Yesterday evening, just as I was
about to tuck into supper, I had a moment …Suddenly I thought of the incredible
amount of work that actually went into growing and rearing the produce on my
plate, not to mention cooking it.
Silently, I gave thanks for my nephew Darren who had put so much work into rearing
the free range heritage pigs on his farm at Ballymaloe House.
For our local butcher, Frank Murphy and his son Brian in Midleton who cured the
bacon for the succulent slice of glazed bacon on my plate (see recipe in my
Examiner Column of June 28th on Summer Picnics).
For the team of gardeners on the farm who had sown the seeds for the juicy
roast tomatoes back in February, transplanted them at the end of March, tended
and watered them for over four months for me to enjoy. The deep red tomatoes were
ripened fully on the vine for maximum flavour, packed with lycopene, lots of
other minerals and vitamins and super tasty.
Remember, scientists now understand that flavour equates to nutrient intensity
– nature’s way of tempting us to eat healthy wholesome food. The tomatoes were
halved, seasoned with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, a good sprinkling
of sugar and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Fifteen minutes or
so in a good hot oven and then a scattering of fresh herbs while still warm.
You can’t imagine how delicious it was because the tomatoes were so good to
start with.
The red and yellow peppers for the
piperonata came from Caitriona Daunt at Organic Republic but the new season’s
onion, tomatoes and basil were also from here.
The colcannon made from freshly dug potatoes, new season onions and cabbage
took close to five months to grow too, a blight resistant variety called Kelly cultivated
organically without a spec of glyphosate, just rich fertile soil enriched
with compost and seaweed from the local strand.
Once again, special thanks to the gardeners for those and for the flat pod
French beans. This is a brilliant variety called Hilda, they crop and crop and
when the beans swell in the pods at the end of the season, they can be dried
for winter soups and stews.
I also need to thank Billy for looking after the cows who produce the rich
Jersey milk, the basis for the simple parsley sauce, a favourite from my
childhood, soooo unctuous and delicious.
Next, I thought of Maria, our Dairy Queen or was it Tiffin and gave
thanks for the dollop of homemade butter melting over the beans and into my
colcannon.
So much work and love went into producing the simple feast on my plate. Once
again, in the Quaker tradition, I silently gave thanks to Mother Nature et al
for every nourishing bite.
I don’t hanker after an expensive Prada handbag or a pair of Gucci shoes…For me
to sit down to a plate of food where everything on the plate comes from the
farm, gardens or local area is luxury indeed. How blessed am I.
Afterwards a bowl of Loganberry fool, accompanied by a couple of Jane’s
biscuits, the name that Myrtle Allen gave these delicious little shortbread
biscuits that the children made over and over again on wet afternoons.
Every bite has a story, that’s what memories are made of…
Colcannon
Songs have been sung, and poems have been written about Colcannon – one of our most traditional potato dishes. This comfort food at its very best has now been ‘discovered’ and is often a feature on chic restaurant menus in London and New York.
Did you ever eat colcannon
When ’twas made with yellow cream
And the kale and praties blended
Like a picture in a dream?
Did you ever scoop a hole on top
To hold the melting lake
Of the clover-flavoured butter
Which your mother used to make?
Serves 8-10 approximately
Ingredients
1.8kg ‘old’ potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks
700g Savoy or spring cabbage
450ml approximately boiling milk or more if needed
salt and freshly ground pepper
50g approximately butter
Method
Scrub the potatoes, put them in a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked, 15 minutes approx. for ‘old’ potatoes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put onto a gentle heat and allow the potatoes to steam until they are cooked.
Remove the dark outer leaves from the cabbage. Wash the rest and cut into quarters, remove the core and cut finely across the grain. Boil in a little boiling water or bacon cooking water until soft. Drain, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a little butter.
When the potatoes are just cooked, bring the milk to the boil. Pull the peel off the potatoes and discard, mash quickly while they are still warm and beat in enough boiling milk to make a fluffy purée. Then stir in the cooked cabbage and taste for seasoning. For perfection, serve immediately in a hot dish with a lump of butter melting in the centre – the texture should be soft but not quite flowing.
Colcannon may be prepared ahead up to this point, covered and reheated later in a moderate oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4, for 20-25 minutes approx. Add the butter just before serving
Note
Cover closely while reheating so it doesn’t get too crusty on top.
Piperonata
This is one of the indispensable trio of vegetable stews that we always reckon to have to hand. We use it not only as a vegetable but also as a topping for pizzas, as a sauce for pasta, grilled fish or meat and as a filling for omelettes and pancakes.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
225g onion, sliced
a clove of garlic, crushed
2 organic red peppers
2 organic green peppers
6 large organic or chemical-free tomatoes (dark red and very ripe)
salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar
a few leaves of fresh basil
Method
Heat the olive oil in a casserole, add the onion and garlic, toss in the oil and allow to soften over a gentle heat in a covered casserole while the peppers are being prepared. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds carefully, cut into quarters and then cut the pepper flesh into 2-2 ½cm squares. Add to the onion and toss in the oil; replace the lid and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile peel the tomatoes (scald in boiling water for 10 seconds, pour off the water and peel immediately). Slice the tomatoes and add to the casserole, season with salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar and a few leaves of fresh basil if available. Cook until the vegetables are just soft, 30 minutes approx.
Variations
Spicy Piperonata
Add 1 tsp smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli flakes (the quantity will depend on aroma and pungency of spices – add more to taste if you like it a little spicier) to the onions and garlic and proceed as in the master recipe.
Piperonata, Bean and Chorizo Stew
Add a can of rinsed haricot beans, black-eyed beans or chickpeas to the piperonata, with 110g sliced chorizo sausage, continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until the chorizo is fully cooked.
Loganberry Fool with Jane’s Biscuits
If you can’t lay your hands on loganberries, raspberries are pretty delicious too – so easy.
Serves 6
Ingredients
450g loganberries
175-225g caster sugar
25-600ml softly whipped cream
Method
If the loganberries are fresh just whizz the berries in a blender with the sugar. Push the purée through a nylon sieve, fold in the softly whipped cream to taste. Serve with shortbread biscuits.
Should the fruit be frozen just scatter the berries in a single layer on a plate. Sprinkle with the sugar and allow to come back to room temperature. When almost defrosted, liquidise and proceed as above.
Jane’s Biscuits – Shortbread Biscuits
*This recipe was originally in imperial measurements, to get best results, weigh in oz.
Makes 25
Ingredients
6oz white flour or Spelt
4oz butter
2oz castor sugar
Method
Put the flour and sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter as for shortcrust pastry. Gather the mixture together and knead lightly. Roll out to 7mm thick. Cut into rounds with a 6cm cutter or into heart shapes. Bake in a moderate oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4 to pale brown, 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the biscuits. Remove immediately and cool on a wire rack.
Delicious biscuits to nibble but we also serve with fruit fools, compotes and ice cream.
Note: Watch these biscuits really carefully in the oven. Because of the high sugar content, they burn easily. They should be a pale golden – darker will be more bitter.
However, if they are too pale, they will be undercooked and doughy. Cool on a wire rack.
Gluten Free: Swap the flour for Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour for a delicious gluten-free alternative
