A new cookbook tries to bring the cuisine of a luxurious spa into your home kitchen.
By AMY SPIROPavlova with crème pâtissière and berries(photo credit: ODED MAROM)
Have you ever left a vacation so inspired and rejuvenated that you couldn’t wait to head into the kitchen? That’s the hope of the Carmel Forest Spa Resort on Mount Carmel, which has now translated its popular cookbook into English.Guests who can afford it come to the resort for its luxurious and pampering atmosphere. But they are also treated to the inventive and delicious cuisine coming out of the resort’s kitchen.The man behind Carmel Forest Spa Resort: A Love Story, which was first published in Hebrew in 2012, is Amir Khalfon, the head chef of the resort.The book is organized into traditional divisions – sides, salads, soups, etc. – with one more unusual chapter: “Druse cuisine.”“Here on Mount Carmel, the Druse are our neighbors,” the book’s authors wrote. “So it was only natural for us to give Druse cuisine a place of honor in the Carmel Forest Spa Hotel’s kitchen.”That chapter includes recipes such as Galilean mejadra, Zahara’s knafeh and chicken machmmar.The majority of the recipes throughout the book have clear Israeli and Middle Eastern flavors, from fresh fig salad with caramelized goat cheese (and a dressing made with arak!) to seared eggplant, feta and pine-nut soup to chicken and fennel stew with spiced preserved Persian lemons and saffron. Everything in the book is kosher, just like the resort itself.But one thing is clear: These are not the recipes of a home cook.Though it should come as no surprise, the majority of the dishes here are restaurant style, and many include steps and preparation that go beyond the average dinner.From potato and hazelnut gnocchi stuffed with mozzarella in rosa sauce to zucchini flowers stuffed with fish in miso and shiitake sauce to a tagine of lamb and pine-nut kebabs with grilled vegetables topped with frena bread, many recipes will be earmarked as more of a weekend project.The book even notes that the pine-tree smoked mullet with ratatouille- filled zucchini (a recipe that requires you to put pinecone pieces in the oven while smoking the fish) is “not an everyday thing in the home kitchen.”Thankfully some of the recipes are illustrated with accompanying step-by-step photos, including artichoke ribs in filo pastry on a bed of lentil ragout and stuffed vine leaves.Though the spa is meant to be a health resort, it doesn’t skimp on the desserts, although in most cases it does give them a healthful twist. Brioche filled with organic tehina, halva and walnuts and date and semolina roulade are rounded out with the more indulgent “Carmel Forest Spa chocolate soufflé.”The following recipes were reprinted with permission from Carmel Forest Spa Resort: A Love Story. Artichoke ribs in filo pastry on a bed of lentil ragout Crisp filo pastry filled with artichokes, feta cheese, basil and pine nuts, served on a bed of lentil ragout. A wonderful vegetarian dish.Serves 4■ 4 artichokes■ Juice from ½ a lemon■ 8 filo pastry leaves■ 1 egg, beaten■ 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds For the filling ■ 7 oz. (200 gr.) sheep feta cheese, crumbled■ 8 basil leaves, torn■ 2 Tbsp. olive oil■ ²⁄3 cup (3.5 oz. /100 gr.) pine nuts, lightly roastedFor the lentil ragout■ 1 cup black lentils■ 2 Tbsp. olive oil■ 1 carrot, chopped■ 2 garlic cloves, sliced■ 1 red onion, chopped■ 1 celery stalk, chopped■ 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped■ 1 Tbsp. silan (date honey)■ Pinch chili flakes■ Salt and freshly ground pepper■ Pinch cumin■ ½ cup vegetable stock Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).To prepare the artichokes:Remove the outer leaves until you reach the soft inner part. Keeping the stems on, cut the artichokes in half and remove the inner fibers. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add lemon juice. Place the artichokes in the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking. To prepare the filling: Mix the feta cheese with the basil, olive oil and pine nuts.To prepare the filo pastry:With scissors or a sharp knife, cut each pastry leaf into three 8 x 3-inch (20 x 8-cm.) strips. Brush the pastry leaves with olive oil. Stack the pastry strips in 8 piles of 3 leaves each.To arrange the dish:Stuff 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling into the hole in the heart of each artichoke half. Place the stuffed artichoke on the filo pastry, with stem pointing to the side. Wrap the artichoke with the pastry, creating a triangle while turning it (see photos). Place the filled artichokes on a lined baking sheet. Brush the pastry with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the pastry is golden.To prepare the lentil ragout:In a pot with boiling water, cook lentils for 15 minutes until soft. Watch so that they do not overcook and lose their shape. Drain. Heat oil in a pot and sauté the onions, then add the garlic and carrots and sauté 4 minutes until soft and golden. Add the cooked lentils and mix lightly. Pour the vegetable stock and the silan into the pot, add the cilantro leaves and cook 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced. Season with salt, pepper, chili and a pinch of cumin.To serve: Put a heaping spoonful of ragout in the middle of each plate and place the artichoke pastry on top.Seared fillet of bass on a bed of beetroot and cauliflower risottoWe love roasting fish on a hot griddle after marinating it in olive oil and herbs. Serve it with an extra-special risotto.Serves 4■ 4 filleted bass, skin onFor the marinade:■ ½ cup olive oil■ 2 garlic cloves, minced■ Salt■ Freshly ground pepper■ 1 tsp. coriander seeds, roasted and crushed■ 2 sprigs thyme■ 6 sage leavesFor the risotto:■ 1 cup cauliflower florets■ 2 Tbsp. olive oil■ 3 shallots, peeled and chopped■ 2 garlic cloves, peeled■ 2 cups round rice, washed and drained■ 1 cup dry white wine■ 3 cups boiling vegetable stock■ 1 cup beetroot juice, strained■ 3 sprigs green onion, thinly sliced■ Salt■ Freshly ground pepper■ 2 Tbsp. thyme leaves■ 50 gr. butter, cubed■ ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated For serving: ■ 1 lemon, quartered To prepare the fish:Stir together all the marinade ingredients and marinate the fish for 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.To prepare the risotto: Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes until golden. Heat oil in a pot. Add the shallots and sauté 5 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and cauliflower florets and cook 1 minute. Add the rice. Mix so that all the rice grains are coated with oil. Pour in the wine and cook until it is absorbed completely. Begin to add the boiling stock, one ladle at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding the next one. In between, gradually add the beetroot juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the green onion and butter gradually while stirring. Add the Parmesan toward the end of the cooking. Heat a heavy skillet over medium- high heat. Sear the fish, skin side down, for 3 minutes. Turn and sear 3 minutes on the other side. To arrange the dish: Place the risotto in the middle of each plate. Place the fish on top and drizzle the marinade on the fish and around it.Pavlova with crème pâtissière and berriesIn this dessert, we fill the meringue cup with classic crème pâtissière instead of whipped cream. We do it very close to serving so that the meringue remains crisp.Makes 8■ 4 egg whites, at room temperature■ 1 cup powdered sugarFor the crème pâtissière:■ 1½ cups milk■ 3 Tbsp. cornstarch■ 2 egg yolks■ 1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise■ ¼ cup sugarFor the berry sauce:■ 10.5 oz. (300 gr.) fresh or frozen berries■ ¼ cup sugar■ 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated■ 1 Tbsp. cherry liqueur (or other fruit liqueur)To prepare the meringue:Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). In a mixer bowl, whip the egg whites on high speed for 2 minutes until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add sugar while whipping 3 more minutes until the foam is smooth and shiny. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream. Make 2.8-inch (5-cm.) rounds, adding sides to create cup-like shapes. Bake the meringue cups for 1 hour or until the meringue is hard and light gold in color. Turn the oven off. Open the oven door slightly and let the meringue cool in the oven for 1 hour. To prepare the crème pâtissière: In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup milk, add the yolks and beat well. In a pot, bring the remaining milk, vanilla bean and sugar to a boil. Combine the 2 mixtures: Pour about ¹⁄3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while beating, to prevent curdling. Pour the yolk mixture into the pot and cook over low heat, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Strain the crème pâtissière into a flat dish. Cover with plastic wrap, placing the film on the cream to prevent the formation of a skin. Let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. If you want a light cream, whisk it before serving.To prepare the berry sauce:Cook the fruit with the sugar, ginger and liqueur until the sugar is dissolved and the fruit softens and releases its juices. Simmer for 4 minutes over low heat and let cool. If you want the sauce to be very smooth, grind it in a blender or food processor and strain.To arrange the pavlova:Fill the meringue cups with crème pâtissière. Drizzle with the berry sauce and serve.