Archive2008

A Star of the Sea

Recipes
  1. When I first came to Shanagarry crabs were considered to be a nuisance by most fishermen because they found their way into the lobster pots and were much less lucrative to sell. Tommy Sliney, the legendary Ballycotton man who sold his fish from a donkey and cart on the pier occasionally brought us a few, and it was always a cause for celebration We’d prepare all the other ingredients and then my father-in-law, Ivan Allen, would mix and taste the Dressed Crab.    Serves 5-6 as a main course   15 ozs (425g) crab meat, brown and white mixed (2 or 3 crabs should yield this) 3 -3 1/2 ozs (75-95g) soft white breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato chutney or Ballymaloe Tomato Relish 1 oz (25g) butter generous pinch of dry mustard or 1 level teaspoon French mustard salt and freshly ground pepper 6 fl ozs (175ml) white sauce, see below   Topping 4 ozs (110g) buttered crumbs, see recipe below   Scrub the crab shells, mix all the ingredients except the buttered crumbs together, taste carefully and correct the seasoning. Fill into the shells and sprinkle with tops with the buttered crumbs.   Bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4, until heated through and brown on top (15-20 minutes approx.). Flash under the grill if necessary to crisp the crumbs.   Note: 1 lb (450g) cooked crab in the shell yields 6-8 ozs (170-225g) approx. crab meat depending on the time of the year.   White Sauce 1/2 pint (300ml) milk a few slices of carrot a few slices of onion a small sprig of thyme a small sprig of parsley 3 peppercorns 1 1/2 ozs (45g) roux, salt and freshly ground pepper  This is a marvelously way of making white sauce if you already have roux made. Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the carrot, onion, peppercorns, thyme and parsley. Bring to the boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken with roux to a light coating consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. Buttered Crumbs 1 oz (25g) butter 2 ozs (50g)) soft white breadcrumbs  Next make the buttered crumbs. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat immediately and allow to cool.   Spicy Crab Cakes

The common brown crab is fortunately still abundant in Irish waters, its meat is sweet and succulent when freshly cooked and picked. Sadly not everyone tastes it like that.   The majority taste crab meat after it has been defrosted, the result is stringy, watery and lacking in flavour.
It comes as a surprise to some to hear that crabs contain not just white meat, but brown meat also.   The white meat comes from the claws, both large and small and there are also rich pickings in the leg sockets if you have a crab pick and a little patience.
The creamy brown meat comes from the body of the crab, it is rich and delicious and greatly contributes to the flavour of potted crab, dressed crab or crab mayonnaise.
At Ballymaloe House and the Cookery School we have always had a policy of buying whole crabs rather than crab claws which are unquestionably more popular.   This discourages the unscrupulous practice of pulling the large claws off and discarding the bodies, a practice which fishermen condemn themselves and deny exists.
In reality, crabs do become entangled in the nets and claws do occasionally get broken even when they are extracted with great care.   If a crab is thrown back into the sea with one large claw intact, it can feed itself and will grow another claw within a short time.  If both claws are missing, it simply starves to death.
When buying crab –

  1. Choose a crab with all the claws intact.
  2. It should feel heavy for its size
  3. Crabs, like other species can be male or female, the females are easy to recognize, they have a larger flap underneath.Female crabs generally contain more meat than males.   Crabs must be either alive or cooked when you buy them.  

   4.   Do not cook a dead crab.  When they die they become toxic quite quickly, its         impossible to tell the state of deterioration so do not take a risk.
 

Crabs are in season from April to September. Towards the end of the season the females tend to have an increased roe content in the body which is orangey red in colour.  This is of course edible but it is different in flavour and texture to the usual body meat.
Crab shells have lots of flavour so reboil with a fish stock to give a rich broth for a fish soup.
Here are some of my favourite crab recipes to entice you to experiment.
 How to Cook Crab
 Put the crab/s into a saucepan, cover with cold or barely lukewarm water, (use 6 ozs (175g) salt to every 2.3 litres (4 pints/10 cups water).  This sounds like an incredible amount of salt but try it: the crab will taste deliciously sweet.  Cover, bring to the boil and then simmer from there on, allowing 15 minutes for first 1 lb (450g), 10 minutes for the second and third (I’ve never come across a crab bigger than that!).  We usually pour off two-thirds of the water half way through cooking, cover and steam the crab for the remainder of the time.  As soon as it is cooked remove it from the saucepan and allow to get cold.
 
To extract the crab meat from the shell and claws:
First remove the large claws and the small claws ensuring that you tug them out of the socket with a juicy bit of white meat at the end.  Hold the crab with the underside uppermost and lever out the centre portion – I do this by catching the little lip of the projecting centre shell against the edge of the table and pressing down firmly.  The Dead Man’s Fingers (lungs) usually come out with this central piece, but check in case some are left in the body and if so remove them.
 Press your thumb down over the light shell just behind the eyes so that the shell cracks slightly, and then the sac which is underneath can be removed easily and discarded.   Everything else inside the body of the crab is edible.  The claws contain the white meat and the body has lots of brown creamy meat. The soft meat varies in colour from cream to coffee to dark tan, and towards the end of the season it can contain quite a bit of bright orange coral which is stronger in flavour.  Scoop it all out and put it into a bowl.  There will also be one or two teaspoonsful of soft meat in the centre portion attached to the small claws – add that to the bowl also.  Scrub the shell and keep it aside if you need it for dressed crab.
Holding this piece in the palm of your hand scrape the morsels of white meat out from the leg sockets, first downwards and then flip it over and do it upwards.  Put white meat into a bowl.
Crack the  large claws with a hammer or weight and extract every bit of white meat from them, poke out the meat from the small claws also, using a lobster pick, skewer or even the handle of a teaspoon.
 
Mix the brown and white meat together or use separately, depending on the recipe.
 Ivan Allen’s Dressed Crab
 

 

When I first came to Shanagarry crabs were considered to be a nuisance by most fishermen because they found their way into the lobster pots and were much less lucrative to sell. Tommy Sliney, the legendary Ballycotton man who sold his fish from a donkey and cart on the pier occasionally brought us a few, and it was always a cause for celebration We’d prepare all the other ingredients and then my father-in-law, Ivan Allen, would mix and taste the Dressed Crab.
  

Serves 5-6 as a main course
 

15 ozs (425g) crab meat, brown and white mixed (2 or 3 crabs should yield this)
3 -3 1/2 ozs (75-95g) soft white breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato chutney or Ballymaloe Tomato Relish
1 oz (25g) butter
generous pinch of dry mustard or 1 level teaspoon French mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 fl ozs (175ml) white sauce, see below
 

Topping

4 ozs (110g) buttered crumbs, see recipe below
 

Scrub the crab shells, mix all the ingredients except the buttered crumbs together, taste carefully and correct the seasoning. Fill into the shells and sprinkle with tops with the buttered crumbs.
 

Bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4, until heated through and brown on top (15-20 minutes approx.). Flash under the grill if necessary to crisp the crumbs.
 

Note: 1 lb (450g) cooked crab in the shell yields 6-8 ozs (170-225g) approx. crab meat depending on the time of the year.
 

White Sauce

1/2 pint (300ml) milk
a few slices of carrot
a few slices of onion
a small sprig of thyme
a small sprig of parsley
3 peppercorns
1 1/2 ozs (45g) roux,
salt and freshly ground pepper
 
This is a marvelously way of making white sauce if you already have roux made. Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the carrot, onion, peppercorns, thyme and parsley. Bring to the boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken with roux to a light coating consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.

Buttered Crumbs

1 oz (25g) butter
2 ozs (50g)) soft white breadcrumbs
 
Next make the buttered crumbs. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat immediately and allow to cool.
 

Spicy Crab Cakes

75g (3oz) butter
4 tbsp white wine
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
450g (1 lb) crab meat
200g (7oz) white bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp chopped coriander
6 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1\2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1\2 tbsp soy sauce
 
Seasoned flour
Beaten egg
breadcrumbs
 Melt the butter in a pan with the wine and garlic, add the crab meat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl, and add the crab meat. Shape into patties, dip in seasoned flour, beaten eggs and then in breadcrumbs. Then either deep fry, or pan fry in some olive oil.
 
Chunky Tomato Salsa
 200g (7ozs) (2 or 3) ripe tomatoes, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) chunks
1 spring onion, chopped, or 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar
1 dessertspoon (approx) lime or lemon juice
 
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.
 
Crab Mayonnaise
 
Serves approx. 4-6
 Crab Mayonnaise is very versatile. It is delicious used as a filling for cucumber or tomato ring or as a stuffing for tomatoes. It also marries very well with a simple tomato salad for a first course for a dinner party.
We also serve Crab with Mayonnaise on brown bread at Ballymaloe House. This is simply a slice of buttered brown yeast bread with a lettuce leaf and a tablespoon of crab mayonnaise on top, garnished with watercress or parsley.
 
5 ozs (140g) crab meat, (mixed, white and brown crabmeat)
6-8 fl ozs (175-250ml) mayonnaise, (see recipe on website)
½ tsp. finely grated onion
Garnish: Small lettuce leaves or garden cress or watercress
 Mix the crab meat with 2-3 tbsp of mayonnaise and a little finely grated onion. Taste and season if necessary.
Note: Sometimes if the crab meat is quite strong tasting we add a little French dressing as well as the Mayonnaise. If the mixture is a little bland a pinch of mustard can bring up the flavour.
 
Stanley Mosse’s Potted Crab
 
Many years ago we dropped in to see our friends the Mosses in Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny – well inland.   They had just cooked the box of crabs they had brought fresh up from the boats at Dunmore East in Co. Waterford.
We were given a great welcome: another pair of hands to extract the juicy white and brown meat.  Stanley Mosse then made up lots of this potted crab which we ate gluttonously on hot buttered toast.
 
Serves 8-10 as a starter
 5 ozs (140g) mixed brown and white cooked crab meat.
4 ozs (110g) softened butter
1-2 teaspoons finely chopped parsely
lemon juice to taste
 
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or, better still, whizz them in a food processor.  Taste carefully and continue to season until you are happy with the flavour: it may need a little more lemon juice.   Press the mixture into a pottery bowl, cover and refrigerate.
 Rachel’s Crab and Prawn Coconut Soup
 
Serves 2
 This soup is delightfully rich and flavoursome but as it contains milk rather than cream it will not leave you feeling sluggish.
 
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
½ tsp grated ginger
1 tsp lemon grass, finely chopped
200g (7oz) crab meat
500ml (18fl.oz) fish or light chicken stock
1 x 165g tin coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
50g (2oz) raw prawns, peeled
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
juice of  ½ lemon
¼ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 

 In a large saucepan on a medium heat, heat the oil, then add the garlic, ginger, lemon grass and crab meat.  Toss on the heat for a few minutes until light golden.  Add the stock, coconut milk and fish sauce.   Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and add the prawns.   Cook for 1-2 minutes (simmering all the time) until the prawns are cooked.  Then add the spring onions, lemon juice, chilli and coriander, season to taste and serve.
 Hot Tips for July 26th
 SCHULL AGRICULTURAL SHOW – Sunday, 27th July, The Town Park, SchullThis is an unusual Show in that it has a very strong Food Connection – Ted Berner
and Fingal Ferguson of WILDSIDE CATERING will be there with Spits full of local pigs and lamb

The Farmer’s Market also will have all the local foods for sale and sampling – local horses,a fun dog show and also a Children’s Corner with a difference, very hands on and great fun for all the family!  Show Secretary Joe Ahern:  028 28707

Growing Awareness presents Permaculture Gardens Workshop with Graham Strouts – Sunday 27th July
At Derryduff, Coomhola, Bantry, Co Cork
Learn about the principles of Permaculture by making an ‘instant’ mulched garden, use perennials, and design a ‘forest garden’ including tree crops, fruit trees and bushes, perennial vegetables and other perennial plants. Cost €40 waged or €25 unwaged, Pre-booking essential – contact Graham on 086-8539900 or 027-66931or email graham@zone5.org 
Slow Food Ireland Terra Madre – WIT Waterford 4-7 September
www.terramadreireland.org
 ‘How to cure a pig in a day’ with Phillip Dennhardt at Ballymaloe Cookery School
On 16th September – now booking – Tel 021-4646785 www.cookingisfun.ie
 
 

Icing on the Cake

Claire Ptak had planned to move to London with her then boyfriend, an English chap named Damian, then she was offered a job as pastry chef at the famous Chez Panisse in Berkeley in California. This is any chef’s dream job, beautiful seasonal ingredients to work with and a passionate team of foodies to bounce ideas off. So she took the job and began a long-distance relationship.   

The desserts at Chez Panisse are not wild and fancy concoctions incorporating a trillion elements.  Instead they are simple fruit tarts, cake, fruit salads, fools and mousses that reflect the seasons and the produce of the local farmers and farmers market.  Alice Waters has been known to serve just one perfect peach in pristine condition from Frog Hollow Farm for pudding.

Claire finally married Damian and now lives in London where she has developed a cult following for her cup cakes.  She sells nine different varieties at her Violet Cakes stall at Hackney Farmers Market every Saturday morning

www.violetcakes.com 

There are perennial favourites like Vanilla Bean, Valrhona Chocolate  and Salted Caramel and her signature cup cakes with violet essence buttercream icing and decorated with crystallized violets.   At present she has added an elderflower cupcake, raspberry, strawberry and cherry and blackberry will soon follow.

Recently she came along to the school and enchanted the students with her beautiful cakes.

The melt-in-the-mouth pressed chocolate cake was decorated with fragments of gold leaf.  The tender little poppy seed cake was iced with elderflower icing and served with a green gooseberry compote.

Claire chose her favourite Devil’s Food cup cakes with marshmallow icing to share with the students. 

Oreo Cookies are the quintessential American cookies.  Claire made a delish home-made version and sandwiched them together with espresso and vanilla bean filling.

She also made two delish sandwiches – radish and sea salt and garlicky egg mayonnaise toasts -  so  so  good

.Next time you are in London at the weekend, why not pop out to Claire at Hackney Market and join the queue for her cup cakes.   Alternatively you could make your own or seek out Phillip Dennhardt’s Stolen Diamond stall at Mahon Farmers’ Market on Thursday or Midleton on Saturday.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Gold Leaf and Chartreuse Cream and Chocolate Sauce

Serves 8-10
 
For the Cake:
100g (3 1/2 ozs) unsalted butter

120g (4ozs) dark chocolate, chopped into smallish chunks plus an extra chunk for decoration

3 organic free-range eggs, separated

100g (3 1/2 ozs) caster sugar

pinch salt

cocoa powder for dusting

real gold leaf for decoration, available from art supply shops (optional)

For the Chocolate Sauce:
100g (3 1/2 ozs) dark chocolate (at least 66% cocoa solids) eg Valrhona 70%
1 dessertsp. water

2 dessertsp. cocoa

1 dessertsp vanilla extract

For the Cream:
280ml (9 1/2fl ozs) double cream
6 teaspoons  caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-6 teaspoons Chartreuse

1 x 16cm (6 1/4 inch) round and 6cm (2 1/2 inch) deep cake tinPreheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 (no fan). Butter the sides of a 16cm (6 1/4 inch) round cake tin and place a round of baking parchment in the bottom.Place the butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a bowl of just simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl, until just melted. Remove from the heat and let it rest in an area of the kitchen away from any draft, which will cause the chocolate to seize up.Place the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand whisk) fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed for 1 minute then add half of the caster sugar (reserving the other half for the egg whites) and beat until light and fluffy. This will take a few minutes.Scrape the yolk and sugar mixture into the chocolate and fold together gently. It will be swirled, which is what you want. Don’t be tempted to over-mix at this stage.In a clean, dry bowl, start whisking the egg whites in the same manner as above. Once the sugar has been added, whip up to almost stiff peaks. This will also take a few minutes. Fold this into the chocolate mixture and transfer to the prepared cake tin.Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top of the cakes rises up, cracks slightly, and feels firm to the touch yet with a wobble. The skewer test does not work with this cake, because it wants to be quite wet inside when it is done. Over baking it will only dry it out. Let cool in the tin. The cake will sink quite a lot, which is what you want. Run a knife around the edge and place a plate on top of the cake before inverting it. Remove the tin and peel back the parchment paper before placing the cake on your desired cake stand or serving dish. Turn the kettle on and boil some water. Place your extra little piece of chocolate in a ramekin or small heat-proof dish. Fill a slightly bigger bowl with about 2 cm (3/4 inch) of boiling water and place the dish with the chocolate inside that. This is an easy way to melt a small amount of chocolate without burning it. Dust the cake with a little cocoa powder, scoop the melted chocolate into a little button on the top of the cake and let it cool and firm up. Take a piece of gold leaf the same size as your drop of chocolate and rub onto it or delicately lift it off of its paper and place on the chocolate. Use an art brush or pastry brush.For the Chocolate sauce:
Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water.
Whisk in the cocoa, water and vanilla.

For the Chartreuse Cream:
Lightly whisk the cream and add all the other ingredients. Stop whisking before you think it is done, as it will get a little thicker as it sits.  Keep soft.
To ServeDrizzle a little sauce and place a piece of cake on top of that and add a dollop of cream alongside.

Poppyseed Cake with Elderflower Icing and Gooseberry Compote

Serves 6Preparation Time: 25 minutes plus 35-40 minutes baking time, cooling time, and 10 minutes decorating time.For the cake:
165g (6ozs) unsalted butter, softened
110g (4ozs) caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon, (juice reserved for the icing, if making lemon icing, leave lemon out if using elderflower cordial in the icing)

25g (1oz) poppyseeds

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

200g (7ozs) self-raising flour

140ml (5fl ozs) milk

3 organic free-range egg whites

For the icing:
125g (4 1/2ozs) icing sugar
9-12 teaspoons elderflower cordial

10g (1/2 oz) poppyseeds

elderflower blossoms to decorate

For the Compote:
300g (11ozs) gooseberries, topped and tailed
sugar to taste (maybe 100g)

80ml (3fl ozs) Elderflower cordial

1 elderflower head

1 x 16cm (6 1/4 inch) round and 6cm (2 1/2 inch) deep cake tinPreheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark 2 1/2 (no fan). Butter the sides of a 16cm (6 1/4 inch) round cake tin and place a round of baking parchment in the bottom.Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium for at least 5 minutes until pale and fluffy and nearly doubled in size. If you don’t have a mixer, use a wooden spoon and a lot of elbow grease.Add the poppyseeds, lemon zest, vanilla extract and orange blossom water and mix through. Add half of the flour and mix, alternating with half the milk until all is incorporated. Take off the mixer and transfer to another large bowl.Clean and dry the mixing bowl, change to the whisk attachment, and whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. It should be quite loose, so underwhip, rather than overwhip. Alternatively use a hand whisk. Just be sure the bowl you use is free from any grease or oil residue, or your whites will not whip up. Stir in 1/3 of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites. Transfer to your prepared tin.Bake in the centre of the oven for 60 minutes, until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin. Meanwhile, make the gooseberry compote by washing the berries, putting them into a small saucepan with a little water so that they don’t scorch, and the sugar. Cook over moderate heat and bruise them up with a wooden spoon when they are soft enough. Add the cordial and trim the blossoms from the head of Elderflower and stir it all together and let cool.  Add a little more cordial if necessary and taste for sweetness, add more sugar if necessary.Run a knife around the edge and place a plate on top of the cake before inverting it. Remove the tin and peel back the parchment paper before placing the cake on your desired cake stand or serving dish. Whisk together the icing sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice to form a thick paste. Spoon onto the cake and using the back of the spoon, push the icing to the edges, coaxing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with poppyseeds and a few elderflower blossoms and serve with the compote.Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Fluffy Marshmallow Icing
 For the cupcakes:
220g (8ozs) self-raising flour
125g (4 1/2 ozs) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

450g (1lb) caster sugar

4 free-range eggs

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

350ml (12fl ozs) buttermilk (or if you don’t have that, semi-skimmed milk and a 3 teaspoons lemon juice

140g (5ozs) melted unsalted butter

100ml (3 1/2fl ozs) brewed espresso or strong coffee

100ml (3 1/2fl ozs) water

For the Icing:
3 free-range egg whites
450g (1lb) icing sugar

120ml (4fl ozs) water

4-5 teaspoons  golden syrup (can be used instead of corn syrup)

pinch salt

4 teaspoons  vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

Decoration
candied flowers to decorate, rose petals, violets or Johnny jump ups.
Cupcake tinsPaper cases

For the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and bicarbonate and set aside.Whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.  Mixture will be very runny.Add the melted butter first to the measured out coffee and water, and then into the egg and buttermilk mixture. This will help to avoid the melted butter going into hard lumps when it hits the cold buttermilk. Whisk all together and sift in the dry and whisk again to incorporate fully.Pour the mixture into a small jug, a few cups at a time and use the jug to pour the mixture into your prepared cupcake tins.  Fill half way up.Bake at 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2 until springy and firm. About 10 minutes for mini cakes and 15-20 for standard cupcakes.For the Icing:
In a heatproof (pyrex)  bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients and place over a saucepan of boiling water (do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or it will cook the egg whites). Heat until hot to the touch, remove and beat with an electric mixer until stiff.
Put the icing into a piping bag with a large round tip and pipe large blobs onto cooled cupcakes. Decorate with candied flowersChocolate Wafer Cookies
 These are like Oreo cookies
 
Makes 6 logs – this is for a big quantity – you can scale it down yourself if you like
– icing quantities would need to be adjusted also.
  Ingredients
 12ozs (350g) butter
1lb 2ozs (500g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 free-range organic eggs
5ozs (150g) cocoa powder

13ozs (375g) plain flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vanilla Icing
 
2 1/2 fl ozs (65ml) milk

4ozs (110g) unsalted butter

1lbs 1ozs (475g) icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 scraped vanilla bean

Violet Icing
 
7fl ozs (200ml) milk

13ozs (375g) unsalted butter

 3lbs 5ozs – 4 1/2lbs (1.5kg – 2kg) icing sugar

6 teaspoons violet essence

Expresso Icing
 
3 3/4 fl ozs (112ml) cold coffee

1 1/4 fl ozs (38ml) milk

10ozs (280g) butter

1.5kg (3lbs 5ozs) icing sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Armagnac brandy

2 1/4 teaspoons fresh coffee grounds

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

First make the logs.
Cream together the butter and the sugar together very well.  Add the vanilla extract and eggs.  Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt.  Roll into logs and freeze.
Slice the log into 1/2cm (1/4 inch) thick and bake at 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 for 8-10 minutes – let cool on parchment paper.For the icing.
Cream the butter and half the icing sugar.  Add the liquid.  Then cream in the rest of the icing sugar on a low speed – about 3 minutes until creamy.
Pipe a blob of icing in the centre of one biscuit, then press another on top so you can just see the icing coming through.Foolproof Food

Butter and Radish Sandwiches with Sea Salt

Very much like cucumber sandwiches, but with that little bite that radishes have. If you can get really fresh bunches from your farmer’s market with dark green stems intact, use the greens in your sandwiches as well. When they are young, the greens have a wonderful flavour of their own.Serves 6-8Preparation Time: 10 minutes2-3 bunches of the freshest baby radishes you can findfresh unsalted butter, softened

sea salt, such as Maldon

small loaf of sliced white bread

Undo the radish bunches, put them in a bowl and cover with cold water. The sandy dirt will sink to the bottom and the cold water perks up the leaves if you are using them. Set aside.Lay out your slices of bread and spread a nice even layer of butter on each.Remove the radishes from the water and pat dry with kitchen towel. Cut off the greens and either set aside or discard. Slice the radishes into thin discs.Arrange the radishes, slightly overlapping on half of the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt. Lay a couple of green leaves on each slice (if using), then place the remaining buttered slices of bread on top to form the sandwiches.Cut the crusts off with a serrated knife and cut each sandwich into three strips. Serve Immediately.Hot Tips
 L’Atmosphere Restaurant, 19 Henrietta St. Waterford. Tel 051-858426
Arnaud, Mary and Patrice Garreau run this great little French restaurant – delicious keenly priced food – like eating in a good French bistro – early bird menu, daily specials, a  la carte, good French breads – Arnaud runs his own French bakery – delicious desserts – friendly service and children welcome. 
Cooking Classes with Rory O’Connell at Snugboro, Ballycotton, Co Cork, now booking for the autumn
A day of cooking and gardening, 12 & 13th September, Autumn Cooking, 16th October
– special courses also arranged – www.rgoconnell.com rory@rgoconnell.com
Tel 086-8516917
 
Midleton and Area Chamber
present an  Exclusive Midsummer Party at Capella Resort and Spa, Castlemartyr

Sunday July 27th, 5pm till late

A 5 star evening not to be missed!  Sumptuous BBQ and fine wines. Renowned 10 piece band, Brass & Co. & much more fun and entertainment.  Special accommodation rates also available.  Tickets available through Chamber office 021-4613483

 

 

Cooks Share Skills

 Food crosses every border. We all have to eat so when we cook and share together, a special bond is formed.

The influx of immigrants from the Eastern European countries during the past five or six years has greatly enhanced our economy and enriched our culture.

At Ballymaloe we have some wonderful Polish, Lithuanian, Czech , Croatian and Russian staff working with us.   Each has their own traditions and indigenous foods and most importantly cooking skills.

I once asked a lovely lady from Lithuania who applied for a job, if she could cook, she was completely baffled by the question – “Of course I can cook, everyone cooks, one has to be able to cook to survive.” How true.

Recently the East Cork Slow Food Convivium created an event around Eastern European Food so we could learn more about it.

We had three cooks, Julija Makejeva who has worked with us here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School for the past three years.

Kate Zalesski from Poland, whom I met a few weeks ago at the open day on Jenny and Peter Young’s farm, lives near Naas, Co Kildare and cooks a wide variety of vegetarian food which she sells at the Naas Farmers Market, Kate operates under the name of Green Harvest.

Katrina Kollegaeva from Estonia was with us for few weeks working in the gardens.

Kate cooked the famous Beetroot Soup – Borscht –, Potato and Cheese Pierogi, Blueberry Buns and Kulebiak, a Cabbage and Mushroom Pastry garland.
Then Julija rolled up her sleeves and made Tsepeliny (Lithuanian national dish).  First she grated the potato, then squeezed out the liquid and saved the starch as though she was making boxty.  This was mixed with the potato and wrapped around a tasty mince mixture.   These were poached for 40-45 minutes and then served with a sauce of sour cream and bacon.
Julija’s husband and her little boy Denis came to watch and he told me how proud he was of his Mama.

Kate’s husband Ralf also drove her down from Naas and their daughter Anya came too, she was dressed up in her best spotted apron and the cutest shoes, ready to help her Mum to fill the pierogi and spoon fresh blueberry purée into the buns.  It was a delight to see the traditional cooking skills being passed from mother to daughter.

Russian Salad, which is what Julija calls Vinigret, was next and I’m delighted to report that it was quite unlike any Russian salad I’ve ever eaten before.  Julija’s version is tossed in a light dressing rather than lots of globby mayonnaise – deliciously light and moreish.

Oladushki, or fluffy pancakes have already been absorbed into our repertoire.  The batter is made in minutes, spoonfuls are cooked in a little sizzling butter on a frying pan until the bubbles burst on one side, then they are flipped over until golden on the other side.   They are served with a choice of three toppings – sour cream mixed with raspberry jam, or sour cream mixed with soft brown sugar or honey.  They are Denis’s favourite breakfast, they were easy and so delicious – so do try them.

It was a wonderful convivial event where the audience participated in filling the pierogi and blueberry muffins and everyone tucked in at the end.

Foolproof food
Beetroot Soup ( BORSCHT )
 
Serves 6
 6 medium beetroots, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 carrots, chopped2 sticks celery, chopped2 large cabbage leaves, cut roughly and chopped 1 onion, chopped2 or 3 bay leaves6 cups (2 pints/1.2L) vegetable or chicken broth

5 medium -sized potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 

freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

sugar

1 cup (8fl.oz/225ml) sour creamfresh dill for garnishCook the chopped onion in a little oil until lightly browned.Place the beetroot, carrot, celery, cabbage, onion and bay leaves into a pan, cover with broth. Add salt and cook until vegetables are tender -  about an hour.Meanwhile boil the potatoes in salted water, until tender. Strain off the liquid.  Set aside.When the beets are soft add lemon juice,salt ,pepper, sugar.Ladle the soup over the potatoes.Dollop with a generous spoon of sour cream, garnish with the snipped dill.Kulebiak – Cabbage and Mushroom Pastry
 
Serves 5
 Delicious eaten with Borscht.  Dough:
1 kg (2¼lb) plain flour
375 g (13oz) butter100g (3½ oz) fresh yeast3 Tbs sugarpinch of salt250-300 ml (9-10fl.oz) sour cream.

Stuffing:2 lb (900g) white cabbagefew dried wild mushrooms1 onion, chopped4 tbsp sunflower oilsalt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse and cook the mushrooms, and cut into small cubes.  Shred cabbage, add cubed mushrooms and chopped onion, oil and a little mushroom stock and cook until tender on a low heat flame, for about 20 minutes. Steam off liquid at end. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool.First make the dough. Mix the yeast with sugar. Cut butter into flour, add sour cream, yeast mixture and salt and knead into dough.  It should be firm enough to be rolled out. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.Sprinkle some flour on a board. Roll the dough out into a rectangular piece, about 5mm (¼ in) thick. Spread the cooled cabbage mixture along the edge of dough and roll into a swiss roll. Place the dough on a greased baking tray in a circle, brush with milk, cut half way into the dough every few inches.  Cover, allow to rise, and when it has doubled in size, bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/gas 4 for 35-45 minutes.These are great hot or cold.Oladushki (Russian Fluffy Pancakes) with Sour Cream and Raspberry Jam
Serves 4
160g (5 1/2 ozs/scant 1 1/2 cups) white flour
225 ml (8fl ozs/1 cup) buttermilk
2 free-range organic eggs
1/2 teaspoon breadsoda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for pan frying
 First, measure the buttermilk into a small bowl and sprinkle the baking soda on top and leave for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the mixture bubble.   Whisk the egg, salt, and sugar into the buttermilk mixture.   Next, slowly add the flour to the batter by whisking until mixture appears to have an even consistency, set aside. 
Heat a frying pan on a medium high heat. Add a little vegetable oil. Fill the pan with 5-6 tablespoonfuls of batter spaced evenly apart. Fry until golden brown, flip once bubbles have appeared on the surface and popped. Repeat frying process until all of the batter is used. Serve with dips (see below).
 
Serving SuggestionsMake several dips by mixing sour cream with raspberry jam 50/50; sour cream with brown sugar, and honey. Tsepeliny (Lithuanian national dish)
  Serves 3-5
 1.5-2 litre (2½ -3½ pints) of salted boiling water             3 large potatoes
            
             1 onion, grated              Salt and freshly ground pepper             200 g (7oz) minced pork            1 onion, finely chopped

1 egg

Sauce:
125 g (4½ oz) smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons

125 g (4½ oz) sour cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish:
Snipped parsley

Muslin clothBring the water to the boil in a large saucepan.Peel the potatoes. Finely grate them together with 1 onion. Put the potatoes and the onion into the muslin cloth, and squeeze the excess liquid out into a bowl. Then, carefully pour the liquid into a smaller bowl, so that the starch left at the bottom of the first bowl stays at the bottom of the bowl. Take half of the starch left behind and mix it into the boiling water so that there are no lumps.Make the filling by mixing the mincemeat with 1 beaten egg, 1 chopped onion, and salt and pepper. Set aside.Next, add the remaining half of the starch to the bowl of potato/onion mixture. Mix it well, divide it into 3-5 equal portions. Take one portion and put it into your palm, flatten so it is approx. 1 centimeter high; put a tablespoon of the mincemeat mixture into the centre and seal the potato mixture around it.  Slip the tsepeliny into simmering water and cook uncovered for 40-45 minutes.Just before the tsepeliny are ready, fry the bacon lardons in a frying pan until they release the fat and are crispy.  Add the sour cream and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Serve tsepeliny per person, topped with the sour cream/bacon sauce.

Scatter with freshly snipped parsley

Blueberry Buns
 500g/1lb 2oz strong flour2 tsp dried yeast
2 tbsp melted butter12 fl.oz (350ml/1 1/2 cups) warm milk2 tbsp sour cream4 tbsp sugarVanilla extract

200g (7oz) blueberries4oz (110g/½ cup) sugar1 glass 3½ – 4 inches in diameter for cutting dough.Prime the yeast in warm water. Leave for 5 minutes, until dissolved. Mix with flour. Add sugar, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Knead until smooth, add melted butter and knead until absorbed and the dough is shiny and elastic, about 10 minutes. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with tea towel and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.Meanwhile put the blueberries and sugar into a saucepan and cook them for about 20 minutes to make jam.When the dough is ready divide it into two parts, roll them out on floured surface. Cut out the circles with a glass. Place a teaspoon of jam in the center and cover with another dough circle. Seal the edges .Let the buns to rise for 20 min. Brush with milk and bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/gas4, for 20-25 minutes.Dust with icing sugar. These are lovely while still warm with milky coffee.Hot Tips
 
Asian Kitchens – another addition to Cork’s culinary scene –
Unit 6&7, Camden Wharf, Carroll’s Quay, Cork, tel 087 902 3068
Wonderful Asian cook Wasinee Beech and her husband Len have just opened their new Asian food shop, so for authentic ingredients pay them a visit. 
  The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has announced a national food labelling public consultation calling on Irish consumers and interested parties to express their views and opinions on food labelling.  This process is in light of an EU proposal to amend labelling regulations, which will ultimately ensure greater food safety protection by allowing consumers to make informed decisions on food purchases.  The public is urged to visit www.fsai.ie to communicate its views on all food labelling issues that are of interest to them.  The consultation phase will run for over two months and the closing date for responses is 19th September 2008.  All comments will be considered in the FSAI submission to the Department of Health and Children and will form the structure of Ireland’s national policy on food labelling
 Slow Food East Cork
Learn how to prepare, cook and extract meat from Ballycotton Crabs with Darina Allen on Tuesday 15th July 2008 at 7.30pm at Ballymaloe Cookery School –
Dressed Crab, Crab Mayonnaise, Spicy Crab Cakes, Potted Crab ….
€30 for Slow Food Members, €40 for non-Members – booking essential Tel 021-4646785
slowfood@cookingisfun.ieIghtermurragh Allotments, Ladysbridge, Co Cork
Allotment Gardening Information Day – Saturday 19th July 2-5pm
Guest speaker Michael Brenock – view progress and discuss future plans – allotment holders will talk about their experience and new prospective holders very welcome.
Tel 021-4667330   086-3003810  
   

   

 

The Four Seasons Cookery Book

A tome that is unanimously heralded as a timeless classic has been republished by Grub Street Publishers.  The first edition was my most treasured Christmas present in 1970 and by now it has lost its cover and is deliciously dog-eared.  

The latest edition has a brand new contemporary look and a foreword by Delia Smith, one of Margaret Costa’s fans.   There are a myriad of others including Myrtle Allen, Nigel Slater, Simon Hopkinson……..

This book has stood the test of time as we have come full circle in our attitude to food.  Its no longer a novelty to eat strawberries year round and its fast becoming naff and politically uncool to fill our shopping trolleys with exotic foods from across the globe, which rarely taste or nourish like fresh local food of our own country.

Margaret Costa was well ahead of her time when almost 40 years ago, she organized her book, not in the familiar starters, main courses and puds format, but according to the seasons. Good things to cook and eat in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.  Within each section there were, and still are also themed chapters such as Comforting Breakfasts, Rhubarb and Green Gooseberries, Olives, Proper Puddings, Pieces of Cake …

Margaret Costa broke away from the French influenced Cordon Bleu style and wrote recipes in simple English, everyone could understand what she was writing about and this in turn gave people confidence in the kitchen and encouraged them to try her beautifully crafted recipes.   She also gives the reader many inspiring variations, hints and suggestions.

The Four Seasons Cookery Book is one of my all-time favourites and a must for the growing number of people who care about eating well by using fresh foods in season and about feeding families with good food which is neither elaborate nor time consuming.  Here are some recipes from the book.

Margaret Costa’s Four Seasons Cookery Book published by Grub Street.
 Spiced Mackerel   – Four Seasons Cookbook by Margaret Costa
 6 mackerel1 teasp (5ml) black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

2 good teasp (10ml) salt

3 medium-sized onions

1oz (25g) butter

3 tablesp (45ml) cider

¾ pint (425ml) cider or tarragon vinegar

3 tablesp (45ml) sultanas (optional)

2 good teasp (10ml) sugar

Pinch of cayenne

Clean the mackerel and lay them in a pan with the peppercorns and bay leaves; pour over them enough salted water just to cover.   Simmer very gently for about 10 minutes; if you let them boil their skins will burst.   When cooked, drain well, reserving the cooking liquid, and lay in a shallow dish.

Cut the onions into thin slices, cook them until soft in the butter, drain them and spread them over the mackerel.   Boil up the cider with the vinegar and ½ pint (300ml) of the liquid in which the fish were poached and add the peppecorns and bay leaves, the sultanas, sugar and pinch of cayenne.

Pour over the mackerel.   Cover and keep for at least a day or two before serving; it will, of course, keep for much longer.  Serve it with a salad and hot or cold new potatoes.

On a cold summer day serve hot grilled mackerel with new potatoes.  Score the mackerel before grilling with deep diagonal slashes on each side and fill these cuts with strong yellow Dijon mustard.  Oil the fish well before grilling and ‘refresh’ the mustard before serving if you like.

Peaches with Sour Cream
 8oz (225g) vanilla sugar
½ pint (300ml) water

1 peach for each person

Caster sugar

Soured cream

Demerara sugar or toasted flaked almonds

Dissolve the sugar in the water and simmer for 5 minutes.  Poach the peaches very lightly in this syrup, then skin them and slice them into a bowl, sprinkling each layer with a very little caster sugar.  Cover thickly with soured cream and sprinkle thickly with Demerara sugar or toasted flaked almonds before serving.

Crab Omelette
 1½ oz (40g) crabmeat – mixed brown and white – per person1½ eggs per person

½ teasp (2.5ml) cold water per person

A little butter

Mix the white and brown meat of the crab thoroughly together and stir in the beaten eggs.   Season well and add the cold water.   Heat the butter in the frying pan; when it is really hot, pour in the egg and crab mixture, and make the omelette in the usual way.  It is delicious when served with a simple green salad

Avgolemono
This makes a ravishing summer soup.  Make it when you’ve boiled a chicken.  You need really good stock for it, flavoured with onion and fresh herbs and well seasoned.
2 pints (1.2 litres) chicken stock

4 eggs

The juice of 1 large lemon

Thin slices of lemon and sprigs of dill to garnish

Bring the chicken stock to the boil.  Beat the eggs in a bowl with the lemon juice. Gradually add a little of the stock to the eggs, beating well.   Return to the pan and cook until it is the consistency of thin custard – but be careful not to let it get anywhere near boiling point.  You can serve it hot or chilled.  Hot it tastes more chickeny; cold, more lemony.  Either way, float a thin slice of lemon in the bowl, and top it, if you can, with a feathery sprig of dill.  Two ounces (55g) of rice can be simmered in the stock if you like, but if you use rice do remember to allow a little more stock as it will become reduced while the rice is cooking.

Liver with Dubonnet and Orange
 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
1½ oz (40g) butter

2 small onions

1 clove garlic

1lb (450g) calf’s or lamb’s liver

Seasoned flour

1 tablespoon (15ml) orange juice

8 tablespoons (120ml) Dubonnet (red)

2 good tablespoons (50ml) finely chopped parsley

Coarsely grated rind of 1 large orange

1 teaspoon (5ml) finely grated lemon rind

As many rashers of back bacon as you wish

Heat the olive oil and butter together very gently in a large, deep frying pan and cook the very finely chopped onions and crushed garlic in it over a very low heat, covered, until the onions are soft and just beginning to colour.   Cut the slices of liver very evenly about ½ inch (10mm) thick, and coat with seasoned flour – flour to which you have added a good saltspoon (1.25ml) of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. When the onions are cooked, add the slices of liver to the pan in one layer and continue to cook over a very moderate heat.  As soon as you see ‘the blood rise in it’ – a vivid chef’s phrase – turn the liver over and cook for a slightly shorter time at an even lower heat.  (The cooking time will obviously depend on the thickness of the liver as well as on personal taste – but don’t overcook it.)  Remove the slices to a warmed plate and cover them with as much of the chopped onion as you can remove with a perforated spoon.

Now add the orange juice and the Dubonnet to the juices left in the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.  Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for a couple of minutes until the ‘sauce’ has reduced by almost half.   Turn off the heat, add the parsley, orange rind and lemon rind (keeping some of the parsley and orange rind to use as a garnish) and give it a final stir.   Pour over the liver and serve with – or without, it is delicious either way – the grilled bacon rashers and with mashed potato, grilled tomatoes and, if you like, mushrooms.  Scatter the rest of the parsley and the rest of the orange rind over the liver just before serving.

Treacle Sponge
 This is really a Winter pudding but one of the classics from the book.
2 tablespoons (30ml) golden syrup

The juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon (15ml) fine breadcrumbs

Butter

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4oz (115g) caster sugar

2 eggs

5oz (140g) self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

Milk

Mix together the syrup, lemon juice and breadcrumbs, and put them at the bottom of a buttered pudding basin.  Cream 4oz (115g) butter with the finely grated lemon rind and the sugar until fluffy, and add the beaten eggs.  Stir in the flour, sifted with a pinch of salt, and add just enough milk for the batter to drop from a spoon.    Turn into the pudding basin, cover and steam for 2 hours.  Serve with more syrup, warmed and sharpened with lemon juice.

Foolproof Food
Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Sugar Snaps and Peas
 
This is one of our favourite summer recipes when we have our own freshly picked zucchini and sugar peas –
Serves 10 approx.
 

450g (1lb) Penne
450g (1lb) green and golden zucchini, 5-6 inches in length
110g (4oz) peas, cooked
450g (1 lb) sugar snaps
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
50g (2oz) butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
50g (2oz) fresh basil leaves or marjoram, chopped
 

A few zucchini blossoms, if available
 

Top and tail the zucchini and cut into 5mm (1/4 inch) thick slices at an angle.  String the sugar snaps if necessary.  Bring  8 litres (12 pints) of water to the boil in a large deep saucepan, add 2 tablespoons salt, add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Meanwhile shoot the sugar snaps into 1.2 litres (2 pints) of boiling water with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and al dente.  Drain and refresh under cold water.  Save the water and bring to the boil again.  Add the peas and cook for a few minutes. If you’re adept at juggling and have enough stove space you can also cook the zucchini while the pasta and sugar snaps are cooking.
 

Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan.  Add the chilli flakes, if using, toss in the zucchini, increase the heat and continue to toss for 3 or 4 minutes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover and reduce heat to medium for another few minutes by which time the zucchini should be tender but still al dente; Draw off the heat and allow to cool. By now if you’re timing is good the pasta should be al dente so drain it quickly. Add the sugar snaps, peas, zucchini, chopped parsley and the torn basil or chopped marjoram to the pasta.  Toss well with a little extra virgin olive oil.  Taste, correct seasoning if necessary. Turn into a pasta bowl, sprinkle a few zucchini blossoms and basil leaves over the top

Hot tips
 Congratulations to the Tesco Young Chefs of the Year
Senior winner was Laura Clifford from Co Louth – following in the footsteps of her brother who won the competition two years ago and is now training to be a professional chef at Dundalk IT – children of the highly regarded chef the late Michael Clifford of Cliffords in Cork.  Laura presented a Nettle Soup with Brown Bread, Baked cod, courgettes and Parmesan cheese with potato cakes.   Junior winner was Donncha MacBride also from Co Louth.   Donncha served Annagassen crab salad with a spicy tomato and red pepper coulis and avocado guacamole, Irish Pork Wellington with sage and onion stuffing, finely shredded spring cabbage and bacon and a Bramley apple, honey and vanilla sauce
Festival Time
Check out www.discoverireland.ie for list of the many festivals taking place around the country this summer.
Xpresso Café at Arcade, Midleton, Co Cork
Touring East Cork, having an outing to Midleton, coffee after the Farmers Market,  or just popping in for some shopping –   the Arcade is the perfect one stop shop for morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea – all coffee and chocolate is organic and fair-trade, smoothies made with probiotic yogurt, homemade scones, cakes, soup, bagels, toasted sandwiches, paninis… alongside a wide range of fashions for all ages, also interiors and gifts – arcademidleton@eircom.net   021-4631077

Lullaby Milk from Ardrahan
High in Melatonin from cows milked before daybreak – Ardrahan Lullaby Milk is suitable for both young and old with sleeping problems, even helps some people with jet lag. From the Friesian herd of Mary and Gerald Burns who also make the wonderful Ardrahan Cheese – Lullaby Milk, pasteurised and non-homogenised – can be drank as it is or add crushed summer fruits. Available at Dunnes Stores, Super-Valu, and Spar on McCurtain St., Cork – www.ardrahan.ie  Tel 029-78099

Artisan Food Producers take the Limelight

Food is hot and at last the farmers and fishermen and artisan producers are emerging from the background and into the limelight and getting the recognition they deserve.    

Virtually every county has a food festival, and at last we are beginning to celebrate and value our indigenous and traditional local foods.

Recently we participated in the hugely successful Taste of Dublin Food Festival now in its third year.

Over thirty thousand people poured into the Iveagh Gardens to eat, drink and be merry.   The organizers who had been unlucky with the weather in 2006 & 2007 beamed, as the sun shone and the public queued up to enjoy the much-enlarged event.  This year there was lots of covered seating and free plastic macs ready to hand out if the ‘heavens’ opened.   They were scarcely necessary, just one shower on Sunday evening.

Twenty two of the capital’s most celebrated chefs cooked their signature dishes.   Good Food Ireland had six stalls where their members dished out tastes of their products to eager foodies.

Peter Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh, (067-32596), couldn’t keep up with the demand for his wife Mary’s salad dressing, chutneys and legendary marmalade, for which she roasts the orange peel in the Aga.  Ralph Haslam’s organic Mossfield cheese from near Birr, Co Offaly,  sold out, as did Dick and Anne Keating classic and smoked Baylough cheese made near Clogheen in the foothills of the Knockmealdown Mountains (052-65275).  Traditional butcher Jack McCarthy from Kanturk, Co Cork, www.jackmccarthy.ie  and his team were offering tastes of their rashers and sausages, biggest hit was a large Ardrahan and smokey bacon sausage wrapped in one of their home-cured rashers on a skewer.   The curing skill has been passed down through the generations since 1862.  Tom O’Connell of O’Connells Ballsbridge, and Kenneth  Kelly, son of Sean Kelly of  Kelly’s of Newport, Co Mayo couldn’t keep up with servings of black and white puddings with Bramley Apple and Grainy Mustard Sauce.

Kellys of Newport are award-winning artisan butchers who have won All-Ireland Gold awards every year since 2003, as well as a slew of  international awards for their hand-made black puddings and putógs, (www.kellysbutchers.com )   One of the rare butchers to use fresh blood from their own abattoir in their products, hence the delicious crumbly texture.

Another innovative butcher, T.J. Crowe from Dundrum in Co Tipperary, (062-71137)  had a wide range of products including crubeens and organic bacon.

Birgitta Curtin from Burren Smokehouse in Co Clare (www.burrensmokehouse.ie) was inundated for tastes of her smoked fish.   Maxine Hyde and her pals were handing out tastes of Ballymaloe Country Relish and their new range of pasta sauces as fast as they could (www.ballymaloecountryrelish.ie) .  All are members of Good Food Ireland, an organization whose members are dedicated to using Irish, local and artisan food produce, (www.goodfoodireland.ie) 

Altogether there were lots of great artisan food producers and wine, and Gerard Coleman from Artisan du Chocolat (www.artisanduchocolat.com) in London brought his hand made chocolates  to gauge the Irish reaction – his company is the only company to conch their own chocolate from scratch and his innovative flavours have won plaudits from chocoholics all over the globe.   The green tea chocolate was simply divine and the liquid salted caramels in the words of Jay Rayner are ‘to die for’.  

I also met Grégoire Saint Olive of L’Oustaou who was selling very interesting flavoured vinegars and flavoured oils. (www.oustaou.ie) 

Top Irish and UK chefs were demonstrating in the Drumm’s Chef Theatre- Antony Worrall Thompson, Ross Lewis, Angela Hartnett, Rory O’Connell, Rachel Allen, Arun Kapil, Derry Clarke, Clodagh McKenna and dozens more.

We were all kept busy in the first Ballymaloe Cookery School at the Taste of Dublin, sponsored by Falcon Cookers and run by Pamela Black and Debbie Shaw  – 16 cookery classes in four days – all terrific fun.

This weekend the event is coming to our very own capital – Taste of Cork will be held in the Cork Gaol ,(Convent Avenue, Sundays Well)  from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th.   Twelve Cork restaurants and sixty eight food and drink producer stalls will entice us to taste, sip and enjoy the best that Cork has to offer.   There’s a terrific line of celebrity chefs, including Antony Worrall Thompson, Mercy Fenton, Ross Lewis, Clodagh McKenna, Rachel Allen, mé féin……..

As in Dublin there will be lots of live music and fun. Don’t  miss it!

For further details check out www.tastefestivals.ie Tickets from Cork Midsummer Festival Office in Merchants Quay, or Tel 021-5005055

Hot Tips
Charleville Agricultural Show runs this weekend – 28/29th June –
Sunday’s main feature is ‘Flair for Food’ an exciting event that will seduce everyone’s taste buds with the main attraction Clodagh McKenna giving three cooking demonstrations throughout the day,  there will also be Farmers Markets, Artisan Producers, Food Tastings etc.
The Blackboard Bistro, The Basement, 4 Clare Street, Dublin 2. Tel 01-6766839
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday and dinner Saturday night.  Closed Sunday and Monday – a few yards from the Mont Clare Hotel, facing the entrance to the new wing of the National Gallery – take in a visit to the Impressionist Interiors Exhibition at the Gallery – running till 10th August (pre-book)  www.nationalgallery.ie 
Eat Sherkin! A Celebration of Island Food 2008 takes place next weekend on Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6th July.  Saturday sees a host of food and drink tastings and gourmet workshops including keeping a few hens in the garden, – with Giana Ferguson of Gubbeen,   and a cookery demonstration on  making the most of garden vegetables in summery salsas and relishes by Karen Austin of Lettercollum Kitchen Project, Clonakilty.  In the evening enjoy a gastronomic treat of fresh fish cooked on the barbecue by food writer Dianne Curtin and artisan producer Iain Flynn.  On Sunday, browse the stalls of Ireland’s first ever off shore artisan food market.  Guest of honour Darina Allen will be in attendance, and there will be a lovely lunch including Sherkin Oysters, mussels and prawns, whole roast hog on the spit and much more.  For workshop bookings and more details call Matt Stephens, Sherkin Island Development Society on 028 20802 

All recipes published on this website are copyright Ballymaloe Cookery School.    

 

  

 Ardrahan and Ballygiblin Sausages wrapped in Smoked Bacon
 Jack McCarthy linked up with Mary Burns of Ardrahan Cheese in Kanturk, Co Cork to make these terrific sausages with Ballygiblin outdoor free-range pork.
Easy peasy casual food – great for a summer barbecue.Serves 8
 8 fat sausages
8 rashersThread the sausage onto a satay stick.Wrap a rasher around the sausage, secure with a cocktail stick.
Preheat a George Foreman grill.

Cook the sausages for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally until the bacon is crisp and the sausages are cooked through.

Eat immediately.

Black and White Pudding with Grainy Mustard and Apple Sauce
 Serves 12 for canapés, 4-6 as a starter
 
Butter or extra virgin olive oil
6 slices best quality black pudding approx. 1cm (1/2 inch) thick and 6 slices of white pudding
Bramley Apple Sauce:
1 lb (450g) cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling or Grenadier
1-2 dessertsp.  water
2 ozs (55g) sugar, depending on how tart the apples are

     

 

 

Grainy Mustard Sauce:  also delicious with pork

8 fl. oz (250ml) cream
1 dessertsp. smooth mustard
1 dessertsp. grainy mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    

 

Garnish

Flat parsley or watercress

Make the apple sauce – Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut the pieces into two and put in a stainless steel or cast iron saucepan with sugar and water. Cover and put over a low heat. As soon as the apple has broken down, beat into a puree, stir and taste for sweetness.
Make the mustard sauce – Put the cream and both mustards in a small pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally.  Taste and season if necessary.
Melt a very little butter in a frying pan and fry the pudding on both sides on a medium heat until cooked through. Remove the skin from the pudding.
Make a bed of apple sauce on the serving plate or plates.  Lay the pieces of hot pudding on top of the apple.  Spoon a little Mustard Sauce carefully over the top.Garnish with flat parsley and serve immediately.Chargrilled Chicken Paillarde with Aoili and Roast Cherry Tomatoes
 Serves 4
4 (150g/6oz) free range chicken breasts (skinless)2 tablespoons olive oilMaldon sea salt and cracked pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped

Aoili
2 egg yolks, preferably free range
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of English mustard or 1/4 teaspoon French mustard
1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar
8 fl ozs (250ml) oil (sunflower, arachide or olive oil or a mixture) – We use 6 fl ozs (175ml) arachide oil and 2 fl ozs (50ml) olive oil, alternatively use 7/1
1-4 cloves of garlic, depending on size
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
 
4 branches of cherry vine tomatoesfresh rocket leaves

Fist make the aioli.
Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the crushed garlic, mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil into a measure. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil onto the egg yolks, drop by drop whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but don’t get too cheeky or it will suddenly curdle because the egg yolks can only absorb the oil at a certain pace. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.
If the Mayonnaise curdles it will suddenly become quite thin, and if left sitting the oil will start to float to the top of the sauce. If this happens you can quite easily rectify the situation by putting another egg yolk or 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water into a clean bowl, then whisk in the curdled Mayonnaise, a half teaspoon at a time until it emulsifies again.  Finally add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.
 Next prepare the chicken paillarde, remove the fillet from each chicken breast and save for another dish.  With a sharp knife slice each chicken breast from top to bottom, so that you can open it out like a book. Press flat with the palm of your hand to ensure a good flat shape.  Drizzle with Extra virgin olive oil.  Season the chicken paillardes with salt, freshly ground pepper and some chopped rosemary.
Just before cooking season with Maldon sea salt.  Preheat the grill-pan.  Cook the chicken for approx. 4 minutes on each side, turning each after a few minutes to give a nice criss-cross effect.To ServeServe the chicken on hot plates garnished with a bunch of roast cherry tomatoes, rocket leaves and a dollop of aioli.Roast Cherry Tomatoes
 Preheat the oven to 250°C/400°F/Mark 6.
Lay the cherry tomatoes on the vine on a baking tray.  Drizzle with extra virgin oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and roast for 8 – 10 minutes until the tomatoes just burst.Foolproof Food
How To Crush Garlic
Here is a tip for crushing garlic. Put the whole clove of garlic on a board, preferably one that is reserved for garlic and onions. Tap the clove with a flat blade of a chopping knife, to break the skin. Remove the skin and discard. Then sprinkle a few grains of salt onto the clove. Again using the flat blade of the knife, keep pressing the tip of the knife down onto the garlic to form a paste. The salt provides friction and ensures the clove won’t shoot off the board!  Alternatively use a microplane.
 

Mushroom Bruschetta with Parsley Pesto and Parmesan Shavings

Serves 2This is a poshed up version of mushrooms on toast. Virtually all fungi are delicious on toast so this can be very humble or very exotic depending on the variety chosen.2 slices of crusty country white bread, 1/2 inch (1cm) thick
1 clove garlic
Extra virgin olive oil                                             
4-6 flat mushrooms or large oyster mushrooms
marjoram, thyme or rosemary

1 clove garlic (optional)

rocket leaves

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano if possible

parsley pesto

Toast or chargrill the bread on both sides and rub immediately with a cut clove of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.Heat a little olive oil or olive oil and butter in a frying pan. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and place them skin side down on the pan in a single layer, put a little dot of butter into each one or better still use garlic or marjoram butter.  That is made quite simply by mixing some chopped garlic and parsley or some annual marjoram into a little butter. Alternatively, sprinkle with freshly chopped marjoram and some crushed garlic if you like. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook first on one side (the length of time will depend on the size of the mushroom: it could be anything from 3-6 minutes), then turn over as soon as you notice that the gills are covered with droplets of juice. Cook on the other side until tender.  Meanwhile, rub the surface of the warm crostini with a cut clove of garlic, put on 2 hot plates.  Arrange a few fresh rocket leaves on each one, top with overlapping mushrooms.  Drizzle with a little parsley pesto.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan shavings and serve immediately.  If there are any buttery juices in the pan, spoon every drop over the mushrooms for extra deliciousness.Foolproof food

Parsley Pesto


25g (1oz) flat parsley leaves (no stalks)

1‑2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

40g (1 1/2ozs) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

25g (1oz) pine kernels

125-175ml (4-6 fl ozs) extra virgin olive oil

salt

  

Put all the ingredients except the oil into the food processor.  Whizz for a second or two, add the oil and a little salt.  Taste and correct seasoning.

 

Virtually every week I have at least one query about special foods for those who suffer from food intolerances, or full blown allergies.

Some people are at their wits’ end trying to cook for a family member who has an acute allergy, or in some cases multi allergies.

There are many theories on why these conditions seem to be on the increase. Better diagnosis will also have increased the recorded numbers.  Some cases are unquestionably genetic, others regard allergies as a ‘disease of modern society’ and cite factors such as environmental chemicals and pollution.    Some scientists adhere to the theory that improvements in hygiene and medical science have contributed to weakening our immune systems.

We are eating a myriad of foreign foods with a whole new challenging set of bacteria, rather than local foods which our systems have become accustomed to over many generations. Others blame the fact that we no longer have access to unpasteurized milk.  A 2006 study by the University of London found that drinking just a couple of glasses of raw milk a week reduced the risk of allergy-related conditions such as excema and hay fever in children.

Alice Sherwood was thrown into the bewildering world of food allergies when her nine-year old son Archie was diagnosed with severe nut and egg allergies.

She became more and more frustrated with the unappetizing allergy-free recipes on offer, so she set about devising her own.   Alice, a doctor’s daughter loves food and cooking.  In her allergy-free cookbook she concentrated on the four major food allergies, wheat, dairy, nuts and eggs.   She explains the difference between food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances and auto-immune conditions like coeliac disease.   There’s advice on shopping and reading labels, eating out, surviving travelling, how to support an allergic child, staying positive, allergy etiquette and how to stock your store cupboard. 

Allergy-free cookbook – by Alice Sherwood published by Dorling Kindersley, in association with Allergy uk.      Four cookbooks in one – each recipe can be made without one or more of the ‘big four’ allergens – eggs, dairy, nuts and gluten.

The book’s foreword was written by Dr Adam Fox, the Consultant Paediatric Allergist, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London.   The book also has a resource list of Support Organisations and suppliers of specialist foods and ingredients for those with allergies.

 Hot Tips for 21st June
  

‘Head is a pub with rooms on the Cornish coast, worth knowing about.  The rooms are simple chic, the food delicious, Charles Inkin and his brother Edmund, who also own the renowned Felin Fach Griffin between Brecon and Hay-on-Wye in Wales, have won many plaudits for their stylish comfy inns with simple menus that reflect the seasonal produce of the local area. Terrific value for money.  Great walks along the coast.  Fly to Newquay (surfers paradise) and grab some lunch at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall overlooking Watergate Bay,  (just five minutes from the airport), before driving south for about an hour.  Foxgloves, pink campion and marguerite are in full bloom at present along the roadside and there are many beautiful gardens open to the public also.   The Gurnard’s Head, Zennor, West Cornwall, Tel 0044 1736 796928  www.gurnardshead.co.uk enquiries@gurnardshead.co.uk     2008 Good Pub Guide, Best Cornish Dining Pub.

Green Saffron Darbar on the Lawn at Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Co Cork, on Thursday 26th June 7.30pm – 11.30pm
Cocktails on the lawn, cooking demonstration, meal of Green Saffron’s beautiful curries, rice and riata with accompanying wine and Indian beer, sumptuous surroundings and gorgeous marquee with hosts Justin and Jenny Green.   Price €70 per person, booking 025- 36349 – www.ballyvolanehouse.ie
Fat Bap
Is a new food concept thought out by Eliza Ward, Nenagh, Co Tipperary and Bernadette Reynolds, Cork, two Culinary Arts graduates in CIT.  Armed with a little white van and full farmers market kit, they will provide you with fascinating and interesting casual good value food – they will call to your home, party, sports club, offices, ‘apres match’ or post wedding celebrations with gourmet organic burgers and artisan sausages and set up their stall. They will cook in your garden or yard or pitch and can also provide salads, bread, local organic leaves, desserts, cheese and help with drinks etc. Contact Bernadette on 087-7704356 or Eliza on 087-6100182  email:thefatbap@hotmail.com

Fish Pie – from Allergy –Free Cookbook by Alice SherwoodA winning combination of firm white fish and prawns in a creamy, parsley-flecked béchamel sauce under a mound of crispy-topped mashed potato, makes this a fabulous lunch or supper dish.   You can vary the fish according to taste or season.   Serve with buttered samphire, mixed peppery leaves, or a tomato salad to add contrasting flavour and colour.Serves 4-6
  Egg and nut free
 750g (1lb 10oz) cod, halibut, or other white fish, filleted
250g (8½ oz) smoked haddock or other smoked fish
500ml (16fl oz) milk

1 small onion, roughly chopped

Bay leaf (optional)

100g (3½ oz) butter

30g (1oz) plain flour

1.5kg (3lb3oz) potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 tbsp single milk or cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

225g (8oz) cooked peeled prawns

1 tbsp capers in brine, drained, rinsed, and chopped (optional)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

15g (½oz) Parmesan, grated (optional)

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F, gas 5)Put the fish in a large saucepan, add the milk and poach the fish gently for 5 minutes, it should be slightly undercooked at this stage.Transfer the fish to a plate with a draining spoon.  When cool, remove the skin, cut the fish into large chunks and place in a 1.5 litre (2¾ pint) ovenproof dish.

Add the chopped onion and bay leaf (if using) to the fish milk.  Bring to the boil.   Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes.  Strain.

Make a white sauce by melting 45g (1½ oz) of the butter in a saucepan and stirring in the flour.  Cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Whisk in the infused milk a little at a time, ensuring there are no lumps.  When all the milk is incorporated, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, whisking all the time.   Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.  Mash with the remaining butter and the cream or milk and season with salt and pepper.

Add the prawns, capers, and the parsley to the fish, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the white sauce.   Top with the mashed potatoes and use a fork to rough up the surface to make it crispy when cooked.   Dust with Parmesan cheese, if liked.

Bake for 45 minutes until the top is crispy and golden.

Dairy free – also egg and nut free
Follow the recipe above – but use dairy-free spread instead of butter; soya, rice or oat milk instead of cow’s milk; and soya cream alternative for single cream.  Use dairy-free Parmesan.

Watch out for fish and crustaceans.   If allergic to crustaceans, but not white fish, omit the prawns and increase the fish to a total of 1.25kg (2¾lb)

If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure you buy capers in brine rather than malt vinegar.       

Chicken Drumsticks
 
Serves 4
 
A really useful recipe, popular with all ages, these chicken drumsticks can feed a crowd and you’ll have none of the “Big Four” allergens to worry about.  They are great for lunch or dinner and ideal for barbecues, especially if serving with grilled corn.  Add a baked potato for a filling and nutritious meal.  The easy-to-make barbecue sauce scores over shop-bought versions as it contains neither wheat nor dairy.Dairy, egg, gluten and nut free
 3 tbsp. corn or other flavourless nut-free oil2 tbsp molasses
4 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp mustard powder

2 tbsp wine vinegar

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp smoked paprika (pimentón)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 chicken drumsticks

Mix all the ingredients, apart from the drumsticks, in a shallow sealable container, seasoning well with salt and pepper.Make several slashes in the flesh on each chicken leg before adding them to the marinade – this lets the flavour in and also helps them to cook more evenly.  Turn the chicken drumsticks to coat them thoroughly.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off the excess.

Cook under a preheated grill or on the barbecue for 7-8 minutes on each side or until richly browned and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

Watch out for mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika – check that they are gluten free, if need be.

Serving suggestion – These are delicious served with grilled corn on the cob.  Roll the cobs in a mixture of salt, pepper, and chillies, with lime squeezed over, and cook under a grill or barbecue.  Note that some people are sensitive to chillies, so omit if in any doubt.

Foolproof food
Smoothies

Each smoothie serves 1-2
One of the most popular new breakfast foods, a good smoothie needs a balance of fruit, creaminess and sweetness.  As more people are enjoying dairy-free milks for taste and health reasons, even if they can eat dairy, this recipe uses soya and oat milks as well as cow’s milk and yogurt.   You can create other combinations with whatever ingredients you have to hand.

Egg free Banana oatie


1 large banana, chopped

240ml (8fl oz) oat milk

240ml (8fl oz) orange juice

55g (2oz) ground almonds

1 tbsp clear honey

Ground cinnamon to dust

Apricot and mango
170g (6oz) canned apricot halves, chopped

4 tbsp syrup from canned apricots

½ mango, chopped

240ml (8 fl.oz) orange juice

240ml (8 fl.oz) soya yogurt

½ tsp vanilla extract

Squeeze of lime juice

Handful of ice cubes

Melon, grape and pear
170g (6oz) Galia melon (or other melon), chopped

2 pears, peeled and chopped

240ml (8fl.oz) grape juice

2 ice cubes

Mint sprig to garnish

Mixed berry
170g (6oz) mixed red soft fruit

240ml (8fl.oz) Greek yogurt

120ml (4fl.oz) milk

2 ice cubes

3 tbsp clear honey

Raspberry coulis (optional)
55g (2oz) raspberries

2 tbsp icing sugar

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  For a thick shake, add ice cubes before blending.Pour into glasses and garnish.  Serve as soon as possible.

For the raspberry coulis, mix the raspberries with the icing sugar, and press through a sieve.  Swirl the coulis on top of each glass just before serving.

Dairy free – also egg free
The smoothies are dairy free except for the mixed berry.  Prepare as for the recipe above, but replace the yogurt and milk with soya or other dairy-free alternatives.
Gluten free – also egg free
The smoothies are gluten free except for the banana oatie.   Prepare as for the recipe on the left, but replace the oat milk with any gluten-free milk.

Nut free – also egg free
The smoothies are also nut free except for the banana oatie.  Prepare as above but replace the almonds with 60ml (2fl.oz) of coconut milk and reduce the oat milk to 120ml (4fl.oz)

Vanilla Fairy Cakes
 Makes 12

Vanilla fairy cakes are a childhood staple and a centrepiece at children’s parties.  They also figure in many children’s first experiences of cooking at home or at school, which makes it a shame for those who can’t join in because of food hypersensitivities.  Here are versions – made easy for little hands – that make it possible for everyone to take part.

Dairy, egg and nut free
 
170g (6oz) plain flour 1 tbsp baking powderPinch of salt

140g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp corn or other flavourless nut-free vegetable oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

240ml (8fl.oz) water

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/gas4).  Line 12 sections of a tartlet tin or small muffin pan with paper fairy cake cases.  Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Stir in the sugar.Add the remaining ingredients and beat until you have a smooth, liquid batter.

Pour or ladle the batter into the cake cases, filling to just below the top of the case.  Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until risen and firm to touch.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tip
If you are making these with children, place the batter in a jug or easier pouring into the paper cases.

Gluten free – also nut free
3 eggs
140g (5oz) soft, light brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

85g (3oz) butter or margarine, melted

85g (3oz) potato flour

85g (3oz) soya flour

2½ tsp gluten-free baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180C (350f/gas4)    Line 12 sections of a tartlet tin or small muffin pan with fairy cake cases.Break the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar.   Whisk with an electric or balloon whisk until thick and pale and the mixture leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted out of the batter.

Whisking all the time, add the melted butter or margarine in a thin trickle.

Sift the flours and baking powder over the surface.  Fold in with a metal spoon, using a figure of eight motion.

Spoon into the cake cases.   Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until risen and the centres spring back when lightly pressed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes a broody hen hatches out a clutch of chickens secretly in the ditch and arrives in proudly with them all clustered around her. So far none this year, so we decided to take matters into our own hands. This week we’ve just had some little chicks hatch out in the incubator in the shed. Twenty one days ago we filled it with a mixture of fertilized eggs from a variety of fowl – Marans, Araucana, Rhode Island Red, Light Sussex. Three weeks later it’s not just the kids who are excited when they start to cheep and peck their way out of the shells.
Everyone clusters around cooing and snapping shots of the cute little chicks, some still damp and scraggly from the shells. After 24 hours they are transferred to the Palais des Poulets, where they keep warm under a lamp until they are hardy enough to be able to scratch and forage for themselves outside. After about five months they’ll be starting to lay a variety of different coloured eggs – the marrans produce deep brown speckledy eggs, light Sussex – white, the araucana lay true blue eggs which are always a kitchen talking point.
No eggs will ever taste better or be fresher than the eggs from your own hens and there’s also the feel good factor – food miles are non –existent and the food scraps from the house can be fed to the hens who return the compliment by rewarding you with eggs a few days later, a delicious holistic system.
For anyone with a tiny garden with even a scrap of lawn, space shouldn’t be a problem. Hens come in two sizes, large fowl and bantams which are quarter of the size and they can be decorative as well as functional.
Provide as much space as is feasible, a mobile ark is a good idea. There are a variety of houses available from the tiny Eglu hen houses and movable arks to larger portable hen houses.
If you move the ark and run around every few days, three or four hens will be happy on even a small patch of grass. Don’t worry about annoying the neighbours, your hens will be quite happy without a cockerel , they will also lay eggs but they won’t produce chicks.
It takes less than ten minutes a day to look after your poultry and can provide hours of pleasure watching their antics. Don’t forget to give your neighbours a present of a few of your beautiful eggs from time to time, so they will be happy to look after your flock when you are on holiday!
From the cook’s point of view, the quality of the eggs makes an enormous difference to one’s cooking. Sponges and scones are lighter and more delicious, homemade mayonnaise emulsifies in seconds, even boiled eggs are different. For many they taste like a forgotten flavour, a simple hard-boiled egg becomes like a gourmet experience. Eggs are enormously nutritious and still incredible value at €3 – €3.50 for 6. Two or three boiled or poached for supper with some good soda bread will leave you feeling full and satisfied and cost a fraction of some of the other proteins.
This week I’m suggesting a few of my favourite egg recipes, many of which are dinner party fare, including a couple of delicious summery salads.
For eglu hen houses – www.omlet.co.uk

Canice Sharkey’s Rocket, Chorizo and hard-boiled egg salad

Serves 6

A delicious combination, good as a starter or main course for a summer lunch.

6 freshly laid organic eggs
6 tiny or 3 medium beetroots, cooked, peeled and quartered.
6-8oz (175-225g) chorizo, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil

A piece of aged Coolea, Desmond or Gabriel cheese
A mixture of salad leaves, cos, little gem, purslane, rocket leaves.

Home made mayonnaise

Vinaigrette made with:
3 tablesp extra virgin olive oil
3 tablesp red wine vinegar
A little Dijon mustard
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Boil the eggs in well-salted water for 6-7 minutes. Drain, cover with cold water to stop the cooking.

To prepare the beetroot, leave 5cm (2 inch) of leaf stalks on top and the whole root on the beet. Hold it under a running tap and wash off the mud with the palms of your hands, so that you don’t damage the skin; otherwise the beetroot will bleed during cooking. Cover with cold water and add a little salt and sugar. Cover the pot, bring to the boil and simmer on top, or in an oven, for 1-2 hours depending on size. Beetroot are usually cooked when the skins rub off easily and when they dent when pressed with a finger. If in doubt test with a skewer or the tip of a knife.

Meanwhile, whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a bowl.

Just before serving, heat a little olive oil in a pan, over a medium heat cook the slices of chorizo for a minute or two until they warm through and the oil begins to run.
Meanwhile toss the salad leaves in a little dressing and arrange on the base of the serving plate. Peel the eggs and cut lengthways, the centres should be still soft (they will be best if still warm). Arrange haphazardly on top of the leaves. Tuck beetroot quarters in between the leaves and sprinkle the slices of chorizo over the salad. Grate some hard cheese over the top. Drizzle the salad with the chorizo oil from the pan and serve immediately with lots of crusty sour dough bread and some homemade mayonnaise.


Classic Parmesan and Gruyère Cheese Soufflé

Serves 8-10
Guests are always wildly impressed by a well risen soufflé and believe me its not rocket science so don’t imagine for one moment that you can’t do it – a soufflé is simply a well flavoured sauce enriched with egg yolks and lightened with stiffly beaten egg. Soufflés are much more good humored than you think and can even be frozen when they are ready for the oven. The French do infinite variations on the theme, both sweet and savoury. I love to make this recipe with some of the best Farmhouse cheese eg: Desmond or Gabriel or a mature Coolea

For the moulds:
Melted butter
Souffle
15g (½ oz) Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is best) – optional
45g (1½ oz) butter
30g (1 oz) flour
300ml (½ pint) milk
4 eggs, preferably free range and organic
55g (2 oz) Gruyere cheese, finely grated
55g (2 oz) freshly grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 individual soufflé dishes, 7cm (2¾ inch) diameter x (4cm)1½ inch high or one large dish 15cm (6 inch) diameter x 6.5cm (2½inch) high.

First prepare the soufflé dish or dishes: brush evenly with melted butter and if you like dust with a little freshly grated Parmesan.
Preheat the oven to 200º C/400º F /gas mark 6 and warm a baking sheet. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir in the flour and cook over a gentle heat for 1-2 minutes. Draw off the heat and whisk in the milk, return to the heat, whisk as it comes to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Separate the eggs and put the whites into a large copper, glass or stainless steel bowl, making sure it’s spotlessly clean and dry. Whisk the yolks one by one into the white sauce, add the cheese, season with salt, pepper, cayenne and a little freshly ground nutmeg. It should taste hugely seasoned at this because the egg whites will dull the seasoning. Stir over a gentle heat for just a few seconds until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat. (can be made ahead up to this point)
Whisk the egg whites with a little pinch of salt, slowly at first and then faster until they are light and voluminous and hold a stiff peak when you lift up the whisk. Stir a few tablespoons into the cheese mixture to lighten it and then carefully fold in the rest with a spatula or tablespoon. Fill the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish or dishes (if you fill them ¾ full you will get about 10 but if you smooth the tops you will have about 8). Bake in a preheated oven for 8-9 minutes for the individual soufflés or 20-25 minutes. For the large one you will need to reduce the temperature to moderate, 180ºC / 350º F /gas mark 4, after 15 minutes and a bain marie is a good idea.
Serve immediately.

Top Tip: If you fill the soufflé dishes to the top smooth off with a palette knife then run a washed thumb around the edge of the dishes before they go into the oven to help to get the ‘top hat’ effect when the soufflé is well risen.
Individual frozen soufflés can be baked from the frozen but they will take a few minutes longer to cook.

Cheese Soufflés with salad leaves:
Just before the soufflés are cooling, toss a mixture of salad leaves and divide between the plates.

Son-In-Laws Eggs Khai Loog Kheoy

Wasinee Beech, the lovely Thai cook who has taught at the Ballymaloe Cookery School gave me this family recipe.

Serves 6

6 free range eggs
5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
100g (3 ½ oz) minced free-range pork
5 fresh shitake or dried Chinese mushrooms, sliced.
2 tablespoons palm sugar or soft brown sugar
2 tablepoons nam pla fish sauce
5 tablespoons tamarind juice (see below)
125ml (4floz) of water
1 tablespoons lemon juice
3 spring onions, sliced into lcm (½ inch) long pieces
8 shallots, sliced thinly and fried with crispy in oil
2 dry red chillies, fry in a little oil or roast until fragrant but do not burn

To serve: Arjard Thai Cucumber Salad (see recipe)

Cook the eggs gently in boiling salted water for 7 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water. When cool, shell and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wok, add the cooked and shelled eggs and fry until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the crispy fried eggs to a serving dish. Cut each egg in half and arrange nicely.

Clean the wok and heat the rest of the oil. Stir-fry the garlic until golden.
Add the minced pork and sliced shitake or Chinese mushrooms. Stir and fry until the pork is cooked.

Add the palm sugar, nam-pla, tamarind juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If more liquid is required, add a little bit of water from soaking the mushrooms.

Taste and correct seasoning. Add the spring onions, give a quick stir and spoon the sauce over the arranged eggs. Top with crispy shallots and chillies. Serve with plain boiled rice and Arjard.

Note: If using dried mushrooms, put into a bowl, cover with warm water and allow to soak for 15-30 minutes. Cut the shallots lengthwise as they do in Asia.

Tamarind juice: Put a 2oz lump of tamarind in a small bowl. Cover with 125ml (4floz) of warm water. Allow to soak for a minimum of 15 minutes and squeeze the stones from the bulb with your fingers. Then press through a sieve into another bowl.

Arjard Thai Cucumber Salad

Serves 4-6

1 cucumber, quartered and sliced thinly
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly lengthwise
1 red chilli, seeded and ringed thinly, sliced into rings
1 green chilli, seeded and sliced into rings

Marinade
3-4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Mix the ingredients for the marinade together in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. When cool, pour the marinade over the cucumber.

Soft Hard-Boiled Eggs with Lettuce and Anchovies

I recently came across this recipe of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s in the Guardian Weekend – delicious and simple – A pared-down version of the classic niçoise, which places a bit more emphasis on the eggs.

Serves 4

2-4 lettuces (ideally a combination of cos/romaine and butterhead)
6 eggs, at room temperature
Olive oil
Vinegar
A pinch of sugar
Mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-8 anchovies

Wash and gently dry the lettuce. Tear the larger leaves in half and put them in a salad bowl. The eggs should be what I call soft hard-boiled, ie, the whites completely set but the yolks just a bit runny in the middle. I achieve this pretty reliably by putting the eggs in a pan of hand-hot water, bringing it quickly to the boil and cooking them for exactly four minutes (five if they are extra large). Then I run them under the cold tap and peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

Mix the oil and the vinegar in a ratio of 5:1, adding a pinch of sugar, a dab of mustard and some salt and pepper. Shake it up in a jar. Roughly chop the still-warm eggs and put them on top of the lettuce. Chop the anchovies and scatter over the eggs, then drizzle over the dressing. Serve at once.

Foolproof Food
Egg white Omelette

Calorie free!!
Serves 1

4 egg whites preferably free range organic
salt and freshly ground pepper (careful with the salt)
2 tbs of freshly chopped herbs eg parsley, chives, tarragon, thyme or rosemary.
Your chosen filling (optional)

1 dessertspoon clarified butter or olive oil
.
omelette pan, preferably non stick, 23cm (9 inch) diameter

Warm a plate in the oven. Whisk the eggs whites in a bowl, just enough to break up the albumen with a fork or whisk. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put the warm plate beside the cooker.

Heat the omelette pan over a high heat – add the clarified butter or oil, it should sizzle immediately. Pour in the egg mixture. It will start to cook instantly so quickly pull the edges of the omelette towards the centre with a metal spoon or spatula, tilting the pan so that the uncooked mixture runs to the sides 4 maybe 5 times. Continue until most of the egg is set and will not run any more, the centre will still be soft and slightly under cooked at this point but will continue to cook on the plate. If you are using a filling, spoon the hot mixture in a line across the centre at this point.

To fold the omelette: Flip the edge just below the handle of the pan into the centre, then hold the pan almost perpendicular over the plate so that the omelette will flip over again, then half roll half slide the omelette onto the plate so that it lands folded in three. (It should not take more than 30 seconds in all to make the omelette, perhaps 45 if you are adding a filling).

Hot Tips

This weekend the West of Ireland’s favourite family festival is back: Féile na Tuaithe – Turlough Park takes place at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May 2008. Now in its fourth year, this free festival has proved itself to be a favourite with all members of the family attracting up to 12,000 visitors over the two days. Artisan food has been a part of the festival since the beginning, but this year there is a dedicated marquee with more stalls to meet demand and interest. E-mail: bbyron@museum.ie www.museum.ie

Cork Free Choice Consumer Group – next meeting Thursday 29th May 7.30pm
At Crawford Gallery Café, Cork -€6 including tea, coffee etc.
Allotments and Community Gardens – What is the present situation? Is there more demand? Where can more allotments be located? What is the Council’s role? What is their future? – speakers Mick Mack of Cork Greenmap, Councillor Chris O’Leary Green Party, Elinor Rivers of Mandala Gardens and Zweena McCullough of the Hydro Allotments – all welcome.

Darina Allen is going to Castlefarm, near Athy, Co Kildare to celebrate a year of great local food. She will attend Castlefarm Shop’s first birthday barbeque on Sunday afternoon June 1st. This local food celebration feast will include an organic pig on a spit and a smorgasbord of Castlefarm and locally produced food. There will also be cheese and cream making demonstrations and for the competitive a welly throwing competition. On the day local cheesemaker Elizabeth Bradley will demonstrate cheese making and we will be making cream from our own milk. Tickets are available at €20 per person and can be booked by calling Castlefarm Shop at 059-8636948 or email jenny@castlefarmshop.ie. www.castlefarmshop.ie

We were at a wonderfully convivial but unconventional wedding recently. The church service was utterly beautiful with music and readings and hauntingly beautiful hymns, but I’m not going to dwell on that because after all this is a food column.
The groom was one of Ireland’s most innovative young artisan food producers, the bride a brilliant fund manager from the ‘City’ in London. Both have a huge eclectic circle of friends. They grappled with the usual dilemma – where to draw the line on the guest list and the ultimate challenge of how to provide so many cherished relatives, neighbours, and colleagues with a delicious feast.
The groom is a stalwart of the Farmers Market movement, so they decided to invite many of their market friends to bring their beautiful produce so wedding guests could wander from stall to stall nibbling and tasting, filling and refilling their plates.
The event was held in Robert Putz’s pristine horse arena overlooking Dunmanus Bay. There were little posies of bluebells on the white linen covered tables, hunks of Gubbeen cheese made specially for the occasion, cheese biscuits and pots of relishes.
As guests arrived, pink and white fizz was served from Febvre’s white French Citroen van, Barry and Ian of The Alchemists Cocktails were whipping up cool Caipirinhas and pressed apple juice and elderflower Collins. The Sam Hudson Quartet played jazz as the guests filtered into the arena.
John Pettersen, a favourite at Schull Country Market was ladling out his homemade lemonade and John Gowan of Cork Coffee Roasters who specializes in small batch roasting was dispensing steaming shots of freshly brewed coffee.
A traditional saddleback pig specially reared for the wedding, stuffed with Clovisse’s herbs was cooking on the spit since the early hours, Barry Tyner was in charge of the Hog Roast. He cooked it for 7-8 hours over wood flames until the flesh was juicy and succulent and the crackling to die for.
Farmers Market stalls were set up all around the perimeter of the inside of the arena so guests could help themselves. We started with Stephen and Sarah Canty’s sushi with wasabi and pickled ginger. There was a selection of Gubbeen pates, terrines, salami, ham, tapas, oysters, mussels, lots of fat prawns in the shell, and great big bowls of organic salad leaves. Clovisse, the groom’s sister had grown all the organic greens and herbs in her beautiful Garden of Eden for the big bowl of salad.
Arun Kapil and the team from Green Saffron were ladling out delicious spicy rogan josh, chicken korma and red lentil dahl.
The Spanish tortilla de patatas were made from fresh Gubbeen eggs and came with a dollop of chipotle pepper salsa, this and the Paella were made by Stephen Canty to Giana Ferguson’s Andalucian family recipes,
The breads came from bakers Pagan and Jim Cruit from Ballydehob, who must have been baking all night to produce the huge basket of bread and little pigs for the guests.
Chris Hedges created the dessert, a Grand Marnier bavarois, with macerated oranges. He also baked the delicious chocolate genoise wedding cake. When it was safely enrobed in a thin coating of marzipan he passed it on to Lynn Wright who painted the most beautiful West Cork landscape on top, with Mount Gabriel clearly recognizable in the distance, so beautiful.
The groom had also made delicious homemade icecream for the occasion, guests argued about their favourites, pistachio, fresh mint, coconut, dulce de leche with mango or lemon sorbet. Of course there was lots of wonderful Irish farmhouse cheese and Gubbeen Oatcake biscuits.
When the jazz band slipped off to Ballydehob to play at the International Jazz Festival, The Glorified Jam took over, a band made up of some farmers, fishermen, market boys and their musical friends. The guests boogied and danced and nibbled into the wee hours and continued to enjoy the convivial slow food wedding.
The Farmers Market concept was an inspired way to entertain a large number of guests in an easygoing and truly delicious way.
Here are the contact details of some of the participants.

Stephen Canty, Food for Thought Tel 087-7528945 www.foodforthought.net
John Pettersen 086-0767970
Barry Rogerson The Alchemists Cocktails – 086 3423522

John Gowan, Cork Coffee Roasters 087-7766322 www.corkcoffee.com
Barry Tyner 087-6306761
Pagan & Jim Cruit 028-38961
Chris Hedges, Free-lance chef 086-8245984
Lynny Wright, ceramicist and artist 028-21889 wrighton@eircom.net
Gubbeen Cheese and Cheese Oatcake Biscuits 028-28231 www.gubbeen.ie
Arun Kapil, Green Saffron 086-8331030
Clovisse’s Gubbeen Greens 086-3991415
Febvre & Co. Wine Merchants 01-2161400 www.febvre.ie

Peter Luke’s Paella Valenciana

Giana Ferguson shared her Dad’s recipe for his favourite paella.

1 chicken, preferably free range and organic, jointed, deboned and chopped
2 dozen mussels in their shells
1lb (450g) prawns in their shells
1lb (450g) squid
4-6 soft Spanish Chorizo
1 cup per 2 people of round Spanish rice
green and red peppers
garlic
tomatoes
bay leaves
saffron
white wine
onions
stock

Brown the chicken pieces and put aside.  Clean, chop and lightly fry the squid, put aside with chicken.
Sweat onions and garlic with pepper, add the bay leaves and reserve.
Take one box of saffron and add to warm water and leave to infuse.
Fry the rice in the paella dish in olive oil until the oil is hot and the rice translucent and not quite browning.
In a proportion of approx. ⅔ cup of good stock to one cup of rice, flood the rice in the paella dish and add the saffron liquid – it is a bad idea to stir as the rice becomes glutinous so shake the paella to keep it from sticking and to help it absorb the stock.
Meanwhile sweat the mussels in white wine and shelling some, leave a few in their half shells as garnish.
The chorizo can be lightly fried at this time too (or done much earlier – keep some for tapas.)
Add the prawns (again leaving some with their coats and whiskers on for garnish)
Add the prawns, first, then the mussels which mustn’t overcook then as the rice swells with the absorbed stock, tomatoes in quarters, the chicken, chorizo and squid.  Allow to heat thoroughly through while the rice absorbs the rest of the stock without becoming tight.
Season with generous amounts of pepper and salt (unless your stock is already salted) and garnish with the half mussels, the whiskery prawns, some loosely chopped flat parsley and a few nasturtium flowers – add a good few quartered lemons and serve hot in the paella – Salut.

Tortilla de Patatas

Serves 6-8

Tortilla de Patatas sounds deceptively simple but its not as easy to make to perfection as you might think.

8-9 eggs, free range and organic
14ozs (400g) diced potato (1.5cm)
6ozs (175g) diced onion
3fl oz (75ml) extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper

The secret of success is to use enough oil. Put a generous (2.5cm) 1 inch of olive oil into a frying pan. Fry the potatoes and onions in the hot oil for about 5-7 minutes.  Add the crushed garlic and cook until the potatoes are golden on the outside and soft in the middle.  Drain off the excess oil from the potatoes.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add a teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper.  Add the potato and onion mixture. Put 2 tablespoons of oil back into the pan, when it begins to sizzle pour in the egg mixture then lower the heat, when the egg begins to cook, loosen around the edge continue to cook shaking the pan occasionally. When the tortilla is well set and golden underneath, cover the pan with an oiled plate and turn it out, be careful not to burn your hand. Add a little more oil to the frying pan if necessary. Slide the tortilla back in cooked side uppermost. Cook until firm but still slightly moist in the centre. Serve hot or at room temperature cut into wedges.

Fingal and Ciara’s Wedding Cake

A Chocolate Genoese Sponge:
16 free range eggs
8 oz (225g) butter
1lb (450g) caster sugar
12oz (350g) plain flour, sieved
4 oz (110g) Green and Black’s or Fairtrade cocoa powder

Praline:
8oz (225g) hazelnuts
8oz (225g) almonds
1lb (450g) castor sugar

Praline Butter Cream:
1lb (450g) butter
3 eggs
1lb (450g) caster sugar
5 fl.oz (150ml) water
Praline paste to taste (see recipe above)

Almond Paste:
2lb (900g) ground almonds
2lb (900g) caster sugar
2lb (900g) icing sugar
12 oz (350g) egg yolks, approx.
2fl.oz (50ml) brandy

Baking tray 16 inch x 20 inch, lined with silicone paper.
Preheat the oven to 375F/180C/gas 4.

To make the cake:
Sieve the flour and cocoa together with a pinch of salt.
Whisk eggs and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and doubled in bulk, showing the signs of the whisk (ribbon stage).
Gently fold in the sieved flour and cocoa, and finally the melted butter.
Pour into the lined baking tray.  Bake for approx. 30 minutes, it should feel firm to the touch.
When cooked turn out onto a cooling rack and remove the lining paper.
Make 2 of these ‘sheets’ of cake, using the above quantity for each.

To make the praline:
Carefully roast the nuts in a hot oven.  If using nuts with skin on, rub skin off in a sieve.
Boil sugar with a small amount of water until it reaches the caramel stage.
Add the warm nuts and stir to coat in the caramel.  Use a slightly oiled wooden spoon to flatten.
Grind two thirds of the mix to a paste.   Chop the remaining into chunky pieces.
Use to add to butter cream.

To make the  praline butter cream:
Put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and continue to cook until it reaches 240F/115C (soft ball stage).  Pour the hot syrup onto the well whisked egg.   Continue to whisk until cool.  Beat in the well creamed butter and praline paste to taste.
Fold in chopped praline to taste.

To make the almond paste:
Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl, add the egg and brandy and mix to a pliable paste.

To assemble the cake:
Place one sheet of sponge on a suitable board, ie. ½ inch/1cm  plywood.
Spread buttercream over sponge and then place second sheet on top.

Roll out the almond paste into length to run down side of cake, dusting with ground almonds to prevent sticking to work top and rolling pin.  Cut to size.   Brush with heated apricot jam and attach to side of cake.  Do this to all sides, finally roll out piece for the top.  Brush heated jam on top of the cake.  Place almond paste on top.  Decorate as desired or ask Lynn Wright to paint a picture on top.

Orange and Grand Marnier Bavarois with Crystallised Orange Peel

This classic dessert can be made at least a day ahead.   Christ Hedges served it with orange slices and Grand Marnier.

Serves 8

½ pint (300ml) milk
2 free-range eggs
1-2oz (25-50g) castor sugar
Vanilla pod or pure vanilla extract
Grated rind of 1 unwaxed orange and 2 tablespooons Grand Marnier
¼ oz/4 teaspoons gelatine dissolved in 4 tablespoons water (if you like it a bit more wobbly use 3 teaspoons of gelatine and 3 tablespoons water.
¼ pint (150ml) cream, softly whipped

To decorate: crystallised orange peel

1 pint (600ml) mould or 8 small moulds

Prepare the moulds by brushing evenly with sunflower oil and drain.
Infuse the vanilla pod and orange rind in the milk.   Separate the eggs.
Cream the egg yolks and sugar, and pour the flavoured milk on to them.  Return to the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat until the custard thickens.
Put 4 tablespoons of water in a little bowl, measure the gelatine carefully and sprinkle over the water.  Leave to ´sponge´ for a few minutes until the gelatine has soaked up the water and feels spongy to the touch.  Put the bowl into a saucepan of simmering water and allow the gelatine to dissolve completely.  All the granules should be dissolved and it should look perfectly clear.  Add the dissolved gelatine to the custard mixture and stir gently until mixed in.  Strain and cool to setting point.  Fold in Grand Marnier and the softly whipped cream.
Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.    Mix a little of the whites into the custard and then fold in the remainder carefully.
Pour into the prepared mould or moulds and allow to set.
Unmould onto a flat dish or individual serving plates and decorate with crystallised orange peel.

Crystallized Orange Peel

We always have lots of crystallized orange, lemon and lime peel in a jar to decorate tarts, scatter on mousses or just to nibble.

2 oranges
16 fl oz/450 ml cold water

Sugar syrup (see recipe)

Peel 2 oranges very thinly with a swivel top peeler, be careful not to include the white pith.  Cut the strips into fine julienne.  Put into a saucepan with the cold water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water, cover with fresh water and repeat the process

Put the julienne into a saucepan with the syrup and cook gently until the lemon julienne looks translucent or opaque (10-15 mins approx.).  Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to cool on bakewell paper or a cake rack.  When cold toss in castor sugar and allow to dry in a cool airy place.
Can be stored in a jar or airtight tin for weeks or sometimes months.

Sugar Syrup

Makes 28 fl.oz (825ml)

1lb (450g) sugar
1 pint (600ml) water

To make the sugar syrup:  dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil.  Boil for 2 minutes then allow it to cool.  Store in the fridge until needed.

Hot Tips

Summer at Country Choice in Nenagh, on Friday 23rd May Languedoc Wine Barbecue Supper – guest Catherine Wallace, one of the best winemakers in the South of France where she and her husband make an amazing biodynamic and organic red wine on their farm in St Chinian.  Evening starts at 8pm with new rosé tasting, followed by informal barbecue supper with tutored talk and tasting with Catherine.   Pre-booking essential – peter@countrychoice.com                 087-7931113         or call Anne Marie                067-32596

Farmers Market at Castlehyde Courtyard, Fermoy on Sunday 25th May 12-4pm
– The Brothers of Charity Southern Services are hosting an Open Day – Alongside the market there will be childrens’ workshops, entertainment, jazz band and art exhibition – a true family day out for a worthy cause.

Slow Food Ireland in Association with Irish Natural Forestry Foundation presents The Slow Food Forest Feast  ‘The Munch at the Manch’ to celebrate Bio Diversity Week –A great family day out not to be missed – there will be special workshops, competitions and games for children and teenagers with trained environmental teachers, knife making, hedge laying and basket making for the dads,  guest chef cookery demonstrations, guided woodland walks, traditional crafts demonstrations, workshops and lots of music – a day of Slow Fun –in the wonderful setting of the 300 acres of the Manch Estate, Ballineen, Co Cork also on Sunday 25th May – noon to 6pm
Tickets €25 adults €12 children, available from Lynn @ INFF Tel                023-22823         or email
lynn@inff.ie or info@slowfoodireland.com

Cookery Demonstration by Darina Allen at Garryvoe Hotel on Tuesday 27th May at 7.45pm in aid of Shanagarry Playground Fund.  Pre-booking essential.
Tickets €25 available from Garryvoe Hotel, Mahon Point Shopping Centre (Customer Services),  Ballymaloe Cookery School Shop, Brodericks Shanagarry, Stephen Pearce Gallery and Mark Doyle                087-6749503        , mark@processsolutions.ie   Great spot prizes –100% of money raised will go to the playground fund.

I regularly get requests for special diet recipes, gluten free, low sugar and dairy free are top of the list.
Dairy free is easy, to change to extra virgin olive oil is no great sacrifice. There are many delicious cake and pastry recipes where oil can be substituted for butter and we’ve also got lots of terrific wheat free and gluten free recipes.
Those of you who must have reduced sugar recipes seem to have a deep and constant craving for something sweet and yummy. They feel deprived of one of the greatest pleasures in life.
Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson discovered a few years ago that he was a prime candidate for diabetes, his resistance to insulin, a hormone that helps the body to process sugar and use it as a fuel, was so high that his doctor ordered him to take drastic steps to reduce his weight and sugar intake. Antony took on the challenge with characteristic enthusiasm but still hankered after a bit of pud and some cookies every now and then. He began to experiment with artificial sweeteners, most of which got the thumbs down, but then he started to test recipes with one called Splenda. He got terrific results and still managed to dramatically reduce his family’s calorie intake.
With his usual exuberance he wanted to spread the word so he wrote ‘The Sweet Life’, 101 indulgent recipes with less sugar for those who want to reduce their sugar consumption and calorie intake. If you are a diabetic, a little sugar can be fine but you will need to check with your doctor or nutritionist for advice on your particular condition.
Splenda is suitable for people with diabetes to use as part of a healthy balanced diet. Sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in Splenda, is not metabolized by the body. As a result, Splenda has an insignificant effect on insulin or blood glucose levels. This means that by replacing sugar with Splenda, even people with diabetes can enjoy sweet dishes and baked treats.
Antony has also written a book on ‘Healthy Eating for Diabetes’ which I have recommended to diabetics on several occasions. Here is a selection of sweet treats from
‘The Sweet Life’ by Antony Worrall Thompson, published by Kyle Cathie.

Fresh Strawberry Sponge
Serves 8

This cake uses a Genoise sponge as a base – a light and airy whisked sponge- with the addition of melted butter that adds extra flavour and moisture, and makes it keep slightly longer. Its delicious served as it is here, in a single layer with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, or you can sandwich the cream and fruit between the two layers.
Try this cake with the first of the new season’s Irish strawberries.

40g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing.
25g caster sugar
4 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
5 eggs
100g plain flour

For the topping:
400g strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon Splenda granulated sweetener
200ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and base line two 20cm loose base sandwich tins.
Put the sugar, sweetener and eggs in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and whisk with a hand-held electric whisk until the whisk leaves a trail when lifted from the bowl. Remove from the heat ad whisk for a further 2 minutes.
Pour the melted butter around the edges of the mixture. Sift half the flour into the bowl and fold in with the butter, using a large metal spoon. Sift the remaining flour into the bowl and fold in. Divide between the tins and spread gently to the edges.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until pale golden around the edges and just firm to the touch. Loosen the edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, make a sauce by blitzing half the strawberries with the Splenda in a food processor. Pass through a sieve into a little bowl. Slice the remaining strawberries.
Whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks. Spread over the cake , and top with sliced strawberries and the sauce.

Raspberry and Banana Muffins

Makes 8

Antony used frozen raspberries in this recipe as he feels they have a more intense flavour than fresh ones.

200g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
100g frozen raspberries, briefly thawed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g butter, melted
100ml semi-skimmed milk
1 ripe banana, mashed

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Place 8 paper muffin cases into a muffin tray, or use squares of greaseproof paper.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sweetener and raspberries.
Beat together the egg, vanilla extract, melted butter and milk. Stir into the dry ingredients with the mashed banana until just combined. Avoid overmixing and do not beat. The mixture will be quite lumpy, but there should not be any traces of dry flour. Spoon into the paper cases.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Brownies

Makes 15

Everyone loves chocolate brownies – they don’t stay on the plate for long!

250g plain chocolate, chopped
175g unsalted butter
3 eggs
25g Splenda granulated sweetener
60g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Grease and line a shallow 27x18cm baking tin with greaseproof paper.

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and rest it over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Leave until melted, stirring frequently. Alternatively melt in the microwave for 2 minutes at maximum power.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, gradually whisking in the sweetener until combined. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add the walnuts and stir the ingredients together until just combined.
Turn into the tin and spread the mixture into the corners. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the surface is set but the mixture feels very soft underneath.
Leave to cool in the tin. Cut into squares and store in an airtight tin.

Apple Pie

Serves 6

This is a double crust apple pie that’s best made on a metal plate so the bottom has a chance to crisp up. If you don’t have a metal pie plate, use a small shallow pie dish and line the sides and top of the dish only.

50g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored and sliced
4 dessert apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
10 cloves
1½ teaspoons mixed spice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
375g sweet shortcrust or puff pastry
Flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6, adding a baking sheet to heat through. Grease a 22cm pie plate.
Melt half the butter in a large frying pan. Add the apples and sweetener and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples start to soften. Stir in the spices and lemon juice and leave to cool.
Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured board and use to line the pie plate. Scatter the apples and juices over the top, piling them up in the centre. Dot with the remaining butter. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg.
Roll out the remaining pastry and use to cover the pie. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork to seal. Trim off any excess pastry and use to decorate if desired. Make a few slashes in the top with a sharp knife – this will allow the steam to escape. Brush the top with more beaten egg and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until pale golden.

Apricot Jam

Makes about 600g

This delicious, tangy fruit spread technically isn’t a jam – without sugar used in the method, it doesn’t have the same preservative qualities a ‘real’ jam would have. Its therefore best made in small quantities and it keeps in the fridge for up to three weeks.

1½ teaspoons gelatine powder
500g fresh apricots, stoned and roughly chopped
200ml apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener

Put 2 tablespoons water into a bowl and stir in the gelatine. Leave to soak whilst you cook the apricots.
Put the apricots into a saucepan and pour in the apple and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the apricots are soft. Skim off any foam that collects on the surface using a slotted spoon.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sweetener. Add the gelatine and stir again until dissolved. Ladle into sterilised jars and cover with discs of greaseproof paper and lids whilst still hot.

Fruit, nut and seed bars

Makes 12

175g butter, plus extra for greasing
175g set honey
6 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
200g porridge oats
Pinch of salt
200g fruit and nut mix (dried apricots, raisins or sultanas, cashew nuts and coconut shavings are nice)
50g dried cranberries
75g mixed seeds (like sunflower, pumpkin and linseeds)
50g desiccated coconut

These yummy energy bars are just the thing for a mid-morning boost, and they’re a perfect fit for a packed lunch or picnic.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line with greaseproof paper, leaving an overhang to make it easier to remove the bars later.
Melt the butter and honey in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
Mix together the sweetener, porridge oats, salt, fruit and nut mix, cranberries, mixed seeds and coconut. Add to the saucepan and stir together until thoroughly mixed. Tip into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the tin and cut into bars. Cool completely on a wire rack. Keep in an airtight container, or wrap in greaseproof paper.

Hot Tips

All-Ireland Farmers Market Competition
Enniscorthy Farmers Market will host an all-Ireland Farmers Market Competition on Saturday 28th June and Sunday 29th June in the Abbey Square Enniscorthy. The competition will take place during the weekend of the Strawberry Fair and all markets are invited to get involved. Closing date 30th May – contact Anne Jordan, Enniscorthy Town Council, Market Square, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford for application form. Tel 053-9233540 or anne.jordan@enniscorthytc.ie

Driving the Industry Forward –
The must-attend 2008 BIM Seafood Event ‘Fish Ireland 2008’ – Conference on Innovation and Sustainability – Thursday 26th June – Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel, Donegal.
Online registration and latest information are available on the BIM website at www.bim.ie/killybegsconference Tel 01-2144204 killybegsconference@bim.ie

Debenhams ban Unhealthy Ingredients from Cafes and Restaurants
Department store chain Debenhams has announced that it has banned a number of unhealthy ingredients in all of the food products served at its restaurants and cafes –
The group has removed all hydrogenated fats, genetically modified ingredients and artificial colours from the menus at the dining outlets at its 166 stores across the UK and Ireland. The move came after Debenhams launched a £5m overhaul of its instore restaurants earlier this year, including the update of interiors and menus.
‘Banning hydrogenated fats, GM and azo colours has been on our agenda for some time but the logistics involved in banning every product which contains them are extensive’ a spokesman stated.

How to Keep a Few Chickens in the Garden
– this course at Ballymaloe Cookery School has been rescheduled to Saturday 21st June (due to the death of Darina Allen’s mother it was cancelled on an earlier date) 9.30- 5 Tel 021-4646785 info@cookingisfun.ie

It seems like an eternity since I wrote my last column. In those seven days I lived through a whole lifetime of emotions -joy, helplessness, gratitude, guilt, relief, loneliness, deep sadness, not necessarily in that order.
During those seven days my eight siblings and I sat by our mother’s bedside, taking turns to watch over her and hold her hand, as she gradually slipped in and out of consciousness and finally passed away gently in her sleep as dawn broke on April the 17th.
Mummy was in her early eighties and had been a widow for 45 years. She was a woman of strong faith and was so looking forward to being with Daddy once again. She consoled us all by whispering that she was not frightened of death. As she lapsed into a coma we longed for her to open her eyes just one more time, until my sister reminded us of how disappointed she was likely to be if she woke up to find us all peering anxiously at her, rather than meeting Daddy with his arms open wide. During the long week with my brothers and sisters, there were several other comic moments, and even some laughter interspersed with sadness and grief as we reminisced and swapped memories.
With hindsight those seven long days and nights were some of the most precious of my entire life. How fortunate were my brothers and sisters and I to be able to spend that time uninterrupted, with the extraordinary woman of courage and fortitude who brought us into the world, and whose wonderful cooking brought joy and solace to family and friends for over eighty years.
Our home was always full of the delicious smells of cooking. Among many things, Mummy taught each and every one of us how to bake and roast, braise and stew and the joy of sharing food and sitting around the kitchen table with family and friends.
Her spirit lives on in every picnic we share and every skill she taught us, and in the smell of Cullohill Apple Tart and Mummy’s Sweet Scones.

Mummy’s Brown Soda Bread

I’ll never forget the flavour and texture of Mummy’s Bread. For years Mummy baked several loaves of soda bread every single day, and even after her stroke she continued to make bread with one ‘good hand’ on a regular basis. When I was little she would give me a little piece of dough to make a ‘cistín’, which I proudly baked alongside her loaf in the Esse.

Makes 1 loaf

225g (1/2lb) white flour
225g (1/2lb) wholemeal flour (Howard’s-one-way)
1 level teaspoon bread soda
1 level teaspoon salt
450ml (13floz-16fl oz) buttermilk (depending on consistency of buttermilk)

Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF/gas mark 8.

Mix the flour in a large wide bowl, add the salt and sieved bread soda. Lift the flour up with your fingers to distribute the salt and bread soda.

Make a well in the centre and pour in all the buttermilk. With your fingers stiff and outstretched, stir in a circular movement from the centre to the outside of the bowl in ever increasing concentric circles. When you reach the outside of the bowl seconds later the dough should be made.

Sprinkle a little flour on the worktop. Turn the dough out onto the floured worktop. (Fill the bowl with cold water so it will be easy to wash later.)
Sprinkle a little flour on your hands. Gently tidy the dough around the edges and transfer to oven tray. Tuck the edges underneath with the inner edge of your hands, gently pat the dough with your fingers into a loaf about 4cm (1 ½ in) thick. Now wash and dry your hands.

Cut a deep cross into the bread (this is called ‘Blessing the bread’ and then prick it in the centre of the four sections to let the fairies out of the bread).

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for a further 15 minutes. Turn the bread upside down and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked (the bottom should sound hollow when tapped). Cool on a wire rack.

Farmhouse Chicken

Serves 8

This was a favourite family supper in our house, a whole meal in a dish. Originally Mummy reared the chickens herself and she always served it in the big black roasting tin.

1 x 4 lb (1.8kg) free-range chicken
Seasoned flour
1¼ lb (560g) streaky bacon in one piece
2 tablesp sunflower or arachide oil
14 oz (400g) finely sliced or chopped onions
12-16 ozs (350g-450g) thinly sliced carrots
5 lbs (2.3kg) large ‘old’ potatoes approx.
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pints (1.1L) chicken stock, made from the giblets and carcass

Garnish:
1 tablesp. freshly chopped parsley

Deep roasting tin 15” (38cm) square approx.

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas 8

Joint the chicken into 8 pieces; separate the wing joints so they will cook evenly. Cut the rind off the bacon; cut 8ozs (225g) into ½ inch (1cm) lardons and the remainder into ¼ inch (5mm) thick slices. If salty, blanch, refresh and dry on kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan and cook the lardons until the fat begins to run and they are pale golden; transfer to a plate. Toss the chicken joints in seasoned flour, sauté in the bacon fat and oil until golden on both sides, remove from the pan and put with the bacon. Finally toss the onions and carrots in bacon fat for 1-2 minutes.
Peel the potatoes and slice a little less than half into ¼ inch (5mm) rounds. Arrange a layer of potato slices on the base of a deep roasting tin. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle the carrots, onions and bacon over the potatoes and arrange the chicken on top. Season again with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour enough hot stock over to almost cover. Cut the remaining potatoes into thick slices lengthways, 1½ inches (4cm) approx. and arrange cut side up on top of the chicken (the whole top of the dish should be covered with potato slices). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour approx. After 30 minutes put the strips of bacon on top so they get deliciously crisp with the potatoes. Test after one hour – it may take a little longer. If its getting too brown, cover loosely with greaseproof paper or foil near the end of the cooking. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve at the table followed by a good green salad.

Mummy’s Scalloped Potato with Steak and Kidney

Serves 4-6
We used to ask Mummy to make this comforting and economical dish when we came home from college on winter weekends. One can do lots of variations on the theme; streaky bacon is particularly good and shoulder of lamb would also be delicious.

450g (1lb) well-hung stewing beef (I use round, flank or even lean shin)
1 beef kidney
salt and freshly ground pepper
1.1-1.35kg (2½-3lb) ‘old’ potatoes – Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks
340g (¾lb) onions, chopped
50-70g (2-2½oz) butter
water or homemade stock
Garnish
Freshly chopped parsley

I use a large, oval Le Creuset casserole, 2.3 litre (4 pint) capacity.

Remove the skin and white core from the kidney and discard; cut the flesh into 1cm (½inch) cubes, put them into a bowl, cover with cold water and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt. Cut the beef into ½cm (¼inch) thick slices. Put a layer of potato slices on the base of the casserole. Drain the kidney and mix with the beef, then scatter some of the meat and chopped onion over the layer of potato. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper, dot with butter, add another layer of potato, more meat, onions and seasoning and continue right up to the top of the casserole. Finish with an overlapping layer of potato. Pour in the stock, 375ml (13floz) approx. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in a preheated slow oven, 150C/300G/gas mark 2, for 2-2½hours or until the meat and potatoes are cooked. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve from the casserole.
We eat this in deep plates with lots and lots of butter
You can remove the lid of the saucepan near the end of the cooking time to brown the top slightly for a more appetising appearance.

Cullohill Apple Tart

The pastry is made by the creaming method so people who are convinced that they suffer from ‘hot hands’ don’t have to worry about rubbing in the butter.

Serves 8-12

Pastry
8 ozs (225g) butter
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free range
12 ozs (340g) white flour, preferably unbleached

Filling
1½ lbs (675g) Bramley Seedling cooking apples
5 ozs (140g) sugar
2-3 cloves
egg wash-made with one beaten egg and a dash of milk
Castor sugar for sprinkling

To Serve
Softly whipped cream
Barbados sugar

tin, 7 inches (18cm) x 12 inches (30.5cm) x 1 inch (2.5cm) deep

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/regulo 4.

First make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food mixer (no need to over cream). Add the eggs and beat for several minutes. Reduce speed and mix in the flour. Turn out onto a piece of floured greaseproof paper, flatten into a round wrap and chill. This pastry needs to be chilled for at least 2 hours otherwise it is difficult to handle.
To make the tart
Roll out the pastry 1/8 inch (3mm) thick approx., and use about 2/3 of it to line a suitable tin. Peel, quarter and dice the apples into the tart, sprinkle with sugar and add the cloves. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with pastry leaves, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the apples are tender, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour. When cooked cut into squares, sprinkle lightly with castor sugar and serve with softly whipped cream and barbados sugar.

Rhubarb Tart
Make in exactly the same way but use approx. 2lbs (900g) sliced red rhubarb (about ½ inch thick) and approx. 13 ozs (370g) -14ozs (400g) sugar.

For years Mummy cooked delicious pub food in our family pub The Sportsmans Inn in Cullohill, Co Laois. So many of your letters of support mention calling on the way to or from Dublin for Mummy’s Apple Tart or Scones with Apple Jelly, so I’m delighted to share the recipe to bring back happy memories.

Mummy’s Crab Apple or Bramley Apple Jelly

Makes 2.7-3kg (6-7 lb)

2.7kg (6 lb) crab apples or wind fall cooking apples
2.7L (4¾ pints) water
2 unwaxed lemons
sugar

Wash the apples and cut into quarters, do not remove either peel or core. Windfalls may be used, but make sure to cut out the bruised parts. Put the apples into a large saucepan with the water and the thinly pared rind of the lemons, cook until reduced to a pulp, approx. 2 hour.
Turn the pulp into a jelly bag* and allow to drip until all the juice has been extracted – usually overnight. Measure the juice into a preserving pan and allow 450g (1lb) sugar to each 600ml (1pint) of juice. Warm the sugar in a low oven.
Squeeze the lemons, strain the juice and add to the preserving pan. Bring to the boil and add the warm sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly without stirring for about 8-10 minutes. Skim, test and pot immediately and eat with scones.

Mummy’s Sweet White Scones

The smell of freshly baked scones coming out of the oven was one of my earliest memories, and then there was the squabbling over the sugar tops with my brothers and sisters!

Makes 18-20 scones using a 72 cm (3inch) cutter

900g (2lb) plain white flour
170g (6oz) butter
3 free range eggs
pinch of salt
55g (2oz) castor sugar
3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
450ml (15floz) approx. milk to mix

Glaze
egg wash (see below)
granulated sugar for sprinkling on top of the scones

First preheat the oven to 250C/475F/gas mark 9.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead lightly, just enough to shape into a round. Roll out to about 22cm (1inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones.* Put onto a baking sheet – no need to grease. Brush the tops with egg wash and dip each one in granulated sugar. Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.
Serve split in half with home made jam and a blob of whipped cream or just butter and jam.

Egg Wash
Whisk 1 egg with a pinch of salt. This is brushed over the scones and pastry to help them to brown in the oven.

* Top Tip – Stamp them out with as little waste as possible, the first scones will be lighter than the second rolling.

Fruit Scones
Add 110g (4oz) plump sultanas to the above mixture when the butter has been rubbed in. Continue as above.

Useful Tip
Scone mixture may be weighed up ahead – even the day before. Butter may be rubbed in but do not add raising agent and liquid until just before baking.

Hot Tips

Congratulations to Jacques Restaurant
This much loved Cork restaurant has been awarded the best restaurant in Munster by their peers at the Restaurant Association of Ireland restaurant awards in Mayo. Jacques is now in its 28th year and still run with passion by Jacque and Eithne Barry along with their team Eileen Carey and John Kelly. They also won the 2008 Georgina Campbell award for best Natural Food in Ireland in recognition of their commitment to using only local food, showcasing all that is best in Cork. Jacques, Phoenix Street, Cork, Tel 021-4277387

Burren Slow Food Festival 23-25 May, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare.
Slow Food Lunches and Dinners, Talks, Markets, Food Exhibitions, Supper Theatre and much, much more. Contact Birgitta Hedin-Curtin, 087-822 4173 info@burrensmokehouse.ie or slowfoodclare@hotmail.com

Third Annual StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress – A Kitchen without Boundaries – September 14-16, 2008 New York City
www.starchefs.com

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