Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts
Corned Beef with fresh cheeselets a...

In a large casserole dish, cook the onion with the oil for around 2 minutes. After, add the garlic and carrots, continue cooking while stirring. Add the salt, pepper and corned beef and stir all together, while continuing frying. Add the potatoes, hot water, Kunserva and sugar. Continue cooking on moderate heat, until the potatoes start to get a little tender, stirring from time to time. After, add the eggs one by one and keep them apart from each other. Cook until the eggs become slightly hard.
Add the peas and stir them softly into the stew. Add the fresh cheeselets, stir a little and put off the heat. Let this stew sit for about 5 minutes before serving. One could also heat this stew again, if cooked in the morning and is serving it during dinner.
Ossobuco

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the meat. Chop the vegetables in small pieces. Warm some oil in a large pan and cook the vegetables for around 5 minutes and remove from pan. Dust the meat with the flour and remove any excess. Cook the meat for around 5 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Add the wine, stock and vegetables to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Place the meat in the pan and let simmer for around 90 minutes. You can alternatively cook in oven proof pan with lid on.
Octupus Stew

Cook the octopus in boiling water for around 35-40 minutes. Switch off the flame and leave it in hot water until cooled. Peel and chop the garlic and set asid. Peel and dice the potatoes in small pieces and place in a separate bowl with water. In a large pan, heat some oil and cook the onions and garlic. Mix regularly so they don’t brown. Add the Kunserva, the polpa, the potatoes, peas, red wine, lemon zest and the olives. Mix and simmer on medum flame until it starts to boil. In the meantime, chop the octopus in smaller pieces and add to the sauce. Continue simmerring for another 40 minutes. Every now and then give the sauce a stir. You may need to add some warm water if you notice that the sauce is reduced. Serve with some toated bread.
Lamb Shanks

Heat the oven at a temperature of 1900C or gass mark 5. Clean the meat and place in an oven proof dish. Add the rosemary. Cook in oven until the meat is light brown from the outside. In the meantime peal and chop the garlic and the carrots. In a pan, warm some olive oil and cook the garlic and Mayor onions for around 2 minutes. Lower heat and add the carrots and some rosemary. Add the Kunserva, the wine and some water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves. Place the lamb chops in a casserole which has a lid. Pour the sauce on the meat and cook in oven for around 90 minutes. If needed, you can add some warm water while dish is cooking. Serve with some rice or roasted potatoes. Recipe by Anton Dougall
Cauliflower Muffins with Gibniet

Bring a pan with water to a boil and cook the cauliflower. When cooked, drain and mash it in bowl. Add the eggs, half of the grated dry ġibniet and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the fresh cheeselets with the remaining dry, and add some pepper. Pour the caulflower mix into muffin moulds, make a whole in the middle and add one teaspoon of ġibniet mix, and close top with the cauliflower mix. Bake at 200°C for around 30 minutes. Decorate with mustard and a cherry tomato half. These can be served as a starter, or a snack and prepared before and heated when necessary.
White Bait Patties

Clean the fish very well and roughly chop or press and set aside in a bowl. Peel and chop the garlic in small pieces. Finely chop the tomatoes and add to the fish along with the garlic. Add the parsley, mint and lemon rind. Mix well. Add the ready mashed potatoes, eggs, salt and pepper. Add some semolina if mixture is too sticky. Form small balls and lightly flat by hand. Pass the patties from some flour. Warm some vegetable oil in a deep pan and cook the patties from both sides until well cooked. When cooked, place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve warm with some fresh salad and some tartar sauce.
Octopus Tagine

Sautee the octopus in olive oil for a minute or two. Stir in the vegetables and spices, cook for further 2 minutes. Peel the orange and add to the octopus, squeeze in the juice, stir in tomato paste. Add in the sweet potatoes, cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and set to simmer over a low heat or on in a tagine in a hot oven for approx. 35 min. Stir in the chickpeas and peas, chopped coriander to taste and a lime juice. Serve with extra lime wedges, coriander and crusty bread.
Marrows Balbuljata

In a pan over medium heat the oil and add the onion. Cook for around 2 minutes. Add the carrots and the garlic and continue frying, stirring from time to time. Add the peas, the chicken spoon stock, salt and pepper. Continue frying for another minute and then add the minced pork and cook until well cooked. Add the marrows and continue frying till the marrows become a little tender but not soft. Mix in the tomato paste, sugar and water and continue frying for about 2 minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl and mix them with the ingredients in the frying pan until well incorporated. Add the grated cheese and serve.