A trio of leading Middle East chefs from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have been selected by the French Dairy Board and the European Union to feature in an exclusive recipe book highlighting the many uses of European butter which will be distributed in the Middle East & Asia
Three of the Middle East’s leading chefs have been recognized by The French Dairy Board and the European Union, thanks to their flair for using the finest butters, and will now appear in an exclusive recipe book “Butter of Europe: French butter, the secret to make the difference”, to be distributed in the Middle East and Asia.
Chef Ahmad Fraijeh from Saudi Arabia, Chef Mohanad Alshamali from Dubai and Lebanese-based Chef Maroun Chedid were selected to have their creations featured in the book which not only showcases a range of recipes from leading chefs from around the world but also highlights the history of butter and top tips on how to use it.
Speaking at the workshop organized on November 3rd at Embers restaurant, Riyadh, Chef Ahmad Fraijeh, Chef & consultant at HMF Hospitality and European butter ambassador in the KSA, said:
“Butter is a key ingredient in many baked goods and recipes, using quality butter is essential to create beautiful pastries and gastronomic dishes. It can be used in many ways and will always enhance the aromas of your creations. French butter is highly qualitive, 100% natural and reliable, that’s why I prefer using it, it allows me a lot of creativity in my cooking”
During the event, Chef Ahmad made a cooking demonstration of the recipe he had created for the European butter book: Roasted rack of lamb with date butter; while Francois Robin was having a workshop on how to make your own butter and flavour it. Robin used local ingredients like zataar or pistachios to create exquisite flavoured butters that can be enjoyed on their own or in more elaborated recipes.
“We are seeing an increasing number of chefs in this region bringing new and unique tastes to the fore by being creative and adding something new to the butter being used – zaatar, truffle and date are just a few examples that have added an extra Middle Eastern flavour and another dimension to dish,” added Chef Ahmad.
The process of making butter is comprised of seven stages including collecting milk from the dairy farm; the separation of the milk and the cream; pasteurisation which involves heating the milk at 72 celsius for 15 seconds; the cream is then ripened which causes it to thicken, become more acidic and ultimately taste better; the cream is then churned which causes small clumps of butter to form; the butter is then drained and washed to remove any buttermilk; finally the butter is kneaded into a smooth even texture before being made into blocks, sticks and other types of pats.
Speaking at the event, Marie-Laure Martin – French Dairy Board representative, said “More than 95% of chefs in France and Europe say that butter is essential for cooking and baking, especially for its flavor. New uses have emerged, disrupting classic recipes and defining future trends and we are impressed by the creativity of the Middle Eastern Chefs when it comes to using European butter and associating it with their own local culture”