Holiday recommendations by Sotiris Evangelou and Telis Papadopoulos
Sotiris Evangelou
Executive Chef – Makedonia Palace
The Inspiration
“For me, Christmas and family are two practically synonymous words. The flavors I associate most with these days are the flavors of my childhood, especially chestnuts. Besides the fact that it is a favorite nut, I come from a mountain village with many chestnut fields, so it is a taste that I remember from childhood and I have it strongly in my taste memory.”
Grilled rack of lamb with chestnuts
Ingredients
- 1 rack of lamb
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 cubed carrot
- 20 chestnuts, peeled
- 1 heaped tablespoon of honey
- 50 ml cognac
- 100 ml olive oil
- 20 ml of wine vinegar
- 50 gr. fresh butter
- 1 pinch of cumin
- Salt flower
- Freshly ground pepper
Execution
Sprinkle the lamb with salt, pepper and cumin. In a pan over medium heat, sauté with olive oil until it gets a nice color. Remove the lamb from the pan and continue baking in a preheated oven (180 °C) for 15-20 minutes (the meat should be pink). In the same pan that you sautéd the lamb in, add onion, garlic, thyme, celery, carrot and chestnuts. Sauté lightly and add water (enough to cover them). Let them boil and soften. Then add the cognac, butter and honey. Stir lightly. Add the vinegar and let the food glaze and become mellow. When it is ready, cut the meat carre into slices, place it on warm plates, garnish with the chestnuts and serve.
Telis Papadopoulos
Owner of Soulshakers Bar Services, World’s Best Bartender, World Class Competition 2009
The Inspiration
“The inspiration for this cocktail is my grandmother, who made amazing apple pies, and always made sure she had enough around her house on Christmas and New Year’s holidays. So, I tried to combine this flavor with the dish of my friend, Sotiris Evangelou, because I believe that the lamb he cooked with the caramelized chestnuts goes perfectly with the green apple and the herbal and spicy character of Mataroa Gin. I hope you enjoy it, happy holidays and a happy new year everyone!”
Green Apple
The recipe
- 40 ml Mataroa Mediterranean Dry Gin
- 30 ml Green Apple Liqueur
- 10 ml Mathieu Teisseire Syrup
- 2 ml Citric Acid Solution
- 100 ml Tonic London Essence Bitter Orange & Elderflower
- Edible Green Apple Essential Oil
Method: Build (ingredients are added to the glass one after the other)
Glass: Highball / Collins
Garnish: Scent Green Apple / Green Apple / Edible Flower
Ice: 5×5 ice cubes
