A Love Triangle at Risette
- Kristina Cassar Dowling
- May 28
- 3 min read
For 2 nights, Risette in Old Theatre Street, Valletta hosted L’Astrance’s Chef Pascal Barbot where a Four Hands Dinner brought Chef Steve’s expected level of elegance and Parisienne sophistication together. We were lucky enough to join for a Press Lunch on Saturday 23rd where the team at bajtra met with Chef Barbot and experienced his technique and flavour fused with the essence of Risette that we know all too well.
Needless to say that the menu was executed marvelously. The amuse bouche featured standard Risette flavours of smokey comfort and lush textures and L’Astrance touches of crisp freshness, delicate detail and a new energy at the iconic marble tables. It followed with a pure celebration of the Maltese sea. And let me tell you folks, we’ve got some beautiful produce here in Malta’s Mediterranean.
This could easily be a full-on critique of the experience. Talking about the intricate flavours of the rosemary sabayon or the sheer excellence of the prawn jelly would be a privilege; the mastery of the technique (all with the aim of improving flavour and mouthfeel) was standard-setting and I was honoured to experience it and allow it to educate me.
A Four Hands Dinner is all about openness. It’s about understanding the ways of a Chef and realising that their interpretation of your product could be a beautiful thing. Chef Barbot experienced 2 prime local ingredients in this menu: the Maltese red prawn and the Maltese Awwista rock lobster as suggested by Chef Steve.
They are the creme de la creme of Maltese sea produce. *the third being Maltese sea urchins, a protected species for the time being.
Below is a rambling of all my ideas, thoughts and opinions related to each.
Rossi (always a staple at Risette)
My personal favourite food item in the world.
The best is definitely Size 2. It’s so much sweeter than Size 1, it’s much more delicate and tender than Size 1 and who the fuck has time for Size 3 and 4.
They should be eaten raw. Crudo. Nejja. No cook.
Discarding the heads is sacrilege. Make a sauce for sustainability and gastronomy.
When eaten cooked, choose butter over oil. Must add Maltese garlic.
Don’t be fooled by the Spanish prawns; they come in a silver paper box. Maltese come in a white, plastic box — they’re superior.
Don’t be shy to order by the unit. They’re not cheap; but you deserve them.
There’s a lot of meat in the feet. When cooked, suck them out, when raw, suck away or refer to point 4.
Prawns are frozen onboard the fishing vessel due to riding mercury levels. This is sad, but normal.
Simplicity is key. Don’t over season or over cook. Close your eyes when you taste them, they’re magic.
BONUS: the Maltese Red Prawn will be my next tattoo. I love Maltese Red Prawn.
Awwista (a special find)
She’s a clawless beauty.
She’s sweet.
She’s tender.
She’s juicy. (when treated right)
She’s a big boi.
She’s seasonal.
She’s unique to Malta.
She’s always fresh.
She’s quite a mouth full.
And she always pleases.
During this Four Hands Press Lunch I saw my favourite ingredient and an absolute jewel of Maltese produce given a touch of French charisma, with petit pois to embellish the sweetness of the rock lobster and an untouched version of perfection through the red prawn. Barbot’s interpretations of two gems of Maltese produce made me smile. Chef Scicluna’s penchant for quality ingredients represented Malta as the beacon of seafood that it is. Bountiful and abundant in richness, sweetness and pure Mediterranean joie de vivre.
