Fine Dining at Home

OHLALA is celebrating the hot weather with recipes from our favourite restaurants in town. Don’t miss the opportunity to reproduce some of the finest dishes prepared by these talented chefs.


Wild Mushroom Risotto

“I chose this recipe because it is on the CUT by Wolfgang Puck menu, and it is one of our guests’ favourites. It is a perfect recipe for summer and does not require any special equipment to prepare. This risotto can be done with any type of mushrooms, and will certainly impress at a dinner party. I also would like to add that recipes are nothing more than guidelines and you should feel free to adapt them to your taste and have fun!”
Brian Becher
Executive Chef at re/ Asian Cuisine, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Blue Moon Lounge and CUT Lounge

Ingredients

20ml olive oil
20g white onion
250g Arborio rice
60ml white grape
430ml chicken stock
1 clove garlic

40g whole butter
60g mixed mushrooms
8g chopped parsley
15g grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
For the mushrooms:
– Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until warm, add a few drops of olive oil.
– When the oil starts to smoke, add three tablespoons of butter, smashed garlic and the assorted mushrooms.
– Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook them until tender as they just begin to release their juices.
– Remove from the heat and add the chopped parsley.
– Add half the finished mushrooms to the risotto mix (as below). Th remaining half must be served on top of the risotto.

For the risotto:
– Heat the olive oil on a heavy bottom pan. When it is hot, add the white onion and a pinch of salt to sweat over medium-low heat.
– Add the Arborio rice and toast in the oil until the rice is hot to the touch.
– Pour the white grape and stir vigorously until it is mostly absorbed.
– Keep adding the chicken stock slowly, 40ml at a time, and stir the rice continuously.
– Once all the stock has been added, and the starch from the rice has visibly thickened the mixture, turn off the heat.
– Add butter, parmesan cheese, and half the sautéed mushrooms. Stir to emulsify.


Murgh Malai Tikka

“The yoghurt and saffron-infused chicken morsels, cooked in traditional tandoor or conventional oven, is a dish in itself and could be pared with gravies to make succulent curries or rolled in a pita to make mouthwatering wraps. Its versatility is infinite and limited only by your vivid imagination and creativity. ”
Frooch Nur Executive Sous Chef at Downtown Rotana

Ingredients

200g chicken thighs
(cut in morsels)
70g marinade
0.5g saffron
Cilantro
Mint
White onion slices
Lemon
For the marinade:
300g Labneh
25g ginger and garlic paste
5g green cardamom powder
30ml lemon juice
2g Kasuri Methi
(dry fenugreek leaves)
7g salt
2g white pepper

Method

– Mix all the ingredients for the marination.
– Apply the marinade to clean and patted dry chicken thighs, sprinkle dry saffron and let them rest in the
fridge for at least three to four hours.
– Remove the chicken from the chiller, cook in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 14 to 16 minutes.
– After they are fully cooked, serve as desired. You can garnish with some cilantro, mint, sliced onions
and lemon wedges.
A pinch of black salt and a dash of lemon juice makes it an absolute ambrosia!


Paella

“Paella is probably the most well-known dish from Spanish cuisine and the most-satisfying dish to prepare since most people love it! Although it looks a very complex dish, paella is easy to reproduce at home.”

Juan Luis Pérez Chef de Cuisine at Salero Restaurant

Ingredients

70ml olive oil
150g baby squid
150g cuttlefish
150g shrimps
80g white fish
100g clams
100g mussels
4 peeled garlic cloves
50g frying green pepper
50g white onion
0.25g saffron
3g smoked sweet paprika
100ml white grape (optional)
400g diced ripe tomato
160g paella rice
700ml fish broth
20g green peas
4 lemon wedges
Sea salt flakes
White pepper powder

Method

– Heat the paella pan on medium heat. Add 2/3 of the olive oil and heat it. Add the squid cut into rings followed by white fish and cuttlefish cut into approximately 1cm cubes.

– Cook the seafood lightly until its golden, this will give more flavour to the dish. Remove the seafood from the pan and set aside.

– Add the remaining olive oil into the pan and add the garlic until it’s golden brown. Add the finely chopped pepper and onion, let them caramelise on a medium heat. Add some saffron and paprika.

– A cooking tip is to use a wooden spoon to stir.

– Pour on the white grape and the diced tomato. Reduce the heat and let the veggies cook slowly until they reach a marmalade texture. If necessary add some water to bring moisture to the veggie base.

– Once you’ve achieved the right texture add the seafood back into the pan. Mix well and then add the rice. Ensure that all rice grains are soaked with the mixture of veggies and seafood to incorporate the flavour.

– Flatten all the ingredients in the pan, pour in the fish broth and season with salt and pepper.

– From that point, it is essential not to mix the ingredients anymore. Bring it to the boil and reduce heat. Simmer for around 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pop it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for the same amount of time.

– After 20 minutes add the clams and mussels to the paella, spread green peas and let it cook for another five minutes.

– Once the rice is cooked remove from heat/oven and let it set for five minutes before adding the lemon wedges to garnish


Gemista
(Greek Stuffed Tomatoes)

“After living for more than 16 years in Greece, I love Greek food. And I love cooking this cuisine when I am not cooking in Attic. Gemista is one of my favourite summer dishes to prepare at home, perfect to share with family and friends. An icon of the Greek culinary tradition. It is absolutely delicious! This recipe has been passed from generation to generation and today I share it with you. Just try it and enjoy this flavour of Greece.”

Leonardo Garcia Head Chef at Attic Restaurant

Ingredients

8 tomatoes
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 leek
60ml olive oil
1 tbsp granulated sugar
300g glutinous rice
1 chicken bouillon cube
400g ground beef
100ml water
1 lemon
1/3 bunch dill
1/2 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch mint
500g potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

– Remove the stems from the tomatoes and cut the top part to make a kind of ‘lid’. Carefully remove the flesh from the tomatoes, using a teaspoon, and reserve.
– Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius in fan mode.
– Place a deep pan over heat, let it get hot and add the olive oil.
– Add the finely-chopped onion, garlic and leek.
– Add the rice, bouillon cube and ground beef. Mix with a wooden spoon and break up the ground beef; add water, lower the heat and season with salt and pepper.
– Chop the tomato flesh and add to the mixture in the pan. Sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the moisture evaporates.
– When the filling is ready, remove from heat.
– Add the finely-chopped dill, parsley, mint and the juice of the lemon. Taste the filling and make sure is well-seasoned.
– Before you fill the tomatoes, drizzle the interior with some olive oil and then season with salt, sugar and pepper.
– Fill the tomatoes to the rim, cover with their ‘lids’ and set aside.
– Place a pan over heat and let it get hot.
– Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges. Add the olive oil, pepper, salt and butter. Sauté until golden. When ready, distribute in the baking pan among the stuffed tomatoes.
– Drizzle everything with olive oil, cover with parchment paper and then aluminium foil.
– Bake for one hour, remove coverings and bake again for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden.
– Serve on a plate, adding the stuffed tomatoes, potatoes, fresh herbs and mint leaves.
– You can also add some feta cheese, dry oregano, olive oil and bread.

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