Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean with ‘Pesto and Pistou’ menu

Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai is currently promoting the tastes and flavours of the Mediterranean this autumn with the launch of Mövenpick’s latest global menu – ‘Pesto and Pistou’.

The expert chefs at Mövenpick have perfected a new innovative range of pestos (Italian) and pistous (French) to create seven experimental dishes, made available at Bien Restaurant throughout the month of October 2019 which marks another gastronomic triumph for the brand, synonymous with its culinary excellence for more than 70 years.

Chef Parimal Kumar, who heads the culinary team will champion the pesto and pistou based campaign. The two classic European sauces are both based on the aromatic herb, basil, which is harvested in late summer. Savoury must try favourites will include seared Ahi tuna with olive and eggplant pesto and seafood soup with tarragon pistou. For dessert, a sweet treat with a real difference – Bundt cake with chocolate-mint pesto.

“Movenpick always know how to bring something new to each table and we are very excited to launch and introduce these basil-based sauces to guests in ways they have not likely experienced before,” said Chef Parimal, Executive Sous Chef at Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai.

Eric Seso, General Manager, added: “The new pesto pistou dishes will surely excite the palates of casual and experimental foodies. Comprising of seven sumptuous dishes packed with flavours that pursues to surprise and delight each discerning tastes. This limited menu is a sure way to bid au revoir to the summer season the culinary way.

Pesto and pistou are two versions of a flavourful sauce based on basil, olive oil and cheese. Italian pesto, which originates in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy, is blended from garlic, basil, pine nuts, grated pecorino cheese (or sometimes parmesan) and olive oil while its French cousin, pistou, is a Provençal cold sauce with similar ingredients, but without the pine nuts and with or without cheese.

Mövenpick’s versions add new surprising ingredients to the blend, while preserving the essence of both Mediterranean specialty sauces to create seven pesto/pistou-inspired dishes:

• Ahi tuna with olive and eggplant pesto: pan-seared yellowfin tuna fillet with a modern interpretation of ratatouille, pine nuts and black tapenade;
• seafood soup with tarragon pistou: a touch of tarragon and a unique blend of sweet aniseed and mild vanilla bring this specialty seafood dish to life;
• tagliolini with walnut-basil pesto: walnuts replace pine nuts to create an imitable new pesto blend that is smooth, sweet and deliciously buttery;
• black cod with pesto rosso: accompanied with risotto made from aged Acquerello rice to absorb every ingredient and flavour in full;
• beef fillet with red cabbage pesto: a traditional winter vegetable with a sweet edge gives this pesto dish punch;
• corn chicken breast with bell pepper pesto: with peas, snow peas, egg, a basmati rice galette and sublime bitter-sweet yellow-red pesto;
• Bundt cake with chocolate-mint pesto: a timeless German cake with a cool mint and rich chocolate pesto twist,served with a Mövenpick Espresso