ArchiveApril 2026

The recent protests over the price of fuel should give us an insight into how quickly everything can change and how fast we can have shortages in many areas.
Unless there is some kind of minor miracle, we’re going to experience food shortages before the end of 2026. We’re sleepwalking into a monumental crisis for which we are ill-prepared. For most people, the idea of empty shelves in our supermarkets is inconceivable, but with two wars and an increasing number of unexpected weather events, all impacting in a myriad of ways on crop production and global supply chains, who knows what’s ahead.
Our current ‘Just in Time’ food system is highly vulnerable to shocks. After all, it was designed for efficiency and profit rather than resilience.
You may understandably feel that the government would have it all under control but I’m afraid the reality is, there is NO real plan. The much touted Food Vision 2030 has a different focus, the main emphasis is to ensure that Irish farmers produce enough beef, dairy… for export into the future.
A ‘Just in Case’ national resilience plan is now a matter of extreme urgency. Professor Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food policy at City St George’s University of London, spent 2 ½ years working on a ‘Just in Case’ report for the UK and his message to the farming community at a recent NFU conference was loud and clear – You have work to do…
But let’s not rely on others any longer, we’ve allowed ourselves to become ridiculously de-skilled, many otherwise highly achieving people can scarcely make toast. What are we like allowing ourselves to become totally dependent on other people for the very thing that keeps us alive and hopefully healthy, completely unable to feed ourselves without resorting to ready meals and UPF’s (ultra-processed foods).
We’ve got to ‘wake up’ and see how vulnerable we’ve allowed ourselves to become. It probably sounds a bit paranoid, but I wouldn’t be against storing a few tins of beans, tomatoes, sardines… at the back of a cupboard.
There are many little ways we can become more self-sufficient, not just in rural areas but in urban and suburban areas also. Even if you don’t have a garden or a raised bed. It’s amazing what can be grown on a windowsill, balcony or even in a cardboard lined plastic crate or pots.
We are fortunate in many ways, that we are just coming into the very best time to sow seeds. On a windowsill, we can grow salad leaves, pea shoots, radishes, (use a blue plastic mushroom box for depth), and many fresh herbs, basil, mint, parsley and thyme. Put rosemary or sage into a flowerpot, plant a few tomato plants and maybe a chili pepper in large pots, a hanging basket works well too.
Eggs are really a must have food for most of us, think about getting a few hens if you haven’t already got them – four or five are plenty for an average family. Move a chicken coop around your garden, lawn or field. Feed your food scraps to the hens and they will reward you with eggs a few days later, a perfect win, win.
Do a bit of research, on your local farmers and Farmers’ Markets, support them, create a bond for the future. Local food systems are the key. International food companies are all very well but won’t help you in a crisis. The government urgently needs to encourage and wholeheartedly support small and artisan producers who sell locally.
Local multi species abattoirs are essential if the sector is to grow. There’s no point in rearing pigs, chickens, ducks, if there is nowhere to have them slaughtered. A support grant to upgrade facilities from a government that sees this as a priority would change the situation overnight and is badly needed.
Yes, another reason to prioritize local producers is the growing demand for artisan and specialty foods from food tourists. This sector needs maximum support and food safety regulations proportionate to the risk involved rather than the opposite which can create unnecessary fear and hassle and discourages others from joining the sector.
Pick up a pen, write to your local politician, express your concerns, ask for answers, make suggestions and also stress the urgency of embedding practical cooking skills in the national curriculum. It’s vital that it’s recognised as an absolute priority. After all, although maths is super important and an essential subject, you can’t eat a maths book!
So back to the kitchen, here are three new recipes that we’ve tested recently and added to our repertoire.

Mary Jo’s Spinach Quiche

You might think that a spinach quiche sounds dull but try this delicious recipe that our friend Mary Jo McMillin shared with us.  It can also be cooked in a rectangular tin (30.5 x 20.5cm) and cut into squares to serve with drinks.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Pastry (makes scant 900g pastry) – you will have more than required, freeze the excess for another time

450g plain white flour

l teaspoon salt

250g cold butter or 225g butter plus 25g lard

150ml ice water

Onion and Garlic

1 tbsp butter (or a mixture of butter and extra virgin olive oil)

salt

1 clove of garlic, finely diced

150-200g onion, finely diced

Quiche Filling 

110g cream cheese, room temperature

110ml whole milk

110ml heavy cream

3 large eggs

scant 1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground white pepper

generous grating fresh nutmeg

pinch of cayenne (optional)

Spinach Filling

450g frozen chopped leaf spinach, thawed or fresh spinach, blanched, drained and chopped

½ tsp salt

freshly ground white pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

generous sprinkling of chopped fresh dill

onion and garlic mixture

quiche filling

175g grated cheese

1 x 23cm deep quiche/tart tin with a removable base

Method

To make pastry in a food processor: put the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the cold butter and lard and cut in 1cm cubes or slices. Pulse 3 times to break up the butter into flakes. With the processor running, pour in the ice water in a slow stream through the feed tube. Stop the processor as soon as the pastry rolls into a ball. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl; shape into a 15cm long. Strip and cover and refrigerate.

Next, line the tin.

Shape 300g chilled pastry into a 10cm disk. Dust with flour and roll on a smooth, clean surface, giving the dough a quarter turn with each rolling to maintain a circle. Roll to a generous 33cm circle; brush off any excess flour. Fold in quarters; unfold onto the inside of the tin. Press the pastry firmly into the bottom edge of the tin. Trim the dough to an even 1cm overhang. Tuck the overhang inside the pastry edge, pressing firmly. Crimp or flute the top edge. Chill the pastry shell for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling relaxes the gluten in the flour and prevents shrinkage and cracking. In haste, the quiche shell may be chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes.

To make the Onion and Garlic Mixture.

Melt the butter or a mixture of butter and olive oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the diced onion; place the chopped garlic on top. Cover with parchment paper and cook over a low heat until the onion is soft and not browned. Season with salt and mix gently.

To make the quiche filling.

Cut the cream cheese into 2.5cm chunks and place into a processor bowl or blender. Add the milk and process. Scrape down the sides and mix to a smooth, dense cream. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, and cream or remaining half-and-half to the processor or blender. Whizz to combine. Use straightaway or refrigerate in a plastic container.

To make the spinach filling.

Place the spinach in a strainer or colander and squeeze out the excess water. Season the spinach with salt, pepper, nutmeg and dill. Mix the seasoned spinach with the onion and garlic mixture.

To cook.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Line the chilled pastry with parchment paper. Carefully press the parchment paper onto the lower edge of the pastry shell. Pour 1cm of baking beans into the paper and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The pastry edges should begin to brown, and crust under the parchment and should have lost its “raw” look. Remove the parchment and beans.

Immediately, sprinkle in all but 1 ½ tablespoons of the grated cheese. (The hot tin and hot pastry encourage faster cooking and lessen the chance of cracking the pastry shell).

Add 225ml of the quiche filling to the spinach filling to loosen it out and ladle into the pastry shell. Add the remaining of the grated cheese. Carefully ladle over the quiche filling, taking care not to reach the top of the shell. (If you cannot get all the filling in, pour the remaining bit in a small cup or Pyrex jug. Place the quiche in the hot oven. Carefully reach in and empty the filling into the quiche, again do not allow filling to spill over the edge.) 

Bake the filled quiche in the preheated oven for 25-40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool briefly on a wire rack before serving. Remove from the tin and eat at room temperature.

Lota Café Chicken Mokul

A Rajasthani dish but thank you to Lota Café in Delhi and Roots in Bandrol in the Himalayas for sharing the recipe.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

100g cashew nuts

1 free-range organic chicken cut in smallish chunks (or use 3 drumsticks and 3 thighs)

100g olive oil (they use vegetable oil)

1 tsp cumin seeds

5 green cardamom pods (1g approx.), lightly crushed

3 cloves of garlic, grated

15g ginger, finely chopped or grated

200g red onions, finely chopped

4g ground turmeric

4g coriander seeds, freshly ground

8g masala spice (they use MDH chicken masala spice which is widely available)

2 tsp salt

150g homemade chicken stock

120g natural yoghurt

300g water

Garnish

coarsely chopped coriander leaves

Method

Cover the cashews with 225ml of water, and soak for 10 minutes. Whizz in a food processor until smooth.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed sauté pan over a medium heat, add the cumin and cracked cardamom pods, stir for a few seconds then add the garlic, ginger and finely chopped red onion. 

Stir and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, add the turmeric and continue to stir for 1-2 minutes, then add the freshly ground coriander and masala. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken, sprinkle in salt, stir and coat in olive oil. Lower the heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes, then add the chicken stock, cashew milk and yoghurt. Stir and add 300g water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes to reduce sauce to a light coating consistency, taste, correct seasoning. Sprinkle with fresh, coarsely chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve with rice or roti.

Pastel (Fried Pastry)

Pastéis are super delicious and best enjoyed while they’re still warm and crispy.  This recipe is adapted from Samba by Brazilian-born Giselle Makinde Pereira Goncalves, the latest in the Nine Bean Rows series published by Blasta Books (publication April 30^th).

Stuffed Pastéis can also be made using a slightly larger piece of dough (40g approx.) and filled with grated mozzarella; grated mozzarella; diced tomatoes and a pinch of oregano; cooked beef mince and grated cheese or shrimp….

Makes 50-60 approx.

Ingredients

690g flour

80g extra virgin olive oil

40g cachaça (Brazilian sugarcane liquor – available in good wine shops and some supermarkets) – we used honey

20g salt

280-300g water

Method

Put the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the extra virgin olive oil, honey and salt. Gradually add the water while using your fingertips to mix the liquid ingredients with the flour and knead briefly until it comes together. Cover the dough with a clean tea-towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 20g-30g pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll and stretch out each portion into a paper-thin sheet (7.5-10cm). The thinner the dough, the crisper the pastel will be when fried. You may need a little extra flour for rolling.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180-190°C. If you don’t have a deep-fryer, fill a high-sided saucepan no more than half full of oil.

Line a baking tray with kitchen paper, then set a wire rack on top.

Working in batches, add a few pastéis and fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden and crispy. Tip out onto the wire rack to let any excess oil drain off while you cook the rest.

Toss in caster sugar and eat while warm.

Have you got stuck in a bit of a rut with your cooking? – Same old, same old, week in, week out. Let’s face it, everyone’s super busy, so it’s easy to get stuck on ‘repeat’. So, how about being a little adventurous? This week I’ll share three super easy recipes from Suzie Lee’s new book ‘Simply Speedy Chinese.’

Ireland has had a long love affair with Chinese food, sweet and sour, stir-fry, Chow Mein, spring rolls…The first Irish-Chinese restaurant was opened in Belfast in the 1960’s, but there’s so much more. I have only been to China twice, once to Chengdu in 2017 for a Slow Food International Congress and to Beijing and Yanti in 2018 for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Every type of food was memorable – definitely one of the great cuisines of the world and enormously diverse, most of the Chinese food we have in Ireland is heavily influenced by Cantonese cuisine, but change is happening rapidly as the number of Chinese students particularly increases.

Dublin’s Chinatown centred around Parnell Street, Gardiner Street and Moore Street expands expeditiously with a hugely popular radio station, twice weekly on Ana Luna Radio Station and two Chinese newspapers for the growing Chinese community. 

Recent celebrations to welcome in the Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse, were bigger, better and more artistic, colourful and musical than ever before, with an increasing number of Irish joining in the fabulous celebrations of Chinese culture.

Chinese people love offal and know how to cook the less expensive cuts of meat to melting tenderness. Suzie Lee’s new book concentrated on yummy meals in 30 minutes or less. 

Sweet Chilli Prawns Skewers, stir-fried Choi Sum and chilli crisp green leaves can all be on the table in less than 10 minutes

Smashed Cucumber Salad. Hot Peanut Butter Noodles, Suzie’s Chicken and Pomelo Salad in less than 15 minutes.

Duck with Ginger and Spring Onions, XO Mussels, Pork and Bean Sprout Stir-Fry, Quick Dumplings two ways… 30 minutes or less and on and on.

Suzie is happy to use stock cubes and granules but do use homemade stock if you have it to hand. 

All the ingredients for the recipes are readily available in many local supermarkets across the country and in Asian shops.

Simply Speedy Chinese, Meals in 30 Minutes or Less by Suzie Lee is published by Quadrille.

Veggie Mince Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps (called san choi bao in Chinese) can be made with any type of minced (ground) meat or soy mince (TVP), which I have used here. The soy mince soaks up all the different seasonings and can be cooked from frozen in minutes, which is a real time-saver. This dish is packed with flavour and is great for sharing. If you decide to use minced meat, there may be some extra liquid when cooking, in which case, add a little cornflour (cornstarch) paste towards the end of cooking.

Serves 4
(Prep: 5 minutes/Cook: 20 minutes)

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp finely chopped or grated garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped or grated fresh

ginger root

1 onion, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

handful of mushrooms of your choice, finely diced

300g frozen soy mince (TVP) or minced (ground) meat (chicken, beef, pork or turkey)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tsp sesame oil

fine sea salt and ground white pepper

To Serve

sliced chillies

sliced spring onions (scallions)

1 large gem lettuce or small iceberg lettuce, leaves separated

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat and fry the garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

Add the soy mince (or your meat of choice) and cook for about 2 minutes.

Now add the light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil and cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.

Serve garnished with chillies and spring onions, piled into lettuce leaves.

Quick Dumplings

My children are addicted to dumplings in all their forms, and this is the quickest way I know to make them. Using a food processor to blend the ingredients helps to speed things up. You can make either gyozas or wontons and boiling them is much quicker than frying or deep-frying, but you can also pop them in an air fryer.

Makes 16-20 dumplings
(Prep: 10 minutes/Cook: up to 15 minutes)

Ingredients

150g chicken breast (about 1 breast)

50g mushrooms (white, chestnut/cremini or shiitake)

1 spring onion (scallion), roughly chopped

1 heaped tsp cornflour (cornstarch), plus extra for dusting if you are frying the dumplings

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dark soy sauce

¼ tsp fine sea salt

good pinch of ground white pepper

16-20 gyoza or wonton wrappers

1 tbsp vegetable oil (optional, if frying)

dipping sauce of your choice, to serve (optional)

Method

Put all the ingredients except the wrappers (and the vegetable oil and dipping sauce) in a food processor and blend for about 1 minute until a rough paste forms.

To make the dumplings, spoon about a teaspoon of filling into the middle of each wrapper, then dab water around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper around the filling in whatever shape you would like (just make sure the filling is sealed in well). I just gather all the edges and pinch them together in the middle to make an easy wonton.

To fry gyozas, dust the bottom of each one with cornflour. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the dumplings on one side for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom.

Add 100 ml water, cover and steam-cook for 8-10 minutes until the water evaporates and the gyozas are cooked through.

To boil gyozas or wontons, half-fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Drop in the gyozas or wontons and boil for 3-5 minutes until cooked through.

To deep-fry wontons, pour vegetable oil into a small, heavy-duty saucepan over a high heat to a depth of 5 cm. Test if the oil is ready by lowering the handle of a wooden spoon into it. If bubbles fizz around the handle, you are ready to deep-fry.

Carefully lower 5-6 wontons into the pan at a time. Once they float to the top and are golden, they are ready. Take the wontons out of the pan and drain on some paper towel.

Eat the dumplings as they are or with a dipping sauce of your choice, such as soy sauce, black vinegar or chilli crisp oil.

Chinese Pulled Chicken

We love pulled pork and pulled beef in my house, but I wanted a change and had chicken in the refrigerator, so I thought I could try a really quick version with that instead. Not only does chicken cook quickly but it also shreds more easily if poached than both pork and beef. Serve with salad, rice or noodles and some steamed veggies. It’s great for packed lunches, too.

Serves 2
(Prep: 5 minutes/Cook: 20 minutes)

Ingredients

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp grated garlic

2 tsp grated fresh ginger root

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tsp chicken stock powder

pinch of ground white pepper

2 chicken breasts (about 400g)

200ml water

1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water to make a paste

1 tsp sesame oil

To Serve

toasted sesame seeds

sliced spring onions (scallions)

sliced red chillies

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over a high heat and fry the garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Add the soy sauce, chicken stock powder and white pepper, then add the chicken breasts and flip them around to coat thoroughly in the seasonings.

Add the water, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes, then flip the breasts and cook for a further 10 minutes before removing from the heat.

Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and use two forks to shred the meat.

Add the cornflour paste to the cooking liquid in the pan and stir it through, then bring to the boil and cook until the sauce thickens.

Toss the chicken through the sauce until it is well coated, then drizzle in the sesame oil.

Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds, spring onions and chillies.

At last, there’s more conversation around menopause, a subject that was almost taboo to talk about some years ago Of course it’s a natural part of aging, a natural transition, us women go through as female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, begin to decrease, typically between the ages of 45 and 55 but could be earlier or later. Some fortunate women sail through it with a few symptoms, others suffer horribly. At last, there is a growing body of research and a deeper understanding of menopause. Medical colleges are beginning to equip their students with more data on the subject, like the connection between food and menopause that was hitherto rarely or barely mentioned in the 8 years plus medical training. One only has to experience hospital or Care Home food, with a few rare exceptions to realise that the connection between the type of food we eat, and our well-being is poorly understood or worse still conveniently ignored to save money. Do we have the data on food waste in hospitals which I’ve been told over and over again is truly shocking…Surely it would make more sense to invest more on good nutritious ingredients that would be relished and enjoyed and beneficial to health.

Back to menopause, I doubt if anyone has all the answers yet, but I certainly feel that eating real food, keeping well away from ultra-processed foods, can make a mighty difference. Another consideration which apparently makes quite the difference is to eliminate all toxins, ‘fresh air’ sprays, chemicals, antibacterial wipes from your homes and dare I say most skin creams. Think about the make-up and cream you use, if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t use it. Oops, that may all come as a big ask but if you are feeling ghastly, certainly could be worth trying. People are familiar with many of the better known symptoms – hot flushes, night sweats, sleeping difficulties, anxiety, low mood, brain fog, reduced libido, but aching joints and generally feeling ratty and short tempered are definitely common symptoms also.

Nutrient-dense food is unlikely to prevent or cure all symptoms, but it will undoubtedly help, so to give yourself the best chance, why not decide to start a food and drink diary – even for a week, be prepared for a shock, you may be surprised to discover what you are actually consuming. But feeling rotten can be quite the incentive to make some changes. Ditch the sliced pan, cheap wine and ultra-processed foods. Let’s start at breakfast, treat yourself to a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice every morning. Seek out organic fruit, yes, I know it’ll cost more but remember how much those supplements cost. A bowl of Macroom oatmeal porridge or make a little Ballymaloe muesli, a riff on Bircher muesli which takes minutes to make. There are organic blueberries available at present, they’d be good to crush into the soaked oatmeal, you’ll need lots of protein, a couple of free-range organic eggs, any way you fancy – poached, scrambled, an omelette, add a sprinkle of cheese, a few freshly chopped herbs and maybe a little dried or fresh turmeric – and a slice of real sourdough toast slathered with raw butter. After a breakfast like that, you are unlikely to reach for a snack at eleven – why not have a go and see how you feel!

There are lots of good things that are super easy – a little loaf of soda bread, a few scones every day. A loaf will be out of the oven in 35 minutes, scones 10-15. Really good natural yoghurt is essential in my book (see my Examiner column Reboot the System – 24^th February 2024), avoid virtually all supermarket yoghurt, make your own from whole milk, better still, raw organic milk if you can get it – again super easy.

Good eggs, meat and fresh fish in any form. The latter is the biggest challenge, learn how to recognize really fresh fish (it doesn’t smell in the least fishy). Because fish is becoming scarcer, many boats have to be at sea for 5-6 days at a time, then the catch is landed, it’s a bonus if you can get the latest catch so ask when it was caught, not when it was landed….Familiarize yourself and eat with the seasons when food – vegetables, fruits and herbs are freshest, best and least expensive – feeling better already?

Ballymaloe Muesli

This is right up there with porridge as the best and most nourishing breakfast ever. It’s also super delicious, can be made in minutes, even when you are semi-comatose in the morning. Choose ripe organic eating apples for this recipe. The proportion of apple to oatmeal should be equal, taste and adjust as you wish. During the soft fruit season, we crush strawberries, raspberries, loganberries or tayberries and fold into the oatmeal instead of apples. A few blackberries are delicious added to the muesli in Autumn. Coarsely chopped pistachios or hazelnuts are also delicious sprinkled over the top.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 heaped tbsp organic rolled oatmeal

110g dessert apples, preferably Worcester Pearmain or Cox’s Orange Pippin

approx. 1 tsp honey, depending on the tartness of the fruit

single cream and soft brown sugar, to serve

Method

Measure out 6 tablespoons of water into a bowl and sprinkle the oatmeal on top.  Let the oatmeal soak up the water while you grate the apple. A stainless-steel grater is best for this job; use the largest side and grate the apple coarsely, skin and all. I grate through the core but watch your fingers when you are coming close to the end. Pick out the dark pips and discard.

Stir the honey into the oatmeal and then stir in the grated apple, taste and add a little more honey if necessary. This will depend on how much you heaped up the spoon earlier on and how sweet the fruit is. Serve with cream and soft brown sugar.

Mary Jo’s Greek Style Beans 

Beans are a super source of inexpensive protein. We cook this in the cool oven of the Aga overnight but of course it can be cooked in an oven at 150°C for 2-3 hours). It keeps in a fridge for several days and reheats deliciously.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

225g giant lima or butter beans soaked overnight, drained and cooked until tender adding ¾ tbsp of olive oil to the water*

3 tbsp olive oil

110g chopped onion

25g small dice celery

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp dry oregano or 1 tsp fresh marjoram

1 tsp ground coriander 

⅓ – ½ tsp crushed chilli flakes

400g tin or 450g tomatoes, crushed

1 tsp honey

salt and freshly ground pepper

juice of ½ lemon

*Save the cooked beans and their cooking water.

Method

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole and sauté the onion and celery until tender. Add the garlic, oregano (or marjoram), coriander, chilli flakes and stir until fragrant.  Add the crushed tomatoes, honey, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir in the drained cooked beans. Simmer uncovered on the stove top until beginning to thicken. Add the cooking liquid as needed (you should end up using it all). When you have a soupy mixture, the beans may go in the oven. 

The beans may cook for 2-3 hours in a 150°C/Gas Mark 2 oven. They should be very tender and glazed. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and fresh lemon juice before serving.

Carrageen Moss Pudding with Sweet Geranium

Many people have less than fond memories of Carrageen Moss, partly because so many recipes call for far too much carrageen. It is a very strong natural gelatine, so the trick is to use little enough. Because it is so light it is difficult to weigh, we use just enough to fit into my closed fist, a scant 7g. 

This recipe given to me by Myrtle Allen is by far the most delicious I know. Nowadays more chefs are using carrageen, but often they add stronger flavours such as treacle or rosewater, which tend to mask the delicate flavour of the carrageen itself. Carrageen Moss is served on the dessert trolley at Ballymaloe House every single evening, celebrating our traditional food culture.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

7g cleaned, well dried carrageen moss (1 semi-closed fistful)

900ml whole (full fat) milk (we use our own Jersey milk)

8 medium leaves of sweet geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)

1 large egg, preferably free-range

1 tbsp caster sugar

To Serve

softly whipped cream and soft brown sugar

Method

Soak the carrageen in tepid water for 10 minutes. Strain off the water and put the carrageen and sweet geranium into a saucepan with the milk. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently with the lid on for 20 minutes. At that point, and not before, separate the egg and put the yolk into a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk together for a few seconds. Pour the milk, carrageen and sweet geranium through a strainer onto the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the time. The carrageen will now be swollen and exuding jelly. Rub most of this jelly through the strainer and beat it into the liquid. Test for a set on a cold saucer: put it in the fridge and it should set in a couple of minutes. Rub a little more jelly through the strainer if necessary. Whisk the egg white until stiff peaks form and fold it in gently; it will rise to make a fluffy top. Leave to cool. Refrigerate

Serve chilled with softly whipped cream and soft brown sugar.

Just as I was about to start my Easter column, I spotted this written by Myrtle Allen in the 1970s. ‘ A late Easter, with warm, damp weather, upset the man who made our Easter eggs, as the chocolate was slow to set in the moulds. An early Easter made my butcher angry. The churches really ought to get together and do something about it, he stormed. This was the proper purpose of ecumenism. He was never known to kill a lamb before Easter, no matter how late it was. If the lamb is ready before my mint bed, it upsets me. It is essential to have one small secret patch in a sheltered place, unknown to friends, relations and kitchen staff.’ from Myrtle Allen’s The Ballymaloe Cookbook Published 1977 and still in print 49 years later. The butcher referred to was the legendary Michael Cuddigan from Cloyne who supplied Ballymaloe House with exceptional meat for decades.

If you perchance you have the first edition of the Ballymaloe Cookbook, treasure it, it’s even more valuable now as a collector’s item. 

Well, Happy Easter to each and every one and in the midst of all the jollity, choccie bunnies, fluffy chicks and Easter egg hunts, it’s worth remembering the religious significance and what we are celebrating. Easter is all about rebirth and fresh hope for the future. Something we desperately need in the midst of these extraordinary times.

Time to give thanks for so many blessings and to get together with family and friends for an Easter Sunday lunch.

Some of you will know that our clever hens lay eggs with the grandchildren’s names on them for Easter Sunday and John makes sure we’ve got a batch of chicks hatched out in time for the celebration. All fun and wonderful but the ‘elephant in the room’ this year is the price of chocolate which has skyrocketed during the past year. So, in order to keep prices relatively low, most chocolate companies have opted to dumb down the quality. 

The increase in prices was driven by weather events in West Africa that resulted in cocoa shortages. The crops are hopefully now recovering, but this won’t be reflected in prices on the supermarket shelves anytime soon.

So, if you still haven’t purchased your Easter egg, seek out a chocolate egg from one of the artisan Irish chocolatiers who are committed to keeping quality. It’s infinitely more expensive than the supermarkets deal but maybe decide to share and eat it slowly. Better still, if you can make time, plan a fun Easter egg session. Buy a stack of really good Callebaut or Valrhona chocolate and a few moulds, melt gently and have an egg making session with the kids and their friends. Be prepared for a mess but they will always remember the fun of Easter 2026!

We love Easter Sunday lunch. It has to be lamb. This year, my fresh mint patch is slow to recover after the Winter weather, but wild garlic is leaping out of the ground so I’m going to serve my roast shoulder of spring lamb with wild garlic mayo, or I might just chop some wild garlic into the gravy instead.

As far as vegetables are concerned, we are still in the midst of the Hungry Gap stranded between the end of the Winter and the first of the summer vegetables, but we’ve got sea kale that I love to serve on toast with hollandaise sauce as a starter.

We’ve still got some winter kale, spinach, Swiss chard but they are now beginning to sprout greens as they start to flower, the greens are tender and delicious – use every scrap…purple sprouting broccoli is a brilliant super delicious ‘hungry gap’ crop worth planting every year.

The leeks too are coming to an end, but I’ve been enjoying mixing them with other vegetables to make a side dish. 

Try this version where I add peas to the leeks, it’s got a delicious fresh spring like vibe, everyone loves it and it will also be delicious with the first of the young leeks and fresh peas in Summer.

For dessert, it has to be a garden rhubarb tart, made with freshly pickled garden rhubarb, or it could even be a rhubarb crumble, but rhubarb it has to be…the perennial that more than any other ‘fruit’, keeps on giving and signifies rebirth every year. 

Happy Easter once again. 

Slow Roast Shoulder of Spring Lamb with Wild Garlic Aioli

Forget perfect slices, cook to melting tenderness and just lift little chunks off the bone with tongs. The wild garlic aioli makes a tempting change from mint sauce.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 whole shoulder of Spring lamb on the bone, weighing approximately 3.6kg

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Wild Garlic Aioli

2 egg yolks, preferably free range

¼ tsp salt

pinch of English mustard or ¼ tsp French mustard

1 dsp white wine vinegar

225ml oil – We use 175ml sunflower oil and 50ml olive oil, alternatively use 7/1

1-4 cloves of garlic, depending on size

2 tsp chopped parsley

2 tsp chopped wild garlic leaves (Allium ursinum)

4 -6 tbsp lamb cooking juices

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Method

Place the lamb shoulder in a wide roasting tin or oven tray with the skin side up. Score the skin to encourage the fat to run out during the cooking and to crisp up the skin. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Place in a roasting tin, transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes before turning the temperature down to 160°C/Gas Mark 3 for a further 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the meat is soft and succulent and will lift off the bones.

Meanwhile, make the aioli.

Note:  the crushed garlic may be mixed into the mayonnaise for the aioli, but this sauce cannot be finished until we have the juices from the cooked lamb.

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 a touch more vinegar if necessary.

To test if the lamb is cooked to a melting tenderness, pull the shank bone and it and some of the meat should come away easily from the bone.

When the lamb is cooked, remove from the oven. There will be plenty of fatty cooking juices. Strain these through a sieve into a bowl. Keep the lamb warm in the oven with the temperature reduced to 100°C/Gas Mark ¼.

When the fat has risen to the surface of the lamb cooking juices, skim carefully and thoroughly with a spoon. Bring the remaining juices to a simmer and taste and correct seasoning.

Thin out the garlic mayonnaise with 4-6 tablespoons of the degreased juice to achieve a consistency similar to softly whipped cream or in other words the mayonnaise should now just lightly coat the back of a spoon. Taste and correct the seasoning. 

To serve the lamb, a tongs or serving fork and spoon are the best implements to remove the meat from the bones.  Prise largish pieces off the bones and serve on hot plates with some of the hot cooking juices, Wild Garlic Aioli and lots of crusty roast potatoes.

Melted Leeks with Peas

Two vegetables in one, fresh tasting and delicious – my garden peas are months off being ready to harvest so I use frozen peas here with delicious results.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

900g leeks (once prepared)

50g butter

2 tbsp water if necessary

salt and freshly ground pepper

300g frozen peas

Method

Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks (keep for soup).   Slit the leeks about halfway down the centre and wash well under cold running water.   Slice into roughly 10mm rounds.   Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.    Melt the butter in a heavy casserole; when it foams, add the sliced leeks and toss gently to coat.   Cover with a paper lid and a close-fitting lid.   Reduce the heat and cook very gently for 8-14 minutes approx., or until tender (it will depend on how old the leeks are).   Check and stir every now and then. Add the frozen peas and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to cook in the heat for a couple of minutes until the peas are tender. Serve in a warm dish – it should be juicy. 

Note: The pot of leeks may be cooked in the oven at 160°C/Gas Mark 3 if that is more convenient.

Easter Garden Rhubarb Pie

This gem of a recipe was passed on to me by my mother who was famous for her pies – it’s a real keeper. 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. This pastry can be made a day before. Cover and keep in the fridge.

It’s vital to add enough sugar, it may be counter intuitive, but rhubarb takes a lot of sugar to balance the acid for a delicious tart, don’t skimp…Use green gooseberries, apples, plums, damsons etc. in season.

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

Pastry

225g soft butter

50g caster sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

350g white flour, preferably unbleached

Filling

900g sliced red garden rhubarb (about 1cm thick) (not forced) 

370g sugar

egg wash-made with a little beaten egg, a dash of milk and a pinch of salt

caster sugar for sprinkling

To Serve

softly whipped cream

soft brown sugar

1 x 18cm x 30.5cm x 2.5cm deep rectangular tin

or 1 x 23cm x 4cm deep round tin

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 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 one by one and beat for several minutes. Reduce speed to minimum and mix in the flour slowly. Turn out onto a piece of floured greaseproof paper, flatten into a round wrap and pop into the fridge. 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 3mm thick approx. and use about two-thirds of it to line a suitable tin. Place the sliced rhubarb into the tart, sprinkle with sugar. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with pastry leaves, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the rhubarb is tender, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When cooked cut into squares or slices, sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Serve with softly whipped cream and soft dark brown sugar – Devine!