A few weeks ago we flew from Cork Airport to Bristol, hired a
car and headed for Devon and Cornwall. I’d forgotten how beautiful the English
countryside can be, the abundance of wildflowers in the hedgerows and so many beautiful
mature trees. One can’t but draw comparison
to our Irish countryside, so often denuded of hedgerows and with so few mature
trees. Of course it depends on the area
in both countries but I’m becoming ever more alarmed at the wanton disregard
for the environment.
We had booked a few nights stay at Coombeshead Farm near
Lewannick, a ‘farm to fork’, guest house with just five bedrooms owned by chefs
Tom Adams and his partner April Bloomfield. We arrived tired and hungry and
felt instantly at home. The bedrooms are small by most hotel standards but
charmingly decorated with a homemade soap made from the lard of their own pigs,
a little decanter of mint vodka to sip and two pieces of homemade toffee to
share or argue over. The house is surrounded by organic gardens in a working
farm with vegetable and herb gardens and a flock of heritage chickens.
The farmhouse is in the midst of 66 acres of woodlands and
meadows grazed by sheep, there are beehives and a wood burning oven and a fire
pit. Curly haired Mangalitsa pigs romping and rooting around the fields
underneath the oak spinney behind the house. The bread is made in the ‘state of
the art’ bakery in the barn by Ben Glazer, beautiful dark crusty loaves of
natural sour dough that also make their way to some of the top restaurants in
London.
The food is super delicious, we stayed for three nights and
looked forward to each and every meal with eager anticipation. The atmosphere feels
like a house party, comfy sofas, crackling fires – guests tend to congregate in
the kitchen around the stove. Breakfast each day was a simple feast, dark
crusty sourdough bread with homemade Guernsey butter, compote of seasonal fruit
-rhubarb, apple, gooseberry with elderflower, raw honey, homemade jams, granola,
bircher muesli, gut boosting water kefir, kombucha and gorgeous unctuous
yoghurt . A most fantastic slab of fine home cured streaky bacon and homemade
sausages from the happy rare breed Mangalitsa pigs with a soft flowing scramble
of their own eggs.
Lots of pickling, fermenting, curing and preserving. Small
plates of creative, flavourful real food. No silly foams, gels or skid marks on
plates.
Here these young people are really ‘walking the walk’, not
just ‘talking the talk’ as so many places do, skilled, accomplished earthy
organic food, locally sourced and seasonal.
The menus sang of the season and the produce picked at its
peak from the vegetable garden and hedgerows – zero miles food. I’m licking my
lips remembering some of the flavours still so vibrantly fresh in my mind
Country loaf and Guernsey butter, new seasons asparagus wrapped in crispy filo parcel,
Garlic scapes and Jack of the Hedge, Pickled ramson and cabbage terrine, curds
and nettle, Mangalitsa loin and turnip, hazelnut tart with fresh cream…..you’ll
just have to go there yourself to experience the magic!
200g (7oz) heritage
carrots chopped into irregular shapes
230g (8
1/4oz) Cauliflower or broccoli, small florets
200g (7oz)
radishes, halved
1 red onion,
cut into small wedges
10 frigitelli
peppers halved
2 red
peppers cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
1 head of
garlic, cut in half
2 celery
sticks, peeled and sliced
400ml (14fl
oz) water
900ml (1 1/2
pints) cider vinegar
30g (1
1/4oz) castor sugar
110ml (4fl
oz) extra virgin olive oil
110ml (4fl
oz) organic rapeseed oil
10g (1/3oz)
dried oregano
3g chilli
flakes
2 sprigs of
fresh thyme
10g (1/3oz)
black peppercorns
Prepare the vegetables and put into a stainless steel saucepan
or Delph crock pot. Sprinkle with salt. Add enough water to cover and leave in
the fridge for 24 hours.
Drain the vegetables, rinse well and check for salinity, pat
dry.
Heat the sugar and water in a pan until just dissolved and transfer
to a large bowl. Add the herbs, peppercorns, chilli flakes, vinegar and oil
together. Add the vegetables and store in airtight containers for a minimum of
2 weeks until ready.
This pickle is perfect served with grilled meats,
charcuterie, cheeses….
Coombeshead Farm Bircher
Muesli
This recipe is quite adaptable
depending on seasonality – the below is the base for quantities but for example
at the moment Coombeshead Farm are using semi dried rhubarb rather than prunes
as that is in season on the farm at the moment.
Serves 4 – 6
500g (18oz) rolled spelt/rye grains
(can be good quality barley oats or normal oats or even seeds such as sunflower
seeds and pumpkin seeds.
100g (3 ½ oz) pitted prunes or semi
dried fruit of choice cut into bite size pieces
750ml (1 ¼ pints)good quality apple
juice or red/white grape juice
Completely submerge the grains and prunes in
the juice by at least 3cm and leave for 24 hours minimum to allow the
phytic acid to break down.
Finish with toasted seeds or nuts.
Serve to your liking, perhaps some
farmhouse yoghurt, fresh seasonal fruits or berries and some local honey, a
perfect breakfast.
Asparagus in Filo
Serves 12 (makes approximately 30)
12 sticks asparagus in season
12 sheets of filo pastry
175g (6oz) unsalted butter, melted
150g (5oz) Parmesan, finely grated
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Trim the ends of the asparagus. Put into a saucepan of boiling salted water,
just enough to cover, bring back to the boil and simmer until tender, 3-4
minutes depending on size. Remove from the heat, strain and allow to cool. Cut into 10-12.5cm (4-5 inches) pieces.
Alternatively, toss in a little extra virgin olive oil and
pan grill on a high heat for 3-4 minutes, they should retain a nice bite.
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Lay a sheet of filo on the worktop, cut into four pieces,
brush with melted butter. Sprinkle it evenly with finely grated Parmesan,
season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the asparagus in the middle.
Tuck in the edges and roll up tightly. Arrange in a single layer on a baking
tray, brush with melted butter and refrigerate.
Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese before it goes into the oven.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until they are crisp and golden all
over.
Serve piping hot, sprinkled with a little more Parmesan.
Mint Vodka
1.3 litres (2 1/4 pints) vodka
175oz (6oz) picked freshly picked mint leaves (no stalks)
150g (5oz) sugar
1.5 litre (2 1/2 pints) Kilner Jar
Put the mint leaves into a Kilner
jar. Add the sugar and cover with the
vodka. Seal the jar, invert every couple
of days to dissolve the sugar. Taste
after a week or two, best to drink sooner rather than later – delicious on its
own or with soda water or tonic and lots of ice.
This evening we had compote of gooseberries with elderflower
after supper with a few friends, a simple dessert, just stewed gooseberries
really but it blew everyone away. Most of our friends hadn’t tasted gooseberries
for years – They had virtually forgotten about them. The intense flavour sent
them into a spin of nostalgia many called them Goosegogs when they were children.
They reminisced about the gooseberry bushes in Granny’s garden, picking
gooseberries from the prickly bushes, top and tailing them around the kitchen
table for gooseberry jam, and the dire warnings not to eat them before they
were ripe or “you’d get a pain where you
never had a windowâ€.
Wonderful how a
flavour brings memories flooding back, one mouthful and I was back in our
little vegetable garden in Cullohill, picking tart green berries into an enamel
bowl, so hard they sounded like stones against the side of the bowl.
Mummy usually made red gooseberry jam from the riper fruit,
but years later I discovered the magic of green gooseberry and elderflower jam
from Jane Grigson’s Good Things cookbook published in 1971.
She also introduced me to the magical combination of green
gooseberry and elderflower. Ever since, as soon as I see elderflower blossoms
in the hedgerows, I know it’s time to dash down the garden to rummage through
the prickly branches of the gooseberry bushes to pick the hard green bitter
marble sized berries.
It’s difficult to imagine that they are ready to eat but
believe me they make the best jams and compotes at this stage and also freeze
brilliantly.
If you don’t have a gooseberry bush in your garden, dash out
and buy at least one now, better still three, at least one should be Careless,
Invicta is another delicious variety which
is somewhat resistant to mildew.
Unless you live close to a good Country or Farmers Market you
are not likely to find fresh gooseberries. Unlike strawberries and raspberries
which are available ad nauseam all year round, fresh gooseberries are rarely to
be found on a supermarket shelf.
We grow several varieties of gooseberries; some in bush form.
We train others as cordons or in a fan shape along a wall. The latter are a
brilliant discovery, so much easier to pick. Gooseberries are deciduous and the
fruit is high in Vitamin C.
Only today, I discovered the origin of the word gooseberry or
spÃonán in Irish, apparently they were so named because they were used to make
a sauce for roast goose to cut the richness – Can you imagine how delicious
that combination would be?
When we were little, we always called gooseberries goosegogs.
Crumbles are the quintessential comfort food,
this is a brilliant master recipe, just vary the fruit according to the season.
675g
green gooseberries
45-55g soft dark brown sugar
1-2 tablespoon water
Crumble
110g plain white flour, preferably unbleached
50g butter
50g castor sugar
Elderflower Cream for serving (optional)
1.1L capacity pie dish
First stew the gooseberries gently with the
sugar and water in a covered casserole or stainless steel saucepan just until
the fruit bursts.
Then taste and add more sugar if necessary.
Turn into a pie dish. Allow to cool slightly while you make the crumble.
Rub the butter into the flour just until the
mixture resembles really coarse bread
crumbs, add the sugar. Sprinkle this mixture over the gooseberries in the
pie dish. Scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the top.
Bake in a preheated moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo
4, for 30-45 minutes or until the topping is cooked and golden. Serve with
cream flavoured with elderflower cordial or just softly whipped cream and soft
brown sugar
Variation:
Gooseberry and Elderflower
Stew the gooseberries with white sugar, add 2
elderflower heads tied in muslin while stewing, remove elderflowers and proceed
as above.
Variations
on the Crumble
30g oatflakes or sliced hazelnuts or nibbed
almonds can be good added to the crumble.
Gooseberry Frangipane Tart
This is certainly one of the most impressive of the
French tarts, it is wonderful served warm but is also very good cold and it
keeps for several days.
Serves 8-10
450g (1lb) green gooseberries
Stock Syrup made with:
150ml (5floz) water
60g (2oz) sugar
Boil sugar and water until all the sugar is dissolved and
cool. Stock Syrup can be kept in the refrigerator until needed.
Shortcrust Pastry
200g (7oz) flour
110g (4oz) cold butter
1 egg yolk, preferably free range and organic
3-4 tablespoons cold water
Frangipane
100g (31/2oz) butter
75g (3oz) castor sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk, preferably free range
110g (4oz) whole blanched almonds, ground or 1/2ground almonds and 1/2 blanched and ground
25g (1oz) flour
To Finish
25g (1oz) flaked almonds
To Serve
Elderflower Cream (flavour softly whipped cream with
elderflower cordial to taste)
23cm (9inch) diameter flan ring or tart tin with a
removable base
First make the shortcrust pastry,
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, cut the butter
into cubes and rub into the flour with the fingertips. Keep everything as cool
as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt the finished pastry may be tough.
When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Whisk the egg yolk and
add the water.
Take a fork or knife (whichever you feel most
comfortable with) and add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then
discard the fork and collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way
you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although
slightly damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can
be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven.
The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper shorter
crust.
Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and leave to
rest in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes or better still 30 minutes. This
will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.
Meanwhile, top and tail the gooseberries, put into a
stainless steel saucepan, barely cover with stock syrup, bring to a boil and
simmer until the gooseberries just begin to burst. Cool.
Next make the frangipane.
Cream the butter, gradually beat in the sugar and
continue beating until the mixture is light and soft. Gradually add the egg and
egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the ground almonds and
flour. Spread the frangipane over the
top and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Turn the oven up to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Bake the
tart for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven heat to moderate 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4
and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the
frangipane is set in the centre and nicely golden.
Serve with Elderflower Cream.
Green Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam
Makes 6 x 450g
(1lb) pots
It’s worth
growing a gooseberry bush just to make this jam alone.
The
gooseberries should be green and tart and hard as hail stones – as soon as the
elderflowers are in bloom in the hedgerows search for the gooseberries under
the prickly bushes or seek them out in your local greengrocer or Farmers
Market.
1.6kg (3
1/2lbs) tart green gooseberries
freshly
squeezed juice of 2 lemons plus enough water to measure 300ml (10fl oz) in
total
5-6
elderflower heads
900g (2lbs)
sugar
Top and tail
the gooseberries and put into a wide stainless steel saucepan or preserving pan
with the water and elderflowers tied in muslin. Simmer until the gooseberries
burst. Remove the elderflowers and add the warm sugar, stirring until it has
completely dissolved. Boil rapidly for about 10 minutes until setting point is
reached (220°F on a jam thermometer). Pour into hot clean jars, cover and store
in a dry airy cupboard.
This jam should be a fresh green colour, so be careful
not to overcook it.
Torched Mackerel with Green
Gooseberry Sauce
Serves 4
4 large mackerel fillets, bones removed and
filleted in half
Salt for curing
Sprig of fennel for serving
Green Gooseberry Sauce
Equipment: Blowtorch
First make the Green Gooseberry sauce see
below.
This simple sauce is so much more than the sum
of its parts, we love it with pan-grilled mackerel, goose, pork and other rich
fatty meats. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
suggests adding a tablespoon of chopped sage, I tried it recently and it was
very good.
If you are stuck for a pudding just fold in
some softly whipped cream and hey presto you have gooseberry fool.
275g (9 1/2oz) fresh green gooseberries
stock syrup to cover (see previous recipe) –
175ml (6fl oz) approximately
a knob of butter (optional)
Top and tail the gooseberries, put into a
stainless steel saucepan, barely cover with stock syrup, bring to the boil and
simmer until the fruit bursts.
Taste. Stir in a small knob of
butter if you like but it is very good without it.
Lay the mackerel fillets, skin side down on a
baking tray. Sprinkle lightly with salt and allow to sit and cure slightly for
15 minutes.
Take the tray of salted mackerel and char with
skin with a blow torch. The heat will refract from the tray underneath,
allowing the fish to cook from both sides, leaving it slightly pink in the
middle. Alternatively, you can use a grill or a pan grill.
To serve, arrange the fish on hot plates with a
dollop of Green Gooseberry sauce and a sprig of fennel.
Ann Marie’s Gooseberry, Pistachio
and Coconut Cake
Makes a
22cm (9 inch) diameter round cake
100g (3 1/2oz) sugar plus 20g
(3/4oz) for the topping
90g (3 1/4oz) light brown sugar
180g (6 1/4oz) ground almonds
30g (1 1/4oz) ground pistachio
45g (1 3/4oz) desiccated coconut
50g (2oz/1/2 cup) self-rising
flour
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of Elderflower
cordial (optional)
150g (5oz) butter – melted
3 eggs
250g (9oz) gooseberries, halved
1oz pistachio nuts coarsely
chopped
Icing sugar to serve
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas
Mark 4 (160C fan).
Lightly grease the cake tin with
butter.
Mix all the dry ingredients
together in a large bowl. Pour over the melted butter and mix in the
eggs, spoon the batter into the pre-greased tin and smooth down.
Drop the halved gooseberries onto
the batter and sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining 20g (3/4oz)
of sugar. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, then turn the
cake around and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until the cake between the
gooseberries goes all golden.
Allow the cake to cool in the
tin, as it needs time to settle, then gently remove by running a knife around
the edges. Covered well, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week (not
much chance of that happening), but for the best flavour, allow it to return to
room temperature before eating. To serve sprinkle with some coarsely chopped
pistachio nuts and dredge with a little icing sugar.
An exciting parcel arrived on my desk today, a present from a past
student who wanted me to have a copy of her very first cook book – Abra Berens
is the twenty eight Ballymaloe Cooking School student to write a
best-selling cook book. It’s called Ruffage, published by Chronicle Books and
has just been chosen by the New York Times as one of the Top 10 Books of 2019 –
and that’s no mean feat….
Abra did a 12 Week Certificate Course here in 2006. She’s chef at Granor
Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan and a co-founder of Bare Knuckle Farm. She’s
making quite the impact and strives to connect people with their food both
through dinners and progressive food policy, helping to further a food policy
where farmers earn a living wage, protect our environment through agriculture
and waste as little food as possible…..no doubt influenced by the zero waste
policy we do our best to espouse here at the Ballymaloe Cooking School.
A year and half after she left here she took up residence in a forest
valley between two cherry orchards on Bare Knuckle Farm in Michigan. She
plunged all her savings into the project, worked from dawn till dusk, ate
brilliantly but by the end of the first year was so ‘poor and cold’ that she
decided to return to Chicago to get a job that paid “in green backs†rather
than green leafy vegetables. There was lots of delicious food at the pie
shop where she worked but soon she was craving the carrots that seemed to get
sweeter with every passing frost, the tiny kale greens that still sprouted from
the stalk and the almost obscenely orange-yolked eggs. “Farming changed the way
I cookâ€.
I too, know that feeling, when you sow and tend a seed and wait
patiently for it to grow into something to eat you will cook it carefully and
lovingly and use every single scrap. You will want everyone to know that you
grew it…Furthermore, it gives one a far greater respect and appreciation for
those who grow nourishing and wholesome food all for us.
Who knew, that there so many super exciting ways to serve vegetables, I
love this book and plan to stock it in our Farm shop here at the Ballymaloe
Cookery School. We don’t have much space so I’m super fussy about what I ask
Toby to stock but this is a ‘keeper’.
Here are a few treats to whet your appetite……for the tempting variations
you’ll need to order Abra’s book.
Abra Berens Beet-dressed pasta
w/golden raisins and poppy seeds
This pasta salad also works as a cold salad,
but often needs an extra pinch of salt, since the flavours will be muted when
cold.
35 g golden
raisins
Juice of ½ lemon
(22 ml)
2 steam-roasted
beets (455 g)
60 ml olive oil
Salt and freshly
ground black pepper
Cream (optional)
455 g small
pasta, bow ties, orecchiette, or penne
10 g poppy seeds
Soak the golden
raisins in ½ cup (120 ml) hot water with a squeeze of lemon for 10 minutes or
until they are plump. Strain the raisins, saving the water.
Seared duck breast w/brown sugar–vinegar
cabbage, roasted potatoes, and herb salad
The richness of duck elevates the commonness
of cabbage to fancy dinner status. That said, this dish would be perfectly at
home with chicken, pork chops, or seared salmon. Note that if you don’t have
the rendered duck fat in the pan, simply pan roast it with olive oil. Also note
that if the skin softens while finishing the cabbage salad, simply kiss it in a
hot pan or re-crisp under the broiler.
This brown sugar–vinegar sauce
lives on my counter, close to the stove, ready to turn up the volume on
anything I’m cooking that day. I love this dish because it combines a variety
of texÂtures and simultaneously blends rich, comforting flavours with a bright,
acidic, herby lightness. I tend to use red cabbage for the colour, but any
variety will work.
910 g (or 2 to 3 potatoes per person) Yukon gold or red-skinned
potatoes, cut into wedges
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
4 (170 to 230 g) duck breasts, see Hot Tips
1 head (1.4 kg) red cabbage, cut into ribbons
120 ml brown sugar–vinegar
sauce
½ bunch parsley (68 g), roughly chopped
10 sprigs chives, minced (optional)
1 sprig rosemary, minced
(optional)
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Dress the potatoes with a glug of olive oil, a big pinch of
salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast
until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, about 35 minutes.
Reserve, rewarming if necessary for the final steps.
Meanwhile, score the skin of the duck breast into either diamonds or
slices, trying to avoid cutting the flesh, and season liberally with salt and
pepper.
In a large, cold frying pan, place the duck breasts skin-side down and
turn on a medium heat. As the heat builds in the frying pan, the fat will
render through the cuts in the skin and crisp. Let it go longer than you might
think you should. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, and the meat medium
rare, about 15 minutes. Flip the breasts for 4 minutes to cook in the fat.
Remove the duck breasts from the pan and let rest for 7 to 10 minutes.
Increase the heat under the frying pan to high and add the cabbage with
a pinch of salt to roast in the rendered duck fat. Allow to sizzle and lightly
brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the brown sugar–vinegar
sauce, and toss to coat well.
Toss the warm potatoes with the dressed cabbage and the parsley,
chives, and rosemary (if using).
Place the duck breasts on a
serving platter next to the potato-cabbage salad, and serve.
Matchstick salad: turnip, carrots, kohlrabi,
w/lemon, Parmesan, and parsley
I like this salad to have similar shaped
vegetables. It doesn’t have to be matchsticks; could be wedges or half-moons, or a mix.
Bottom line: don’t let the knife work dissuade you from making the salad. As
long as you get the vegetables into bite-size units, you’ll be good.
For the variations, you can
use the same proportion of vegetables or stick with only turnip or rutabaga.
The key is to have a nice dose of fat and brightness to balance the brassica
flavour
1 bunch salad turnips (455 g), cut into matchsticks
3 medium turnips or 1 large rutabaga (455 g), ends trimmed, peeled, cut
into matchsticks
4 carrots (various colours are
nice) (455 g), cut into matchsticks
2 kohlrabi (455 g), ends trimmed, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1 or 2 apples (455 g), unpeeled, cut into matchsticks
2 lemons (90 ml), zest and juice
120 ml olive oil
Big pinch of salt
1 bunch parsley (34 g), roughly chopped
55 g Parmesan, shaved with a
vegetable peeler or grater
Dress the vegetables and
apples with the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss all together,
and let sit for 10 minutes to lightly marinate. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Add the parsley to the salad, garnish with the Parmesan shavings, and serve.
(All Recipes taken from Ruffage by Abra
Berens, published by Chronicle Books. All photographs by to EE Berger)
Claire Ptak – baker to the
Royals, as one of our current 12 Week students put it, shared her magicwith us
at the Ballymaloe Cookery School recently. Claire, who loves to bake, started
her career at Chez Panisse in Berkley in California, baking delicious, simple
pastries, cookies and galettes with beautiful ingredients. Beautiful butter,
beautiful fresh eggs, beautiful, seasonal fresh currants, cherries and organic flowers and herbs to embellish the
cakes.
In 2005, she moved to London
and set up a stall in Broadway Market in Hackney selling cupcakes. There was a
queue from the very first day for Claire’s beautiful but sometimes not picture
perfect looking creations.
Somehow, people’s gut feeling
told them that this was real and much more likely to taste delicious than the
perfect looking fondant iced confections so prevalent nowadays.
Her style is Anglo-American –
her scones are long triangles with sugar tops and many delicious additions
peach, raspberry, white chocolate…
Her buttery ‘biscuits’ which
we would call scones are made with lots of sour cream and occasionally butter,
are split in half and sold as breakfast ‘biscuits’ with bacon, egg and hot
sauce inside.
Among the celebrities we now
know who were her fans, was a fellow American girl with style, called Megan
Markle which lead to Claire being asked to make ‘the wedding cake’ for Harry
and Megan’s wedding. When the story broke, Claire was suddenly catapulted onto
the international stage – her Instagram followers went from 69,000 to 205,000
in a few days.
Claire is passionate about the
importance of using quality ingredients for baking delicious cakes, breads and
pastries. She told us about a fast emerging trend for ‘seasonal cakes’. The
wedding cake was an Amalfi lemon and elderflower perfumed cake because the
wedding was in the midst of the elderflower season in May.
I love the idea of cakes
reflecting the seasons, so easy as we come into the summer with an abundance of
summer fruit, berries and currants around the corner. Claire also used lots of
spelt, sorghum, kamut, rice and rye, khorasan flour and soft cane sugars for
her cakes and has many gluten free and accidentally vegan confections –
something for everyone to enjoy.
The chocolate devil’s food
cake was the vehicle to show us how to ice the cake with frothy American butter
icing and decorate it with organic, fresh flowers in the nonchalant Violet way,
a stunning creation for a celebration. The rhubarb, strawberry and sweet cicely
pie was perfect for a family meal, sweet cicely is a herb worth growing, it’s
perennial so it comes back year after year, it’s fern like leaves have a sweet,
slightly anise flavor so one can reduce the amount of sugar used to sweeten the
rhubarb. The tart is still delicious without it or Claire loves to use a little
fresh tarragon if that’s available. The sesame and tahini cookies were a
terrific find – mixed in minutes and cooked to a soft, chewy texture, they are
destined to become one of our staples here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School and
have the bonus of being gluten free.
The honey shortcakes were
fragile and tender but so delicious, Claire pairs them with a fresh apricot and
chamomile compote and a dollop of whipped cream but I can imagine enjoying them
with berries and cream or just a gorgeous homemade jam or Amalfi lemon curd.
Terrific response to Vera’s
column on 11th May so here’s another recipe from Vera’s wish list – Light, tender and delicious,
this carrot cake is lovely for afternoon tea, not quite as worthy as any of the
traditional carrot cake recipes.
https://www.instagram.com/darina_allen
https://www.instagram.com/ballymaloecookeryschool
Carrot and Cardamom Cake
Serves
8-10
Light,
tender and delicious, this carrot cake is lovely for afternoon tea, but has
also been much enjoyed for dessert. It
will also keep really well for a week or more in an airtight tin.
50ml
(2fl.oz) vegetable oil (we use sunflower oil)
150g
(5oz) plain white flour
1
teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½
teaspoon ground cardamom (seeds about 10 pods)
2
large eggs, preferably organic and free range
100g
(3½oz) castor sugar
55g
(2¼oz) soft brown sugar
50ml
(2fl.oz) natural yogurt
175g
(6oz) finely grated carrot (1 large or 2 medium carrots approx.)
Icing
225g
(8oz) icing sugar
2
tablesp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dried
rose petals (optional)
25g
(1oz) pistachio nuts (optional)
20.5cm
(8in) round spring-form cake tin
Preheat
the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
Brush
the tin with oil and pop a round of parchment paper in the base.
Put
the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cardamom and salt into a bowl. Whisk the eggs, sugars, yogurt and oil
together until smooth. Gently mix the
egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add the carrots and pour the mixture into
the tin. Bake for 40 minutes, or until
a skewer comes clean. Turn out onto a
wire rack and allow to cool completely while you make the icing.
Sieve
the icing sugar into a bowl, add enough sieved freshly squeezed lemon juice to
make a thickish icing. Pour onto the top
of the cold cake. Spread quickly with a palette knife so it begins to dribble
down over the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle the surface with dried rose petals and coarsely chopped pistachio
nuts if available.
Claire
Ptak’s Apricot, Camomile and Honey
Shortcakes
makes 4 large shortcakes
For the compote
makes 1 jar
1kg just-ripe apricots, halved and pitted
½ vanilla pod
1 tbsp dried camomile flowers
½ cinnamon stick
150g caster sugar
Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and toss.
Macerate for one hour to dissolve the sugar and draw the juices out of the
fruit.
Turn out into a heavy saucepan or jam pot, cover with
a lid. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, or until the apricots break down a
bit.
Let the mixture cool slightly before transferring to
an airtight container.
For the
shortcakes
280g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp caster sugar, plus 50g more for sprinkling
½ tsp fine sea salt
100g unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1cm cubes
200g single cream
To serve
¼ batch apricot compote (from above)
300g double cream, gently whipped
A drizzle of honey
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/170Fan/gas mark 5. Line a
baking tray with baking parchment.
In a food processor, combine the dry ingredients. Add
the cold butter, blitzing until it resembles a coarse meal texture (or do this
by hand with a pastry cutter).
Quickly add the cream, mixing until it just comes
together. Be careful not to overmix.
Turn out on to a lightly floured surface, and pat into
a cube shape. Rest for 10 minutes.
Once rested, roll to a 2cm thickness, then cut into
hexagons, using a 7cm hexagon cutter. Sprinkle with caster sugar. Rest for 10
minutes, then bake for 15-20 minutes until springy and golden at the edges.
To assemble, cut the shortcakes in half, spoon over
the compote and a dollop of whipped cream, then drizzle with honey.
Claire
Ptak’s Battenburg
Serves 8
6 ozs (170g) butter
6 ozs (170g) castor sugar
1.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs, preferably free range
6 ozs (170g) self raising flour
Red and yellow food colouring
Lemon zest (optional)
½ teaspoon rosewater (optional)
150g apricot jam
Icing sugar, for rolling
500g golden marzipan (almond paste, see recipe)
Preheat the oven to 170°C/335°F/gas mark 3½. Butter and line a 25cm x 30cm battenberg tin.
Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Divide the mixture between two bowls, and dye each with different food
colouring. The amount to use varies greatly depending on the quality of your
colouring. Start with a small amount and go from there until you have the
desired colour intensity.
Beat the eggs together with the vanilla in separate
bowl. Divide this between the yellow and pink mixtures. If using, add lemon zest
to the yellow mixture and rosewater to the pink mixture, beating to combine.
Sift the flour twice. Divide the flour between the
bowls and fold it into the mixtures.
Spread the mixture into the prepared tin or tins
accordingly. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cakes spring back to the
touch. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin(s).
Remove the cakes from the tin. If you’re using a
battenberg tin, simply remove the four pieces and trim, if needed, to make four
even bars. If you’re using two loaf tins, slice each slab in half lengthways
and trim likewise to make four neat bars.
Heat the apricot jam in a small pan. Brush all the
long sides of the cake pieces with jam, then press them together in a
checkerboard fashion.
Lightly dust a work surface with
the icing sugar. Roll the block of marzipan out and trim to 25cm x 30cm. With a
clean, dry pastry brush, dust away as much icing sugar from the marzipan as you
can. Then check for the smoothest side (it may be the underneath side) and have
that facing down.
Brush the top of the marzipan with melted apricot jam. Place the block
of cake on the left-hand side of the marzipan and roll to the right until it is
encased. Rest for 30 minutes for the jam to set and glue it all together, then
slice and serve. This keeps well in a tin for up to a week.
Almond
Paste
450g
(1lb) castor sugar
450g
(1lb) ground almonds
2
small eggs
a
drop of pure almond extract
2
tablespoons Irish whiskey
Sieve
the castor sugar and mix with the ground almonds. Beat the eggs, add the
whiskey and 1 drop of pure almond extract, then add to the other
ingredients and mix to a stiff paste. (You may not need all the egg). Sprinkle
the work top with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and work lightly until
smooth.
Claire
Ptak’s Chocolate Devils Food Cake with
Violet Icing
Serves 12
220g plain flour
100g cocoa powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp baking powder
450g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g buttermilk
or plain yoghurt
100g vegetable oil
225g hot water
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C(fan)/gas mark 3.
Butter and line a 23cm (9 inch) cake tin with paper.
Measure the dry ingredients, including the caster
sugar, into a large mixing bowl and
whisk with a balloon whisk to distribute the salt, bicarbonate of soda and
baking powder evenly throughout the other dry ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients
(except for the hot water). Once they are well mixed together, slowly whisk in
the hot water.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and
pour in half of the wet mixture. Starting in the middle of the bowl, whisk in a
clockwise, circular motion. Resist the temptation to switch direction or you’ll
end up with lumps of dry ingredients. Gradually add the remaining wet
ingredients until you have a smooth, liquid batter.
Pour the batter into your tin right away and bake for
40 – 50 minutes until the top is springy to the touch and an inserted skewer
comes out clean.
Remove the cake from its tin by running a small paring
knife along the inside of the tin to release the cake. Or, if you have used a
loose bottom tin, set the base of the tin on top of a tin of tomatoes, or
similar, and gently push the sides of the cake tin down. Wash and dry your cake
tin well, then line with cling film with plenty lapping over the sides and set
aside.
Using a serrated bread knife (the longest one you
have), score a horizontal line half of the way up the side of the cake and then
slowly cut the cake into three layers.
Slide the bottom layer of sponge into the lined cake
tin. Pipe a border of icing around the edges of the sponge, and then fill the
center with a little more icing. Add the next layer of cake and continue to ice
as before. Top with the remaining sponge, then pull up the sides of cling film
and wrap up the cake tightly. You may want to cover with another layer of cling
film to ensure it’s airtight. Place in the fridge and chill for at least 2
hours or overnight. Leave any remaining icing at room temperature.
If you have left the cake to chill overnight, you may
want to re-whip the icing. The icing will naturally deflate ever so slightly
and benefits from a second whipping.
Once you have taken the cake out of the fridge remove
it from its tin, set on a cake stand and peel off the cling film. Use a palette
knife to ice the sides and top of the cake. Scatter flowers over the top, and
serve.
(Tip: the cake batter can
hold in the fridge for days and can be used for cupcakes)
Violet Icing
100g whole milk
1 tbsp violet syrup
190g unsalted butter, softened
750g icing sugar very well sieved (divide into 3 x
250g portions)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Measure out the whole milk into a bowl and stir in the
violet syrup.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and
250g of the icing sugar until smooth. Gradually add the milk mixture, scraping
the bottom of the bowl as needed, this is an important step. Add another 250g of icing sugar and mix on a
low speed for at least 3 minutes (set your timer). Add the lemon juice, if
required, adding the remaining icing sugar and beat on medium- high for 3
minutes.
Claire
Ptak’s Sesame Halva Cookies
Makes 15
100g tahini paste
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g golden caster sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
250g rice flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (bread soda)
200g halva, broken into pieces
150g white chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tablespoon sesame seeds, for topping
1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt for topping
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°Fan/350F/gas mark 4.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the tahini,
butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the salt and vanilla extract, and then beat
in the egg. Add the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (bread soda)
Add the halva and white chocolate pieces, and mix
these through the dough. Using an ice-cream scoop, portion on to your prepared
trays and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sea salt. Bake in the oven for 15‑18 minutes.
(Tip: These can be made as
far as placing the mixture on the baking tray and frozen (uncooked) and then
removed and cooked from frozen when needed)
Claire
Ptak’s Slab Pie
serves 12
560g plain flour, sifted
2 tsp fine sea salt
340g unsalted butter, cold
8 tablespoons iced water
4 tablespoons cream, for brushing
4 tablespoons caster sugar, for sprinkling
For the
filling:
500g rhubarb cut into 1cm pieces
600g strawberries (quartered)
½ teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped for vanilla beans
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
150g light, soft brown sugar
50g castor sugar
5 tablespoons cornflour
20g Sweet Cicely chopped
Whisk together the flour and salt. Add half the
butter. Combine well using a cutting motion. Add the second half of the butter
and rub in until your mix forms roughly pea-sized pieces.
Sprinkle over the iced water (holding back the ice)
and toss it through the mix as you go. The dough should start to become raggedy
and eventually, when all the water is added, it will come together into a ball.
Divide the ball in half, wrapping each piece in cling film. Flatten them into
squares and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours – any
longer than this, put it in the freezer.
Next make your fruit filling. Mix all the ingredients
together well and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 190°CFan. Butter, flour and line
with parchment paper the base a baking sheet that measures 23 x 33cm.
Roll out one square of pastry on a lightly floured
surface to roughly 28 x 38cm, pastry needs to be larger than the tin. Press the
pastry down into the prepared sheet, then chill in the fridge while you roll
out the other piece. The second pastry sheet (which will form the top of the
pie) can be rolled out to 23 x 33cm.
Remove the chilled pastry and carefully fill it with
the fillingmixture. It can come
right up to about 2mm shy of the top of the tin but don’t let it overflow. Roll
the top layer of pastry over the pie. Brush the pastry with cream. Fold or roll
over the excess pastry and pinch to seal. Use a knife to pierce the top of the
pie a few times. Put in your freezer or fridge for 20 minutes.
Brush the edge of the pie with the cream and sprinkle
with caster sugar. Place some parchment paper underneath to catch the drips,
and bake for about 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 160°CFan/180°C/350F/gas mark
4 for another 35-45 minutes or until golden and the bubbles of filling coming
through are thick. Cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
It came as quite a surprise to many to discover that one of
the several ‘hats’ I wear is Honorary Council General for Sri Lanka to Ireland…
The 3,000 plus Sri Lankan community in Ireland are of course aware
but it wasn’t until the tragic events in late April when I attended mass in the
St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, celebrated by Archbishop Martin for the victims of the
massacre that my connection became more public.
I accepted the honorary role in November 2017 on the
invitation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe…. who visited Ireland and
Ballymaloe Cookery School over Christmas period in 2015.
I’ve visited Sri Lanka many times, an astoundingly beautiful
country, lush, green and fertile with delicious food and warm and friendly
people who have endured many years of
turbulence but had recently become accustomed to a more peaceful era.
Sri Lankan tea is some of the finest in the world. I’ve
visited the tea plantations and seen at first hand the care and dedication that
is involved, from the hand picking of the ‘tips’ of the Camellia Sinensis, tea
bush to the drying, withering, grading….
It is important that the Sri Lankan tea industry remains
glyphosate free at a time when there is a growing concern worldwide among
scientists and the general public about the toxic effects of pesticides.
Cinnamon is another top quality Sri Lankan ingredient that
few other countries can equal.
True cinnamon is native to the lush tropical forests of southern
Sri Lanka. The gentle coastal hills are especially suited to the growth of
cinnamon. Wars have been fought over this spice. In 1505 the Portuguese sailed
to that part of the world in search of cinnamon so they could cut out the Arab
middlemen. In those days it was gathered from wild trees but when the Dutch
succeeded the Portuguese the first plantations were sown and cinnamon has been
flourishing ever since.
On my last trip to Sri Lanka I wanted to see the process of
cinnamon production for myself so I visited Mirissa Hills, a working cinnamon
Estate with 360 degree views over Weligama Bay. Thilak the general manager,
showed us around the estate which grows both cinnamon and galangal and
explained the whole process. On our way to the plantation we passed the little
temple to Pathini, The Buddhist God of cinnamon. The air was filled with the
scent of cinnamon.
The cinnamon is still harvested and peeled in the same time
honoured way by the skilled Salagama caste. It cannot be mechanised and the
process has survived virtually unchanged since ancient times.
The cinnamon peelers go into the fields early in the morning.
They choose twigs about 5 feet long and about 1 ½ inches thick – straighter are easier to peel. Shoots or leaves are trimmed with a sharp
curved machete. The skill has been passed down from generation to generation
over the centuries. The peelers sit cross legged on hessian sacks on the floor
in the peeling shed with their bundle of cinnamon sticks by their side. They
need just three tools, a curved peeler, a brass rod and a small sharp knife
called a kokaththa.
First the outer dark leathery layer is shaved off; this is
returned to the cinnamon fields for compost.
When the peelers have several layers of precious inner bark they
carefully layer them inside each other, over lapping to create a four foot
quill.
These are carefully laid on strings of coconut coir hanging
beneath the tin roof. It takes eight days, away from sunlight for them to curl
and dry. They will then be rolled tightly, and allowed to dry for a further ten
days. The cinnamon ‘quills’ are then tied into large bundles to sell in the
market where they will be precisely cut into the cinnamon sticks we know.
Real cinnamon is known to be a natural ‘cholesterol buster’,
unlike it’s inferior and cheaper relation cassia, which is often passed off as
cinnamon.
How to know the difference….true cinnamon comes from the thin
pliable bark of the Cinnamomum Verum trees. This cinnamon is softer, flakier
and paler than cassia which too has it’s place but the flavour is more acrid
than sweet, gentle and aromatic. This is the Sri Lankan cinnamon, which I use
at Ballymaloe Cookery School, perfumes for
both sweet and savoury dishes.
Hard quills or ‘bark like’ pieces are more likely to be
cassia so save those for vegetarian curries if you don’t have true cinnamon.
Always try to buy cinnamon whole and grind it yourself, ready ground cinnamon
is regularly cut with the less expensive cassia. So it’s darker in colour and
has a more aggressive flavour. I’ve had many questions about Sri Lankan food,
is it similar to Indian food, hotter, spicier…..? In fact it is a wonderful
melange of Indian, Indonesian and Dutch flavours reflecting the countries
history as a spice producer and trading post over several centuries.
In this column I will introduce you to some of my favourite
Sri Lankan dishes.
Sri Lankan Beetroot
Curry
Serves 4
2-3 tablespoons sunflower oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
50g (1¾oz) red onion, chopped
5 Curry leaves
8cm (3inch) piece of cinnamon stick
500g (1lb 2oz) beetroot, peeled and cut into 4cm (1½in) cubes
1½ teaspoon untoasted curry powder
10 fenugreek seeds
5 green chillies
225ml (8fl.oz) coconut milk, whisked
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Put oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, add the
chopped garlic, onion, curry leaves, curry powder and cinnamon to the pan, stir
and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the
beetroot, stir and add the fenugreek seeds,
chillies and some salt. Bring to
the boil, add the coconut milk, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or
until the beetroot is tender. Season to
taste.
Sri Lankan Carrots with
Shallots and Green Chilli
Shallots add extra sweetness to this simple spiced carrot dish
which can be fully prepared ahead and gently heated later.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
60g shallots peeled and chopped
450g medium carrots peeled and cut into 2cm dice
½ green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper (a few grinds)
175ml coconut milk, from a well-shaken can.
Put the oil into a heavy, low sided pan and set over a medium
heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and green chilli. Stir and fry for
about 2 minutes or until the shallots have softened a bit. Add the carrots,
cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt and pepper and
continue to fry, stirring at the same time, on a medium heat for about 2 – 3
minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to
low, and simmer very gently for 15- 20 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.
Shredded Chicken and Toasted
Coconut Salad
Salad
500g (18 oz) shredded free range chicken
3 tablespoons finely shaved coconut flesh
6 spring onions, finely sliced
2 red chilli
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
3 tablespoons mint leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons coriander leaves
3 finely sliced shallots
5 kaffir lime leaves, very finely shredded
6 shallots fried
Dressing
100ml (3½ fl oz) coconut cream
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
3tablespoons lime juice
1 red chili, thinly sliced
2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly chopped
For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together except the fried shallots.
Adjust the seasoning to taste with more fish sauce or lime juice accordingly.
Salad, mix together all the ingredients with some of the dressing, pile in a
bundle on the plate then sprinkle the fried shallots and some more coconut
shavings. Finish with a drizzle of the dressing and serve immediately.
Cinnamon Swirls
For cinnamon scones, just roll out the dough to 1 inch
(2.5cm) thick and stamp or cut into scones and dip the egg – washed tops in
cinnamon sugar.
Makes 18-20 scones, using a 3 inch (71/2 cm) cutter
2lb (900g) plain white flour
6oz (175g) butter
pinch of salt
2oz (50g) castor sugar
3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
3 free-range eggs
16fl oz (450ml) approx. full cream milk to mix (not low fat milk)
Egg Wash (see recipe)
Cinnamon Sugar
2oz (50g) granulated or Demerara sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon for the top of scones
Cinnamon Butter
150g (5oz) butter
250g (9oz) pale brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven 250ºC/475ºF/Gas Mark 9.
First make the Cinnamon
Butter.
Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon together and beat until
light and fluffy.
Sieve the flour into a large wide bowl, add a pinch of salt,
the baking powder and castor sugar. Mix
the dry ingredients with your hands, lift up to incorporate air and mix
thoroughly.
Cut the butter into cubes, toss well in the flour and then
with the tips of your fingers, rub in the butter until it resembles large
flakes. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs with the milk, pour all at
once into the centre. With the fingers
of your ‘best
hand’ outstretched and stiff, mix in a full circular movement
from the centre to the outside of the bowl.
This takes just seconds and hey presto, the scone dough is made. Sprinkle some flour on the work surface. Turn out the dough onto the floured
board. Scrape the dough off your fingers
and wash and dry your hands at this point.
Tidy around the edges, flip over and roll or pat gently into a rectangle
about 3/4 inch (2cm) thick.
Spread the soft cinnamon butter over the surface. Roll up
lengthwise and cut into pieces about 2 inches (5cm) thick.
Brush the tops with egg wash (see below) and dip the tops
only in cinnamon sugar. Put onto a
baking sheet fairly close together.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden
brown on top.
Egg Wash
Whisk one eggthoroughly with about a dessertspoon of milk. This is brushed over the scones to help them
brown in the oven.
Ahilya Iced Tea
Makes
2 litres (3 1/2 pints) of water
2 small pieces cinnamon or cassia slivers
2 black cardamom
25 cloves
230g (8 1/4oz) granulated sugar
2 English breakfast tea bags
juice of 7 limes (200ml/7fl oz approx.)
In a saucepan, bring the water to the boil with the spices,
sugar and tea bags. Remove the tea
bags. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool, add
the juice of 7 limes or less depending on size.
This iced tea can last for 5 days. Serve chilled with 2 mint
leaves in each glass of iced tea.
225-300ml (8-10fl oz)
base sugar syrup
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
4 springs of fresh mint
1 orange, cut in thin slices, skin and all
Bring the water to a boil in a pan, add the tea bags and stir around. Turn off
the heat and leave to steep for 15 minutes.
Remove the tea bags, add the
sugar syrup and blossom water and stir to mix. Decant into a bottle or jug and
push in the mint sprig and orange slices. Place in the fridge to cool entirely.
Serve with loads of ice.
Pimp your tea – crush some fresh
mint leaves at the bottom of a lowball glass, add a shot or two of rum, top up
with ice and iced tea and lots of ice.
Sugar Syrup
200g (7oz) sugar
200ml (7fl oz) water
1 tablespoon glucose or
honey
Mix everything together in a
small pan and bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat and
simmer for 2 minutes. Leave to cool, then transfer to a clean bottle or
other container and store in your fridge for up to a week.
Cinnamon Meringue with Plums and Cream
If the plums are ripe and juicy there’s no need
to poach them, just stone and dice.
Serves 6
2 egg whites, preferably free range
110g (4oz) icing sugar
1/2 scant teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
Filling
300ml (10fl oz) whipped cream
225g (8oz) poached plums, drained (see recipe)
Garnish
little sprigs of mint or lemon balm
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2.
Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean
and free from grease.
Mark 2 x 7 inch (19cm) circles on silicone paper or a
prepared baking sheet. Put
the egg whites into a spotlessly clean and dry bowl. Add all the icing sugar
except 2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons). Whisk until the
mixture stands in firm dry peaks. It may take 5-8 minutes. Sieve the cinnamon
and the remaining icing sugar together and fold in carefully.
Divide the mixture between the two circles and
spread evenly with a palette knife. Bake
immediately in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until set and crisp. Allow to cool.
For this recipe poach the plums for 20 mins
approximately. Allow to get cold, then
drain (save the syrup for a plum jelly or use as a base for ‘plumade’. (Note:
half the poached plum recipe will be adequate (see recipe below).
To
assemble
Sandwich the meringues together with the
drained poached plums and whipped cream, reserving a little fruit and cream for
decoration. Decorate with rosettes of
whipped cream. Garnish with little
sprigs of mint or lemon balm.
Note
The meringue discs will keep for several weeks
in a tin.
Poached Plums
Poach
the plums whole, they’ll taste better but quite apart from that you’ll have the
fun of playing – He loves me – he loves me not!
You could just fix it by making sure you take an uneven number! Greengages are delicious cooked in this way
also.
Serves
4
350g
(12oz) sugar
450ml
(16fl oz) cold water
900g
(2lbs) fresh Plums, Victoria, Opal or those dark Italian plums that come into
the shops in Autumn
Put
the sugar and water into a saucepan, bring slowly to the boil. Tip in the plums
and poach, cover the saucepan and simmer very gently until they are about to
but not quiet beginning to burst. Turn
into a bowl, serve warm with a blob of softly whipped cream. Divine!
*The
poached plums keep very well in the fridge and are delicious for breakfast
without the cream!
Note: If plums are
sweet use less sugar in syrup
Irish Tea
Barmbrack
This is a more modern
version of barmbrack, now commonly called a ‘tea brack’ because the dried fruit
is soaked in tea overnight to plump it up (rather than boiled as in the recipes
above). This little gem of a recipe is much easier to make at home than the
Halloween Barmbrack (see recipe).
Even though it is a very
rich bread, in Ireland it is traditionally served sliced and buttered.
Yields about 12 slices (eat the crusts, too!)
110g (4oz) sultanas
110g (4oz) raisins
110g (4oz) currants
50g (2oz) natural glace
cherries, halved or quartered
300ml (10fl oz) hot tea
1 organic egg, whisked
175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
225g (8oz) self-raising
flour
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
50g (2oz) homemade candied
peel (see recipe)
450g (1lb) loaf tin – 12.5 x
20cm (5 x 8in) OR 3 small loaf tins 15 x 7.5cm (6 x 3in)
Put the dried fruit and cherries into a bowl. Cover
with hot tea and leave to plump up overnight.
Next day,
line the loaf tin with silicone paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Add the whisked egg, soft brown sugar, flour and mixed
spice to the fruit and tea mixture. Stir well. Put the mixture into the lined
loaf tin.
Cook in for about 1 1/2hours or until a skewer comes
out clean.
Monday next, May 20th, is World Bee Day, so a whole column
this week on honey, nature’s most delicious, interesting and bio diverse
sweetener.
Honey has long been prized for its medicinal properties, now backed up
by modern medicine and a growing body of scientific research. I’m a big honey aficionado….
Ancient Ireland was known as the Land of Milk and Honey and coincidently
the name Ballymaloe means the Townland of Sweet Honey. The anglicized version
of the Irish Baile Meal Luadh – meal means honey and luadh
means soft or sweet. These names entered into the language over 2,000 years ago
and would always have reflected a particular attribute of that place. So
Ballymaloe must have been well known for the quality of the honey from surrounding
the area.
Here at Ballymaloe Cookery School we have some hives in the pear and
apple orchard looked after by our local bee keeper… beautiful honey…
Both honey and bees are utterly intriguing, the colour, flavour and
aroma of honey reflects the flora from which the bees collect the nectar.
Heather honey tastes and smells quite different from mixed flower or apple
blossom, ivy, rapeseed…..
Honeys from further afield have their own distinctive taste. Lavender
honey captures the aromatic essence of the lavender plant as does chestnut,
orange or acacia blossom. Honey from pine forests which I also love, tends to
be more resinous and a deeper amber colour.
The New Zealanders did a brilliant marketing job on Manuka honey when
they discovered that is was most effective in killing antibiotic resistant
infections such as MRSA. But it’s not the only honey with these and many other
healing attributes. Raw honey is increasingly being used to treat, difficult to
heal, wounds and burns. Other studies have shown its efficacy as a cough
soother.
Raw honey is the term used for honey that has not been heat treated to
extract the honey from the combs. It still has its full complement of antioxidants,
enzymes and antibacterial properties. It looks paler in colour, and sets almost
solid in the jar. Here in Ireland we have an astonishingly wide range of
honeys. Check out the local bee keeper/s in your parish. I seem to favour honey
from small local producers. Talk to the beekeeper, hear the story, each honey
will taste different and contain the antibodies and enzymes of the area, which
help to counteract eczema and hay fever. Look out for city bee keepers too. The
Dublin Honey Project is intriguing as is Belfast Bees; there are similar
projects in London, Paris, New York, Sydney ….
How about keeping bees yourself? It’s really thrilling to have your own
honey. It’ll be slightly different every year depending on what the bees are
feeding on and the prevailing weather. If the idea of doing the bee keeping
yourself doesn’t appeal, contact your local bee keeper, they are often
delighted to have few more hives. Particularly in an organic garden or on a
rooftop in an urban or rural area where there are little or no pesticides….
Scientists are now convinced that neonicotinoids have been damaging vital bee
colonies and have a dramatic impact on eco systems that support food production
and wild life.
The EU banned the use of neonicotinoids in 2018 after a major report
from EFSA concluded that the widespread use of these chemicals is in part
responsible for the plummeting number of pollinators, vital for global food
production – they pollinate ¾ of all crops. Finally, governments appear to be listening
to their citizens concerns, so hopefully the bee numbers will begin to
recover. Nature given half a chance has an amazing ability to heal and
regenerate.
Honey is not
only brilliant lathered on toast, I regularly add a spoonful to savoury dishes,
dressings and salads to balance acidity and add a sweet- sour element. Chefs
are caramelizing honey to add a bitter note to some desserts….Have several
types in your pantry, so you can experiment with different characteristics. We
love to have a whole honey comb for our guests at breakfast and if you’re
crafty you can make a candle from the left over wax….
Here are a
few suggestions for some of my favourites…
Toasted Granola
A toasted grain cereal
Serves 20
12oz (350g) honey
8fl oz (225g) oil e.g. sunflower
1lb 1oz (470g) jumbo organic oat
flakes
7oz (200g) organic barley flakes
7oz (200g) organic wheat flakes
3 1/2oz (100g) organic rye flakes
5oz (150g) seedless raisins or
sultanas
5oz (150g) peanuts/hazelnuts, or
cashew nuts split and roasted
2 3/4oz (70g) wheatgerm and /or
millet flakes
2oz (50g) chopped apricots, (chopped
dates are nice too)
toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
are also delicious
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas
Mark 4.
Mix oil and honey together in a
saucepan, heat just enough to melt the honey.
Mix well into the mixed flakes. Spread thinly on two baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30
minutes, turning frequently, making sure the edges don’t burn. It should be
just golden and toasted, not roasted!
Allow to get cold. Mix in the raisins or sultanas, roasted nuts,
toasted seeds, chopped dates, apricots and wheatgerm. Store in a screw top jar or a plastic box,
keeps for 1-2 weeks.
Serve with sliced banana, milk or
yoghurt.
Salad of Ardsallagh Goats Cheese with Rocket
Leaves and Local Honey
Such a simple combination but surprisingly delicious.
Serves 4
4 handfuls rocket leaves
2 soft Ardsallagh Goats cheeses
1 tablespoon best quality local honey
maldon sea salt
coarsely ground black pepper
olive oil
1 lemon
Divide the rocket leaves between 4 large plates or 1 large
flat serving plate. Slice or dice the
goat’s cheese and sprinkle on rocket leaves.
With a teaspoon, drizzle the honey over the rocket and cheese in a grid
pattern. Drizzle the salads with olive
oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Finally, season with sea salt and black pepper and serve.
Kinoith Garden Salad with Mustard and
Honey Dressing
The
herb and vegetable gardens beside the Ballymaloe Cookery School are bursting
with a myriad of lettuce and salad leaves and edible flowers. The gardens are
open to the public every day except Sundays.
A
selection of fresh lettuces and salad leaves:
eg.
Butterhead lettuce
Oakleaf
lettuce
Iceberg
lettuce
Lollo
Rosso
Frisee
Mesclum
or Saladisi
Red
Orah
Rocket
(Arugula)
Edible
chrysanthemum leaves
Wild
sorrel leaves or buckler leaf sorrel
Wild
garlic leaves
Salad
Burnet
Pennywort
Borage
or Hyssop flowers
Young
Nasturtium leaves and flowers
Marigold
Petals
Chive
or wild garlic flowers
Herb
leaves eg. lemon balm, mint, flat parsley, golden marjoram, annual marjoram,
tiny sprigs of dill, tarragon or mint.
Green
Pea Shoots or Broad Bean tips
Tiny
Chard & Beetroot leaves
Mustard and Honey Dressing
150ml
extra virgin olive oil
50ml
white wine vinegar
Salt
and freshly ground pepper
2
teaspoons honey
2
heaped teaspoons wholegrain honey mustard
2
cloves garlic crushed
First
make the dressing: Mix all the ingredients together and whisk well before use.
Wash
and dry the lettuce and salad leaves. If
large, tear into bite sized bits. Put in a deep salad bowl, add the herb sprigs
and edible flowers. Toss, cover and
chill in a refrigerator until needed.
Just before serving toss the salad in just enough dressing to make the
leaves glisten, save the remainder of the dressing for another day.
Salad of Beetroot with Raspberries, Honey and
Mint
Serves 4
2 cooked
beetroot, peeled and very thinly sliced on a mandolin
24 raspberries
16 small mint
leaves
honey
extra virgin
olive oil
lemon juice
Maldon sea salt
cracked black
pepper
Divide the
sliced beetroot between 4 white plates.
Cut some of the
raspberries in half lengthways and some in cross section slices, and scatter
over the beets. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Dress the
salads evenly with a drizzle of honey, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle
of olive oil. Sprinkle on the tiny tender mint leaves and serve.
Note
I sometimes
place a few teaspoons of thick yoghurt or labne on the salad when assembling.
If the mint
leaves are a bit coarse as they sometimes are in late Summer, remove the spine,
roll and slice into a chiffonade instead.
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Tomatoes and Honey
Serves 4
This
wonderful Moroccan dish, which Claudia Roden gave us, derives its special
flavour from the tomatoes in which it cooks ( there are mountains of them which
reduce to a thick sauce ) and from the honey which comes in at the end.
1 free-range chicken
3
tablespoons butter or oil
salt and
freshly ground pepper
1 onion,
grated
1 clove
garlic , crushed
1-2
teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
A pinch
of saffron (optional )
1 ½ kg ( 3lb ) very ripe tomatoes , skinned and
cut into pieces or 3 tins x 14ozs
2
tablespoons honey (with a good perfume like Hymettus )
For the garnish
50g ( 2oz
) blanched almonds ( optional)
oil
(optional)
1
tablespoon sesame seeds
It is
considered more elegant to cook and serve the chicken whole but more sensible
to cut it into pieces . Claudia prefers to cut it into quarters as this ensures
that the flesh is impregnated with the sauce at all times .
Put the
pieces in a large pot with the butter or oil, salt, pepper onion, garlic and
spices , and the tomatoes Cook gently , covered, stirring and turning the
chicken over frequently until it is so tender that it can be easily pulled off
the bone.
Remove
the chicken and reduce the tomato sauce further to a thick cream
which sizzles in the separated
fat. Stir often and take care that the bottom does not stick or burn when the
tomatoes begin to caramelize. Then stir in the honey and put the chicken back
to heat it through.
Fry the almonds in oil or
toast them and toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan or under the grill.
Serve the chicken hot covered
with the sauce and garnish with almonds and sesame seeds.
Rachel’s Date and Almond Honey Cake
This
fantastically dense, moist cake has echoes of sticky toffee pudding. It
contains no refined sugar, all the sweetness coming from the honey and dates,
while the wholemeal flour imparts its lovely nutty flavour.
Serves
6–8
100g
(3oz) chopped dates

200g
(7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200g
(7oz) honey, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling
3
eggs
100g
(3 1/2oz) ground almonds
125g
(4 1/2oz/generous 1 cup) wholemeal flour
1
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
25g
(1oz) flaked almonds
20cm
(8 inch) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2 1/2 inch) sides
Preheat
the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and
line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
Place
the tin on a baking sheet, as some butter may seep out during cooking if you
are using a spring-form cake tin.
Place
the dates in a saucepan and pour in 50ml (2fl oz) of water. Set over a high
heat and cook for 2–3 minutes or until soft, then remove from the heat and set
aside.
Cream
the butter and the 200g (7oz) of honey until soft in a large bowl or in an
electric food mixer. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds
until just mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter and honey
mixture, beating all the time.
Stir
in the cooked dates, along with any remaining cooking liquid, followed by the
ground almonds, then add the flour and baking powder and fold in gently to
incorporate. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface gently
with a palette knife, then scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the top.
Place
in the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the
centre of the cake comes out clean. It will be quite dark-looking, but don’t
worry – the cake will be perfectly moist inside.
Remove
from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides
using a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake from the tin before
transferring to a cake stand or plate.
Use
a skewer to pierce a few holes in the top of the cake, then drizzle over the 2
tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) of honey and allow to cool before
cutting into slices to serve.
A few weeks ago I got a letter from a regular reader who hails
from County Kerry – a busy ‘working’ Mum, who tells me that she loves
many of my simple recipes but complained that of late, the recipes were a bit
‘cheffy’ and not for the average working family with ravenously hungry
teenagers returning home from college. “They want plenty of delicious,
home cooked meals, not tiny exotic dishesâ€.
By coincidence, the week before the recipes were from the Guild of Irish
Food Writers Awards so were indeed ‘cheffy’ and time consuming. Vera gave me a
nice ‘long wish list’ of suggestions – a healthy brown loaf, a nice saucy
casserole, a few one pot dishes, a large, easy chocolate cake, a few tray bakes
and tasty ways to cook Irish grown vegetables.
How about swede turnips, cabbage and carrots? Good girl yourself,
Vera – love to hear people wanting to go out of their way to buy Irish produce.
“How about a savory bread and large quiche, a tasty lasagna and salads?â€
she asks…..
There were more than enough requests to keep me going for several
columns. I love to get letters like this, it stops me in my tracks and reminds
me to include more delicious simple recipes in my column – almost back to
my Simply Delicious days – Thank you Vera…..
By coincidence, I had just sent the final proofs of a new book, that
should be in the shops next September, into my publishers, One Pot Feeds
All – I wrote this book especially for all of you super busy people who
dash home through the traffic, tired and exhausted from work, pick up
a bag of groceries but still want to cook a wholesome meal from scratch or your
family.
So there are 130 delicious lunch recipes for one pot, one casserole, one
roasting tin, coming your way later this year. Home cooking is by far the most
important in the end. Meanwhile I’ll get started on Vera’s list which I
hope many other readers will also enjoy….
Brown Soda Bread in a Tin
This is a more modern version of Soda Bread, couldn’t be simpler, just
mix and pour into a well-greased tin. This bread keeps very well for
several days and is also great toasted. We use Howard’s One Way flour
for this but seek out Macroom and Dunany Organic Flour also, each have their
own unique flavour.
Makes 1 loaf or 3 small loaves
400g (14ozs) stone ground wholemeal flour or a wholemeal flour of your
choice
75g (3ozs) white flour, preferably unbleached
1 teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon bread soda, sieved (Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda)
1 egg, preferably free range
1 tablespoon arachide or sunflower oil, unscented
1 teaspoon honey or treacle
425ml (15fl ozs) buttermilk or sourmilk approx.
sunflower or sesame seeds (optional)
Loaf tin 23×12.5x5cm (9x5x2in) OR 3 small loaf tins 5.75 inches (14.6cm) x 3
inches (7.62cm)
Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6.
Put all the dry ingredients including the sieved bread soda into a large
bowl, mix well. Whisk the egg, add the oil and honey and buttermilk. Make a
well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in all the liquid, mix well
and add more buttermilk if necessary. The mixture should be soft and slightly
sloppy, pour into an oiled tin or tins – using a butter knife, draw a slit down
the middle. Sprinkle some sunflower or sesame seeds on the top. Bake for 60
minutes approximately (45-50 minutes for small loaf tins), or until the bread
is nice and crusty and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
Swede Turnip and Bacon Soup
with Parsley Oil
Swedes
and turnips are ridiculously cheap and super versatile, this soup is filling,
nutritious and super delicious. Drizzle it with parsley or wild garlic oil and
you’ve got a chic starter worthy of a posh dinner party.
Whizz the parsley with the
olive oil until smooth and green.
Next make the
soup.
Heat the oil in a saucepan,
add the bacon and cook on a gentle heat until crisp and golden. Remove to a
plate with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Toss the onion, potato and
turnip in the oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover with
a butter wrapper to keep in the steam, and sweat on a gentle heat until soft
but not coloured, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer
until the vegetables are fully cooked. Liquidise, taste, add a little
cream or creamy milk and some extra seasoning if necessary.
To Serve.
Serve with a mixture of
crispy bacon, tiny croutons and chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
Super Quick
Buttered Cabbage
This
method takes only a few minutes to cook but first the cabbage must be carefully
sliced into fine shreds. It should be served the moment it is cooked.
1 lb (450 g)
fresh Savoy cabbage
1-2 oz
(25-50g/1/4-1/2 stick) butter
salt and
freshly ground pepper
a knob of
butter
Remove the
tough outer leaves from the cabbage. Divide into four, cut out the stalks
and then cut into fine shreds across the grain. Put 2-3 tablespoons (2-3
American tablespoons + 2-3 teaspoons) of water into a wide saucepan with the
butter and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, add the cabbage and toss
constantly over a high heat, then cover for a few minutes. Toss again and
add some more salt, freshly ground pepper and a knob of butter. Serve
immediately.
Chicken Paprikash
In Hungary, Paprikash would be served with nokedli, similar
to German spaetzle but pasta or mashed potato works well also.
Serves 8
2 tablespoons lard (traditional) or clarified butter
1.8 Kgs organic, free range chicken thighs and drumsticks
(bone in for extra flavour)
250g (9oz) onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
500g (1 lb) ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
250g (9oz) large red pepper, seeded and diced (approx. ½
inch)
450 mls (16 floz) chicken stock
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika or 2 tablespoons sweet
paprika and one of smoked paprika
Generous teaspoon of salt, lots of freshly ground black
pepper
250g tub sour cream (crème
fraiche)
2 floz double cream
60-80g (2 – 3oz) Roux
Flat leaf parsley, coarsely snipped
Melt the lard or clarified butter in a frying pan over a
medium heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on all sides, transfer to a
casserole. Add the diced onion, garlic, tomato and pepper to the frying pan,
toss for 2 – 3 minutes, add the paprika, salt and freshly ground black pepper (
careful not to burn the paprika or it will be bitter).
Add to the chicken in the casserole. Deglaze the pan with the
chicken stock. Stir and bring to the boil to dislodge all the flavour from the
pan. Pour into the casserole, bring back to the boil and simmer for 40 -50
minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Strain the liquid off the Paprikash, add the crème fraiche
and cream, bring back to the boil thicken with roux to a light coating
consistency. Pour over the chicken, return to the boil, taste and correct the
seasoning. Scatter with snipped flat leaf parsley and serve with pasta or
mashed potato.
Note: this stew becomes even better when made a day or two
ahead and reheats brilliantly.
Cynthia’s Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
From the
Ballymaloe Cookbook by Myrtle Allen.
In 1945 the young Farmers’ club of America – the ‘4H Clubs’
inaugurated the International Farm Youth Exchange scheme (IFYE). They
sent young delegates to stay with farming families in Western European
countries and too young European farmers back in exchange. These young
people are always well informed and skilled in the crafts of the farm and farm
home.
In 1955, a young American girl called Cynthia Recird came to stay with
us at Ballymaloe under this scheme.
One day she undertook to cook family lunch and produced her ‘Cocoa Cake’
for sweet which became standard fare in Ballymaloe.
Makes 36 bites/19 squares/12 slices
225g (8ox/1 3/4 cups) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
50g (2oz) cocoa
350g (12oz/1 1/2 cups) sugar
110g (4oz/1 stick) softened butter
225ml (8fl oz/1 cup) sour milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 organic eggs
Chocolate Icing
300g (10oz/2 1/4 cups approx) icing sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa
2 teaspoons melted butter
35ml (1 1/3fl oz/scant 1/4 cup) coffee
cocoa for dusting
300ml (10fl oz softly whipped cream)
Line a 22.5cm (9 inch) square tin or
3 x 17.5cm sandwich tins with parchment paper
Sieve the dry ingredients together into the bowl of a food mixer.
Add the soft butter, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Beat for two
minutes. Add the eggs one by one. Beat for a further 2
minutes. Fill into the prepared tin or tins. Bake in a moderate
oven 180C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Sieve the sugar and cocoa together. Beat in the butter and moisten
with coffee to a spreading consistency.
Ice the top and sides of the cake or sandwich the two rounds together
with the icing. Cut into squares or slices.
Serve with softly whipped cream.
Lemon Drizzle Squares
Who
doesn’t love lemon drizzle – problem here Vera, they’ll snaffle them far too
fast!
Makes 24
6oz (175g) really soft butter
5oz (150g) castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free
range
6oz (175g) self-raising
flour
Lemon Drizzle
freshly grated rind of 1
lemon
freshly squeezed juice of
1-2 lemons
4oz (110g) castor sugar
10 x 7 inch (25.5 x 18 cm)
swiss roll tin, well-greased or lined with parchment paper
Preheat the oven to
180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Put the butter,
castor sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into a food processor. Whizz for a
few seconds to amalgamate. Spread evenly in the well buttered tin. Bake in the
preheated oven for 20-25 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen.
Meanwhile mix the ingredients for the glaze. As soon as the cake is cooked,
pour the glaze over the top, leave to cool. Cut into squares.
Note
In Winter when the butter is harder to cream, we
add 2-3 tablespoons of milk to lighten the mixture and texture.
The word
sustainable is quite the buzzword nowadays, endlessly bandied about in
conversations about climate change, food security, the state of the oceans, farming
and food but what exactly do we mean by sustainable food….and where can we
source it?
Food is
unquestionably the crucial issue of our time. Some forms of food production are
a major contributor to climate change, responsible for 1/5 of all global carbon
emissions.
It’s a key
driver of resource depletion, species and bio diversity loss. Food production
slurps up 70% of all fresh water.
At present,
the priority in agribusiness is rarely to produce healthy wholesome food to
nourish the nation, more often the primary focus is to produce the maximum
amount of food at the minimum cost with maximum profit to the processor and
retailer but rarely the primary producer.
Consequently,
one in nine go hungry at a time in history when over 2 billion people are obese
and half of all the food produced is wasted – an estimated 10 million tons….
Almost 2
million tons never even make it to the market as a result of the
demands of supermarkets for uniformity and cheap food. That’s bad enough but
it’s even more shocking to learn that 7 million tons are wasted in our
homes. We appear to have far less regard or respect for food when it’s
cheap. Easy come easy go in the rich world….whereas the poor count every
grain of rice….
There are
many reasons for these statistics, industrialisation has resulted in cheap food
– ultra processed, convenient, time saving….but at considerable cost in
health, socio economic and environmental terms.
The reality is that unless we are engaged in farming or food production,
we have little understanding of the work that goes into growing or
producing food. To many, it comes as quite a shock to realise that it
takes at least three months to grow carrots, beets, or broccoli. Ask yourself,
how can they possibly be sold for less than €1.00 a bunch? The answer is,
it’s not possible to produce nourishing, wholesome, chemical free food for
the price the farmers are being paid at present, We now imagine that cheap
food is our right… a major problem, unrealistic and totally
unsustainable yet everyone needs and deserves healthy wholesome food….
Perhaps
it’s wishful thinking but I really feel there’s a shift in
consciousness. Could it be that we are on the cusp of change ? Some
millennials, at least seem more interested and prepared to spend a greater
proportion of their income on healthy produce and are beginning to grow some of
their own food….
But, how to create a sustainable
food system….,it’s abundantly clear that business as usual is no longer an
option….. Farmers are doing their best to respond and move to sustainable
farming systems but a paradigm shift in thinking and methodology is
required. They urgently need both financial support and knowledgeable
advice…… Brussels and DAF urgently need to dramatically increase independent
research into organic food production and regenerative farming methods which
already tick all the boxes for both sustainable and healthy food production.
The current debate on what we
should and should not eat and the trend towards veganism has further
added to the confusion. Neither the FAO or Lancet Reports differentiated
between organic, free range and intensively managed livestock and poultry
which needs to be phased out. It is clear that we urgently need
to replace farming systems that have destroyed the fertility of the soil since
the post war period, rebuild biodiversity and create conditions to bring nature
in the form of birds, wild life and pollinating insects back onto farms. We
need to re-embrace mixed farming systems…..ruminants are the only
animals that can turn cellulose into something we can eat and are essential for
fertility building and a healthy diet.
Farmers, who want to move towards
sustainable food production systems, will produce healthy, free range chicken,
juicy and flavourful and free of chemical residues. These chickens will cost
considerably more to produce so inevitably chicken will become an
occasional treat rather than the cheap commodity it is today…. Pork too will need
to come from pigs that root outdoors and are fed on whey and antibiotic free
food, delicious, tasty meat that we can, once again consume with
a clear conscience, without worrying about animal welfare issues.
In the UK, 50% of pigs are
reared outdoors compared with 1% over here.
The reality is, if we don’t
change our food production system we won’t have a planet that’s fit for our
children and grandchildren to live on.
Education is a crucial part of
the solution. Practical cooking must be a CORE subject in the national
curriculum – it’s an essential life skill which no child should be allowed to
leave school without being proficient in. At present our educational system is
failing our young people in this area, it is not enabling our kids to make
sense of the world they find themselves in or equipping them with the
information – they need to know what to do about it. Education can change
habits and attitude to food… It’s an uphill battle now but an urgent
and essential consideration for the survival of the planet.
Everyone agrees we are in the
midst of a crisis, so how can we be part of the solution? Each and every one of
us can make a difference depending on how we decide to spend out food
euros. Shop mindfully – seek out and buy food from farmers and food
producers who are farming sustainably in a way that enriches rather than
diminishes the fertility of the soil. Grow some of your own food and pass on
your growing skills to your children and their friends.
Buy seasonal food directly
from the producers at Farmers Markets. Join an organic vegetable box scheme.
It doesn’t occur to most
people to use the inexpensive humble cabbage for soup, yet of all the soups we
make, the flavour of cabbage soup surprises many – it is unexpectedly delicious.
We use Greyhound or Hispi cabbage but crinkly Savoy cabbage works brilliantly
later in the year.
Spring Cabbage Soup
Serves 6
115g onions, chopped
130g potatoes, peeled and diced
250g spring cabbage leaves,
shredded and chopped (stalks removed, grate stalks for coleslaw)
55g butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
850ml light chicken stock
50-125ml cream or creamy milk
Chorizo crumbs or Gremolata
(optional for serving)
First prepare all the vegetables, then melt
the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and
onions, toss them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and
freshly ground pepper. Cover with a cartouche and the lid of the saucepan,
sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured.. Add the hot
stock and boil until the potatoes are tender. Add the cabbage and cook
uncovered until the cabbage is just cooked – a matter of 4 or 5 minutes. Keep
the lid off to preserve the bright green colour. Do not overcook or the
vegetables will lose both their fresh flavour and colour.
Puree the soup in a liquidiser or blender.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the cream or creamy milk before serving.
Serve alone or with sprinkling of chorizo crumbs or gremolata over the top
(optionl).
If this soup is to be reheated,
just bring it to the boil and serve. Prolonged boiling will spoil the colour
and flavour.
Here again, one has the option of
serving a chunky version of the Spring Cabbage Soup.
Freezing
Freezes perfectly for 2-3 months,
but use sooner rather than later.
Wild Garlic Tortillitas Ã
la Patata
Sam and Jeannie Chesterton of
Finca Buenvino in Andalucia, introduced me to this little gem. I keep
wondering why it never occurred to me before, they are so easy to make and
completely addictive – kids also love them and they make perfect little starter
snack or bites to nibble with a drink. If you don’t have wild garlic, a mixture
of chives and parsley is also delicious.
Makes 26 (Serves 5 – 6)
4 eggs, free range and organic
225g cooked potatoes in 5mm dice
3 tablespoons finely chopped wild
garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black
pepper
Aoili (see recipe)
Extra virgin olive oil for
frying, you will need about 5mm in the frying pan.
Maldon Sea salt for sprinkling.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the
potato dice, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the freshly
chopped wild garlic.
Heat about 5mm extra virgin olive
oil in a frying pan on a high heat, cook a teaspoonful of mixture and taste for
seasoning.
Correct if necessary.
Continue to cook the mini
tortillas as needed, using a scant dessertspoon of the mixture. Allow to cook
on one side for about seconds, flip over and continue to cook on the other side
for a similar length of time, or until slightly golden.
Drain on kitchen paper.
Sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt and wild garlic flowers if you have
them.
Serve hot, or at room temperature
with a blob of Aioli.
Wild Garlic Aoili
2 egg yolks, preferably free range
1-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of English mustard or 1/4
teaspoon French mustard
1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar
8 fl ozs (225ml) oil (sunflower,
arachide or olive oil or a mixture) – We use 6 fl ozs (175ml)
arachide oil and 2 fl ozs (50ml) olive oil, alternatively use
7/1
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped
wild garlic leaves
Put
the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard, garlic salt and the white wine
vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil
Big fuss on Prime Time
recently when An Taisce’s Green Schools Programme with support from the
National Climate Change Action and Awareness Programme recommended that schools
implement ‘Meatless Mondays’ and encourage children to eat less meat and dairy.
The IFA were up in arms and the ensuing debate only served to confuse viewers
even further.
So what to do……there’s no
denying climate change, it’s a blatantly obvious reality in all our lives and
each and every one of us has a responsibility to play our part to mitigate it
in our own little way. Cooks and chefs can combat climate change by actively
sourcing their product from farmers and food producers who farm sustainably in
harmony with nature and by working towards a zero waste policy. The same
principals apply to the rest of us, but back to the furore. The farming
community overall are responding positively to the challenge and are doing
their best to move to more sustainable farming systems but meanwhile there’s
nothing to be gained from ‘shooting the messenger’. Best to concentrate on
producing the very best meat and dairy products, delicious, nutrient dense food
that consumers can truly trust, grass fed, chemical free and free from residues
of antibiotics. I’m often asked what exactly is the definition of grass fed?
Difficult to get an answer…..
Nonetheless, whether we like
it or not it’s time to accept that reduced meat consumption is a trend that is
definitely here to stay. Note that multi millions of dollars are being invested
in the meat substitute industry. That is not going to change anytime soon so
let’s put our efforts here in Ireland into producing REAL quality not quantity
and charge enough for it. One can of course be super healthy on a vegetarian
diet provided one can source nutrient dense organic vegetables and grains.
I myself am, what’s nowadays
termed as a flexitarian and a very happy one at that. I love vegetarian dishes
and also eat lots of ‘accidently vegan’ food but love good meat, poultry and
fish. However I’m super careful about the quality of the meat and fish I eat. I
go to considerable lengths to source organic, free range chicken – considerably
more expensive but cheaper in the end because I can get six meals from one
plump chicken and a fine pot of broth which in itself is ‘super food’. I also
try to find lamb from a local butcher who can find a sheep farmer who finishes
his lambs on grass rather than concentrates, the difference in the sweetness of
the meat is palpable.
I search for beef from our
native breeds, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Poll Angus, Shorthorn, Dexter or
Moilie. I’m looking for a rich beefy flavor when I enjoy a small steak, a stew
and indeed the crucially important offal or organ meats as they are referred to
by the excellent Weston A Price Foundation, whose Wise Traditions podcasts and guidelines
for optimum nutrition are worth checking out. https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/
However, it’s really important
to remember our farmers who labour day in day to produce the food that nourishes
us….. Many are having a really tough time at present, struggling to meet the
challenges coming from all directions – the uncertainty caused by Brexit, rising
production costs coupled with lower and lower prices at farm gate as the supermarkets
force the prices ever lower to provide their customers with cheaper and cheaper
food.
We urgently need ‘true cost
accountancy’ so consumers understand that cheap food is a myth in health terms
and socio economic terms. As tax payers we pay many times over to provide
subsidies to support what are in many instances unsustainable systems, to clean
up the environment, and our rivers and lakes and to fund the health service.
So the real price of the item
is invariably 4 or 5 times the price on the shelf. The biggest threat to our
health and food security is the low price of food at the farm gate. Famers,
particularly small farmers, are leaving the land in droves all over the world,
sad and disheartened because they simply cannot produce the nourishing
wholesome food, we say we want for the price they are being paid for it. We are
sleep walking into a gargantuan crisis. The non-farming communities are generally unaware that farmers are
fortunate to get 1/3 of the retail price and lucky to be paid months later.
What other section is expected to sell their product or services below an
economic level and survive…..
I happen to believe that dairy
products and good meat and fish are vitally important elements in our
children’s diets and am a great fan of butter and organic raw milk from a small
dairy herd. It’s interesting to note that the demand for raw milk is growing
steadily as people become aware of it’s extra nutritional elements and flavour.
Despite the perception it is not illegal to sell raw milk in Ireland, it is
available at several Farmers Markets and small shops. Check out Mahon Point
Farmers Market, Midleton Farmers Market and Neighbourfood to name a few……
However, in this column I’ll
try to persuade you to invest in a beautiful, plump, organic chicken and here’s
how to get superb value and 6 delicious meals for two people from it…..
Use a filleting
or boning knife, and put your index finger along the back of the blade. Use the
thumb of your opposite hand as a guide so you can feel where to cut.
• Put
the chicken on a chopping board with its legs away from you.
• Remove the wishbone from the neck end
(add to the stockpot).
• Turn the chicken around with the legs
and cavity towards you.
• Cut through the loose skin between the
left leg and the breast.
• Push
the left leg down with your thumb and upwards with your four fingers to break
the ball-and-socket joint.
• Turn
the bird onto its side and cut around the oyster piece so it remains attached
to the leg. Ideally remove the drumstick, thigh and oyster in one piece,
leaving as little meat as possible on the carcass.
• Cut
along the edge of the left side of the breastbone to loosen the white meat.
Using long, sweeping movements, remove the breast in one piece with the wing
attached. (Alternatively use a poultry shears to cut through the breastbone and
ribs. This adds extra flavour – particularly for a casserole.)
• Chop
off the pointed wing tips and discard if the chicken has been intensively
reared; otherwise use in the stockpot or use for a chicken wing recipe.
• Cut off the pinion at the first joint
and keep for the stockpot.
• Turn the chicken around and repeat on
the other side.
• Chop the carcass and put into the
stockpot.
How to joint a chicken into eight pieces:
• Joint the chicken as per the above
instructions.
• Put one leg skin-side down on a chopping
board.
• Divide
the leg into two by cutting through the line of fat at the knuckle between the
thigh and drumstick. Repeat with the other leg.
• Cut the wing from the breast.
• If
desired, detach the skin from the breast by pulling it gently away from the
flesh.
• Cut the breast into two pieces at an
angle.
• Repeat with the second breast.
To prepare a chicken breast
Detach the fillet
and cook it separately or use it for another recipe, such as a stir-fry or
pasta dish. If the chicken breast is to be pan-fried, you may want to remove
the skin; however, if the chicken is free-range and organic the skin is
delicious when slowly cooked in a low oven for 20 minutes or so, until crisp.
To prepare chicken wings
If still attached
to the carcass, cut the entire wing off the chicken. With the blade of the
knife at an angle, cut through the cartilage and joint between the third and
second joint. Detach the first joint pinion from the middle joint with a quick
chop and add it to the stockpot.
To make Chinese
drumsticks or buffalo wings use the wing piece closest to the body. If you have
a chopper, chop the end off the narrow bone. Alternatively, cut through the
skin around the narrow end of the bone (closest to the middle joint). Push the
flesh back down along the bone with the back of your knife, and turn it inside
out so it covers the bone at the other end. Marinate and cook as desired.
Who
doesn’t love chicken wings, use the tips in the stock pot.
Serves
4
16
organic chicken wings
Marinade
2
tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
6
tablespoons Soy Sauce
1
generous tablespoon honey
a
drizzle of olive or sunflower oil
sea
salt and freshly ground pepper
8-10
fresh mint leaves
Whisk
all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, add the chicken wings and toss
well, allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat
the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Spread
the wings on a baking tray just large enough to take them.
Cook
for 20 to 30 minutes turning occasionally until cooked through, golden and sticky. Add some of the marinade to the try. Put the remainder in a saucepan, reduce to a
thick glaze – add the chicken wings and toss.
Sprinkle with shredded fresh mint leaves and serve warm, alone or with a
green salad.
Real Chicken Nuggets
Everyone loves these crispy chicken nuggets made from local free-range
or organic chicken, so much more nutritious. Get the children to help you make
them – they love tossing the chicken in a bag of breadcrumbs. Serve with some
home-made tomato sauce or relish.
Serves 4
225g (8oz) bread (brown or white)
1 organic or free range egg
125ml (4floz) whole milk
450g (1 lb) organic chicken breast
or boneless thighs cut into nuggets
150 g (6 ozs) flour, seasoned
with salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6
Cut the crusts off the bread. Break into pieces and whizz to fine crumbs
in a blender or food processor. Put the breadcrumbs onto a flat plate or into a
recycled plastic bag.
Whisk the egg in a large bowl with the milk. Put the well-seasoned flour
onto another flat dish. Take one piece of chicken at a time and toss in
seasoned flour, then coat with beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Repeat with all
the chicken pieces.
Arrange the crumbed chicken on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and bake in
the preheated oven for 10 minutes until browned and crisp and cooked through.
Chicken Breasts
with Parmesan
Serves 6
This recipe is simplicity itself but everyone loves
it. It’s also delicious if you smear a
little mustard over the chicken breasts before covering them with cheese. It’s
also good plain. You might like to
drizzle a little cream on top too for extra wickedness!
3-6 boneless organic chicken breasts (depending on
size fillet removed)
milk
a little Dijon mustard
50-75g (2-3oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Coolea
Farmhouse Cheese from West Cork is also delicious)
25-40g (1/4 – 1/3 stick) melted butter
Piperonata (see recipe)
If there is enough time soak the chicken breasts in
milk overnight – this will make them wonderfully tender and juicy. Next day drain and dry on kitchen paper (use
the milk for a parsley sauce).
Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.
Brush an ovenproof dish with a little melted butter.
Spread a little mustard over each chicken breast. Arrange in a single layer in the dish and
season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with Parmesan cheese. Bake in the
preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden on top and just cooked through
in the centre.
Serve immediately with Piperonata and a good green
salad.
The chicken breasts from Mary Regan’s Organic chickens
are so large that I cut them in half at an angle crossways and get two fine
helpings from each.
Piperonata
This
is one of the indispensable trio of vegetable stews that we always reckon to
have to hand. We use it not only as a vegetable but also as a topping for
pizzas, as a sauce for pasta, grilled fish or meat and as a filling for
omelettes and pancakes.
Serves
8-10
2
tablespoons olive oil
225g
(8oz) onion, sliced
a
clove of garlic, crushed
2
red peppers
2
green peppers
6
large tomatoes (dark red and very ripe) (use tinned if fresh are out of season)
salt,
freshly ground pepper and sugar
a
few leaves of fresh basil
Heat
the olive oil in a casserole, add the onion and garlic, toss in the oil and
allow to soften over a gentle heat in a covered casserole while the peppers are
being prepared. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds carefully, cut into
quarters and then cut the pepper flesh into 2-2 1/2cm (3/4 – 1 inch)
squares. Add to the onion and toss in
the oil; replace the lid and continue to cook.
Meanwhile
peel the tomatoes (scald in boiling water for 10 seconds, pour off the water
and peel immediately). Slice the tomatoes and add to the casserole, season with
salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar and a few leaves of fresh basil if
available. Cook until the vegetables are just soft, 30 minutes approx.
Sticky Chicken Thighs with Soy and
Ginger Sauce
Spiced drumsticks are also lip smackingly good.
Serves 10
Marinade
225ml (8fl oz)
soy sauce
3 tablespoons
sunflower oil
3
tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons
rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon peeled
and finely grated ginger
2 cloves garlic,
crushed
1-2 chillies
finely chopped
10 free-range and
organic chicken thighs
Accompaniment
cucumber wedges
green salad
sweet chilli
sauce
lime wedges
Mix all the
ingredients for the marinade in a bowl or pie dish. Slash the skin of the chicken thighs. Put into a pie dish, cover with the marinade
and turn well to coat. Cover and keep
refrigerated for at least an hour or even overnight.
To Serve
Preheat the oven
to 180°C/350F/gas mark 4. Drain the
chicken pieces and save the marinade for basting. Arrange skin side up in a roasting tin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes
approximately and then baste every 10 minutes or so with some of the extra marinade.
Serve with
cucumber wedges about 6cm (2 1/2 inches) long and cut at an angle, green salad,
lime wedges and a bowl of sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
Stevie Parle’s Chinese
Chicken Lettuce Cups
A past pupil of the Ballymaloe Cookery School now a famous London chef
shared this recipe, one of his family’s favourites. This is a super recipe for
minced chicken (or turkey). We love this way of eating – wrap some of the spicy
chicken in a lettuce leaf and enjoy, so moreish.
½ small bunch of coriander, roots chopped and leaves separated
1oz (25g) ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
350g/12oz chicken mince
½ teaspoon of crushed white pepper
2 tablespoon hoisin
1 tablespoon soy
3 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 Castelfranco or Butterhead lettuce, separated into leaves
3 spring onions, shredded
2 handfuls of peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Bring a pan of water to the boil, pour over the vermicelli and leave to
soak for five minutes. Pour into a sieve and rinse under cold water. Chop into
small lengths and put to one side.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the onion,
chilli, coriander roots, ginger and garlic and stir fry until softened. Remove
from the pan, then add another small splash of oil to the pan and turn up the
heat.
Lightly season the chicken or pork, then add to the hot pan and fry for
a few minutes until cooked through. Return the ginger, etc, to the pan and add
the noodles, white pepper, hoisin, soy, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil.
Cook for another minute, then take off the heat and stir in the
coriander leaves. Check the seasoning and adjust to suit your tastes. Place a
heaped tablespoonful into the centre of each lettuce leaf, then top with the
spring onions and peanuts.
Crispy Chicken Skin with Plum or Lime and Sweet
Chilli Sauce
This recipe is
only worth doing with an organic chicken. The idea of eating chicken skin may
frighten some, but it’s soooo yummy. You’ll soon become addicted – just don’t
live on it!
skin from organic
chicken breasts
sea salt
Plum Sauce
or Lime
and Sweet Chilli Sauce (mix Sweet Chilli Sauce with freshly squeezed lime juice
to taste)
Peel the skin off
the chicken breasts. Cut the skin into pieces about the size of a business card
(if the pieces are reasonably even they will be more manageable to eat
later).
Preheat the oven
to 120Cº/250ºF/Gas Mark 1/2.
Spread the
chicken skin upwards on a wire cooling rack on a baking tray. Cook for 25–30
minutes, until the skin is irresistibly crisp and the fat has rendered out.
Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with a little bowl of plum or lime and sweet
chilli sauce for dipping.
Madhur Jaffery’s Creamy Chicken Korma
with Almonds
Serves 4
“I happen to like dark meat so, given
a choice, I would use only chicken thighs for this recipe. However, many people prefer light meat,
including two members of my own family.
Whatever chicken parts you choose, all legs must be cut into two parts
(leg and thigh) and each breast must be cut across the centre into two
parts. You could also use a whole
chicken, cut into serving pieces and then skinned.â€
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 inch (2½ cm)
piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2oz (50g)
blanched, slivered almonds
5 tbsp olive or
canola oil
2 bay leaves
8 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 inch (2½ cm)
cinnamon
1 medium onion,
peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp ground
cumin
1 tbsp ground
coriander
¼ tsp cayenne
pepper
1 tbsp tomato
puree
3lbs (1½kg)
chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions
1¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp single
cream
½ tbsp garam
masala (see recipe)
Put the garlic,
ginger, almonds and 6 tablespoons water into an electric blender and blend
until you have a smooth paste. Put the
oil in a wide pan set over medium-high heat.
When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves and
cinnamon. Stir for 10 seconds. Put in the onion. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn
brown. Turn the heat to medium and add
the paste from the blender as well as the cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato puree and stir for a
minute. Add the chicken pieces, salt,
cream, garam masala and 150ml (5fl oz/¼ pint) water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 25
minutes.
Happy Easter to you all! What extraordinary weather we’re
having as we spring into Summer and back into Winter again. Just a few mornings
ago there was a bitter frost and then a glorious Summer day…..The leaves of my
poor little beetroot seedlings got frizzled in the garden so I hope they’ll
recover…
This weather ‘roller coaster’ is kinda spooky…Normally the
pale yellow stalks of sea kale are in season in April but this year we’ve been
harvesting them from under the cloches for over a month, in fact the crop is
almost finished. Even more extraordinary is our asparagus crop usually in
season in May. This year we ate the first meal at the end of February and have
had several cuttings since.
Super charged, climate change whether cyclical or man-made or
a combination of both is a terrifying reality, however as a consequence, this
Easter we can enjoy not just the first of the rhubarb but both Irish asparagus
and the last of the seasons sea kale.
In every village shop and on the high street, the shelves are
groaning with Easter eggs, ever cheaper and if the truth be known, less good
chocolate in many. As we scramble for the cheaper and cheaper food, I can’t
help thinking about the poor cocoa bean farmers, who are forced to take less and
less for their raw materials – price takers, not price makers…
As with Christmas, the blatant excess and consumerism makes
me deeply uneasy and almost feel queasy. Somehow it makes me focus even more on
the true meaning of the Feast of Easter, I vividly remember a time when we all
fasted throughout Lent and took on a penance of our choice. We ‘gave up’ sweets
or ‘the drink’ or some other secret obsession….and then there was the
satisfaction of having kept to our resolution and the joy of the first bite of an
Easter egg on Easter Sunday after Mass or Church – one lovely little chocolate
egg that we ate morsel by morsel often over several days.
The hens in our ‘Palais de Poulets’ have gone into overdrive,
they hate the cold, wet Winter days, and only lay haphazardly but coming up to
Easter they start to lay again with gay abandon so if you have a few hens and I
hope I’ve managed to persuade you by now to have a little moveable chicken coup
on your lawn – you can enjoy dipping those tender asparagus spears into a
freshly boiled egg or try this Easter Sunday Benny….
Pam has already made the traditional Simnel Cake with a layer
of marzipan in the centre and 11 balls on top to symbolise the apostles. Yes, I
know there were 12 but Judas doesn’t make it to the top of the cake…
We’ll roast a shoulder of sweet succulent Easter lamb and
enjoy it with the already prolific spearmint in the herb garden and then of
course there will be a juicy rhubarb tart. This year I’m using the Ballymaloe
cream pastry recipe, it sounds super decadent and is but it’s extraordinarily
good and super easy to make so don’t balk at the ingredients – just try it!
Easter Eggs Benedict
with Asparagus
This recipe is a combination of two forgotten skills:
poaching eggs and making Hollandaise sauce (which also involves eggs). It is
the perfect breakfast for a lazy weekend.
Serves 4
Hollandaise Sauce (see recipe)
4 – 8 organic eggs
4 slices good sourdough bread a homemade yeast bread
butter
12 stalks of asparagus
First, make the Hollandaise sauce and keep it warm. Poach the
eggs. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Slather a little butter on the hot bread and lay
3 slices of cooked asparagus on the base. Prop a beautifully poached egg on top
and coat generously with the Hollandaise sauce.
Hollandaise Sauce
A classic Hollandaise is based on a reduction of dry white
wine, vinegar and finely chopped shallots. In the version we make at the
Cookery School we simply emulsify rich butter with egg yolks by whisking and
then sharpen with a little lemon juice. Unless you have a heavy-based saucepan,
don’t attempt this recipe without a bain-marie. Even on the lowest heat,
cooking a Hollandaise sauce in a pot that isn’t heavy-based may scramble the
eggs.
Once the sauce is made, it must be kept warm, though the
temperature should not go above 80ºC (180ºF), or the sauce will curdle. A
thermos flask can provide a simple solution on a small scale; otherwise put the
sauce into a Pyrex jug in a saucepan of hot, but not simmering, water.
Hollandaise sauce cannot be reheated very successfully so it’s best to make
just the quantity you need. If, however you have a little left over, use it to
enrich other sauces or mashed potatoes. When it solidifies, it makes a
delicious Hollandaise butter to melt over fish.
Put the egg yolks in a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan on a
low heat or in a bowl over hot water. Add 2 teaspoons water and whisk
thoroughly. Add the butter bit by bit, whisking all the time. As soon as one
piece melts, add the next piece. The mixture will gradually thicken, but if it
shows signs of becoming too thick or slightly scrambling, remove from the heat
immediately and add a little cold water to cool it quickly. Do not leave the
pan or stop whisking until the sauce is made. Finally add the lemon juice to
taste.
If the sauce is slow to thicken it may be because you are
excessively cautious and the heat is too low. Increase the heat slightly and
continue to whisk until the sauce thickens to coating consistency.
It is important to remember that if you are making
Hollandaise sauce in a saucepan directly over the heat, it should be possible
to put your hand on the side of the saucepan at any stage. If the saucepan
feels too hot for your hand, then it is also too hot for the sauce.
Another good tip if you are making Hollandaise sauce for the
first time is to keep a bowl of cold water close by so you can plunge the base
of the saucepan into it if becomes too hot.
To prepare and cook the asparagus:
Hold
each spear of asparagus over your index finger down near the root end, it will
snap at the point where it begins to get tough. Some people like to peel the
asparagus but we rarely do.
To boil:
Tie similar sized bundles of asparagus in bundles with
raffia. Choose a tall saucepan.
Cook
in about 2.5cm of boiling salted water (1 teaspoon salt to every 600ml) in an
oval cast iron casserole. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until a knife tip will
pierce the root end easily. Drain and
serve immediately as above.
Slow
Roast Shoulder of Lamb with Wild Garlic Champ & Myrtle’s Mint Sauce
Shoulder
of lamb is easily available and here the shoulder is cooked whole with just a
sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. If the shoulder is excessively
fatty, as may be the case later on in the lamb season, trim some of it off, or
ask your butcher to do it for you.
Serves
8-10
1
whole shoulder of lamb on the bone, weighing 3.6kg (8lbs)
Maldon
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat
the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Place
the lamb shoulder in a wide roasting tin or oven tray with the skin side up.
Score the skin several times to encourage the fat to run out during the cooking
and to crisp up the skin. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and
roast for 30 minutes before turning the temperature down to 160°C/325°F/Gas
Mark 3 for a further 3 1/2 hours.
To
test if the lamb is cooked to a melting tenderness, pull the shank bone and it
and some of the meat should come away easily from the bone.
When
the lamb is cooked, remove from the oven. There will be plenty of fatty cooking
juices. Strain these off the roasting tin through a sieve into a bowl. Keep the
lamb warm in the oven with the temperature reduced to 100°C/200°F/Gas Mark 1/4.
When
the fat has risen to the surface of the lamb cooking juices, skim off the fat
carefully and thoroughly with a large spoon.
Bring
the juices to a simmer and taste and correct seasoning.
To serve the lamb,
a tongs or serving fork and spoon is the best way to remove the meat from the
bones. Prise largish pieces off the bones and serve on hot plates with
some of the hot cooking juices.
Wild Garlic Champ
Serves 4-6
A bowl of
mashed potatoes flecked with wild garlic leaves and a blob of butter melting in
the centre is ‘comfort’ food at its best.
1.5kg (3lb)
unpeeled ‘old’ potatoes e.g. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
Scrub the
potatoes and boil them in their jackets.
Pour the milk
into a pot and bring slowly to the boil.
Add the wild garlic leaves to the milk just as it comes to the boil. Simmer
for about 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and leave to infuse. Peel and mash the freshly boiled potatoes and
while hot, mix with the boiling milk and wild garlic, beat in the butter. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground
pepper. Serve in 1 large or 6 individual
bowls with a knob of butter melting in the centre. The mash may be put aside and reheated later
in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Cover with parchment paper while it reheats so that it doesn’t get a
skin.
Mint Sauce
Traditional mint sauce, made with tender young shoots of
fresh mint, takes only minutes to make. For those who are expecting a bright
green jelly, real mint sauce has a slightly dull colour and watery texture.
Makes about 175ml (6fl oz)
Serves about 6
25g (1oz) fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
110ml (4fl oz1) boiling water
25ml (1fl oz) white wine vinegaror freshly
squeezed lemon juice
Put the freshly chopped mint and sugar into a sauce boat. Add
the boiling water and vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to infuse for 5–10 minutes,
before serving.
Easter
Rhubarb Tart
Serves 8-12
Ballymaloe
Cream Pastry
This pastry keeps in the fridge for up to 6 days.
110g (4oz)
cold salted butter
110g (4oz)
plain flour
150ml (5floz)
cold cream
Filling
680g (1 1/2lb)
red rhubarb
275-340g (10-12
oz) sugar approximately
Egg
Wash
1 beaten
free-range organic egg with a little milk, to glaze
1 x 23cm (9
inch) tin with 4cm (1 ½ inch) sides
First make the pastry. Sieve the flour into the bowl of an
electric food mixer. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour
using the paddle attachment until the mixture forms a coarse texture (slow
speed and then a little faster). (DO NOT over mix, if you do the mixture
will form a shortbread like ball! Pour the cold cream into the coarse mixture
and mix on a low speed until a smooth pastry forms. Wrap the pastry in
parchment paper and chill overnight.
Always roll
cream pastry straight from the fridge. If the pastry comes to room temperature
it will be too soft to handle! Roll out
half the pastry to about 3mm(1/2 inch) thick and line a round tin measuring
20.5 x 30.5cm (8 x 11.5 inches).
Slice the
rhubarb into 1 cm rounds, fill the tart and sprinkle with the sugar.
Roll the
remaining pastry, cover the rhubarb and seal the edges. Decorate with pastry leaves. Paint with egg
wash and bake in a preheated oven 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 until the tart is
golden and the rhubarb is soft (45 minutes to 1 hour). When cooked, sprinkle lightly with caster
sugar and serve with softly whipped cream and Barbados sugar.
Note: This tart can
also be filled with Bramley apples, gooseberries and elderflower,
Worcesterberries, damsons, plums, blackberry and apples, peaches and raspberries,
rhubarb and strawberries as they come into season.
Easter Egg Nests
These are a
lovely simple fun recipe to make with the children or grandchildren over the
Easter holidays.
Makes 24
4ozs (110g)
Rice krispies
6ozs (175g)
Chocolate
72 mini eggs
cup cake
papers or ring moulds
Put the
chocolate in a pyrex bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Bring just to the boil, turn off the heat and
allow to melt in the bowl. Stir in the
rice krispies.
Spoon into
cup cake cases. Flatten a little and
make a well in the centre. Fill with
three speckled chocolate mini eggs.
Allow to set.
