Doctors, nutritionists, and food experts around the globe are telling us to eat more tofu. Its an excellent source of high-quality protein and calcium. The extra bonus is that it contains no cholesterol and is very low in calories and saturated fat. So why don’t we eat more tofu? Partly, because for too long tofu has been used as a substitute for other ingredients and partly because we don’t quite know what to do with it. Why turn tofu into a beef substitute in a burger or pass it off as ‘cheese’ in lasagne, when its delicious on its own?

The Soyabean is a truly wonderful food, it could well be described as the cow of Asia. It provides a wide variety of high-protein foods. When it’s ground with water, cooked and strained, it produces soy milk. When coagulants are added and heat is applied it can be transformed into many types of tofu.

Soy milk is a huge boon to the growing number of people who are allergic to dairy products. Many find it alleviates some of the symptoms during menopausal years.

Tofu is an important source of protein. Vegetarians and tofu enthusiasts use it to replace meat in all kinds of dishes but it is also good on it’s own.
Tofu is made from soy milk which is heated and stirred with coagulants. It solidifies into curds which are pressed to make blocks of tofu. It can be soft and silky or very firm, depending on the coagulant and the screening method.

In Asian shops and markets there are many types of tofu to be found, but the 2 main types available in Ireland are:-

Chinese-style firm Tofu – this type of tofu is firmer in texture. It looks coarse but becomes smoother when cooked. It can be marinated for a longer period and is also good fried or grilled, or used for kebabs or brochettes. It comes packed in water in sealed plastic container either in slabs or in slices. It can be frozen

Silken Tofu – both soft and firm, is more delicate and fragile than Chinese-style tofu. It’s best for miso soups, tofu salads, mock mayonnaise…. It comes in sealed boxes and keeps for months at room temperature. However, once opened it should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

Marinated Baked Tofu - there are several flavours available, some are seasoned with five-spice powder, barbecue sauce or sesame seeds. All have a chewy meaty texture and their flavour is improved if sautéed first in a little olive or sesame oil. Great to add to stir fries, Asian pasta dishes, spring rolls …


A little bit of advice when buying Tofu
A high proportion of the soya bean crop is genetically modified so check the label carefully to ensure that you are buying a non GM product.

Always check the sell-by dates and keep refrigerated. Tofu should smell mild, sweet and vaguely nutty. Once it begins to smell sour discard it because it is not good to eat.
Preparation
Draining the tofu gets rid of the excess water so it can absorb marinades or fry without spluttering too much. Blot the tofu all over with paper towels. This will absorb quite a bit of the moisture but you may want to apply some weight and drain it if you plan to cook it later.
Firm Chinese-style tofu is fairly robust but you will need to be a little more gentle with silken tofu.

Pre-cooking
In many recipes, tofu is shallow or deep fried first in oil to give it a chewy texture and a most appetizing colour. It can then be marinated and used in stir fries or added to stews. Tofu can also be firmed up by simmering cubes in a pot of water or vegetable stock for about 5 minutes. Both methods make the protein firm so that the cubes of tofu will keep their shape when cooked further.
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Other Soybean products include:-

Tempeh is a high protein Indonesian soy product with a dense meaty quality, sometimes called – fakin’ bacon!
Miso is created when soy beans are fermented – this is a flavour paste that forms the basis of many soups and soy sauce.
T.V.P. – textured vegetable protein is used to replace meat with varying degrees of success.
To freeze tofu
Just cut into 1 inch cubes, drain briefly and freeze in a plastic bag. Allow to defrost and drain again before using.

If you are a loss for ideas or don’t know where to start, Deborah Madison’s book – This can’t be Tofu! Published by Broadway Books, New York.

Tofu & Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves 6

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 fresh chilli (chopped) or
1 tsp of chilli flakes
2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
350g/12ozs FIRM TOFU
200g/7ozs mushrooms (sliced)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large red pepper (sliced)
1 large yellow pepper (sliced)
200g/7ozs broccoli florets or cauliflower
2 spring onions
1 tbsp sesame oil
Thai fragrant rice (steamed)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chilli flakes and five-spice powder together. Cut the tofu into fingers Transfer to a small pie dish, cover with the marinade and allow to soak up the flavours for 1-2 hours if possible.

Just before stir-frying, put on the rice to cook (see recipe). While the rice is resting, drain the tofu, reserve the marinade. Heat the wok, add the sunflower oil. Cook the tofu in batches until golden, transfer to a plate. Increase the heat. Add a little more oil, toss the mushrooms with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss until fully cooked through. Add the peppers, stir and fry for a minute or two, add the broccoli florets. 

Drizzle with sesame oil, stir fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tofu, chopped spring onions and the marinade. Bubble up, taste, correct the seasoning. Scatter with sesame seeds and serve immediately with Thai fragrant rice.

Foolproof Food

Thai Fragrant Rice

Serves 4-6

Thai fragrant rice is perfect for South East Asian meals. When cooked it is shiny with just a slight hint of stickiness.

340g (12floz) Thai fragrant rice, measured in a measuring jug
340ml (12floz) water

Put the rice and water into a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring to the boil, stir once cover with a tight fitting lid*, and lower the heat to the absolute minimum - use a heat diffuser mat if possible. Continue to cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Do not uncover during cooking. Take off the heat, keep covered and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. The rice will stay warm for several hours if necessary.

*It may be necessary to cover with tin foil if the lid is really not tight fitting

Aki Ishibashi’s Miso Soup

One of our Japanese students showed us how to make this delicious soup. Ingredients are available from Mr. Bell’s stall in the Cork Market or good health food and Asian shops.

Serves 4

600ml (1 pint) Dashi (see recipe)
3-4 generous tablespoons miso paste
175g (6oz) tofu, cut into 1cm ( ½ inch) cubes
1 dessertspoon wakame (dried seaweed)

Garnish
1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Heat the dashi, and dissolve the miso paste by stirring it into the dashi. When it has dissolved completely, add the tofu cubes and wakame. Bring it to the boil. As soon as it starts to boil, turn off the heat. Ladle miso soup into warmed individual soup bowls and garnish with spring onion.
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Dashi

Dashi (bonito fish stock)

is essential in many Japanese dishes. It provides a savoury flavour which cannot be attained by using seasoning only and it is much easier to make than meat or fish stock.

425ml ( ¾ pint) water
10cm (4 inch) piece konbu (dried kelp) 
5-7g ( ⅛ - ¼ ) dried bonito flakes

Wipe and clean konbu with a dry cloth. Do not wipe off the white powder on the surface, as that is the one element that provides a unique savoury flavour. Put the water in a saucepan and soak the konbu for 30 minutes before turning on the heat. Remove any scum that forms on the surface. When the water begins to bubble, just before boiling, take out the konbu. Do not overcook or it will become slimy and the flavour of the stock too strong. Add the bonito flakes, bring back to the boil, turn off the heat and set aside until the bonito flakes sink to the bottom. Strain through very fine muslin and discard the bonito flakes. Use fresh or freeze immediately.
Instant Dashi
Instant dashi can be found in the form of a liquid extract as well as powder. Just dissolve a liquid dashi or powdered dashi in boiling water. But the flavour is far from that of homemade dashi.

Fried Tofu and Pepper Curry with Cashews
From ‘This can’t be Tofu’ by Deborah Madison

Serves 3

1 carton firm tofu (cartons usually weigh 14-20 ozs/400-600g)
12 fl.oz (350ml) peanut oil, for frying
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 serrano chillies, minced or finely diced
1-2 teasp. Thai red curry paste
8fl.oz (225ml) coconut milk
4fl.oz (125ml) vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
salt
3 tablesp. roasted, chopped cashews
3 tablesp. coarsely chopped coriander leaves


Drain the tofu, then wrap in a towel and press while you prepare the rest of the ingredients – pressing means allowing the excess water to drain off, this will make it easier for the tofu to absorb other liquids and seasonings. It will also help prevent spattering when frying and diluting of the sauces and dressings which are added.

Then cut the tofu into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes. If its still moist blot with paper towels so that it won’t splatter when fried.
Heat the oil in a wok or pan. When hot enough to sizzle a crumb of tofu, add 6 or 7 pieces and fry until golden and crisp. Don’t let them brown, however. You’ll need to separate the pieces, as they tend to cling to one another. Remove when done and set on paper towels to drain. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of oil out of the wok and return the pan to the heat.
Add the onions, bell pepper and chillies and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste, then add the coconut milk, stock, half teaspoon of salt and the tofu. Simmer for 2 minutes more, or until the tofu is heated through. Serve over rice or noodles, garnished with the roasted cashews and coriander.
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Iced Coffee Frappe

From ‘This Can’t be Tofu’ by Deborah Madison

Deborah says that once you start making smoothies with espresso you’ll plan to have leftover coffee. You can vary them endlessly with the additions suggested.

Serves 2

8 fl.ozs (225ml) cold strong coffee or espresso
4 fl.ozs (125ml) soy milk
2½ fl.ozs (55ml/ one-third cup) silken tofu
3 ice cubes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
1 tablespoon brown sugar



Combine everything in the blender and puree until smooth.

Variations: pinch cinnamon or nutmeg, hazelnut or almond syrup, coconut milk, a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream or frozen yogurt, a banana.

Top Tips

Feile Bia was introduced in 2001 in response to growing consumer concern about the quality and origin of ingredients of food offered when eating out. Membership of Feile Bia is on a voluntary basis and at the moment there are over 1290 members across the food sector. The programme is organised in conjunction iwht the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation – a new Feile Bia plaque will be now be displayed outside all participating establishments.
Winner of 2004 Bord Bia Feile Bia Award – Fiacri House Restaurant , Boulrea Knock, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, an award-winning restaurant on the borders of Tipperary, Laois and Kilkenny, won the 2004 award in the Georgina Campbell Guide. The restaurant, owned and run by Ailish and Enda Hennessy is situated on the family dairy farm and sources fresh local ingredients where possible. Ailish also runs cookery classes.
Bantry Bay Seafoods were awarded the prestigious ‘Seafood Exporter of the Year 2003’ and they also scooped the Irish Exporters Association ‘Overall Exporter of the Year Award 2003’.They were picked for the top award because of ‘their impressive penetration into a number of difficult markets, the high value it adds to Irish seafood and its innovative development of new products’.

Great excitement this weekend at the Midleton Farmers Market, we’ll have the first of the new seasons olive oil for our customers to taste. This is the second year that we’ve brought Mani extra virgin olive oil directly from Greece. The fruity green oil is cold pressed from the Koroneïki olives in a traditional stone mill in the Mani peninsula in the southern Peloponnese.
Just before Christmas we visited Fritz and Burgi Bläuel in Mani to see the harvest and the production. The drive from Athens via Epidavrous and the neo-classical city of Nafplio is spectacular, rugged hilly countryside, stupendous views. It’s the citrus fruit season so the trees are laden with oranges, mandarins, grapefruit and satsumas. Occasionally we see a shepherd watching over his herd of sheep or goats. The milk will be used to make cheese or thick unctuous yoghurt, to sell, or sometimes kept for their own use. Every now and then we see an old lady all dressed in black collecting wild greens by the roadside. These greens called Khόrta, a mixture of dandelions, mustard and wild chicory, and even some special grasses, are boiled and drizzled with olive oil and eaten with a few drops of fresh lemon juice squeezed over the top. Many older people particularly, also drink the cooking water, full of vitamins and minerals.
The Mani peninsula has some of the most dramatic scenery in the Mediterranean, stunning coastline, sleepy fishing villages and olive groves as far as the eye can see. As we climbed up the hill towards the village of Pyrgos Lefktrou we could see terracotta tiled roofs of houses emerging out of a sea of olives trees with the Ionian Sea in the background.
We passed many of the farms who grow olives for the Mani Olive Oil company. The visionary behind this company, Fritz Blaűel grew up in his family’s restaurant in Vienna. Almost 30 years ago, he came to Kalamata to meditate and commune with nature in one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth. He was drawn towards an alternative life style, a counter culture as he described it and so became part of a commune. Gradually his companions left but Fritz stayed on as a Buddhist. He grew vegetables and worked with the local farmers and picked olives to survive. He soon realised that the quality of the olive oil made from the local Korόneike olives was superb. The local farmers just produced in a haphazard way. He was convinced that this oil was exceptional and food lovers would appreciate it and that there could be a market for this specific olive oil, as well as the more famous Kalamata olives which were already familiar to epicures. The challenge was to get the farmers to co-operate and to trust him, most already farmed organically by tradition. They were naturally wary at first, but gradually they realised that this was an opportunity to enable them to stay on the land, to earn a better living and maintain the lifestyle they loved.
Over 300 farmers now grow olives for Mani. Fritz employs a full time agronomist to help and advise the farmers. Together they have drawn up a protocol – many had come to enjoy the flavour of rancid olive oil over the years, so Fritz convinced the farmers of the importance of picking at optimum ripeness for the international market. They also became certified organic and are recognised by ‘Bio hellas’ of Athens, ‘Naturland’ of Germany, and the Soil Association in the UK. The business has grown and grown and Mani oil has won top prizes and is now exported to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, USA, UK and Ireland.
Englishman Charles Byrne who now lives in Kinsale met Fritz in 1978 while on holiday in Kalamata. He was gobsmacked by the quality of the local oil and so an enduring partnership was born. Charles now looks after Mani interests in the UK and Ireland.
Extra virgin olive oil is the unadulterated oil of the olive. Georg Gigas had just picked his olives, we went along with him to the local olive press. The olives were hand-picked into plastic crates rather than sacks, (damaged olives can sometimes start to ferment if left in sacks for several days.)
The traditional process is fascinating to see, the olives are tipped into a hopper and washed, the stray leaves fall off as the olives make their way along a slatted vibrating belt to the mill stones. The olives are then stone-ground into a kind of porridge, which is spread on to esparto mats. Between every six mats there’s a steel plate to facilitate the pressing. When the stack is complete it is inserted into a hydraulic press. As the pressure gradually increases the oil starts to drip down the sides of the mats into a container containing a little water. The impurities fall to the bottom as the oil rises to the top. The oil then makes its way to a centrifuge to separate the water from the freshly pressed oil.
There’s a growing excitement as we wait for the first of the new season’s olive oil to emerge from the tap. There are several other farmers waiting to have their olives pressed, everyone brings something, freshly baked bread, lemons, smoked herrings, a slab of crumbly feta and local wine in recycled plastic water bottles. When the first of the oil flows from the pipe, the men dip freshly toasted country bread into the new season’s oil and murmur appreciation as they compare the quality with last year’s harvest.
This year has been difficult, the harvest is well down on last year, partly because the olive is bi-annual but also because of the almost incessant rain from December to April, followed by storms during the flowering season. Consequently the yield is down by approximately 35%. This will naturally result in an increase in price. Fritz and his wife Burgi have saved an entire community livelihood by working with the farmers, they were pioneers in their field and now other communities in Crete have followed their example with considerable success.
Fritz and Burgi still run Buddhist retreats in Mani, yet they are linked into worldwide markets as well as their local community.

Greek Moussaka

Serves 8

This is a Greek peasant recipe served in almost every taverna in Greece, there are many variations on the theme some of which include a layer of cooked potato slices and raisins. I’m not sure if it is my imagination but I sometimes feel that moussaka is even better on the second day. 

340g (¾lb) aubergines
1 x 400g (14oz) can tomatoes or very ripe fresh tomatoes in summer
1 onion, finely chopped (include some green part of spring onion if you have it)
1 garlic clove, crushed
olive oil for frying
450g (1lb) cooked minced lamb
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
pinch of grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
340g (¾lb) courgettes

For the topping
45g (1½oz) butter
45g (1½oz) flour
600ml (1 pint) milk
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cream
110g (4oz) grated gruyère or mature cheddar cheese
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper

earthenware dish 25.5 x 21.5cm (10 x 8½inch)

Slice the aubergines and courgettes into 1cm (½inch) slices, score the flesh with a sharp knife and sprinkle with salt. Leave for half an hour. Roughly chop or cut up the tinned tomatoes. Peel and chop the fresh tomatoes finely if using. Keep the juices.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy saucepan over a gentle heat, add the onions and garlic and cover and sweat for 4 minutes. Add the meat, herbs, bay leaf and 
nutmeg to the onions. Stir in the flour and pour in the tomatoes and their juice. Bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season well.
Rinse and wipe the aubergines dry. Heat a little olive oil in a pan-grill until hot. Cook the aubergines on both sides until golden. Brush the courgettes with olive oil, pan-grill until light golden on each side. As the courgettes are done, put them into the bottom of a shallow casserole. Tip the meat mixture onto the courgettes, then lay the fried aubergines on top of that. See that the top is as flat as possible. 
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour. Cook stirring for 1 minute, then draw off the heat, add the milk slowly, whisking out the lumps as you go. Add the bay leaf. Return the pan to the heat and stir until boiling. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Mix the egg yolk with the cream in a large bowl. Pour the sauce on to this mixture stirring all the time. Add half the cheese and pour over the casserole. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for 30-35 minutes in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 until completely reheated and well browned on top.

Moussaka can be made up in large quantities ahead of time, cooled quickly and frozen after it has been closely covered with cling film or plastic wrap. 

Greek Green Salad

I first ate this crisp chilled salad in a little taverna overlooking a harbour on the island of Aegina on a warm spring day - so simple and quite wonderful.

Cos or similar crisp lettuce
sprigs of fresh dill, about 2-3 tablesp.
3-4 spring onions
1-2 tablesp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablesp. Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Wash, drain and chill the lettuce. Slice across the grain about  inch (5mm thick). Put into a bowl, sprinkle with sliced scallion or spring onion and tiny sprigs of dill. Just before serving mix the olive oil with the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle over the salad, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, toss and serve immediately.
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Aubergine Puree with Olive Oil and Lemon

Serves 6 approx.

This is one of my absolute favourite ways to eat aubergine. It is served all through the southern Mediterranean, there are many delicious variations.

4 large aubergines
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, optional

Roast or grill the aubergines depending on the flavour you like.
Allow to cool. Peel the aubergines thinly, careful to get every little morsel of flesh. Discard the skin and drain the flesh in a sieve or colander. Transfer to a bowl, mash the puree with a fork or chop with a knife depending on the texture you like. Add extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Variations:
1. freshly crushed garlic may also be added.
2. In Turkey some thick Greek yoghurt is often added, about 5-6 tablespoons for this quantity of aubergine puree, reduce the olive oil by half. 
Mixed with ricotta and freshly chopped herbs eg. marjoram this makes a delicious 'sauce' for pasta.
3. A spicier version from Morocco includes 1 teaspoon harissa , 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped coriander leaves,
4. Add some pomegranate molasses - our new flavour of the month as they do in Syria - about 3-4 tablespoons instead of the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
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Lamb Kebabs with Tsatsiki

Serves 8 approx.

Choose kebab skewers carefully. They need to be flat and at least 3mm (cinch) wide, better still 5mm (¼inch). If they are round, the meat will swivel as you try to turn it. Best barbecued but kebabs may also be pan-grilled or cooked under a salamander.

900g (2lb) lean shoulder or leg of lamb

Marinade 1
300ml (½ pint) natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
juice of ½ lemon
OR
Marinade 2
6 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon annual marjoram, rosemary or thyme leaves
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper

metal skewers or kebab sticks
Accompaniments
Tsatsiki – see recipe below 

Mix either or both marinades, cut the meat into 2.5cm (1inch) cubes approx., season with salt and freshly ground pepper and put into chosen marinade for 1 hour at least. Drain the meat and thread into metal skewers or kebab sticks. Grill for 7 -10 minutes over a barbecue. Turn and baste with the marinade, serve with a green salad and chosen sauce eg. Tsatsiki 

Tzatziki

This Greek speciality is a delicious cucumber and yoghurt mixture and can be served as an accompanying salad or as a sauce to serve with grilled fish or meat. Greek yoghurt is often made with sheep's milk and is wonderfully thick and creamy.

1 crisp Irish cucumber, peeled and diced into - inch dice approx.
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tablesp. of freshly chopped mint
 pint (450ml) Greek yoghurt or best quality natural yoghurt
4 tablespoons cream

Put the cucumber dice into a sieve and sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for about 30 minutes. Dry the cucumber on kitchen paper, put into a bowl and mix with garlic, a dash of wine vinegar or lemon juice and the yoghurt and cream. Stir in the mint and taste, it may need a little salt and freshly ground pepper, or even a pinch of sugar.

Taramasalata

Serves 4-8 

Smoked cod roe is available in winter for a few months, we love it and often just spread it thinly on hot toast for supper. The Greek speciality Taramasalata is very easy to make, the home made version is paler in colour than the rather disconcerting pink often found nowadays. Some recipes call for an egg yolk to be added to the base mixture.

250g (9oz) smoked cod roe
3-4 slices good quality white bread 
juice of 1 organic lemon or to taste
50ml (2fl oz) sunflower oil
50ml (2fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

Cut the crusts off the bread and soak the bread in water. Skin the smoked and salted cod roe and put it into the food processor with the bread, which has been squeezed dry, add the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Flick on the motor. Trickle in the oil gradually as though you are making mayonnaise. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate, it will firm up.

Loukoumades
Sweet Fried Fritters

These sweet fried fritters are popular at the seaside cafes and sweet shops in Greece, on a summer evening, often with small cups of Greek coffee. Traditionally loukoumades are made with yeast, flour and water. Here is a simple but tasty version that mixes up in no time, it was given to me by Janette Xinotroulias.

5-6½ ozs (140-185g) self-raising flour
8 fl.ozs (250ml) buttermilk approx.
a little sugar and vanilla if desired
Honey, cinnamon and chopped walnuts

16 fl.ozs (500ml) corn oil for frying

Mix the above ingredients well with a wooden spoon. Heat approximately 16 fl.ozs (500ml) corn oil in a saucepan. The oil must be deep enough to accommodate the loukoumades as they puff up quite a bit. Be sure the batter is thick enough to form balls when dropped into the hot oil. When oil is just smoking, about (190C/375F), drop by teaspoonfuls into the oil. Be careful not to burn as they brown rapidly. Remove from oil with slotted spoon to a platter. Drizzle honey on top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Powdered sugar and or chopped nuts may also be sprinkled on them. 

Tiny Fried Fish (Marithes Tighanités)

Serves 6-8

We greatly enjoyed little fresh fish as part of mezze. Choose very fresh fish, eat whole hot, including the bones and head – crunchy and yummy.

1 lb (450g) whitebait
2½ ozs (60g) plain white flour
1 teasp. sea salt, or more to taste
1 teasp. freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste

Extra virgin olive oil for frying

To serve:
2 large lemons, cut into wedges

Rinse the fish, drain, blot dry between layers of paper towels. Mix the flour and seasoning in a bowl. Add the fish. Toss to coat. Heat a ½ inch (1cm) layer of olive oil in a large pan. When hot fry a single layer of fish until golden brown, turning once. Drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining fish. 
Serve, piled on a warm platter with the lemon wedges.
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Foolproof food

Ballymaloe French Dressing

2 fl ozs (55ml) Wine vinegar
6 fl ozs (150ml) olive oil or a mixture of olive and other oils. eg. sunflower and arachide
1 level teaspoon mustard (Dijon or English)
1 large clove of garlic
1 scallion or small spring onion
Sprig of parsley
Sprig of watercress
1 level teaspoon salt
Few grinds of pepper

Put all the ingredients into a blender and run at medium speed for 1 minutes approx. or mix oil and vinegar in a bowl, add mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and mashed garlic. Chop the parsley, spring onion and watercress finely and add in. Whisk before serving. N.B Vital to put in correct amount of salt.
 

Top Tips
The International Olive Oil Council www.internationaloliveoil.org   have details of the various designations and definitions of olive oils.
1. Research has demonstrated that olive oil has an effect in preventing the formation of blood clots and it has been observed that olive oil rich diets can attenuate the effect of fatty foods in encouraging blood clot formation, thus contributing to the low incidence of heart failure in countries where olive oil is the principal fat consumed.
2. Olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, LDL-cholestrol and triglycerides. At the same time it does not alter the levels of HDL-cholestrol (and may even raise them) which plays a protective role.
The beneficial effect of olive oil consumption with regard to cardiovascular disease has been demonstrated in primary prevention, where it reduces the risk of developing the disease and in secondary prevention, where it prevents recurrence after a first coronary event.
3. At present, research is revealing the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of secondary coronary events and the positive influence of olive oil on the depression associated with such events. These findings are very important in view of the high incidence of depression in the modern-day world and the great risk it poses in recurrent heart disease.
The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim has a wide range of courses available for 2004 – their mantra for this year is Reduce – Recycle – Refine – get yourself a copy of their brochure –
 email@organiccentgre@eircom.net  www.theorganiccentre.ie  Tel 071-98 54338 - new this year is a Garden Complete Course – a practical month by month guide including a session on bio-dynamic gardening. They will also run an outreach education programme for farmers and growers as well as community schools and groups and much, much more.

Shrove Tuesday’s here again – I adore Pancake Day, it always brings back memories of happy boisterous childhood parties – Mummy cooking stacks of thin lacy pancakes, struggling to keep up with the demand, while we squabbled about whose turn it was to have the next one off the pan.
We brushed the hot pancakes with melted butter, scattered them with castor sugar and sprinkled lemon juice over the top before rolling them up. 
There were 9 of us, we each had a different system, some cut them into cartwheels and ate them sparingly, others gobbled them down and tried to jump the queue for the next one. We were single-minded in our devotion to lemon pancakes, we never contemplated jam or chocolate spread. Tapenade or pesto or sun-dried tomatoes hadn’t been heard of at that stage, in fact it didn’t occur to us that pancakes could also be savoury.
Now we do all kinds of variations on the theme, different textures, size and shape, both sweet and savoury. We eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as canapés for drinks parties. They’re always delicious and always elicit an appreciative response. 
They definitely earn their place among my list of great convertibles. 
The basic batter is made with ingredients most households would have in the kitchen cupboard at any time – flour, eggs and milk, so grab a whisk, heat a pan and invite round the pals and off you go – have fun!

Pesto, Cream Cheese & Sundried Tomato Pancakes

This simple recipe makes a delicious canapé.

Tapenade may be substituted for pesto

Makes 48 approximately

6 large savoury pancakes – see recipe
6 ozs (175g) cream cheese
2 tablesp pesto
2-3 ozs (50-75g) semi-sundried tomatoes
lots of freshly ground pepper & a little sea salt

Spread a layer of cream cheese over the surface of a pancake with a palette knife. Sprinkle with pesto and some finely chopped sundried tomato or tapenade.

Roll into a tight swiss roll, cut into rounds or wrap in cling film. Repeat with the others. 
Refrigerate, remove the cling film and cut into ½" (1cm) rounds later. Repeat with the others. Garnish each piece with a leaf of basil or chervil

Heavenly Hots

Makes 50-60

These little pancakes are mouth-watering and very moreish

4 free-range eggs
good pinch of salt
½ teasp. bread soda
1¼ oz (30g) plain flour
16fl.ozs (450ml) sour cream
2 tablesp. sugar

Put the eggs into a mixing bowl. Whisk until well mixed. Add the salt, breadsoda, flour, sour cream and sugar and mix well. You could make the batter in a blender if you prefer.
Heat a frying pan until good and hot, grease lightly and drop small spoonfuls on to the hot pan – they should spread to about 2½ inches diameter. When a few bubbles appear on top turn the pancake over and cook briefly on the other side.

Serve immediately. For extra decadence spread with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Spinach and Mushroom Pancakes

There are lots of variations on this theme, but this is a particularly delicious version.

Serves 6-8

1 lb (450g) spinach
1 x Mushroom à la Crème recipe 

Ballymaloe Batter

Makes 15 pancakes approx.

12 ozs (350g) plain flour 
5 eggs
1 pint (600ml) milk
125ml (4fl.oz) sparkling mineral water or soda water
pinch of salt

Sieve the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and drop in the lightly beaten eggs. With a whisk or wooden spoon, starting in the centre, mix the egg and gradually bring in the flour. Add the liquid (milk and sparkling water) and beat until the batter is covered with bubbles. Let the batter stand in a cold place for an hour or so - longer will do no harm.
Alternatively put all the ingredients into a liquidiser or food processor and whizz for a minute or so. 
Cook small ladles full of the batter on a non stick pan and keep aside.

Meanwhile make the buttered spinach and mushroom a la crème.

Buttered Spinach

Serves 4-6

450g (1 lb) fresh spinach, with stalks removed
salt, freshly ground pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg
25-50g (1-2 oz) butter

Wash the prepared spinach and drain. Put into a heavy saucepan on a very low heat, season and cover tightly. After a few minutes, stir and replace the lid. As soon as the spinach is cooked, about 5-8 minutes approx., strain off the copious amount of liquid that spinach releases and press between two plates until almost dry. Chop or puree in a food processor if you like a smooth texture. Increase the heat, add butter, correct the seasoning and add a little freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
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Make the Mushroom a la Crème 

Mushroom a la Creme

Serves 4

½-1 oz (15-30 g) butter
3 ozs (85 g) onion, finely chopped
½ lb (225g) mushrooms, sliced
4 fl ozs (100ml) cream
Freshly chopped parsley
½ tablespoon freshly chopped chives (optional)
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan until it foams. Add the chopped onions, cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 5-10 minutes or until quite soft but not coloured; remove the onions to a bowl. Meanwhile cook the sliced mushrooms in a hot frying pan in batches if necessary. Season each batch with salt, freshly ground pepper and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice . Add the mushrooms to the onions in the saucepan, then add the cream and allow to bubble for a few minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning, and add parsley and chives if used.

Note: Mushroom a la creme may be served as a vegetable, or as a filling for vol au vents, bouchees or pancakes, or as a sauce for pasta. It may be used as an enrichment for casseroles and stews or, by adding a little more cream or stock, may be served as a sauce with beef, lamb, chicken or veal. A crushed clove of garlic may be added while the onions are sweating.
Mushroom a la Creme keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days.


Mix the Mushroom a la Creme with the spinach. Taste and correct seasoning.

Lay a pancake on a clean worktop. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle, fold in two sides and fold over the ends into a parcel. Repeat with the others. If the components are cold, reheat in a covered dish in a moderate oven. Serve with a little light Hollandaise Sauce.

Foolproof food

Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce and Bananas

This basic pancake may be served with any other favourite accompaniments – lemon juice and castor sugar, jam, chocolate sauce, chocolate spread with chopped hazelnuts.

Serves 6 - makes 12 approx.

Pancake Batter
6 ozs (170g) plain white flour
a good pinch of salt
1 dessertsp. castor sugar
2 large eggs and 1 or 2 egg yolks, preferably free range
scant : pint (450ml) milk, or for very crisp, light delicate pancakes, milk and water mixed
3-4 dessertsp. melted butter

Butterscotch Sauce

4 ozs (110g) butter

6 ozs (170g) dark soft brown, Barbados sugar
4 ozs (110g) granulated sugar
10 ozs (285g) golden syrup
8 fl ozs (225ml) cream
2 teasp. pure vanilla essence

4 bananas

8 inch (20.5cm) non-stick crepe pan

First make the batter. Sieve the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl, make a well in the centre and drop in the lightly beaten eggs with a whisk or wooden spoon, starting in the centre mix the egg and gradually bring in the flour. Add the liquid slowly and beat until the batter is covered with bubbles. (If they are to be served with sugar and lemon juice, stir in an extra tablespoon of castor sugar and the finely grated rind of half a lemon).
Let the batter stand in a cold place for an hour or so - longer will do no harm. Just before you cook the pancakes stir in 3-4 dessertspoons melted butter. This will make all the difference to the flavour and texture of the pancakes and will make it possible to cook them without greasing the pan each time.
Next make the butterscotch sauce*
Put the butter, sugars and golden syrup into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt gently on a low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cream and the vanilla essence. Put back on the heat and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until the sauce is absolutely smooth.
To serve
Heat the sauce, slice in the bananas, spoon over a pancake, roll up loosely or fold into a fan shape. Serve two pancakes per person.

* To save time you could of course serve the pancakes with one of the many excellent Irish made butterscotch or chocolate sauces on the market 


Top Tips

For Pancakes - Use a non stick pan, then you can flip to your heart’s content.
Add a tablespoon of melted butter to the batter and whisk well, no need to grease the pan between pancakes.
I know blueberries are totally out of season but if you do happen to pick up a punnet which has come all the way from Holland, mix 225g of cream cheese with a generous tablespoon of icing sugar, fold in about 100g of berries and use to fill some freshly made pancakes. 

Apple Juice – get delicious Karmine Apple Juice by post from Con Traas at Moorstown, Cahir, Co Tipperary – this terrific service is available anywhere in Ireland – 12 bottles of juice made from the Karmijn de Sonnaville apples grown on their own farm, come in a sturdy well-constructed box via An Post – I got a delivery myself and they arrived undamaged. You can order on the website www.karmine.com email:con@the applefarm.com Tel. 052-41459 Fax 052-42774

New Chief Executive for Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Dr. John O’Brien has been appointed Chief Executive of the FSAI and will take up office in June 2004. Dr. O’Brien is originally from Cork and has a BSc and PHd in Food Chemistry from UCC, as well as an MSc in Toxicology from the University of Surrey. He has a broad knowledge of risk assessment and food safety management at an international level together with communication expertise.

When Green and Black’s was launched in 1991 they marketed it as the world’s very first organic chocolate. Green and Black’s gave chocolate lovers a way to indulge their tastebuds without having an environmental impact.
Conventionally grown cacao is still one of the most heavily sprayed food crops in the world. Organic was just beginning to be a buzzword at that time, so people were intrigued enough to buy and try it. Its sheer deliciousness brought them back for more.
At Green and Black’s they like to think that they’ve helped change the world – one bar of chocolate at a time! They weren’t just the world’s first organic chocolate, in 1993 their orange-and-spice Maya Gold became the very first product to carry the Fairtrade Mark – the shopper’s guarantee that the farmers and growers who produce the cacao get a fairer price for their crops.
This was a shopping revolution. The day of Maya Gold’s launch, Green and Black’s had a total of eight minutes’ of news coverage on primetime TV. Because Maya Gold’s debut coincided with an independent campaign for fair trade, they discovered to their astonishment that thousands of Young Methodists were actually running from town to town carrying flaming torches and button-holing supermarket managers to stock this ground-breaking Fairtrade-marked product. One supermarket buyer complained that he’d even been getting phone calls from vicars, badgering him to stock Maya Gold because of its ethical integrity. “Nothing to do with us, though we were secretly thrilled to have that unexpected boost to our sales drive!” – says Jo Fairley. But that buyer still placed an order - and today, awareness of fair trade issues means that most global coffee-shop empires even offer a Fairtrade-marked cappuccino on their menus, while shoppers can fill shopping baskets not only with fairly traded chocolate and cocoa powder, but tea, coffee, bananas and more.
Unlike many of the opportunistic companies who jumped on the organic and fair-trade bandwagon as soon as it became fashionable, Green and Black’s didn’t have to do anything special to get that Fairtrade Mark: it was how they naturally did business.
It was only later that they realised that they had established a blueprint for socially responsible business which many big companies are striving towards, today. Green and Black’s already paid a higher price than the world price – because they offered a premium for organic beans. They gave the farmers the security of long term contracts – because they desperately needed that security, at a time when organic cocoa wasn’t traded anywhere on the world markets. This ensured a reliable supply for Green and Black’s.
The other bonus is the incredible impact that fair trade has on a community. When Green and Black’s first starting buying cacao from the Maya Indians in Belize, children left school at eleven because their parents couldn’t pay for their board during the week at the secondary school in Punta Gorda, or even afford their essential secondary school books. Now, as a result of the secure income, a whole generation of children from the hillside villages where their chocolate grows is being educated to the age of eighteen; some are even attending university and at least one plans to study medicine. As Cayetano Ico, the former chairman of the co-operative of cacao farmers who produce the cacao for Maya Gold once said: ‘When you buy a bar of Green and Black’s, you’re sending a child to school’. Shopping ethically really does change lives and communities for the better. But fairly traded products must also be yummy or shoppers won’t buy something more than once. 
I often wondered and now I know how Green and Black’s got its name. In fact, it was dreamed up one rainy Saturday night by Jo Fairley and her husband Craig Sams, Whole Earth Foods founder (and now Chairman of the Soil Association), when they were searching for a name for the chocolate they planned to launch together. “There was never a Mr. Green and a Mr Black, I’m afraid; just a couple sitting in bed with a notepad and pen, having terrific fun brainstorming. As a lifelong sweet-lover, I remembered confectionery brands from my childhood, that had stayed in my mind: Callard & Bowser, Barker & Dobson - and so Green (because it was organic) and Black’s (because the chocolate was such a dark brown, it was almost black) was born. If we’d stuck to some of the names we originally batted back and forth – like ‘Eco-Choc’ or ‘Bio-Choc’ – that very same dark chocolate would simply have gathered dust on the shelves, and very few people would have discovered its tastebud-caressing deliciousness”, says Jo Fairley.
The other important ‘first’ was that Green and Black’s was the first 70% cocoa solids chocolate available in the UK and Ireland. On the Continent, chocolate aficionados have long enjoyed the rich, bitter intensity of really dark chocolate. Here, the ‘dark’ chocolate we all grew up with actually contained as little as 30% cocoa. But since Green and Black’s was launched, 70% dark chocolate has become the magic figure quoted by cookery writers and super chefs when they publish a recipe that uses chocolate: quite simply, for the ultimate in chocolatiness, there’s nothing better. So if you’re a milk chocolate fan try a dark chocolate one of these days. 
Any recipe made with good-quality chocolate will taste dramatically different if made with an inferior chocolate, so choose your chocolate carefully. For most of the recipes, we use dark chocolate, which contains 70% coca solids and very little sugar. It is generally the best chocolate to use for cooking because its intense flavour is not easily overpowered by competing flavours or other ingredients. Avoid dark chocolates that have less than 60% cocoa solids and are not made with natural vanilla. Vanillin, which is an artificial flavouring, and vegetable fat, gives the chocolate a very different flavour and texture from chocolate that contains natural vanilla and cocoa butter.
Where milk chocolate is specified, try to use milk chocolate that has at least 34% cocoa solids. White chocolate only contains cocoa butter from the cacao bean, not the dark solids. If white chocolate does not declare a percentage of cocoa solids, it will not contain cocoa butter. It will probably also not have natural vanilla in it, which gives Green and Black’s its unique flavour. An unsweetened cocoa powder is best for baking.
Over the years Jo Fairley and her friends at Green & Black’s have been collecting recipes from friends, chefs and celebrities, they had amassed a truly yummy collection which they have at last published in the Green & Black’s Cookbook, rarely have I found so many tempting recipes under one cover. So if you need a little treat to cheer at this dreary time of the year order a copy of Green & Black’s Chocolate Recipes published by Kyle Cathie Publishers, edited by Caroline Jeremy.
Caroline gives an insight into how chocolate is made and lots of really practical tips on how to temper chocolate.
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Here are some delicious recipes from the book.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Makes 10 large, very rich slices

125g (4½ oz) unsalted butter
75g (3oz) golden syrup
200g (7oz) dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa solids, broken into pieces
1 egg
50g (2oz) digestive biscuits
50g (2oz) whole walnuts
50g (2oz) sultanas
50g (2oz) glacé cherries, reserving a few for decoration

20 x 8cm (8x3 in) loaf tin 

Line the loaf tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment and set aside.

Melt the butter and syrup together in a small saucepan over a gentle heat until they begin to boil.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water, then mix thoroughly with the butter and golden syrup.
Pasteurise the egg by beating it slowly and continuously into the hot chocolate mixture.
Break up the biscuits into large chunks; remember they will be broken further when mixed, so don’t make them too small.
Add the walnuts, sultanas and most of the cherries.
Pour the chocolate mixture on to the dry ingredients and mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Press the mixture into the tin and decorate with the reserved glacé cherries. 
Leave to set in the fridge for about 4 hours. Remove from the fridge, peel off the paper and cut into slices or cubes. Serve chilled.
Hint: To make this recipe more appealing to children why not replace 100g of dark chocolate with milk chocolate?

White Chocolate , Walnut and Banana Loaf

Makes one large loaf

125g (4½ oz) unsalted butter, melted
175g (6oz) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon of salt
150g (5oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs
4 small, ripe bananas, mashed
100g (3½ oz) good-quality white chocolate, chopped into large chunks
60g (2½ oz) walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 x 900g (2lb) loaf tin

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Brush the inside of the loaf tin with a little melted butter, then dust with flour.
Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the mashed bananas. Add the white chocolate, walnuts and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three stages, stirring after each addition.
Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 1-1¼ hours. Slide a spatula around the edge of the loaf and leave in the tin to cool.

Italian Venison – Agrodolce

Serves 6

Marinade

400ml (14 fl.oz) red wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1 celery stalk, including the head, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
sprig rosemary
sprig thyme
4 sage leaves
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
½ teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

Casserole

3 tablespoons olive oil
100g (3½ oz) pancetta or dry cure streaky bacon, diced
1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons pine nuts
2-3 squares dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa solids


Put all the marinade ingredients into a large bowl and stir well. Add the prepared venison and stir, then leave in a cool place overnight, or preferably two nights.
Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper. Strain the marinade and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/ gas mark 3

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish and gently fry the pancetta until the fat runs and it browns a little. Remove and set aside. In the same oil, brown the venison, in batches, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove and set aside. Add the onion, season lightly and cook until soft. Sprinkle in the flour until it absorbs some of the fat, scraping up the caramelised bits. Add the reserved marinade and the raisins, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and stir until the sauce thickens and no longer smells of alcohol.
Return the pancetta and venison to the casserole, leave it to bubble up, then add the spices, the salt and the pepper.
Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is soft enough to cut with a spoon. Add a little hot water every now and then if it looks as though it is drying out.
Toss the pine nuts in a dry pan over a low heat to toast.
When the meat is tender, stir in the dark chocolate and leave it to bubble up again until the sauce is thick and shiny.
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Foolproof Food:

Chocolate Flapjacks

A mouth-watering variation on the usual flapjack recipes – these contain Muscovado sugar which Caroline says take the edge off the usual sweetness inherent in flapjacks.

Makes 20

350g (12oz) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons golden syrup
175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
175g (6oz) muscovado sugar
175g (6oz) good-quality oats (oat flakes)
275g (10oz) processed oats (rolled or porridge oats)
6 tablespoons good-quality cocoa powder

Use a baking tray 17x28cm (7x11 in) or roasting tin.

Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 2. Butter the baking tray.
Melt the butter, syrup and both sugars in a saucepan. Do not allow them to bubble. Mix in the oats and the cocoa. 
Use a fork to press the mixture into the baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes. The flapjacks need to cook in the centre but you don’t want them to bubble, otherwise they will be too toffee-like. They should stay moist.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing up. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tray.
Hint: These flapjacks are delicious with 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut, or a handful of sultanas added with the oats. 
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Hot tips

1. Always store chocolate in a cool, dry place and do not expose to direct light. Chocolate that has been exposed to extremes in temperature or light will ‘bloom’, or have whitish-grey streaks on it. These streaks indicate that the cocoa butter on the chocolate has changed its structure and crystallised on the surface. This does not affect the flavour though and once melted, the chocolate will be fine to use for cooking. 
2. Careful not to store chocolate near other household items or foods that have a strong scent. Chocolate absorbs odours easily and will soon taste of other flavours if stored close to them. This is especially true of mint, citrus fruit, perfumes and chemicals, so be careful how you pack your shopping basket. 
3. To melt chocolate, break or chop it up into even-sized pieces. Put it in a dry Pyrex bowl and suspend over a saucepan of hot water, bring to the boil – turn off the heat immediately. Never allow steam or water to come into direct contact with the chocolate and make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. This is especially important if you are melting white chocolate which is particularly sensitive to over-heating. Leave the bowl over the saucepan of hot water while the chocolate slowly melts. Stir gently when most of the chocolate has melted and remove the bowl from the heat. 
4. Chocolate that has been over-heated may ‘seize’ or become very thick and lumpy and impossible to use. If this does happen you can try whisking in a knob of butter or a little vegetable oil, but you may not be able to save it if it has gone too far. 
5. Green and Black’s chocolate is available in most good food shops and many health food shops.

The streets of Seville and many of the villages in Andalucia are lined with orange trees. In Spring the fragrant perfume of the orange blossom fills the air in a most delicious way. At this time of the year when the ripe fruit hangs appetizingly from the branches and nestles against the shiny green leaves, one wonders why the beautiful oranges are not plucked by every passer by who might fancy a juicy orange to boost their vitamin C at this chilly time of the year.
Well, the answer to the riddle is easy to understand when one discovers that these are Seville oranges – bitter oranges perfect for marmalade, but the Spaniards don’t like marmalade and think the British tradition of making this bitter sweet conserve is very curious and eccentric. 
On a recent trip to Seville I learned that the British Consul in Seville used to arrange to have them picked. The ex-pats would come to the Embassy and be presented with a New Year present of a basket of Seville oranges to make their own marmalade.
The majority of the crop is exported, the Seville and Malaga oranges will appear in our shops only for the next few weeks, so rush out and buy them while they are still fresh.
Choose bright unblemished fruit – if there’s even one tiny soft spot, the whole orange will be tainted, so don’t imagine you are getting a bargain.
I adore making marmalade. There’s something about the smell which is so comforting and the result is so rewarding. The jars of marmalade with chunks of bitter peel shining through the jelly make me long for toast and butter to spread it on. Here we have some of my favourite recipes. Remember, it is crucial to cook the peel until really soft before adding the sugar – otherwise, no amount of cooking will soften it.
By the time the peel is soft, the liquid should be reduced to between a third and half of its original volume – otherwise the marmalade will take ages to come to boiling point and lose its fresh taste.
If you are daunted by the task of making enough marmalade for the coming year remember marmalade oranges freeze brilliantly. I’ve included a recipe which works brilliantly for whole oranges. I’ve also discovered some yummy recipes for Seville oranges so buy a few extra and experiment.

Seville Whole Orange Marmalade

(made with whole oranges)

Makes 13-15 lbs approx.

You'll find Seville and Malaga oranges in the shops for just a few short weeks after Christmas. Buy what you need and make the marmalade while the oranges are fresh if possible. If not just pop them into the freezer, this recipe works brilliantly for frozen oranges, its not even necessary to defrost them.
Some recipes slice the peel first but the majority boil the whole oranges first and then slice the peel.

2.2kg (42 lb) Seville or Malaga oranges (organic if possible)
5.1L (9pint) water
4kg (9 lb) sugar

Wash the oranges. Put them in a stainless steel saucepan with the water. Put a plate on top to keep them under the surface of the water. Cover with the lid of the saucepan, simmer gently until soft, 2 hours approx. cool and drain, reserving the water. (If more convenient, leave overnight and continue next day.) Put your chopping board onto a large baking tray with sides so you won't lose any juice. Cut the oranges in half and scoop out the soft centre. Slice the peel finely. Put the pips into a muslin bag. 
Put the escaped juice, sliced oranges and the muslin bag of pips in a large wide stainless steel saucepan with the reserved marmalade liquid. Bring to the boil and add the warm sugar, stir over a brisk heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Boil fast until setting point is reached. Pot in sterilized jars and cover at once. Store in a dark airy cupboard.
With any marmalade its vital that the original liquid has reduced by half or better still two-thirds before the sugar is added otherwise it takes ages to reach a set and both the flavour and colour will be spoiled. A wide low-sided stainless steel saucepan is best for this recipe, say, 35.5 - 40.5cm (14-16inch) wide. If you don't have one around that size, cook the marmalade in two batches.

Foolproof Food

Old Fashioned Seville Orange Marmalade

Seville and Malaga oranges come into the shops after Christmas and are around for 4-5 weeks.

Makes approx. 7 lbs (3.2kg)

2 lbs (900g) Seville Oranges
4 pints (2.3L) water
1 lemon
4 lbs (1.8kg) granulated sugar

Wash the fruit, cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Remove the membrane with a spoon, put with the pips, tie them in a piece of muslin and soak for 2 hour in cold water. Slice the peel finely or coarsely, depending on how you like your marmalade. Put the peel, orange and lemon juice, bag of pips and water into a non-reactive bowl or saucepan overnight.
Next day, bring everything to the boil and simmer gently for about 2 hours until the peel is really soft and the liquid is reduced by half. Squeeze all the liquid from the bag of pips and remove it.
Add the warmed sugar and stir until all the sugar has been dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to a full rolling boil rapidly until setting point is reached 5-10 minutes approx. Test for a set, either with a sugar thermometer (it should register 220F), or with a saucer. Put a little marmalade on a cold saucer and cool for a few minutes. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it's done.
Allow marmalade to sit in the saucepan for 15 minutes before bottling to prevent the peel from floating. Pot into hot sterilized jars. Cover immediately and store in a cool dry dark place.
N.B. The peel must be absolutely soft before the sugar is added, otherwise when the sugar is added it will become very hard and no amount of boiling will soften it.

Marmalade Muffins

Makes 8

225g (8oz) white flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
140g (5oz) caster sugar
85g (3oz) butter
1 free-range egg
orange zest from 1 orange
170ml (6fl.oz) milk
8 teaspoons of Seville orange marmalade

1 muffin tray lined with muffin papers

Icing sugar


Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/regulo 6.
Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder in a bowl. Stir in the sugar Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Combine the beaten egg, orange zest and milk and add to the dry mixture. Combine with a fork to give a wet consistency. Spoon half the mixture into the muffin cases. Put a spoonful of marmalade on top of each one, top with the remainder of the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes until well-risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar.

Moorish Tart

Morish in every sense of the word – an ordinary orange may be substituted at other times of the year.

Pastry:
175g (6oz) plain flour
40g (1½ oz) icing sugar
125g (4½ oz) unsalted butter
grated zest of 1 Seville orange (reserve the orange for the filling)
1 large egg, beaten

Filling:
150g (5oz) dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa solids, broken into pieces
225ml (8fl.oz) double cream
4 large egg yolks
50g (2oz) golden castor sugar
juice of 1 Seville orange

20cm (8inch) tart tin, greased.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/regulo 5

To make the pastry, process the flour, icing sugar, butter and orange zest in a food-processor to the breadcrumb stage or rub the ingredients together between your fingers. Add the beaten egg and mix until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap in greaseproof paper and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and place it in the tart tin. Prick the base with a fork and cover it with baking parchment and baking beans, bake it blind for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and the paper and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water.

To make the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir the melted chocolate and cream together and then add the egg mixture. Replace the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and stir until the mixture thickens. Add the orange juice and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture thickens again. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour into the cooked pastry case and chill until set.

Orange Mousse with Chocolate Wafers

Serves 6-8

2 oranges (12 if very large) 
4 eggs (preferably free-range) 
22 ozs (70g) castor sugar
3 oz (8g) gelatine (2 rounded teaspoons)
3 tablespoons water
1 lemon 
8 fl ozs (230ml) whipped cream 
4 tablespoons marmalade

Chocolate Wafers
2 ozs (55g) best quality dark chocolate 

Decoration 
2 tablespoons marmalade 
8 fl ozs (230ml) whipped cream 
A pinch of castor sugar

Wash and dry the oranges; grate the rind on the finest part of a stainless steel grater. Put into a bowl with 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks and the castor sugar. Whisk to a thick mousse, preferably with an electric mixer. Put 3 tablespoons of water in a little bowl, measure the gelatine carefully and sprinkle over the water. Leave to >sponge= for a few minutes until the gelatine has soaked up the water and feels spongy to the touch. Put the bowl into a saucepan of simmering water and allow the gelatine to dissolve completely. All the granules should be dissolved and it should look perfectly clear. 
Meanwhile, squeeze the juice from the 2 oranges and 1 lemon, measure and if necessary bring up to 2 pint (300ml) with water. Stir a little of the juice into the gelatine and then mix well the remainder of the juice. Gently stir this into the mousse; cool in the fridge, stirring regularly. When the mousse is just beginning to set around the edges, fold in the softly whipped cream and finely chopped marmalade. Whisk the 2 egg whites stiffly and fold in gently. Pour into a glass bowl or into individual bowls. Allow to set for 3-4 hours in the fridge. 
Meanwhile make the chocolate wafers. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until quite smooth. Spread on a flat piece of heavy, white notepaper or light card. Put into a cold place until stiff enough to cut in square or diamond shapes. 
While the chocolate is setting, make the orange-flavoured cream. Grate the rind from half an orange, add to the cream and add a pinch of castor sugar to taste. Decorate the top of the mousse with some rosettes of orange-flavoured cream and a blob of marmalade. Peel the chocolate wafers off the card and use them to decorate the edges of the mousse. 

Marmalade Cake

I found this cake in Julie Duff’s book, ‘Cakes – Regional and Traditional’. Although she wrote that it can be found on the shelves of many of Ireland’s truly excellent baker’s shops, I’ve never come across it – sounds as if its worth a try.
Julie says that the best cakes are made with one of the stronger types of orange marmalade such as chunky orange or whiskey orange marmalade. Do not be tempted to add ‘a little extra’ as this will change the consistency of the cake and may make it very heavy.

115g (4oz) butter
115g (4oz) soft brown sugar
115g (4oz) marmalade
225g (8oz) self raising flour
2 large eggs
115g (4oz) sultanas

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/regulo 3

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and then add the remaining ingredients, stirring thoroughly with a wooden spoon, until well mixed.
Spoon into a greased and lined 900g/2lb loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for about 1½ hours or until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out cleanly.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
When cold, this cake is excellent sliced and buttered.


Hot Tips

Seville oranges freeze well, so if using straight from the freezer grate the zest before thawing.

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