Malta Seafood Shichirin - Complete Dinner For Two

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for Charred Sweet Peppers With Garlic And Capers Charred Sweet Peppers With Garlic And Capers (opens in new tab) Charred Sweet Peppers With Garlic And Capers
  • 2 sweet red peppers approximately 250 g total
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 1 tsp capers rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp parsley chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Grill the peppers whole over medium-high charcoal heat, turning regularly until the skins are blistered and blackened in several places. Transfer to a covered bowl and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the loose charred skin, remove seeds, and slice into strips. Toss with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, capers, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Shichirin tip: This is an ideal dish to prepare before dinner, freeing the grill for seafood. The peppers can also be made several hours ahead.
• Hide ingredients for Charcoal-Grilled Calamari With Parsley And Lemon Charcoal-Grilled Calamari With Parsley And Lemon (opens in new tab) Charcoal-Grilled Calamari With Parsley And Lemon
  • 250 g cleaned small calamari bodies and tentacles
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove grated
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Sea salt and black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Pat the calamari thoroughly dry. Leave small bodies whole; score larger bodies lightly in a crosshatch pattern. Toss with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and a little salt. Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes. Grill over high heat for approximately 1–2 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Cook tentacles separately if necessary. Remove when opaque and just firm, without prolonged grilling. Finish with parsley, lemon juice, and freshly ground black pepper. Shichirin tip: Use a fine-mesh grill basket for small tentacles so they don't fall between the grate bars. For fully cooked squid, target 63°C where a reliable reading is possible.
• Hide ingredients for Shell-On Garlic-Lemon Prawns Shell-On Garlic-Lemon Prawns (opens in new tab) Shell-On Garlic-Lemon Prawns
  • large raw prawns approximately 250–300 g shell-on
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic finely grated
  • 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • Fresh black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice for finishing
  • 1 tsp parsley chopped

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Trim the long antennae. Devein through the shell if needed, leaving the shell and head intact. Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Coat the prawns lightly and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Shake off excess marinade and grill over medium-high charcoal heat for approximately 2–3 minutes per side. Remove once the flesh is opaque and firm, and the prawns have reached 63°C internally. Finish with lemon juice and parsley. Shichirin tip: Avoid letting excess garlic fall directly onto the coals. The shells will pick up plenty of smoky flavour without requiring a heavy marinade.
• Hide ingredients for Oregano-Garlic Swordfish Skewers Oregano-Garlic Swordfish Skewers (opens in new tab) Oregano-Garlic Swordfish Skewers
  • 250 g skinless swordfish steak
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Lemon wedges

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Cut the swordfish into even 2.5 cm cubes. Combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Coat the fish and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes. Thread onto 2–3 short metal skewers, leaving small gaps between the pieces. Grill over medium-high heat, turning every 2 minutes until lightly charred on all sides and the centre reaches 63°C. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges. Shichirin tip: Swordfish is lean and can dry out quickly. Avoid cutting cubes too small, and use a thermometer rather than extending the grilling time unnecessarily.
• Hide ingredients for Grilled Vegetables And Lemon-Herb Rice Grilled Vegetables And Lemon-Herb Rice (opens in new tab) Grilled Vegetables And Lemon-Herb Rice
  • 1 fennel bulb small, approximately 180–200 g
  • 1 courgette small, approximately 150 g
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Cut fennel into 6 wedges, leaving a little core attached to each wedge. Blanch the fennel in lightly salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Drain and dry well. Slice courgette lengthwise into 7–8 mm strips. Trim the spring onions. Brush everything lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill fennel over medium-high heat for approximately 3–4 minutes per side until browned and tender. Grill courgette for 2–3 minutes per side and spring onions for 1–2 minutes per side. Grill the lemon halves cut-side down for 2–3 minutes. Finish the vegetables with juice from the charred lemon.
• Hide ingredients for Shichirin - Lemon-Herb Rice Shichirin - Lemon-Herb Rice (opens in new tab) Shichirin - Lemon-Herb Rice
  • 3 uncooked short-grain rice
  • Water
  • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
  • salt

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear, which removes excess surface starch and helps the grains cook up separate rather than gluey. Drain well.
  2. Cook the drained rice according to the package directions, using the amount of water specified for 100 g of short-grain rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, typically 15–20 minutes depending on the package.
  3. Once the rice is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let it rest covered for 5–10 minutes. During this time, the grains will firm up slightly and the remaining moisture will even out; keep the lid on to trap steam.
  4. While the rice rests, finely chop the parsley and grate the lemon zest so they are ready to fold in. Measure the olive oil and salt as well.
  5. After resting, uncover the rice and gently fold in the olive oil, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt using a fork or spatula. Be careful not to overmix, which can make the rice sticky; stop as soon as the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  6. Keep the lemon-herb rice warm until serving, either by leaving it covered on the lowest heat setting or by transferring it to a warm bowl and covering tightly with foil. Serve as a neutral accompaniment to grilled seafood.