Maxim Behar on the secrets of Creole cuisine and the Seychelles

For almost 20 years the popular PR expert, entrepreneur and writer Maxim Behar has been the Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria. The idea for the book "Seychelles Recipes" came after his second participation in the culinary show "The icing on the cake". Requests for more recipes started pouring in, as well as for travel tips to the exotic destination.

Chef Milen Velikov consulted him on the culinary part and thus the 25 wonderful recipes were born, capturing the culture, character, taste, and colours of Seychelles. You will learn how to prepare: Seychelles chutney, Banana chips, Tuna curry with green mango, Fried fish with salad and passion fruit dressing, Fried fish with chayote*, Emperor red snapper with creole sauce, Shark, and papaya chutney*. We bring you into the beautiful and delicious world of exotic islands through the eyes of Maxim Behar.

MILLIONAIRE'S SALAD

Ingredients:

1 palmito (The heart of the palm tree, also known as palmito, is a vegetable used in many recipes for its valuable qualities. It can also be boiled, sautéed, or fried.)

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh onion, finely chopped

salt and cracked black pepper

N.B. You can use ready-cleaned hearts of palm from a can. They are sold online and in some stores with a more exotic assortment.

Preparation: Use a sharp knife to cut away the fibrous layers of the palmito and any tough parts until you reach the tender heart. If it is too large to handle, cut in half or separate the leafy part from the leafless part. Thinly slice the palmito and keep in a container with the juice of half a lemon and a little salt. This will not allow the lettuce to oxidize, and it will not darken.

Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing/whisking the lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, onion and fresh onion in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl. Drain the palmitos and carefully place them in the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.

Always serve slightly chilled.

"The location of the Seychelles still combines deep-ocean isolation with a safe harbour for passing ships that bring with them spices and culinary influences from Europe, Africa, India and China. In this complex set of circumstances, the unique tradition of Seychellois Creole cuisine (the word 'Creole' is the adjective used by the locals to describe the people, language and cuisine of Seychelles) was born."

The author describes Seychellois cuisine as unforgettable. "Every spice, every flavour, every dish - just touch it, taste it, no... even just smell it... and you are already... a true Seychellois!"

GLASSED FISH

Ingredients:

1 fillet of grey snapper with skin, chopped

in portions of 150 g

3 squeezed limes

60 g maple syrup

30 ml soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 cm ginger root, grated

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

50 ml sesame oil

Preparation: You should end up with a thick homogeneous mass. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, rubbing them well into the skin. Brush the fish fillets with the already prepared sauce. Heat a frying pan with olive oil, tightly and evenly covering the bottom. Place the fish fillets in the hot pan and continue to carefully apply more sauce to the fish. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, you will know when the fillet is done, it depends on your taste whether you want it to be a bit rawer or want to bake it. Apply a little maple syrup to the fish to glaze it during cooking.

N.B. Be sure to serve with some hot rice on the side.

The interview was published in EVA magazine