FOOD & DRINK
30
JUNE 2023
ROQUETA RECIPES We asked Chef Rob Bell from Denada for a couple of his favourite recipes. He shares a delicious Pana Cotta, made with strawberries and mint, and a BBQ rub which can be adapted to your own tastes.
STRAWBERRY
PANNA COTTA I first made this back in South Africa with strawberries from the freezer that were excess from the garden when in abundance in early summer. I find in Spain we often have some strawberries that we don’t get to eat so I put them into a freezer bag and use them in desserts or smoothies. With a tweak by adding the mint and biscotti, it became a favourite in the restaurant on our farm.
Ingredients:
Heat the oven to 100 deg C
4 fresh strawberries 250ml milk 750ml cream 140g Castor sugar 200g frozen strawberries 4 gold gelatine leaves Dehydrated strawberries Biscotti crumbs Mint leaves
The first step of this recipe is to prep all the little bits we add. Slice the fresh strawberries as thinly as you can get them. They don’t have to be paper thin as the dehydration process tends to thin them out. Place these on a silicone mat or silicone baking paper and place in the oven. We usually dry them out over 2 to 3 hours. For the Panna Cotta, heat the milk and cream with the sugar and frozen strawberries. Infuse the strawberries until the sugar has dissolved. Be careful not to boil the mixture as this tends to separate the fats in the cream and changes the texture of the Panna Cotta. Strain your mixture through a fine sieve. Don’t worry if the strawberry seeds go through it, they add to the look.
ROB’S BRAAI/BBQ RUB
I like to make my rub in bulk as I use it on dishes from veggies to slow cooked ribs, and BBQ chicken. I find the rub intensifies the flavours way more than simply using a sauce for basting. With my ribs for example, I cook them on a low heat in my green egg with only the dry rub for about 2.5 hours and only add sauce in the final 30 mins wrapped in foil. I also use the rub on slow cooked meats in the oven, which also brings out the intensity of flavour. My BBQ rub is as follows.
In a separate bowl, bloom your gelatine in cold water. We use gelatine sheets available at most good supermarkets or Margarita’s stall in Sa Plaça. Add to the warm cream mixture and make sure the gelatine is dissolved correctly. Place into greased dariole moulds, or teacups. Place these in the fridge for at least 6 hours before you serve them. Once chilled, remove the Panna Cottas from the moulds and place into the dessert bowl. If you are struggling to unmould them, use your finger and separate them a little from the sides gently. Once in bowls, sprinkle biscotti crumb around the base and use dehydrated strawberries. Thinly chiffonade the mint leaves as garnish. This should make enough to fill a small jar. 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 6 tablespoons brown sugar 4 teaspoon onion powder 2 teaspoons garlic powder 4 teaspoons salt 4 teaspoons black pepper 2 teaspoons cumin powder 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon mustard powder BBQ rubs are something you can play with over time. If you like it smokier add more paprika. If you prefer it less sweet take out some sugar. I really hope you find this recipe useful.
D O N ’ T M I S S A N E D I T I O N , S U B S C R I B E T O D AY ! V I S I T: R O Q U E TA M A G A Z I N E . N E T
