Jonathan Brincat, our Chef Ambassador in Malta

Spinach Purée

• 500 grams of fresh, washed spinach
• 1 potato
• 300 grams double cream
• 50 grams fresh spring garlic (peeled and chopped)
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Start by boiling one potato until it reaches a mash consistency.
2. In a small pot, infuse cream with fresh spring garlic. Bring cream to 80 degrees Celsius and let it rest, covered, for an hour.
3. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, blanch spinach leaves for 20 seconds, and then place them in an ice bath until completely cold.
   Remove the spinach leaves from the ice bath, drain them properly, and dry them further using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth until there is no more water.
4. In a Thermomix, combine the potato, spinach, and infused cream and blend on full speed for 10 minutes until the mixture is bright green and smooth. Pass through a chinois over an ice bath and cool quickly to avoid discolouration.

Braised snails

• 1 kg of foraged or farmed snails
• 300 grams of rock salt
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 10 black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 500 ml stout beer
• 300 ml Marsala
• 1 liter chicken stock

Instructions:

Start by washing the snails three times, always changing the water.
Put in a pot with cold water and rock salt and bring to a boil until foam forms on top of the water. Repeat this process three times until you get clear water, rinsing the snails after every boil.

In a medium pot, sweat together the vegetables without taking colour. Deglaze with the stout beer and Marsala, reduce the alcohol by half and then add the snails and the aromatics, which have been placed inside cheesecloth and tied so nothing will escape. Add the chicken stock until all the snails are covered, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 hours.

Pass the snails through a fine sieve, keeping the braising juices, which will be used later. Cool the snails down, then start removing them from the shell with a skewer, making sure to clean the snail properly from the end gritty part. Reserve both the snails and braising liquor for later use.

Potato Risotto

• 8 large organic potatoes
• 1 lier chicken stock
• 100 grams butter
• 100 grams Parmigiano Reggiano
• Fresh black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash the potatoes well. Start peeling the potatoes, keeping the skins. Put the peeled potatoes in a container with water to avoir oxidation.

Prepare a smoker with your choice of wood, in this case, oak wood, and cold smoke the potato skins for 1 hour. Then infuse in warm chicken stock for another hour, pass through a chinois layered with cheesecloth, and keep warm.

In the meantime, start slicing the potatoes on a mandoline slicer, then cut them to a fine brunoise, keeping the potatoes in a container with water.

Start by heating up a medium risotto pan and adding 50 grams of butter. When it starts foaming, add the drained brunoise potatoes, keep stirring, and start adding the chicken stock until the potatoes are covered. Continue cooking on medium heat and repeat the process until the potatoes are fully cooked but still al dente. Finish the potatoes as you would with risotto, with butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and cracked black pepper.

This step should be left for last just before serving, as you would commonly do with risotto.

Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne foam

• 200 ml Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut
• 100 ml milk
• 1 sprig tarragon
• 20 grams butter
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

In a hot small saucepot, pour 200 ml champagne and reduce by half. Add the tarragon and milk and cook for 5 minutes.
Pass through a fine chinois and return to a clean saucepan. Incorporate the butter into the sauce with a hand blender and reserve for later.

To serve, arrange the spinach purée on a plate, followed by the risotto and snails. Finally, dot with the champagne foam.