The Summer Kitchen – the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa’s picturesque seasonal eatery – is back for the season, its location by the pool and the landscaped gardens, making it the perfect place to enjoy lunch or dinner in chilled surroundings.
The focus is on fresh, seasonal produce, with something to please all palates. The new menu – which was crafted by executive chef Stefan Hogan and his award-winning team – features meze, salads, pasta, pizza and grills.
Highlights on the ‘small plates’ menu include the burrata with charred leeks, Gozo honey and a mustard dressing and the plank-smoked mackerel with harissa, dates and pomegranates. Those after something more substantial could choose the Pici pasta with Italian sausage ragout, mushrooms, the Pecorino Romano, the classic TSK Burger, or the 400g rib-eye cooked in The Summer Kitchen’s Mibrasa charcoal oven.
Vegetarians and vegans are also well looked-after thanks to dishes including the sweet potato, baby courgette, yellow courgette and spinach salad and the 200g spiced Tofu Burger.
The Summer Kitchen is open daily for lunch and dinner throughout the summer season. For reservations, call 2544 2738.
Pan seared sea bass, heirloom tomato salad, basil, mint and stuffed courgette flower
Ingredients
4 sea bass fillets
Olive oil
Selection of tomatoes (plum, cherry, yellow heritage, bulls heart, yellow cherry) – the more variety the better
Water melon (cut into cubes)
4 courgette flowers
120g ricotta
50g crab meat
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
½ chili, finely chopped
Parsley, chopped
20ml white wine
1 egg yolk
25g fresh bread crumbs
Good handful of fresh basil
Good handful fresh mint
Start by making the filling for the courgette flowers: in a pan heat some olive oil and sauté the shallots, whole garlic clove and the chili; do not colour, deglaze with the wine and reduce until all liquid has evaporated. Remove the garlic clove and discard. Transfer to a bowl and set over ice. Once chilled, add the crab meat and egg yolk, fold in the ricotta without over whipping. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Finally add the parsley and enough breadcrumbs to have a soft consistency without making it too stiff. Fill the courgette flowers and wrap in cling film individually to hold shape. Prepare a pot of water so that the flowers can be poached.
Blanch the basil and mint in boiling water and transfer to iced water as soon as it wilts. Allow to cool properly. Drain and squeeze out any excess water, transfer to a food processor and blitz with plenty olive oil and a pinch of salt. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer to a small bowl.
Cut the tomatoes into desired shapes and season with salt, place on absorbent paper to get rid of excess moisture. Just before plating, drizzle with some olive oil.
Place the courgette flowers in the water that should be on a rolling soft boil. Once they have been in the water for two minutes start cooking the fish.
Heat a non-stick pan and place the sea bass fillets skin side down, press gently to maintain a flat fillet and so that the skin is all fully in contact with the bottom. This will help get a nice, crispy, evenly cooked skin. Leave to cook for a few minutes before attempting to turn. Once turned over remove the pan from the heat and allow the fish to cook with the residual heat.
Remove the courgettes from the water and allow to cool slightly before snipping them open.
To dress the plate, drizzle or brush the basil, mint puree on the edge of the plate, top with the water melon and tomatoes. Place the fish in the centre, drizzle some fresh fragrant olive oil, top with the courgette flower and serve with a nice crisp salad and some minted new potatoes.
Creamy Hummus Beirouti
Ingredients
400g of cooked chickpeas (reserve some chickpeas to decorate) and some cooking liquid from the chickpeas (around 60ml)
50g tahini
4 garlic cloves, sliced
6g sea salt
80ml extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
2 lemons freshly squeezed
Cumin
50ml strained natural yoghurt (this needs to be done at least one day ahead as you need to have all the liquid drained)
Ice cubes
Cumin
Some pomegranate seeds
Chopped parsley leaves
Rinse the chickpeas in iced water and place into the food processor. Add the tahini, sliced garlic, salt, lemon juice, cumin, a few ice cubes and some of the cooking liquid. Switch on the food processor and slowly pour in the oil while it runs.
Stop the food processor and check if the mixture is heating up as the secret of a white creamy hummus is keeping the mixture cool as you incorporate the oil. Add more ice if necessary and continue until all the oil has been absorbed. Finally add the yoghurt.
Reserve around 15ml of olive oil to drizzle on top.
When the mixture is fully combined and smooth, tip it into a bowl, make a well with the back of a spoon, drizzle with some more extra virgin olive oil and decorate with some whole chickpeas. Dust with paprika and garnish with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds.
Serve with plenty of warm pita bread, lemon and yoghurt marinated grilled chicken and olives.