How about a little bunny for Easter, I adore rabbit and have delicious memories of the rabbit stews and casseroles of my childhood. A local hunter often came to our door to sell rabbits – as children we took it totally for granted and weren’t a bit squeamish. It was all part of country life. Rabbits were very plentiful and did considerable damage to crops, so there was no question of sentimentality.

Rabbit rarely features on menus in Irish restaurants nowadays, yet it regularly stars on smart restaurant menus in the UK and France

Many French rural dwellers rear their own rabbits in hutches either beside or in their farmhouses. This recipe for Rabbit with Mustard and Sage Leaves, brings back memories of delicious rabbit stews I ate with Mamie and Papi Vienot in Lille sur le Doube. If you would like to recapture the flavour of your childhood rabbit stew, telephone Pallas Foods 069- 20200 for your nearest supplier – they are not wild rabbits but they are very good and will be delicious in any of the following recipes.

Rabbit with Mustard and Sage leaves

Serves 6

This recipe is also delicious made with chicken.

1 nice rabbit about 2-3 lbs(1.1 – 1.35 kgs) or 1 chicken

6 fresh sage leaves

2 teasp. mustard powder

2 teasp. grainy mustard, eg. Moutarde de Meaux

4 fl ozs (120 ml) dry white wine

 oz (15g) butter

1 dessertsp. oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablesp. wine vinegar

18 baby onions

8 fl ozs (250 ml) creme fraiche or fresh cream and lemon juice

a little roux (optional)

Garnish

fresh sage leaves

Cut the rabbit into portions. Put into a terrine with the chopped sage leaves. Mix half the mustard powder and a half the grainy mustard with 2 fl ozs (50ml) water. Pour this and the wine over the rabbit and leave to marinade for about 1 hour.

Drain the rabbit pieces and dry them well. Put the butter and oil into a wide saute pan and lightly brown the rabbit on all sides, then remove to a casserole. Degrease the pan, deglaze with the vinegar and pour this and the marinade on to the rabbit. Add the baby onions and the rest of the mustard. Add another 2 fl ozs (50 ml) water and salt and stir well. Cover and leave to cook on a gentle heat for 1 hour approx.

When the rabbit is cooked, take out the pieces and arrange on a hot plate with the onions (making sure the onions are fully cooked). Degrease, add the cream to the pot and reduce on a high heat until it thickens, whisking in a little roux if necessary. Taste and sharpen with lemon juice if necessary. Pour the sauce over the rabbit pieces – through a sieve if you prefer a smoother sauce. Decorate with the rest of the sage leaves and serve immediately.

Roast Saddle of Rabbit with Fig and Prune Mustard

- adapted from Maggie Beer’s recipe in ‘Maggie’s Table’ published by Viking.

 

Serves 4

 

8 medium onions

3 large rabbit saddles

1½ ozs (35g) butter

extra virgin olive oil

2 tablesp. freshly plucked lemon thyme leaves

freshly ground black pepper

6 slices streaky bacon or pancetta

 

First roast the onions – see recipe

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/regulo 7.

Carefully remove all sinew from the rabbit saddles. Brush with olive oil, lemon thyme and pepper. Heat butter in a small roasting tin with a dash of olive oil until foaming. Then seal the rabbit very gently until pale-golden brown. Transfer to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove the rabbit from the oven, then turn the saddles over and allow them to rest for 8 minutes.

While the rabbit is resting, crisp the streaky bacon or pancetta on a baking tray in the oven or on a frying pan. Serve the rabbit with the crisp bacon or pancetta, roast onion and a dollop of Fig and Prune Mustard (see recipe).

Fig and Prune Mustard

Also delicious with the rillettes below or a lamb chop.

Makes 1.5 litres

14oz (400g) dried figs

14 oz (400g) pitted prunes

10fl.ozs (300ml) red-wine vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

4 fl.ozs (125ml) grainy mustard

 

Finely chop the figs and prunes. Bring the vinegar, cinnamon sticks and dried fruit to a gentle simmer in a non-reactive saucepan and cook until the fruit is soft.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and blend the mixture to a coarse texture in a food processor, then fold in the mustard. Spoon into warm, sterilized jars and seal with screw-top lids, then invert the jars to create a vacuum.

Roast Onions

I'm always surprised that so few people cook onions in this ultra simple way. We call them roast onions but I suppose strictly speaking they are baked, one way or the other they are absolutely delicious, my children adore them. Choose small or medium sized onions. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/regulo 6. Bake the unpeeled onions until soft this can take anything from 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on size.

Serve in their jackets, eat by cutting off the root end, squeeze out the onion and eat with butter and sea salt.

Maggie Beer’s Rabbit Rillettes

(from Maggie’s Table by Maggie Beer)

 

Maggie says that people frightened of fat are unlikely to try these, but they are the losers! Cooking and preserving meat in fat (whether its rabbit, hare, goose, duck) is a staple of her kitchen and it’s the best way of using the legs.

Makes 750ml

3 rabbits

2¼ oz (55g) sea salt

2 tablesp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tablesp. juniper berries

2 teasp. peppercorns

18 fl.ozs (500ml) rendered chicken or duck fat

 

Joint the rabbits, leaving the saddles, kidneys and livers for another dish. Put the legs and shoulders in a glass dish with the seasoning and leave for several hours.

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/regulo 3. Put the legs into the bottom of the heaviest-based pot you have, then add the shoulders. Melt the rendered fat in a saucepan, then pour enough of this over the rabbit to just cover the meat. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally, The rabbit must cook very slowly and must never boil, otherwise it will toughen.

Drain the fat from the cooking pot and strain it into a container. The meat should be falling off the bone. Shred the meat with 2 forks, discarding the bones. When the fat is nearly cold, pour enough over the meat to bind it together. Check for seasoning – rillettes are traditionally highly seasoned. Pack the rillettes into glass or china dishes. If sealed with a layer of melted fat, they will keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks. Serve the rillettes with toast and Fig and Prune Mustard

Wandering through the English Market in Cork the other day I saw the first of the little Min Gabhar, the sublime Goats cheese made by Luc and Ann van Kampen in Co Wexford. This signalled the beginning of this year’s goat cheese season. The Min Gabhar is a sister cheese of Croghan
Luc and Ann have 100 goats (British Saanen, British Alpine, Anglo Nubian and Toggenburg) and make cheese from March to November, though they started a bit earlier this year because the goats started kidding immediately after Christmas
The Min Gabhar rolled in cinders is quite exquisite. They are also producing a fresh cheese in rolls, as yet this is only available through Sheridans Cheese Shop in South Anne St, Dublin and locally in Co. Wexford. Luc and Anne have won numerous prizes, including Silver and Bronze at the British Cheese Awards in 2001, best overall farmhouse cheese at IFEX in Belfast in 1999, 3 overall prizes at IFEX in 1996 – in fact they nearly always win a prize in any show they enter. Luc prefers to eat them on their own or with a glass of fruity red wine, but they may be used in countless recipes too.
St Tola and Lough Caum from Inagh were originally created by the much loved farmhouse cheesemakers, Meg and Derek Gordon.
In a remarkably successful transition, Meg and Derek have initiated John McDonald into the art of cheesemaking. The St Tola log which comes charmingly wrapped in a piece of net like your Granny’s dance frock, has won a place in the hearts of all goat cheese lovers.
Up to relatively recently, Irish people in general, weren’t great chevre fans, but now goat cheese salad, pasta, croquettes and soufflés are all hot items on restaurant and dinner party menus.
The quality of Irish goat cheese is fantastically good – still too many chefs opt for the cheaper imported French or Dutch log just because its cheaper. Next time you order a goat cheese salad in a restaurant, ask if its Irish goat cheese, chefs should highlight the name of the Irish cheese on their menu and serve them proudly, to support the farmhouse cheesemakers and to educate their customers.
At Ballymaloe we’re fortunate that our local goat cheese makers staggered the kidding so we have the creamy Ardsallagh goad cheese virtually year round. Jane Murphy knows each of her 200 goats by name and was in a great state of excitement last week when one of her Nubian goats had just kidded. It takes about ten litres of goats milk to make just over a kilo of goat cheese.
Ardsallagh is available from the Midleton Farmers Market and selected shops countrywide.
Celebrate the new goat cheese season this weekend and have fun with one or two of these recipes.
Ardsallagh Goat Cheese – Tel. 021-4882336
Inagh Farmhouse Cheese – Tel 065-6836633
Croghan & Min Gabhar Cheese – Tel -053-27331

Goat Cheese and Thyme Leaf Souffle

Serves 6
We bake this souffle until golden and puffy in a shallow oval dish instead of the traditional souffle bowl, it makes a perfect lunch or supper dish.
90g (3oz) butter
40g (1½ oz) flour
300ml (½ pint) cream
300ml (½ pint) milk
a few slices of carrot
sprig of thyme, a few parsley stalks and a little scrap of bay
1 small onion, quartered
5 free range eggs, separated
110g (4oz) crumbled goat cheese, we use St. Tola or Ardsallagh goat cheese
85g (3oz) Gruyere cheese
55g (2oz) mature Coolea or Desmond farmhouse cheese (Parmesan – Parmigiano Reggiano or Regato may also be used)
a good pinch of salt, cayenne, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Garnish: Thyme flowers if available
12 inch (30cm) shallow oval dish (not a souffle dish)
Preheat the oven to 230C/450G/regulo 8
Brush the bottom and sides of the dish with melted butter.
Put the cream and milk into a saucepan, add a few slices of carrot, a quartered onion, 4 or 5 peppercorns and the fresh herbs. Bring slowly to the boil and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the flavourings, (we rinse them off and throw them into the stockpot if there is one on the go.)
Melt the butter, add the flour and cook for a minute or two. Whisk in the strained cream and milk, bring to the boil and whisk until it thickens. Cool slightly. Add the egg yolks, goat cheese, Gruyere and most of the Coolea or Desmond (or Parmesan if using.) Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Taste and correct seasoning. Whisk the egg whites stiffly and fold them gently into the mixture to make a loose consistency. Put the mixture into the prepared dish, scatter the thyme leaves on top and sprinkle with the remaining Coolea or Desmond cheese.
Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until sides and top are nicely puffed up and golden, the centre should still be creamy. Garnish with thyme flowers.
Serve immediately on warm plates with a good green salad.

Ardsallagh Goat Cheese with Roast Pepper, Rocket Leaves, and Tapenade Oil

Serves 5
10ozs (285g) Ardsallagh goat cheese (or a similar fresh mild goat cheese)
seasoned flour
beaten egg
flaked almonds
white breadcrumbs
2 large red peppers
Extra virgin olive oil
Tapenade Oil
110g (4ozs) stoned black olives
1 scant tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
170ml (6fl.ozs) olive oil
A selection of lettuces and rocket leaves
Dressing
4 tablesp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tablesp. Balsamic vinegar
½ clove garlic crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish
Wild garlic flowers in season
 
First divide the Ardsallagh goat cheese into 25 balls, chill.
Next make the Tapenade oil
Coarsely chop the stoned black olives, add the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Whisk in the olive oil as you whiz and process to a coarse or smooth puree as you prefer.
Coat the cheese in seasoned flour, beaten egg, flaked almonds, breadcrumbs. Arrange in a single layer on a flat plate. Cover and chill well.
Roast the peppers in a preheated oven 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for approximately 20 minutes. Put into a bowl, cover the top with cling film and allow to steam for 5 or 10 minutes. Peel, remove seeds and cut into strips.
Next make the dressing Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Heat the oil in a deep fry or a pan to 200°C
Fry the goat cheese croquettes in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
Toss the lettuces and salad leaves in a bowl with just enough dressing to make the leaves glisten.
Divide between the six plates. Put five croquettes on each plate, decorate with strips of roast red pepper, rocket leaves and a drizzle of Tapenade oil.
Scatter some wild garlic flowers over the top and serve immediately

Crispy Hot Goat Cheese Salad with Beetroot Julienne

Serves 4
2 small goat cheese or 4 slices 1 inch (2.5cm) thick cut from a log
seasoned flour
egg
white breadcrumbs
Salad:
frizzy lettuces and salad leaves eg. golden marjoram, purslane, sorrel leaves, chive flowers, sprigs of chervil
Vinaigrette made from:
3 tablesp. walnut oil
1 tablesp. peanut oil
2 teasp. Dijon mustard
1 tablesp. wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
 
1 large or 2 small beetroot peeled and cut into julienne or very thin rounds
cornflour
oil for deep frying
 
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/regulo 6.
 
Wash and dry the lettuces. Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Dip the pieces of cheese, first in seasoned flour and then in crumbs, dab with a little walnut or olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden.
Cut the beetroot into julienne or into very thin rounds, toss in cornflour and deep fry until crisp at 150°C/300°F/regulo 2.
Drain on kitchen paper, keep warm.
Toss the frizzy lettuce and salad leaves in a little dressing - use just enough to make the leaves glisten.
To serve:
Divide the salad between 4 plates, put a crispy cheese in the centre of each, garnish with crispy beetroot julienne, a few fresh walnut halves and some sprigs of chervil.

Goat Cheese and Rocket Bruschetta with Tomato and Chilli Jam

Serves 1
Italian bread or a ¾ inch slice of good quality French stick
1 clove garlic, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
Rocket leaves
Fresh goat’s cheese eg. Ardsallagh, Croghan or St Tola
Tomato and Chilli Jam (see recipe)
 
Garnish:
A few olives
Just before serving chargrill or toast the bread. Rub the surface with a clove of garlic, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Drop a few rocket leaves over the bruschetta, top generously with goat cheese. Drizzle with Tomato and Chilli Jam.
Pop onto a large plate, add a few olives and some freshly cracked pepper.
Serve immediately.
Variation: Tapenade is great with this brushchetta also.
Tomato and Chilli Jam
This zingy jam is great with everything from fried eggs to cold meat. Terrific on a piece of chicken breast or fish or spread on bruschetta with goat’s cheese and rocket leaves.
500g (1lb 2oz) very ripe tomatoes
2-4 red chillies
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
about 2.5cm (1inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
30ml (1fl oz) fish sauce (Nam Pla)
300g (11oz) golden castor sugar
100ml (3½fl oz) red wine vinegar
Peel the tomatoes and chop into 1cm (2 inch) dice. Puree the chillies, garlic, ginger and fish sauce in a blender. Put the purée, sugar and vinegar into a stainless steel saucepan, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil slowly, stirring occasionally. Cook gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent sticking.
When cooked pour into warmed, sterilized glass jars. Allow to cool. Store in the fridge.

Recent figures on the quantity of booze that we quaff, both in this country and the UK, have sent quivers of alarm through everyone, even the politicians.  Those of us with teenage children are even more panicked when we read about the current trend for binge drinking and the express desire of many young people to get ‘slammed’ in as short a time as possible.  They down shots one after the other in quick succession to the cheers of their friends until they are scarcely able to stand - this kind of scenario is every parent’s nightmare.

So where is the entrepreneur who will start a chain of funky Tapas bars in Ireland.  Better still could the Vintners Association of Ireland encourage their members to serve a selection of Tapas for their punters to eat with their drinks - I’ve got a pub grub course coming up just after Easter and I will certainly include a few tapas in it to get people started.

Overall the pub grub in Ireland is improving by leaps and bounds.   Recently the results of this year’s Club Orange/Licensing World Pub Lunch Awards Competition were announced, so if you are fortunate enough to have one of those pubs in your area go along and investigate - the overall winner was Lennons Café Bar in Carlow, and the monthly winners were Ryans Bar in Navan, The Purty Kitchen in Dun Laoghaire, The Huntsman Inn in Galway, The Marble City Bar in Kilkenny, Eagle House, Glasthule, Co Dublin, The Vintage Bar in Kanturk,  Co Cork and The Thatch, Crinkle, Birr, Co Offaly.

Tapas according to the Spanish Tourist Board was ‘originally a mouthful of food included in the bar-price of a drink, tapas are designed to accompany drink and good conversation, and whether thirst provoking or absorbent, they should be easy to eat so they don’t interrupt the flow of conversation.”

In Spain its customary to move from one bar to another, sampling each establishment’s fare before moving on to the next    The days of free tapas with drinks are long gone, but the tapas phenomenon is going from strength to strength.   These tasty little bites are now sometimes served as a starter, or as a substantial evening meal shared between friends.  In London alone, there are hundreds of traditional tapas bars, as well as more sophisticated restaurants serving a tantalising variety of classics.

One of my favourites is Goya in Lupus St. SW1, simple, unpretentious,  yet sophisticated.  Perhaps because of its proximity to Westminster it has “established a peculiar place in the heart of Britain’s political class, particularly the Tory element”, according to Time Out.  Nonetheless, it is frequented by students and publishing types as well as the occasional politician.   The British appetite for tapas is such that there is now a nationwide chain of Spanish restaurants called La Tasca. Founded in 1993 in Manchester, it is now reputed to be the fastest growing group of its kind in the country with 19  already open and plans to open another 30 in the next three years.

The menu offers about 30 tapas as well as main courses and puds and of course Spanish wine and beers. 

They are generally served in small portions with a fino sherry, Tapa is the smallest while the racion is about double the size.  In Spain, where lunch is rarely eaten before 2.30 or even 3.00pm and dinner 10.00pm, tapas fulfil not only an important social function, they help to take the edge off peoples’ appetite while they wait for lunch or dinner to be served. 

Here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

*Brendan Ross from Droumdrastil in Dunmanway, West Cork recently set up an enterprise producing quail eggs.  Quail Eggs, cooked for just 3 minutes, served with celery salt are simple and delicious.  They will be hard-boiled in that time.

Brendan Ross, Coturnix Quail, Tel. 087- 2065067

Garlic Mussels

Our own juicy Irish mussels would make delicious tapas.

Serves 6-8
48 mussels, approx. 32-4 lbs (1.57-1.8kg)
Garlic Butter
3 ozs (85g/: stick) soft butter
2 large cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) olive oil
Fresh, white breadcrumbs
Check that all the mussels are closed. If any are open, tap the mussel on the work top, if it does not close within a few seconds, discard. (The rule with shellfish is always, ‘If in doubt, throw it out’.) Scrape off any barnacles from the mussel shells. Wash the mussels well in several changes of cold water. Then spread them in a single layer in a pan, covered with a folded tea towel or a lid and cook over a gentle heat. This usually takes 2-3 minutes, the mussels are cooked just as soon as the shells open. Remove them from the pan immediately or they will shrink in size and become tough.

Remove the beard (the little tuft of tough ‘hair’ which attached the mussel to the rock or rope it grew on). Discard one shell. Loosen the mussel from the other shell, but leave it in the shell. Allow to get quite cold.

Meanwhile make the Garlic Butter. Peel and crush the garlic and pound it in a mortar with the finely chopped parsley and olive oil. Gradually beat in the butter (this may be done either in a bowl or a food processor). Spread the soft garlic butter evenly over the mussels in the shells and dip each one into the soft, white breadcrumbs. They may be prepared ahead to this point and frozen in a covered box lined with cling film or tin foil.

Arrange in individual serving dishes. Brown under the grill and serve with crusty white bread to mop up the delicious garlicky juices.

Chorizo in Puff Pastry (Chorizo en Hojaldre)

This tapa, is one of my favourite ways to prepare chorizo.   They may be prepared ahead and frozen, ready to cook for a party.

Serves 5-6 (makes 16)
8 ozs ( 225g) puff pastry (preferably homemade)
4 ozs (110g) chorizo sausage, cut in ¼ inch (5mm) slices
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Roll the puff pastry to one-eighth (3mm) thickness.
Cut into circles ¼ inch (5mm) larger than the slices of chorizo.  Place a slice of chorizo in the centre of each pastry circle, paint the edges of the pastry with the egg yolk and cover with another circle of pastry.  Press the edges together with a fork to seal.  As each puff is made put it in the fridge, so that the pastry does not soften.  (The puffs may also be frozen at this point.)

Place the puffs on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450F/230C/regulo 8, on the upper shelf in the oven for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed.

Fried Salted Almonds

From ‘Tapas - the little dishes of Spain’ by Penelope Casas.

Almond trees grow in many parts of Spain, but almonds as tapas seem to be more popular in Sevilla than elsewhere. When almonds are freshly fried, as they often are in Sevilla, they are really something special.

Serves 4-6
Oil for frying.
4 ozs (110g) blanched whole almonds
coarse salt
In a pan heat the oil at least ½ inch deep to about 400F and fry the almonds until lightly golden.    Or, better, use a deep-fryer.  Drain and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Fried Squid Spanish Style

Fried squid are a very popular tapa almost everywhere in Spain.  Be careful not to overcook or they will be tough and rubbery.
Serves 4-6
2 lb (900g) of the smallest available cleaned squid, or about
1lb (450g) if cleaned
flour for dusting
oil for frying
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt
lemon wedges
Cut the body of the squid into ½ inch (1cm) wide rings, leave the tentacles in one piece. Dry well with paper towels or the squid will spatter when cooked. Dust the pieces with flour.

In a large pan have the oil at least 1 inch (2.5cm) deep and heat to about 380F, or use a deep fryer if available. 

Coat the squid rings and tentacles completely with the beaten egg.  Remove one at a time and put immediately into the hot oil.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until just golden.  Drain and sprinkle with salt.  Serve immediately garnished with lemon wedges.

As an alternative you could coat the squid with a batter instead of flour and egg, this will produce a crunchier coating.  A plain batter or a beer batter could be used.

Oatmeal is a wonderful food as far as I’m concerned. Almost every morning, in autumn and winter, a bowl of steaming porridge with soft brown sugar and creamy milk launches me into the day,  Tim brings me a breakfast tray in bed - am I not spoiled rotten?   This glorious arrangement also means that Tim can have a peaceful hour in the kitchen all to himself.   Macroom oatmeal from the last stone-grinding mill is my absolute favourite, but I also love pinhead oatmeal.  
Last year we grew a field of oats, we had a tremendous yield and sent it along to Donal Creedon at Macroom to be milled.  It was such a delight to have our own freshly ground oatmeal for breakfast. Years ago this would have been a common occurrence.  
Ireland’s soft damp climate is ideally suited to the cultivation of oats so oatmeal became a staple food of the Irish from pre-historic times.  Its popularity lasted right up to the 17th Century when it was superseded by the newly introduced potato.
 
Most farmers would have grown some oats and taken it to the local mill to be ground, it was then stored to be used in bread, black puddings and oatcakes. Oats have been valued for their nutritive value for a long time, with higher levels of zinc and manganese than in other cereals.  Oat bran is an important source of soluble fibre which appears to reduce blood cholesterol.
Flahavans are now doing an organic oatmeal which is well worth seeking out.  It also makes delicious porridge but if you are tiring of that comforting cereal, why not make some muesli or a home-made granola, full of nuts and dried fruit and toasted grains.  There are lots of oatmeal biscuits including flapjacks and Anzacs.    A little fist full of oatflakes added to a crumble or brown soda bread will be nutty and delicious.   Many people enjoy herrings dipped in oatmeal or croquettes with a crispy oatmeal crust.

Granola

-  Scrunchy Muesli with Bananas and Yoghurt

Serves 10 approx.
(150ml) Irish honey
(150ml) walnut oil
 (150ml) water
6 ozs (170g) oat flakes
2 ozs (55g) sesame seeds
2 ozs (55g) bran flakes
2 ozs (55g) desiccated coconut
6 ozs (170g) roughly chopped pecan nuts
3 ozs (85g) flaked almonds
3 ozs (85g) raisins
Accompaniment
sliced bananas and thick natural yoghurt
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.
Put the walnut oil, water and honey into a saucepan, warm over a gentle heat. Meanwhile mix the oats, sesame seeds, bran flakes, desiccated coconut, flaked almonds and roughly chopped pecans in a bowl. Pour the warm honey and oil mixture over the grains and mix well. Spread out onto a roasting tin, bake in the preheated oven until the grains are nicely toasted 20 minutes approx.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the raisins and allow to cool.
Serve with yoghurt and sliced bananas or milk.

Oatmeal and Apple Muesli with Hazelnuts

4 ozs (110g) grated dessert apple (preferably Cox's Orange Pippin or Worcester Permain)
3 heaped tablesp. rolled oatmeal (porridge oats)
6 tablesp.  water
1 teasp. approx. pure Irish honey
2 tablesp.  sliced hazelnuts, preferably toasted
Serves 8
Soak the oatmeal in the water for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the apple on the coarse part of a grater, mix with the oatmeal. Sweeten to taste with honey, a scant teaspoon is usually  enough but it depends on how sweet the apples are.
Add hazelnuts and serve with cream and soft brown sugar.
Blackberry and Apple Muesli
A few blackberries are delicious added to Apple muesli in Autumn.
Apple and Raisin Squares
 8 ozs (225 g) self raising flour
8 ozs (225 g) oatmeal
1 level teaspoon  bread soda (bicarbonate of soda)
8 ozs (225 g)   butter
8 ozs (225 g) sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 eating apples
4 ozs (110 g) raisins
 
Mix the flour, oats and bicarbonate of soda together.  Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together over a gentle heat and add.  Line a tin with greaseproof paper.  Press half the mixture into a lightly greased 92 inch square tin.  Peel, core and chop the apple finely, mix with the raisins and sprinkle over, then spread the remaining oat mixture on top. 
Bake for 30 minutes 180C/350F/regulo 4, leave to cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares and transfer to a wire rack.

Kibbled Wheat and Oatmeal Scones

We sometimes make these scones into little mini loaves about 5 x 4 inches (10 - 12.5cm) and then cut them into little slices rather than splitting them in half.
 
680g(1¼ lbs) brown wholemeal flour (preferably stone-ground)  or 450g(1 lb) brown wholemeal flour and 50g (2 ozs) Oatmeal and 50g (2 ozs) Kibbled wheat
450g (1 lb) white flour
30-55g (1-2 ozs) butter
10g/2 rounded teasp. salt
10g/2 rounded teasp. bread soda  (bicarbonate of soda), sieved
1 free range egg
750-950ml (1¼-1½ pints) buttermilk or sour milk
Topping
30g (1 oz) Kibbled wheat, optional
30g (1 oz) oatmeal
Serves 16-20
First preheat the oven to 230C/450F/regulo 8.
Ina large wide bowl mix the dry ingredients well together, rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre, add the whisked egg, and most of the buttermilk or sour milk.
Working from the centre, mix with your hand and add more milk if necessary. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Turn out onto a floured board. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Tidy lightly, just enough to shape into a square. Flatten slightly to about 1½ inches (4cm) approx. Mix the kibbled wheat and oatmeal together on a plate.
Brush with a little beaten egg and buttermilk. Cut with a knife into square scones, dip each scone into the kibbled wheat and oatmeal topping.
Transfer to a baking sheet. The mixture will make 16-20 scones depending on the size. Bake in a hot oven 230C/450F/regulo 8 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200C/400F/regulo 6 for approx. another 5-10 minutes depending on sound, they should sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
 

Pinhead Oatmeal Porridge

Serves 4
52 ozs (155g) Macroom stoneground pinhead oatmeal
32 fl ozs (950ml) water
1 level teaspoon salt
Soak the oatmeal in 1 cup of cold water. Meanwhile bring 3 cups of water to the boil and add to the oatmeal. Put on a low heat and stir until the water comes to the boil.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the salt. Cover again and leave aside overnight, the oatmeal will absorb all the water. Reheat and serve with single cream or milk and soft brown sugar.

Tender Loving Care Biscuits

(known as TLC biscuits in our house)

Makes about 10 iced biscuits (depending on the size of the cutter used)
4 ozs (110g) butter
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar
1 dessertspoon  golden syrup
2 ozs (55g) flour
5 ozs (140g) oatmeal (porridge oats)
2 ozs (55g) dessicated coconut
A pinch of salt
A pinch of bread soda (bicarbonate of soda)
Coffee Filling
12 ozs (45g) butter
3 ozs (85g) icing sugar
Coffee essence - 1 teaspoon approx.
Coffee Icing
4 ozs (110g) icing sugar
1 tablespoon approx. boiling water
12 teaspoons approx. coffee essence
Decoration
10 - 12 walnuts
Cutter
Use a 12 inch (4cm)  cutter
Cream the butter and sugar and add in the golden syrup, gradually stir in the dry ingredients and mix well.
Roll out on to a floured board to about 3 inch (5mm) thickness - the mixture will be slightly sticky and will be a little difficult to handle.  Stamp out into rounds with a cutter
and bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 until golden. They will take approx.12-15 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack and allow to become quite cold.  Meanwhile make the filling and icings.
Coffee Filling:
Cream the butter and add in the sieved icing sugar, beat until light and fluffy and then add the coffee essence. Spread a little on each biscuit and sandwich two biscuits together.
Coffee Icing:
Sieve the icing sugar, add the coffee essence and enough boiling water to mix to a spreading consistency, very little does, so be careful not to add too much.  Spread a little blob of icing on top of each biscuit and decorate with a walnut half.

I've always been an incurable romantic, students tease me about the number of times I use a heart-shaped cutter to decorate pies and tarts.  I make heart-shaped biscuits, pretty little heart-shaped Coeur a la crème, and scatter heart-shaped croutons over soup, a teency bit obsessive, not to mention unsubtle, but fun and great for a giggle. 

Well, with Valentine’s Day coming up we can legitimately indulge our romantic side and go seriously over the top.      Let’s start at the beginning, get out the coloured pens and paper and make a heart-shaped invitation.  Keep it light-hearted and fun – mustn’t pretend you are too serious, might scare him away even before you get him to the table.  Yes, the invite is for dinner – remember the way to every chap’s heart and all that – its worth a try anyway!

If you can’t quite manage a three course meal how about whipping up some little fairy cakes, ice them with bright pink and white icing and decorate them with those adorable little candles which spell out  I LOVE YOU – in fact they would make a pretty edible centrepiece for your dinner table – set the scene with scented candles, dark red roses, love hearts in a glass bowl and pretty napkins.  Champagne or bubbly of some kind is a must – drink it not just as an aperitif, but sip it all the way through to heighten the feeling of fun and excitement.

So what to eat?  Its difficult to choose – should it be comfort food or OTT luxury?   Crunchy cruditees with a bowl of garlic mayonnaise would be delicious and fun, but perhaps the garlic might not be a good idea later.  You may want to choose some aphrodisiac food  - a couple of dozen oysters, some lobster, caviar, or wild mushrooms.

If you are really trying to bring on a proposal though, beware of seeming too extravagant – he may conclude that you would be far too expensive to keep!
So how about cheese fondue with lots of crusty white bread for dunking (in fact this could be served as a starter or a main dish.)
A rack of lamb with a gutsy bean stew would make a delicious main course served with a few rustic roast potatoes.     Looks impressive but it is very easy to cook and there will be lots of time for soulful chat while the meat and potatoes are roasting.

For dessert there’s lots of sweet nonsense, pretty little heartshaped Coeur a la crème are adorable, serve with poached apricots.
The dark intensity of chocolate mousse is perfect to linger over with a cup of freshly ground expresso, or you may want to finish on something fruity like this Banana and Passion Fruit in lime syrup.
If you can’t cook – don’t despair - little notes with secret messages tucked into wallets beside credit cards, or behind the sun shade in the car, or even into a shoe, will give most people an oops in their tummy, or at least a giggle.   Happy Valentine’s Day.

Ballymaloe Cheese Fondue

Myrtle Allen devised this Cheese Fondue recipe made from Irish Cheddar cheese. It's a great favourite at Ballymaloe and even though it's a meal in itself it may be made in minutes and is loved by adults and children alike. A fondue set is obviously an advantage but not essential.

Serves 2
2 tablesp. white wine
2 small cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teasp. Ballymaloe Tomato Relish or any tomato chutney
2 teasp. freshly chopped parsley
6 ozs (170g) grated mature Cheddar cheese
Crusty white bread
Put the white wine and the rest of the ingredients into a small saucepan or fondue pot and stir. Just before serving put over a low heat until the cheese melts and begins to bubble. Put the pot over the fondue stove and serve immediately with fresh French bread or cubes of ordinary white bread crisped up in a hot oven.

Roast Rack of Spring Lamb with Haricot Beans with tomato and rosemary, and Rustic Roast Potatoes.

Serves 2
Ask your butcher to prepare the rack of lamb for you.
1 rack of local Irish lamb (6 cutlets)
salt and freshly ground pepper
Accompaniment
Mint Chutney, Haricot Beans with Tomato and Rosemary and Rustic Roast Potatoes
Garnish
Sprigs of mint
Sprinkle the rack of lamb with salt and freshly ground pepper, place on a roasting tin. 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, Haricot Beans with Tomato and Rosemary and Rustic Roast Potatoes.
Haricot or Flageolet Beans with Tomato and Rosemary
Serve as an accompaniment to the lamb or as a vegetarian dish.
You can always use the extra to make a Gratin dish for another meal.

Serves 4-6
1 cup dried haricot beans or flageolet beans or 2 x 14 oz (400g) cans of cooked beans
Bouquet garni
1 onion
1 carrot
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ozs (170g) chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 x 14 oz (400g) tin tomatoes
1 large sprig rosemary chopped, approx 1 tablesp.
Salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water. Next day, strain the beans and cover with fresh cold water, add a bouquet garni, carrot and onion, cover and simmer until the beans are soft but not mushy - anything from 30-60 minutes. Just before the end of cooking, add salt. Remove the bouquet garni and vegetables and discard.

Meanwhile sweat the chopped onion gently in olive oil in a wide saucepan until soft but not coloured, approx. 7-8 minutes add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, add the chopped tomato and their juice, add the cooked beans, and chopped rosemary. Simmer for 10-15 minutes add some of the bean liquid if necessary and season well with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar.

Note: The mixture should be juicy but not swimming in liquid.
Gratin of Haricot Beans with Tomato and Rosemary
Put the mixture in a shallow ovenproof dish.  Scatter a mixture of buttered crumbs and grated cheese over the top and put into a hot oven or flash under a grill until crisp and golden on top.

Rustic Roast Potatoes

Serves 2-3

These are my children's favourite kind of roast spuds. They particularly love all the crusty skin.
3 large 'old' potatoes eg. Golden Wonder or Kerrs Pinks
Olive oil or beef dripping (unless for Vegetarians)-duck or goose fat are also delicious
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/regulo 8.   Scrub the potatoes well, cut into quarters lengthways or cut into thick rounds ¾ inch (2cm) approx.   Put into a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and toss so they are barely coated with olive oil.   Roast in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes depending on size.  Sprinkle with sea salt and serve in a hot terracotta dish.

Fresh Mint Chutney

This fresh chutney is often served in India with curries. It can also be eaten 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 of Bowles mint
55g (2oz) onions
30-55g (1-2oz) castor sugar (depending on tartness of apple)
Whizz all the ingredients in a food processor, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper.

Tip: Serve mint chutney as a really yummy dip with poppodums before dinner or as a simple starter.

Bananas and Passion Fruit in Lime Syrup

A delicious fresh tasting fruity dessert that shouldn’t add inches to your waistlines.

Serves 2 generously
4 ozs (110 g) sugar
4 fl ozs (125ml) water
1 lime
2 bananas
1 passion fruit
Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, allow to cool.

Meanwhile,  remove the zest from the lime either with a zester or a fine stainless steel grater and add to the syrup with the juice of the lime, add the sliced bananas mix well.
over with cold syrup.  Cut the passion fruit in half, scoop out the seeds and add to the bowl.  Stir well.  Leave to macerate for at least an hour.  Serve chilled with heart-shaped biscuits and softly whipped cream.
Jane's Biscuits - Shortbread Biscuits
Makes 25 – you will have lots to share!

6 ozs (170g) white flour
4 ozs (110g) butter
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar

Put the flour and sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter as for shortcrust pastry. Gather the mixture together and knead lightly. Roll out to ¼ inch (7mm) thick.  Cut into rounds with a 2½ inch (6cm) cutter or heart shapes.  Bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 to pale brown, 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the biscuits. Remove and cool on a rack.
Serve with fruit fools, compotes and ice creams.
Note: Watch these biscuits really carefully in the oven. Because of the high sugar content they burn easily. They should be a pale golden colour - darker will be more bitter.
Chocolate Hearts filled with Silky Chocolate Mousse
 Serves 10
10 heart-shaped Chocolate Cases

Chocolate Mousse

225g (½ lb) of best quality dark chocolate

150ml (5 fl ozs) water
15g (½oz) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon  Jamaica Rum
6 small or 4 large free range eggs

Chocolate Caraque

115g (4ozs) dark chocolate or a packet of chocolate decorations

Decoration
Whipped cream
Chocolate Caraque
Unsweetened cocoa
Make the mousse. 

Break chocolate into small pieces and put to melt in a bowl with the unsalted butter and water over a low heat.  Stir gently until melted and completely smooth.  Remove, cool, whisk in the rum if using and the egg yolks.  Whisk the egg whites and fold them in.  Beat for 5-6 minutes, this makes the mousse smooth and silky even though it sounds like a contradiction.   The mousse thickens as it is beaten at the end.  Fill each chocolate case with the mousse.  Allow to set for 5 or 6 hours or overnight.

Then make the Caraque. 

Melt the chocolate and spread it thinly with a palette knife onto a marble slab.  Allow it to set almost completely and then with a sharp knife or a paint scraper shave off long, thin scrolls.  Use a slightly sawing movement and keep your hand upright.  This is fun to do but there’s quite a lot of skill involved - you’ll get good at it with practice and you can always eat the rejects!   Alternatively buy a packet of those little chocolate decorations. 

To serve
Pipe a rosette of softly whipped cream onto each mousse.  Top with a few pieces of caraque. Sieve a little unsweetened cocoa over the top and serve chilled.  Sprinkle with rose petals if you want to go over the top.

Hot bubbly stews and casseroles, the sort of comforting food that we love to come home to on these wet or frosty January evenings – what a choice there is.
I’ve just been thinking about the word casserole – not easy to define, because there is such a diverse variety of dishes.   Basically it could be described as something cooked in a casserole, fish, meat or vegetables.   The casserole itself could be made of clay or cast iron. Depending on the part of the world – it could be a tagine, sandpot, hotpot, stew or daube, ragout, fricassee, curry or cassoulet.   Once you start to do a global cook’s tour one realises that one cook’s tagine is another cook’s gumbo, one cook’s braise is another’s curry.
In America a casserole is often interpreted as an assembly of par-cooked or cooked food baked in an open dish topped with crumbs and so the confusion continues, but here in Ireland a casserole conjures up an image of a bubbling Le Creuset pot of juicy meat and vegetables with lots of flavourful savoury liquid to soak into rice or fluffy mashed potato.
Here are some of my favourite warming winter stews and casseroles .

Spiced Lamb with Aubergines

Serves 6
2 lb (900g) shoulder of lamb
2 aubergines
1 large onion
2 tablesp. (28ml) olive oil
3 teasp. chopped mint
3 teasp. chopped marjoram
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ozs (225g) very ripe tomatoes, or 1 tin of tomatoes
1 large clove of garlic
1 heaped teasp. crushed cumin seed

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4
Cut the meat into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes.  Cut the aubergines into cubes about the same size as the lamb.  Sprinkle the aubergine cubes with salt and put in a colander to drain with a plate on top to weigh them down.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and sweat the sliced onion.  Add the meat and allow it to colour, sprinkle with mint and marjoram and season.  Transfer the meat and onions to a casserole.

Wash off the aubergines and drain them with kitchen paper; toss them in olive oil in the pan, season with salt and freshly-ground pepper and cook for 10 minutes.   Add to the meat and cover.  Skin the tomatoes, chop them up and put them into the casserole with the meat mixture.  Add crushed garlic.   Heat the cumin for a few minutes, either in a bowl in the oven or in a frying pan, crush in a mortar and add to the casserole.  Cook on a gentle heat or in a moderate oven for 1½ hours approx.  Taste, correct the seasoning and de-grease the cooking liquid if necessary.  Serve with rice.

Daube of Beef Provencale

This gutsy Winter stew has a rich robust flavour. It reheats perfectly and can also be made ahead and frozen.
Serves 8
3 lbs (1.35kg) lean stewing beef - topside or chuck
Marinade
2 tablesp.  olive oil
10 fl ozs (300ml) dry white or red wine
1 teasp. salt
¼ teasp. pepper
½ teasp. thyme, sage or annual marjoram
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 lb (450g) streaky bacon cut into ½ inch (1cm) lardons
1 tin tomatoes, chopped
6 ozs (170g) sliced mushrooms
10 anchovy fillets
2 tablesp.  capers
3 tablesp. wine vinegar
2 tablesp.  chopped parsley
2 cloves mashed garlic
Roux, optional
Garnish
Chopped parsley
Cut the beef into large chunks, 3 inches (7.5cm) approx. Mix the marinade ingredients  in a bowl or large casserole. Add the meat, cover and marinade in a fridge or cool larder overnight. Remove the meat to a plate. Strain the marinade, reserve the vegetables and the marinade.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, cook the bacon lardons until crisp, add to the casserole. Dry the meat with kitchen paper. Seal the meat on the hot pan, and add to the bacon with the marinated vegetables and tinned tomato.

Degrease the pan and deglaze with the marinade and ¼ pint (150ml) good beef stock, add to the casserole. Bring to the boil and either simmer very gently on top of the stove or transfer to a preheated oven 160C/325F/regulo 3 for 1½-2 hours approx.

Meanwhile saute the sliced mushroom on a hot pan and keep aside.
When the meat is soft and tender liquidise the anchovies with the capers, chopped parsley, wine vinegar and garlic. Add to the casserole with the mushrooms. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning. Degrease and if necessary thicken the boiling liquid by whisking in a little roux (see below). 

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with fluffy mashed potatoes.

Shanagarry Chicken Casserole

A good chicken casserole even though it may sound 'old hat' always gets a hearty welcome from my family and friends, sometimes I make an entire meal in a pot by covering the top with whole peeled potatoes just before it goes into the oven.  Pheasant or rabbit could also be used.
Serves 4-6
1 x 3½ lbs (1.57kg) chicken (free range if possible)
A little butter or oil for sauteeing
12 ozs (340g) green streaky bacon (blanch if salty)
12 ozs (340g) carrot, peeled and thickly sliced (if the carrots are small, leave whole.  If large cut in chunks)
1 lb (450g) onions, (baby onions are nicest)
Sprig of thyme
Homemade chicken stock - 1¼ pints (750ml) approx.
Roux - optional (see below)
Mushroom a la créme (see recipe)
Garnish
1 tablesp. parsley, freshly chopped
 Cut the rind off the bacon and cut into approx. ½ inch (1 cm) cubes, (blanch if salty). Dry in kitchen paper. Joint the chicken into 8 pieces. Season the chicken pieces well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp, remove and transfer to the casserole. Add chicken pieces a few at a time to the pan and sauté until golden, add to the bacon in the casserole. Heat control is crucial here, the pan mustn't burn yet it must be hot enough to saute the chicken. If it is too cool, the chicken pieces will stew rather than sauté and as a result the meat may be tough. Then toss the onion and carrot in the pan adding a little butter if necessary, add to the casserole. Degrease the pan and deglaze with stock, bring to the boil and pour over the chicken etc. Season well, add a sprig of thyme and bring to simmering point on top of the stove, then put into the oven for 30-45 minutes, 180ºC/350ºF/regulo 4.

Cooking time depends on how long the chicken pieces were sauteed for.
When the chicken is just cooked, strain off the cooking liquid, degrease, return the degreased liquid to the casserole and bring to the boil. Thicken with a little roux if necessary (see below). Add the meat, carrots and onions back into the casserole and bring to the boil. Taste and correct the seasoning.  The casserole is very good served at this point, but it's even more delicious if some mushroom a la creme is stirred in as an enrichment. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and bubbling hot.

Roux
4 ozs (110g) butter
4 ozs (110g) flour
Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep for at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.
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.

Well now that Christmas and New Year are over, I think us girls deserve a special night in the time-honoured way. Little Christmas on the 6th of January has been the traditional Women’s Christmas, the day when the long-suffering Mná na hEireann go out to relax and celebrate together. According to Brid Mahon in ‘Land of Milk and Honey’ (The Story of Traditional Irish Food), " Nollaig na mBan was the day when all the dainties that women were said to enjoy were produced for high tea: thinly cut sandwiches, scones, gingerbread, apple cakes, sponge cakes decorated with swirls of icing, plum cake, brown bread, soda bread, baker’s bread, pats of freshly made butter, bowls of cream, dishes of jams and preserves and the best-quality tea. Men had eaten their fill of meats and had often drunk to excess during the festive season, but this was the women’s feast." Nowadays, many people choose to go out to dinner, but if you decide to just meet for tea instead, here are a few dainties you might like to try.

Rum and Raisin Cake

Our favourite cake – keeps for ages to have with coffee.
6oz (170g) raisins
6 tablespoons rum
10oz (285g) butter
6oz (170g)) castor sugar
4 eggs, free-range and organic
2fl oz (50ml) milk
1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10oz (285g) white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 oz (50g) walnuts, shelled
23cm (9inch) round tin with a pop up base, buttered and floured
1½ tablespoons sugar
Soak the raisins in the rum for 30 minutes. Drain and save the rum.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
Cream the butter, add the castor sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs, save the whites, add the egg yolks, one by one. Beat well between each addition, add the rum, milk and vanilla extract. Mix the flour and baking powder together and fold in to the base mixture bit by bit. Whisk the egg white in a spotlessly clean bowl until stiff
and fluffy. Fold into the cake mixture one third at a time, add the fruit and chopped nuts with the last addition of egg white. Pour into the prepared tin, sprinkled with soft brown sugar and cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the top is golden
and the centre set and firm. Allow the cake to cool in the tin, invert, remove from the tin, invert again and cool on a wire rack.

Butterfly Buns

Makes 24
I've never bothered to make buns by hand since Pearl McGillycuddy gave me this recipe, its most depressing because even though they only take seconds to make they are actually better than the ones I make laboriously make by hand. These buns are made by the all - in – one method in a food processor.
8 ozs (225g) butter, chopped
8 ozs (225g) castor sugar
10 ozs (285g) white flour, preferably unbleached
4 eggs, preferably free range
½ teasp. baking powder
¼ teasp. pure vanilla essence
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/regulo 7. Chop the butter into small dice, it should be reasonably soft. Put all the ingredients into the food processor and whizz for about 30 seconds. Clear the sides down with a spatula and whizz again until the consistency is nice and creamy, approx. 30 seconds. Put into greased bun trays or paper cases. Reduce
the temperature to 190C/375F/regulo 5 as soon as they begin to rise. Bake for 20 minutes approx. in total. Cool on a wire rack.
Cut the top off the buns, cut this piece in half and keep aside. Meanwhile, put a little homemade raspberry jam and a blob of cream onto the bottom part of the bun. Replace the two little pieces, arranging them like wings. Dredge with icing sugar and serve immediately. These buns may be iced with dark chocolate icing or coffee icing or they
are also delicious painted with raspberry jam or red currant jelly and dipped in coconut.

Pecan Puffs

Makes about 35
These delicious biscuits keep for ages in a tin, but they are so irresistible that they are seldom around for very long!
4oz (110g) butter
2 tablespoons castor sugar
3 teaspoon. pure vanilla essence
5 oz (140g) pecans
5oz (140g) plain white flour, sifted
icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 300F/150C/regulo 2.
Cream the butter, add the castor sugar and beat until soft and light. Grind the nuts finely in a food processor, mix with the butter and sugar, add the flour and vanilla essence. Pinch off teaspoonsful of the mixture and roll into balls. Place well apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes or until pale and golden. Remove from the oven and roll quickly in icing sugar. Handle the pecan puffs very carefully as they will be fragile, brittle and and extremely hot! Return to the oven and bake for 1 minute, to set the sugar. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a airtight tin. Dust each layer with icing
sugar. Separate each layer with greaseproof paper.
Walnut Cake with American Frosting
Even though it is very laboursome, we quite often crack open the walnuts for this cake, to really ensure that they are fresh and sweet. Shelled walnuts turn rancid easily so taste one to be sure they are still good.
Serves 8
7ozs (200g) plain white flour
2½ level teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of salt
3ozs (85g) butter
½ level teaspoon pure vanilla essence
8ozs (225g) castor sugar
3ozs (85g) very fresh walnuts
4 fl ozs (100ml) milk
2 eggs
Filling
2ozs (55g) butter
4ozs (110g) icing sugar
A few drops of pure Vanilla essence
American Frosting
1 egg white
8ozs (225g) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons water
Decoration
5 or 6 walnut halves
3 x 7 inch (7.5 x 18cm) round sandwich tins
Brush the cake tins with melted butter, and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper, brush the paper with melted butter also and dust the base and edges with flour.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/regulo 5.
Sieve the flour with a pinch of salt and the baking powder. Chop the walnuts roughly. Cream the butter, gradually add the castor sugar and the vanilla essence. Separate the eggs, add in the yolks and keep the whites aside until later. Add the chopped walnuts to the creamed mixture. Fold in the flour and milk alternately into the mixture. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Stir a little into the cake mixture and then fold the rest in gently. Divide between the 3 tins and smooth over the tops.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes approx. or until firm to the touch. Turn out of the tins onto a wire rack. Remove the greaseproof paper and allow to get completely cold.
Meanwhile make the filling
Cream the butter and add the sieved icing sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence. When the cake is cold, sandwich the three layers together with butter cream.
Next make the frosting: This delicious icing is just a little tricky to make, so follow the instructions exactly. Quick and accurate decisions are necessary in judging when the icing is ready and then it must be used immediately. Bring a saucepan of water large enough to hold a pyrex mixing bowl to the boil. Whisk the egg white until very stiff in
a pyrex or pottery bowl. Dissolve the sugar carefully in water and boil for 1 ½ minutes approx. until the syrup reaches the ‘thread stage’, 106º-113ºC/223º-236ºF. It will look thick and syrupy when a metal spoon is dipped in, the last drops of syrup will form a thin thread. Pour this boiling syrup over the stiffly-beaten egg white, whisking all the time. Sit the bowl in the saucepan of simmering water. Continue to whisk over the water until the icing is snow white and very thick (this can take up to 10 minutes). Spread quickly over the cake with a palette knife. It sets very quickly at this stage, so speed is essential. Decorate with 5 or 6 walnut halves.