Cooking with Reuben

Reuben Grixti, Executive Head Chef at Le MERIDIEN St Julians Hotel & Spa presents:

PACCHERI PANCETTA PASTA

An amazingly tasty pasta dish!

INGREDIENTS

500g paccheri pasta
100g pancetta
40g sundried tomatoes
30g onions
12 ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml white wine
80ml chicken stock
60ml fresh cream
30g fresh spinach





METHOD

Chop the pancetta, the onions and the sundried tomatoes. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add the diced pancetta and the chopped onions. Sauté over a medium heat until the onions are a nice light golden brown. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until your preparation is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and the chopped sundried tomatoes. Simmer gently for a few minutes. Reserve and keep warm. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until Al Dente. This ideal cooking point is soft but holds shape, and is starchy enough for your sauce to stick on to perfection. Drain well and transfer the cooked paccheri into the sauce. Add the fresh cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate, garnish with fresh spinach tossed in extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Tell us what you think about this recipe and/or if you find ways to personalize it!
Taste this dish at KuDeTa Lounge & Bar, level 3 of the hotel, throughout summer.
www.kudeta-restaurant.com 

It smells like BBQ...

With the heat of the peak season, outdoor venues flourish on the island, opening their doors to visitors in search of a great summery vibe and a pleasant evening breeze. Le Méridien in Balluta Bay presents the re-opening of an inspiring fashionable outlet worth experiencing this summer: La Bajja Restaurant.

La Bajja outdoor restaurant, on the rooftops of Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa, unveils a different perspective on the Mediterranean Sea. Indeed, this inspiring summer venue offers an unexpected viewpoint on pretty Balluta Bay and its surroundings. Perched on the 12^th floor of the hotel, you will enjoy fantastic views and a welcomed refreshing summer breeze whilst indulging in Le Méridien creative cuisine.

La Bajja opens to food-enthusiastic visitors for a summer dining experience on the grill two evenings per week starting on July, 2nd. Fish lovers are in for a mid-week treat with Pesci ai Ferri every Wednesday evening at €28 per person. On Friday, Le Méridien reinvents our summer classic with a traditional barbecue at €26.50 per person.

Let yourself be enchanted by this unusual venue, up and away from our usual wining and dining whereabouts.

Visit lemeridienmalta.com/labajja or call 2311 0000 to book your dining experience.

SUI GENERIS EXHIBITION

Naomi Gatt and Claudia Muscat have combined their artistic talents to present a colourful and varied array of exhibits under the common title SUI GENERIS.  This unique painters’ exhibition is being hosted at Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa in Balluta Bay. Indeed, the hotel has consistently established itself as a mecca for Maltese and foreign artists alike over the past 7 years.

Naomi Gatt is a graphic designer and owns a first degree in Communication and Psychology. The mastering of these two essential elements of human interactions enables her to express her inner feelings in poignant and surprisingly accurate female facial expressions.  She has playful traits which bring out unexpected renderings in her depiction of common objects.  Naomi has dabbled with various topics and different media, however what lures her most is the capturing of faces.  The viewer is transported to the soul of the painting through the eyes of these inspiring portraits. It is a very powerful way for Naomi Gatt to bring her deepest emotions to the forefront of her exhibits. She chooses simple, nearly depurated images and transforms them into intense art depictions.

by Naomi Gatt. All rights reserved.

LE MERIDIEN WEDDING SHOWCASE

Are you ready to start organizing your dream wedding? So is Le Méridien St Julians

Hotel & Spa. The contemporary 5 star hotel is opening its doors for its yearly display of prestigious wedding services. Visit Le Méridien in Balluta Bay on Saturday 25^th of January from 4pm till 10pm or on Sunday 26^th from 11am till 7pm and get the right inspiration for your special day.

Year after year, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa builds on its professional reputation as a wedding venue and catering provider, with successful yet very unique wedding celebrations. To strengthen its dynamic perspective and give a real feel of its venues, the hotel is indeed organizing its 4^th consecutive wedding showcase. The showcase will include stands from reputed companies: Jigami hairdressers, Wedding Bells, Floral Art, Boo & Co, John’s Garage, Bow & Ribbon, 202 Jewellery, Tunin Entertainment, AV Warehouse, Cefai Formal Wear, Mark Cilia Photography, PartyGoods, Love is… and House of Beauty.

“We are delighted by the enthusiastic response of our wedding partners”, explains Elyse Borg, Events Manager at Le Méridien. “Our showcase has become a key event in terms of wedding organization and our team is committed to make this year’s edition another successful one. It is the perfect opportunity for future brides and grooms to taste the creative recipes of our kitchen brigade and to get a feel of our venues with breath-taking wedding set-ups.”

Together with their partner 202 Jewellery, the hotel is also extending an exclusive wedding promotion: all the couples who book their wedding celebrations with Le Méridien during the Wedding Showcase will be rewarded with up to €500 towards the jewellery of their choice*! Le Méridien Wedding Showcase: because passion is in the details that really matter.

*conditions apply: contact events.malta@lemeridien.com for additional information

www.lemeridienmalta.com/wedding_brochure

www.facebook.com/maltaweddings

events.malta@lemeridien.com

T - 2311 0000