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How to eat well on a desert island

How to eat well on a desert island.
Who says you cannot eat well on a desert island? Djerba competes with haute cuisine in the capital city and delivers on traditional cuisine hinterland.

Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Executive Head Chef Guider Hdiedn wowed a delighted group of British guests visiting Djerba for the first time during the launch of the London-Djerba-London maiden flight of Tunisair from London Gatwick to Djerba via Monastir. Guider’s attention to detail and presentation of food served by his staff was well received by his guests who were in awe of his presentation. Guests enjoyed the whole menu presented to them but it was his delicious dark chocolate truffle extravaganza that earned the biggest applause of all from his diners.
The Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa is one of the exclusive hotels visited by the VIP guests during the sponsored tour of the island.
 Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Executive Head Chef Guider Hdiedn ©LNA Associates images

Going ethnic in Ksar Ghilene Pansea and Chenini

The Chefs at the camp site in Ksar Ghilene Pansea have a few tricks up their own sleeves when it comes to traditional cuisine. Visitors to the oasis camp should not miss the traditional flat bread baked in the hot sand nor the “Agneau à la gargoulette" lamb stew slow-cooked in a traditional clay pot.

Traditional hot sand cooking at the Ksar Ghilene Pansea camp site - Djerba, Tunisia ©LNA Associates images Flat bread baked in hot sand in the desert at Ksar Ghilene Pansea camp site - Djerba, Tunisia ©LNA Associates images
The locals stuff the traditional Djerbian clay pot (Gargoulette) with meat, usually lamb, but you can use any choice of meat, with tomato purée, peppers, onions, spices, and Harissa and then oven-cook it in the hot sand for about 3-4 hours before breaking the gargoulette to serve its contents.
Lamb stew "agneau à la gargoulette" revealed after it is cracked open to be served.©LNAImages

It is a sheer delight to watch the Bedouins prepare their favourite meal in such a traditional manner – and it is delicious too.The bread to be served with the meal is also baked in hot sand. This is dusted down and sliced and served with a variety of Tunisian appetisers. Dinner is often served with a dose of local musicians and dancers.

Tunisians eat tuna a lot and you will find that most of their starters comprise of a tuna salad of some sort followed by the traditional ‘brik’, a deep fried triangular pastry pocket with whole egg, chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley. In Chenini this will be followed by a good-sized bowl of traditionally prepared couscous to be shared.
Brik - a tunisian starter made up of deep fired triangular pastry pocket with whole egg, chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley ©LNAImages Bedoiun dancers entertaining guests at dinner at the Ksar Ghilene Pansea ©LNAImages Couscous served in a large bowl for group consumption at Chenini ©LNAImages
Love Food – Read more about food and drink
• How to eat well in Copenhagen: The minimal Nordic cuisine called gourmet
• How to eat well on a Desert Island
• How to eat well in Paris
• How to eat well in North Devon
• Going loco with Tapas at Lilico’s in Barnstaple
• Mouthwatering recipes from Fruisana
Drinks
• The Mystery of the Louis XIII Black Pearl; 100 years in a bottle
• Chocolate meets Malbec at Gauchos
Great chats with great chefs
• Face to face with Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart’s Executive Head Chef Rudolf Wachner and Chino Latino’s Executive Head Chef Werner Seeback at the LondonPark Plaza Riverbank
• One on One with Restaurant Daniel’s Chef Bryce Leygonie
• Face to face with Chef Rafi Ben-Hemo at the Ein Gedi Botanical Gardens and Resort, Dead Sea – Israel
• Face to face with Nigel Frost, Executive Head Chef of London Hilton Metropole
• Deluxe cuisine exposed through the eyes of Bern’s Bellevue Palace Head Chef Gregor Zimmerman

 

© Executive Traveller 2003