The honey dessert at Restaurante da Malhadinha Nova (recipe below) is the prestige creation of renowned chef Cintia Koerper, who we spoke to, about her career and the story behind this delicious dessert.
Cintia Koerper graduated from the Alain Ducasse cooking school in Rio de Janeiro and Paris. She studied gastronomy at Apicius in Florence and worked in Brazil with chefs such as Claude Troisgros, Roland Villar and Dominique Guerin. Her doctorate was under Joachim Koerper, now her husband, who is also the chef at Restaurante da Malhadinha Nova. After 30 years of experience in kitchens in Brazil and around the world, she has been working in Portugal for 16 years, 15 of them at the Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. It's a family project that she admires and is very proud to be part of, already feeling like part of the family.
What inspired you to create this dessert?
100% inspired by the Herdade, I've always made desserts with honey, as it's a product I love to work with, both for its quality and its health benefits.
Why is Malhadinha Nova honey so special and what are its characteristics?
The honey from the estate is 100% natural, enriched by the abundance of Alentejo flowers, especially eucalyptus and rosemary. It’s an artisanal method of extraction and production, which makes it a honey with a distinctive character, with a soft aroma and a natural, rural flavour and sweetness that embraces the palate.
What tips do you have for using this ingredient more in everyday recipes?
Honey is an excellent natural sugar, it's versatile and tasty. I use it in sweet recipes, salads, ice cream, red wine sauce and Bordeaux sauce. It's an excellent thickener.
Tip: Mix 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons mustard, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, salt and pepper to taste. Use this dressing on a salad of iceberg lettuce, avocado, grated carrot and Alentejo bread croutons. Enjoy!