five star hotel that purchases stupid amounts of beefsteak tomatoes and freezes them to eventually use for ‘fresh’ sauces when the fruit goes off-season. I would be more inclined to use natural preserves: dehydration, salt, acid, sugar or fat. We’re talking about sundried tomatoes, dried beans for bigilla, beetroots in vinegar, olives preserved in oil, strawberry jams and the like.

8. Local produce. As obvious as it is that local produce is cheaper, many of us forgo the fact that with imported produce – transport and storage are included in the price we pay. A fresh ġbejna costs 35c. The cheapest Neapolitan buffalo mozzarella I found on supermarket shelves in Malta cost €2.00. Sure, they are two different cheeses. The ġbejna is objectively superior though, besides costing five times less. Gozo-style Caprese anyone? Local chicken is quite lovely if it reaches our shopping bags prior to it being frozen. It also turns out to be considerably cheaper than many frozen and imported (and water-injected) brands.

9. Sauces and spices. This is for when you’re both a protein junkie and really, really broke. Ever wondered how come 50g of meat in an Indian curry could fill you up as much as a Christmas turkey? Slow-cook your meats in sauces and spice them up. You’ll get away with feeding four people using the same weight as for one person.

10. Left-overs. OK - bread-puddings, turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day, a sauce for pasta using a left-over steak your teenage son opted not to dig into due to a bad hangover… we know the tricks. But the true joy of working with left-overs is when you economise after having planned to have left overs. This needs further explanation. You’re working on a chicken salad for lunch. You buy a breast no? No. Buy a whole chicken (far cheaper), use the breast for the salad, the carcass for a fresh stock, the wings for an evening TV snack and the thighs for a broth which you will cook tomorrow.

Beef ragù for spaghetti? Make double the amount you need. Use half for pasta tonight and the other half for lasagna tomorrow. With larger batches you end up saving both time and money.

Bon appetit!

First carried by MaltaToday 12 July 2011

By DAVID DARMANIN

Basil is pronounced the same way as John Cleese’s character in Fawlty Towers, and not ‘bayzil’ unless you’re American. This fragrant herb blends in divinely with a host of both savoury and sweet ingredients – including tomatoes, white fish, sheep’s cheese and even strawberries. Tomato sauce is lost without the inclusion of basil, but take heed - chucking it into the saucepan too early will make the herb lose its typical flavours. Like all other soft herbs, basil should be either eaten raw or chucked into hot food towards the end of the cooking process. As per Mediterranean tradition, Maltese women courted knights and other hunks by placing a basil pot on their window sill.

Mint grows easily and spreads fast, hence its prolific presence on supermarket shelves – resulting in its culinary rape and over-usage. In Malta, mint is often perceived as highly harmonious with fish, but is it really? There are of course rare exceptions, but when God created mint – he meant it as an accompaniment to chocolate, rum-based cocktails and sundried tomatoes. Mint is traditionally consumed raw in the Mediterranean – such as in our cherished Hobz biz-zejt. In England, the herb is sometimes cooked to prepare mint sauce to accompany stewed lamb. Mint is indigenous to the Mediterranean.

Thyme is a hard herb, so it needs to be cooked hard. Use it to flavour lamb and pork stews, braised rabbit or to decorate cribs. Beware of overpowering. When using thyme in a slow stew, tie up the bunch to a string so you can remove it easily once you’re satisfied with the flavour. Rabbit can take loads of thyme. Some artisan rabbit breeders will even put the bunnies on a diet of thyme a week prior to slaughter. No, it’s not cruel. It’s a treat. Thyme represented courage in antiquity. In ancient Rome, it was customary for women to give their husbands a bunch of thyme before they went to war. Thyme is also an excellent source of iron and is a natural antiseptic.

Marjoram is associated with happiness. Use it with tuna and you’ll understand why. This Mediterranean herb is often confused with oregano due to their uncanny visual and aromatic resemblance. Marjoram is in fact a wild variant of oregano. The two have different flavours though, and they are seldom inter-changeable – so keep your oregano for Pizza Margherita and your marjoram for fish. Or bigilla.

Sage is magical. The Romans deemed it sacred; in the Middle Ages the Arabs believed it could lead to immortality; and 14th century Christians used it against witchcraft. But beyond customs of antiquity and superstition, fairly recent pharmacological studies seem to promote the idea that the herb contains properties aiding memory enhancement. Sage is also very high in anti-oxidants – so much that it was used to preserve meats in the pre-refrigeration era. It marries wonderfully with pork, or with butter sauce for ravioli.

Bay leaves are very rock and roll. Greek oracle Pythia inhaled the smoke of burning laurel leaves to induce her trances and visions. Alas, it does not seem to work on us common mortals. Bay leaves were also considered to be a symbol of honour – hence Julius Caesar’s famous laurel crown. In the Elizabethan era it was customary to place a bay leaf under the pillow to induce dreams about a future spouse. Ironically, it was also believed that copious amounts of bay leaves could induce abortions. Nowadays we know that it helps relieve headaches and colic, besides it being a mildly effective anti-fungal and a natural insecticide. We also know that the inclusion of bay leaves is mandatory when stewing with red wine – particularly when it comes to snails and horse meat. Add some nutmeg for the latter.

Parsley comes for free, so it is taken for granted. It is what many cooks resort to when they do not want to go into the trouble of choosing a more suitable alternative. The herb has become the standard garnish on every restaurant plate, and it deserves better. Fresh and crunchy parsley leaves are magical when mixed into refrigerated octopus and raw garlic. Parsley and mushrooms are heavenly, we all know that. Sea-urchins have a tendency to snub most ingredients known to man, but they welcome parsley with open arms. Some traditional English sauces require the cooking of parsley, which brings out an interesting facet of a herb that is generally eaten raw. Parsley is said to be chemo-protective and it contains properties that neutralize carcinogens. It is rich in Vitamin C and is a good source of Vitamin B. It is said to be healthy for the heart. Treat it fairly.

Coriander also goes by the name of cilantro in other parts of the world and is closely related to carrots and parsley. Its seed is responsible for the distinct Maltese sausage flavour, and its leaves boost up the taste of veal bragioli filling. Lovely as a garnish on pan-seared tuna, as on a nice rack of lamb. The Chinese used it in love potions and those who believe in the myth of aphrodisiac foods hold this herb in very high regard. Coriander is known to reduce anxiety, and the Iranians used it to treat insomnia.

Rosemary is not just healthy but gorgeous. The fragrance is to die for. Even if its effects on digestion, the immune system and circulation were unhealthy (au contraire) – excluding rosemary from pork or roast potatoes would be a hard feat. Believing it enhanced memory, ancient Greek students placed rosemary leaves in their hair while preparing for exams. In other cultures mourners placed rosemary in graves as a symbol of remembrance.

Fennel is as closely related to anise as it is to parsley, coriander and carrots, but the resemblance in taste to anise is very significant. Use the bulb to make soup – just add red onions and fresh vegetable stock, boil and blend. That’s fibre-fest. Reserve the leaves to flavour roast potatoes – the Maltese way.

First carried by MaltaToday 24 August 2011

By DAVID DARMANIN

There’s a fine line between flattering your guests and getting caught trying too hard.

They’ll just complain behind your back. David Darmanin of Taverna Sugu lists a series of recommendations to lower any possible cringe factors

1.     Take it easy. There’s a fine line between flattering your guests and getting caught trying too hard. Using a china set for a special occasion shows that you care. Inviting your daughter’s new boyfriend for a Sunday lunch of oysters and scallops au gratin will make her want to disown you. The trick is to prepare simple and familiar foods but with that bit of extra flair. One way of doing this is to replace ‘everyday’ ingredients with ones of superior quality. Fresh and homemade usually does it. If you’re going for a simple timpana for instance – prepare the short crust yourself, use fresh tomatoes for the sauce and use rabbit liver for the ragú.

2.     Experimenting, as the name suggests, is a gamble. It is also insulting. If you feel an urge to experiment with your cooking, do it when you’re alone in sampling the final result.

3.     Preparation. There’s little scope in inviting friends over if you’re too busy slaving in the kitchen while they’re there. Nobody wins if you downgrade your position of host to servant. Apart from making yourself miss out on all the fun and gossip while you toss your fettuccelle in asparagus – your guests will feel guilty for being there. Make sure you do most of the work before your guests arrive and that you plan out your menu accordingly. Discard any a-la-minute preparation and go for stuff you can prepare beforehand.

4.     Cocktails. Always a good idea. Prepare a large iced jug of whatever and hand out a glass full to each guest as soon as they arrive. Few will decline a welcome drink, and the party will have a ‘fun and fancy’ feel right from the start. Here are two cocktail recipes we created at Taverna Sugu and work the magic.

-        Bajtra ta’ Betta. One part Bajtra Liqueur; two parts Bombay Gin; four parts tonic water; fresh lime juice; plenty of ice. Serve in a flute glass. Very girly.

-        Harruba Libre. One part ‘Harruba’ Carob Liqueur; two parts quality vodka; four parts cola; fresh mint leaves; fresh lime juice; plenty of ice.

5.     Appetizers. The 1980s were so funny. Appetizers usually consisted of the (in)famous Bombay mix; cocktail sausages in spicy ketchup sauce; crabmeat with no trace of crab at all; and on special occasions – bacon-wrapped chicken liver which we called angels on horseback. Incidentally, real angels on horseback are made by using oysters and bacon. The actual name for the recipe we used for first Holy Communion parties 30 years ago is actually ‘devils on horseback’. But we digress. Appetizers are not to be discounted as they have an important and practical function. Chances are that not all your invitees will arrive at the same time, and many early-comers may be starving – especially after one of those cocktails. Appetizers will help them subdue the pain. But more importantly, appetizers have the function of stimulating further appetite. Go for salty stuff. This one’s easy: one part sundried tomatoes, finely chopped; four or five parts ricotta; mint leaves. Blend. Sundried tomato dip.

6.     Help yourself. Let true Mediterranean character marry with convenience. No worthy guest will begrudge you for placing starters in the midst of the table for diners to help themselves. Some southern culinary traditions even impose this system. Plating takes time and it’s a nuisance. Besides, the ‘help yourself’ system allows for less wastage, with guests plating the items and amounts they want to eat.

7.     Plated starters. If you want a tone of formality on the dinner table and are adamant on going for plated starters – don’t cook pasta since you will have to disappear for 15 minutes before you dish out your starters, at a time when guests are still orienting themselves. Many other starters can be prepared beforehand. The lampuki season has started. Fillet the fish and dice it small. Marinate in lemon, a little balsamic vinegar, salt, parsley and very finely chopped red onions. Line a small bowl with extra virgin olive oil press in the fish and overturn into a plate. Serve with rucola. Strictly use day-fresh fish for this recipe, and never leave out in warm temperatures for longer than 10 minutes. If uncooked fish scares you, go for a nice salad. Fresh ġbejna Caprese works. Slice a local tomato and a fresh sheep’s milk ġbejna. Tower with a basil leaf and a slice of the cheese between every layer of ġbejna. This recipe is both familiar and original.

8.     Barbeques are fun, but they can prove tricky and are easy to screw up. Unless you own a barbeque that looks like a space-shuttle, you are Australian (or flaunt equivalent expertise on the barbie) or can delegate to someone who is – try to choose the items you put on the grill very carefully. Sadly, it’s not as easy as Bobby Flay makes us think. If you’re cooking for a large group for instance, beefsteak may not be the wisest option when you are confronted with requests to grill at different temperatures. Being asked for three rare rib-eyes, one medium-rare T-Bone, two medium sirloins and a well-done fillet (cringe) on a domestic open-top barbeque may be a challenge even for a seasoned cook. This will surely happen if guests are asked to bring their own meats.

-        Go for cheaper barbeque food and buy the stuff yourself. Tuna goes at half the price of rib-eye at the moment. Marinate in lime juice, chillies and raisins and impose a rare temperature on anyone who wants tuna. Blood-o-phobes can have butterfly-cut chicken breast marinated in limoncello and mint. Avoid thick-cut meats if you’re after cooking stuff through.

-        Marinating allows faster cooking but be careful when buying ready-marinated meats from butchers. Don’t trust any butcher when you can marinate yourself.

-        I love twists on retro recipes. This one in particular: roll melon slices in speck and sear on a hot grill. Serve.

-        Sausage… If you’re cooking for a large group, get your butcher to prepare bespoke sausages for you – some butchers will gladly do the work for minimum orders of 2-3Kg. Sausage options are endless – duck, veal, rabbit, turkey – you name it. Email me for recipes.

9.     Mains. The tricky part. This is where your culinary prowess will be judged, so it’s fair to dish out main courses on individual plates. Again, especially for large groups, avoid a-la-minute preparation like the plague. Stews are not suitable for this season – so why not go for braised white meats. Marinate rabbit pieces in white wine, olive oil, garlic and thyme overnight. Pat dry and brown in olive oil. Place in an ovenproof dish and pour in the marinade. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and braise for 45 minutes for one rabbit or one hour for two rabbits.

10.  Partying. Our national tolerance levels to noise are already challenged enough by fireworks and marching bands in summer. Party-pooping neighbours filing police reports are to be expected as they are understandable when you’re making noise at 1 am. The oldest trick in the book is to invite your neighbours over to the party, but the drawback to it is that they could actually turn up. One way of inviting neighbours while showing them that you’re not too keen on them showing their faces is to slip in a written invitation under their door rather than vowing it. This is not a fool-proof system, but it often works.

Published on www.maltatoday.com.mt 12 August 2011