Scallop carpaccio with topinambur purée and beetroot chantilly

Try this traditional Moroccan recipe, suitable for 4 persons
Preparation time: 1 hour

• 12 scallops 
• 4 thin slices of wholemeal bread 
• fleur de sel salt, 
• pepper For the topinambur purée 
• 1 kg topinambur 
• 4 glasses milk 
• 1 bunch spring onions 
• 2 tablespoons argan oil 
• coarse and fine salt, pepper 
• For the beetroot chantilly: 40 g beetroot purée 80 g 
• whipped cream 
• one third of gelatin sheet 
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon Argan oil 
• salt, pepper For seasoning: 
• 1 cup spicy vinaigrette 

Mix the beetroot purée with the Argan oil and sherry vinegar. Heat half, then melt the gelatin and mix with the rest of the beetroot. Add the whipped cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix in well and leave at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Peel the topinambur, cut into pieces (not too small) and cook in the milk with a pinch of salt. Drain and pass through a strainer, then a sieve. Dry in a pan; add the argan oil, chopped spring onion and salt to taste. Finely chop the scallops and arrange them in a rose on a serving dish, leaving the center free. Before serving, season with the fleur de sel salt and ground pepper. Trickle vinaigrette on the scallop carpaccio. Toast the slices of wholemeal bread. Heat thetopinambur purée and put in the center of the dish. Arrange the slices of toast on the purée with quenelles of beetroot chantilly.

Fleur de sel salt is the first of the summer. It appears in the seawater basins before they dry out completely and is also the most expensive type of salt (it costs about 35 euro per kilo). The best and most highly regarded is the fleur de sel from Guérande in Brittany on the Atlantic coast, but it is also collected in the Camargue and Algarve. Fleur de sel is harvested in the form of small crystals, it has a slightly less strong effect than normal salt, is very moist and often has a distinctive slight aroma of the sea, while some people even detect sensations of violet. It is a high quality salt with a color tending to opaque white, a perfect match for salads and raw or steamed vegetables.

How to use argan oil.

When purchasing Argan oil, it’s always a good idea to stay away from impure Argan oil, impurities can damage the skin. You should always be looking for 100% pure Argan oil If it says anything else on the bottle, forget it. As you start using Argan oil for face treatments, make sure to pay special attention to how your body reacts,

Argan oil for face treatments, like any other skin care product. Argan oil can be applied directly, However to acieve maximum results a little preparation before application is necessary. The following procedure increases the chances of receiving maximum use out of the oil and should be followed while applying argan oil for face treatment.

How to use argan oil. 

• Start by by warming the oil, by rubbing between the hands or warming the bottle (not too hot).
• Gently cleanse your face with a suitable cleanser and partly dry with a cloth leaving the skin damp. It is important to remember, The benefits of Argan oil are maximized when it is applied to damp skin.
• Apply a few drops of warmed Argan oil, gently to the face and neck in circular motion. Massage with moderate pressure, paying particular attention to the areas that exhibit wrinkles and fine lines.
• Leave on the face and other treatment areas for a couple of minutes for the skin to absorb it. Pure Argan oil is quickly absorbed.

Benefits of Argan oil for the face:

• Moisturizer – Argan oil contains an ingredient called Sterolins, which promote healthy skin cell metabolism. Sterolins also help your skin retain more moisture. Argan oil also contains unsaturated fatty acids that help make and keep the skin softer and healthier.

• Acne – Sebum causes acné, Argan oil regulates the production of Sebum, regular use can help in the reduction of further breakouts. The high persentage of vitamin E present in Argan oil, contains anti-oxidants that help remove damaged cells and help new ones grow, Regular use can therefore aid fading acne scars.

• Anti-aging – The anti-oxidants in argan oil benefit skin health by preventing oxidative damage from UV radiation  and environmental pollution. Argan oil also contains Tocopherols and fatty acids such as Linoleic acid. Which fight free radicals and improve elasticity and skin cell strength.

• Makeup remover – Argan oil is a safe and effective makeup remover. Especially during the removal of eye makeup, liner and mascara, because Argan oil is safe to use around the eyes.

Benefits of argan oil for different types of skin:

Dry skin – Argan oil stimulates the skin’s ability to retain moisture, helping those with oily skin. As well as hydrating the skin, Argan oil can also reduce itching and flakiness. Dry skin doesn’t produce enough sebum. Argan oil works to balance the sebum production of the skin. and therefore keeps the skin moist.

Oily skin – Oily skin produces more sebum than necessary to compensate for the lack of moisture, which can lead to acne. Argan oil provides the required moisture for oily skin, decreasing sebum production.

Sensitive skin – Pure Argan oil is 100% natural and poses a minimul risk for sensitive skin, although it’s always wise to test out new products on a small patch of skin first, making sure you are not allergic. The healing property of Argan oil is due to anti-inflammatory agents, anti-oxidants and vitamin E. Help fight against skin problems, such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and rosácea.

Combination skin – Combination skin type, Seborrhea is a symptom of a where parts of the face, like nose and forehead are oily while the other parts are dry. Argan oil balances oil production in the skin balancing the differences between the dry and oily areas.

How to find 100% real Argan oil

It can be hard to find real argan oil, even in Morocco. Fake oil is everywhere! when you think it takes approximately 30kg of argan fruit to produce 1 litre of argan oil. Temptation is always there to add other products.The Argan tree is only harvested once per year. producing anywhere from 10kg-150kg of fruit per year. This means for each tree, there is approximately 0.3 litres- 5 litres of oil produced per year. There is not enough trees in Morocco to produce the amount of “argan oil” that is exported every year. It has to be mixed with other oils in order to make the export quantities possible.

Even in Morocco, fake oil is rife, sunflower oil is so cheap and common in Morocco, a lot of argan oil is mixed with it. Olive oil is another common substitute. It looks and feels similar. But it is not the same. Unfortunately all the fake Argan oil is slowly destroying the reputation of this marvelous liquid gold. Nothing compares to pure Argan oil and its amazing healing properties. while any oil in the hair or on the skin can provide some minor benefits, nothing comes close to the real deal. So when consumers are buying what is claimed to be pure Argan oil and receiving sunflower oil, they are not finding the results they expected making them believe that Argan oil is nothing special.

The conditions of some co-ops are very dirty. Yet they can proudly display organic certification. The world trusts a certificated brand, therefore it’s easy to end up with a poore quality Argan oil. All argan oil is actually organic. Pesticides are not used on Argan trees, they are not fertilized, or genetically modified. Argan trees grow very much like weeds, the seeds fall and grow on their own. It just takes a very long time for them to produce fruit. Only the goats are interested in eating the fruits off the trees.

The argan tree only grows in Morocco. It will only grow Moroccan soil. Strange you can find many Argan oil products from countries other than Morocco. Even some of the better known products  have Morocco or Moroccan in the name, Read the lable! look at where it was produced. If it wasn’t produced in Morocco, it is NOT REAL argan oil! Some brands put their precious Argan oil through damaging heating and deodorization processes. This process strips the oil not only of any smell it might have had, but also of some of its healing, restorative properties.Only cold pressed Argan retains all it’s properties.

Here are a few tips to ensure you really are getting what you pay for:

v  Read the Label, The ingredients list should be very short.  It should just say 100% Argan Oil or 100% Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil. If it has anything other ingredients listed you don't want it. It should be Organic and cold pressed.

v  The price, there is no such thing as cheap Argan oil. Making Argan oil is very difficult and time consuming process. It takes hours of manual labour that doesn’t come free.

v  The bottle, Argan oil should not be kept in clear or plastic bottles. Both can make the oil deteriorate, Sunlight destroys many of Argans important properties. A reputable producer of quality Argan Oil would not store or sell Argan in anything other than a dark coloured glass bottle. Aluminum or stainless steel would also work.

v  The smell, Avoid strong-smelling Argan Oil that smells absolutely awful it should obviously be avoided. Argan oil that smells of nothing is suspicious, too. It could be fake, it could be machine made and even put through a deodorization process. Argan Oil particularly in the spring and summer has a very light aroma. Autum and winter seem to bring oil that has a deeper natural scent. Genuine, raw, cosmetic-grade Argan oil has a unique slightly nutty smell to the uninitiated nose. The scent of raw, cold pressed Argan oil varies from batch to batch. Sometimes lighter and sometimes quite a bit more aromatic. Culinary Argan oil as a very fragrant and delicious smell. The Argan kernels for this type of oil have been toasted first.

v  Sediment, Although authentic Argan oil may have a tiny bit of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. In general the oil should be clear. Don't be alarmed if see few traces of sediment on the boyttom of the bottle. Argan oil has a golden glow, Crystal clear highly refined oil should be avoided.

v  Texture, Argan oil should be smooth, silky and absorb easily into your skin. It should not feel greasy, slimy, sticky or watery. Argan oil should bring a relaxing soothing effect, even on uncomfortable skin conditions,

The evidence is in the results, every day we have people telling us how much they love our product. Some of there comments and reviews are posted here and some others are here. Please feel free to comment and add your own!

Argan oil, the natural Super food

Like all super nutrients from nature, Argan oil it is not only good for the skin; This super food is benificial to the whole body. Why put something on our face that you wouldn't put in your mouth? It all ends up in the same place, your blood stream and liver. The potent combination of argan’s nutrients makes it the perfect super food for people.

Argan oil is well known for its ability to reduce joint and muscle pain, as well as stiffness and swelling. Good news for people who have arthritis. Argan oil is great for improving blood circulation, boosting the immune system and lowering cholesterol.  The antioxidants and essential fats contained in Argan oil make it a great brain food, preventing Alzheimer's and dementia. Couple formation of prostaglandins, some of which reduce pain and swelling, while others help blood circulation.

Argan oil helps to reduce joint and muscle pain, stiffness and swelling. The deep moisturizing effect that Argan oil offers the body makes it soothing to all parts of the body, including the lungs and the digestive system.

Because this oil is completely 100% natural and chemical free, it is the perfect solution for problematic skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. Argan oil is an incredibly rich source of vitamin E (in fact it contains three times as much as olive oil). Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant which fights against anti ageing. keeps the skin smooth and youthful while reducing any aging inflammation. Argan oil also contains saponins, which soften the skin and promote elasticity. Also thought to help to reduce wrinkles by restoring the skin's water lipid layer and to cool and soothe. The high vitamin E content makes it useful for repairing scarred tissue. The combined power of this oil make it extremely beneficial for people with dehydrated or damaged skin, from overexposure to the sun or pollution and toxins. It even helps prevent stretch marks.

Argan oil is also a potent source of essential fatty acids, especially the vital linoleic acid which cannot be made by the body and must therefore be obtained in nature. Essential fats have been shown to prevent dry skin, and premature aging. essential fatty acids are used in rejuvenating the protective connective tissue and healthy skin cells. This almost magical oil also contains rare plant sterols not found in other oils, making this one of nature's truly special oils. These plant nutrients make Argan oil the #1 super food for skin and body, inside and out. Its versatility soothes, smoothes and relaxes all parts of the body including face, body, hands, nails, scalp and hair.