Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

100gms Brown Sugar

100gms Butter

Half Teaspoon Salt

50gms White Sugar

3 Eggs

Half Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

 3 Tablespoons Scalded Milk

200gms Self Raising Flour

1 Tablespoon Sieved Cocoa Powder

100gms Chocolate Chips

50 gms Chopped Raw Hazelnuts

Beat the first three ingredients together.

In a separate Bowl, combine the second batch of ingredients, then fold in the first batch and finally the dry ingredients. Chill  dough for 1 hr, then roll out on floured surface and cut rounds. Bake at 180 C for 15 mins.

IN TUNE WITH OUR SURROUNDINGS

As a matter of principle, I usually draw a distinction between persons and things, in the broader sense of the terms. I believe that persons should have priority over things. That should sound quite easy to digest, but I have encountered numerous occasions where material consumables are given more importance than human beings, especially where money is concerned. How can we explain away war, for example, if not power, money, ideology over the interests of humankind?

To me, money is just money, a means to an end and definitely not an end in itself. The fact that I am not particularly attached to vast amounts of currency is evidence, if such is needed, that my top priorities lie elsewhere.

Lately, however, I have been thinking seriously whether places, stone, houses have a soul of their own! How else can we describe the feeling we get when we visit a place, whether that is familiar or otherwise? How can we become attached to a house, an area, a country even! Maybe one can argue that we become attracted to these by the same criteria with which we can become attached to a car, boat or other possessions, but I feel that stone formations, whether in their natural state or man-made emit quite a different sort of vibration than other non-persons.

I have always believed that where we go is not as important as whom we go with. Where we stay takes secondary importance to whom we stay with. Whether or not we enjoy where we live can be determined by our neighbours and if we work in the best of companies but do not get along well with either the boss or colleagues, than we cannot be really happy there. This means that I have in the past attributed the vibes we get from a particular location to the persons associated with our experience there.

Recently, I have had to rethink this in the light of certain emotions I have felt while visiting some places even in the absence of other persons. One may argue that persons do not have to be physically there to have an influence on our thoughts and perceptions. They may even be in our thoughts by their actual absence as in the case of the classic “I wish you were here” syndrome.

It’s not that! I have started to feel an affinity and attraction to certain locations for their own sake. For their purity, the tranquility they evoke; the touching of my personal inner spirituality. Our bodies, which are by their very essence as material as the earth itself, seem to communicate directly with nature, bypassing even our subconscious. This communication is what our mind needs to tap into. This, in my humble opinion, is the holistic approach to wellbeing.

Before starting to eat healthily, we need to have the right ingredients.

We need to be aware what the right ingredients are before we can acquire them.

Before all this, we need to find the right place to do it.

Warm Sesame Crusted Marinated Tuna Salad with Courgette Fritters and Aioli Globe Artichokes

For the Marinade:

1 Clove Garlic

Half Onion, Finely Chopped

1 Tsp Soya Sauce

1 Tsp Spicy Vinegar

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tbslp Olive Oil

Warm Sesame Crusted Tuna Salad

400 gms Fresh Tuna, cut into 2 cm Cubes.

50 gms Sesame Seeds

300 gms Potatoes ( quartered )

80 gms Sundried Tomatoes

6 Black Olives

1 Yellow Sweet Pepper

50 gms Rucola

Courgette Fritters

1 Shredded Courgette

2 Tablespoons Flour

Half Teaspoon Dried Thyme

Salt and Pepper

Half Beaten Egg

Aioli Globe Artichokes

1 Globe Artichoke

3 Slices Fresh White Bread

2 Tbslp White Vinegar

1 Tblsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

4 Cloves Garlic

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Sugar

100 ml Olive Oil

2 Tsp Chopped Parsley

Put the Tuna in a Plastic Food Box, add the marinade and shake gently so that it will coat evenly. Let it marinate for at least 1 Hour.

Boil the Globe Artichoke in Salted water for 40 Mins until tender. You can test for doneness by making sure one of the outer leaves comes off easily. Once it is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes then cut it in half lengthwise. Rub the insides with lemon juice so that it will not discolour.

Make the Aioli by putting all the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender and while whizzing on number 1, add the olive oil in a trickle.

Drain the Tuna from the marinade and pat dry, then press all sides in the sesame seeds to which some seasoning has been added. Fry , turning to colour all sides, for 1 minute each side and keep warm. Throw the rucola in the same pan where you fried the Tuna Chunks and stir to mop up all the juices and sesame seeds.

Boil the quartered potatoes in Salted water to which some Coriander seeds have been added.

Slice the Sundried Tomatoes into Julienne ( Strips )

Cut up the Yellow Capsicum into large dice and add to the boiling potatoes at the last minute.

For the Courgette Fritters, Combine all the ingredients gently together and shallow fry in oil for 3 mins on each side until golden brown.

Drain the potatoes and sweet yellow pepper and combine with the Sundried Tomatoes and Olives.

For plating, while still warm, start with the wilted rucola at the bottom,add the other salad ingredients and the Tuna Chunks on top. Place the Globe Artichoke Half on the side and fill with the Aioli.

Leave some space where to put the Courgette Fritters. Decorate with Lemon Slices and Parsley.

OF WELLS AND FOUNTAINS

I guess we have all experienced the sensation of involuntarily applying a notion to ourselves when we read about it for the first time. Allow me to elucidate.

You read that some people are Night Owls and others are Early Birds and you try to pigeonhole yourself into one of those two categories whilst deep inside you know that you can actually be both, according to necessity. Whether one stays up late or rises early is mostly determined by the work one does. I have had the opportunity to do both, at some times even concurrently (which amounts to burning the candle at both ends) and I must say that after a few days, my body, metabolism, motor functions and alert phases adjust pretty easily. I can understand that not everyone adjusts as well as I; reasons may be myriad but the most important one is motivation or the lack of it.

There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can’t. I am not sure into which category I can place myself. Ther are two kinds of righters, too: thos who can spel and thos who canot.

It always simplifies matters when you give folks just the two options, doesn’t it? Black on White is so much more easy to understand and identify ourselves with than shades of grey. Is it a coincidence that shades of grey are more appreciated by individuals who make more use of their grey matter?

There is one thing worse than a person who can’t and won’t cook; that is a person who can’t cook, and does. Joking apart, most humans cook because they have to, not because they want or love to, and it shows! (tastes too)

Never has the maxim “if you can’t do what you like get to like what you do” been more appropriate than in this instance.  Those who for some reason have to cook for themselves and others need to put their heart in it. You can’t just do it for the money or because you have to eat something!

Going off at a tangent on the same subject, I had read that certain personalities from which we can draw a certain amount of enlightenment are similar either to fountains or to wells. Thus, we can use phrases like “a fountain of knowledge” or “a well of wisdom”. This doesn’t mean that only these two types exist, mind you! It’s just that I chose these two types to focus on.

If you stand under a fountain (or even near, if the wind is blowing in your direction) you will get soaked, even if you just sit there passively. Fountains are mostly shallow but they continously recycle the water which is filtered along the way. These types of personalities could be school teachers who build up their knowledge during their formative years and impart that knowledge throughout their working career. They only need to top up to compensate for natural spillage and evaporation.

Wells, on the other hand, are deep, usually covered resevoirs. To tap a well, you need to first discover it, dig deep or uncover it, then you have to use some method to draw water from it. The well needs to have a way of replenishing itself with new water to replace the water that is drawn from it. If you draw water at a faster rate than it can refill, the well will empty. If it refills at a faster rate than is being drawn, it will overflow.

I DO feel like a well in character. I can output , give of myself, teach, show, communicate, write , paint, cook for a period of time but at a certain point I feel the urgent need to replenish myself, learn something new, new ways, methods, updates, info, news, read….any source really. The more I give of myself, the more I need to top up. I need to keep the well topped up, otherwise I feel empty.

That is the balance in life which I have continually sought for many years.

TV Recipe

Partly Herb Crusted Salmon on Filled Puff Pastry Roll topped with Lemon Sauce

Preparing a fine meal with quality ingredients is the most practical way we show our love. How we plate shows the depth of our caring.

OF CONFLICTS AND CONTRADICTIONS

Were one to inspect my profile description on this blog, one will find the word “contradictory” and that is the subject I would like to dwell on today.

That life is full of contradictions one can hardly disagree with, but I would like to point out those contradictions that mostly pass us by undetected and hence remain undocumented.

I shall start with the seemingly constant tug-o-war between the mind and the body. While the average mind will accept, if not outwardly look for, change, the body, on the other hand, thrives on routine. We’ve all heard of the biological clock and how more rhythmical than a clock can a body get? Our body needs consistency in nutrition, work, rest, relaxation, bowel movements, sleep, emotions, stress levels, etc…the list could go on and on. I should not and certainly will not generalize, but as far as I’m concerned I prefer to vary my schedule, diet, routine, ( can one actually vary one’s routine ? if you vary it, it will not be a routine anymore now would it ? ) but that will mean that I’m stimulating my mind while sacrificing the body rhythm. Ahh well…you cannot have your bread buttered on both sides, I suppose.

A contradictory or shall I say conflicting aspect which I regularly encounter in my work sphere is whether to continue boosting a product which is selling well or try to ‘push’ another which is not as saleable. Whether to stick to what you KNOW your clients like or whether to try to get them taste what you think they should be eating.

All chefs get a lot of satisfaction when they come up with new recipes which become popular with their clients and I am no exception in this regard, but at the back of my mind there is always the thought that ‘the customer is king’ and will sacrifice my creative streak if that is the way to keep a particular client happy.

There are various schools of thoughts about the subject. Some chefs insist on ‘doing their own thing’ and expect their clients to not only like it but also come back for more, even if they risk that the ‘more’ is not more of the same but rather something completely different. 

Pork Loin filled with Ricotta and Apple

Roasted Quail filled with Maltese Sausages and Dried Figs

Professional Scenario

Let's take the cat out of the bag !

Since I have started working as Chef de Cuisine at Villa Maria , The Vineyard, around a month ago,  I have started to adjust to the new lifestyle, work schedules, driving longer distances and training other members of the team, among other things. I was never a person who finds it difficult to adapt and here it is certainly no exception. The minor challenge is getting familiar with the equipment and kitchen layout and the major challenge is FEELING rather than knowing what each particular customer's expectations are so that you can surpass them.
It is all about surprising clients and making them feel that they are getting more ( as a culinary experience ) than they are actually expecting and paying for. In this respect, I feel that I have so far succeeded, even though most of the feedback I get is through the owners rather than through the clients themselves.

Even though it is early days still, I can feel I am at home here, in my element, so to speak. This is partly due to the fact that the owner of the Villa / Restaurant shares with me the passion for good, genuine food presented in a professional modern style. We do not yet have any laurels to sit on as a team, and even if we had, we would not, because we like to keep ourselves on our toes, in the fast lane, on the cutting edge.

We never rest because we believe that a Chef is as good as his last meal and that our best achievements are still in the future. That is looking forward for you !

Getting Down To It

This title has two meanings ( again ) .

Once you hit this blog, you have to get down to the very bottom and find the very first post so that you will have more of an indication of what it is all about. Sometimes it is not enough simply to read a person's opinion, but one must delve into the motivation of that same opinion because that is what gives an insight into the author's character and most often than not shows it in a new light.

On another note, it is a well known fact that sometimes you cannot sit around waiting for some inspiration to hit you before sitting down to post. You have to actually sit down and hit some keys, even if after you're done you feel that you have to erase the first paragraph. The mere fact of starting off gets the inspirational juices flowing. The Italians say "L appetito vien mangiando" which translates into "your appetite improves while eating".

Same thing happens with my cooking. So many new ideas come to me while I am actually cooking that sometimes I wonder why I ever bother to plan at all ! Ahh but the planning should also be. I heard somewhere that failing to plan is planning to fail. I believe that wholeheartedly. But plans should not be too rigid. Since the planner and the executor are the same person in this instance, the former can leave as much leeway to the latter as desired.

Cooking Lobsters on Super Yacht

Wied Iz-Zurrieq

I did not Catch this one, Just cooked it for 10 Persons

Fish Trio

news eric bugeja humour culinary food hotel yacht book fish answer celebration recipe

TV Recipe

According to Parkinson's Law, work expands to take up the time allocated for it.
Today is my third TV appearance this season. I woke up earlier than usual so that I could prepare and check all ingredients and utensils which I have to take with me. Under normal circumstances, I do not like to be rushed ; so when I have to be doubly sure about some preparations, I always allocate more time than I know will actually be needed , just to be on the safe side. I hate to be caught unawares or unprepared in any situation so I try to think about ANYTHING that could happen. Sometimes I will go as far as having a contingency plan for another contingency plan but then that's just me. Unless I can feel secure in the knowledge that nothing can go wrong
( Ha ! try another one: Murphy's Law ) I will not have enough self confidence to show poise and culinary skills when in front of the cameras.

Sweet Words

Once I heard a saying " keep your words soft and sweet, you may have to eat them". Sweet words can of course have different meanings , while " sweet words " can also mean something different . The words , as written in the title of this post, however , mean that the opportunity of using words as a form of creative expression leave a sweet after-taste in the head rather than merely on the palate.

I can avail myself of various modes to express myself. Will not go deeper than that right now. Those who know me well know very well how, however. My full identity, preferences and limitations will eventually become evident through the same verbal compositions which I shall from time to time post, and which will also influenced in direction ( not in principle ) by all or any feedback which readers may at any time wish to write.

Although one may believe that writing something in the hope that someone will eventually get to reading it is similar to putting a message in a bottle in the ocean, the revelation that the writer may find the actual fact of writing down facts and ideas self-rewarding can dampen the concept of futility and inadequacy one may have initially had.

Oh, by the way, I had meant to write books. Not one, but some four or five on different but related subjects. This Blog may be just the spring board I need to eventually get to writing them.

Taking up where I left off

Once upon a time I had made a website. After learning HTML and saving lots of clip arts, pictures, write ups and backgrounds, I finally created my personal website before actually embarking on the site connected to my business at the time.

Some years have since passed and although I have been toying with the idea of setting up another website, I never actually got round to it. I have now decided to start this blog with the intention of sharing what I have learnt  and getting feedback on what I do.

I shall not be working hard to attract readers, but I feel pretty certain that readers will be attracted by what I have to write not only because of the subject itself, but also because once anything becomes effected by me, it is bound to take on an interesting twist; not by exaggeration, but rather by the phraseology which I use to describe it.