This year we grew several ‘new’ winter vegetables, For the curious, creative cook and home gardener, winter vegetables are particularly useful.
We love all the kales, romanesco, leeks, and my favourite winter tuber, Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus). It’s the knobbly rhizome that keeps on giving. In the US, they are referred to as sunchokes.
Every year, I wax lyrical about them, encourage you to plant some and I’m so enthusiastic that I have even offered to give a little bagful for free to get you started. The offer still stands but you’ll have to make the trip to Shanagarry to collect them as many did last year. Where you plant one in your garden this year, you’ll have 8 to 10 hidden underneath next year, how wonderful is nature? Despite their name, they are not even related to globe artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), they’re part of the sunflower family and will have a pretty yellow flower later in the year, fantastic for large flower arrangements.
But have you heard of my relatively new find, a vegetable called oca? They are sometimes referred to as New Zealand yams, they also are a curvaceous, colourful tuber, but can be yellow, reddish pink, or purple. The variety we grew produced delicious orangey tubers.
They too, like Jerusalem artichokes are super versatile and can be boiled, roasted, fried or eaten raw. They give a delicious crunch to salads and because oca are related to oxalis, the clover like leaves are also edible, reminiscent of sorrel.
Oca has been a staple in the Andean countries for centuries, a vitamin and mineral rich superfood, second only to potatoes in importance and super easy to grow.
They have a pleasing lemony flavour when cooked and readily take on other flavours, herbs, spices and chilli.
Cardoons are another, perhaps, unusual new seasons’ vegetable native to the Mediterranean region but they grow brilliantly in my garden in East Cork. A particular favourite of the Italians. Even though they are related to globe artichokes, they are completely different, it’s the stalks we eat not the unopened flowerheads. They are grown for their edible, celery like stems and jagged, architectural silvery grey foliage which is often used as a design feature in the garden and by florists for their purple, thistle like flowers. Bees, bumblebees and other insects absolutely adore them according to Hannah Bäckmo of Hanna’s bees.
Even though they’re perennial, cardoons take a bit of looking after. We wrap the stems in brown or newspaper a few weeks before harvesting to blanch and tenderise the stems and counteract some of the bitterness.
The thick fleshy stems are super nutritious and have a slightly bitter, nutty flavour, reminiscent of globe artichokes which I absolutely relish.
They can be braised or boiled, added to gratins, tagines and hearty casseroles, stewed, deep fried as fritters, or nibbled raw.
But first cut off the ends, remove the tough outer leaves and use the vegetable peeler to shave off fibrous strings and spines from the ribs, then cut the stalk into 2.5-5cm pieces before blanching in a large pot of boiling salted water with a squirt of lemon juice or vinegar for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking, drain well, before proceeding with your chosen recipe.
Finally, there are feisty black radishes, I first came across them in Romania several years ago. They were in every market and virtually everyone’s shopping basket and the Romanians swore that they had miracle powers, protection against winter colds and flu, anti-inflammatory…
Since then, I’ve checked it out and many of their claims are indeed backed up by science. They are an excellent detox helping with liver detoxification, could be good news after Christmas – they also boost the immune system and are particularly beneficial for respiratory issues.
They grow to the size of a small turnip and have a feisty radish flavour when eaten raw but more mellow when cooked. Try this delicious recipe Rory O’Connell made for us last week.

Rory O’Connell’s Black Radish with Marjoram

Black radish is a vegetable that is not nearly as well known in this part of the world as it should be. It is only recently that I have begun to cook the brutish looking root that would not win any prizes in a vegetable beauty pageant. Previously, I have peeled, then sliced or grated the raw flesh into salads and that approach is both peppery and refreshing. The outer skin is jet black and rather rough to the touch, unpleasant to eat and needs to be heavily peeled away and discarded to the compost heap to reveal the white and crisp flesh. On top of the radish are a plume of green leaves which if still attached also have a role to play in this simple recipe.

 The cooked radish taste very similar to a white turnip or what some cooks will call a navet and it is marvellous so think about serving with lamb, chicken, pork or bacon and they would be marvellous with duck or goose or almost any game such as pheasant, wild duck and venison.

The radish is a boon to growers of winter vegetables as it is uncomplicated to grow and sits happily in the chilly soil seemingly oblivious to any kind of atrocious weather the elements throw at it.

The purported health benefits of the vegetable are too many to mention, but one curious treatment is to cut a lid off and hollow out the root to create a bowl leaving 2cm of flesh behind. Half fill with honey, replace the lid and allow to sit at room temperature overnight. The syrupy liquid that follows is regarded as being beneficial for soothing coughs and sore throats.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

25-30g butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

500g black radish, weighed after peeling and cut into neat 1.5cm dice

2 tbsp water

1-2 tbsp marjoram leaves chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Melt the butter and olive oil in a low-sided saucepan and allow to foam. Add in the prepared radish and season with salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the fat and seasoning and add 2 tablespoons of water. Place a disc of greaseproof paper on top to cover and follow with a tight fitting saucepan lid. Bring to a simmer and cook on a very gentle heat for 30 minutes approx. or until tender but still holding their shape. Do make sure to cook enough and equally do not overcook and reduce to a mush. You will need to test the vegetable with a skewer or small knife to make sure they are sufficiently cooked. If there is surplus liquid remaining in the saucepan once the vegetables are cooked, remove the lid and boil to reduce to a delicious syrupy glaze.

Stir in the chopped marjoram just before serving having tasted to ensure seasoning is correct. Serve hot in a hot serving dish.

Radish Leaves

If the leaves are still attached to the radishes, that is a great and delicious bonus. I simply remove the tough central rib, wash the leaves well and cook uncovered until tender in boiling salted water. Strain well and chop coarsely before adding to the cooked radish dish above at the same time as the marjoram.

Cardi Fritti (Cardoon Fritters)

This crispy fritter batter works brilliantly for many vegetables – courgette, aubergine….

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 bunch of cardoons (450g approx.)

1 lemon

oil for frying

coarse salt

For the batter

125g plain flour

½ tsp instant yeast

good pinch of salt

200-250ml water more or less (one could use sparkling water but, in that case, use the batter immediately)

To cook the cardoons

1 tsp salt

600ml water

1 dsp of plain flour

To Serve

flaky sea salt

lemon wedges

flat parsley

Aioli (optional)

Method

Sieve the flour, yeast and salt together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a smooth, pourable batter. Cover the bowl and allow to rest in your warm kitchen for at least two hours.

Use a paring knife or peeler to trim the cardoons stalks of their leaves and prickly bits along the edges. Use a peeler to remove any stringy and discoloured bits.

After you finish trimming each stalk, cut it into 7.5cm lengths approx. (or whatever size you like) and immediately pop into a large bowl of cold water with juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or vinegar otherwise, it may discolour.

Add the salt to cold water in a saucepan, whisk in the flour. Bring to the boil, simmer the cardoons until the pieces are just tender. They should have a trace of a “bite” to them and have lost their bitterness, 5-20 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness and whether it is early or late in the season.

Drain the cardoons and place on a tray lined with kitchen paper until ready to eat.

To serve, heat enough extra virgin olive oil in a pan to come at least 3cm from the bottom. The oil should be very hot but not smoking (180°C approx.).

Dip the cardoon pieces into the batter, shake off the excess batter and fry them in the hot oil turning, when necessary, until golden brown on both sides (3-4 minutes). When they are cooked, transfer the fried cardoon pieces to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

Immediately sprinkle the fried cardoons with flaky sea salt, garnish with a little flat parsley. Serve right away, with lemon wedges or a bowl of Aioli.

Roast Oca

These curvaceous tubers are particularly delicious with roast duck goose or pork or added to a winter salad.

Serves 4-6 approx.

Ingredients

450g oca, washed but unpeeled (scrub well)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

lots of thyme leaves or freshly chopped rosemary

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Cut the oca in half lengthwise and dry in a tea towel. Toss in just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat.

Sprinkle with lots of fresh thyme leaves or chopped rosemary.

Place on a roasting tray, cut side down. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast until nicely golden, 20 minutes approx. depending on size or until tender when pierced with a fork.

Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt and some fresh herbs over the top.

Recently, we spent a few days in the south of Spain, no it wasn’t warm and sunny, pretty much the same temperature as Ireland. Some days were wet and drizzly; others crisp with clear blue skies.

Such beautiful countryside, long legged black Ibérico pigs, roam freely through the Dehesa (woodlands) under the Cork oak trees around the town of Aracena, vultures soar through the air, wild boar and deer snuffle through the undergrowth … This is the highest town in the Sierra Morena mountains in Andalusia, spectacular walking countryside, deep in the heart of a prestigious jamón producing area.

Jamón Ibérico, the dry cured leg of pork from the long legged black Ibérico pig, (pata negra) is one of my all time, favourite foods and what I personally consider to be the very best ham in the world. It’s prized for its nutty, complex, deep, umami flavour, rich marbling and melt in the mouth texture. Its exceptional qualities are as a result of pigs genetics which allow fat to permeate the muscle and a traditional curing that lasts not just for months but for years which differentiates it from the generic Serrano ham.

It’s a specialty of Spain and Portugal, produced on the Iberian Peninsula.

There are various grades, but the very best is reared in the oak forests of Andalusia, Extremadura and Salamanca. During montanera, the final fattening phase, the pigs gorge on 6 to 8kg of acorns a day. The acorns (bellotas) contribute to the darker colour and intermuscular fat that suffuses the jamón with its sweet, nutty, flavour. It is high in oleic acid which increases good and reduces bad cholesterol. 

Most restaurants, cafés and bars and many households will hand carve slivers from a whole leg perched on a special stand in the kitchen or sideboard, a special and highly prized knife skill. 

Serrano is a generic name for all cured ham but as ever there are many different qualities.

If you decide to purchase a whole jamón, buy from a specialist butcher shop, best to be guided by a local with a deep understanding of real quality. 

Look out for the highest grade, pata negra, (black label) from the long legged Ibérico pig. Both parents will be 100% pure bred Iberian pigs. 

Next, the Ibérico de Lotta (red label) which can come from a cross breed pig, one pure bred parent but still fed on a diet of rich cork and holm oak acorns. 

Next, Cebo De Campo Ibérico – (green label), an Ibérico mix crossbreed, reared outdoors but the diet is supplemented with grains and greens.

And finally, Cebo, (white label) Ibérico mixed breed, white pigs, intensively reared and fed on grain rather than ranging freely on pasture and acorns.

Jamón is at the heart of Spanish culture, it’s got a deep, lingering flavour and unctuous texture. It’s carved meticulously into slivers and eaten simply with picos, crunchy little breadsticks and a glass of Fino sherry.

My other gastronomic excitement on this trip was saffron milkcap mushrooms. These bright orange fungi pop up under pine trees in the woodlands from December to February. There are several types in this family, but it helps to know that the saffron milkcaps exude an orange liquid turning to green when cut while the orange milkcaps have a milky white liquid. Delicious sliced and cooked in extra virgin olive oil with a few slivers of garlic and a lump of butter, pile on toast, enjoy for breakfast, add to stews…

We stayed at the lovely Finca Buenvino, close to Aracena, a beautiful ochre painted house at the top of a hill, in the midst of the Cork oak and pine forests. An enchanting place, full of laughter, delicious food, comfy sofas, tons of books, open fires, the warmest welcome and freshly picked saffron milkcap mushrooms for breakfast!

Aracena is also famous for the Gruta de las Maravillas, the largest and arguably the most impressive caves in Spain, supposedly discovered by a local boy in search of his lost pig. These caves are incredibly beautiful and skilfully illuminated… Be sure to continue to the end chamber known as the Sala los Culos, Room of the Buttocks, an extraordinary naturally sculpted cave – well worth seeing this phenomenon!

At the beginning of our Spanish adventure, we spent two nights in the ancient Medieval city of Carmona, one of Europe’s oldest walled cities, dating back over 5,000 years and just 20 minutes from Seville Airport. 

The Carthaginians are credited with building the layout of Carmona but over the years, it was captured by the Romans and the Muslims because of its strategic location and fertile lands. There are seven churches, one more beautiful than the next, an intriguing place to spend a couple of nights and not too far from Cordoba.

On our way home, we spent a night in Seville. What a gorgeous city, I long to return, so easy to get to now, there are direct flights from Cork and Dublin Airports several times a week. Don’t miss the exquisite Cathedral and La Giralda, Alcázar of Seville, Setas de Sevilla and it may sound a bit cheesy, but I absolutely loved having a carriage ride from the cathedral through Park Maria Luisa and the historical centre. Prices are fixed now so you don’t have to argue. It was the best €45 worth I’ve spent in years.

In the evening, we went to see a lively Flamenco show at La Casa del Flamenco and then onto several bustling bars to taste lots of traditional tapas. Here are recipes for some of the many I really enjoyed but don’t miss the grilled razor clams, and the other tiny clams called coquinas, pigs liver in sherry, slow cooked pigs cheek with potatoes, solomillo al whiskey, pringa, potato tortilla, Manchego with Membrillo, boquerones fritos….

A few tapa bars we enjoyed:

Bodega Santa Cruz (Rodrigo Caro 1, Seville)

El Rinconcillo, founded in 1670 (www.elrinconcillo.es)

Hijos de E.Morales (C. García de Vinuesa, 11, Casco Antiguo, 41001, Seville)

Finca Buenvino (www.fincabuenvino.com)

Finca Buenvino’s Spinach with Chickpeas

(Espinacas con garbanzos)

Chickpeas are a standard ingredient of Andalucian and Spanish cooking. When you go to the vegetable shops in Aracena you will often see the pulses soaking in a dish. They are deliciously nutty when you buy them this way or soak them yourself for 24 hours.

Spinach and chickpeas are one of the many moorish dishes left to Spain. It has many variants, sometimes tomato is introduced, or cumin or mixed spices like cloves and cinnamon and black pepper. Feel free to try this. Another variation is Spinach with raisins and pine nuts. You can also stir in some grated Manchego cheese and put the little dishes under the grill at the last moment before going to the table.

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely sliced (optional)

3 large tbsp olive oil, plus more to thicken

3 cloves of garlic roughly chopped into 3 or 4, or 1 small garlic clove, crushed

2kg spinach

500g soaked, cooked chickpeas

300ml chicken stock

2 tsp plain flour

spices to taste (cumin, pepper, cloves or pinchito spice)

2 tsp tomato purée (optional)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Method

If using the onion, wilt it in the olive oil. Then, if using chopped garlic, stew it in the olive oil, allowing it to turn golden. If using crushed garlic, just add it to the pan. 

Throw in the spinach, stirring and wilt it down without burning (150ml of water can help at this point, to steam the spinach into submission) Add the chickpeas and half the stock. When all is warmed through, add the remaining stock.

Stir the flour in a little oil in a small bowl to make a runny paste. Take some of the liquid from the spinach and stir it into the paste, then tip back into the spinach and allow to thicken. If it’s too thick add more stock or water, you want a creamy texture.

Add the spices to taste and the tomato puree (if using). Season with salt and pepper and serve with thin slices of bread fried in olive oil.

Solomillo Al Whiskey

A specialty of many of the tapa bars in Seville, a classic, traditionally served with fried potatoes and a slice of bread to mop up the juices.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pork fillet or tenderloin, approximately 450g, trimmed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper

2-3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and lightly smashed
175-225ml whiskey
350ml chicken stock
¼ tsp of cumin, optional
20g butter, optional
1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

coarsely chopped parsley for garnishing.

Method
Slice the pork into medallions, approximately 7mm thick, season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Toss lightly in well-seasoned flour.

2-3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and lightly smashed
175-225ml whiskey
350ml chicken stock
¼ tsp of cumin, optional
20g butter, optional
1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

coarsely chopped parsley for garnishing.

Method
Slice the pork into medallions, approximately 7mm thick, season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Toss lightly in well-seasoned flour.

Heat a cast iron frying pan over a high flame. Add the olive oil, seal the medallions on both sides until nicely golden. Remove the pork to a plate.

Reduce the heat, add extra oil if required and add the smashed garlic cloves to the pan and cook for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Increase the heat, add the whiskey, flame, stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate for a minute or two. Add the hot stock, a generous pinch of cumin and a lump of butter if using. Bubble up, simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced and the garlic is tender. Add a little more stock if needed.

Add the medallions back into the sauce, cook for a minute or two until the meat is heated through, fully cooked and coated in sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning necessary.

Serve with fried potatoes and bread to mop up the delicious sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Jeannie’s Oatcakes

Delicious with cheese, particularly Manchego and Membrillo or, pata negra…

Makes 15-20

Ingredients

250g rolled oats

1 tsp salt and lots of pepper

50ml olive oil

145-150ml boiling water

Method

Put the dry ingredients into a Magimix. Mix the extra virgin olive oil with boiling water and pour down the shute of the machine while still running to form a soft ball of dough.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Roll out while still warm on a floured surface. Cut into approx. 1-2mm rounds (or 2-3mm rounds if desired).

Cook in an oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 10-15 minutes (larger biscuits will take 15-20 minutes approx.).

Cool on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight tin or Kilner jar.

It’s over four months now since my knee replacement, even though I’m still a bit ‘bokety’, I’m infinitely more mobile than previously so I’m up for little adventures.
Recently, I flew to London to attend ‘A Last Supper’ gathering to remember Skye Gyngell, a dearly loved cook and friend who sadly passed away at just 62 years of age. She visited and taught at the Ballymaloe cookery school several times and was such a joy and inspiration to all of us.
As ever I took the opportunity to catch up on excitements on the London food scene.
There have been many high profile launches in recent months despite the deeply challenging trading climate and the many closures, mainly due to costs rising exponentially in every area.
The Hart, a relatively recent opening on the increasingly exciting London Gastropub scene, is still one of London’s most sought after bookings. Think, the Fat Badger, The Devonshire, The Pelican – lively cool crowds were happily queuing around the corner, the vibe inside is less ‘rowdy boozer’, more ‘vibey date spot.’ Super cool interiors with wood panelling, cosy snugs and niches, some original stained glass panels and flickering oil lamps. The restaurant, several flights above the busy bar, is a quieter, more relaxed, elegant space, more flickering candles…The menu is deceptively simple, but every bite had an extra, je ne sais quoi. Simple sounding crab cakes were crisp and packed with flavour, as was the pig’s head with a sauce Gribiche and a chunky chicken and dumpling soup. How about that for comforting food on a winter’s evening? My grandson said his steak and smashed potatoes infused with garlic and rosemary was the very best he’d ever eaten.
Don’t miss the mince roll, sounds dull and boring, definitely is not. I hate banoffee pie with a passion, but everyone seemed to be raving about it, so my grandson ordered one as well as a huge choux bun oozing with chocolate mousse, whipped cream and crunchy praline with a wafer of craquelin on top. Both were luscious and irresistible, not surprised that the aforementioned Banoffee Pie is referred to as their standout dessert.
On the way to the new Padella in Shoreditch, we passed Legado, Nieves Barragan Mohacho’s new restaurant so I decided to change my plan and have lunch there, much as I love Padella. It’s regional, ‘nose to tail’ eating from all four corners of Spain and an exceptional wine and sherry menu, possibly the best fino sherry I’ve ever drunk. Quo Vadis on Dean Street in Soho – hardly new but my favourite go to when I arrive in London on a latish flight. Love Jeremy Lee’s comforting seasonal food.  We enjoyed the smoked eel and horseradish sandwich, baked salsify with a dusting of Parmesan, roast partridge with cabbage and one of these gooey desserts with both custard and softly whipped cream – divine! Another great find was a little hidden spot under the railway arches, on Mentmore Terrace not far from the brilliant Saturday Broadway market in Hackney, it’s called Pockets and serves just one good thing, the most delicious and outstanding Falafel I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the world. A fluffy pita pocket stuffed full to bursting with freshly fried falafel, tahini, red cabbage slaw, pickled onion, sumac, tomato, cucumber, hummus, red zhug, amba, and a crispy wafer of something delicious plus a killer chilli…A messy irresistible feast in a pocket.

Potato and Chorizo Stew

Nieves Barragán Mohacho is the Executive Chef at Sabor located on Heddon Street and has a cookbook by the same name published by Fig Tree.

This stew from Rioja is simple but you do need to cut the potatoes correctly to ensure that their starch thickens the liquid. Everyone loves this – it’s a very weekend-y, comforting dish. You can’t get it wrong. In Spain, every Mamá makes this.

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 large potatoes 
240g mild or spicy cooking chorizo
25ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
1 large Spanish onion, julienned
2 bay leaves
100ml dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock, or water, or a 50/50 mixture of both
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Method

Peel the potatoes. Partially cut into them, then pull them apart into chunky, uneven-edged pieces around 3cm in size. Cut the chorizo to half the size of the potatoes.

Put the olive oil into a big pan on a medium heat, then add the onion and cook gently for about 15 minutes, without colouring. Add the chorizo and when it starts to caramelise lightly (careful, it burns easily). Add the potatoes, bay leaves and wine. Cook until the wine has evaporated, then add the chicken stock and/or water and season.

Half cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking on a low-medium heat. The more slowly you cook it, the more starch will come out of the potatoes – it should take about 25 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked through, add the parsley.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil to finish and bread to dip.

Snow White Apple Ice Cream from Spring in London

They use Snow White organic apples from Fern Verrow, a biodynamic Farm in Herefordshire in the UK.

Makes 1500ml ice cream

Serves 4-6 approx.

Ingredients

340ml double cream

265ml whole milk

½ tsp flaky sea salt

90g caster sugar

90g egg yolks

800g freshly squeezed apple juice

lemon juice

Method

To make the ice cream base, have ready a fine mesh sieve set over a heat-proof container.
Add the cream, milk, salt and sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

In a large and wide bowl, whisk the egg yolks until lightened in colour. Temper the egg yolks with the hot cream, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back in the saucepan. Place the custard back on a low heat and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the custard reaches a temperature of 76C. Immediately pass the custard through the sieve and into the container. Place the container over a bowl of ice water and stir until cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

The following day, add the apple juice to the custard and taste for seasoning. Season with more sugar lightly and a generous squeeze of lemon. Churn in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve a scoop of apple ice cream in a chilled bowl.

Sue Cullinane’s Banoffee Pie

Don’t know the secret of The Hart Banoffee Pie but this too is delicious, thank you Sue for sharing.

Ingredients

2 tins dulche de leche (caramel sauce)

75g butter

large packet of digestive biscuits, approx. 225g

6-8 bananas

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

425ml cream

3 tbsp Irel Coffee essence or Tia Maria

To Garnish

grated chocolate or toasted flaked almonds

30.5cm cheesecake tin

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Crush the biscuits and add to the butter. Line the lightly oiled tin with this mixture and leave to set.

Open the tins and spread the dulche de leche over the biscuit base. Slice the bananas, toss in freshly squeezed lemon juice and arrange on top of the toffee.

Whip the cream, add the coffee essence or Tia Maria. Pipe over the bananas. Cover lightly and put it into the fridge to set.

Serve sprinkled with chocolate swirls or toasted almonds.

Note

The banoffee pie may be prepared a day ahead.

Time was, when apart from a couple of Chinese and Indian restaurants there was little Asian food to be had in Ireland, how things have changed.
As we travel more and more and become increasingly adventurous, our national craving for Asian flavours has escalated and the options continue to grow.
 The Asian Restaurant Awards created in 2023 has helped to raise awareness even further of the many choices open to all of us. The awards shone a light on the growing number of super talented, passionate Asian cooks and chefs, not just in our cities but also around the country.
Restaurants showcasing the food of China, Japan, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam…how exciting is that?
My travels throughout Asia for many years have tantalised my palate and wetted my appetite for all those exciting flavours and diverse cuisines.
From the food obsessed city of Singapore, I yearn for chilli crab, roti prata, fish head curry and comforting, nourishing Hainanese chicken rice, the very best cure for jet lag.
How could I ever forget the feast of curries and sambals in Sri Lanka, one more delicious than the next.
Dim sum, Peking duck, noodle soups and irresistible dumplings in China.
Irresistible beef rendang, suckling pig and satay in Indonesia
A myriad of sushi, ramen noodles and yakitori in Japan.
Summer Spring rolls, Banh Mi, and Pho, the quintessential noodle broth in Vietnam to mention just a few.
Pad Thai, Tom yum soup, Massaman curry in Thailand but so much more to choose from.
In Cambodia, Amok, a steamed fish curry in banana leaves, nom banh choi, khmer rice noodles in curry and Papaya salad – put Cambodia on your bucket list too.
Masala chai, thalis, butter chicken, biryani and all the myriad of flatbreads in India and Pakistan
We also loved the food in Laos, khao niaw, sticky rice, larb moo salad, or Lam, a spicy, buffalo meat stew with lots of herbs unique to Laos…
Laksa, the spicy coconut noodle soup from Malaysia – one of my perennial favourites as is nasi lemak, coconut rice and kaya toast for breakfast.
I long to taste the many bulgogi, bibigo fermented kimchi in Korea and on and on…
All over Asia, piled up on market stalls, there are Durians, a stinky, prickly fruit with an overpoweringly pungent smell. It rewards the brave, just hold your nose and pick up courage to taste the divine, sweet, creamy deliciousness inside.
Asian cuisines have a rich and diverse history dating back thousands of years. It’s been shaped by a myriad of cultural influences, trade routes and regional ingredients. Asian traditions reflect the heritage and traditions of each country, making it a fascinating adventure for travellers and food lovers alike. Asian dishes are renowned for bold flavours, a unique combination of spices and a wide variety of ingredients.
The balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami flavours create a harmonious and unforgettable taste experience.
Much of the cooking is done over fire, stir fried in a wok, steamed or cooked in a tandoor oven.
Many dishes are of course best enjoyed in the midst of the hustle and bustle of an Asian street market but having said that, countless others are quick and easy to reproduce in our own kitchens, particularly nowadays when we have easy access to Asian ingredients in a growing number of specialty shops and even in supermarkets. Edamame beans, (immature soybeans in their pods) are available frozen in many supermarkets, a really easy place to start, just boil or steam, sprinkle them with a little flaky sea salt and enjoy. A delicious nibble, on their own or with drinks – super nutritious and can also be added to stir-fry and salads.
A few of my favourite simple Asian recipes to try.

Rosemary Kearney’s Chicken and Coconut Laksa

Everyone loves this soup – be sure to taste and add lots of freshly squeezed lime juice and maybe a dash more fish sauce.

Serves 6-8 as a starter

Ingredients

150g fine rice noodles

2 red chillies, chopped with seeds

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

150g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks coarsely chopped

juice of 1-2 limes

1 chicken breast, free range (cut into very thin shreds) (250g)

50ml toasted sesame oil

2 x 400ml tins coconut milk

generous 700ml homemade chicken stock

1 tablespoon Nam pla (fish sauce)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle

coriander leaves

Method

Pour boiling water over the bowl of rice noodles and allow to soak until soft – 10 minutes approximately. Drain and cut into 5cm lengths. Put the chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander and juice of one lime into a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste.

Thinly slice the chicken breast at an angle and set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and fry the chilli paste for 3 minutes. Add the whisked coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the thinly shredded chicken, bring back to the boil and barely simmer for a further 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the fish sauce and taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper if necessary.

Divide the noodles into serving bowls, ladle in the hot soup and garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.

Note

Do not allow the soup to boil once the chicken is added, otherwise the meat will be tough. 

Chinese Dumplings

Deh-ta Hsiung, one of my heroes, was the first Chinese chef to teach at the Ballymaloe Cookery School. This is one of his many dumpling recipes, they can be served poached in broth or transformed into pot stickers. Deh-ta showed us how to make the dumplings from scratch but you could just buy ready made dumpling wrappers – they are widely available. Fat pork is essential otherwise the filling will be dry.

Makes 150 dumplings approximately

Ingredients

For the dough – use 9g per portion of dough per dumpling

450g plain white flour

about 225ml water

flour for dusting

For the filling:

675g Chinese cabbage

450g minced fat streaky heritage pork

2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions

2 tsp grated or finely chopped fresh ginger (peeled)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine

1 tbsp Chinese sesame oil

Method

Sieve the flour into a bowl, slowly pour in the water and mix to a firm dough. Knead until soft and smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand for 25-30 minutes.

Separate the Chinese leaves and blanch in a pan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Drain well, finely chop, cool and mix with the rest of the ingredients to make the filling.

Lightly dust a work surface with dry flour. Knead the dough, roll into a long sausage about 2.5cm in diameter. Cut off 10g pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand, then use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a thin circle about 6-7cm in diameter.

Put about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each circle. Fold into a semi-circle and pinch the edges firmly so that the dumpling is tightly sealed. Place the dumplings on a floured tray and cover with a damp cloth until ready for cooking. (Any uncooked dumplings should be frozen immediately rather than refrigerated).

To Cook

Bring 1 litre water to a fast rolling boil. Drop about 20 dumplings, one by one into the water. Stir gently with chopsticks or a wooden spoon to prevent them sticking together. Cover and bring back to the boil. Uncover and add about 50ml cold water, then bring back to the boil once more (uncovered). Repeat this process twice more. Remove and drain the dumplings and serve hot with a dipping sauce. Any leftovers should be reheated, not by poaching, but by shallow frying them, then they become pot stickers.

Grilled Dumplings (Pot-Stickers) – JIAOZI

Grilled dumplings, also known as Pot Stickers, are actually shallow-fried on one side, then steamed under cover so you end up with jiaozi that are crispy on the base, soft on the top and juicy inside.  Make the dumplings as in the previous recipe.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan, tilting the pan so that the entire surface is evenly coated with oil.

Arrange 8-10 dumplings neatly in rows and fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the base of each dumpling is browned.

Pour about 50ml hot water down the side of the pan.  Cover and increase the heat to high.  Cook until almost all of the water has evaporated.

Uncover and continue cooking until all the water has evaporated.  Turn off the heat and use a spatula to loosen the dumplings from the bottom of the pan.  Cover the pan with a serving plate and quickly turn the pan over, so that the browned side of the dumplings is uppermost.  Serve hot with a dipping sauce.

Steaming Option

Besides poaching and grilling jiaozi, you can also steam them.  Place the dumplings on a bed of Chinese cabbage on the rack of a bamboo steamer and steam for 10-12 minutes over a high heat. 

Serve hot with a dipping sauce.

Note

To make a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

2 tbsp of light soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp ginger, finely shredded OR 1 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped

3 tbsp garlic, finely chopped garlic

Method

Blend all the ingredients together.

Edamame Beans with Sea Salt

These fresh soya beans in their pods are one of our favourite nibbles – they are not widely available fresh but can be found frozen and then cooked in minutes.

Serves 4-8

Ingredients

1.2 litres water

450g edamame

3 tsp sea salt

Method

Bring the water to the boil, add salt and the edamame beans. Bring back to the boil, cook for 3-4 minutes. Taste, if cooked enough (they should have a slight bite), drain and sprinkle with sea salt.  Serve cold.

Well, that’s Christmas over and done with for another year and what a jolly time it was. Lots of fun and yumminess and many reasons to give thanks for many, many blessings.
Bet you can’t face another festive meal, something small, simple and super tasty would be welcome so have a root through your fridge – I’ve got lots of little bits of this and that to put together in bizarre combinations but what I’m really craving is a plump melted toastie. Should I add in some of that leftover Cranberry Sauce – well maybe not…! But a few slices of glazed streaky bacon would definitely perk it up with a layer of pickled cucumber or onion marmalade. I do lots of riffs on toasties, add some chilli and spices for an Indian twist. Slather the cheese with Ancho and Guajillo chilli paste for a Mexican flavour. Or try an apricot jam, goat cheese, and thyme leaf toastie or halloumi, honey and rose harissa – a bit ‘off piste’ but a delicious combination nonetheless.
There’s a wedge of aged Cheddar in there too, so immediately I get a deep longing for a pot of Ballymaloe cheese fondue, I’d almost forgotten about it, I haven’t had it for ages. A recipe Myrtle Allen invented years ago to use Irish Cheddar cheese instead of Gruyère and Emmental. It was a regular on the Ballymaloe menu and is one of the most memorable, delicious and comforting cheese dishes to tuck into, particularly after Christmas. A pot of unctuous melting cheese in the centre of the table, some long handled fondue forks and a basket of cubes of crispy bread to scoop it up. A simple heartwarming supper and virtually no washing up…
We always used to joke that if you dropped your bread into the fondue, you’d have to kiss the person on your right so just in case make sure to seat yourselves cunningly at the table. Many Ballymaloe guests remember it wistfully, I seem to remember that it was a Friday night special.
Just three recipes in my column each week so the third has to be a gooey Mac and Cheese, but I also want to tell you about one of my favourite cheese snacks. A recipe given to me years ago by lovely Elizabeth Neave who worked at the Shanagarry Pottery.  Every time I enjoy it, I remember her, almost all my recipes have a story…
Mix 110g grated cheese, can be a mixture of any bits or just Cheddar. Stir it into a beaten egg, season generously with salt of fresh ground pepper and maybe a touch of mustard. Slather a slice of good white bread on one side with butter and spread the cheese mixture on the other side. Pop butter side down onto a baking tray and into a hot oven at 230°C/Gas Mark 8. When puffed and golden, approximately 10 minutes. Cut into fingers and enjoy immediately, you can’t imagine how delicious – treat yourself to a glass of dry white wine to celebrate, that’s my new year present to you.
Hope 2026 brings you much joy, happiness, contentment, and good health.

Cheese Toastie

Serves 1

A delicious cheese toastie depends on the sum of its parts, must be good bread, good butter, really tasty cheese – a Cheddar.

Ingredients

2 slices good pan loaf

butter

50-110g grated cheese, I love a mixture of grated aged Cheddar, maybe a little Gruyère and Parmesan

a little English mustard (I like to mix it from the dry mustard powder for a real punch!)

Method

Heat a dry pan on the stove/hob.

Butter both sides of the bread. Slather a little mustard on one slice (optional). Then spread an even layer of grated cheese out to the edges. Add some thinly sliced spring onion or leek on top. Season well. Press the second slice of bread onto the cheese. Lay butter side down onto the hot pan. Weigh it down and allow to cook on a medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes until deep golden, flip over and cook on the other side.

For extra deliciousness, although optional, remove from the pan, sprinkle some grated cheese onto the pan. Allow to melt and begin to turn golden, press the toastie down onto the cheese, run a slice underneath so it adheres to the toastie and wrap a little around the side. It’ll crisp up and add an extra special flavour.

Cut in half and serve immediately as the cheese oozes out…Enjoy

Ballymaloe Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is so retro but terrific fun.  Choose your seat carefully because if you drop the bread into the fondue, you must kiss the person on our right – this could be your big chance!

Myrtle Allen devised this Cheese Fondue recipe made from Irish Cheddar cheese. A huge favourite at Ballymaloe.  Even though it’s a meal in itself it can be made in minutes and is loved by adults and children alike. A fondue set is obviously an advantage but not totally essential.

Serves 2 – perfect for a romantic supper (Valentine’s Day is coming up too!

Ingredients

2 tbsp dry white wine

2 small cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tsp Ballymaloe Tomato Relish or any tomato chutney

2 tsp freshly chopped parsley

175g grated mature Cheddar cheese, there are lots to choose from – Hegarty’s, Knockanore, Mossfield Organic…but why not choose Coolattin or Mount Leinster made by Tom Burgess near Tullow in Co. Carlow

To Serve

crusty white bread

Method

Put the white wine and the rest of the ingredients into a fondue pot or small saucepan and stir. Just before serving, put over a low heat until the cheese melts and begins to bubble – a couple of minutes. Put the pot over the fondue stove and serve immediately.  Provide each guest with fresh bread or a rustic baguette crisped up in a hot oven.  They will also need a fondue fork and an ordinary fork.

Everyone’s Favourite Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a bit like apple crumble, simple fare but everyone loves it, plus you can add lots of tasty bits to change it up. Macaroni cheese was and still is one of my children’s favourite supper dishes. I often add some

cubes of cooked bacon or ham to the sauce.

Serves 6

Ingredients

225g macaroni or ditalini

50g butter

150g onion, finely chopped

50g plain flour

850ml-1 litre boiling whole milk

¼ tsp Dijon or English mustard

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

225g freshly grated mature Cheddar cheese or a mix of Cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan

25g freshly grated Cheddar and/or Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring 3.4 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick together. Cook according to the packet instructions until just

soft. Drain well.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over a gentle heat, add the chopped onion, stir to coat, cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the flour and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the milk in gradually, season well with salt and pepper, then return to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the mustard, parsley, if using, and cheese. Add the well-drained macaroni and return to the boil. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Alternatively, turn into a 1.2 litre pie dish and sprinkle the extra grated cheese over the top. Bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes.

GOOD THINGS WITH MAC & CHEESE

* Mac & Cheese Fritters

Heat olive oil in a deep-fat fryer at 180°C (350°F) or a deep saucepan with 5-7.5cm depth of oil. Roll the leftover mac and cheese into ping-pong-sized balls. Roll in seasoned flour, beaten eggs and fresh white or panko crumbs to coat. Fry for 4-5 minutes until crisp on the outside and melting in the interior. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and toss in freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with spicy mayo made by mixing 110ml homemade mayonnaise with tsp of sriracha, 2 tsp of sambal oelek or harissa and lemon juice to taste. Alternatively, allow the baked mac and cheese to get cold in the gratin dish. Cut into fingers or squares, dip in seasoned flour, egg and breadcrumbs and shallow-fry in olive oil for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden on both sides. Serve with a dipping sauce or with the spicy mayo.

* Smoked Salmon or Smoked Mackerel

Add 225g smoked salmon or smoked mackerel dice to the mac and cheese before serving.

* Mushrooms & Courgettes

Add 225g sliced sauteed mushrooms and 225g sliced courgettes cooked in olive oil with a little garlic and marjoram or basil to the cooked mac and cheese. Toss gently, turn into a hot serving dish and scatter

with grated cheese and serve or reheat later.

* Chorizo

Add 225g diced chorizo and lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley to the mac and cheese before baking.

You can’t imagine how many requests I get for a foolproof recipe for roast spuds, so I’m going to devote this entire column to my favourite potato dishes including crisp, shaggy roasties to enjoy over Christmas and beyond.

I LOVE potatoes. I could write a whole book of delicious potato recipes. For me, it’s the hero of the vegetable world. I wince every time I hear it referred to as the humble spud! Perhaps it’s taken for granted just because it’s so inexpensive, super versatile and readily available…I’ll include my favourite recipe for roasties with lots of riffs, but the secret, as ever, is to source really terrific potatoes with a high starch content. My favourites are Golden Wonders but Maris Piper, King Edward and Dutch Creams are also known for their floury texture and crisp, shaggy crust. 

Choose unwashed potatoes, organic if possible. 

Scrub them under the cold tap, save the peels for potato peel crisps to nibble with Christmas drinks or sprinkle over salads. Par boil in well-salted water for 2-3 minutes and drain. The next, super important consideration…what fat or oil? For maximum flavour, avoid vegetable oil, use extra virgin olive oil or better still, duck, goose, turkey, chicken, pork or beef fat. The difference in flavour will be phenomenal, (save fats in little containers in the fridge during the year, they keep for months).

I also love squashed roasties – drizzle the roasting pan with one of the above. I often use extra virgin olive oil for this, an irresistible way to use leftover boiled potatoes – my family argue vociferously over them!

My last one, a creamy gratin with or without cheese is a ‘must’ to have in your fridge or freezer to pop into the oven over Christmas (check out the potato and mushroom gratin in my Examiner column of 11^th October). Delicious with cold meats on St. Stephen’s Day, a well-loved spontaneous accompaniment to a meal at any time over the holiday season.

The secret of fluffy mash is another frequently asked question. Here again, the potato variety is super important, seek out a starchy rather than waxy potato, e.g., King Edward, Golden Wonder, Maris Piper, Yukon Gold or Désirée. 

Boil in their jackets in well-salted water for max flavour. Peel while hot and beat well in a food mixer, add boiling milk, loads of butter, a good dollop of cream and lots of seasoning. 

The latest edition to my potato recipe repertoire is this hybrid Hasselback gratin. Starchy Russet potatoes are best. Could be a comforting dish on its own or a side with forgotten treasures from your fridge!

Always keep leftover boiled potatoes, brilliant for sauté potatoes or arrange thick slices on a well-oiled roasting tin. Season well, pop into a hot oven, flip over when golden, scatter generously with grated cheese and continue to cook until melty and crusty at the edges. You could add a few crispy bacon lardons, a sprinkling of chilli flakes…Scatter some freshly chopped fresh herbs over the top just before you serve, a delicious one-pan supper.

Best Roasties

This is my ‘go to’ recipe for crispy, shaggy roasties. Cut into halves or quarters if you’re after a crisper surface. If you fancy, scatter with fresh thyme leaves or freshly chopped rosemary, halfway through cooking.

Ingredients

8 potatoes, unwashed Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks

Method

Choose medium to large potatoes of even size. Scrub and peel. Put into a saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil just for 1 or 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Lightly scratch the surface with a fork and season with salt.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8.

Put the potatoes into smoking hot fat or olive oil. Baste occasionally. Roast until soft in the hot oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size. Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve immediately.

Alternatively, put the potatoes into smoking hot fat in the same tin as the meat, 40-45 minutes before the meat is fully cooked and baste well. Cook until soft. (Baste the potatoes when you baste the meat and turn them over after 25 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Everyone loves a bowl of fluffy mash – a perfect side for so many dishes but I’ll happily tuck into a bowl with a lump of butter melting into the centre – what could be more comforting…

Serves 4

900g unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks

300ml creamy milk

1-2 egg whites or 1 whole egg and 1 egg white

25-50g butter

2 tbsp freshly chopped herbs e.g. parsley, chives, thyme, lemon balm

Scrub the potatoes well. Put them into a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked, 15 minutes approx. for ‘old’ potatoes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put on to a gentle heat and allow the potatoes to steam until they are cooked. Peel immediately by just pulling off the skins, so you have as little waste as possible, mash while hot (see below). (If you have a large quantity, put the potatoes into the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the spade).

While the potatoes are being peeled, bring about 300ml of milk to the boil (or better still, use half milk, half cream). Beat the egg whites into the hot mashed potatoes and add enough boiling creamy milk to mix to a soft light consistency suitable for piping, add the herbs and then beat in the butter, the amount depending on how rich you like your potatoes. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Note: If the potatoes are not peeled and mashed while hot and if the boiling milk is not added immediately, the potato will be lumpy and gluey.

Add chopped scallions for champ, cooked kale or cabbage for colcannon, peas and parsley for Ulster Champ…

Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin

Inspired by a recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times. The main difference here is placing the well-seasoned sliced potatoes in the casserole dish vertically. Arrange them on their edges rather than laying them flat. This will result in crisp ridges on top. A mandoline or food processor speeds up the process. Pack the potatoes tightly to keep them standing upright for the Hasselback effect.

Serves 6

Ingredients

75g finely grated Gruyère or Comté cheese

50g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

450ml cream

2 medium cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped

lots of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.5 – 1.75kg russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 3mm thick on a mandoline slicer (12-14 medium potatoes approx.)

10g butter for greasing the casserole dish

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Combine the cheeses in a large bowl. Keep 40g of the grated cheese aside for later. Add the cream, garlic and thyme to the cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with the cream mixture. Making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.

Grease a casserole dish (20.5cm x 20.5cm and 5cm depth) with butter.

Pick up a handful of potatoes, organise them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the centre until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. Add an additional potato if necessary.

Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the liquid, but I like it nice and juicy.

Cover the dish tightly with damp parchment paper. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven. Remove the parchment paper and continue to bake until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and return to the oven. Cook until rich golden brown and crisp on top and around the edges, 30-40 minutes approx. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for a few minutes and serve.

Everyday life whizzes by so fast, don’t know about you but mine is full of good resolutions, many I don’t manage to achieve. As I get older, many of my best intentions seem to be vague plans to contact and get together with an old friend or friends I haven’t seen for ages.

For me, the days around Christmas are perfect for informal parties around the table or tables, sometimes guests spill into another room. It’s also the time of year when we have a few free days but everyone else is on holidays too so one has less help – a catch 22…Nonetheless, the most important thing is to actually get together, share a meal and to have a jolly catch up.

Doesn’t have to be super complicated and exotic, multi course meal. Let’s face it, the mere mention of the work Christmas makes many feel full!

I love a walk on a bright, blustery day and a picnic – I’m still a little ‘bokety’ but 3 months after my knee operation, I’m increasingly agile but not quite ready for a jaunt up the Comeraghs just yet!

Afternoon tea around the fire is an easy option, I’ve got a myriad of irresistible tray bakes or what are also called sheet pan recipes but today I’m concentrating on easy options to feed a crowd and those are mostly one pot, pan or roasting tin dishes. I’ve got masses of recipes for those both sweet and savoury.

But first, let me mention a soup supper – make a big pot (could be weeks ahead) of chunky vegetable soup, make lots so everyone can tuck into several bowls with several thick slices of good breads. Could be followed by a tempting selection of Irish farmhouse cheese or an Irish charcuterie board – think Gubbeen, Lúnasa Farm, Broughgammon, Sheridan’s Cheesemongers…

How about this Treacle Tart? It comes from the King Cookbook published by Flatiron Books who share their favourite recipes from the iconic and much loved restaurant on the corner of King St. in Manhattan. It’s owned and run by Ballymaloe Cookery School alumni Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt and their business partner Annie Shi. The food is ‘delicious’ not my words, but The New York Times so add it to your New York list.

Many other easy and delicious suggestions for easy ‘feed a crowd’ recipes can be found in my One Pot Feeds All cookbook published by Kyle Books – many people’s go to. I love to see dog eared copies on kitchen shelves…but one of my favourite Christmas picks is Eunice Powers My Irish Kitchen Table published by Gill Books, filled with Eunice’s infectious warmth and the delicious recipes that she has become justly famous for in the many events she caters for. I have to say how delighted I am when I hear that Eunice and her team are catering at an event – one can rest assured that the food and ambiance will be memorable!

I share her Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Casserole in White Wine Cream, a firm favourite with her clients for parties and buffets.

It’s a super easy – one roasting dish, easy to assemble and serve, so you too can enjoy the party. Just add a crunchy salad of winter leaves.

Enjoy the festive season and don’t forget a hug for the cook!

Festive Roast Fish three ways

An inspired way to cook whole fillets of fish, I’ve given three separate sauce suggestions here but even a simple dill butter makes roast fish into a feast. Needless to say, other fish, such as haddock, hake, ling, cod or pollock can be cooked in exactly the same way. For an Asian or Turkish twist, see the tempting variation below.

Serves about 20

Ingredients

1 whole trout or wild salmon

butter or extra virgin oil, about 25g/25ml

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tomato and Dill Topping

4–8 tbsp chopped dill

8-10 ripe cherry tomatoes, deseeded and diced, sprinkled with a little flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar

110–225g extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 250°C/Gas Mark 9.  

Descale the trout or salmon, fillet and remove the pin bones. For the topping, mix the dill and diced seasoned tomato together with the extra virgin olive oil.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Put the fillets of fish on top. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the dill and tomato oil over the surface. Roast for 8-10 minutes or until cooked and tender.

Serve in the tray or transfer the fish onto one or two hot serving dishes. Sprinkle with a little fresh dill and dill flowers. Serve immediately with a salad of organic green leaves.

Variations

Roast Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce

To make the teriyaki sauce, put 100ml light or dark soy sauce, 100ml dry white wine, 2 large, thinly sliced garlic cloves, a 4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced, 2 tbsp of wholegrain mustard and 2 tbsp of soft brown sugar into a stainless-steel saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. (Alternatively, spoon over the fish before putting it in the oven.) Roast the fish as above. Brush the fish generously with the teriyaki sauce, sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve.

Roast Salmon with Pul Biber

Prepare the salmon as above, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with pul biber and flaky sea salt. Roast as above. Serve with a good green salad.

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Casserole in White Wine Cream

Recipe from My Irish Kitchen Table by Eunice Power published by Gill Books

This dish is a firm favourite with my lovely clients for parties and buffets or as bowl food. It’s a real crowd-pleaser. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a heaped teaspoon of flour to the leek and mushroom before adding the stock and wine reduction.

Serves 6

Ingredients

200ml chicken stock

200ml white wine

6 chicken fillets

30ml olive oil

30g butter

1 leek, outer leaves and tops removed, washed thoroughly and sliced

250g mixed mushrooms (or flat-cap mushrooms), sliced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

240ml cream

small bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and finely chopped (or 1 scant tsp dried tarragon)

sea salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/Gas Mark 4.

Place the chicken stock and white wine in a pan and simmer until reduced by half.

Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat half the olive oil over a medium heat. Pan-fry the chicken fillets for a few minutes on each side, until they’re golden and have a nice colour. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer the chicken to a roasting tin, add a tablespoon of the reduced wine and stock and 3 tablespoons of water. Place the tin in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Once cooked, allow the chicken to cool.

Meanwhile, in a wide-based saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil and butter over a medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the mushroom and garlic, cooking for another 5 minutes. Pour in the reduced wine and stock and allow it to simmer.

Next, pour the cream into a small saucepan, bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it has reduced by almost half.

Once the chicken has cooled, tear it into bite-sized pieces and add it to the leek and mushroom mixture. Stir in the reduced cream and the chopped tarragon. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Note

If you are preparing ahead of time, add the cream and tarragon only when you’re ready to serve. This dish is best served with creamy mashed potatoes.

Treacle Tart

Recipe from the King Cookbook published by Flatiron Books.

This tart is made with stale white breadcrumbs and treacle. It became a post-war favourite due to its humble cupboard-friendly ingredients.

This is a particularly rich and delicious version, serve in small slices with lots of softly whipped cream.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 x 25cm tart shell prepared with short-crust pastry and chilled (see recipe)

Filling

145g unsalted butter

900g Lyle’s Golden Syrup

100g heavy (whipping) cream

salt

2 lemons

3 large eggs

150g fine breadcrumbs

To serve

cold cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Prick the tart shell all over the bottom with a fork. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the shell is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, at least 35 minutes.

To make the filling, brown the butter by heating it in a medium pot over a medium-low heat until it smells nutty and is a rich golden brown, 8 minutes. Do not let the butter burn! Turn off the heat.

Stir in the golden syrup, heavy cream and 2 teaspoons of salt into the browned butter and warm over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture emulsifies, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 4 minutes, then finely zest the lemons directly into the pot. Stir to combine and cool the syrup until just warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, juice the zested lemons, strain the juice, and set aside.

When the syrup has partially cooled, whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Whisk in a small amount of the warm syrup to temper the mixture so the eggs don’t curdle, then add the remaining syrup a little bit at a time. Whisk in the lemon juice and breadcrumbs.

Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. As the tart bakes, rotate the tin every 15 minutes so it cooks evenly.

Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack. Once cool enough to handle, but still warm enough that any leaked treacle is pliable, gently pop the tart of the tin’s ring.

Slice the tart and serve with cold cream.

Short-Crust Pastry

Our go-to short-crust pastry. This yields enough pastry for two tart shells. You can use one right away and the other will keep wrapped in the fridge for a couple of days or freezes very well.

Makes 2 x 30.5cm tart shells

Ingredients

350g plain white flour

100g granulated sugar

salt

225g unsalted butter, cut into 2.5cm cubes and chilled

3 large egg yolks

Method

Combine the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse repeatedly, cutting the pieces into the flour until irregular pea-sized bits form, about 1 minute.

One at a time, add the egg yolks to the processor, blitzing each one in before adding the next. Stop blitzing once a dry, crumbly dough that’s mostly uniform comes together. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper, divide it in half, and pat each half into a log. Wrap each one in parchment paper and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Once the dough is firm, grate one log directly into a 25cm tart shell, using the largest holes of a box grater. Then, working from the edges in, press the dough together, forming a 5mm thick pastry shell. Pay extra attention to the corners, as they can typically build up and get too dense.

Chill the tart shell in the fridge until cold to the touch, about 20 minutes, before using. The prepared shell holds, covered, for a day in the fridge. Freeze the extra log if you’re not making a second tart – it will keep until infinity. When ready to use, thaw it in the fridge.

As I write, we’ve just had the first really hard frost of the year. The gardens look absolutely magical this morning but I’ve been anxiously watching the red berries on the holly trees… hoping against hope that the hungry birds won’t polish off all the berries before I get a chance to pick sprigs to decorate the mantelpiece or to pop behind pictures on the walls, super old-fashioned I know but I really, really love holly and of course a real Christmas tree.
I’d just begun to scribble out my Christmas list but now I’m off to fill the bird feeders instead, hoping to distract the blackbirds and thrushes from the red and yellow berries.
Christmas is all about memories but let’s keep it simple this year. The challenge is not to get totally exhausted while creating those magical memories for everyone else. I can’t help dwelling on how stressful the Christmas season is for already crazy busy and overburdened parents.
For me and probably every one of us, it’s all about planning and lists and the joy of crossing off one job at a time.
It’s certainly much more fun and a heck of a lot less work when everyone gets involved, when each and every member of the family cheerfully takes responsibility for a different element of the festive season. Even the ‘littles’ can and usually love to contribute making decorations, illustrating place cards, practising singing carols!
This week I’m mulling over possible starters for the Christmas feast. Has to be something light, lovely, tantalisingly fresh and easy to serve. Our top pic are some delicious briny oysters, light and refreshing, not everyone’s choice I know but I love them on adorned but others will enjoy a spoonful of dressing on top. How about oysters with nam jim and crispy onions?
It can be prepared ahead and added quickly just as you serve.
Tiny pots of homemade smoked mackerel or chicken liver pâté with crostini or slivers of hot toast are an easy and delicious option – keep the helpings really small and add a little cucumber pickle to the smoked mackerel pâté plate. I love a few Pedro Ximénez raisins over the top of the chicken liver pate. Macerate the raisins several days ahead so they are plump and deliciously boozy.
Grape, melon and mint cocktail is a long time family favourite and many of you, I know have adopted it as part of your Christmas tradition too.
There are lots and lots of suggestions in my Christmas book, but I have four more to tempt you including two that will also appeal to your vegetarian and/or vegan guests.
How about smoked trout or salmon, cucumber and fennel pickle and watercress or ring the changes with Gravlax with cucumber ribbon salad and mustard and dill mayo.
Or how about some of Frank Hederman’s warm smoked salmon. All smoked fish keep well in the fridge for other spontaneous meals over the festive season.
Citrus fruits are at their best at this time of the year, plump, juicy and sweet, so how about a pink grapefruit granita with pomegranate and shredded mint. Light and refreshing before you tuck into several slices of plump turkey or goose with all the trimmings.
I also love the option of a light little salad starter. I’m particularly fond of this kale, fennel and radish salad with a sprinkling of Parmesan or aged Coolea on top. It will also appeal to your vegetarian guests, omit the cheese for your vegan friends, it’ll still be fresh and delicious.
It’s also worth having a few soups in the fridge freezer and particularly fond of celeriac and hazelnut soup or Jerusalem artichoke with avocado and roasted cashew nuts.
Have fun and enjoy the festive season.

Gravlax with Cucumber Ribbon Salad and Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise

Smoked salmon can be substituted for the gravlax if desired.

Serves 8

Ingredients

225-350g gravlax (see recipe)

mustard and dill mayonnaise (see recipe)

Cucumber Ribbon Salad

1 cucumber

75-110g sugar

2 tsp salt

75ml cider vinegar

Garnish

sprigs of fresh dill

chive flowers

freshly cracked black pepper

Method

Two to three days before, prepare the gravlax. On the day of serving, make the pickled cucumber ribbons. Cut the cucumber in half, then cut into strips using a potato peeler. Put the cucumber into a deep bowl and add the sugar, salt and cider vinegar. Toss gently and leave for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the mustard and dill mayonnaise (see recipe).

To assemble, unwrap the gravlax, wipe off the dill mixture and cut down to the skin in thin slices. Arrange the drained cucumber strips and the gravlax in a haphazard way on each serving plate. Drizzle with mustard and dill mayonnaise. Garnish with tiny sprigs of dill and chive flowers. Finally, add a little freshly cracked black pepper over each serving.

Gravlax

This is a simply brilliant standby, miles more impressive than smoked salmon.  We use it for canapés, starter salads or as a main course for light summer lunch with pickled cucumber, deliciously runny semi-hard boiled eggs and salad leaves.

We are all addicted to this pickled salmon, which keeps for up to a week. Fresh dill is essential, but we also have fun with black peppercorns, coriander seeds, wholegrain mustard and vodka. Slices of beetroot on the salmon will dye the surface of the fish pink – festive and fun

Serves 12 – 16 as a starter

Ingredients

1 or 2 sides of trout or wild Irish salmon if you are lucky enough to get some (approx. weight 1.1kg each side)

4 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra to garnish

2 heaped tbsp sea salt

2 heaped tbsp sugar

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Fillet the trout or salmon and remove all the bones with tweezers. Mix the dill, salt, sugar and pepper together in a bowl.  Place the fish on a piece of parchment paper and scatter the mixture over the surface of the fish. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours, or better still, up to 2 days.

To serve, wipe the dill mixture off the salmon and slice thinly down onto the skin.

Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise

Great with gravlax. And yes, you do need all this mustard and sugar.

Makes 425ml

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk, preferably free-range and organic

2 tbsp French mustard

1 tbsp sugar

150ml groundnut or sunflower oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

salt and white pepper

Method

Whisk the egg yolk with the mustard and sugar, drip in the oil drop by drop, whisking all the time, then add the vinegar and fresh dill and season with salt and white pepper.

Ruby Grapefruit, Pomegranate and Shredded Mint Salad

The pomegranate season used to be very short, but now they seem to be available virtually all year round. Some are much paler – look out for the variety called Wonderful.  A perfect starter before Christmas dinner – fresh, light and delicious.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 ruby grapefruit

½ -1 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds

3 tbsp of shredded fresh mint leaves

1-2 tbsp caster sugar

Garnish

fresh mint or lemon balm leaves

Method

Peel the skin from the grapefruit with a sharp knife so that all the pith is removed. Segment the grapefruit and put it into a bowl. Toss the pomegranate seeds into the bowl. Add the shredded mint leaves, sprinkle with sugar and taste for sweetness. Leave to macerate for at least 10 minutes.

Serve chilled in pretty white bowls or on plates.  Spoon a little juice over the salad. Garnish with fresh mint or lemon balm leaves.

Kale, Fennel, Radish and Parmesan Salad

So delicious and fresh tasting – the perfect salad before a festive meal. I also love to use an aged Coolea or Hegarty’s Cheddar cheese.

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients

110g fennel, thinly sliced

8 radishes (preferably French Breakfast), thinly sliced at a long angle

150g green curly kale, stalks included

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground pepper

Keep the sliced fennel and radishes in iced water for at least 5 minutes. Drain well. Remove the stalks from the kale and shred the leaves very finely (discard the stalk).

Method

Put the kale, drained fennel and radishes into a bowl. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Grate on some Parmesan with a microplane. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss, taste and serve.

Christmas Salad of Pomegranates, Persimmons and Pecans

Such an exquisite combination – a delicious starter or a side salad with cold meats, best made close to enjoying !

Serves 8

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar or Sherry vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 ripe Fuyu persimmons (little firm persimmons)

3 ripe d’Anjou or other pears

1 lime, freshly squeezed

seeds from ½ pomegranate

a selection of frizzy lettuce, watercress and rocket leaves

1 lime freshly squeezed

75-110g fresh toasted pecans

Method

First make the vinaigrette.

Mix the Balsamic or sherry vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

Slice the persimmons and pears into slices about 5mm thick.  Put into a medium bowl and sprinkle with freshly squeezed lime juice.  Add the pomegranate seeds.  Toss gently.

Wash and dry the greens, store in a clean towel in the fridge until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4

Put the pecans onto a baking sheet in a moderate oven for 5-6 minutes, tossing gently from time to time.  Alternatively toast under a grill.

To Serve

Toss the greens in some of the vinaigrette and arrange on eight plates.  Toss the fruit mixture lightly in the remaining vinaigrette.  Arrange on top of the greens and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.  Serve immediately.     

I don’t have to tell you that the cost of beef has gone ‘through the roof’ recently, I’m hoping that the farmers are benefiting from the extra premium. A juicy steak or roast rib of dry aged beef with three sauces – maybe horseradish, béarnaise and aioli is irresistible. Lots and lots of roasties cooked in sizzling beef tallow, delicious but super expensive.
So, how about seeking out some venison? It’s got the advantage of being both plentiful and sustainable, it’s a fraction of the price, bursting with gamey flavour and so satisfying on chilly winter days or at any time of the year for that matter.
As ever, there’s venison and venison. Here in Ireland, there are several breeds, native red deer, Sika, Fallow, and more recently introduced Muntjac. I enjoy them all but I’m particularly fond of the noble Irish red deer, our native and largest species, culled in the field by a crack marksman with a licence rather than roadkill! In the wild, their numbers are increasing rapidly. According to Alan Krauss of Killua Castle in Co. Meath, in red deer, eighteen months seems to be the optimum age for flavour and tenderness.
Deer need to be gralloched (eviscerated) immediately in the field, then hung for one to two weeks at two to five degrees depending on the process.
The meat of wild deer is dark, rich, virtually fat-free and totally free-range, one of the healthiest meats one can choose – no antibiotics, hormones or growth promoters…
They live a happy life, ranging freely in the woods and forests, multiplying freely. Deer, sometimes wild and other escapees from deer parks, are rapidly spreading across the countryside, often causing damage to farmers’ crops and young tree plantations. Here in Ireland, they have no predators so need to be culled which is carefully regulated, hence venison has the advantage of being both plentiful and sustainable.
Not every butcher sells venison but register your interest or contact several producers around the country directly – Killua Castle, Co. Meath immediately springs to mind, although they can scarcely keep up with the demand for their prime cuts and juicy venison burgers enhanced by fat from the wild boar also on the estate.
The prime cuts, loin and haunch can of course be roasted, the shoulder meat is perfect for stews, casseroles and venison or game pies and venison burgers. The lap and indeed the shoulder can be made into venison chilli con carne or venison sausages or indeed venison burgers. You will need to mix the fresh mince with some good fatty streaky pork otherwise it will be dry and crumbly.
Cook the haunch rare or medium rare so it’s still tender and juicy. Well done venison can be dry and dull and is certainly not a gastronomic experience and unlikely to garner new fans. Use any leftovers to make a gamekeeper’s pie.
Other cooks and chefs have fun making venison sausages and salami. The bones make a delicious broth for a game consommé.
The loin may be roasted or cut into chops or steaks to be pan-grilled or fried. Better still just use the eye of the loin, cut into medallions and quickly pan-fried. Add the scraps to the mince – don’t waste a scrap.
Lots of champ is a must with venison stew or casserole. Chips or roast potatoes are great with roasts or burgers.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to get your hands on really fresh venison liver, slice it thinly, toss in seasoned flour and cook on the pan in sizzling butter for a minute or two on each side. Serve with hot toast and a freshly tossed salad of Autumn leaves.
One could add some crushed juniper berries and a little paprika or chilli flakes to the flour for extra oomph.
Freshness is everything here, so delicious and a rare treat.
Invite some friends around, crack open a bottle of full bodied red and enjoy. Lot’s more recipes for venison in my Forgotten Skills book and in One Pot Feeds All published by Kyle Books.

Venison Liver

If ever you have the chance to taste fresh venison liver, do so. It’s a revelation, but it must be super fresh. It is best eaten on the same day but would still be worth trying the following day.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

fresh venison liver (about 450g) cut into 1cm slices

flour seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper

50g clarified butter, more if you need it (see recipe)

extra virgin olive oil

To Serve

bubble and squeak or champ or colcannon

watercress or flat parsley

Method

Dip the slices of liver in the seasoned flour. Heat some clarified butter or extra virgin olive oil in the pan over a high heat. Cook the liver for 30 seconds on each side. Serve immediately on hot plates with freshly cooked bubble and squeak and some watercress or sprigs of flat parsley – divine.

Venison liver is also delicious with champ or colcannon.

Clarified Butter

Melt 225g butter gently in a saucepan or in a Pyrex measure in a low oven 150°C/Gas Mark 2. Allow it to stand for a few minutes, then spoon the crusty white layer of salt particles off the top of the melted butter. Underneath this crust there is clear liquid butter which is called clarified butter. The milky liquid at the bottom can be discarded or used in a white sauce.

Clarified butter is excellent for cooking because it can withstand a higher temperature when the salt and milk particles are removed. It will keep covered in a refrigerator for several weeks.

Venison and Parsnip Stew

The flavour of this stew really improves if you cook it the day before and reheat it the next day – as well as improving the flavour, cooking the venison in advance ensures that it is meltingly tender. If ‘needs must’ and you are racing against the clock, just mix all the ingredients in the casserole, bring to the boil and simmer gently until cooked. Baked potatoes work brilliantly with venison stew, but a layer of potatoes on top provides a wonderfully comforting meal in one pot. Scatter lots of fresh parsley over the potatoes before tucking in.

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

1.3kg shoulder of venison, trimmed and cut into 4cm cubes

50g plain flour, for dusting

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

225g piece of fatty salted pork or green streaky bacon, cut into 4cm cubes

2 large onions, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

2 large parsnips, diced

1 large garlic clove, crushed

450ml homemade beef stock

bouquet garni

8-12 medium potatoes, peeled (optional)

a squeeze of organic lemon juice

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Marinade

300-350ml gutsy red wine

1 medium onion, sliced

3 tbsp brandy

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

bouquet garni

Horseradish Sauce (optional)

To Serve

lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley

green vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, calabrese or cabbage

Method

First marinate the meat.

Season the cubes of venison with salt and pepper. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl, add the venison and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, or better still overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.

Drain the meat, reserving the marinade, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Tip the flour onto a plate and season well. Turn the cubes of venison in the seasoned flour to coat on all sides.

Heat the oil in a 25cm (3.2-litre) casserole pan over a low heat, add the salted pork or bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until it starts to release its fat. Increase the heat to medium and fry the salted pork or bacon until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the venison to the casserole in batches and fry over a medium heat until nicely coloured on all sides. Avoid the temptation to increase the temperature or the fat will burn. Remove and set the batch aside while you colour the rest.

Toss the vegetables in the casserole, stir in the garlic and then add the pork or bacon and venison.

Pour off any surplus fat from the casserole and remove the meat and veg and set aside. Deglaze the casserole by pouring in the strained marinade. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the crusty bits on the base, add the pork or bacon and vegetables back in.

Pour over enough stock to cover the meat and vegetables and put in the bouquet garni. Bring the casserole to a gentle simmer on the hob, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 ½ hours.

Remove the casserole from the oven and cover the surface of the stew with the peeled whole medium potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the potatoes with a circle of greaseproof paper, and then the lid of the saucepan. Return the casserole to the oven and cook for a further 1 hour or until both the venison and potatoes are cooked.

Season to taste. As well as adding salt and pepper, I find it often needs a bit of acidity in the form of lemon juice or crab apple jelly, if available.

Scatter with lots of freshly chopped parsley and serve with a nice big dish of Brussels sprouts, calabrese or cabbage and some homemade horseradish sauce.

Variation

Venison and Parsnip Pie

This makes a delicious pie. Fill the cooked stew into one or two pie dishes. Cover with a generous layer of mashed potato or puff pastry.

Roast Haunch of Venison with Plum Sauce

A haunch of venison makes a splendid party dish.

Serves 20 people approx.

Ingredients

1 haunch of venison – approx. 2.7-3.2kg in weight

To lard venison

225g back fat or very fat streaky pork or pork caul fat

Marinade

1 dsp mixed fresh herbs, thyme, savoury, marjoram and sage

4 tbsp olive oil

110ml dry white wine

Gravy

600ml beef or venison stock

roux (optional – made from equal quantities of flour and butter cooked on a low heat for two minutes stirring occasionally)

To Serve

plum sauce (see recipe)

Method

First lard the venison.

Cut the pork back fat into wide strips. Insert a strip into a larding needle, draw a lardon through the meat to make a stitch; trim the end. Repeat the stitches at 2.5cm intervals to make horizontal rows, positioning each row about 1cm away from the previous row, repeat with the remainder of the fat. Put the haunch into a shallow dish, stainless steel or cast iron, not tin or aluminium. Sprinkle it with the freshly chopped herbs. Pour the olive oil and wine over the meat. Cover the dish or tray and marinate the meat for about 4 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight, turning the meat occasionally. The liquid from this marinade will be used to baste the meat during cooking.

To Cook.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Remove the cover, weigh the venison and calculate 10 minutes to every 450g.  After 20 minutes reduce the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and cook for the remaining time at this temperature. We like our venison slightly pink and still very juicy, so I usually turn off the oven then and leave the meat relax for 20-30 minutes. During the cooking time, baste every 10 minutes with the oil and wine marinade and turn the joint over halfway through. When the venison is cooked, remove to a serving dish while you make the gravy.

Degrease the roasting pan, add about 600ml homemade beef or venison stock and perhaps a dash of wine. Bring to the boil, scraping and dissolving the sediment and crusty bits from the pan. Thicken slightly with a little roux if desired, taste and correct the seasoning, pour into a warm gravy boat.

To serve the haunch of venison. 

Serve the haunch of venison on a large serving dish surrounded by roast potatoes, red cabbage, celeriac purée or Brussels sprouts would be a delicious accompaniment. Carve on to very hot plates. Serve with plum sauce.

Note: It is very easy to overcook venison mainly because it goes on cooking after the oven has been turned off.

Plum Sauce

This is also delicious with duck breast or wild duck.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

450g blood plums or damsons

225g sugar

2 cloves

2.5cm piece cinnamon stick

25g butter

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

110ml port

Method

Put the plums into a stainless-steel saucepan with the sugar, cloves, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon water and the butter. Cook slowly until reduced to a pulp. Push the fruit through a fine sieve and return the purée to a clean saucepan. Add the redcurrant jelly and port, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce may be served either hot or cold. It keeps well.

Recently at the Munster Technological University in Cork, I was deeply honoured to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Arts. It was presented by Maggie Cusack, President of the University during the graduation ceremony of hundreds of excited students and their proud parents and friends.
‘The doctorate was presented in recognition of Dr Allen’s exceptional contribution to Irish food culture, her leadership in championing sustainable farming practices and her role in inspiring generations of chefs, producers and food advocates in Ireland and around the world. Her impact on Irish food, culture, and education is immeasurable. Through her vision and dedication, she has transformed how we think about food not just as nourishment but as a way of connecting people, protecting the planet and preserving traditions. Her work exemplifies the values we strive to instil in our students: innovation, creativity and a deep sense of responsibility to society and the environment. We are honoured to recognise her achievements with this honorary doctorate’.
To top it all, Jimmy Deenihan, chair of the MTU governing body stated that in his opinion I was an original ‘influencer’ and brought the value of homegrown food and cooking to the masses – how cool was that, my cup was full!
So, as I sat there in my satin red, blue and gold robe and black velvet hat listening to the tributes, it almost felt surreal. My mind raced back to my school days when the wonderful nuns who educated my friends and I in the mid-60s, urged us girls to have a proper career – study law, architecture, medicine, engineering, the sciences…
They appeared to be in despair, when all I seemed to want to do was to cook or garden.
‘You’re never going to need that my dear, you’ll have someone to cook and do your garden for you, strive to be a career woman, concentrate on a set of academic skills’.
The subliminal message was loud and clear, practical life skills were of much lesser value and really were only for those who were a bit slow or unambitious.
Men were chefs, women could not get into top kitchens at that time. My choice was a degree in horticulture or in the hospitality industry. I chose the latter and did Hotel and Catering Management in Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin where I accidentally heard about Myrtle Allen. This ‘extraordinary woman’ with no official training, who in the early 1960’s had opened a restaurant in her old historic house in the midst of a farm close to the sea, way out in the countryside in East Cork. Pretty revolutionary at that time. She wrote the menu every day depending on what was in season, freshest and best on the farm and garden, in the local area and the freshly caught fish that came in from the boats in the nearby fishing village of Ballycotton.
This, by the way, was quite revolutionary at the time, chefs wrote a menu when a restaurant opened and it could be the same 10 years later.
Myrtle on the other hand, searched for the very best local and artisan producers around the country and showcased them on the menu at a time when the word local was still a derogatory term.
She reinforced my mother‘s values around real, flavourful, homegrown and home cooked food and spread joy from the kitchen. I soaked up every word as I worked alongside her in Ballymaloe House kitchen, then became a member of the family by the simple expedient of marrying the boss’s son.
Awards helped to spread the word and cooking gradually became cool, exciting and the way to a proper career. TV and cookbooks followed and an abundance of opportunities.
The Ballymaloe Cookery School launched in 1983 was the opportunity to pass on the skills and philosophy to a new generation of cooks and chefs who carried the message around the globe.
So, with just one skill, considered to be of lesser value, I’ve had a wonderfully exciting and rewarding life.
I’d been asked to say ‘a few words’ to the graduates, so I urged them, no matter what their degree, masters or PhD’s, to make some time to learn to cook. One thing we need to do every day is to eat, so in the words of Margaret Visser, ‘Much depends on Dinner’. Our energy, vitality and ability to concentrate depends to a great extent on the quality of the food we eat.
If one can’t cook, which sadly is a majority of folks nowadays, you’re totally reliant on others to feed you, or one needs to buy a ready meal or ultra-processed foods, rarely as nutritious or delicious as what you could whip up in a couple of minutes yourself.
When you have a few basic cooking skills, you’re in charge of your own health, it’s good to remember that every bite of food has a positive or negative effect on our wellbeing. Pay now or pay later – our food should be our medicine…
When you can cook, it’s one of the easiest ways to win friends and influence people.
One can get a job anywhere in the world.
If you can whip up a spontaneous meal, you’ll never be short of friends. After all, the way to everyone’s heart is through their tummy.
My latest start-up project at 77, the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School, provides me with the opportunity to pass on the knowledge and skills from our very diverse, working farm and gardens which have been managed organically for almost 30 years. The response illustrates the deep craving to relearn forgotten skills and also do something with one’s hands. How wonderful that things are coming full circle at last.
The honour I received from Munster Technological University in Cork is a tribute to the many cooks, teachers and farmers who continue to inspire me. It is heartening to see that MTU places such value on sustainability, creativity and community which are all essential ingredients in building a better future.
I warmly congratulated all the graduates, wished them well on their new adventure and urged them to grasp the myriad of opportunities, to go out and use their skills and knowledge to help others less fortunate and make a difference for the betterment of mankind.
Back into the kitchen for me and I joyfully share a couple of simple recipes for comforting wholesome dishes to share with your family and friends.

Winter Leek and Potato Soup

The classic winter soup loved by everyone, from tiny tots to elders. Once again, this soup can be served either with the chunks of veg intact or puréed.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

50g butter

450g potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm dice

110g onion, peeled and cut into 5mm dice

450g white parts of the leeks, finely sliced (save the green tops for another soup or vegetable stock)

salt and freshly ground pepper

850ml – 1.2 litres light homemade chicken stock (*see note at end of recipe)

125ml cream

125ml whole milk

Garnish

cream

finely chopped chives

Method

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, when it foams, add the diced potatoes, onions and leeks, turn them in the butter until well coated. Season well, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Cover with a paper lid (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid. Sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured. Meanwhile, heat the stock. Discard the paper lid. Add 850ml* hot stock, bring back to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.

Liquidise until smooth and silky, taste and adjust the seasoning. Add cream and creamy milk to taste. *You may need to add extra stock if you would prefer a thinner soup.

Garnish with a swirl of cream and some finely chopped fresh chives.

Variations: A tbsp of finely sliced buttered leeks served in the centre of this soup makes a more substantial version.

Basic Brown Soda Bread

This is a more modern version of Soda Bread, couldn’t be simpler, just mix and pour into a well-greased tin.  This bread keeps very well for several days and is also great toasted.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

400g stone ground wholemeal flour

75g white flour, preferably unbleached

1 tsp salt

1 level tsp bread soda, sieved (bicarbonate of soda/baking soda)

1 egg, preferably free-range

1 tbsp sunflower oil, unscented

1 tbsp honey or treacle

425ml whole buttermilkor sour milk approx., add 1-2 tbsp cream if using low fat buttermilk

sunflower or sesame seeds (optional)

loaf tin 23×12.5x5cm

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Method

Put all the dry ingredients including the sieved bread soda into a large bowl, mix well. Whisk the egg, add the oil, honey and buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in all the liquid, mix well and add more buttermilk if necessary. The mixture should be soft and slightly sloppy, pour into the oiled tin – using a butter knife, draw a slit down the middle. Sprinkle some sunflower or sesame seeds on the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes approximately or until the bread is nice and crusty and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Super Seed Bread

Add 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp of kibbled wheat to the dry ingredients. Keep a mixture to scatter over the top of the loaf before baking.

*Note

The quantity of buttermilk can vary depending on thickness. 

Apple Crumble

After this year’s bumper apple harvest, you or your friends will probably still have lots of apples to enjoy. Easy and inexpensive to make for students and delicious to share with your friends. Crumbles are the ultimate comfort food, vary the fruit according to the season.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

700g Bramley Seedling cooking apples

40-50g granulated sugar

1-2 tbsp water

Crumble

50g cold butter

110g white flour, preferably unbleached

50g caster sugar

¼ – ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

25g chopped almonds or hazelnuts (optional)

To Serve

softly whipped cream

soft brown sugar

1.2 litre capacity pie dish

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Peel the apples, cut into quarters, remove the core and cut into large cubes.

Turn into a pie dish. Sprinkle over the granulated sugar. Add the water. 

Rub the butter into the flour just until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, add the sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts if using. Sprinkle this mixture over the apple in the pie dish. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes or until the topping is cooked and golden. Serve with softly whipped cream and soft brown sugar.

Blackberry and Apple and Sweet Geranium Crumble

Use three-quarters apple to one-quarter fresh or frozen blackberries and proceed as in the master recipe.  Mix 2 chopped sweet geranium leaves (Pelargonium graveolens) to the above (optional).

Apple and Mincemeat Crumble

Spread one third to a half pot of mincemeat on the base of the pie dish, top with apples and proceed as above.  A brilliant way to use up left-over mincemeat after Christmas!

Apple and Granola Crumble

Melt 50g of butter in a sauté pan, add 300g granola, stir to coat.  Sprinkle over the apple and bake as in the master recipe. 

Variations on the Crumble

1. 25g oat flakes or sliced hazelnuts or nibbed almonds could also be added to the crumble.

2. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or mixed spice is also a delicious addition.