Time to put zest into your life

By Deb Ratcliffe

Published:

I NOW live on the delightful island of Malta in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea – a far cry from my old homes in Aberdeenshire and Shetland.

One thing binds theses areas together, though – superlative local produce. You can’t beat it. It wins hands down when it comes to flavour. To my delight, I found a butcher selling fresh chilled Scottish beef and lamb in Malta, so I stock up each time I pass by. I’m still hunting for Arbroath Smokies to make my favourite pate.

Since moving to Malta, I’ve been exceedingly fortunate and made friends with local farmers Guzi and Guza Micalef, whom I regale with tales of farming sheep and cattle on our Leslie farm back in the 1990s. They in turn keep my fridge and freezer full with local seasonal produce.

Guzi’s farming secret is very straightforward: he uses traditional methods suited to local conditions. He tries to be as organic as possible and is very conscious of the fragility of the environment, and has an intimate understanding of his surroundings and an instinctive awareness of the land. He never fails to amaze me by his fountain of knowledge – pointing out this flower or that root which can be made into a laxative, a purgative or for plain enjoyment. Indeed, he still makes his own herbal medications for many ailments, including sickness and colds.

He reminds me of our farming mentor in Aberdeenshire, Bob Mitchell, who uses precisely the same principles to manage his land. It’s going to be interesting when they meet in a few weeks to compare farming notes.

Guzi’s pride and joy are his lemon groves, hand grafted and tended for the last 35 years. They are also veritable havens from the searing sun: sitting, eating lunch in the leafy shade is pure heaven after a swim in his water reservoir.

The lemons are without doubt the best on the island; no wax skins here. My lemon curd was simply divine. The sharpness and freshness of the fruit cut right through the rich buttery taste. It took an hour to make from tree to jar. My golden marmalade, made from their Seville oranges, was the best ever – so full of flavour - while Gusa made a traditional Scottish Dundee marmalade that would have graced the food halls of the world. Now this is local produce at its best.

This makes a small quantity – about two jars

4 large lemons

175g butter

450g sugar

4 large well-beaten eggs – strain if possible

1 Grate the lemon rinds finely.

2 Squeeze out all the juice and strain.

3 Melt butter in a double saucepan.

4 Add rind, juice, sugar and well-beaten eggs.

5 Cook and stir occasionally for about 25 minutes until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.

6 Pour into hot sterilised jars and cover.

It will keep unopened for maximum two months; eat as soon as possible after opening and store in the fridge.

Serves 6

12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 large lemon

2 onions peeled and finely sliced

125ml extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, crushed

Fresh rosemary

1.1kg potato peeled and cut into 4cm chunks

Salt and pepper

24 stoned black olives

1 Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6 (200C).

2 Chop the meat into bite-size chunks removing excess fat and sinews.

3 Place the meat in a large bowl.

4 Using a zester, remove the lemon rind (take care not to remove the white as it can make the taste bitter).

5 Reserve half.

6 Add the remainder to the chicken meat.

7 Add the juice from the lemon.

8 Toss around to ensure all the pieces are flavoured.

9 Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes.

10 Meanwhile, boil potato for two minutes.

11 Drain well and add to the chicken.

12 Transfer to a large baking dish.

13 Add the reserved lemon rind, onions, olive oil, garlic, a few sprigs of rosemary.

14 Leave again for 10 minutes.

15 Season lightly to taste.

16 Roast for 50 minutes, turning frequently, or until chicken and potatoes are cooked.

To serve: discard the cooked rosemary and add fresh sprigs.

Add the olives and serve with a green salad or, if preferred, steamed carrots and courgettes

Serves 4-6

1 kilo potatoes

4 tbspns butter

Juice 1 large lemon

1 lemon for garnish

1 beef stock cube

Black pepper to taste

1 lemon and extra butter if required

1 Scrub new potatoes or thinly peel the old.

2 Cut into quarters lengthwise.

3 Place in a shallow casserole dish.

4 Crumble over the beef cube.

5 Add the butter.

6 Add the lemon juice and pepper to taste.

7 Mix together ensuring all the potatoes are well covered.

8 Cook in a moderate oven for 15 minutes.

9 Remove from oven and toss well.

10 Add extra lemon juice and butter if potatoes are dry.

11 Cook further 15 minutes and remove from oven.

12 Drain off excess fat and continue cooking until tender.

Serve with wedges of lemon.

I sometimes cut the potatoes into “chips” to cook more quickly.