Maltese Receipes
Fenkata
Rabbit is almost a national dish here. It has even given rise to a word for a special kind of night out – the Fenkata, which is a group of friends out dining on rabbit. A fenkata is a sociable, simple and fun way to get together for an evening out. The rabbit is usually lightly fried, then simmered as a cassarole of red wine for several hours. It is served with chips or potatoes and salad. Some village bars are renowned for the excellence of their rabbit. Ask around to find out where to go.
Spanish Receipes
Zarangollo
In a large sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in another sauté pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes, or until they have softened and released their juices. Remove from the heat and drain off any liquid released during cooking. Transfer the zucchini to the pan with the onions.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper, add the oregano, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. If desired, break the eggs onto the vegetables and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the whites are set.
Welsh Receipes
Cawl
Cawl pronounced ‘cowl’, is Welsh for broth or soup. Like all traditional country soups the ingredients are governed by what is to hand or in season. It appears from early Welsh manuscripts that originally the main meat used was bacon, or even kid, for as with Irish Stew, no cottager would dream of using valuable lamb or mutton for soups. Nowdays, however, mutton or lamb best end of neck chops are most generally used, which make it inyo a delicious soup-stew.
“Cystal yfed o’r cawl â bwyta’s cig” – It is as good to drink the broth as to eat the meat’: from a collection of proverbs attributed to Cattwg Ddoeth (Cattwg the Wise).
Cawl should be started the day before so that any fat can be skimmed off and all the flavours amalgamate.
2-3 lb. Welsh lamb best end of neck cutlets
1 large sliced onion
3 leeks
2 medium sliced carrots
1 medium parsnip
1 small swede turnip or 2 white turnips
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
6 small potatoes
salt and pepper
4 pints (8 cups) water
If in season cabbage, celery, etc., can all be used.
Trim the meat of fat so far as possible, cover with cold water, add salt and pepper, bring to the boil, and simmer slowly for 1 hour, then leave it to get cold and skim off all the fat. Put in all the vegetables except 1 leek, the potatoes and half the parsley, cover and simmer very slowly for 1 hour, then add the potatoes cut in half and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Then add the remainder of the parsley, taste for seasoning and finely chop the remaining leek (green and white part) on top. Let it cook for not more than 5 minutes and serve. Some families treat it as a French pot-au-feu – that is, they serve the clear broth first, then the meat and vegetables as a second course. Traditionally Cawl was eaten in wooden bowls with wooden spoons so that there was no fear of burning the mouth. Serves 4-6.
Italian Receipes
Polenta
9 Cups Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Cups Cornmeal; coarse−grain|Bring water to a boil in a large heavy pot. Add salt and reduce heat until
water is simmering. Take cornmeal by the handful and add to water very
slowly, controlling the flow to a thin stream through your fingers. To avoid
lumps, stir quickly with a long handled wooden spoon while adding cornmeal.
If necessary, stop adding cornmeal from time to time and beat mixture
vigorously. Cook, stirring constantly, 20 to 30 minutes. Polenta will become
very thick while cooking. It is done when it comes away cleanly from the
sides of the pot. Pour polenta into a large wooden board or a large platter.
Wet your hands and smooth out polenta evenly, about 2 inches thick. Let cool
5 to 10 minutes or until polenta solidifies. Cut cooled polenta into slices
1 inch wide and 6 inches long. Place slices in individual dishes. Serve hot,
covered with your favorite sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Variation: Fried Polenta (Polenta Fritta): Prepare polenta and let cool
completely. Cut cooled polenta into slices 2 inches wide and 6 inches long.
Pour oil about 1 inch deep in a large skillet. Heat oil until a 1−inch cube
of bread turns golden almost immediately. Fry polenta slices on both sides
until light golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot. It is importent to
insure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the polenta will absorb oil and your
polenta will be greasy and unpalatable.
