Recipe: Anantara Salalah's Lemon & Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake

Local ingredients, sustainable dishes There is an evolution, but there is no revolution; Chef Luke’s cuisine has always been centred on the produce, like the basics of any cuisine, it’s all about the right gesture, the right technique and mastering that. It also relates to applying the right product with particular attention to sourcing. Using this base of techniques and ingredients to turn it into food that is very accessible. This has always been my line, my direction. Borg continually focuses on how food can influence health — so he concentrates on using less salt, fat, sugar in preparations, and the way dishes are created today. Visiting the nearby Salalah farms and markets and sourcing natural/local ingredients to create more sustainable dishes. The chef is just a translation between nature and what appears on the dining table. INGREDIENTS: SPONGE 350g Butter 350g Fructose 8 Organic Eggs 350g Flour 10g Baking Powder 100ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil LEMON CURD 200g Organic Egg Yolk 150g Lemon Juice 120g Fructose 130g Butter   PREPARATION METHOD SPONGE: In a Kitchen Aid mixer, mix the butter and sugar Add egg one by one Add flour and baking powder and lastly, add olive oil. Cook for 12min at 180C FOR LEMON CURD: In a mixing bowl, add egg yolk, lemon and sugar, mix it and cook it in a double boiler. Lastly, add the butter. Chill the curd in the bowl over ice stirring it vigorously. ABOUT THE CHEF CHEF Luke Borg Executive Chef Anantara Salalah With over 18 years of experience, Luke is dedicated to instilling the highest standards in gourmet cuisine and will thus bring forth his passion for culinary excellence to Salalah.  Born and raised in Malta, Luke never ceased to pursue his passion for food. A master’s degree holder in Tourism, He completed his undergraduate studies in Gastronomic Studies at the University of Malta after previously attending St Julian’s Institute of Tourism studies at his home country. Prior to his new post, Luke held the executive chef title for a number of international luxury chains across 5 different countries; these locations include Thailand, Guinea, Mozambique, Oman and Malta respectively. Chef Luke began his career in the industry working as a restaurant apprentice before gradually working his way up to Chef De Partie at the Hilton-Malta. As the years progressed, he took on a new role as a Chef De Cuisine at The Arches Restaurant – Malta before he acceded to Executive Chef. A truly cosmopolitan career, Luke has also managed to work with all aspects of the food industry, including some 2-star Michelin restaurants as well. Luke has also achieved many accolades for the fine dining restaurants he had worked for throughout his journey. These include winning prestigious titles such as European chef of the year in 2014 – a competition involving over 400 participants from 21 European countries.