Claire Ptak makes wonderful cakes, it all started when she was little girl in Point Reyes, California – every time her Irish grandmother visited they baked cakes together all day long. At Christmas granny would send 15 different types of cookies – bliss. Claire couldn’t wait to open the parcel; all she wanted to do was cook. Once she took all the spices from the kitchen cupboard out to the sandbox to ‘make cakes’!

As soon as she could legally work – at 15 – she got a weekend job at a local bakery. While her pals were bebopping around the local mall she was learning how to make croissants.

This was followed by a three year stint at a cowboy dude ranch in Wyoming. There was a big rambling ranch house kitchen – Margie who ran it was interested in food, she encouraged the youngster’s interests. Claire, always desperate to learn more bought a ‘bunch of books’ and pored over them. At some point she decided that she should have a ‘proper career’ so she studied Film Theory at Mills College in Oakland, but every time she baked a cake everyone asked “why aren’t you baking?” Out of the blue a dream came true – an opportunity came up to be an intern and then work at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’s iconic restaurant in Berkley, California. Claire said the three year experience in the pastry section changed her life. She honed her palette, was taught how to taste, how to combine flavours and a whole new philosophy about food. All the cooks and chefs at Chez Panisse ate the same beautiful fresh seasonal food as the guests. She added to her baking repertoire, fell in love with a British chap and moved to London. A stint with Sam and Samantha Clarke at Moro, Fergus Henderson’s St John and Anchor & Hope followed. In 2005, she managed to get a stall at the hip and vibrant Broadway Farmers Market in Hackney. Claire couldn’t wait to start her business which she called Violet Cakes, she baked all her favourite cakes and tarts; many were time consuming and too complicated to make. She baked a few little coconut cup cakes too as a filler.  They flew off the stall while the far more elaborate confections failed to sell, an interesting lesson in business. Now she sells about 1,000 cup cakes on her Violet stall on a Saturday mornings.  Nine different flavours, five favourites – chocolate, vanilla, lemon, salted caramel, coconut and three seasonal ones – that changes with the seasons – this week it was elderflower, raspberry and strawberry. All made from beautiful organic ingredients, fine butter and free range eggs. She also makes many Cupcake wedding cakes, provides lots of party pieces and every week Claire does the food styling for the Ottolenghi article in the Guardian. Her latest project is her first book on Boiled Sweets and Choccies. She also writes a food blog. All this because she loves baking…

If you are in London on a Saturday morning look her up at the Broadway Market in Hackney from 10am. claire@violetcakes.com

 

Claire came to the cookery school to teach a class last week for us. Here are some of the delicious things she cooked.

 

Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache

 

There are devil’s food cakes made with butter and ones made with oil. Both are delicious and good used in different ways, but this one is especially good filled and covered with dark chocolate ganache and decorated with cake crumbs and a blob of chocolate. If you have some rose petals, use those for additional decoration.

 

200 g dark chocolate (64-70%)     

250 g butter, softened

200 g sugar

200 g light brown sugar

4 (about 206ml) eggs

225 g milk

25 g lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla                           

300 g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda     

25 g cocoa powder                        

1 teaspoon salt

 

Dark Chocolate Ganache to fill and cover

A garden rose

Gold leaf (optional)

 

 

1.      Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan. Butter and line a 10”x 3” round cake tin with parchment paper.

2.      Chop up the chocolate and put it into a heat-proof bowl placed over, a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally to aid the melting process.

3.      Cream the butter and sugars until very light and fluffy in a stand mixer.

4.      Add the eggs and beat until emulsified.

5.      Remove the melted chocolate from the pot and wipe any water off the bottom of the bowl. Give it a gentle stir to release a little steam and add it to the butter and egg mixture.

6.      Measure the milk and add the lemon juice to it. It will curdle slightly but that is the intention. If you have fresh buttermilk, you could use that instead.

7.      Add the vanilla to the milk and lemon and set aside.

8.      Sift together the flour, soda, cocoa powder and salt.

9.      Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and chocolate and mix for a couple of minutes until incorporated.

10.  Add the milk mixture and beat until incorporated.

11.  Add the remainder of the flour mixture and mix to make a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

 

Dark Chocolate Ganache

 

For filing and icing a very rich cake.

 

224 ml double cream

200 g golden syrup

1 vanilla bean, split

600 g dark chocolate (66-70%)

100 g unsalted butter, very very soft

 

1.      Stir the cream and golden syrup together in a heavy saucepan and scrape the vanilla seeds into it. Add the pod as well and gently heat. Bring to just below the boil (a foamy layer of milk should just be starting to form) Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and chill. You can chill this overnight for optimum vanilla flavour.

2.      Place your chocolate in a medium stainless steel bowl and set over a barely simmering pot of water on the stovetop. Using a chocolate thermometer, heat to just below 115°F.

3.      At this point, re-heat your cream to 115°F as well. When the bowl of chocolate reaches 115°F, remove it from the pot.

4.      Pour the melted chocolate and the heated cream into a vessel such as a liquid measuring jug and using an immersion blender, blend well. Blend until it is thick and creamy. Add the very soft butter, bit by bit.

5.      Stir very gently from time to time until it reaches the desired consistency for spreading on a cake.

 

To ice and decorate:

 

1.      Once the cake has cooled, start by evening off the top with a serrated knife. Reserve the scraps for the decoration.

2.      Now split the cake into three layers with a serrated knife. Set the top and middle layers onto rounds of card or tart tin bottoms, or plates. The bottom layer should go onto the serving plate you intend to use.

3.      If the trimmings are still very soft, you can pop them into the oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out. Then place them in your food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Set aside.

4.      Spread a thinnish layer of about a ½ centimeter of ganache over the bottom layer of the cake. Place the center layer over that and agin spread with ganache. Place the top layer on and then use your hands to evenly shape the cake into a symmetrical and even stack of layers.

5.      Take a generous scoop of ganache and pile it on top of the cake. Spread it out over the top and leave a little hanging over the sides.

6.      Now using a palette knife or offset spatula, cover the sides with heaps of ganache trying to avoid pulling any crumbs up into the ganache.

7.      Smooth the sides, removing any excess ganache. Smooth the top once again and make a nice swirl. Reserve a little ganache for the decoration.

8.      Sprinkle the top and sides with the cake crumbs and finish with a dollop of remaining ganache. If you have gold leaf, it makes a very elegant finish on the top of the blob of ganache. If you don’t, sprinkle with a rose petal or two. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container but be sure to bring it out of the fridge about an hour before serving or the butter in the ganache and the cake will be too hard.

 

Tip: If you think you might make a mess, a good trick is to slip pieces of parchment paper under the cake around the edge. Then after you cover it in the ganache, you can remove the paper and have a nicely clean serving dish.

 

Claire Ptak’s Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

225g soft butter

70g caster sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

310g plain flour

1 tablespoon brandy

100g pecans, roughly chopped

icing sugar (about 500 g)

 

1.      Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt.

2.      Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together, but no longer.

3.      Add the brandy and the chopped pecans

4.      Scoop into little balls and arrange on a cookie sheet. If you have a mini ice cream or truffle scoop this works very well. Alternatively you can use a teaspoon and roll the dough into little balls between your palms. You are going to freeze them before baking so you can cram them together on the sheet to put in the deep freeze and separate them later for baking.

5.      Bake at 170°C for about 20 minutes. They should be set but have barely any colour. They should just scoot if nudged with a finger.

6.      Toss in icing sugar while warm. This layer will melt a little. Let cool completely. Then sift with a LOT of sugar. You can sift out the biscuit bits from the first toss in sugar and use that to coat them the second time.

7.      Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They are delicious served cold with coffee or ice cream.

 

 

Claire Ptak’s Salted Caramel Cupcakes

 

125 g butter, very soft

200 g caster sugar

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

280 g self-raising flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest

80 ml lemon juice

80 ml milk

 

1.      Heat the oven to 160°C, fan.

2.      Cream the very soft butter and sugar until almost white and fluffy.

3.      Add the eggs and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

4.      Add half the flour until just combined.

5.      Add the zest, juice and milk and mix until combined.

6.      Add the remaining flour.

7.      Scoop into paper baking cup-lined cupcake tins.

8.      Bake for about 20 minutes.

9.      Remove from the tin and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the icing.

 

Salted Caramel Icing

 

The caramel:

 

115 ml double cream

½ vanilla pod, split down the side and scraped

60 g golden syrup

100 g caster or granulated sugar

15 g unsalted butter

½ teaspoon fluer de sel or other sea salt such as Maldon

 

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the cream. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them along with the pod, to the cream. Bring the cream and vanilla to just under a boil. Try not to scorch the cream. When it is ready, it will start to exude wisps of steam and have a thin layer of frothy foam beginning to form at the edges of the pan.
2. While the cream is heating, boil the golden syrup and sugar in another heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches about 290-300°F/140°C
3. Add the butter and salt, and strain the cream mixture into the sugar mixture. Stir to combine.

 

For the icing:

                                                                                                                           

50g butter

200g icing sugar

25 ml caramel (reserve the rest for something else. It freezes very well)                 

1 tablespoon milk                                                                                

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract                                 

pinch of Maldon salt                                         

 

1.      Cream the butter on a low speed with some sugar and gradually add the caramel, milk, vanilla and sea salt.

2.      Add the remaining icing sugar. The speed must be kept slow as to not incorporate too much air into the buttercream.

3.      Once all of the ingredients are added, beat the mixture for about 2 minutes, to get to the proper texture and to allow the sugar to dissolve. At this point you can add more sugar if appropriate. This varies with the air temperature and the darkness of the caramel.

 

Claire Ptak’s Chocolate 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

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

6 teaspoons violet essence

 

Espresso 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.

 

Hazelnut Praline Truffles

 

150 g hazelnuts

50 ml cold water

200 g sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

225 g double cream

50 g unsalted butter

425 g dark chocolate, finely chopped and placed in a large bowl

cocoa powder for dusting

 

 

1.      Butter and line a 20 cm baking tin with cling film. The butter is to help hold the cling film in place. Set aside

2.      Toast the hazelnuts on a parchment lined baking sheet.

3.      Place the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with the sugar. Add the cream of tartar and heat gently to dissolve. Stirring occasionally is ok. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Make a caramel. It can be as light or as dark as you like.

4.      When you have reached the desired colour for your caramel, pour it over the toasted hazelnuts and let it set. Once it has set, break into pieces and then blitz to a fine powder in a food processor.

5.      Warm the cream, but do not let it come to the boil. Pour it over the chocolate and whisk gently until smooth and melted. Fold in the praline. Pour into your prepared tin.

6.      Chill the mixture in the fridge until set. This will take about an hour.

7.      When set, turn the chocolate block out onto a marble or other cold hard surface.  Remove the plastic and using a clean knife dipped in hot water (and then wiped dry) slice the block of caramel chocolate into 2 cm squares. Place back in the fridge to chill.

8.      Dip the squares of ganache into cocoa powder

 

 

Fool Proof Food

Claire Ptak’s Candied Flowers

 

A bouquet of fresh, edible flowers such as pansies, violets or garden roses.

 

free-range egg whites

caster sugar

 

Equipment

 

A soft bristled painting brush or pastry brush

 

Dip the brush in the whites and then pat out on a paper towel to get excess white off of the brush. You don’t want to saturate the petals, only get them just damp enough to hold the caster sugar.

 

Sprinkle the petals with a generous amount of castor sugar and leave in a warm place to dry.

 

HotTips

Ponaire Coffee Limerick

Ponaire (Irish for bean) import their own raw coffee beans from around the world and roast, blend and package them in their roastery in Annacotty, Co Limerick. They serve this excellent coffee in their Deli Coffee shop and also supply numerous restaurants listed in Georgina Campbell’s Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland. They have won three Bridgestone Awards for their coffee, a classic artisan product. Jennifer and Thomas Ryan can be contacted on (061) 339801, (087) 9095242) email, info@ponaire.ie www.ponaire.ie

 

 

Stuffed Olive Gourmet Store

in Bantry, Co Cork have a good selection of freshly made salads to eat in, sitting on a high stool by the window or to take away, a delicious, crunchy alternative to a heavy pub lunch. They also serve very good coffee and bake cakes daily. Their shelves are stocked with a very tempting array of locally produced goodies…jams and preserves from Gingergirl www.gingergirl.ie, Seaweed Sausages from Lo Tide (098) 42616, handmade artisan chocolates from Skellig www.skelligschocolates.com and Cocoa Bean Chocolates www.cocoabeanchocolates.com Margie Kelly and Trish Messom opened this little gem of a shop in December 2006 and can be contacted on (027) 55883 or email stuffedolive@gmail.com.SlowFood Bantry Middle Eastern Barbeque

today at Mannings Emporium in Bantry at 2:00pm.Barbeque Festival

in Bantry starts on Friday 31st July to Monday 3rd August. There is a Food Fair and Barbeques on the town square with cookery demonstrations by local chefs on Saturday with the Hot House Flowers performing a free concert later. On Sunday and Monday, sample food from the barbeques outside seven pubs free of charge . Contact Danny Collins 087 2956225 for more information.

 

I’ve been backwards and forwards to London a lot recently to work with my long suffering editor doing the final tweaking on the manuscript of my ‘Forgotten Skills’ book. I’m chained to the desk all day and well into the evening so I don’t get distracted by London’s many temptations. However the deal is we must be allowed to fortify ourselves with lunch or dinner so I’ve had the opportunity to try some of the new (to me) places and in the process found a few gems to add to my London list.

Hereford Road in Notting Hill serves a simply gutsy no-nonsense style of cooking in this small restaurant which was originally a Victorian butchers shop I enjoyed Crispy Rabbit Fillets with Aioli. The young chef Tom Pemberton has a terrific pedigree, I loved his food when he was head chef at Fergus Henderson’s St John Bread and Wine and he’s brought his sure touch, love of offal and seasonal ingredients to Hereford Row. We loved the Deep Fried Rabbit and Aoili, Cured Duck with Pickled Chicory and Buttermilk Pudding with Prunes.

Close to Borough Market was another great find, Magdalen in Tooley Street, they got a whingy review from restaurant critic AA Gill a few weeks ago. They promptly put it up on their website and are now even busier than before. Perhaps this is a consequence of having a bad review from the entertaining but acerbic Mr Gill. Daylesford Shop and Restaurant was lambasted a couple of months ago and despite the recession had the busiest three weeks ever, immediately after publication. They have expanded their facility in  Gloucestershire and now make three cheeses, a big variety of breads and the cookery school will open September under the guidance of chef Vadimir Niza The café serving delicious food is open every day, breakfast is served from 9:30am and dinner is served from 6pm to 9pm outside on the alfresco terrace.

Back to Magdalen, the enthusiastic young team, headed up by James Faulkes, have pooled their collective experience from Le Manor Aux Quat Saisons, The Fat Duck, La Trompette and my favourite gastro pub, Anchor and Hope. The result is beautiful confident cooking where the menu changes every day, incorporating seasonal produce and rare breed meat and fresh fish from the Market close by. I loved the thinly sliced Pigs Head with Pickled Red Cabbage and Fried Potatoes. The puddings were some of the best I’ve had around London and I managed to taste Lemon Pot with Cassis, Elderflower Cream and Strawberries, French Toast with Marmalade and Vanilla Ice Cream – all sublime as was Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream.

It’s also tough to get a table at Bocca di Lupo in Soho but it is well worth booking ahead to taste Jacob Kenedy’s Fried Baby Artichokes and Shaved Radish and Pecorino Salad and if you have to settle for sitting at the counter, look on it as a bonus – you can watch the chefs doing their magic.

My last top tip this time is the new flavour of the month Terroirs Wine Bar and Restaurant in William 1V Street, that’s another spot that got a dressing down from AA Gill. It too was packed to capacity. It has the feel of a French Bistro. The simple menu has many charcuterie choices and great bar snacks, Radish with Butter and Sea Salt, Duck Scratchings, Boquerones. The delicious Taramasalata and Crostini, quite different to the spooky pink stuff often served in Greek restaurants. There’s a whole section of Small Plates on the menu which are incredibly reasonable priced, snails, bacon and parsley £6.00. Broad beans, Pecorino and Peashoots both £6.00. Secretts Farm Salad half the price at £3.00 and lots more. There were four Plats du Jour, the most expensive of which was the Gilt Head Sea Bream, Cockles, Pequillo Pepper and Sea Purslane for £14.00. Again desserts and cheese were good with superb French Rocamadour from the Lot. A wobbly Panna Cotta with Raspberries was especially memorable. All these restaurants were fully booked despite the recessionary doom and gloom – the secret as ever was simple fresh food from superb ingredients, convivial atmosphere. Some like Magdalena, had starched white linen tablecloths, other simple timber tables, all had well chosen wine lists, reasonably priced. Despite the times you’ll need to book ahead, all except the Anchor and Hope take bookings.

 

You’ll be forgiven for thinking I did no work on the book but a girl has to eat to keep up the energy and after all, it’s all in the way of research. A special thank you to all the restaurants who shared these recipes with us.

 

Hereford Road Restaurant 0044 2077271144 www.herefordroad.org/news/

Magdalen Restaurant 0044 2074031342 www.magdalenrestaurant.co.uk   

Daylesford Restaurant 0044 1608731700 www.daylesfordorganic.com/scat/nottinghill

Bocca di Lupo 0044 207734223 www.boccadilupo.com  

Terroirs 00442070360660 www.terroirswinebar.com

 

Magadelen’s – Duck Ham

 

I duck Magret (these are the breasts of a duck that have been bred for foie gras)

 

Spiced salt:

20gms of coarse salt

1 tablespoon of picked thyme

1 bay leaf

6 coriander seeds

6 black peppercorns

1 strip each of lemon and orange peel

 

Blend all the spiced salt ingredients in a food processor for about 1 minute. Lightly rub this mix onto both sides of the duck breast and leave loosely covered in the fridge overnight. The following day wash the salt off quickly under cold water and pat dry. Wrap in muslin and tie, but not too tightly, with kitchen string. Hang on a string in a cool well ventilated area for 12 – 16 days. Test after 12 days by pinching the duck, it should feel firm but supple.

 

We serve this thinly sliced in a salad with confit duck, green beans and walnuts, a thin slice of foie gras and sliced radishes.

 

Daylesford Organic Blackcurrant Sorbet

 

 

50g/1lb blackcurrants

315ml/10 ½ fl oz sugar syrup

125ml/4floz water

1 egg white

A few sprigs of mint

 

Make a sugar syrup by dissolving 350g/ 10 ½oz sugar in a pan with 300ml/ 10fl oz water. Strip the currants from their stalks, wash, drain and dry on kitchen paper. Add to the sugar syrup and water in a non-reactive saucepan and simmer gently, covered, for 5 minutes. When cool, rub through a nylon sieve to remove the pips. Add the mint to the purée, cover and leave to infuse. Remove the mint when you pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn for about 10 minutes. Then add the egg white and continue churning until the sorbet is firm enough to serve. Makes about 1 litre.

 

If you don’t have a sorbetier (ice cream maker) just pour the mixture into a plastic box to freeze. Remove from the freezer before it freezes and stir a few times to ensure a nice smooth texture.

 

 

 Daylesford Organic Sea bream with ginger

 

1 whole sea bream (400g/12oz)

3 tbsp light soy sauce

½ tsp white sugar

a handful of shredded ginger

4 shredded spring onions

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Ground black pepper

 

A Thai dish that is pure and simple, with fresh clean flavours. Clean and score the fish, then place it on a plate or cooking foil and cover with the soy sauce, sugar and half the ginger. Steam until just cooked, about 20 minutes, and check underneath that it is done. Then add the rest of the ginger and the spring onions, and steam for another 2 minutes. Carefully remove the plate and the foil from the steamer with tongs, retaining the juices, and serve the fish whole, sprinkled with coriander leaves and black pepper.

 

Terroir’s Panna Cotta

 

(Serves 8)

 

1ltr x double cream

180g x caster sugar

2 x bourbon vanilla pods split

2.5 leaves of bronze leaf gelatine

 

In a large pan, bring the cream, sugar and split vanilla pods slowly to the boil and remove from the heat.

Soak the bronze leaf gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Then whisk thoroughly into the cream ensuring all the gelatine has dissolved.

Remove the vanilla pods and pour the cream into a metal bowl. In a larger metal bowl, place some ice and water and sit the bowl containing the cream on the ice to cool it down.

The reason is to slightly set the cream before it goes into the moulds, otherwise all the vanilla seeds will sink to the bottom. Using this method gives a nice even distribution of vanilla.

When the cream has thickened and the vanilla seeds are suspended evenly, pour into individual moulds and place in the fridge to finish setting. (This should take 1 to 2 hours) To serve, dip the moulds in hot water and run the tip of a knife around the inside of the mould and turn the panna cotta out onto the plate. Serve with any fruit that is in season – delicious!

 

Terroir’s Taramasolata

 

1 x Whole Smoked Cod’s Roe (around 800-900g) 150g x day old white bread, no crusts milk

3 x cloves of garlic, crushed finely

Juice of 1 Lemon

1litre x Vegetable oil

150ml x Olive oil

Tabasco to finish

Remove the outer skin of the cod’s roe.

Soak the bread in the milk (enough milk just to cover) until soft.

Place the cod’s roe in a food processor with the soaked bread and the crushed garlic.

Process until smooth and then slowly add the vegetable oil in a steady stream as you would if making mayonnaise.

Repeat the process with the olive oil

Add the lemon Juice and finish with the Tabasco (to your own taste)

 

Bocca di Lupos’s Fried Artichokes ‘a la Guidia’

 

(serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main):

 

4 young artichokes – these should be as large as possible without having any tough choke. You are looking for buds about 6-8cm across, with tightly closed leaves.

Sunflower oil – about 2 litres – at least 5cm depth in a deep pan about 20 cm wide

Salt

 

1)      clean artichokes 1 by 1. This is a little tricky, the aim being to remove any tough parts (which will be grass green), and leave any tender parts. If unsure at any stage, trim off s little and test between your teeth. Start by squeezing 1 lemon into a tub of water. Take one artichoke, break off the stem. Trim or snap off the tough outer green leaves, until you reach the tender ones within (these will have a yellow or pink hue). Use a paring knife to trim off any green bases of leaves to expose the paler heart. Trim off the tips of the remaining leaves, leaving about 3 cm of leaf – they should end up looking like anaemic rosebuds. Keep in the acidulated water whilst you clean the rest.

2)      Drain well – best if you blot the artichokes dry with a cloth. Season with salt and deep-fry slowly in sunflower oil (at 130-140 degrees) for 15 minutes until completely tender but not falling apart. Remove from the oil, and leave to cool.

 

First two steps can be done in advance, the cooked artichokes keeping for a few days in the fridge – they even freeze well once cooked.

 

3)      Reheat artichoke oil until almost smoking (190 degrees)

4)      Open artichokes out into flowers by inserting your thumb in the middle, and gently working the leaves out flat like an open flower. Fry upside-down in the oil (lower them in gently to keep them from turning over) for a few minutes until the leaves turn an autumnal brown

5)      Drain well (the oil may get trapped between the leaves), sprinkle with salt, and eat immediately

 

Bocca di Lupo’s Shaved Radish Salad

 

serves 4 as a starter

 

1 bunch, or about 8 radishes breakfast radishes

½ a black radish (available from Turkish shops), or 5cm green mooli (Chinese greengrocers) or mooli

A chunk of celeriac – about ¼ of a very small bulb – peeled

A little chunk of pecorino Romano – about 50g

A few sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves picked

¼ pomegranate, picked – or 6 tablespoons picked seeds

1 tablespoon truffle oil

4 tablespoons X V olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

 

Make a dressing with the oils, vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.

 

Do everything else just before you serve – radishes dry out, and celeriac blackens with time. Wash the radishes (red & black), and shave thinly – best on a mandolin. Use a potato peeler to shave the celeriac and pecorino. Toss the lot with the pomegranate seeds and parsley, and dress lightly. Serve in haphazard but tall piles on individual plates, or in a bowl to share from.

 

 

Fool Proof Food

Magdalen’s French toast, Marmalade and Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Serves 4

 

4 slices of brioche.

Marmalade or other preserve

Vanilla ice cream

 

For the custard: 2 whole eggs, 460gms of double cream, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg, 1/2 a vanilla pod, 100gms of castor sugar, a shot of cointreau.

 

Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into a basin. Add all the other ingredients and whisk thoroughly.

Soak the slices of brioche in the custard for about a minute till sodden. Gently fry each side in butter with a sprinkling of sugar until golden. Remove from pan and spread with a thin layer of marmalade or other preserve with a scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately.

 

We make our own brioche, preserves and ice cream but all are available to buy.

 

Thrifty Tip

 

Poke drainage holes into used yogurt pots or old Tupperware pots to use as growing containers for seeds or cuttings.

 

Hottips

 

SlowFood East Cork Summer Events

How to Butcher a Lamb and What to do with the Various Cuts Learn how to identify different cuts of lamb, how to find and recognise the best quality meat and match cuts to cooking methods at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, Wednesday 15^th July at 7:30pm. Slow Food Members €45.00 and €45.00 non-members.

 

Slow Food East Cork Fun Cookery Class for Children – Saturday 18^th July 9:30am to 2:00pm. During this fun morning kids will make savoury and sweet recipes and enjoy the dishes that they cook for lunch. SlowFood Members €50.00 and €55.00 non SlowFood Members.

Booking is essential, email slowfood@cookingisfun.ie  or phone (021) 4646 785.

 

Schull Agricultural Show and Farmer’s Market The village of Schull hold it’s Agricultural Show again this year on Sunday 26^th July 2009 from 12 noon.

Schull Farmers Market sets up for the day with over 20 stalls of some very well known and delicious West Cork artisan foods for you to sample including Ted Berner and his Wildside Catering. For more details contact The Secretary: 028 28707

 

 

 

We’re at the height of the strawberry season at present, all along the main roads strawberry growers are doing their best to tempt us to indulge. So let’s feast on beautiful ripe berries while they are at their best. Eco Santa is the favourite commercial variety but a few growers are beginning to offer some heritage berries, it’s not easy because many of the older more flavourful varieties produce smaller berries which take longer to pick. Time is money and there is already a serious problem to be resolved to facilitate the employment of fruit pickers who are needed on a casual basis for a short period during the berry seasons, which is also weather dependent.

So let’s support our Irish soft fruit growers, otherwise we’ll have no choice as has happened with so many other products. There are a myriad of delicious ways to serve strawberries.

 

Homemade Strawberry Gelato with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

 

Serves 6-8

2 lbs (900g) very ripe strawberries

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 orange

8ozs (225g) castor sugar

300ml (300ml) water

150ml (5floz) whipped cream

 

Dissolve the sugar in the water; boil for 7-10 minutes, leave to cool. Purée the strawberries in a food processor or blender, sieve. Add the freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice to the cold syrup. Stir into the purée, fold in the whipped cream. Freeze immediately preferably in a sorbietere. Store in a covered plastic box in the freezer. Scoop out into balls and serve on chilled plates with sprigs of fresh mint.

 

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

400g (14 ozs) strawberries

50g (2 ozs) icing sugar

lemon juice

 

Garnish

 

 

Fresh mint leaves

 

To make the strawberry sauce, clean and hull the strawberries, add to the blender with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice if necessary. Pour over scoops of strawberry gelato and garnish with some fresh mint leaves.

Strawberry Tiramisu

 

Serves 10-12

150ml (5fl ozs) water

200g (7ozs) unbleached caster sugar

400g (14ozs) strawberries sliced

50ml (2fl ozs) crème de cassis or crème de framboise

4 eggs, separated

250g (9ozs) tub mascarpone cheese

1 x 200g (7ozs) packet boudoir biscuits (sponge biscuits)

50g (2ozs) flaked or slivered almonds

1 x 28cm (11 inch) gratin dish

Make syrup by dissolving half the sugar in the water, then boiling for 2 minutes. Add in the fruit. If using fresh fruit, turn off the heat and leave it to cool. If using frozen fruit, bring the syrup back to the boil and let it simmer very gently for 1-2 minutes, then leave to cool. Add the cassis or frambroise to the syrup.

Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining sugar until pale and thick. Beat in the mascarpone cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whiles until they form stiff peaks. Fold them lightly into the egg and mascarpone mixture.

Strain the fruit from the syrup. Place the syrup in a wide bowl. Dip half the biscuits in the cooled syrup and use them to line the base of the gratin dish. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over, followed by half of the fruit. Cover the fruit with another layer of the biscuits dipped in the liquid. Spread over the remainder of the fruit, followed by the remaining mascarpone mixture. Cover and chill for a minimum of 6 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the biscuits to absorb the juices and soften.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds by heating a dry frying pan, tossing in the nuts and frying for 2-3 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool. Use to sprinkle over the tiramisu just prior to serving.

Rose Gray’s Almond Tart with Strawberries

Serves 10-12

Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers of the River Café demonstrated this tart when they were guest chefs here some years ago.

Pastry

6 ozs (170g) flour

4 ozs (110g) unsalted butter

1 oz (25g) castor sugar

2 egg yolks

 

Almond Filling

10 ozs (285g) soft butter unsalted

10 ozs (285g) castor sugar

10 ozs (285g) whole almonds

3 eggs

1 dessertspoon Amaretto or Rum

 

1 lb (450g) fresh strawberries

1 x 12 inch (30.5cm,) tart tin with ‘pop-up base

 

First make the pastry.

 

Put the flour and butter into the food processor. Whizz for a few seconds then add sugar and egg yolks, turn off the machine just as the pastry starts to form a ball. Chill for 2-1 hour.

 

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

 

Line the flan ring and bake blind for 15 minutes. Meanwhile make the almond filling. Blanch the almonds in boiling water, remove the skins and grind in a liquidiser or food processor.

 

Whisk the butter with the sugar until soft and fluffy add the ground almonds, eggs and amaretto if available. Pour into the pastry case and reduce the oven to 160C/325F/regulo 3, and bake for approx. 40 minutes. Allow to cool, cut the strawberries in half or quarters and stud into the tart.

 

Fresh Strawberry Popsicles

Popsicles are the new cupcakes – all the rage, we used to call them ice lollies but these are not make from cordial they are made from pure strawberry puree – a revelation and lots of fun.

 

Makes (18floz) or 6 x 3floz popsicles

 

400g (14ozs) fresh strawberries

55g (2ozs) icing sugar

lemon juice

150ml (5floz) stock syrup

 

Clean and hull the strawberries, add to the liquidiser with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice and stock syrup.

 

Pour into 75ml (3floz) Popsicle moulds and freeze for 3 – 4 hours

Stock Syrup

Makes 28 fl ozs (825 ml)

1 lb (450 g) sugar

1 pint (600 ml) water

To make the stock 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 and use for homemade lemonade, fruit salads…

American Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 10

10 fresh scones

225g (8ozs) strawberries

2 teaspoons caster sugar

284ml (9 1/2 fl ozs) carton double cream

2 teaspoons icing sugar

Garnish

6-8 whole strawberries

fresh mint or strawberry leaves

icing sugar

First make the scones (recipe Irish Examiner Saturday 14^{th February 2009) While they are baking, prepare the strawberries by washing, hulling and cutting into quarters. Toss with the caster sugar and set aside.info@pinkginger.ie or for schedule of cookery classes visit www.pinkginger.ie www.croninspub.com}

Shortly before serving, whip the cream with the icing sugar. Split the cooled scones and top the bottom half with a blob of sweetened cream and a few sugared

strawberries. Add the tops sieve a little icing sugar over and decorate with whole or halved strawberries and fresh mint or strawberry leaves.

Strawberry Fool

What could be easier or more delicious, sharpen the strawberries with a few drops of lemon juice if necessary.

1lb (450g) strawberries

55g (2oz) caster Sugar

1 tablespoon lemon Juice

55g (2oz) whipped cream or a mixture of Greek style yogurt

lady finger biscuits

Whiz the strawberries and castor sugar in a food processor or blender. Pour into a bowl, add a few drops of squeezed lemon juice, swirl in whipped cream, taste and tweak if necessary. Pour into deep glasses and serve a few lady fingers with each for dunking.

 

Eton Mess

Serves 8

Meringue x 1

Strawberry coulis (see recipe Fresh Strawberry Sauce)

450g (1lb) strawberries

450ml – 600ml (15floz – 1 pint) whipped cream

First make the coulis (fresh strawberry sauce)

To Assemble

Slice the strawberries lengthwise in 2 or 3 pieces depending on size. Add 110ml (4fl oz) of coulis and toss gently. Break the meringue into uneven chunks roughly 2.5 – 5cm (1-2 inches). Spread the meringue onto a flat dish, add the cream. Fold gently, then spoon over the strawberries – this can be such a mess if you aren’t careful. Spoon into glasses or pudding bowls or pile up on individual plates. Pour a little more strawberry coulis over the top. Enjoy immediately while the meringue is still crisp. Divine!

 

Strawberries and Cherries in Tequila

A delicious combination with a Mexican twist.

1lb (450g) strawberries

1lb (450g) cherries

55g (2oz) caster sugar or more to taste

2 fl oz Tequila

1 organic orange and juice

Slice the strawberries lengthwise, cut the cherries in half, and remove the stones sprinkle with sugar, add the rind and juice of one organic orange and a generous glug of Tequila – taste and tweak if necessary.

Fool Proof Food

Rachel Allen’s Strawberry Daiquiri

A really refreshing cocktail to have on a Summer’s evening with friends.

Serves 2-4

150ml (5fl ozs) white rum or vodka

250g (9ozs) strawberries

75ml (3fl ozs) lime juice (approximately 3 limes)

100-125ml (3 1/2 – 4 1/2 flozs) stock syrup (see recipe above) to taste

crushed ice, to serve

Place the run, strawberries (or raspberries), lime juice and 100ml (3 1/2 fl ozs) stock syrup in a blender and whiz until smooth. Taste and add more stock syrup if necessary. Pour into tumblers half-filled with crushed ice.

Thrifty Tip

The price of milk has collapsed on the world market. Why not support your local dairy farmer and buy milk directly from the farm.

 

Hottips

Work up an appetite for Sunday lunch with 4FM’s ‘Davis on 4’

Derek Davis talks to Ireland’s greatest chefs, food writers and bloggers every Sunday morning on Ireland’s newest radio station, 4FM, from 10am-12pm. In the coming months ‘Davis on 4’ will feature budget conscious restaurant reviews, wine discussions and many other food related topics such as recession friendly recipes, vegetable allotments and the best Irish cookery and wine appreciation courses, that will tantalise those taste buds on Sunday mornings.

PinkGinger

Eimer Rainsford holds exclusive but affordable cookery classes for up to eight people at home in her specially designed kitchen in Sandymount, Dublin. Ballymaloe trained, Eimer was Head Chef for the Avoca group for 11 years and contributed to their award winning cookbooks.  Her food is refreshing, as she is bold with flavours and believes that “Food is to be enjoyed and ingredients understood” To book a class contact PinkGinger on (087) 9864964 email

Cronin’s Pub Crosshaven

Sit outside on a sunny day at Cronin’s in Crosshaven, Co Cork and enjoy a big bowl of fresh mussels with herbs, oysters or juicy big crab claws with freshly baked soda bread prepared by chef Denis Cronin and his team. Booking is advisable for dinner in the ‘Mad Fish Restaurant’ Wednesday to Saturday nights. The pan fried turbot with herb butter is really good. (021) 4831829

^ 

A Taste of Greystones

^{All retailers, restaurants and their chefs will be participating in this event to be held on the Church Road on Sunday 23rd August. Taste of Ireland, Euro Toques, Failte Ireland and Georgina Campbell are backing the event. For more information, telephone 01 2016990 or email}

^{backstage@bels.ie}

In my column I certainly give lots of recipe suggestions for meat and fish lovers but I sometimes wonder whether I do justice to vegetarians. So in this weeks column veggies are the heroes and I’ll share some inspiring recipes from a first time cook book author which truly illustrate the versatility of vegetables. You certainly don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these recipes. Doesn’t matter whether you make your choice for ethical, religious or health reasons, I would argue that vegetables are by far the most important food group and you certainly don’t have to sacrifice your taste buds.

Seasonality and freshness are everything. For years now I’ve been encouraging people to grow something, anything, and themselves even if it’s only a few herbs or salad leaves. The flavour and convenience will be enough to infect you with the ‘grow your own’ bug and soon you’ll be swapping with friends and expanding your range.

Maria Elia is a new name to me but by all accounts is well known to others. Her passion for food started when she was little, she’d dash into her Greek Cypriot father’s kitchen after school hoping to be allowed to cook. As soon as she could she put her pack on her back and headed for Italy, America, Spain, and Australia, all these international influences are reflected in her cooking style. She was much acclaimed while she was head chef at Delfina’s in London and was voted one of the top 10 female chefs by the Independent. At present she’s making waves at the newly opened White Chapel Gallery Dining Room in London. Her first cookbook rather boringly named ‘The Modern Vegetarian’ is one of the most accessible and inspirational books of vegetarian food I’ve yet to come across. As I flicked through the pages I wanted to try almost everything I saw. How about these…

Maria Elia’s Chilled Tomato, Peach and Ginger Soup

The combination of tomato and peach is delicious. Jazzed up with warming ginger and a hint of red chilli it makes the perfect summer soup, and is one of my favourites. Serve it with some Thai basil (Italian works too), a little diced tomato and peach and a drizzle of olive oil, and you’re sure to impress!

serves 4

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 large shallots (or 8 small), peeled, halved

lengthways and finely sliced

70g fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced

1kg plum vine tomatoes

8 ripe peaches

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 red chilli, split in half lengthways

pinch of white sugar

sea salt and pepper

8 Thai basil leaves, torn

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook over a medium-low heat until ‘caramelised’ (sticky and softened) – this will take about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water (or a kettle) to the boil. Remove the core and lightly criss cross the base of each tomato with a knife. Put them in a large bowl, pour hot water over them and leave for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside. Repeat with the peaches, but leave for about 1 minute or until the skins begin to loosen. Remove and discard skins from peaches and tomatoes and set aside one of each for the garnish. Add the garlic and chilli to the shallots and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Roughly chop the tomatoes, reserving all the juices, and add to the pan. Roughly chop the peaches, discarding the stones and add to the pan. Add the sugar, sea salt and 650ml water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. Cut the reserved tomato in half, lengthways, then into quarters and remove the seeds (adding to the soup). Cut each tomato ‘petal’ into 1/2-cm dice. Repeat with the reserved peach. Refrigerate until required.

Remove and discard the chilli from the soup. Puree the soup until smooth (add a little water if too thick), season to taste, cool and then refrigerate, covered, until required.

Serve garnished with peach and tomato dice, Thai basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

NOTE: If you are feeling adventurous you could also try garnishing with a little deep-fried ginger. You will need a long piece of ginger (I say long, as this means your fingers will be further away from the blade!), which you peel, then using a very sharp knife or mandolin, slice into wafer-thin pieces. Heat a small pan of vegetable oil until almost smoking and fry the ginger in batches until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. These ginger crisps can also be made in advance and stored in an airtight container.

Maria Elia’s Halloumi, Raita, Endive Salad and Crispy Poppadoms

Add an interesting twist to halloumi with this fruity spice paste. Paneer would also work well or, if you’re a vegan, try using tofu (but make sure it’s well drained). The raita is great served with grilled aubergines, too.

serves 4

For the spiced halloumi

2 x 200g blocks halloumi cheese, each sliced

into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 poppadoms, cooked

For the spice paste

 

4 tablespoons mango chutney

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

a pinch each of ground turmeric, paprika,

cumin, coriander

half a bunch of chopped coriander

sea salt and black pepper

For the raita

 

6 tablespoons Greek yogurt

6cm cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

pinch each of ground cumin and garam masala

juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

sea salt

For the salad

 

2 heads Belgian endive (white chicory),

thinly sliced

1/2 bulb fennel, finely sliced

4 Medjool dates, stoned and julienned (optional)

11/2 tablespoons shredded mint and coriander

a bunch of watercress, picked

For the dressing

 

juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, preferably

Chardonnay

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the halloumi. Cook for 1 minute on either side.

Meanwhile, mix all of the spices for the paste together. Remove the pan from the heat, top the halloumi pieces with the spice mix and place under the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes to heat the halloumi through.

While the halloumi is cooking, mix together all of the ingredients for the raita and season to taste with sea salt. For the salad, mix all of the ingredients together and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and white wine vinegar. Season to taste.

To assemble, place 1 poppadom flat on each plate, top with salad, half the raita and 2 halloumi slices. Break the remaining poppadoms into 3 pieces each and stand upright in the remaining raita.

Dino’s Greek Peas – Maria Elia

Thanks to my dad, Dino, I knew I wanted to be a chef at the age of just four. My parents owned a restaurant in Richmond, and I would eagerly wait for my mum to come and collect me from nursery every day, after which we would run back to the restaurant together and I would get to see my dad. He was always busy cooking and I found it fascinating to watch him. Sometimes, I was given jobs to do, like grating Parmesan through the cylinder grater, or feeding potatoes through the rumbler. I would be in my element!

Here is the recipe for Dino’s peas, best made a day in advance so that the flavours can intensify overnight.

serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons tomato purée

1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

200g peas

a small bunch of dill, finely chopped, or 11/2 tablespoons dried dill

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, 3 tablespoons of water, the dill and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Adjust the seasoning. Serve warm.

Maria Elia’s Spiced Cherry Vine Tomato Sauce

If you like a bit of spice, add a pinch of chilli flakes to the recipe below. Try using this sauce tossed with spaghetti, fresh chillies and coriander for an Asian slant on a spaghetti arrabiata.

makes enough for 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

10 curry leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

450g cherry tomatoes, halved

pinch of sugar

1 tablespoon tomato puree

pinch of sea salt

Heat the olive oil in a wok or frying pan until hot. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook until beginning to pop. Remove from the heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and then cook over a low heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato purée, salt and 2 tablespoons of water and simmer over a low heat for 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and the sauce has thickened.

Maria Elia’s Coffee Bean Crème Caramel

makes 7 baby ramekins (or 4 large ones)

For the caramel

110g caster sugar

20ml water

2 tablespoons strong coffee

For the custard

225ml double cream

1 tablespoon coffee beans

1/2 vanilla pod, split and beans scraped

1 egg yolk

1 egg

65g caster sugar

To make the caramel, heat the sugar and water over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to the boil without stirring; cook until golden. Remove pan from the heat and carefully pour in the coffee. Stir until smooth and simmer for 2 minutes, then divide evenly between the ramekins.

To make the custard, preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Heat the cream, coffee beans, vanilla pod and beans over a low heat until beginning to boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. (Put the kettle onto boil now for your bain marie.) Whisk the egg yolk, egg and sugar until pale and thick. Strain the cream mixture into the eggs, whisk and pour into the ramekins. Line a small baking tin with a tea towel, place the ramekins on top and pour in boiling water to halfway up the sides. Cook for about 20–30 minutes for small ramekins and 30–40 minutes for bigger ones, until the custard is just set.

Remove the ramekins from the water and leave to cool before refrigerating for 2 hours or overnight. To serve, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and turn the custard out. Serve with Coffee Tuilles.

Maria Elia’s Coffee Tuilles

Tuilles are usually circular and curved in the centre, involving a rolling pin and lots of work. Here I’ve suggested spreading the mixture out, cooking, then breaking into long shards. I think they look much more dramatic this way and are a lot less fiddly.

Serves 4 – 6

40g unsalted butter

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

40g plain flour

40g icing sugar

1 egg white

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Gently heat the butter until just melted, add the coffee and stir to dissolve. Sift the flour and icing sugar together and with a wooden spoon, beat in the egg white and the butter mixture to form a smooth paste. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or overnight before using. Spread the mixture thinly on a non-stick tray or Teflon mat and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes until beginning to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before breaking into long shards. Keep in an airtight container if not using straight away.

 

Fool Proof Food

Maria Elia’s Rosemary Popcorn

Decadent popcorn, easily made by infusing olive oil with rosemary. Fabulous to serve at a drinks party. To vary the flavour, try adding a little chilli powder to the rosemary popcorn once cooked. Or infuse the oil with sage or finely grated lemon zest instead of rosemary. You could also pop the corn, then drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Popcorn will never be the same again!

serves 4

100ml extra virgin olive oil

3 sprigs of rosemary

150g popping corn

sea salt

Pour the oil into a small saucepan, strip the rosemary leaves off the sprigs and add the leaves to the oil. Warm over a low heat for 10 minutes, and then set aside for 20 minutes or overnight to infuse. Following the directions on the popping corn packet, make the popcorn. When popped and still warm, drizzle with a little rosemary oil, sprinkle with sea salt, toss well to mix and serve.

Thrifty Tip

“Wine boxes, with their lovely embossed logos, are great for growing salad crops in. The best place to source these are from high end wine merchants as the better the wine the better the quality of the boxes” taken from ‘The Thrifty Gardener’ by Alys Fowler, published by Kyle Cathie.  

Hottips

 

Diva Boutique Bakery and Cafe

Diva Boutique Bakery and Café in Ballinspittle near Kinsale serve really good coffee and the owner Shannen Keane freshly bakes her famous brownies daily. The roasted organic chicken with organic rocket pesto served with sweet potato chips is delicious. Shannen believes in supporting local farmers and buys most of her produce locally. Stop in on the way back from Garretstown Beach to try her ice cold strawberry lemonade. Open every day except Tuesday when Shannen sells her wares at the Kinsale Farmers Market. Telephone (021) 4778465.

Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens and Farm

Find out what’s new on the farm and in the farm shop on Twitter (bcsfarmshop)

Cool and Spicy Summer Menu

Green Saffron has its summer menu out and it’s all about fresh, flavoursome, spicy food. Try their rose petal and lemon rice salad served with mild spiced chicken, organic leaves, jalfrezi crème with fresh lime and coriander. Their mango kulfi (Indian ice cream) is delicious and so is the lemon ginger sherbet cordial, perfect for hot summer days. Ask about their meal deals, dinner for two for a tenner. Find Green Saffron at the Farmers Markets in Kinsale on Tuesdays, Mahon Point every Thursday, and Limerick and Midleton Markets on Saturdays. www.greensaffron.com

How about having a little party to celebrate Midsummer and all the beautiful fresh produce springing forth from the garden and Farmers Markets?

The first of the new season Home-guard potatoes are now bursting out of their jackets to be enjoyed with a few flakes of sea salt and a lump of good Irish butter. We’ve been enjoying broad beans for the past few weeks and eating them in every conceivable way, even using the pods for soup. If you grow your own you won’t want to waste a scrap – freshness is of paramount importance to everything but most particularly broad beans and peas which go mealy within a few hours of being picked. We love to pick them just before dinner, it only takes a few minutes and then involved everyone in the shelling as they sip an aperitif, it may not be your idea of a good time but its lots of fun and most people have never enjoyed the tactile experience of taking broad beans our of their fur lined pods, something not to be missed. The hedgerows are bursting with elderflowers and the green gooseberries are ready to pick – you’ll need to be quick because they are ripening fast, soon they’ll be too sweet for really good tarts and compotes. The combination of the two flavours is one of the most magical of the entire summer. Here I suggest an elderflower Pannacotta with green gooseberry and elderflower compote. It’s pretty served in little Moroccan tea glasses or small narrow water glasses. For main course how about a roast organic chicken with fresh peas, cream and chervil and flowery new potatoes. Follow that with a salad of summer leaves and fresh herbs and flowers.

Alternatively make a risotto and add the blanched and skinned broad beans and lots of summer savoury. If you’d prefer a cool pudding make some vanilla ice cream to serve with the gooseberry and elderflower compote both can be made ahead and each are exquisite it their own way. Buy a little prosecco to make a toast to Midsummer.

Organic Chicken Roast with Two Lemons

 

This recipe given to me by Marcella Hazan, is the simplest most delicious roast chicken recipe I know – no fat, no basting, and no stuffing. We use Dan Ahern’s organic chickens. (021) 4631058

 

Serves 4

 

1 x 3-4 lb (1.35-1.8kg) free range organic chicken

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 small organic lemons

 

Trussing needle and string

 

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

Wash the chicken thoroughly with cold water. Remove any bits of fat from around the vent end. Drain the chicken well and dry thoroughly with a tea towel or kitchen paper.

Rub the salt and freshly ground black pepper with your fingers over all the body and into the cavity. Wash the lemons well and dry them with a tea towel, roll on the counter and prick each of the lemons in at least 20 places with a cocktail stick or skewer.

Put both lemons in the cavity. Close up the opening with cocktail sticks or with a trussing needle and string. Don’t make it absolutely airtight or the chicken may burst!

Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast side down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so don’t worry it won’t stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken breast side up. Be careful not to puncture the skin.

Cook for another 30-35 minutes then increase the heat to 200C/400F/regulo 6, and cook for a further additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20-25 minutes total cooking time for each 1 lb (500g). There is no need to turn the chicken again.

Bring the chicken to the table whole, garnished with sprigs flat parsley and leave the lemons inside until it is carved. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious, so be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shrivelled up but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze, they may squirt.

Serve immediately.

 

Risotto with Broad Beans, Peas, Green Asparagus and Sugar Snaps

Risotto makes a comforting delicious starter or main course

Serves 8

225g (½ lb) broad beans

225g (½ lb) peas

115g (¼ lb) sugar snaps

6 stalks green asparagus

40g (1½ oz) butter

110g (4oz) onions finely chopped

400g (14oz) Carnaroli, Vilano, Nano or Arboria rice

1.7-2L (3-3½ pints) Homemade chicken stock

80ml (3 fl oz) white wine

25g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano

salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring 600ml (1 pint) water to the boil, add salt, the broad beans and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until almost tender, drain and refresh in cold water. Slip the beans out of their shells. Meanwhile cook the sugar snaps again in boiling salted water until al dente, then cook the asparagus for just 4 or 5 minutes and finally the peas for 3 or 4 minutes. Do this while cooking the risotto if you can keep your eye on several pots at the same time.

To start the risotto, bring the chicken stock to the boil at the back of the cooker and keep at a low simmer. Melt 25g (1oz) of butter in a saucepan, add the finely chopped onion and cook over a medium heat until soft but not coloured, and add the rice and a generous pinch of salt. Stir the rice over the heat for 2-3 minutes or until it turns translucent, then increase the heat and add the dry white wine. When the wine has evaporated, add a couple of ladles full of stock, stir and reduce the heat to medium, keep stirring and as soon as the liquid has been almost absorb, add another ladle full and so on, stirring all the time. After about 10 minutes, add the beans, peas, sugar snaps and continue to ladle in more stock as it is absorb. After about 5 minutes, taste the rice, it should be just cooked, stir in the remainder of the butter, freshly grated Parmesan and the asparagus sliced into 1¼ inch pieces at an angle. Add a little more stock if necessary, the risotto should be soft and loose. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve immediately in hot bowls with more Parmesan to sprinkle over the top.

Green Salad with Edible Flowers

 

Prepare a selection of salad leaves: mild lettuce (eg. the common butterhead) as the basis of the salad and as many of the following as you care to or can put in:

finely chopped parsley, mint or any herbs of your fancy, spring onions, dice of cucumber, mustard and cress, watercress, the white tips of cauliflower, tips of purple sprouting broccoli, iceberg lettuce, cos, raddichio, oakleaf, Chinese leaves, rocket, salad burnet, and any other interesting lettuces available and add some edible flowers, eg. marigold petals, nasturtium flowers, borage flowers, chive flowers, rocket blossoms etc. one or all of these or some other herb flowers could be added. Toss with a well flavoured dressing just before serving.

This salad could be served as a basis for a starter salad or as an accompanying salad to be main course. Remember to use a little restraint with the flowers!

 

Ballymaloe Cookery School Summer Salad Dressing

 

4fl ozs (110ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder OR1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

freshly ground pepper and Maldon sea salt

Put all the ingredients into a small bowl or jam jar. Whisk with a fork until the dressing has emulsified.

 

Roast Beetroot with Ardsallagh Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar

 

Our new season’s beetroot are the size of table tennis balls by now and are so sweet and delicious; try roasting instead of boiling them for extra sweetness.

Serves 4

6-12 baby beetroot, a mixture of red, golden and Choggia would be wonderful

Maldon Sea Salt

freshly cracked pepper

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

175g (6oz) goat cheese -Ardsallagh or St. Tola

rocket and beetroot leaves

wild garlic leaves if available

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/regulo 8

Wrap the beetroot in aluminium foil and roast in the oven until soft and cooked through – 30mins to an hour depending on size.

To Serve

 

Rub off the skins of the beetroot, keep whole or cut into quarters. Toss in extra virgin olive oil.

Scatter a few rocket and tiny beetroot leaves on each serving plate. Arrange a selection of warm beetroot on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. Put a dessert spoonful of goat cheese beside the beetroot. Sprinkle with Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with tiny beet greens or wild garlic flowers and serve.

 

Pannacotta with Green Gooseberry and Elderflower Compote

 

Serves 6-8

 

Pannacotta

600ml (1 pint) double cream

1-2 vanilla pods split lengthways

50g (2 ozs) castor sugar

scant 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine

2 tablespoons water

 

Gooseberry and Elderflower Compote

900g (2 lbs) green gooseberries

2 or 3 elderflower heads

600ml (1 pint) cold water

450g (1 lb) sugar

 

Garnish

gooseberry leaves (optional)

softly whipped cream

soft brown Barbados sugar

 

6-8 moulds (3-4 fl ozs/75-110ml) lightly brushed with non scented oil – sunflower or arachide

 

Pannacotta

 

First make the Pannacotta. Put the cream into a heavy bottomed saucepan with the split vanilla pods and castor sugar. Put on a low heat and bring to the shivery stage. Meanwhile, ‘sponge’ the gelatine in the water. Put the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water until the gelatine is dissolved. Add a little of the cream to the gelatine, then stir both mixtures together. Remove the vanilla pods, and then pour into the moulds. When cold, cover and refrigerate until set, preferably overnight.

Next make the compote.

 

First top and tail the gooseberries. Tie 2 or 3 elderflower heads in a little square of muslin, put in a stainless steel or enameled saucepan, add the sugar and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil for 2 minutes. Add the gooseberries and simmer just until the fruit bursts. Allow to get cold. Serve in a pretty bowl and decorate with fresh elderflowers.

 

 

To Serve

 

Put a large gooseberry leaf on a plate. Carefully turn out a wobbly panna cotta onto or beside the leaf, spoon a little compote on to the plate. Put a blob of softly whipped cream to the side. Sprinkle this with soft brown sugar and serve immediately.

 

 

Ballymaloe Vanilla Ice-cream

Serves 6-8

 

The Ballymaloe Ice-creams are very rich and very delicious, made on an egg mousse base with softly-whipped cream and flavourings added. Ice-creams made in this way have a smooth texture and do not need further whisking during the freezing period. They should not be served frozen hard. Remove from the freezer at least 10 minutes before serving.

 

50g (2oz) sugar

100ml (4fl oz) water

2 egg yolks, preferably free-range and organic

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

600ml (1pint) softly whipped cream

 

Put the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy (keep the whites for meringues). Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir over heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove the spoon and boil the syrup until it reaches the ‘thread’ stage, 106-113°C (236°F). It will look thick and syrupy; when a metal spoon is dipped in, the last drops of syrup will form thin threads. Pour this boiling syrup in a steady stream onto the egg yolks, whisking all the time. Add vanilla extract and continue to whisk until it becomes a thick creamy white mousse. Fold the softly-whipped cream into the mousse, pour into a bowl, cover and freeze.

Fool Proof Food

Garden Peas with Chervil and Cream

Really fresh peas from the garden are exquisite that it is difficult to resist eating them all raw as you pod them! Serve these with Organic Roast Chicken with Lemon.

1 lb (450g) garden peas or petit pois, freshly shelled

4 fl oz pint (150ml) water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 sprig mint

1 oz (25g) approx. butter

2 ½ fl oz cream

1-2 tablespoons of freshly chopped chervil

Bring the water to the boil; add the salt, sugar, mint and the peas. Bring back to the boil and simmer until the peas are cooked, 4-5 minutes. Strain, reserving the water for soup or gravy. Add butter and cream and lots of freshly chopped chervil and a little extra seasoning if necessary. Eat immediately.

 

 

Thrifty Tip

Cook extra food the night before so there is enough left over to put into a lunch box to take to work or on a day trip the next day.

Hottips

The Ecologist

The last print edition of the Ecologist is the July issue (on sale June 19^{th). After that the Ecologist will appear online and will offer even more content and up to the minute debate on the vital issues that affect our world. To sign up for the online newsletter go to www.theecologist.org www.ballymaloe.ie www.isaacsrestaurant.ie www.st-tola.ie}

Midsummer Evening Dance

There will be a wonderful evening of music and dance with Art Supple in the Grainstore on Midsummer’s night Sunday 21st June, and Ballymaloe are offering a special rate for that night that includes an overnight stay. Phone (021) 4652531

Isaacs of Cork

Isaacs Restaurant on McCurtain Street Cork has a special treat at the moment. Dinner menu for €25.00 for a starter, main course, tea or coffee on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Try their French Country Terrine, their Seafood Chowder, grilled Ribeye Steak or their excellent Lamb Curry.

Bookings (021) 450 3805. To see their menus visit their website

 

Premio Award for St Tolas Cheese

St Tola’s Goats Cheese won 3rd Prize in the International section of the Premio Roma awards for Ewe and Goats Milk Cheeses recently in Rome Italy. St Tola cheeses are handmade organic cheeses with no additives or preservatives and have been made in Inagh just south of the Burren in County Clare since the early 1980’s. Phone (065)6836633 visit their website

Apparently Britain is in the grip of a cake mania. What with Nigella, Jamie and of course, our own Rachel, everyone is baking. The Women’s Institute, spiritual home of the iced occasional fruitcake, reported that interest in their baking courses was up 60 per cent; one online retailer said it was selling a cookie cutter every 15 minutes; and the nation will be further galvanised into action with the start of a National Baking Week next October.

I suppose it’s not so surprising, really: in the current climate of gloom and doom, what more therapeutic activity could there be than baking? More people are admitting that thrifty living and self-sufficiency are not mere hardship as they rediscover the satisfaction one gleans from growing, producing and cooking your own. There was a terrific response to the ‘how about keeping a few chickens in your garden’ and ‘bake your own birthday party’ pieces. Handy DIY enthusiasts all over the country are knocking up chicken coops while others are filling the void by hatching out chickens and rearing them to point of lay. For those eager to get started with breeds suitable for free range production contact Giana Ferguson 028-28231, Sophie Miall 086-0839569, or David Tyrell on 087-9123375. Check with the Department of Agriculture and you local County Council about the regulations for keeping domestic fowl. Lovely fresh free-range eggs make great cakes.

From time to time, Grub Street publishers reissue timeless cookery classics, and I’ve been delighted to see many almost forgotten treasures back in print. Recently they re-published two little baking books by George and Cecilia Scurfield, ‘Home Baked’ and ‘Homemade Cakes and Biscuits’ into one elegant hardback ‘Home Baked’ with delightful illustrations. These were listed by Elizabeth David in a Times article in 1971 as her favourite books on bread making. The book has specific advice on equipment, flours to use, baking and rising times, correct temperatures and many gems of information the home baker will want to know.

George and Cecilia got fed up with shop-bought bread and took to creating new recipes and baking their own in the early 1950s. The result was two charming and useful books which became cookbook classics that have lost none of their appeal since their original publication in 1956 and 1963.

I’ve chosen a few recipes I think you’ll enjoy…

 

Gipsy Slices

2 eggs

2oz/50g sugar

2oz/50g flour

1oz/25g chocolate

1/2 oz/15g butter

Put 2 ounces (50g) grated chocolate into a saucepan with 1/4 pint (150ml) cream. Grate or break the chocolate and put it in a bowl with the butter. Put it in a warm place to soften. Put the eggs and sugar in a bowl over steam and whisk until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and go on beating until cool. Fold in the sieved flour, and finally the softened butter and chocolate. Put a piece of buttered greaseproof paper on to a baking-sheet, and spread the mixture on it about 1/2 inch thick. Bake until firm to the touch in a hot over, 400°F, Gas mark 6.

Remove paper while still hot. Cut into slices when cool and fill with the following cream:

Bring slowly to the boil stirring all the time. Allow to boil up once and then remove from the fire and pour into a bowl. Stir until cool. Chill thoroughly and then whisk gently until thick.

Real cream is essential and this is a most delicious filling. You can of course fill the slices with chocolate butter icing but they will not then be the genuine article.

 

Russian Rhubarb Cake

This is an unusual cake, good for people who like the taste of rhubarb but usually find it too sour.

4 large eggs

10oz/270g butter

12oz/50g sugar

12oz/50g flour

1 dessertspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

14oz/400g diced rhubarb

pinch of grated nutmeg

Melt the butter without getting it very hot. Then mix all the ingredients except the rhubarb and beat vigorously. Spread the mixture over a well-greased Swiss roll tin and cover with the diced rhubarb. Sprinkle generously with sugar and bake for 45 minutes in a fairly hot oven, 400°F, Gas mark 6—lowering the heat slightly if cake looks like getting too brown. Cut into slices and remove them carefully with a spatula to cool on a cake-rack.

 

 

 

Orange Jumbles

4oz/110g castor sugar

4oz/110g almonds

3oz/75g butter

3oz/75g flour

juice of 2 oranges

grated rind of 1 orange

Blanch the almonds and shred them. Cream the butter and sugar together with the grated orange rind. Then mix in the flour, the shredded almonds and the orange juice. Drop the mixture in teaspoonfuls on to a greased baking-sheet leaving plenty of room for them to spread. Bake in a moderate oven, 350°F, Gas mark 4, for about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool a little before lifting with a palette-knife on to a rack to cool.

 

Coffee Sandwich Biscuits

3oz/75g flour

1oz/25g ground rice

3oz/75g butter

2oz/50g castor sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee

1 teaspoon water halved walnuts (if you like)

Sieve the flour and ground rice together. Cream the butter and sugar. Mix the coffee with the water and beat into the creamed butter and sugar. Fold in the dry ingredients and mix together. Roll out thin and cut into rounds—if you use walnuts, put half a walnut on every other biscuit.

Put them on a greased baking-sheet and bake in a moderate oven, 350°F, Gas mark 4, for about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

When they’re cold put them together with the following cream:

Cream 1oz (25g), butter with 2oz (50g) icing sugar and then beat in 1 teaspoon instant coffee mixed with 1 teaspoon cream.

Hazelnut Macaroons

2 egg whites

3oz/75g castor sugar

2oz/50g hazelnuts—after the skins have been removed

Put a good 2oz (50g) hazelnuts into a hot oven until the nuts are slightly toasted and the skins come off easily. Put them in a tea-towel and rub off the skins. Then grind them.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Whisk in half the sugar and then fold in the rest of the sugar alternately with the ground hazelnuts.

Either drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to a greased and floured baking-sheet or pipe them into small mounds. Bake in a cool oven, 300°F, Gas mark 2, until they are just coloured—about 1 hour.

 

Fool Proof Food

Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

This delicious jam should be made when rhubarb is in full season and not yet thick and tough.

Makes 8 x 1 lb (450 g) jars

4 lb (1.8kg) trimmed rhubarb,

4 lb (1.8kg) granulated sugar

grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

2 ozs (50g) bruised ginger

2 ozs (50g) chopped crystallized ginger or stem ginger preserved in syrup (optional)

Wipe the rhubarb and cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces. Put it in a large bowl layered with the sugar; add the lemon rind and juice. Leave to stand overnight. Next day put into a preserving pan, add the bruised ginger tied in a muslin bag. Steadily bring to the boil until it is a thick pulp. Remove the bag of ginger and then pour the jam into hot clean jars, cover and store in a dry airy cupboard.

If you like, 2ozs (50g) chopped crystallized ginger or preserved stem ginger can be added at the end.

Thrifty Tip

While rhubarb is still cheap and plentiful, cut into one inch pieces and freeze. Also make some rhubarb jam for the winter (recipe Fool Proof Food)

Hottips

New Tuesday Farmers’ Market in Midleton

An exciting new mid-week Farmers Market has started in Midleton every Tuesday from 10:00am to 2:00pm outside 4Homes Superstores. There are delicious steak sandwiches, barbecued hot dogs and spicy curries to eat while you browse over thirty stalls with produce ranging from organically reared beef, ducks and chicken, freshly baked artisan breads, Irish Farmhouse cheeses, Cornish pasties, cakes, tarts, local honey, fresh fish…my mouth is watering as I write this list. Most of the stall holders are from within a 10 mile radius of Midleton.

Visit their website www.midletontuesdaymarket.com. The original Saturday Farmers’ Market in Midleton continues to go from strength to strength and is open from 9am to 2pm in the Fair Green.

The Tannery Restaurant and Cookery School, Dungarvan

Denis Cotter of Caf̩ Paradiso Рprobably one of the most celebrated and accomplished vegetarian cooks in Europe Рwill be teaching a one day Vegetarian Cookery Course at the Tannery Cookery School on Friday 26^{th June 2009. Why not book a table in the Tannery restaurant after the course and enjoy an excellent meal? To see the menus and details of other cookery courses visit their website www.tannery.ie or 058 45420 info@dunmoreselfcatering.com for more information.}

Dunmore East Festival of Food

Festival of Food, Fish and Fun is from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th June. Enjoy cookery demonstrations by guest chefs including Kevin Dundon, Eunice Power and Michael Quinn. There’ll be wine and cheese tastings, a hog roasting on the spit and catch and cook…email

Last week we headed off to London with a group of teachers from the cookery school. We were on our school tour, a fact finding mission to check out and experience the London food scene. It’s amazing what can be crammed into two days when you are on a mission.

When we arrived on Friday evening we headed straight for one of London’s best known gastro pubs “Anchor & Hope” on the cut. Here the menu changes not once but twice daily, it’s totally seasonal, simple uncluttered food. They are particularly well known for their shared dish. A salt marsh shoulder of lamb cooked for five hours with Gratin Dauphinoise or it might be a slow cooked and stuffed duck or chicken. That night, it was roast kid with hand cut chips and home made aioli. These dishes are served to parties of 2 and 4 and 6. I’ll shock you by telling you that I started with crispy pig’s tail with aioli. It was so good and was such a hit with the customers that at seven o’clock mine was the last portion on the menu.

You can’t book at the Anchor and Hope (except no choice Sunday lunch menu) but even that doesn’t seem to dampen the punters enthusiasm. By six o’clock in the evening it was wall to wall people and they were five deep on the pavement as well. The food was hearty, delicious and unpretentious and everyone was having a brilliant time.

By 8:30am on Saturday morning we were out of our beds and on our way to Borough, London’s oldest market – it’s vital to get there early, by ten o’clock it’s like St Patrick Street on Christmas Eve. First we made a beeline for the Monmouth Coffee Shop; Anita Le Roy sells a full range of single estate coffees which are first roasted at their site in Maltby Street, Bermondsey. Big blackboards tell the story of the coffee and there is a queue all day for coffee, bread, jam and buttery pastries. Next door is Neal’s Yard dairy famous for Randolf Hoginson’s collection of British and Irish farmhouse cheese. Here we had a tasting of cows and goats mild cheese all in beautiful condition. Mike (Jones?) told us the story of each cheese whetting our appetite with tales of the lush pastures the cows graze on and the passionate and eccentric cheese makers.

Around the corner we peeped into Konditori & Cook, a cake shop that sells fabulous cakes, the sort you’d make yourself if only you had time, energy or inclination. Sweet little square ‘cup cakes’ with messages ‘hug me’, ‘I love you’, ‘mine’, ‘congratulations’, ‘sorry’…one could buy a series to spell out for example ‘Happy birthday’. There were gingerbread men with more good wishes and tons of irresistible cakes and biscuits.

In the Borough market there are lots of inspirational stalls, we ordered Pata Negra at The Brindisa shop and took our turn while the assistant hand cut slivers off the Jamon Iberico. This sublime cured ham the best of which are from the long legged Black Iberian pig, cerdo negro, which feeds on acorns in the woods of Andalucía. (I keep wondering why some Irish pig farmers don’t attempt to cure hams for the growing market for charcuterie.)

Tapas Brindisa on the edge of Borough Market does great little tapas that make a delicious tasting lunch, little squid and octopus dishes, fried pimento de padrou sprinkled with crunchy sea salt, crisp croquettes, deep fried goats cheese, salted anchovies with roasted vegetables on toasted garlic bread, crispy pork belly, sautéed chicken livers…

Then, on to Broadway market in Hackney to Claire Ptak’s stall to taste her iconic cupcakes. This market has an eclectic mix of food and craft. One stall roasts a whole pig on the spit each week and lots of chickens. Close by is another fascinating area for food lovers called Brick Lane, nicknamed the “Curry Mile”. Brick Lane Market is pure East London, which means Jewish Bagel Shops, Bangladeshi Curry Houses, Indian Sari Silks and never enough time to explore everything.

Hackney City Farm is close by an oasis for city children to see chickens, free range pigs, sheep, and donkeys and to learn how to grow vegetables and herbs.

Ottolenghi in Islington is a must, the quality of the salads and baking just knocks your socks off. Beautiful little passion fruit tarts topped with burnished soft meringue and crunchy chocolate, rose petal cupcakes and on and on. It’s just around the corner from the Financier Centre.

Dinner was at Moro in Exmouth Market, Sam and Sam Clarke and their team love to cook Spanish and Moroccan food – you’ll need to book and build in enough time to have a before dinner cocktail at Cafe Kick across the road, they make the best Mojitos and have an extensive list of cocktails.

For those who love fine hand made chocolates there are many options in London, but we visited the shop of young chocolatier Paul A Young in Camden Passage in Islington whose salted caramels alone are worth making a detour for.

Other places of interest for a foodie week-end are Marleybourne Market on Sunday morning. People queue to buy unpasteurised milk and beautiful home grown vegetables, cheese and meats from The Ginger Pig butcher shop on Moxon Street where they bake pork pies in the Aga. Here you can buy dry cured rare breed meat reared on the Yorkshire Moors. Well aged cuts are lined up on the top of the counter and the customer can choose meat that has been hung for two, three, four or five weeks and pay accordingly. It was a joy to see well hung meat and not a drop of sweet and sour sauce in sight.

Patricia Michelson’s iconic cheese shop La Fromagerie with its temperature and humidity controlled cheese rooms is next door. It’s also a market place of fresh and well sourced dry goods. Have breakfast, lunch or supper in the Café and enjoy boiled egg and soldiers.

Finally we journeyed out to Richmond to have lunch in the Petersham Café where Australian chef Skye Gyngell weaves her magic using the best of British food at its seasonal peak. A memorable finale to our action packed two days.

I have chosen some recipes from ‘The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’ (Ebury Press) for you to try, enjoy!

www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk

anchorandhope@btinternet.com

www.konditorandcook.com/docs/Magic.pdf

www.broadwaymarket.co.uk/market.html

www.exmouth-market.com/

www.moro.co.uk/moro/restaurant/default.asp

www.cafekick.co.uk/CK_location.html

www.paulayoung.co.uk/

www.ottolenghi.co.uk/

www.pershamnurseries.com

 

 

 

Ottolenghi’s Grilled Mackerel with Green Olive, Celery and Raisin Salsa

 

All the seemingly contradictory flavours come together here surprisingly well to create a harmonious and balanced delicacy. Mackerel, probably our favourite fish, takes the sweetness and the saltiness wonderfully well, producing a light clean result.

This simple dish relies heavily on the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Mackerel, in particular, is incredible when fresh and inedible when not, so make sure you buy the best.

Serves 4

8 mackerel fillets, pin bones removed

2 tbsp olive oil

coarse sea salt and black pepper

Salsa

125g celery stalks, thinly sliced

60g good-quality green olives, stoned and thinly sliced

3 tbsp 70g good quality plump raisins

1 ½ tbsp sherry vinegar

4 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp honey

15g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

 

Stir together all the salsa ingredients. Taste it; it should be sweet, sour and salty. Season with salt and pepper and leave to sit for at least 15 minutes for the flavours to evolve. (At this point, the salsa can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, if necessary. Before serving allow it to some to room temperature, refresh with extra chopped parsley and adjust the seasoning.)

Set an oven grill to its highest setting. Toss the mackerel fillets gently with the oil and some salt and pepper. Lay the fillets on a flat oven tray, skin side up, and place under the hot grill for 3 – 4 minutes, or until just cooked.

Serve the fish hot or at room temperature, with a spoonful of salsa on top.

 

Ottolenghi’s Radish and Broad Bean Salad

This is an ideal brunch dish for a warm spring day. With the Tahini sauce and bread, it makes a modest meal in itself, without them, a colourful salad – light refreshing and wholesome.

Here we come to the thorny issue of shelling broad beans. Many Arab recipes call for cooking and eating broad beans with their pods. This is recommended for young beans, early in the season, but wouldn’t work for a fresh salad like this one. Going to the next level – skinning the beans – depends on how large the beans are, how thick their skin, and how hard you want to work. Most beans, especially the ones sold frozen are perfectly fine with the skin on. So if you prefer to skip the skinning stage, cook them for a minute longer. You’ll lose a bit of the light; ‘bouncy’ texture but save yourself a lot of time.

Serves 4

500g shelled broad beans fresh or frozen

350g small radishes

½ red onion

2 tblsp finely chopped coriander

30g preserved lemon, finely chopped

juice of 2 lemons

2 tblsp chopped flat leaf parsley

3 tblsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

200ml green tahini sauce (see Fool Proof Food)

4 thick pita breads

salt and black pepper

Place the broad beans in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 1 – 2 minutes, depending on size. Drain through a large colander and rinse in plenty of cold water to refresh them. Remove the beans from their skins by gently squeezing each one with your finger tips.

Cut the radishes into 6 wedges each and mix with the broad beans, onion, coriander, preserved lemon, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, pile a mound of salad in one corner of each serving plate, pour tahini sauce into a small bowl and stand it next to the salad. Set a pita bread next to them.

Ottolenghi’s Roast Aubergine with Saffron Yoghurt

 

This is probably the archetypal Ottolenghi salad: robust contrasting flavours, vibrant and vivacious colours, fresh herbs and nuts – laid out generously to reveal all of the dishes elements.

Serves 4

3 medium aubergines cut into slices 2cm thick, or into wedges

olive oil for brushing

2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

a handful of pomegranate seeds

20 basil leaves

coarse sea salt and black pepper

Saffron Yoghurt

a small pinch of saffron strands

3 tbsp hot water

180g Greek Yoghurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

For the sauce, infuse the saffron in hot water in a small bowl for 5 minutes. Pour the infusion into a bowl containing the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt. Whisk well to get a smooth golden sauce. Taste and adjust the salt, if necessary, then chill. This sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC / gas mark 7. Place the aubergine slices on a roasting tray, brush with plenty of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 – 35 minutes, until the slices take on a beautiful light brown colour. Let them cool down. The aubergines will keep in the fridge for 3 days; just let come to room temperature before serving.

To serve, arrange the aubergine slices on a large plate, slightly overlapping. Drizzle the saffron yoghurt over them, sprinkle with the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds and lay the basil on top.

Ottolenghi’s Pistachio and rosewater Meringues

 

If you ask someone if they’ve heard of Ottolenghi, the answer is often, ‘Yes, I know, it’s the place with the meringues’. Though we learned how to make the giant meringues at Baker and Spice, it was the multiflavoured, multicoloured ones (proudly filling our windows) that became synonymous with Ottolenghi and earned them lots of imitators, both good and bad.

To make meringues you need a good freestanding electric mixer. Making them by hand is out of the question and using a handheld electric mixer is also not very practical, as the mixture needs a long whisking time and turns too hard for most weak machines.

makes 12 large meringues

600g caster sugar

300g free-range egg whites (about 10)

2 tsp rosewater

60g pistachio nuts, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Spread the sugar evenly over a large oven tray lined with baking parchment. Place the tray in the oven for about 8 minutes or until the sugar is hot (over 100°C). You should be able to see it beginning to dissolve at the edges.

While the sugar is in the oven, place the egg whites in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the sugar is almost ready, start the machine on high speed and let it work for a minute or so, until the whites just begin to froth up.

Carefully pour the sugar slowly on to the whisking whites. Once it has all been added, add the rosewater and continue whisking on high speed for 10 minutes or until the meringue is cold. At this point it should keep its shape when you lift a bit from the bowl and look homogenously silky (you can now taste the mixture and fold in some more rosewater if you want a more distinctive rose flavour).

Turn down the oven temperature to 110°C/Gas Mark ¼. To shape the meringues, line a baking tray (or 2, depending on their size) with baking parchment, sticking it firmly to the tray with a bit of meringue. Spread the pistachios over a flat plate.

Have ready 2 large kitchen spoons. Use one of them to scoop up a big dollop of meringue, the size of a medium apple, then use the other spoon to scrape it off on to the plate of pistachios. Roll the meringue so it is covered with nuts on one side and then gently place it on the lined baking tray. Repeat to make more meringues, spacing them well apart on the tray. Remember, the meringues will almost double in size in the oven.

Place in the preheated oven 110ËšC and leave there for about hours. Check if they are done by lifting them from the tray and gently prodding to make sure the outside is completely firm, whilst the centre is still a little soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. The meringues will keep in a dry place, at room temperature, for quite a few days.

 

Fool Proof Food

Ottolenghi’s Green Tahini Sauce

150ml tahini paste

80ml lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tspn salt

30g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped if making by hand

In a bowl thoroughly whisk the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic and salt together. The mixture should be creamy and smooth. If it is too thick, add more water. Stir in the chopped parsley, then taste and add more salt if needed.

 

Pour left over smoothie mixture, apple juice, or left over drinking chocolate into ice lolly moulds to freeze for the children to enjoy on a hot Summers day.

Hottips

Glebe House Restaurant

Chef Gillian Hegarty is back in the kitchen at Glebe House, in Baltimore West Cork, after a winter working in Café Paradiso in Cork city. The restaurant opening times are Wednesday to Saturday 7:00pm to 10:00pm and Wednesday to Sunday for breakfast and lunch. There are some summer gigs booked for the Amphitheater including the return of ‘The Hothouse Flowers’ on August 3^{rd. To book the restaurant phone www.glebegardens.com corleggy@eircom.net slowfood@cookingisfun.ie or phone (021) 4646 785.}

028 20232 and visit the website too…

 

Summer Cheese School

Spend the day learning the art of cheese making on the farm at Corleggy in County Cavan. Silke Cropp will teach this course – she has been making goat, cow and sheep cheese for years. Full day course including lunch with a glass of wine and a kilogram of the cheese you make yourself to take home costs €150.00. There are three dates with places available Sunday 9th, Sunday 16th and Sunday 23rd August 2009. Contact Silke Cropp on 049 9522930

 

Slow Food East Cork Mackerel Fishing Trip

Learn how to catch, gut, fillet and cook this delicious and sustainable fish. This event has limited places and is weather permitting €35.00 Slow Food Members €40.00 Non-Members. Prompt departure from Ballycotton Harbour at 5:30pm, Wednesday

17th June 2009. To book email

 

Thrifty Tip

Coeliac disease is triggered by eating gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. The only way to treat it is to totally embrace a gluten free diet and embrace is scarcely the word – when the diagnosis is confirmed – ones heart sinks at the prospect of life without the yummy foods that we look forward to. Certainly one’s diet has to change but there is no reason to despair. Once the basic elements are understood it’s a question of investing in a new store cupboard of basic ingredients and some reliable recipes and then it should be perfectly possible to reproduce many favourite breads, cakes and puddings. It’ll take a little practice because many of the ingredients feel and react differently but it’s definitely worth the effort. Coeliacs and those with a wheat intolerance need to familiarise themselves with the disease and the sources and foods that contain gluten. A lot of foods and drinks may contain gluten without you even realising it. Some are obvious breads, pasta, flours, cereals and others like fish fingers, sausages, gravies, sauces, soy sauce, some types of mustard powder are not so obvious. These can change daily as food manufacturers alter ingredients, sometimes without notice. The Coeliac Society of Ireland www.coeliac.ie and the British Nutrition Foundation www.nutrition.org.uk monitor the situation on an on-going basis and are an essential resource and support group for coeliacs.

Several good gluten-free cookbooks have been have been written the most recent by well known Phil Vickery. In response to many requests Phil launched a range of Christmas and Winter puddings in 2006. The response was overwhelming (he has sold 10,000 to date) so he continued to experiment and his latest book ‘Seriously Good Gluten Free Cooking’ published by Kyle Cathie is the result. The book includes over 120 flavoursome dishes making the most of fresh wholesome ingredients – all completely safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. From breakfast to snacks, outdoor eating to desserts, here are dishes that many people would never have dreamed they could eat again, including the notoriously difficult area of home-made breads, scones and cakes.

Recognising that many chefs didn’t even know how to spell coeliac (pronounced ‘see-li-ac”) least of all what it was, Phil wanted to write an accessible and inventive cook book to show that gluten-free cooking could be just like and other food and to help people make the most of the special food ranges now available. With extra information on the hidden gluten in store-cupboard essentials, what results is a book that will not only revolutionise the diet of thousands of people with Coeliac disease but will be an essential and trustworthy book for anyone wanting to cut down on their wheat intake.

‘Healthy Gluten Free Eating” that I co-wrote with Rosemary Kearney in 2004 is still available at all good book shops. This book has over 100 really, really delicious recipes and key nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, cooking and shopping tips.

I chose a few recipes from Phil Vickery’s ‘Seriously Good Gluten Free Cooking’ book for you to enjoy.

Salt and Pepper Eggs on Rice Waffles

For the Waffles

Oil, for greasing

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

250ml milk

250g brown rice flour

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the Eggs

4 rashers streaky bacon, sliced into strips

1 teaspoon vinegar

4 large, very fresh eggs

Cracked black pepper

Sea salt

Handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded

Oil and preheat the waffle maker. Using an electric whisk, blend the eggs, vegetable oil and milk together

Combine the rice flour, salt baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Gradually wish the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until you have a smooth, thickish batter.

Pour one quarter of the batter into the base of the hot waffle iron and cook for about 3 minutes, depending on your waffle iron. When the waffles are done, place them in a warm oven, until you are ready to eat. Repeat with all the remaining mixture.

If you don’t have a waffle iron, use the batter to make four pancakes. Preheat a little oil in a large frying pan and spoon the batter into the pan to make four even-sized pancakes. Cook on one side until golden brown and then flip the pancakes to cook the other side.

Fry the bacon strips in a non-stick pan, until crispy. Next poach the eggs: add the vinegar to a pan of simmering water and carefully crack in the eggs. Poach for about 2 minutes; the yolks should still be soft.

Scoop the eggs out with a slotted spoon, and pop each one on top of a warm waffle. Season with cracked black pepper, a touch of salt on the egg (but not too much the bacon is salty too!) and scatter over the crispy bacon and the basil.

Breakfast Fruit Seed Bars

100g sunflower seeds

100g sesame seeds

100g pumpkin seeds

100g semi dried cranberries

100g semi dried blueberries

100g gluten free porridge oats

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 x 397g tin condensed milk

150g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4

Line a 24cm square baking tin with baking parchment

Place the seeds, fruit, oats, sugar and spices in a large bowl and mix well

Put the condensed milk and butter into a bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water. Melt together until well blended and hot. This will take about 15 minutes

Stir the butter into the fruit and seeds and mix really well

Spoon the mixture into the tin and pack down lightly with the back of the spoon

Bake for about 20 minutes, until slightly golden. Remove from the oven, cool and cut into bars.

Chestnut and Roasted Onion Bread

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

3 teaspoons sugar

1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

400ml warm water

300g chestnut flour

100g potato flour

½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

1 medium egg lightly beaten

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oil for greasing

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4

Oil a 900g loaf tin

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the onions and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Cook down, stirring occasionally until lightly golden. This will take a few minutes. Once cooked set aside to cool.

Add the yeast, xanthan gum and the remaining olive oil to the warm water and stir until dissolved. Combine the flours, remaining sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Add the egg and stir. Next, add the liquid yeast mixture to the bowl and mix well.

Pour into the prepared tin and cook for 30 minutes, or until well risen and lightly browned. Remove and cool slightly, turn out and slice when ready.

Chickpea, Cherry Tomato and Rice Noodle Soup

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped red chilli

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

1 small red pepper, finely chopped

½ small leek, finely chopped

100g button mushrooms, very finely slice

Juice of 2 large limes

750ml boiling water

1 x 10g gluten free vegetable stock cube

50g rice noodles

100ml coconut milk

150g canned chickpeas, well rinsed

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

50g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the garlic, chilli, ginger, pepper, leek, mushrooms, lime juice, water and crumbled stock cube in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes to soften, and then drain well.

Add the coconut milk to the mushroom stock, bring back to the boil and season to taste. Add the chickpeas and warm through.

Evenly divide the cooked noodles, cherry tomatoes, coriander and lettuce between 4 bowls. Then ladle in the hot soup and serve.

Gluten Free Pizza Base

1 teaspoon sugar

300 ml lukewarm water

2 x 7g sachets dried yeast

300g gluten-free flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 level teaspoon gluten free baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Topping ingredients of your choice!

Dissolve the sugar in half the warm water, stir in the yeast, mix well and set aside for 5 minutes for the yeast to start work and froth.

Place the remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the yeast mixture and oil and mix well, adding the remaining water a little at a time. Mix through until you have smooth, fairly wet dough.

Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6

Divide the dough in to two balls. Transfer one dough ball onto a sheet of baking parchment. Cover with a second sheet of parchment on top and flatten the dough out between the papers, to form a 20cm. repeat to make another base.

Transfer the bases onto baking trays. Bake the pizza for 8 – 10 minutes and then remove to add the toppings of your choice.

Return the pizzas to the oven, with the toppings and bake for a further 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve hot, straight away.

Gluten-Free Pastry

225g gluten-free flour mix

100g butter or margarine, chilled and cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Pinch of salt

1 medium egg

Oil or butter for greasing

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Grease a 23cm round tin. Put all the ingredients, except the egg, into a food processor and mix until you have fine bread crumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the mixture comes together. You may have to add a few drops of cold water. Tip out onto a work surface and knead into a smooth, soft dough.

Shape the dough into a squat sausage, cut out circles and use to press into the base and sides of the tin – use a little rice flour on your hands to stop it from sticking. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes.

Plain Scones

300g gluten free flour mix (see Fool Proof Food)4 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 tablespoon caster sugar

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

100 g unsalted butter

2 medium eggs

125ml milk

Salt

Butter for greasing

Flour for rolling out

1 beaten egg for glazing

Strawberry jam and clotted cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 220c/Gas 7

Lightly grease a baking tray

Sift all the dry ingredients and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Lightly rub the butter into the flour mix. Make a well in the centre of the mixture.

Beat the eggs and milk together and add to the well in the flour and butter. Mix to a soft dough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface; press out with the palm of your hand, to about 2cm thick, and then cut out 12 rounds using a 6cm cutter. Gently place on the baking tray and brush with a little beaten egg.

Bake until well risen and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Eat the scones nice and fresh, sliced and spread with jam and cream.

Fudgy Almond Cake with Mint Syrup and Frosting

200g unsalted butter

200g gluten-free dark chocolate broken into pieces

5 medium eggs, at room temperature, separated

Pinch of cream of tartar

240g caster sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

200g ground almonds

50g chickpea flour

For the syrup

100g caster sugar

4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

For the frosting

500g mascarpone

50g honeycomb, chopped

100g clear honey

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line a 24cm round, 7cm deep, loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, take the pan off the heat but leave the bowl over the pan to keep the mixture warm.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl and whisk until thick and foamy. Then add half the sugar, and whisk again until creamy and thick

Add the rest of the sugar and whisk until very stiff, but still a creamy consistency. Stir the egg yolks, vanilla extract, almonds and chickpea flour into the warm chocolate and butter, and then straight away add half the meringue, mixing well.

Finally, add the rest of the meringue and fold in.

Spoon into the lined tin and bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until well risen and firm. Remove from the oven and cool slightly in the tin; it will collapse a little. Make several holes over the surface of the cake with a skewer.

Meanwhile, place the sugar, 100ml water and the mint in a small pan and boil until the sugar has dissolved, then spoon the syrup over the cake and leave to soak in, cool completely.

Fool Proof Food

Gluten-Free Flour Mix

300g fine cornmeal (maize) or chestnut flour

500g brown rice flour

200g cornflour

Mix all the flours together very thoroughly or put into a food processor and pulse until mixed. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Thrifty Tip

Place used milk cartons around the base of young trees and shrubs to protect the bark from the mower, strimmer or hungry hares.

Hottips

Taste of Dublin 2009

Ireland’s largest food festival – Taste of Dublin – is back for four days of sizzling chef demos, over 100 artisan producers displaying their products and live entertainment. Darina and Rachel Allen are part of the celebrity chef line-up which includes Neven Maguire, Clodagh McKenna and Anthony Worrall Thompson. Pick up tips from each of their unique live cookery demonstrations from 11th – 14th June at the Ineagh Gardens, Dublin 2. www.tastefestivals.ie or telephone (01) 210 9290

Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt

On a recent trip to Belfast I got to taste Clandeboye Yoghurt again, made from the rich milk of pedigree Holstein and Jersey cows. All the yoghurt is made by hand in their small artisan dairy with no added milk powder, cream or thickening agents and has a wonderful natural flavour that earned them a Gold Award 2008 Great Taste Awards and Best New Product 2007 Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards. Visit

Fund Raising Day at Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens.

Today all proceeds from ticket sales (€6 for adults, €3 for children) into Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens will be donated to St John the Baptist Primary School in Midleton, Co Cork, to raise funds for their sports hall.

Chinatown Comes to Cork

The CX Oriental Cash and Carry (opposite Colaiste Stiofain Naofa) stocks just about everything you need for Chinese cookery; including fresh Asian greens, galandal, Chinese sausages, green papayas, won ton wrappers, steamers and woks…telephone (021) 4320860

Armagh Apple Blossom Festival – Bramley Seedling 200th Anniversary

Happy birthday Bramley Seedling. This year all of us cooks and chefs celebrate the bicentennial of our favourite cooking apple. Bet you didn’t know that it is two hundred years since, as a young girl Mary Anne Brailsford, planted an apple pip in the family’s Nottinghamshire garden. One of those pips emerged as a vigorous seedling around 1809.

A local butcher Matthew Bramley later bought the cottage and garden. His apple tarts must have caused a stir because local nurseryman Henry Merryweather came looking for a cutting from the tree. Matthew agreed, on condition that the slow growing apple would bear his name – hence the name Bramley Seedling – beloved of home cooks and chefs alike. Recently I travelled all the way to Ulster to celebrate with the Bramley Apple Growers who came together to put on a big celebratory bash during apple blossom season, you can’t imagine how lovely it was to drive through the Armagh country side when the orchards were in full bloom covered with pink and white blossom. There were beautiful old trees with gnarled branches, carefully pruned to allow light into the centre, still producing apples after 40 years, but also newly planted orchards to meet the upcoming demands.

Apples have been cultivated in Armagh for more than 3000 years, so the Bramley is just a blow in, in comparison to some of the others. Many of the orchardists are third or fourth generation growers. So the knowledge and growing skills have been passed from generation to generation. In recent years with help and guidance from Loughgall Research Station, apple growers have tweaked the Bramley to ensure that it keeps its shape during cooking for the bakery trade. I was nostalgic for the old Bramley which dissolved into a fluff when stewed or oozed out of its skin when it was roasted or baked. For those of you who are lucky enough to still have these old trees in your garden, prune them carefully and so preserve them well for posterity. Meanwhile one can buy the Armagh Bramley virtually year round, thanks to the efforts of the Armagh Bramley growers who store them carefully and sell them proudly through the length and breadth of Ireland. The growers have helped to highlight the need to protect apple orchards which can only be done by educating young people. Pamela Black and I did several cookery demonstrations with Bramley Seedlings in every recipe. The weather was mostly horrendous yet people poured in to support the Apple Blossom Festival. Nearly 7000 people attended the event which had attractions for growers, suppliers, retailers and there was a strong presence of Armagh Beekeepers Association to highlight the bee crisis. Bees are dying all over the world; some of the causes that have been cited are pesticides particularly those containing the active ingredient Imidacloprid, broadband (the signals are thought to disorientate bees) and GM (Genetically Modified) plants. The jury is still out.

Here are some simple and delicious recipes using Bramley Seedling apples.

Roast Rack of Spring Lamb with Fresh Mint Chutney

Serves 4-6

Many butchers will prepare a rack of lamb for you.

In Season

2 racks of Spring lamb (6 cutlets each)

salt and freshly ground pepper

Accompaniment

fresh mint chutney

Garnish

sprigs of fresh mint

Score the fat. Refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to 220°C\425°F\gas mark 7.

Sprinkle the racks of lamb with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast fat side upwards for 25-30 minutes depending on the age of lamb and degree of doneness required. When cooked, remove lamb to a warm serving dish. Turn off the oven and allow the lamb to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving to allow the juices to re distribute evenly through the meat.

Carve the lamb and serve 2-3 cutlets per person depending on size. Serve with fresh mint chutney.

Fresh Mint Chutney (see Fool Proof Food)

Bramley Apple and Sweet Geranium Jelly

Makes 6-7 pots

6 lbs (2.7kg) crab apples or Bramley Seedlings

4 1/3 pints (2.7l) water

6-8 large sweet geranium leaves (Pelargonium Graveolens)

2 lemons, unwaxed organic

sugar

Wash the apples and cut into quarters, no need to peel or core. Windfalls may be used, but make sure to cut out the bruised parts. Put the apples in a large saucepan with the geranium leaves, the water and the thinly pared rind of the lemons, cook until reduced to a pulp, approx 30 minutes.

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; allow 1 lb (450g) sugar to each pint (600ml/21/2 cups) of juice. Warm the sugar in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 for about 10 minutes.

Squeeze the lemons, strain the juice and add to the preserving pan, add a few more geranium leaves if the flavour is still very mild. Bring to the boil and add the sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly without stirring for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the geranium leaves. Skim, test and then pour the jelly into sterilized jars, put a sweet geranium leaf in each jar. Cover and seal immediately.

Bramley 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 (50g) castor sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

12 ozs (300g) white flour, preferably unbleached

Filling

1 1/2 lbs (675g) Bramley Seedling cooking apples

5 ozs (150g) 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.

Bramley Apple and Elderflower Fool

Serves 4 -5 approx.

1 lb (450g) Bramley Apples

3 – 4 Elderflower heads

4 ozs (110g) sugar

8 fl ozs (250ml) softly whipped cream

Garnish with elderflower heads and leaves

Peel and core the apples, cut into chunks and put into a saucepan. Add the sugar, elderflower heads and water, cover and cook on a gentle heat, stirring every now and then until the apples dissolve into a fluff. Rub through a nylon sieve or liquidise. Bramley apples can be very sour at the beginning of the season, taste and add a little more sugar if it seems too tart.

When cool, fold the softly whipped cream into the apple puree. Garnish with elderflowers.

Notes on Fruit Fools

Rhubarb and blackcurrants are strong in acid, so they must somehow be well diluted. Cooking in stock syrup and then stiffening them again with a little gelatine is one way. Otherwise, one must use a great deal of cream and egg white. The amount of cream used in a fool is up to one’s own taste. I personally do not like them to be too rich.

Note

: Chill all fools for at least 6 hours before serving.Variation

Apple and Elderflower yoghurt

Puree the apple and elderflower as above, substituting the softly whipped cream for 8 fl ozs (250ml) organic natural yoghurt

Roast Apples with Amaretto Cream

Serves 4

4 large Bramley seedling apples

50g (2oz) butter

50g (2oz) caster sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons golden sultanas

150ml (1/4 pint) water (optional)

150ml (1/4 pint) cream

1 – 2 tablespoons amaretto

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

First core the apples and score the skin across the equator. Mix the butter with the sugar, lemon zest and sultanas. Spoon the butter mixture into the apples. Stand the apples in an ovenproof baking dish and add the water.

Roast for 30 – 45 minutes. The apples should be just beginning to burst – this is vital so hold your nerve, they should look fat and squishy. Meanwhile whip the cream and add amaretto to taste. Serve the apples straight from the oven with the amaretto cream and dust with icing sugar.

Variations

Stuff the apples with homemade mincemeat

Stuff the apples with cinnamon sugar

Roast apples unadorned. Proceed as above but omit fruit & zest, serve with freshly whipped cream and soft brown sugar. Divine.

Apple Fudge Cake

Serves 10

My daughter-in-law Penny gave this recipe to my other daughter-in-law Rachel and I am so happy she did.

2 large cooking apples, such as Bramleys

2oz (50g) dark brown sugar

Cake Batter

6oz (175g) butter

6oz (175g) light brown sugar

6oz (175g) self-raising flour

4 eggs

Fudge Sauce

4oz (110g) butter

4oz (110g) light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

You will also need a 10 inch (25cm) sauté pan or a spring-form tin.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4

Butter the sides of the tin and line the base with a disc of greaseproof paper. Peel and cut the apples into eights and arrange in a single layer in the tin (this will be the top of the cake when it’s cooked). Sprinkle over the 2oz (50g) dark brown sugar.

Put all the cake batter ingredients into a food processor and whiz to combine. Pour it over the apples and sugar. Cook in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is spongy in the centre. Wait for it to cool for 2 minutes before turning out.

Next make the fudge sauce. Combine and melt the butter, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and pour over the cake when it’s cool.

Taken from “Rachel’s Favourite Food” by Rachel Allen

Fool Proof Food

Fresh Mint Chutney

This fresh chutney is often served in India with curries. It is good with grilled fish or roast lamb instead of mint sauce. Surprisingly, even though it is uncooked, this chutney will keep for several days in a covered jar or plastic container in the refrigerator.

1 large cooking apple (we use Grenadier or Bramley Seedling), peeled and cored

a large handful of fresh mint leaves, Spearmint or Bowles mint

50g (2oz) onions

20-50g (1-2ozs) castor sugar (depending on tartness of apple)

salt and cayenne pepper

Whizz all the ingredients in a food processor, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper.

Thrifty tip

Save and freeze the water you have cooked your vegetables in to add to stocks and soups later – it will contain lots of vitamins and minerals.

Hottips

Gluten Free Food Festival at O’Connells in Ballsbridge

Rosemary Kearney who is co-author with Darina Allen of Healthy Gluten Free Eating, will be joining the chefs at O’Connells in Ballsbridge, at the Ballsbridge Hotel, Lansdowne Road, Dublin to create a gluten free menu for lunch and dinner on Saturday 23trd May and lunch on Sunday 24th May. To book telephone 01 6655940.

www.oconnellsballsbridge.com

Laying Hens

David Tyrell from Midleton, Co Cork has nine different breeds of laying hens for sale including Aracuanas and Cuckoo Marans (the only eggs that you won’t catch salmonella from because the egg shell does not have pores like other eggs) You can buy them as day old chicks right up to point of lay. Why not pick up a hen house at the same time – he has hen arcs that house six to eight hens that can be moved around small gardens or a stationary house and run for about 20 hens. David advises to get pure bred hens as they are better layers than the hybrid breeds. 087 0655646, tyrelldavid@gmail.com

For those who have an interest in food and a concern about food issues, the last Thursday of every month is worth marking in your diary – Cork Free Choice Consumer Group will have a speaker at the Crawford Art Gallery from 7:30pm to 10:00pm. The subject can be as varied as ‘Water, Grown your Own Vegetables, Vegetarian Food, Herbal Medicines, Bees, German Cuisine, French Cuisine, Grow your own Fruit and Nuts, Cheese Production and Bread’ It is always food related and is without exception worth making an effort to attend.
The Cork Free Choice Group aims to support and promote producers of high quality food in Co Cork, especially small specialist and traditional producers, to put them in contact with interested consumers and to create more awareness of availability and production methods. For more information contact 021-7330178 carolinerobinson@eircom.net
Sometimes there is a standing room only, as with recent “How to grow Year Round Vegetables” it was oversubscribed, over 50 people had to be turned away. Such is the burgeoning interest in vegetable gardening and self sufficiency.
On other occasions it is not full as with the recent brilliant talk by Daphne Lambert on “Plant Foods for Health and Vitality” (it was a beautiful evening perfect for gardening)
I was one of the fortunate ones who made it. Daphne Lambert is the owner of Greencuisine – A Healing Food Centre  in Herefordshire, UK, and is an award winning chef, nutritionist and author of “Little Red Gooseberries – Organic Recipes from Penrhos”  ISBN-13: 9780752838441. She also contributed to “A Slice of Organic Life” edited by Sheherazade Goldsmith ISBN – 13: 9780756628734
According to Daphne health and vitality is far more than just food, the strength of the community, music, dance, theatre, all contribute to our sense of wellbeing but Daphne decided to concentrate on nutrition and distil it down to its most important elements.

Soil – the Fundamental Element.
All good food comes from fertile soil but nowadays we rarely get our hands dirty any more.  There are more micro organisms in a handful of rich organic soil than there are humans on earth. Our gut hasn’t changed for over 10,000 years; it’s an extraordinary eco-system. Plant life is what supports us, but nowadays our systems are being challenged with all kinds of alien foods that are difficult and in some cases impossible to digest. Daphne’s hypothesise is that we are not just what we eat but what we digest. Healthy vibrant soil grows healthy mineral rich food, minerals are spark plugs of life, we cannot survive without them, and they are required to activate 20,000 enzyme reactions in the body.
Daphne, who is a hugely successful practicing nutritionist and herbalist, says that in her experience, lack of minerals is at the base of virtually every condition she looks at. There has been a dramatic loss of minerals particularly trace elements over the last 50 years.
Sodium 49% potassium 16% magnesium 24% calcium 46%  iron 27% copper 76% zinc 59% minerals in agricultural soil worldwide have fallen by 72%  if minerals are not in the soil they will not be in the plants  and our bio-chemistry is dependant on minerals.
In the words of Lady Eve Balfour – one of the founders of the Soil Association – that the health of humans, animals and soil are one “indivisible whole” and that biological balance begins and ends with a “truly fertile soil”.

Wild plants
Wild plants contain most minerals, then home-grown organic, commercial organic and least are found in chemically grown plants. As every organic, biodynamic and good farmer knows it is vital to feed and enrich soil with humus and well rotted compost.
We need 92 minerals and trace elements for optimum health; ideally we should be getting those from our food not from bottles of supplements.

Some foods have far greater health enhancing properties than others providing us not only with the chemical components of carbohydrates, protein, fats minerals and vitamins but a living energy. Living energy is found in biogenic foods which includes sprouted seeds and freshly gathered young green leaves, these foods have the restorative power to enhance our vitality and life force Bio-active foods are raw organic vegetables and fruits these are important to help sustain a healthy life force

Bio-static foods are cooked organic vegetables, fruits, grains and eggs; they provide warmth and energy but are very limited in the subtle energies that feed our life force
Bio-acidic foods are highly processed chemical foods especially white sugar & white flour products and factory farmed meat, these foods increase toxicity in the body so disrupt and deplete our vitality and our living energy
Nettles are one of the most nourishing foods we can eat – young leaves can picked at present and can be cooked and used like spinach, made into juice or nettle tea. According to Fitz Albert Popp wild organic food supports us most physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Fermented foods
Fermented foods are another group of foods vital for health but most lacking in our Western diet. Examples of this are sauerkraut, Korean Kimchi, Nepalese gundrie, miso, and tempeh. Grain ferments include ogi, amazake and kvass.
Dairy ferments – yoghurt and keffir. The process of fermenting harnesses microorganisms in the environment produces alcohol, lactic acid and acetic acid. It preserves food, retains nutrients and stops spoilage.
Fermented foods create nutrients, microbial cultures create b vitamins and anti-oxidants. They are powerful healing foods.

Seaweeds
Seaweeds are another vitally important food group, according to Daphne; they are “the richest source of organic minerals and vitamins as well.” We should eat a little seaweed every day for balance and energy. Seaweeds are an excellent source of calcium, iodine (lack of iodine contributes to colds and flu and in extreme cases to goitre) they is rich in potassium, manganese, zinc, boron and silicone.
Seaweed is also good for blood pressure nails, glossy hair… The algenic acid binds with heavy metals (have you still got your iodine tablets?)
Seaweeds are easy to use; Wakame seaweed has 11 times more calcium than milk and in the correct ratio. Kelp for example can be added to soups, stocks and bean stews, to increase mineral content. Nori, mainly used to wrap sushi rolls can also be snipped into salads. Dilisk or dulse so beloved on Irish coastal communities is high in iron, can be added to breads, soups, biscuits and mashed potatoes.
Carrageen Moss is probably the best known and most widely used of all the seaweeds and is, in my estimation a wonder food for children, adults and animals.
Don’t forget how important seaweed is an a fertiliser for the land so next time you are walking along the beach after a storm, fill a few bags with seaweed, take it home and use it on your vegetable patch. It doesn’t need to be composted. For more information about Daphne Lambert’s Healing Food Centre and courses visit http://greencuisine.penrhos.com/courses/ or telephone 0044 1544 230720.

Here are a few simple, healthy and delicious recipes from Daphne Lambert.

Daphne Lambert’s Hijiki-Carrot Salad

Serves 6

110g (4 oz) carrot
50g 2 (oz) hijiki
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons tamari
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon orange juice
Salt and pepper
110g (4oz) very finely sliced Chinese cabbage
2 teaspoons of sesame seeds

Soak the hijiki in warm water for 30 minutes, drain and cover with fresh warm water and soak for a further 30 minutes and drain.
Grate the carrot and put into a bowl with the hijiki.  Blend the dressing ingredients together and pour over the carrot and hijiki and leave to marinade.
Arrange the cabbage on four plates.  Spoon the hijiki-carrot mixture on top and scatter with sesame seeds.

Daphne Lambert’s Avocado & Spiced Lentil Salad

Serves 4

110g (4 oz)
2 carrots cut into fine julienne strips
1 spring onion, finely sliced or small leek
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 avocados
A selection of salad leaves (rocket, garden cress, spinach, cos, mizuna)

Combine the green lentils, carrot, spring onions and garlic in a bowl.  Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, curry powder, cumin and cayenne together and pour over the lentil mixture.  Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone and peel.  Divide the salad between four plates.  Place an avocado half with the hole uppermost in the middle of each salad, pile the lentils into the cavities and serve.

Daphne Lambert’s Alfalfa, Spinach & Dulse Salad

Serves 4

2 large handfuls of spinach
2 large handfuls of alfalfa sprouts
1 handful of dulse, rinsed and finely chopped
4 tablespoons pine kernels
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt & pepper
10 finely shredded basil leaves

Finely shred the spinach and put in a bowl.
Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice,  salt & pepper and mix into the spinach, add the sprouts and dulse, scatter over the  pine kernels & basil and serve

Daphne Lambert’s Sprouted Seed Salad

Serves 6

3 oz (75g) sprouted sunflower seeds
3 oz (75g) sprouted lentils
2 oz (50g) sprouted alfalfa
2 oz (50g) sprouted wheat
1 yellow pepper diced
1 red pepper diced
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 clove garlic crushed
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
2 teaspoons tamari
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh fennel

In a bowl combine the sprouts and the peppers.  Whisk the remaining ingredients together, pour over the sprouts and peppers and gently toss together.

Daphne Lambert’s Sprouted Quinoa Salad

Serves 6

8 oz (225g) sprouted quinoa
30 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cucumber, diced
6 sticks celery, finely sliced
small bunch of mint, chopped

Combine all the ingredients together.  Pour over the dressing made from blending the following ingredients…

Juice & zest of 1 lime and of 1 orange
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons hemp oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

Daphne Lambert’s Dulse & Potato Soup

serve 6

30g (1¼ oz) dried dulse
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium floury potato, diced
1 stick celery, chopped
1 leek, white part only & chopped
60g (2½ oz) butter
½ teaspoon salt

Soak the dulse for 5 minutes.  Melt the butter in a large pan and soften the vegetables over a gentle heat.  Add the stock and drained dulse and simmer with a lid on for 30 minutes.  Process in a food processor and serve in individual bowls

Ballymaloe Homemade Yoghurt

Making one’s own yoghurt is a very satisfying and easy thing to do. This recipe will yield about 2 1/2 pints of yoghurt.

2.3l (4 pints) milk
300ml (1/2 pint) double cream
250g (9 ozs) live yoghurt

Place milk in large saucepan and bring to the boil.  Turn down to a gentle simmer and reduce by a third, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and transfer contents to another container. Add the cream and stir well. Allow to cool. When the milk has cooled to the point that you are able to hold your finger in it for a count of ten, add yoghurt and stir well. It is important that the milk is not too hot when the bacteria are added, because it will be killed. Leave to stand overnight or until set in a warm place.  The longer the mixture is kept warm the better because the bacteria love a little bit of heat.  The yoghurt should thicken at lower temperatures but it may take longer to do so.  A classic place is in the airing cupboard but covering in cling film and wrapping in towels helps a lot. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week/ten days.

Food Proof Food

Nettle Tea
Bring fresh cold water to the boil.  Scald a china tea pot, take a handful of fresh nettle leaves and crush them gently. Wear gloves for this. The quantity will depend on how intense an infusion you enjoy.  Put the crushed leaves into the scalded teapot.  Pour the boiling water over the leaves, cover the teapot and allow to infuse for 5 – 10 minutes.  Serve immediately. Combine fresh spearmint and lemon balm leaves with the nettles for a fresh flavour.

Thrifty Tip

Mince up leftover cold cooked roast beef or roast lamb in a food processor and freeze to make a shepherds pie at a later date. All the better if you also have some left over gravy to freeze to add to the pie.

Hottips

Super Sprouts
Patrick and Ronite Ganiger sell eight varieties of organic sprouts: mung beans, aduki beans, green lentils, brown lentils, puy lentils, sunflower seeds, chick peas and soya beans. Sprouts are one of the super foods; the vitamin content can be up to 6 times higher in sprouts than in the mature plant. Combine all eight types of sprouts for the ultimate vitamin boost, toss them into salads, whizz them up in the liquidiser with fruit or lightly cook them in stir fries or soups. Buy them at Mahon Point Farmers Market every Thursday, Kinsale Farmers Market on Tuesdays and at Cork City Farmers Market on Saturdays. Enquiries: 023 69151.

Seaweed
Seaweeds are widely available from Healthfood Shops, Sea Breeze and Clearspring are both recommended brands.

Teagasc publishes A Guide to Vegetable Growing
Stephen Alexander, a vegetable specialist for Teagasc has written a booklet ‘A Guide to Vegetable Growing’ that is packed full of information on how to grow vegetables in small areas, Mr Alexander said, “People should be aware they can take a large amount of food from a very small area and this can save the average family a great deal of money annually” The booklet is available from the website www.teagasc.ie

Food Writing Course
There will be a unique chance to learn about the art and craft of food writing from Ireland’s “leading food critic” John McKenna during the West Cork Literary Festival in Bantry in July. The five day food writing workshop will introduce aspiring food critics, cookbook would-be writers and those with an interest in writing about food to the strong literary tradition within food writing. The cost of the course is €175 and takes place from Monday 6th – Friday 10th July from 9.30am to 12.30pm. To find out more have a look at www.westcorkliteraryfestival.ie or 027 55987