This recipe requires the pre-preparation of the salted figs and the Fennel.
Salted Figs:
Ingredients:
12 ripe figs, 300g ORYX desert SALT, 150g sugar, 4 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole star anise.
Method:
Line a colander with muslin.
Combine sugar, ORYX desert SALT, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise in a blender and process.
Cut figs in half.
Lay a layer of salt onto colander place figs on top and cover with salt mixture
Leave to cure for 12 hours
Store in a jar with olive oil and remaining spices.
Fennel:Ingredients:
1 large fennel bulb, 1 cup ORYX desert SALT
Method:
Shave fennel with a peeler, in a bowl toss with ORYX desert SALT.
place in a strainer and strain over a bowl for an hour
taste to see whether the fennel is not crunchy.
When fennel is soft wash off well.
Orange Liquid:
Ingredients:
2 medium oranges, 750ml water, 750ml orange juice, 3 sprigs of thyme, 1 stick of cinammon, pinch of ORYX desert SALT.
Method:
Strain orange juice and make several incisions in the oranges
In a medium pot add all the ingredients, and place on a medium heat and warm through.
Keep warm.
Orange blossom butter:Ingredients:
60g butter, 3 tsp orange blossom water
Method:
Cream butter and orange blossom water.
Place in fridge
Risotto:Ingredients:
20g butter, 2 sprigs of thyme, 300g arborio rice, 1 cup van de hum, orange liquid, 20g parmesan cheese, orange butter.
Method:
In a hot pan add butter and thyme
When the butter starts to foam add rice, be careful not to burn the rice, just toast untill translucent.
Add the van der hum and let reduce
Add. 1 large ladle of orange liquid, and simmer gradually. Stir to prevent rice sticking to the bottom
When liquid is reduced by half add another large ladle.
Stir, when this batch has almost disappeared add smaller ladles and taste after each batch.
This will take about 20 - 25 min. Its important to keep the rice loose.
When al dente texture is achived take off the heat and add orange butter and cheese. Cover with foil for 5minutes
Emulsify and season.
To serve: Spoon risotto onto a plate, place 3 figs on top of the plate and scatter with shaved fennel.
Recipe courtesy of Oryx Salt
ORYX desert SALT is arguably one of the purest salts available locally. Naturally
crystal white, completely unprocessed, unrefined and sun-dried, this salt is additive
and preservative free and contains high levels of trace minerals, which are essential
for wellbeing. It is harvested in the Kalahari Desert, 300km from the closest town,
and is therefore as pollution free as one can get. ORYX is extracted from an ancient
underground brine lake, which is fed by three underground streams.
ORYX desert SALT has just been announced as the official salt of the South African
Culinary Team (ranked 10th in the world) for this years IKA Culinary Olympics.
Image
source
