ArchiveNovember 2012

Yippee, another book from Stevie Parle, one of the New Young Voices in food who is now really going into orbit – a couple of years ago I wrote about Stevie’s first book, Real Food from Near and Far and restaurant Dock Kitchen in Ladbroke Grove in West London. Stevie has achieved huge critical acclaim for his creative yet unpretentious and exceptionally delicious food cooking. He was chosen as Observer Young chef of the year in 2010 and writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph.

In just over two years, Stevie has written three books. In his latest book – Spice Trip The Simple Way to Make Food Exciting – he has linked up with Emma Grazette to document their incredible journey to all corners of the world to discover the secrets of six essential everyday spices.  For nutmeg and mace they went all the way toGrenada, next it was cloves inZanzibar, cumin inTurkey, cinnamon inIndia, beautiful black pepper inCambodiaand for chillies where else butMexico. As well as exploring the culinary uses of each spice, Emma also reveals their therapeutic value through the secrets she discovered from the remarkable people she met on her journey. The photographs are just gorgeous, rich, and evocative and enough to truly whet your appetite and spike the curiosity of even the most determined meat and two veg fan.

This book accompanies Stevie and Emma’s first TV series Spice Trip on More 4 on November 25^th 2012.

Stevie Parle’s Swiss Chard with Cinnamon, Pine Nuts, Raisins and Vinegar

 

This is a great side dish, particularly with simply roasted chicken. Don’t worry if you can only find Swiss chard with fine stalks or no stalks at all, as it’s just as good. You can use spinach instead of chard.

1kg (2 ¼ lb) Swiss or rainbow chard, leaves stripped from stalk and stalk cut into1cm (1/4 in strips)

25g (1oz) butter

olive oil for frying

1 shallot, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

50g (2oz) pine nuts

6cm (2 ½ inch) cinnamon stick

a pinch of saffron threads soaked in boiling water

50g raisins, soaked in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the chard leaves until soft, about 1 minute, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and lay them out on kitchen paper to drain and cool. In the same pan, boil the stalks until soft, about 10 minutes, then drain.

In a heavy based pan melt the butter with a splash of olive oil and gently fry the shallot with a pinch of salt over a low heat until soft and sweet, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, pine nuts and the cinnamon stick and continue to fry, stirring occasionally for five minutes, add the saffron water and raisins for the final minute.

Roughly chop the chard leaves and add to the pan, along with the stalks, Give it a good mix, season well and serve.

Musa’s Cumin Köfte with Melon and Tomato Salad

 

Serves 4 – 6

 

Köfte are Turkish meatballs, Musa Dugdeviren at the Ciya restaurant in Instanbul taught me how to make his köfte. He always cuts the meat by hand (I used the biggest knife I’ve ever seen, though he wasn’t too impressed with my knife skills) Of course you can use minced meat, as I’ve done here – you won’t quite get the crumbly texture of Musa’s köfte  but they will still taste great. It’s important to get enough fat in the mixture – as when making sausages or burgers – to keep the patties moist and tasty. I always use the beef fat as it’s not as greasy as lamb fat. I like to serve these with melon, tomato, chilli and feta salad.

For the Köfte

 

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

a handful of parsley leaves finely chopped

a pinch of ground cinnamon

a pinch of ground allspice

a pinch of chilli flakes

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

250g (9oz) lamb mince

olive oil for frying

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

1kg (2 ¼ lb) watermelon or other small melon, such as cantaloupe or galia cut into large chunks

2 tomatoes cut into large chunks

100g (3 ½ oz) feta

A handful of mint leaves

1 chilli finely chopped

olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the köfte ingredients, except for the oil in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Mix everything with your hands until the mixture is just combined but try not to over mix. With slightly wet hands, shape the meat into patties about 4cm (1 ½ inch) in diameter and press a finger in the middle of each patty to make an indentation.

To make the salad place the melon and tomatoes in a bowl and season. Break up the feta, tear in the mint, and sprinkle in the chilli. Drizzle generously with oil and squeeze the lemon juice over the salad. Toss very gently for a few seconds and then leave to sit while you cook the köfte.

Heat up a large pan with a good glug of oil. When the oil is hot, fry the köfte for 2 minutes on each side until golden and just cooked through. Serve with the salad.

Stevie Parle’s Cauliflower and Potato Curry

 

Serves 3

 

This is a brilliant dish to know as it’s incredibly cheap and immensely satisfying. It’s one I like to teach to people going off to ‘uni’ as it’s a great healthy staple. It also makes a terrific side dish for grilled meat or fish.

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm (3/4 in) cubes

olive oil for frying

1 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 x 5cm (2 inch) piece ginger peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 cauliflower, broken into large florets and leaves roughly chopped

A small bunch of coriander, leaves picked

3 tablespoons Greek Style yoghurt

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the potatoes to the boil in a pan of salted water and cook until tender. Drain and leave to cool.

Heat a little oil in a large, heavy based pan (with a lid) and gently fry the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to crackle, add the ginger, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli, Stir for 1 minutes, adding a little extra oil if it begins to stick.

Add the cauliflower, followed by 100ml (3 ½ fl oz) water and good pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is just done. Stir in the potatoes and coriander and finish by swirling in the yoghurt. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Stevie Parle’s Turkish Pizza

 

Makes 4

These are called lahmacun in Turkey and they’re one of my favourite snacks. This is a classic version, but there are loads of different ones so experiment as you like. The dough keeps in the fridge overnight but needs an hour to wake up before you roll it.

For the Dough

350ml (12fl oz) lukewarm water around 37ºC

1 tablespoon dried yeast

a pinch of sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g (1 ¼ lb) strong white bread flour (or 00 pasta flour) plus extra for dusting

½ teaspoon table salt

For the Topping

300g (11oz) lamb mince

1 red onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground coriander

A pinch of Turkish chilli flakes or 1 red chilli, finely chopped optional

1 teaspoon sumac (optional)

a squeeze of lemon juice

sea salt

To Serve

A large handful of parsley leaves

A large handful of mint leaves

In a bowl mix the warm water with the yeast, sugar and oil. Leave for about 10 minutes to froth up. Leave for about 10 minutes to froth up. Meanwhile mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the liquid, then stir, gradually incorporating all of the liquid to make a sticky dough.

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until it is transformed into a glossy, stretchy dough. Return to the bowl, cover tightly with cligfilm and leave somewhere warm for about an hour. Once risen, turn out again and knead for a few more minutes.

Preheat the oven to its hottest setting 230 – 300ºC/450-450-474ºF/gas 8 – 9 and put a pizza stone or heavy roasting tray in to get really hot.

On a large board, chop together the lamb, onion, tomato, green chilli, garlic, cumin and coriander to make a smooth much. Season well.

On a well-floured surface, roll your dough into 4 large rounds, about ½ cm (1/4 inch) thick. Spread the lamb mix thinly on top of the dough. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and very carefully transfer the lahmacuns onto it (you might find a tart tine base or something flat useful for this) Bake for about 5 minutes, until bubbly and slightly brown at the edges. Sprinkle with the chilli flakes and sumac if you want to. Add a squeeze of lemon and roll up with the parsley and mint leaves to eat.

Stevie Parle’s Cumin and Coriander Chicken Livers

 

Serves 4 – 6

This is quite a wet dish, so it’s best to serve it in a bowl, preferably with flatbread. The sauce is a green masala (hara masala) which you can add to lots of things from clams to fish to roast chicken.

2 bunches of coriander

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 x 5cm (2in) piece ginger

1 green chilli

a handful of cumin seeds, toasted and ground

juice of 1 lime, plus a squeeze for serving

olive oil

400g (14oz) chicken livers trimmed

2 tablespoons natural yoghurt

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

Flatbread

In a food processor, blend the coriander, ginger, chilli, spices and lime juice with a glug of oil until you have a wet green paste. Season to taste. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the chicken livers.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, heavy based pan. When hot add the livers and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, turning once. Take off the heat, stir in the yoghurt and serve in bowls. Add an extra squeeze of lime to taste. Serve with a pile of flatbread.

Hottips

 

Tracton Community and Arts Centre Christmas Fair will take place on Sunday, 25th November from 10.30am to 5.30pm and will launch the first community bread and pizza oven in Ireland. Delicious woodfired pizza will be served along with local artisan food producers – Gidi Gur’s election of organic pitas and vegetarian food Tel. 087-2255608 Chloe’s Chocolates – Homemade chocolate truffles and chocolate biscuit cakes, Tel. 086-660 7105 East of Boston Foods (Barbara O’Mahony) – dessert sauces, relishes and honey, Tel. 021 477 0740 Ovenbuilder Hendrik Lepel (bakehus.com) in conjunction with Pompeii Pizza (087-7572615)- Delicious pizza from the new wood-fired oven. Finders Inn Gourmet Foods  (Aaron Mc Donnell) – A range of bread, soups and pates Tel. 087 2787070. For more information about the Christmas Fair, please contact: 086-0711910.

 

Look out for Wilkie Chocolates– Shana Wilkie is the only Bean to Bar Chocolate Maker in Ireland, she produces small hand tempered batches of premium organic chocolate made from cocoa beans sourced from the Amazon region in Peru. Her 75% Amazonian Organic Dark Chocolate won Best Organic Confectionary at Bord Bia National Organic Awards in September – www.wilkieschocolate.ie

Midway through every 12 Week Certificate Course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, we all pile onto a bus and go on a foodie tour. It’s not just a gastronomic foodie skite, the object of the exercise is to introduce the students (11 nationalities) this time, to as many inspirational food producers, restaurateurs, artisan brewers, cheese makers and great ideas as possible in one fun and action packed day. We start early. This time we began at 8am sharp with a short foraging walk through the farm down to Bill Casey’s Shanagarry Smokehouse. Bill started to smoke fish almost 30 years ago when he was made redundant from Cork Marts.  Ever since he’s been concentrating on smoking salmon.  “Keep it simple, do one thing and do it right” was Bill’s council to the students. Originally he sourced wild salmon from Ballycotton but nowadays he uses Irish organic farmed salmon which he smokes with a mixture of beech and oak chippings. Over the years he has built up a loyal clientele of local and overseas customers. The students tucked enthusiastically into slivers of salmon, fresh from the smoker before they piled on to the bus en route to Mahon Point Farmer’s Market.

Plenty of ideas here, over 40 forty entrepreneurs selling a fantastically good selection of fresh locally produced foods – home grown vegetables, fresh herbs and plants, farmhouse cheese, a variety of breads and home baking to make your mouth water. Then there was Glan Gluten for Coeliacs and those who have wheat intolerance. Fresh fish from Ballycotton and Schull being filleted at the speed of light, organic and free range chickens both fresh and roasted, heritage pork, cured meats, sausages and salamis. Homely meat pies flying off the stall, smoked fish and fish cakes, local honey, hand-made butter, cheese and thick unctuous yoghurt, and beautiful fresh milk (un- homogenised). Cake pops, cupcakes, macaroons and on and on.

The smell of freshly ground coffee pervades the market. My multi ethnic batch of students were mighty impressed, there’s also lots of tasty ready to eat food so I gave them a meal ticket to present to the stall of their choice.

If they fancied a steak sandwich with rocket and mushroom on crusty Arbutus bread, they headed to Lolo’s stall “Boeuf A Lolo”. Alternatively, they could order a wood fired pizza from Volcano Pizzas or a selection of curries or a bowl of steaming porridge with a decadent spice infused fruit topping from Green Saffron.  How about that for a choice. Later I found two new arrivals since my last visit, Jack Crotty, the Rocket Man with a selection of gorgeous salad and raita and a tantalizing drink called Rocket Fuel and Ian Browne with irresistible tiramisu and gooey chocolate fudge or sticky toffee pudding.

And there’s much, much more of beautiful quality and local and fresh and exceptional value.

It was pretty hard to entice everyone back on the bus but we needed to be at Fermoy Farmhouse Cheese by 12 noon. Here Frank Shinnick and his Swiss wife Gudrun have been adding value to their milk and making exceptional raw milk cheeses for over 15 years.

Slow Food created a presidia around St. Gall in 1992 and it was one of the most sought after of the Irish farmhouse cheese at the Salone del Gusto in Turin recently. Frank and Gudrun and their team continue to innovate and now make six different cheeses and a small quantity of yoghurt. Their natural yoghurt with elderberry puree is one of the most delicious new products I’ve tasted this year.

Next stop, Eight Degree Brewery. As mass produced beers have got more and more dull in recent years, craft brewing has really taken off in response to the deep craving for beers with character. The boys from Eight Degree Brewery on the outskirts of Mitchelstown are producing some terrific bottles and I can tell you the students liked it a lot and so did I, difficult to decide which we liked best.

Sunburnt Irishman, Howling Gale or Knockmealdown Porter made by an Aussie and a Kiwi, Cameron Wallace and Scott Baigent who are having the best fun producing some really terrific beer and they can scarcely keep up with the demand – ask your local pub to stock it.

From there our jolly bunch went over the Knockmealdown mountains to visit the Old Convent in Clogheen, Dermot and Christine Gannon have created a romantic retreat with just seven bedrooms and a restaurant where they serve a seven course dinner menu made up almost entirely of locally produced foods. Christine had sweetly invited three of their suppliers, Kitty Colchester from Urlingford who makes my favourite organic rape seed oil. Julie Finke from Ballybrado Organic Farm who gave us a taste of her new organic spelt brown bread mix (with wonder food ceci included) and her “Little Bakers” Kid’s cake mix. Both these girls are second generation farmers again adding value to their raw materials. Alan of Baldwin’s ice cream had no difficulty encouraging people to taste; I particularly loved the caramel fudge ice cream and still feel guilty that I finished a whole tub.

Finally we whizzed over to the Apple Farm just outside Cahir owned by another young entrepreneur and second generation farmer Con Traas. In the 18 years since he took over from his Dad, Con has built up a brilliant apple juice business and farm shop. Visitors can also camp under the apple trees and local people can have their surplus apples juiced and bottled for the winter. We send ours up to be pressed by Con every year – that’s when we have a good harvest – this year was an exception. We barely had enough apples to make an apple tart. Look out for Apple Farm sparkling apple juice – light, bubbly and non- alcoholic.

Time to head for home with our heads swirling with ideas and full of hope for the future of artisan food and drink in Ireland.

St Gall Raclette

A Raclette evening is one of the easiest ways to entertain friends and have lots of fun. St Gall cheese works brilliantly. If you do a lot of impromptu entertaining a Raclette stove is really worth having.

St Gall cheese – allow about 175g (6oz) per person

freshly boiled potatoes – 3 – 4 per person

lettuce – 3 – 4 leaves per person

cornichons or slices of dill pickle 3 – 4 per person

fresh radishes

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

little gem lettuce, cut in half lengthwise or a good green salad

Raclette Stove

Put the Raclette stove in the center of the table and turn on the heat. Cut the cheese into scant 5mm (1/4 inch) thick slices and put a slice onto each little pan.

Meanwhile serve freshly boiled potatoes and crisp little gem lettuce or a green salad on hot plates to each person. Just as soon as the cheese melts, each guest spoons it over their potatoes and puts another piece on to melt. Serve with pickles and radishes and maybe a few tiny spring onions as an accompaniment.

A Raclette party is so easy and such fun; just provide cheese, boiled potatoes and pickles. Guests do their own cooking and there’s a minimum of washing up.

 

Cabbage Salad with Raisins and Mint

 

Serves 8 approx.

 

If you are tiring of the ubiquitous coleslaw, then you might like to try this fresh tasting cabbage salad with rape seed oil and honey.

1/2 white cabbage with a good heart

2-3 large dessert apples, grated – we like Cox’s orange pippin

2 tablespoons raisins

4 tablespoons freshly chopped mint

1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives

4 tablespoons pure Irish honey

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Second Nature Rape Seed Oil

Cut the cabbage into quarters.   Wash it well and discard the coarse outer leaves.  Cut away the stalks and shred the heart very finely with a very sharp knife.  Put it into a bowl with the grated apple, raisins, freshly chopped mint and chives.  Mix the honey, vinegar and rape seed oil together.  Toss the salad in the dressing until well coated.  Taste and correct seasoning and serve soon.

Jane’s Brown Bread with Knockmealdown Porter and Walnuts

Jane Hodson who loves to bake and loved Knockmealdown Porter devised this recipe which got an enthusiastic response from everyone who tasted it.

400g (14oz) strong whole meal flour

50g (2oz) strong white flour

60g (2½oz) walnuts (roughly chopped)

330ml    (11fl oz) Knockmealdown Porter brewed by 8 Degrees (at blood temp)

100ml    (3 ½ fl oz) water (at blood temperature)

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

20g (3/4 oz) fresh yeast

sesame seeds

sunflower oil

Loaf Tin 13cm x 20cm (5” x 8”)

Preheat oven to 230C/450F/Gas Mark 8

Sift the flours and salt into a large mixing bowl, adding in the wholemeal chaff left in the sieve.  Add in the walnuts and mix well.  In a bowl/Pyrex jug put the water and honey and crumble in the yeast. While the yeast is working, grease the tin with the oil and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds.  The yeast is working when a creamy and slight froth rises to the surface.  If this is not happening after a few minutes, put your ear to the jug and you should be able to hear it fizzing. When ready, pour the yeast mixture and the warmed Porter into the flours and mix to form loose wet dough.  Pour the dough into the tin, sprinkle to top with sesame seeds and leave, covered with a tea towel (to prevent drying out), in a warmish place until the dough has risen to the top of the tin.

Place in the middle of the oven at 230C/450F/Gas Mark 8 for 20 minutes.  Then turn it down to 200c/300F/Gas Mark 6 for another 40 minutes.

Remove from tin and if the sides and base are still soft, return the loaf to the oven for another 10 minutes until it looks nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

Allow to cool on a wire rack

Double Chocolate Cupcakes and a Raspberry on Top

Makes 18 cupcakes

8oz (225g) soft butter

8oz (225g) caster sugar

3 large free-range, organic eggs

8oz (225g) self-raising flour

1 dessertspoon honey or golden syrup

1 tablespoon milk

18 pieces chopped chocolate or chocolate buttons

Chocolate Icing

 

5 ozs (140g) icing sugar

2 ozs (55g) soft butter

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

2 cupcake trays, lined with paper cupcake cases

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

Cream the butter well, add the caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, adding a teaspoon of flour with each addition. (Beat the mixture well before adding the next egg). Beat in the honey or golden syrup, and then gently stir in the remaining flour. Stir in the milk and mix thoroughly.

Divide ½ the mixture between the cupcake cases. Pop a piece of chocolate or a good quality chocolate button on top. Divide the remainder of the mixture between the cases. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 mins, or until cooked and lightly golden. Remove cupcakes from the tray and place on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Cream the soft butter with the icing sugar and cocoa.  Add a little hot milk or water to achieve spreading consistency.

Spoon the icing onto the cupcakes and decorate with a juicy raspberry and a fresh mint leaf.

Hottips

 

Where do I find a well reared bird? They are scarce so never too early to get your order in; we’ve been hearing good things about Mary Walsh’s free range geese from Shellumsrath, Kilkenny – 056 – 7763426 – www.kilkennyfreerange.com

Find of the Week… Kilree Goats Cheese – another superb goat cheese from Helen Finnegan of Knockdrinna in Stoneyford Village, Co Kilkenny (0)56 7728446 www.knockdrinna.com

Arbutus Night in Isaacs Restaurant, MacCurtain Street, Cork on Friday 30th November. Tasting Menu €70.00

Booking Essential 021 4503 805. Proceeds to Penny Dinners – www.corkpennydinners.ie

 

Darina’s Book of the Week – Clarissa’s Comfort Food. I’ve always loved the ‘Two Fat Ladies’ now sadly just one – Jennifer Paterson passed to her eternal reward and is doubtless now rustling up good things for all the hungry angels in paradise. Clarissa however  is still very much with us and her latest book Clarissa’s Comfort Food  published by Kyle Books, does exactly what it ‘says on the tin’ People are becoming increasingly aware of the advantages of homemade simple food that will nourish friends and family instead of choosing a takeaway or buying ready meals that are often full of preservatives. There is a desire to go back to basics and cook food that is delicious and comforting as well as inexpensive and easy to make.

Get this book for Christmas or give it to a friend, Clarissa’s other books The Game Cookbook recently revised, A Greener Life and Sunday Roast are also favourites in my cookbook library.