Category Archives: Culinary

Recipe: Pan-roasted sea bass with mild spices, salad of warm spinach, asparagus and berries

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Pan-fried sea bass with mild spices, salad of warm spinach, asparagus and berries

Pan-fried sea bass with mild spices, salad of warm spinach, asparagus and berries

This week at Constance Hotels we’re showing you a fish recipe – pan roasted sea bass with mild spice, salad of warm spinach, asparagus and berries with an almond-green chilli vinaigrette.

Delicious and easy to make, it takes just 15 minutes to prepare.

Let us know what you think of the recipe or send us pictures of your own pan roasted sea bass. You can get in contact with us via Twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Cardamon pods

Cardamon pods

Ingredients

4 sea bass fillets, 160g each
2 tbsp olive oil
4 star anise
4 small sticks cinnamon
4 cardamom pods
800g fresh spinach
400g asparagus
60g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants)
1/4 bunch chervil
4 sprigs fresh mint
salt and pepper

For the almond-green chilli vinaigrette

5 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 fresh green chilli
1 red bell pepper
40g blanched almonds
salt and pepper

1. Tear off the central rib of each spinach leaf.
2. Clean the asparagus, cook them in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, then cool them in iced water and drain them.
3. Make the vinaigrette: remove the seeds from the green chilli then cut it into thin julienne strips. Blanch them in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, cool in iced water, drain and repeat twice.
4. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper, finely dice the flesh.
5. Toast the almonds for 10 minutes in a 180C oven. Chop them with a knife.
6. Mix the almonds, diced bell pepper, green chilli julienne, olive oil and lemon juice. Correct seasoning.
7. In a hot pan, sauté the sea bass fillets in the olive oil with the star anise, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Keep warm. Reserve the whole spices for decoration at the end.
8. Sauté the spinach in a hot pan with the olive oil for 1 minute. At the last moment, add the asparagus, berries, mint leaves and chervil. Correc seasoning and put them in the middle of each plate. Top with the fish, pour a little vinaigrette around. Decorate with the reserved whole spices.

You can also purchase the Prince Maurice recipe book that contains this recipe and fifty more from our online store.

Beach picnic at Anse Georgette, Seychelles

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Our corporate chef Bruno Le Gac regularly shares some of the great culinary experiences on offer at our Constance hotels.

This week the spotlight is on the luxury beach picnic in the Seychelles.

Anse Georgette beach at Constance Lemuria, Seychelles

Anse Georgette beach at Constance Lemuria, Seychelles

The beach of Anse Georgette is located at Constance Lémuria Resort on Praslin in the Seychelles.

Regarded as one of the world’s top 10 beaches, Anse Georgette has been left untouched and in pristine condition.

No bar. No restaurant. No beach cabana. No loungers.

The beach is just a few minutes walk or quick golf cart ride from the main reception at Constance Lémuria, through mango and sea-coconut trees, and other tropical plants.

Fresh beach picnic at Anse Georgette, Seychelles

Fresh beach picnic at Anse Georgette, Constance Lemuria, Seychelles

If want to enjoy a full day on this glorious beach, try our beach picnic experience. Delivered straight to where you’re sitting, the picnic comes in a fabulous basket and includes delicious snacks such as:

  • open sandwich with home-smoked big game fish
  • Creole style chicken kebabs
  • grilled Seychellois vegetables tossed with coriander pesto and al-dente pasta
  • local seasonal fruits.

It’s an experience not to be missed.

Recipe: Salad of smoked duck and leeks with vanilla citrus dressing

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This week’s recipe from the Constance kitchens is a light, refreshing smoked duck and leek salad with vanilla citrus dressing. Perfect for warm summer days and al fresco dining.

Vanilla pods

Salad of smoked duck and leeks with vanilla citrus dressing

Let us know how you get on and send us your comments and pictures of your own smoked duck salad. You can get in contact with us via Twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Marinating time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 leeks
  • 1 smoked duck breast
  • 1/2 vanilla pod
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small bunch of chives
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • curly endive and lettuce to serve

1. Clean the leeks, cut them into strips (like tagliatelle) and wash them well. Blanch them for 3-4 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain and refrigerate.
2. Finely slice the smoked duck breast.
3. Cut the vanilla pod in two, lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Set aside.
4. Peel the oranges and grapefruit, cutting into the flesh, then cut off the segments while keeping any juice that drops. You will need about 4 tbsps of juice for the dressing.
5. Mix honey, vanilla seeds, orange and grapefruit juice, and 3 tbsps olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
6. Cut chives into 2 cm lengths.
7. Put the leeks in a large dish, add dressing, chives, orange and grapefruit segments, salt and pepper. Let this salad marinate for 5 minutes.
8. Just before serving, wash and drain the curly endive and lettuce. Line each plate with a few salad leaves, top with some leek salad and a few slices of smoked duck breast. Pour a thin streak of olive oil over this and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

You can also purchase the Prince Maurice recipe book that contains this recipe and fifty more from our online store.

Learn to cook with the professionals at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius

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There’s a special cookery class taking place at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius on Thursday 30 September.

Colourful spices of Mauritius

Colourful spices of Mauritius

Seasoned and novice cooks alike can enjoy a day learning about Mauritian cuisine.

The event will be hosted by two of our chefs, Rajesh and Frederic Goisset, and wine tasting is led by our head sommelier at Belle Mare Plage.

Against the backdrop of the Deer Hunter restaurant, situated at the Legend golf clubhouse, our chefs will reveal some of our island secrets for creating subtle and lingering flavours.

Deer Hunter restaurant at Constance Belle Mare Plage

Deer Hunter restaurant at Constance Belle Mare Plage

Guests will learn about roasting spices using traditional local Mauritian methods, and how to prepare them. One such method involves a rock, known as the roche carrie, which is used to crush and mix the spices.

This relaxed and informative day includes:

  • 2 hour cookery lesson, where guests will make chicken with garam masala
  • Presentation by the Z’épices Experience shop
  • Recipe sharing including traditional methods
  • Wine tasting with our head sommelier
  • Three course lunch dining with the chefs (includes wine, drinks and coffee)
  • Gifts to take home including an apron, recipe CD and diploma for the course

As this special day will be popular, you can avoid disappointment by booking your place in advance. Email us at: info@bellemareplagehotel.com or visit the Constance Belle Mare Plage website to find out more about our luxury hotel.

Recipe: The ultimate spare ribs from Chef Stuart Blair – Constance Moofushi

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Alizee restaurant, Constance Moofushi, Seychelles

Relaxed barefoot chic at Constance Moofushi's Alizee restaurant, Maldives

Barefoot luxury is what Constance Moofushi Resort, Maldives is all about.

Alizee restaurant is serving simple, generously sized dishes made out of the best produce – in other words, ‘bare food’.

Stuart Blair, the executive chef at Moofushi, has brought back from his native Australia a very special recipe for spare ribs.

The ultimate Moofushi spare ribs

The ultimate Moofushi spare ribs

No cutlery is needed. At Moofushi, you’re given warm wet towels regularly during the meal to clean your hands.

Chef Stuart never shares his recipes with anyone. But he made an exception… just for you.

Ingredients

  • 400g pork ribs

For the marinade:

  • 220g soft brown sugar
  • 70ml chilli sauce
  • 120ml dark rum
  • 60ml soy sauce
  • 60ml tomato ketchup
  • 60ml Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3g dry mustard
  • Black pepper to taste

Vegetables to serve:

  • 1 medium carrot, sliced
  • 1 medium courgette, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, cut into wedge shapes
  • 6 Asparagus
  • Cauliflower, a handful of the flowers

1. Clean and prepare the ribs.
2. For the marinade – combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all ingredients have dissolved. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Marinate the pork ribs for 12 hours before cooking.
4. For the prepared vegetables – sprinkle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Chargrill until ready.
4. Chargrill the pork ribs until cooked through, and serve hot.

Let us know how you get on and send us your comments and pictures of your own spare ribs.

You can get in contact with us via Twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

Recipe: Lemon compote with star anise and vanilla

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This week’s delicious recipe from the Constance kitchens is Lemon compote with star anise and vanilla. It’s the perfect partner for seafood or duck.

Star anise

Star anise is a key ingredient for Mauritian lemon compote

Let us know how you get on and send us your comments and pictures of your own lemon compote.

You can get in contact with us via Twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 1/2hours

Ingredients

  • 1 kg lemons
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 5 star anise
  • 500g sugar
  • pinch of salt

1. Brush lemons under cold running water and cut 4 vertical slits into each of them.
2. Cook them for 4 minutes in boiling salted water, then put them into iced water. Do this three times to remove any bitter taste.
3. Cut the lemons in 4, remove seeds. Then cut the lemons into wedges, and then dice them.
4. Put the diced lemons in a saucepan, add 1 litre of water, the vanilla, star anise and sugar Cook on low heat for 3 hours.
5. Allow to cool and keep in the fridge until needed.