Before the holidays every magazine, newspaper, food programme and TV ad was shamelessly luring us into temptation, encouraging us to over spend and over indulge in a myriad of different ways. It was hard to resist and of course many of us succumbed. Now the day of reckoning has come. It’s all about lean, keen and frugal, instead of tempting food supplements in newspapers, there are diet supplements each promising miracles.

Slim and trim in 28 days….The five pound weight loss trick that works…How to lose weight and keep it off…..yeah, yeah, yeah….

How gullible are we, who ever checks the results? Cook books that promise to make you glow and make you beautiful, vaporize off the shelves as we clutch at straws. One super food after another rises and falls. At last there’s the beginnings of a backlash- after countless hopes have been raised and dashed, a badly needed note of scepticism is being introduced So could it really be that after all the false promises the answer is quite simply a balanced diet of fresh natural food in season and everything in moderation,  how undramatic and boring does that sound – yet it is unquestionably true. I’ve never been on a diet in my life and I don’t intend to start now but there are some things I really do feel strongly about. Eat as much organic and naturally produced food as possible. In the words of George Orwell in 1937 when he wrote ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’, “we may find in the long run that tinned food/ processed food is a deadlier weapon than the machine gun”.  Eliminate processed food entirely from our diets. We can no longer say we don’t know the damage they are doing to both our essential mental and physical health.

Eat less meat but better quality and lots of unsprayed vegetables and fruit that have been grown in rich fertile soil not hydroponically.

We need to reduce our sugar intake by at least 50% NOW.

Nowadays, according to most recent research, 1 in 2 of us will suffer from some form of cancer. I was brought up with the understanding that food should be our medicine and that if we didn’t put effort into the food on the table we’d give it to the doctor or chemist.

How true is that – of course we are all insanely busy but there are few things more important than the quality of the food we put on the table. I’m not talking fancy – I’m just talking real simple food that comforts and nourishes.

We have got to take back control of our food choices from the multinational corporations who can’t be expected to have our best interests at heart. Their sole concern is to make the maximum profit for their shareholders, not our personal health.

So dump all those breakfast cereals and go back to porridge, ban all fizzy drinks and rediscover water. We used to have homemade lemonade everyday on our lunch tables here at the school but now it’s water kefir – a simple fermented drink that can be flavoured with anything from lemon to loganberries and lots of fresh herbs. It’s exceedingly good for your gut flora and the students love it. We’ve got to reintroduce cooking classes back into the school curriculum from ‘baby infants’ upwards. It could single-handedly help to change our eating habits and up skill the next generations in such a way that they can take back control of what they eat.

 

Hot Tips

Learn how to make a St Brigid’s Cross

On Saturday January 30^th,  Mrs Cowhig and Hannah Conroy will pass on the traditions and give a lesson on how to make a St Brigid’s Cross at the Midleton Farmers Market from 11am-12pm.

 

Hands on Lamb Butchery

Philip Dennhardt is our resident master butcher at the Ballymaloe Cookery School and on Saturday January 29^th 2016 from 2pm-5pm, Philip will teach the skills needed to butcher a whole lamb into your favourite pieces. Course includes half a lamb which you help butcher and then take home for the freezer, so make sure there is room.

This is the ideal course for anyone who would like to be able to buy a whole lamb from a local butcher or farmer. www.cookingisfun.ie

 

Guest Chef Mary Jo McMillin from Ohio

We’ve known and admired Mary Jo for many years. She has a cult following in the US and is particularly famous for her braises and slow cooked dishes and of course her baking.  On Saturday January 30th, 2.00pm-5.30pm, Mary Jo will teach two fool proof menus and the secrets of several of her sought after cakes, pastries and French bread. This course was inspired by a conversation Mary Jo had with one of our 12 Week Certificate students who couldn’t leave the day job because of financial commitments, In her uniquely generous way, Mary Jo will advise on how to scale up recipes for larger numbers and set up a catering business from home for the many aspiring chefs who may be searching for a way to have a part time career in food.

 

Recipes

Water Kefir

With Water Kefir you can turn sugared water into one of the most vibrant, probiotic-rich drinks you can make at home!

2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) water kefir grains

2-3 tablespoons (2 1/2 – 4 American tablespoons) organic raw cane sugar

4 unsulphered dried apricots or other dried fruit.

Approximately 1 litre (1 3/4 pints/scant 4 cups) of water – must be free of chemicals

Slice of unwaxed lemon

 

It is important not to use any metal utensils or brewing vessels while making Water Kefir.

Stir the sugar into approximately 250ml (9fl oz/generous 1 cup) of hot water until it dissolves, then add remainder of cold water and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Place the water kefir grains into a 1 litre jar, pour in the cooled sugar water, and drop in the dried fruit.

 

Cover the jar loosely with a lid, or with a cloth secured with a rubber band to allow air in but to prevent stray debris from spoiling your water kefir. Allow the water kefir to ferment for 2 to 3 days. The longer it ferments, the drier and less sweet it will become.

When the water kefir acquires a flavor that suits you, strain it using a plastic strainer into a jug. Discard the dried fruit (or eat it) but reserve the water kefir grains which can be immediately reused or stored.

While the water kefir can be enjoyed as it is, after its initial fermentation, you can also ferment it a second time. Secondary fermentation allows you to flavor the water kefir, and the secondary fermentation process, which occurs in a tightly capped bottle allows carbon dioxide to develop, producing a fizzy water kefir.

Transfer the bottles of water kefir to the fridge to slow down fermentation and enjoy

Second Fermentation

After transferring you water kefir into a bottle add a handful of one of the following to your taste.

 

• Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
• Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
• Other soft fruit
• 5 – 6 small pieces of Crystallised Ginger.
• Several crushed mint leaves and juice of 1 Lemon

Leave to ferment for another 12 – 24 hours with a lid on.  It’s a good idea to release pressure every so often particularly if your kitchen is warm as secondary ferments have been known to explode!  Keep tasting to understand when your ferment is ready to your liking.

 

Caring for your Kefir Grains

Water Kefir grains are alive being a Scoby (Symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts) and therefore require looking after to ensure they produce the best kefir for you.

Occasionally it is beneficial to give your grains a mineral feed.

 

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Crispy Croutons

Serves 8-10

 

Jerusalem artichokes are a sadly neglected winter vegetable. They look like knobbly potatoes and are a nuisance to peel, but if they are very fresh you can sometimes get away with just giving them a good scrub. Not only are they a smashing vegetable but they are also delicious in soups and gratins. They are a real gem from the gardeners point of view because the foliage grows into a hedge and provides shelter and cover for both compost heaps and pheasants!

Nutrition: Jerusalem Artichokes are a very important source of inulin which enhances the growth of beneficial bacteria in our systems.  Particularly essential after a course of antibiotics.

 

50g (2oz/1/2 stick) butter

560g (1 1/4 lb) onions, peeled and chopped

1.15kg (2 1/2 lbs) Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed, peeled and chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

1.1L (2 pints/5 cups) light chicken stock

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) creamy milk approx.

 

Garnish

freshly chopped parsley

crisp, golden croutons

 

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the onions and artichokes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover and sweat gently for 10 minutes approx.  Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are soft. Liquidise and return to the heat. Thin to the required flavour and consistency with creamy milk, and adjust the seasoning.

Serve in soup bowls or in a soup tureen. Garnish with chopped parsley and crisp, golden croutons.

 

Note

This soup may need more stock depending on thickness required.

 

Salad with Pears, Pomegranates , Persimmons and Pecans

Serves 8

 

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar or  Sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

3 ripe Fuyu persimmons (little firm persimmons)

3 ripe d’Anjou or other pears

1 lime, freshly squeezed

Seeds from ½ pomegranate

A selection of frizzy lettuce, watercress and rocket leaves

1 lime freshly squeezed

85-110g (3- 4oz) fresh toasted pecans

 

First make the vinaigrette.

Mix the Balsamic or sherry vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

 

Slice the persimmons and pears into slices about ¼ inch thick.  Put into a medium bowl and sprinkle with freshly squeezed lime juice.  Add the pomegranate seeds.  Toss gently.

Wash and dry the greens, store in a clean towel in the fridge until ready to use.

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

Put the nuts onto a baking sheet in a moderate oven for 5 -6 minutes, tossing gently from time to time.  Alternatively toast under a grill.

 

When ready to serve

Toss the greens in some of the vinaigrette and arrange on eight plates.  Toss the fruit mixture lightly in the remaining vinaigrette.  Arrange on top of the greens and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.   Serve immediately.

 

Jam Pudding (Irish Traditional Cooking revised edition)

 

This was one of our favourites, we raced home from school for lunch even faster when we knew Mummy was cooking a steamed jam pudding, a warm and comforting winter pudding.

 

Serves 4

110g (4oz) butter, at room temperature

110g (4oz) caster sugar

2 eggs, free-range if possible

few drops of pure vanilla essence

170g (6oz) plain white flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

about 1 tablespoon milk or water

3 or 4 tablespoons homemade raspberry jam

 

Raspberry Jam Sauce

4–6 tablespoons homemade raspberry jam

rind and juice of ½ lemon

150ml (¼ pint) water

sugar, to taste

 

12.5cm (5in) capacity pudding bowl

 

Cream the butter, add the caster sugar and beat until white and creamy. Whisk the eggs with the vanilla essence and beat, a little at a time, into the creamed mixture. Stir in the flour and baking powder and add a little milk or water if necessary to make a dropping consistency.

Grease your pudding bowl. Spread raspberry jam over the bottom and sides. Carefully spoon the cake mixture into the bowl. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper, tied on firmly, and steam the pudding for about 1½ hours.

Meanwhile, make the raspberry jam sauce. Heat the jam with the water, add the lemon rind and juice and sweeten with a little extra sugar if necessary.

Turn the pudding on to a hot dish and serve with the sauce and lots of softly whipped cream.

 

23/08/2012rd

I’m sitting on the balcony of the View Point Hotel in Nyaungshwe overlooking the jetty where most of the skiffs and narrow timber boats leave for Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s biggest attractions. It’s really chilly at this time of the day. There’s two-way traffic: some boats, laden down with tomatoes, aubergines and gourds in huge bamboo baskets are on their way to the Mingalar Market in front of the pagoda. Farmers and their families sit, hunched up on the floor of the boats in woolly caps or hoodies. Up here, in the Shan Valley  away from Yangon, virtually all the men still wear the lungi, a piece of cloth, worn sarong style, like a skirt. Other slender wooden canoes fitted with long tail outboard motors have a row of little timber chairs to take tourists out onto the Inle lake. It’s 22 kilometres long and about 11 kilometres wide, bordered by the Shan mountains on either side and numerous small villages. This watery world is home to the Intha people who live in stilt houses in villages that create a fringe around the lake. They grow fruit and vegetables in floating gardens anchored to the lake bed with bamboo poles and fish with traditional Intha conical nets using a distinctive leg rowing stance on timber skiffs – fascinating to observe.

Since the 18^th century, the Intha people’s way of life has gradually adapted to the climate and ecosystem. It is noisy here by the bridge with the put-put of the long tail motor engines that spew out a sheet of spray behind.

To the right, motorbikes, tricycles, lorries and cars and an occasional horse drawn wagon, clip clop over the bridge on the way to the main street.  School girls with long plaits on their way to class. The Buddhist monks walk through the town with their bowls collecting food and alms at dawn, wandering towards the monasteries and pagodas of which there are many in this small town, which is now the principal hub for Inle lake.

I love the markets and local shops, they tell you much more about the food and culture and way of life than any guide book. I took a tricycle down to the Mingalar Market close to the entrance of the town. Both men and women stall holders sit squat – legged on raised platforms with their goods and produce beautifully displayed in front of them, up off the mud floor sometimes on rice or jute sacks or on bamboo or reed matting.

All the tropical fruit of course, papaya, mangoes, dragonfruit, loquats, guava but also an extraordinary array of greens, chickpea shoots, Burmese pennyworth, squash tendrills, watercress…

We bought rice cooked in bamboo, little red rice cakes stuffed with bean paste and some crispy ants but I stopped short of trying a barbequed rice-paddi rat despite the guide’s assurance of how delicious they were with a beer or glass of rum toddy.

Little old ladies dispensed medicinal advice on how to use the herbs and roots they were selling.

Bright plastic and stainless steel are fast replacing tin and stainless steel cooking utensils.  Nonetheless, there are still wonderful handmade clay pots that keep the water cool and fresh. The area is also famous for handmade knives and kitchen utensils, I also couldn’t resist some of the light wok and handmade watering cans – try to get to Burma soon, it’s fascinating, beautiful and changing fast.

 

Hot Tips

Carrageen Moss

Where do I find carrageen moss? Well I found some beautiful local carrageen recently at the Village Greengrocer in Castlemartyr. I also saw several bags of the moss on the Olive Stall in the English Market in Cork City.  Such a joy to see that this precious and health giving traditional food is still available. See www.cookingisfun.ie for recipe for Carrageen Moss pudding.

The Food Programme

For me the BBC Radio 4 Food programme is unmissable, if you don’t manage to catch it on Sunday at 12.32pm  or Monday at 15.30pm, listen back to the pod cast.

Both Seville and blood oranges are now in the shops, so check out www.slowfoodireland website for some great marmalade recipes.

 

Learn all about Chillies

at our next East Cork Slow Food  event. Chris Young from the Irish Chilli Farm in Co Tipperary will tell share his story and how he started his chilli farm near Roscrea and the many varieties he grows

Wednesday January 27^th 2016, 7pm at the Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Phone 021 4646785.

 

A Great Gatsby Gala Dinner

Have a fun night and support Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat who will host a fundraising dinner on Friday February 5^th 2016 at Ballymaloe House.

Drinks Reception at 7.30pm followed by dinner at 8.

Booking Essential 021 4652531.

 

Myanmar Chicken Curry

Use organic ingredients where possible

 

Serves 6

1½ lbs (700 g) free range chicken breasts

½-1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons fish sauce, nam pla

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil

2 red onions, chopped

1 teaspoon turmeric

½-1 teaspoon chilli powder

3 green cardamom, bruised

1 small knob of ginger, 15 g, chopped

2 sticks of lemongrass, finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce, nam pla

4 ripe tomatoes, diced

8 fl oz (230 ml) chicken stock

2 stalks lemongrass, crushed, cut into 4 pieces, optional

2 tablespoons tamarind water, see recipe

Fresh coriander

Accompaniment – rice

 

Cut the chicken breast into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces and put into a bowl. Sprinkle with ½-1 teaspoon of turmeric, chilli powder, fish sauce and vegetable oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss and massage the meat with your fingers and allow to marinade for 30-35 minutes or while the remainder of the ingredients are prepared.

Put 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide wok or sauté pan, add the chopped red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½-1 teaspoon chilli powder, then add the crushed green cardamoms. Add the finely chopped ginger, sliced lemongrass and garlic. Stir and add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and the diced tomatoes. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken cubes, toss, pour in the chicken stock and add 4 pieces of lemongrass.  Add 2 tablespoons of tamarind water (if available).

Simmer gently for 6-8 minutes more or until the chicken is fully cooked and sauce is balanced and delicious but still fresh tasting. Taste and correct the seasoning. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh coriander.

Serve with sticky rice or Basmati rice.

Note, if tamarind water is not available, taste and sharpen with some freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

 

Tamarind Water

a piece of tamarind, the size of a mandarin orange

6 fl ozs (175ml/3/4 cup of hot water

 

Tear a lump of tamarind about the size of a mandarin, off the block. Soak it for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight in hot water in a small non-metallic bowl or cup. (The water should cover the tamarind.)

Push the tamarind pulp through a strainer, with your clean fingers. Keep pressing until just the fibre and seeds are left in the sieve. Scrape all the pulp from the outside of the sieve.  Use extra water, if necessary, to separate the pulp from the fibres. Discard the seeds and fibre.

Burmese Tomato Salad

The Burmese include 1/3 teaspoon of ‘chicken seasoning’ which I prefer to omit.

Serves 2

 

2-3 ripe tomatoes, depending on size

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons toasted garlic oil

2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

1 small red shallot or ½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 -3 tablespoons crispy shallot rings

Freshly squeezed lime juice, from one cheek of lime

 

Toasted Garlic Oil

4 fl ozs (125 ml) olive oil

12 garlic cloves

Chives, chopped

Fresh coriander sprigs

 

To make the toasted garlic oil. Finely chop the garlic, put in a small saucepan with the olive oil. Put on a low medium heat for 4-5 minutes and cook until the garlic is light and golden brown. If the garlic gets too dark both the garlic and oil will be too bitter.

Just before serving, half the tomatoes. Thinly slice the tomatoes sideways into julienne. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted garlic oil, crushed peanuts, thinly sliced red onion and half the crispy shallots. Squeeze the juice from one cheek of lime, toss well. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Pile onto a plate, garnish with fresh coriander, chopped chives and the remainder of the crispy shallots. Serve ASAP.

 

Burmese Night Market Noodles

The direct translation of this dish is cooked oil noodles, but I tend to associate it with the night market in Rangoon because this was the place where my brother and I often went to eat a bowl of these noodles tossed in garlic oil. It usually came with some shredded meat and a bowl of hot chicken soup sprinkled with spring onions. Nowadays whenever I have leftover roast meat, I rustle up these noodles which go down really well.

 

Serves 2

Cooking time 10 minutes

 

250 g fresh egg noodles

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Small handful of spring onions, chopped

 

Eat with

Shredded roast duck, chicken or pork

Chicken soup

 

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and blanch the noodles for a couple of minutes until they are soft. Drain and rinse under cold water. If you are using dried egg noodles, follow the packet instructions.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the garlic until golden. Remove from the oil immediately and drain on kitchen paper. Add the noodles and soy sauce, and then toss for a minute until the noodles are warmed through and coated with the garlic oil. Check for seasoning and sprinkle with crispy garlic and spring onions. Serve with shredded meat and a bowl of soup.

From has*ba – Burmese Cookbook by Tin Cho Chaw

 

Burmese Caramelised Crispy Pancakes

 

Makes 10-12 pancakes

This is a sweet crispy stick golden pancake that reminds me of brandy snaps. The pancakes are extremely soft and sticky during cooking and transform into chewy caramelised discs when they are cool.

 

60 g sticky/glutinous rice flour

20 g rice flour

125 ml water

100 g palm sugar (or brown sugar)

4 tablespoons water

Peanut oil for shallow frying

 

Put both flours in a mixing bowl; mix in the water to form a thick batter. Leave to rest for 20 minutes while preparing the sugar.

If you are using palm sugar, grate it before placing in a small saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons of water and over a moderate heat stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow the sugar to cool. Gradually pour the sugar into the batter to form a consistency similar to single cream.

When you are ready to fry the pancakes, heat enough oil to shallow fry in a small non stick frying pan. Spoon a small ladle of batter into the oil and swirl the batter into the pan to form a circular shape.

Leave the pancake over a moderate heat until the edges are golden brown, then carefully flip over and cook the other side. When it is golden brown on both sides, remove from the  heat and cool on a plate. The pancake remains soft and sticky until it is cool. Repeat this process making one pancake at a time until all the batter is used up, replenishing the oil when necessary.

From has*ba – Burmese Cookbook by Tin Cho Chaw

I’ve just discovered Somerset!! Sounds like a bit of a random statement but even though I’ve been there on a fleeting visit before, I didn’t really register its multitude of charms – The Mendip Hills, Gardens at Stourhead, Albert’s Tower, Hauser and Wirth, Glastonbury Tor and Abbey, Dunster Castle, Jane Austen Centre, Wells Cathedral, Quantock Hills, Chalice Well, Bishops Lydeard Mill,  Rural Life Museum, galleries…..

My brother Rory O’ Connell and I had been invited to do a Pop-Up dinner at Roth Bar and Grill at Hauser and Wirth just outside the village of Bruton.

This complex has been painstakingly restored from an advanced state of dereliction by Iwan and Manuela Wirth. This dynamic pair are widely held to be the No 1 couple in the modern art world.

While we were there, a Don McCullin photographic exhibition was drawing people from far and wide. His powerful black and white photos from war zones in Africa, Vietnam and Biafran wars and England in the 1950s were profoundly thought provoking. More than one person emerged from the exhibition with tears pouring down their cheeks and Daphne Wright’s stallion sculpture quite simply awe inspiring. But we’d come to cook dinner with Steve Horrell and his team at the Roth Bar and Grill.

Rory’s delicious starter of fresh orange segments, cucumber dice, myrtle berries and marigold paprika leaves with a lemon verbena granita on top, really wowed the guests. Main course, was roast pork with crackling and spiced aubergines – a worthy celebration of a free range Sandy Black pig from the estate.  Yoghurt and cardamom cream with pomegranate seeds and rosewater blossom made a perfect ending followed by a surprise piece of Ballymaloe fudge served with freshly roasted and brewed coffee.

The walls of the restaurant are hung with pictures from top contemporary artists from around the world. The bar was created by Björn, Oddur and Einar Roth from  Switzerland.  Carcasses of beef, lamb, pork and pheasant hang in the dry aging Salt house that is lined with 500 hand cut Himalayan salt bricks. That in itself looks like an art installation. Closeby there’s a blackboard offering a fine brace of wild pheasant and a pot of dripping for £20 pounds.

Steve’s food at the Roth Bar and Grill is simply delicious. We had many fresh, simple seasonal dishes, beautifully composed. A terrine of pork and pheasant was served with Medlar jelly and organic leaves from Charles Dowding’s garden in the nearby village of Alhampton. Charles is the grower who has championed the No-dig method of vegetable growing. I went along to visit his garden and was so impressed by the results that I’ve invited him to come and teach a class at the school in 2016, so watch this space. www.charlesdowding.co.uk

Somerset is also Cheddar cheese country. I’d visited Keens and Montgomery Cheddar on a previous trip so this time we were shown around the Westcombe Cheddar dairy in Evercreech by Richard Calver. They’ve been making cheddar on this farm since the 1980s, and now his son Tom make Caerphilly and are trialling a Comté type cheese. He’s also provided space close to the dairy for some exciting young craft brewers to make a range of barrel aged beers close to the dairy, The Wild Beer Company.

The village of Bruton itself with its charming narrow cobbled streets has a variety of little shops, café and restaurants, far more lively than so many rural towns and villages nowadays which seem to be made up almost exclusively of charity shops and estate agents. This revival according to the locals is largely due to Hauser and Wirth which entices people from London and beyond to view the world class exhibitions and enjoy the food from the estate farm and gardens.

At The Chapel, on the main street also gets rave reviews from locals and visitors alike. We loved a Taleggio pizza with field mushrooms and thyme leaves from their woodburning oven and the croissants and pan au chocolat were deliciously buttery and flaky. We never did manage to eat at Matt’s, a tiny restaurant where chef Oliver Matt cooks and serves the food himself – it was booked out until Christmas with a long waiting list. Next time we’ll book well ahead and I’m looking forward to going back for a Family Saturday at Hauser and Wirth early in the New Year. http://www.hauserwirthsomerset.com/events/festive-family-saturday

 

Pork and Pheasant Terrine with Medlar Jelly

Every charcuterie in France proudly sells its own version of Pâté de Campagne.  They vary enormously in content and makeup – some are made with rabbit, game and even sweetbreads.  A certain proportion of fat is essential, otherwise the terrine will be dry and dull.  It is meant to be rough textured so the mixture should not be too finely minced.

Serves 10

8 ozs (225g) fresh pheasant or chicken livers or a mixture of both

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) brandy

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (yes, put it all in!)

8 ozs (225g) very thinly sliced, rindless streaky rashers (you may need more if they are not very thinly sliced) or better still, barding fat.

1/2 oz (15g/1/8 stick) butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 lb (450g) streaky pork, minced

8 ozs (225g) pheasant, minced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (Pimento or Jamaican Pepper)

a good pinch of ground cloves

1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon +1 teaspoon) freshly chopped Annual Marjoram

2 small eggs, beaten

salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg

2 ozs (50g) shelled pistachios

6-8 ozs (170-225g) piece of cooked ham, cut in thick strips

bay leaf

sprig of thyme

 

Accompaniments

Medlar Jelly (see recipe)

Cornichons; French breakfast radishes and a little salad of organic leaves and fresh herbs

Luting paste (see below) or tinfoil

3 pint (1.7 L/7 1/2 cups) capacity terrine or casserole with tight fitting lid

 

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

 

Wash the livers, separate the lobes and remove any trace of green.  Marinade in the brandy and 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper for 2 hours.   Line a terrine or casserole with very thinly sliced bacon or barding fat, keeping a few slices for the top.

Sweat the onion gently in the butter until soft but not coloured.  In a bowl mix the sweated onion with the pork, pheasant, garlic, allspice, ground cloves, chopped marjoram, beaten eggs and the brandy from the chicken livers.  Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and lots of grated nutmeg.  Mix very thoroughly.  Fry a little piece and taste for seasoning – it should taste quite spicy and highly seasoned.  Add the pistachios and beat until the mixture holds together

Spread a third of the farce in the lined terrine, add a layer of half the ham strips interspersed with half the chicken livers, then cover with another third of the pork mixture.  Add the remaining ham and livers and cover with the last third.  Lay the reserved barding fat or bacon slices on top, trimming the edges if necessary.  Set the bay leaf and sprig of thyme on top of the bacon or barding fat and cover with the lid.  Seal the lid with luting paste (see below) or else use a sheet of tinfoil under the lid.

Cook in a ban-marie in a preheated oven, 180C/350F/regulo4, for 1 3/4 – 2 hours or until a skewer inserted for 1/2 minute into the mixture is hot to the touch when taken out.  If you are still in doubt remove the lid and check: the pate should also have shrunk in from the sides of the terrine and the juices should be clear.

Cool until tepid, remove the luting paste or tinfoil and lid and press the terrine with a board and a 2 lb (900g) weight until cold.  This helps to compact the layers so that it will cut more easily.  Keep for 2-3 days before serving to allow the terrine to mature.  It can be frozen for up to 2 months.

To Serve: Unmould the terrine, cut into thick slices as needed and serve with medlar jelly, a good green salad and a glass of red wine.  Cornichons and crispy radishes are delicious as an accompaniment.

 

Luting Paste

8 ozs (225g/2 cups) flour

5-6 fl oz (150-175 ml/generous 1/2-3/4 cup) approximately water

 

Mix the flour and water into a dough firm enough to handle, roll into a rope and use to seal the lid on to the casserole to prevent the steam from escaping during cooking.

31/10/2013 (SH/DA) (3920)

 

Medlar Jelly

Makes 6-8 jars depending on size

Serve with game, pork or coarse patés or goat cheese

 

2 lbs (900 g) medlars

2 lbs (900 g) Bramley or crap apples

sugar

piece of cinnamon stick

2 cloves

2 star anise, optional

2 strips of lemon

 

Cut the fruit into quarters, put into a stainless steel saucepan.  Cover with water, bring to the boil and cover until soft.  Pour into a jelly bag and leave to drip overnight.  Don’t squeeze the jelly through the bag or the juice will be cloudy.  Next day measure the juice and allow 450g (1 lb) of sugar to every 600ml (1 pint) juice.  Heat the sugar and add to the hot juice.  Add the spices and boil until setting point is reached.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and cover immediately.

 

Roth Bar and Grill Doughnuts

 

250ml (9 fl oz) milk

50g (2 oz) sugar

500g (18 oz) strong white bread flour

40g (1¾) oz butter

15g fresh yeast

2 eggs

 

Sugar & little cinnamon powder for sugaring

Warm the milk and sugar in a pan until tepid. Mix the flour, butter, yeast & eggs in a mixing bowl – with a dough mixer. Add the yeast to the milk and sugar mix, then pour the milk mix into the flour mix.

Beat on a low speed for 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes on high speed. Place the dough in a bowl covered with cling film to prove. Take out the bowl, cut into 15g portions and roll in to balls. Place on a lightly oiled tray with cling film over the top

Leave to prove again until they double in size.

Deep fry at 180 degrees until golden brown – turn over half way through. It is best to do only a few at a time. Remove and drain onto kitchen paper.

Sugar the balls – they are now ready to serve

 

Roth Bar and Grill Roasted Squash & Pearled Spelt Salad 

 

1 Butternut squash

2 cloves of garlic

A small bunch of hard herbs – thyme, rosemary & marjoram

Spices – dried chilli, coriander seeds, fennel seeds

Pomice oil, olive oil & red wine vinegar

Pearled spelt

Cherry tomatoes

Parmesan

Parsley – chopped

Salt & pepper

 

Peel and deseed the squash – cut into long chunky wedges. Take a level teaspoon of each spice and ground in a pestle & mortar. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Pick and roughly chop the hard herbs.

In a bowl, sprinkle half the herbs, half the garlic, half the spices, salt and pepper and a good glug of pomice oil over the butternut squash.

Get your hands dirty – ensure the squash is covered in the oil, herbs & spices

Remove the squash and put on a tray – retain the bowl of oil.

 

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, squeeze out the seeds and toss them in the oil bowl with the rest of the herbs and spices and salt and pepper – put in a small separate roasting tray.

Put the squash in the oven on 220°C/425°F gas mark 8 for 15 minutes – shake & turn frequently until golden brown then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Roast the tomatoes in their own tray at 220°C/425°F gas mark 8 for 10 minutes – remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Put the spelt into a pan of salted cold water – bring up to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain off the spelt, whilst still warm add a good glug of olive oil, red wine vein gar, chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.

Mix the squash, tomatoes and spelt together in a clean bowl – gently combining all ingredients using your hands.

Taste to check the seasoning and adjust to taste.

Serve and enjoy – great with grilled meat or fish or by itself for a light lunch.

 

Rory O’ Connell’s Salad of Oranges, Cucumber, Marigold and Myrtle Berries with Lemon Verbena Granita

Serves 4

 

4 oranges carefully segmented

2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) of peeled and very finely diced cucumber. Avoid using the seeds in the middle of the cucumber

2 teaspoons of honey

2 -4 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon (1 1/4 American tablespoons) of tiny marigold leaves

1 tablespoon (1 1/4 American tablespoons) of Myrtle berries

2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) of lemon verbena granita

2 teaspoons of marigold petals

 

Place the orange segments and diced cucumber in a bowl and add the honey and lemon juice. Stir very gently to mix. Be careful not to break up the orange segments. Taste and correct the sweetness if necessary with a few more drops of lemon juice. Add the marigold leaves and myrtle berries to the bowl, mixing them in gently. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

 

To serve, divide the orange mixture and its juices between 4 shallow bowls. Place 1 dessertspoon of granita on top of the fruit and finally sprinkle on the marigold petals.

Serve immediately.

 

Lemon Verbena Granita

This is a master recipe in that the leaf of choice, lemon verbena in this case, can be successfully replaced by others. The first time I made this recipe, I used blackcurrant leaves as in the leaves from a blackcurrant bush. For a few weeks in May, the leaves are highly scented and you end up with an ice that is pure white in colour, but tasting intensely of blackcurrants. Fabulous. Interestingly, the leaves of redcurrant or white currant bushes are not scented at all and not suitable for this recipe. If you have currant bushes in your garden, and as they will not be in fruit when you are making this recipe, in which case you may not be able to remember which bush is which, just pick a leaf off each bush, rub it between your fingers to release its aroma, and if it smells intensely of currant, then that’s it. Many other leaves such as spearmint, lemon balm and rose or lemon scented geranium all work brilliantly.  Elderflowers, though not a leaf but with a heady muscat flavoured scent, also work really well. As this is a granita we are expecting a slightly coarse, flaky and icy texture, so forget about your ice cream scoop here and just spoon it into pretty serving dishes. You will not need an ice cream machine here, though if you have one and freeze the mixture in the machine, it will then be a sorbet. The recipe is simple but watch out for the subtleties involved, such as using cold water with the sugar when cooking the leaves to draw out their flavour and allowing the syrup to cool completely before adding the lemon juice. The granita will keep for several weeks in the freezer but is considerably better when eaten as soon as possible after it has been frozen.

This granita of lemon verbena is good on its own but is even better when served with a splash of a dry sparkling wine. Serve as a light and refreshing dessert or as an equally light and refreshing starter on a scorching Summer’s day.

 

Briefly explained

Make a syrup with the leaves, sugar and cold water.

Cool the syrup.

Add the lemon juice, mix, strain out the leaves and freeze.

 

The ingredients

• Lemon verbena, a wonderful citrus scented herb is used to flavour many sweet dishes such as mousses, creams and ices. The sharp pointy leaves are intensely lemony and make an utterly refreshing ice.

 

Serves 6-8

3 handfuls of lemon verbena leaves

225g (8oz/1 cup) granulated sugar

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) cold water

3 lemons

 

Place the leaves, sugar and cold water in a saucepan. Place over a moderate heat. Stir occasionally to encourage the sugar to dissolve and bring it to a simmer. Allow it to simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until it is completely cold. You will end up with a pale green syrup. Juice the lemons and add to the syrup and right before your eyes you will see the green tinge leaving your syrup. Strain out the leaves through a sieve and I usually press on the leaves to extract as much flavour as I can. Place the strained syrup in a wide container and freeze until set. Remove from the freezer and break up the ice with a fork. It will look like a slushy mess. Refreeze and repeat the process twice more, three times if you can bear it, and eventually you will end up with the distinctive shard like consistency of a granita. Refreeze covered until you are ready to serve it. I serve it in coloured glasses or glass bowls, with a single relevant leaf to decorate and a splash of chilled sparkling wine

As 2015 comes hurtling to a close, I thought it might be fun and interesting to have a look at food and drink trends for 2016.

1. Sales of processed and junk food appear to have peaked (2005) and continue to slide. A recent New York Times article analysing future trends reported a seismic shift in our culture away from processed food towards whole,  real, fresh foods Consumer demands for natural and less processed food and drink are already forcing companies to remove artificial ingredients from their products and to replace them with more natural formulations.

McDonald’s in the US responding to consumer pressure now  plan use eggs sourced  from cage-free hens and antibiotic free chicken.

Joanna Blythman’s book Swallow This – Serving up the Food Industry’s Darkest Secrets has been hugely influential in informing the general public about what happens behind closed doors in food processing.

Clean labels, climate change, concerns about waste and other natural phenomenon are also affecting the worldwide food supply.

2. Sustainability is now a necessity for the bottom line and the common good.
3. The growing emphasis on physical fitness and diet has spawned a whole new craze and market for ‘clean foods’, energy and sports drinks, vegetable juices, raw foods and food that supposedly make us ‘glow’ with good health. The Spiralizer (a gadget to make spaghetti from vegetables) and the Nutribullet are still selling like ‘hot cakes’ as the juice craze continues to endure.
4. As food allergies and intolerances become more widespread (a symptom of how our food is produced to provide max yield at minimum cost) desperation grows, to find alternatives – non-dairy, non gluten and ‘free-from’ foods continue to gain more shelf space. Looks like ‘alternative’s’ could be set to become main stream.

Do you have any allergies?  is a standard question in restaurants. There are now 14 allergens that restaurants need to be aware of.

5. The growing distrust of large multinational corporations has given a boost to the artisan food and drink sector. This situation doesn’t appear to be going to change anytime soon. There’s a craving for real, honest, handmade,  homemade……

The FSAI and Taste Council of Ireland added gravitas in May 2015 when they published guidelines for the Use of Food Marketing Terms. There also seems to be a growing realization that the quality of food and indeed drink from small production systems is generally quite different to that of large intensive enterprises. Hopefully this will prompt a growing appreciation of the quality produce from the family farms of Ireland.

6. Our shopping habits are gradually changing – little, often, local….

On line shopping, apps that simplify online and mobile ordering and delivery services are beginning to have a real impact.  Restaurateurs in the US and the UK are nervously watching the E-revolution and the trend of ‘home delivery’ and services like Munchery, who deliver restaurant quality  food from a production kitchen to your door cutting out restaurants altogether.

7. ‘Fine Dining is over’, sounds a bit dramatic but our eating habits have changed dramatically during the last decade. Casual restaurants and cafes offering fresh, seasonal, edgy food are’ jammers’ while many of the ‘starred’ establishments are finding it more difficult to fill. Small and shared plates are becoming a preferred way to eat.
8. Food has shot to the top of the agenda in so many areas, TV food programmes like The Great British Bake Off and competitions like Masterchef are super popular ….Food supplements are guaranteed to boost newspaper  and magazine sales .. …….
9. The rise of a ‘food centric media’ has apparently sparked a new interest in cooking. The number of food blogs has skyrocketed. For young people, its ‘cool to cook’ at home and share your creations via social media – it must be ‘good enough to tweet’.
10. A whole range of small food business have proliferated, cupcakes to spice mixes, macaroons and cake pops to falafel, mozzarella to charcuterie…

Food carts and food trucks have enabled many passionate young people to get started in the food business.

11. Vegetables are at last beginning to move to the centre of the plate. The interest in ‘natural’ has boosted sales of ancient grains and super foods. There growing suspicion of tricky chemical concoctions has prompted a revival of interest in traditional and indigenous diets, ‘historical’ ingredients and food processing the ‘natural and old fashioned way’.
12. Meanwhile, scientists have made huge strides in mapping our DNA and so we will see diets designed specifically for our personal genetic makeup in the not too distant future.
13. Soylent, a meal replacement beverage, described as a ‘staple meal’, is now in production. My heart sinks at the thought of that being the future of food but obviously many investors have high hopes for this becoming a reality.
14. Fat is shedding its ‘demonic image’ as the public gradually becomes aware of the lack of any research to link fat to cardio vascular disease. So we now see that butter is back and not just duck or goose fat but dripping and lard are also having their ‘moment’. And surprise, surprise we’ve rediscovered, not just how delicious but also how properly nutritious they are. Well done, to butcher Pat Whelan from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, for leading the revival of interest in dripping of which both my own mother and mother in law Myrtle Allen were always great proponents.
15. Sugar is the new fat, although it takes time to change ingrained habits the impact is already being acutely felt.

Sales of soft drinks and juices are plummeting and food manufactures are reducing sugar in their products or using alternative substitutes.

Foods

1. Broths, particularly home broths are huge.
2. Sales of almond milk have over taken from soya.
3. Coconut products of all kinds both food and cosmetics are vaporizing off the shelves.

The health benefits seem to be endless!

4. Sugar substitutes, xylitol, agave, date syrup, honey, maple syrup….Be cautious,  many of these may well be beneficial in their natural state but when highly processed……the jury is still out on whether they are better.
5. Sales of avocados have had a huge boost from the raw and ‘clean food’ craze and are widely used in both sweet and savoury recipes – careful seek out organic avocados if at all possible.
6. The popularity of kale still endures but cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts have made a remarkable come back, thanks to the ‘healthy eating ‘brigade. Chefs have shown us how versatile they are. Roasted, shredded, spiced, on pizzas,  in pilaffs….cauliflower rice is a terrific new discovery.
7. Who could have predicted that fermenting and pickling food would become the trendiest pastime in 2015? We now realize that the live probiotics in fermented and pickled food are enormously beneficial for our gut flora.
8. Homemade, home churned, housemade butter and natural sourdough breads are now a regular feature of top restaurant menus.

If you’d like to learn the simple secrets of how to make kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir….you might want to consider one of the Fermentation Courses at the Ballymaloe Cookery School – see the website www.cookingisfun.ie – we’ve been running them since 2014.

9. Whether for dietary or for medicinal reasons, there is a marked increase in the number of people avoiding dairy and gluten. The dairy industry need to be acutely aware that we mess with the quality of our dairy products at our peril….

Watch the rise in micro dairies mirror other areas where the consumer wants to know exactly how their product is produced and where. ….

10. In-house Smoke Houses -smoking foods in restaurants and at home is a new party trick – everything from fish, meat, vegetables to chilli and even chocolate. See how to smoke in a biscuit box in Forgotten Skills, page 472, published by Kyle Books in 2009.
11. Cooking over fire….. Guess who’s coming to the Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine from May 20^th-22^nd 2016 – Francis Mallmann. Tickets go on sale on January 12^th 2016 at midday, tel 021 4645777 or litfest.ie
12. Seaweed in everything, from beer to icecream.
13. Raw fish – ceviche and tartare are becoming main stream. Bottarga and cured mullet roe are also gaining popularity.
14. Heirloom varieties and rare breeds continue to gather momentum

15. Single estate chocolate, coffee and teas are garnering ever more devotees

Movements

1. Butchering classes everywhere seem to be oversubscribed, ‘Lad culture’ grows, shooting, plucking, gutting, skinning, even the girls are at it – rediscovering and relearning the valuable traditional skills

2. Growing – the urban farming and gardening movement is an astonishing worldwide phenomenon, people are growing on roofs, up walls, down walls on window sills, in disused ‘parking lots’. Allotments are oversubscribed, check out Grow Food not Lawns foodnotlawns.com
3. A myriad of miracle diets as desperation grows, vegan, paleo…volumetrics, iets…The popularity of the Meat Free Monday Movement has astounded many.
4. Wild and Foraged foods is an enduring trend and using pebbles, seaweed, spruce shells …to serve food in as natural an environment as possible.

As people gradually discover that campylobacter and salmonella is a given on intensely produced poultry, there is a dawning realization that we may now need to go back to the days when chicken was a rare treat but are we prepared to pay the €20-€25 euros it really costs to produce an excellent organic free range bird.

There’s a lot more but enough ‘food for thought’ for today.

Happy New Year to you and yours and Happy Cooking in 2016

Drinks

1. The natural wine movement is gradually sparking public interest fuelled by the alarming number of people who cannot drink cheap wine any longer without ill effects. We’re not just talking ‘hang over’. ….A growing number of top restaurants are selling only organic, bio dynamic and natural wines. Watch this space……
2. House made sodas and homemade lemonades.
3. Water kefir, kombucha and a variety of fermented drinks are making an appearance on supermarket shelves as their benefits for our gut flora are more widely understood.
4. Sales of procesco and cava have outstripped champagne by more than 7/1/.
5. Cocktails and mocktails have become even more exciting and creative.
6. The growth in the craft beer, artisan distillers has seriously impacted on the multinational companies as the craving for brews and spirits of character grow

Olia Hercules Armenian Pickles

My Aunt Nina’s grandmother, Liza from Karabakh, used to make this using mountain spring water, and the taste of those pickles was incomparable. Beetroot is often added to Armenian pickles for colour, which is similar to how it is made in the Middle East. These pickles are delicious and we eat them in the summer and in winter. You can buy horseradish leaves and dill stalks in bunches from Polish delis specially for pickling, but if you can’t find them or the blackcurrant and cherry leaves, just substitute with some spices or aromatics that you like (celery would be great) or simply leave them out.

Makes a 3 litre

(5¼  pint) jar

2 beetroots, peeled and sliced into discs

½ small white cabbage, sliced into wedges

200g (7oz) mixed runner beans or French beans, tailed

4 spring onions

1 head of new garlic, left whole, outer layer peeled

50g (2oz) dill heads or stalks

2 horseradish leaves, or 50g (2oz) fresh horseradish, chopped

2 blackcurrant leaves

2 sour cherry leaves

1 litre (1¾ pints) water

3 tablespoons sea salt flakes

10 black peppercorns

 

Place the beetroot at the bottom of a warm, sterilized 2 litre (3½  pint) preserving jar, then top with the cabbage wedges, beans, spring onions, garlic and all the aromatics, apart from the peppercorns.

Bring the water, salt and peppercorns to the boil in a saucepan, then pour over the vegetables. Make sure everything is submerged, then seal and leave in a warm part of your kitchen (25°C/77°F) for about

3 days to pickle, then store in the refrigerator. The beetroot will gradually turn everything a deep pink. It should keep unopened for several months.

From Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine & beyond by Olia Hercules, Photography by Kris Kirkham, published by Mitchell Beazley

Honey Cake

This is for honey lovers who are not scared of weird cake making methods. You can use a good-quality crème fraîche to make the icing, but what you are looking for here is a beautiful balance between slightly sour and honeycomb sweet.

 

Serves 8–10

200g (7oz) butter, cubed and chilled, plus extra for greasing

2 egg s, lightly beaten

200g (7oz) golden caster sugar

200ml (7fl oz) clear honey

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

300g (10oz) plain flour

150–200g (5–7oz) pecans, half left whole, the rest toasted and roughly crushed

 

Cream

500ml (7fl oz) soured cream

100g (3½ oz) golden caster sugar

grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, and lightly butter 4 x 24cm (9½  inch) cake tins (or use 2 in batches).

Mix the eggs, butter, sugar and honey together in a large heatproof bowl and place it over a small saucepan of simmering water. Give it a stir, to help the butter to melt, then whisk with an electric whisk until the mixture becomes warm and fluffy. Let it cool.

Place the bicarbonate of soda in a cup and pour the vinegar over the soda, then tip the foaming mixture into the honey mixture and give it a vigorous stir.

Gradually fold in the flour to form a thick but fluid batter. Spoon one-quarter of the mixture into each prepared cake tin and bake for 15 minutes or until deep golden. The sponges will still be soft while warm, so let them cool before taking them out of their tins.

For the cream, put the soured cream into a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk. Add the sugar and whisk some more, then add the lemon zest and juice and whisk again until the cream is fluffy. Use

half the cream to sandwich the 4 sponge layers together, then use the remaining cream to cover the top and sides.

Decorate the sides with the crushed nuts. Use the pecan halves to decorate the top of the cake. Alternatively, crush all the nuts and sprinkle them evenly all over.

From Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine & beyond by Olia Hercules, Photography by Kris Kirkham, published by Mitchell Beazley

 

Anna Jones’ Three Vibrant Dips

These are three quick and easy dips that I keep in my fridge on rotation. They are great for boosting quick meals and for quickly slathering on sandwiches. But more than anything, these are what I snack on. I dip cracker or a carrot into whichever of these happens to be in the fridge. With these in my kitchen my 4pm raid of the biscuit tin is often avoided.

 

Red Lentil and Lemon Hummus

 

2 cloves of garlic

200 g red lentils, rinsed

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons tahini

A good pinch of dried chilli

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

To serve

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Chopped herbs or cresses (I use baby amaranth)

 

Bash the garlic and put into a small pan with the rinsed lentils. Cover with cold water and cook the lentils until tender and mashable, then drain and remove the skins of the garlic. Blitz the lot until whipped and smooth, add all the other ingredients and blitz again. Top with toasted seeds and the herbs.

 

Beetroot, Walnut and Date

1 x 250 g packet of cooked vacuum-packed beetroot

4 dates

2 tablespoons regular or coconut yoghurt

Small bunch of fresh dill

2 unwaxed lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

Handful of toasted walnuts

 

Blitz the beetroots, dates, yoghurt and half the bunch of dill with the zest and juice of the lemon and the oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Throw in the toasted walnuts and blitz again, keeping a bit of texture if you like; I like mine smooth.

 

Indian Green Dip

200g frozen peas

a small bunch of fresh coriander

a small bunch of fresh mint

1–2 green chillies

2 unwaxed limes

20g from a block of coconut cream

 

Fill and boil a kettle and get your ingredients together. Cover the peas with boiling water and put aside for a few minutes. Finely chop the coriander and mint and put

into a bowl. Finely chop the green chillies, zest of both limes, and add both to the bowl, along with the juice of one of the limes.  Season well with salt and pepper.

Drain the peas and mash well, then add them to the herbs. Grate over the coconut cream and mix well.

From A Modern Way to Cook by Anna Jones

 

Anna Jones’ Kale, Sumac and Crispy Rice Salad

This is an amazing salad based on one I ate at an incredible neighbourhood café in LA. Sqirl is one of those places where you want every single thing on the menu, right down to the drinks. On my last trip to LA I ate there five times. For someone who doesn’t like routine that’s pretty solid. This is a play on what was my favourite thing on the menu. It has inspired favours with sumac and lime, and textures with kale and crispy rice. I am going to ask you to cook your rice three times here, which may seem crazy, but it’ll create perfect little pops of crunch against the rest of the salad. This is a great way to use up leftover rice too – just skip the first cooking stage. It’s also really good topped with a softly poached egg or some feta and

flatbreads if you are hungry. Bear in mind that if you use brown rice it will take about 20 minutes to cook.

 

Serves 4 as a light meat, 2 as a main

100g basmati rice (I use brown)

a bunch of curly kale, green or purple (about 200g)

the zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

3 spring onions

2 tablespoons coconut oil

the zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime

1 tablespoon sumac (optional)

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 teaspoon runny honey

6 medjool dates

 

Fill and boil a kettle and get all your ingredients and a large frying pan together. Cook the rice in a small saucepan of boiling salted water until cooked – this will take 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pull the kale from its stems and shred the leaves with a knife or tear into small pieces with your hands. Put the leaves into a bowl, then add the zest and juice of the lemon and a good pinch of salt and scrunch it in your hands for a minute to break it down a little. Chop the spring onions finely and add them to the bowl. Once the rice is cooked, drain it well. Put a large frying pan on the heat and when it’s hot, add the rice with no oil and dry-fry for a couple of minutes to get rid of any moisture.

Remove the rice from the pan, then put the pan back on the heat, add half the coconut oil at a time and fry the rice in two batches until starting to turn lightly brown and really crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.

Now make your dressing. Put the zest and juice of the lime into

a screw top jar with the sumac, if using, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put on the lid and shake to combine. De-stone and roughly chop the dates and add to the kale. Once the rice is almost cool, add it to the kale and toss in the dressing.

 

From Anna Jones’ a modern way to cook

 

Anna Jones’ Bay and Saffron-Roasted Cauliflower

Something magical happens to a cauliflower when you roast it. I usually turn to Indian spices when I think of cauliflower, but one bright May Day I turned to the sunshine warmth of saffron. My bay tree was in full bloom and so this mellow but cheerfully favoured vegetable found its way into my oven. I throw in a handful of golden raisins for some sweetness and some almonds for crunch. Leftovers are delicious stirred through pasta with a little extra olive oil – conchiglie (shells) work well. I love the sight of a cauliflower – it’s a pretty vegetable to me, with its milky curds wrapped in pale leaves and the tiny little green leaves that cling to the sides in an act of complete protection. Keep those little leaves on – they are bright and tasty and look so pretty. If you can get your hands on a coloured cauliflower (vivid purple and orange are my favourites), then you’ve got added antioxidants too and your dinner will be fluoro. I make this with spiky Romanesco, too, when it’s about – its pale green looks amazing against the saffron.

Serves 4

 

2 pinches of saffron strands

1 large or 2 small cauliflowers (approx. 1kg), leaves clicked off, head broken into medium florets, stalk roughly chopped

2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced

1 tablespoon Turkish chilli flakes or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes

3 bay leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A handful of raisins, (I use golden ones)

A handful of almonds, roughly chopped

a bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

 

Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°F/gas 6.

Put the saffron into a little bowl, cover it with a couple of teaspoons of boiling water and leave it to steep. Get a large deep baking tray, throw in the cauliflower, onions, chilli flakes and bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.

Once the saffron has steeped, pour in the saffron strands and their liquid, add the raisins and almonds, toss everything together, then cover the lot with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, until the tips are burnished and the cauliflower is tender to the bite.

Toss through the chopped parsley and serve.

There’s always a big flurry of new cookbooks published in time for the Christmas pressie market. You may already have one or two but if perchance you still have a couple of spare gift tokens hanging around, swing by your local bookshop they may have some special after Christmas offers. Here are a few of my favourite 2015 titles.

Several exciting new voices are emerging on the food scene. Anna Jones first book  A Modern Way to Eat published in 2014, really piqued my curiosity. The sequel A Modern Way to Cook is one of my stand out books of the year.

Olia Hercules, another hot new talent, who brings us a taste of  little known East European food . In her new book Mamushka, she casts a spotlight on the food of her native Ukraine and neighbouring countries whetting our appetites with her evocative prose, charming reminisces and super delicious recipes. She completed a diploma in Leith’s in London, did a spell in Italy and an inspirational stint with Yotam and Sami at Ottlenghi in London. Then it was home to record her mum and grandma’s recipes……she followed them round the kitchen with a scales and measuring spoons in an effort to accurately record their pinches,  handfuls and glugs of this and that. I loved this fascinating and enchanting book.

Sabrina Ghayour, a self-taught chef is yet another beauty. Her debut cookbook Persiana has become an instant classic. She was named by the Observer Food magazine as one of the Rising Stars of 2014 and the Evening Standard named her as one of the 1,000 most influential people in London. Sabrina focuses on Persian and Middle Eastern Cooking.  Page after page of tempting, fresh tasting recipes that made me want to dash into the kitchen and roll up my sleeves. If you haven’t already discovered Sabrina, she’s another one to watch and her book Persiana is definitely worth parting with one of your precious gift tokens for.

I love anything Nigel Slater writes and his latest A Year of Good Eating Kitchen Diaries iii doesn’t disappoint. I also loved Sally Clarke’s 30 Ingredients. She’s a beautiful cook – recipes for the sort of food we really enjoy.  Alice Waters’ new book, My Pantry which she wrote with her daughter Fanny Singer is a sweet collection of essays and recipes. A charming little book where they share the simple building blocks that they use to create comforting impromptu meals all year round.

Tartine, Techniques and Recipes by Cortney Burns and Nicolaus Balla is another of my books of the year. Bread baking buffs will already have Tartine, Tartine Bread amd Tartine No. 3, but this book is quite different. Here Cortney and Nicolaus focus on fermented and pickled foods and share the secrets of the experimental journey they’ve been on for over a decade. Last time I was in San Francisco, they took me through the kitchen and pantry where they’re were all manner of things bubbling in barrels and jars in every corner. They were breathless with excitement about their discoveries and the book they were writing and now they have accepted our invitation to join us for the Kerrygold Litfest this year from May 20^th -22^nd 2016. www.litfest.ie

According to Tom Tivnan – features editor of trade magazine The Bookseller, the biggest trend so far this year are so called ‘clean eating cookbooks’. Cookbook sales are up this year by 10% plus. An astonishing 13,000 cookbooks were published world of which 1,800 were aimed at the so called ‘healthy eating brigade’. 8/10 books sold in 2015 was aimed at this market.

Ella Woodward’s Deliciously Ella has been the runaway success of the year.

On the Irish publishing scene, there have been several ‘stand out’ books this year. Rachel Allen’s new book Coast to accompany her coastal cooking series has tremendous  appeal as has the long awaited Cooking at the Ballymore Inn  by Georgina O Sullivan. Simple and delicious recipes loved by devotees of Barry and Georgina’s Inn in Ballymore Eustace in Co Kildare.

The K Club Cookbook from producer to plate is an elaborate production,  a handsome hard back which would make a super present for a keen ambitious cook. Donal Skehan’s star continues to rise. His  newest book Fresh has also been warmly received. Last but not least, a book closely connected to rural life, the Irish Country Women’s Association Book of Home and Family, has been a tremendous success.  If you haven’t already got a copy, seek it out for its selection of time honoured favourites.

Georgina O’ Sullivan’s Penang Beef with Fresh Green Chutney

Make this a day or two ahead and the flavours will settle and improve, and it can be kept in the fridge. The tamarind adds a slightly sweet-sour flavour to curries. It’s sold two ways, in blocks of pulp which needs to be mixed with warm water and strained to remove the hard black seeds, or in jars as a concentrated paste.

 

Serves 8-10 /1 hour preparation and 1½ hours to cook /a little effort

 

2-3 tablespoons oil

2-3 large onions, finely chopped

3kg shoulder/chuck Irish beef, well- trimmed, cut into finger size strips

 

Spice Paste

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon lemongrass, chopped

3 red chillies, chopped

rind & juice of 2 limes

2 teaspoons sugar

100ml tamarind liquid

half can anchovies

 

Spices

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon turmeric

 

100g peanuts, roasted & chopped

2 x 400g cans coconut milk

1 X 400g can chopped tomatoes

salt & black pepper

 

Fresh Green Chutney

250ml Greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons mint

2 tablespoons coriander

2 green chillies, chopped

salt

 

Start with the onions: in a large pan heat a tablespoon of the oil and brown the onions really well. If they are browning too quickly, add a splash of water and continue cooking (you don’t need more oil). When the onions are browned, transfer to a large deep casserole.

Sauté the beef in the same pan with the remaining oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Transfer the beef as it browns to the onions in the casserole dish.

Next blend the spice paste: place all the ingredients in a processor and whiz for a minute. Remove and add to the beef and onions. Then, in a small pan, roast the coriander and cumin seeds, grind in a coffee/spice grinder and add to the casserole with the turmeric, peanuts, coconut milk, tomatoes and seasoning, cover and cook gently for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the beef is tender. Taste for seasoning: you want a good balance of flavours – hot, sour, sweet and salty – garnish with chopped fresh coriander, extra red chilli and peanuts.

To serve: this curry goes well with basmati rice or flatbread  and it goes especially well with fresh green chutney (see overleaf for recipe).

 

To make the chutney place the yogurt in a bowl. Put the herbs, chillies and salt in the processor with 1 tablespoon of the yogurt. Whiz to a paste, then stir the mixture through the remaining yogurt in the bowl and taste for seasoning.

 

 

Georgina O’ Sullivan’s Cumin Spiced Chicken

When cooking this dish, the size of pan is hugely important: if it’s too large, the cooking liquid will evaporate and you’ll have very little sauce at the end of cooking time. If it’s too small, then the flavours won’t have room to mingle. Ideally, the pan should hold all the ingredients comfortably. Over time it is good to build up a variety of different sized pans; sauté pans with lids that are flameproof are the most useful.

 

Serves 4

30 minutes plus cooking time/easy

                                     

1 large Irish free-range Irish chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil

3-4 red chillies, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon flour

salt & black pepper

450ml stock or water

 

Start by cutting the chicken into 8 pieces. If you have the time, use the wing tips and backbone to make some stock. Set the oven to Gas 4/180˚C/350°F. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of the oil, add the chillies and garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, set aside. Grind the cumin seeds in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, then take half the cumin and add to the flour in a bowl with the seasoning and mix well. Add the chilli and garlic mixture to the remaining cumin in the mortar and pestle and mix to a paste.

Next coat the chicken pieces in the cumin-seasoned flour, heat the remaining oil in a large pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Add the spice paste and stock, mix well, cover the pan and cook in the oven for 40 minutes, until fully cooked: digital probe 75ËšC. Check the seasoning and serve the chicken with rice, alongside a bowl of mixed salad leaves.

 

Sally Clarke’s Spiced Pumpkin, Tomato and Chickpea Stew

 

Although this is a rustic dish, and should therefore look a little ‘homely’ when presented, it is advisable to take care when slicing the vegetables, so that the individual ingredients look uniform in shape and size.

 

2 kg pumpkin or squash, blue hubbard, crown prince, onion squash or similar

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½tsp yellow or black mustard seeds

4 cardamom pods

100ml vegetable or light olive oil

2 cloves garlic crushed to a cream

1 small green or red chilli, finely chopped (with seeds if extra heat is preferred)

1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 sticks celery, finely sliced on the angle

1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

1 tsp salt

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

½ bunch coriander, washed, leaves kept whole and stalks finely chopped

4 large tomatoes

350 g cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)

Large handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

 

 

Wash the pumpkin or squash and cut into large wedges. Remove the tough outer skin and the hard seeds. Cut into pieces the size of a walnut.

In a small pan gently heat all the spices together for a few minutes or until they are fragrant. Do not allow them to burn. Remove the husks of the cardamom and add the seeds to the remaining spices. Crush them together in a pestle and mortar or grind in a spice grinder.

Heat the oil and spices together in a large, heavy-based pan with the garlic and chilli, over a medium heat, stirring continuously to avoid burning.

When the oil starts to become aromatic (approximately 1 –2 min – utes), add the pumpkin, onion, celery and fennel, stir well, coating everything in the infused oil. Add salt and cook together for a few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the stock and the chopped coriander stalks and cover with a lid. Simmer for up to 20 minutes or until the vegetables have become tender throughout.

 

Meanwhile blanch the tomatoes for a few seconds in a pan of boiling water. Remove to a bowl of iced water, then peel.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the stew with the chickpeas and continue to simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.

Taste for seasoning and add the parsley and coriander leaves before serving alongside steamed rice, crushed potatoes, baked polenta or just by itself as a robust soup.

 

 

Sally Clarke’s Campari, Clementine and Vanilla Sorbet with Clementine Zest Madelines

 

 

For the sorbet

100ml water

200 g caster sugar

½ vanilla pod, split lengthwise

600ml freshly squeezed clementine juice (15 –20 clementines)

150ml Campari

 

For the madeleines

Zest of 3 clementines

2 eggs

110 g caster sugar

110 g flour, plus extra for preparing the tin

90 g melted butter, plus extra for preparing the tin

 

To make the sorbet. Bring the water, sugar and vanilla pod to the boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes or until some of the vanilla seeds have been released. When cool, scrape a few more seeds into the syrup, rinse the pod and keep for another use. Add the clementine juice to the syrup and then the Campari. Stir well and pour into an ice cream machine and churn following the manufactuer’s instructions. Just before it is firm, scoop into a freezer container and freeze for up to 1 week, although this sorbet will be best served within a few hours. Serve with a warm madeleine on the side.

 

To make the Madelines

Clementines are not as easy as oranges to zest – as they are softer and smaller – it is tricky to get any ‘purchase’ on the fruit whilst grating the rind. The important part is not to collect any pith as you grate, so slowly and gently does it. Lightly whisk the eggs and sugar with the clementine zest until very frothy. Using the whisk, fold in the sieved flour and then the cooled butter. Leave to rest for up to 30 minutes, covered in a cool place.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350°F/gas mark 4. Brush the madeleine moulds generously with soft butter, sprinkle with flour and knock out the excess. This will ensure that the little cakes, once cooked, fall out of the moulds with ease. With a dessert spoon or large teaspoon, scoop the filling into the moulds, almost to the rims. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden. Leave to cool for a few minutes then tap them out of the tin and serve as soon as possible

 

Bar Tartine’s Overgrown Garden Pickles

Turn to this recipe in late summer when your garden goes into overdrive or when there is a deal on the ugly but delicious vegetables at the farmers’ market. It’s a simple technique that can be used for almost any vegetable, resulting in a glut of pickles to enjoy well into the winter months.

 

Makes 11.5 litres

Enough whole vegetables such as cucumbers, (flower ends removed), summer squash, onions, carrots, beets, green tomatoes, green beans to fill an 11.5 litre container

280 g (2 cups) kosher salt

7.5 litres (14 pints/8 quart) water

8 garlic cloves

4 shallots, peeled

5 serrano or jalapeno chillies, or any hot chillies from the garden, stemmed

2 bunches of fresh dill

Fresh herb sprigs such as basil, tarragon, parsley or marjoram for garnish

Fennel oil or extra virgin olive oil for garnish

 

Put all of the vegetables in an 11.5 litre non-reactive container. In a separate non-reactive container, dissolve the salt in the water to make a brine. Transfer about 480 ml (18 fl oz/2 cups) of the brine to a blender; add the garlic, shallots and chillies; process on high speed, pour the puree into the remaining salt brine and stir to mix well. Add the dill bunches to the vegetables, then pour the brine over them. Top the vegetables with a weight to keep them submerged in the brine. Seal the container, using a lid with an airlock, if you have one. If you have sealed it without an airlock, open the container every few days or so to release carbon dioxide build up and check for mould. Place in a clean, well-protected low light area with an ambient temperature  16-20C/60-68F until the pickles taste sour, about 1 month. Refrigerate for up to a year.

To serve – slice the pickles into bit size pieces and return them to the brine. Refrigerate until serving, for up to one year. We like to garnish these pickles with torn garden herbs and fennel oil.

Last week I was asked a seemingly simple question by a food writer – ‘which do you love most – Christmas dinner or the leftovers’, well now, doesn’t that set you thinking…..

Even when you are super organised, Christmas dinner is still quite a mission, but whipping up some recycled leftovers is a more chilled affair entirely. I love the improvisation and creative challenge of incorporating dollops of this and that into something entirely different. Think Asian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern and Mexican as well as traditional favourites.

So let’s think what you might have left over apart from the usual morsels of turkey, ham or goose, maybe plum pudding, stale bread, cranberries, sprouts….

Several of these, eg cranberries can be frozen for another time and the sauce itself (see last week’s recipe) is good for months. Mincemeat has a long shelf life, a year at least and can gradually be used when the fancy takes you. It makes delicious Eccles cakes and Pear, Frangipane and Mincemeat tart, all very morish when served warm. Add a teaspoon of mincemeat to a basic muffin recipe and serve them warm with left over brandy or rum butter, no need to apolgise for that, in fact there could well be a ‘scrap’ to get the last morsel.

Fresh or frozen cranberries can also be added to muffins or a cranberry loaf popped into ice cubes with a fresh mint leaf to enhance Christmas lemonades and sodas. They are also super delicious added to pear compote. Apple and cranberry chutney goes deliciously with pork or some cold duck or goose. Left over bread of all kinds can of course be frozen, made into breadcrumbs for gratins or pannagratto or as a basis for a bread and butter pudding.

We’ve also got delicious recipes for mincemeat and for a Cranberry and Raisin bread and butter pudding.

Brussel Sprouts keep well in a cold larder or a fridge but basically they are best when they are really fresh.  Do try them roasted or shredded into salads or quickly blanched and dressed as a last minute addition to risotto or a pilaff rice with lots of grated Parmesan or Coolea cheese and maybe a few crisp cubes of chorizo or Merquez sausage scattered over the top.

The remains of the ham is a bonus rather than a bother, apart from sandwiches and wraps, it can be eaked out in toasties, croque monsieur and eggs benedict. So here are some more recommendations to whet your appetite and empty out your fridge and pantry in a fun and delicious way

 

Hot Tips

Watch out for RTE’s Christmas cookery programmes.  My brother Rory O’ Connell and I have just shot two programmes, first of which will be shown on Tuesday December 22^nd 2015.

O’ Connell’s Restaurant in Donnybrook, Dublin have the iconic O’ Connell Sherry Trifle back this year. A perfect gift for trifle devotees.  Available in three sizes. The trifle comes in a glass bowl, topped with berries, gift wrapped and ready to serve. Tel: 01 269 6116 or http://oconnellsrestaurant.com

 

Eggs Benedict

 

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 (or 2 if very hungry)

 

Hollandaise Sauce (see recipe)

4 organic eggs

4 slices good sourdough bread or 2 English muffins or 2 bagels

butter

4 slices home-cooked ham or 8 rashers good bacon, cooked

 

First, make the Hollandaise sauce and keep it warm. Poach the eggs. Meanwhile, toast the bread, muffins or bagels. Slather a little butter on the hot bread and lay a slice of ham or freshly cooked crispy bacon 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 Delft or plastic bowl 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.

 

Serves 4–6

2 organic egg yolks

125g (5oz) butter, cut into dice

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

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.

 

Oaxacan Turkey Soup with Accompaniments

We love this light broth with lots of tasty accompaniment to add in at the table.

 

Serves 6

 

1.8 litres (3 pints/7 1/2 cups) well-flavoured, well skimmed and well-seasoned turkey or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

225g (8ozs) shredded, cooked or raw turkey or chicken

 

Tasty Accompaniments

6 medium tomatoes, 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

2-3 ripe Hass avocados, 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

2 medium red onion, 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

3 green Serrano or Jalapeno chillies, thinly sliced

3 limes

3-4 corn tortillas

4-6 tablespoons (5- 7 1/2 American tablespoons) of coriander leaves or coarsely chopped

 

Put the turkey or chicken stock into a wide saucepan, bring to the boil.  Taste and season, it should have a full rich flavour otherwise the soup with be bland and insipid.

Meanwhile cut each tortilla into 8 ‘chips’.  Heat oil in a deep-fry to 180C.  Cook a few at a time until crisp, drain on kitchen paper.

 

Just before serving.

Add the shredded turkey or chicken to the hot broth – I sometimes use scraps from the  carcass from the stockpot but it could be raw or cooked, either brown or white meat.  Cooked meat just needs to be reheated in the broth.  Raw white meat will take a few minutes to cook and brown meat a little longer.  Poach it gently so it doesn’t toughen.  Taste again and correct the seasoning.

Ladle into soup bowls.  Provide each guest with a side plate with some diced avocado, tomato, red onions, sliced green chilli, coriander leaves, tortilla chips and a segment of fresh lime to add to their soup as they choose.

 

Pilaff Rice with Yummy Left Overs

 

Although a risotto can be made in 20 minutes it entails 20 minutes pretty constant stirring which makes it feel rather laboursome. A pilaff on the other hand looks after itself once the initial cooking is underway. The pilaff is versatile – serve it as a staple or add whatever tasty bits you have to hand. Beware however of using pilaff as a dustbin, all additions should be carefully seasoned and balanced. Here we add turkey and ham.

 

Serves 8

 

1 oz (30g/1/4 stick) butter

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) finely chopped onion or shallot

14 ozs (400g) long-grain rice (preferably Basmati)

32 fl ozs (975ml/4 cups) homemade turkey or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) freshly chopped herbs eg. parsley, thyme, chives: optional

8 ozs (200 g) cooked turkey, diced

8 ozs (200 g) cooked ham, diced

 

Melt the butter in a casserole, add the finely chopped onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and toss for a minute or two, just long enough for the grains to change colour. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the turkey or chicken stock, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum and then simmer on top of the stove or in the oven 160C/325F/regulo 3 for 10 minutes approx. By then the rice should be just cooked and all the water absorbed. Just before serving stir in the turkey, ham and fresh herbs. Bubble for a couple of minutes and pour into a large serving dish and serve hot with a good salad of winter leaves.

Note

Basmati rice cooks quite quickly; other types of rice may take up to 15 minutes.

 

Apple, Celery, Walnut and Turkey Salad

One of the few mixed salad combinations that works really well. The tart combination of apple and celery makes it an excellent counterbalance to rich meats such as duck or pork, and a perfect foil for leftover turkey, or it may be served as a first course on its own.

 

Serves 6

450-700g (1-1½lb) freshly cooked leftover turkey and shredded crispy skin

1/2 head of fresh crispy celery

225g (8oz) green dessert apples

225g (8oz) red dessert apples

2 tablespoons approx. lemon juice

1 level teaspoon castor sugar

5fl oz (150ml) homemade mayonnaise

2oz (50g) shelled fresh walnuts

 

Garnish

sprigs of watercress

freshly chopped parsley

 

Separate the celery, wash it and chop or julienne the stalks into 1 1/2 inch (4cm) lengths. Put them into a bowl of iced water for 15-30 minutes. Wash and core the apples, and cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) dice.

Make a dressing by mixing the freshly squeezed lemon juice, castor sugar and 1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) of mayonnaise.  Toss the diced apple in the dressing and let it stand while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients.

Chop the walnuts roughly. Add the celery and the walnuts to the diced apple with the turkey and the rest of the mayonnaise, and mix thoroughly. Taste and correct seasoning.

Garnish with sprigs of watercress and scatter some chopped parsley and the remainder of the chopped walnuts over the centre.

 

 

Apple, Celery, Walnut and Fig Salad

Add 4ozs (110g) sliced dried figs to the above recipe with the walnuts.

 

Apple, Celery, Walnut and Turkey or Chicken Salad

Add 2 cooked and sliced turkey or chicken breasts to the salad with the celery. Serve as a main cours

 

Croque-Monsieur

A croque-monsieur is the quintessential Parisian sandwich.   It’s really no more than a grilled ham sandwich topped with grated cheese, but it appears in many different guises.   Sometimes a croque-monsieur is topped with a thick Mornay sauce, or transformed into a croque-madame with the addition of an egg.

 

Makes 1

A dab of butter

2 thin square slices best quality white bread (pain de mie in France)

1 slice best quality ham, cut to fit bread

1oz (25g) Gruyère cheese, grated

 

Preheat the grill.

Butter the slices of bread on one side.  Place the slice of ham on one buttered side and cover with the other slice of bread.

Pop the sandwich under the grill and grill on one side until golden.   Remove, turn and cover the uncooked side with the grated cheese.   Return to the grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Eat immediately while hot – Bon appetit!

 

Russet Apple with Coolea Cheese, Brussel Sprouts, Hazelnuts and Apple Syrup

 

This light, simple and refreshing salad has a wonderful Autumn freshness.

Serves 4

2 large Russet of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples

4 Brussels sprouts

12 -16 hazelnuts, toasted and thinly sliced or chopped

4 radicchio leaves

4 tablespoons (5 American tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) freshly squeezed lemon juice

100g (3 1/2oz) Coolea cheese

4 teaspoons Highbank apple syrup

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Slice the apples and Brussels sprouts very thinly on a mandolin or by hand and place in a wide bowl. Add the hazelnuts and dress very gently with olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Cut the radicchio leaves into strips or pull into bite sized pieces and divide between 4 plates or a large flat serving dish.

 

Spread the apple, sprout and hazelnut mixture over the radicchio in a single layer.

Peel, thin slices off the cheese using a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer and lay over the salad.

 

Drizzle 1 teaspoon of apple syrup over each salad and finish with a pinch of sea salt and serve as soon as possible.

 

 

Pearl Couscous, Turkey and Dried Cranberry Salad

I’m loving pear cous cous – looks like little bobbles and can be used as a pilaff or as an accompaniment to a meal.

 

Serves 8

 

4 tablespoons (5 American tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

215g (7 1/2oz/1 cup) pearl couscous

450ml (2 cups) turkey, chicken or vegetable stock

150g (5oz/1 cups) dried cranberries

100g (3 1/2oz/3/4 cup) pine nuts toasted

50g (2oz/1 cup) spring onions, green and white parts thinly sliced at an angle

75g (3oz) approx. 1/2 red onion chopped and washed under cold water

zest of 1 organic lemon

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon to taste

3-4 tablespoons (4-5 American tablespoons) coriander sprigs

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb (450 g) cooked, diced brown and white turkey meat and some crispy skin

 

Heat 2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) of the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, add the couscous and stir for 3 or 4 minutes until coated and toasted.  Add the seasoned stock, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the coucous is al dente.  Drain, toss in the remaining 2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) olive oil and allow to cool.

 

When cold, add the dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts and chopped and sliced onions.  Add the turkey meat. Grate on the lemon zest over the top, squeeze on some freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Add the coriander leaves, toss, taste and pile into a bowl and serve.

 

 

Pear and Cranberry Compote  

Serves 6

 

6 Pears

225g (8oz) sugar

600ml (1 pint) water

A couple of strips of lemon peel and juice of ½ lemon

150 g (5 ozs/1 cup) of cranberries

 

Fresh mint leaves

Bring the sugar and water to the boil with the strips of lemon peel in a non-reactive saucepan.  Meanwhile, peel the pears thinly, cut in half and core carefully with a melon baller or teaspoon, keeping a good shape.  Put the pear halves into the syrup, cut side uppermost, add the lemon juice, cover with a paper lid and the lid of the saucepan.  Bring to the boil and simmer until the pears are just soft – the tip of a knife or skewer should go through without resistance. Add the cranberries, cook for 3-4 minutes or until they just burst. Turn into a serving bowl, chill and serve, on their own or with homemade vanilla ice-cream and fresh mint leaves if available.

 

Cranberry and Apple Jam

This is another dual-purpose jam that can be used as a sweet or savoury accompaniment. Delicious on scones or with curd cheese, cold turkey, ham, pork or venison.

 

Makes 7 x 450g (1lb) jars

1kg (2lb) Bramley’s Seedling cooking apples

1kg (2lb) cranberries

1.7kg (33⁄4lb) granulated sugar, warmed

 

Peel, core and chop the apples. Put the chopped apple into a wide, stainless-steel saucepan and add the cranberries and 300ml (1⁄2 pint) of water. Bring slowly to the boil and continue to cook over a medium heat until the apples and cranberries dissolve into a pulp. Add the warmed sugar and stir to dissolve. Increase the heat and cook until it reaches a set. Bottle in sterilised jars and cover while still hot. Store in a cool, dry place.

 

Mincemeat Cupcakes and Brandy Butter Cream

Makes 12

 

150g (5oz) soft butter

150g (5oz) caster sugar

150g (5oz) self-raising flour

2 large free-range eggs

2 tabespoons milk

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3-4 tablespoons of mincemeat

 

Brandy Butter

 

175g (6oz) butter, softened

150g (6oz) icing sugar

4 tablespoons brandy

 

Cream the butter, add the icing sugar, beat well.

Finally add the brandy.

1 cupcake tray lined with paper cases

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4

 

Put all the ingredients except milk and mincemeat into a food  processor, whizz until smooth 1-2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add milk and whizz again for a couple of seconds.  Fold in 3 tablespoons of mincemeat.

Divide evenly between the bun cases, put 1 tablespoon of mixture in each case.

Alternatively, put a half tablespoon of the cake mixture into each case, put about a half teaspoon of mincemeat on top and cover with another half tablespoon of the mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes approx.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.

 

Brandy Butter Cream

Cream the butter, add the icing sugar, beat well.

Finally add the brandy.

Pipe a rosette or blob of brandy butter cream on top and decorate with Christmas fancies.

It seems like most of our readers are total traditionalist because the requests have come flooding in for recipes for a time honoured Christmas dinner. Well here we are.

As well as the traditional roast turkey bolstered up with lots of our best loved fresh herb stuffing and all the trimmings, I’ve included a goose with our favourite potato stuffing, lots of gravy and tons of roast potatoes cooked in the goose fat – you’ll need to do twice the amount as they are so crunchy and irresistible. Slow cooked red cabbage will complement the goose deliciously but so too would a dish of cauliflower cheese or creamed celery – a bit 70s but so delicious.

Don’t forget to make a bowl of Bramley apple sauce – all of these vegetables, sauces, herb stuffings can be made ahead to lighten the pressure and work load on Christmas day. Brining the turkey also makes a phenomenal difference to the flavour, (see recipe).

Many families have a favourite starter. We love native Irish oysters as a starter on Christmas day. But I can well understand that they don’t tick everyone’s box.  So how about another timeless favourite,  Grape, Melon and Mint. It’s light and refreshing and loved by everyone from toddlers to aged great aunts.

A green salad is essential after a rich meal. It has the magic potential to make you feel less full so you have room for pudding.

Make it with organic leaves for extra deliciousness and a few foraged greens, a subject for lively conversation.

There’s lots of navelwort or pennywort, wintercress, wood sorrel and watercress in season at present, these little gems are available in the urban areas as well as the countryside.

Christmas Desserts are easy, hopefully you have already make a juicy plum pudding, but if you haven’t managed to get to it,  it’s still not too late to whip it up.  Alternatively, there are still some available – Peter Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, make some of the best one I know and people are also talking about Clare Nash’s puddings…..

We also love to have a trifle, this too actually benefits from being made ahead but wait until Christmas morning to add the final embellishment of cream, cherries, angelica, hundreds and thousands, silver and gold baubles.

A citrus fruit salad would also be an inspired idea, if not for Christmas day certainly on St Stephen’s Day or Boxing Day when despite you’re good intentions you’re probably be feeling a touch bloated.

Either way, have lots of clementines, mandarins, satsumas and walnuts in stock for nibbling.

Leftovers are my absolute favourite, so hopefully there will be some tasty morsels to provide, an opportunity to make some delicious dishes.

Don’t forget a make a turkey stock with the carcass and giblets, it makes the very best broth and basis for warming soups, sauces and stews. We love this turkey broth with orzo, pea and spring onion. There a ton of ways to use up morsels of turkey, ham and goose, that’s if there’s anything left in the carcass after the family have tucked into turkey sandwiches on Christmas evening.

Boxing Day pie is a winner but the mixture can be also be piled into popovers or pastry cases to make yummy bites.

The revised edition of A Simply Delicious Christmas, published by Gill and Macmillan to celebrate it’s 25^th anniversary is choc a bloc with traditional  and alternative recipes.

 

Hot Tips

Watch out for RTE’s Christmas cookery programme s.  My brother Rory O’ Connell  and I have just shot two programmes, first of will be shown on Tuesday December 22^nd 2015.

Glebe Gardens in Baltimore, West Cork have an enticing range of Christmas gift vouchers and hamper delights http://www.glebegardens.com/shop/, the website is worth a browse

Friday Night at The Granary Foodstore in Midleton 4^th, 11^th and 18^th December 2015. Casual and family friendly evening menu, the perfect venue for a relaxed bite to eat after the Christmas shopping.  The Granary also has a tempting array of Christmas cakes, Chocolate Biscuit Christmas Pudding, gluten free Christmas cakes and mince pies, hampers…….

Tel: 021 4613366 or email jack@thegranaryfoodstore.ie

 

Everyone around here is looking forward to the East Cork Christmas Market at Garryvoe Hotel on Sunday December 13^th from 11.30am-4.30pm.  Delicious Christmas treats, order your Christmas poultry, baking, handmade crafts for the Christmas stocking, face painting and fun for the children. Admission by voluntary donation with proceeds to Cancer Care Support

O’ Connell’s Restaurant in Donnybrook, Dublin have the iconic O’ Connell Sherry Trifle back this year. A perfect gift for trifle devotees.  Available in three sizes. The trifle comes in a glass bowl, topped with berries, gift wrapped and ready to serve. Tel: 01 269 6116 or http://oconnellsrestaurant.com

 

Old-fashioned Roast Turkey with Fresh Herb Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce and Bread Sauce

Serves 10-12

 

Brining the turkey ahead is so worthwhile. It adds immeasurably to the flavour, wrapping it in muslin means you don’t need to baste it during cooking. We are finding a turkey that has previously been brind is taking a little less time to cook.

This is my favourite roast stuffed turkey recipe. You may think the stuffing seems dull because it doesn’t include exotic-sounding ingredients like chestnuts and spiced sausage meat, but in fact it is moist and full of the flavour of fresh herbs and the turkey juices.  Cook a chicken in exactly the same way but use one-quarter of the stuffing quantity given.

 

(4.5-5.4kg) 1 x 10-12lb, free-range and organic, turkey with neck and giblets

 

Brine

6 litres (10 1/2 pints) water

600g (1 1/4lb) salt

 

Fresh Herb Stuffing

175g (6oz/3/4 stick) butter

350g (12oz) chopped onions

400-500g (14-16ozs) approx. soft breadcrumbs (check that the bread is non GM) (or approximately 1lb 4oz of gluten-free breadcrumbs)

50g (2oz) freshly chopped herbs eg. parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, savoury, lemon balm

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Stock

neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone and wingtips of turkey

2 sliced carrots

2 sliced onions

1 stick celery

Bouquet garni

3 or 4 peppercorns

 

For basting the turkey

225g (8ozs/2 sticks) butter

large square of muslin (optional)

Cranberry Sauce (see recipe)

Bread Sauce (see recipe)

 

Garnish

large sprigs of fresh parsley or watercress

 

Frist brine the turkey overnight, not essential but it makes for moist, tender and flavourful eat.

*Add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve.  Put the turkey crown into a clean stainless steel saucepan, plastic bucket or tin.   Cover with the brine and a lid and chill for 24 hours.  Drain and dry well.  This is of course optional, but it hugely enhances the flavour of the turkey.

Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the turkey, for ease of carving later. Make a turkey stock by covering with cold water the neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone, wingtips, vegetables and bouquet garni. (Keep the liver for smooth turkey liver pate).  Bring to the boil and simmer while the turkey is being prepared and cooked, 3 hours approx.

To make the fresh herb stuffing: Sweat the onions gently in the butter until soft, for 10 minutes approx., then stir in the crumbs, herbs and a little salt and pepper to taste.  Allow it to get quite cold.  If necessary wash and dry the cavity of the bird, then season and half-fill with cold stuffing.  Put the remainder of the stuffing into the crop at the neck end.

Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time. Allow 15 minutes approx. per lb and 15 minutes over. Melt the butter and soak a large piece of good quality muslin in the melted butter; cover the turkey completely with the muslin and roast in a preheated moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, for 2 3/4-3 1/4 hours.  There is no need to baste it because of the butter-soaked muslin.  The turkey browns beautifully, but if you like it even browner, remove the muslin 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.  Alternatively, smear the breast, legs and crop well with soft butter, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  If the turkey is not covered with butter-soaked muslin then it is a good idea to cover the whole dish with tin foil.  However, your turkey will then be semi-steamed, not roasted in the traditional sense of the word.

The turkey is cooked when the juices run clear.

To test, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices: they should be clear.  Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.   .

The turkey is done when the juices run clear. To test, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices, they should be clear. Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.

To make the gravy: Spoon off the surplus fat from the roasting pan. De-glaze the pan juices with fat free stock from the giblets and bones. Using a whisk, stir and scrape well to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the roasting pan. Boil it up well, season and thicken with a little roux if you like. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve in a hot gravy boat.

If possible, present the turkey on your largest serving dish, surrounded by crispy roast potatoes, and garnished with large sprigs of parsley or watercress and maybe a sprig of holly. Make sure no one eats the berries.

Serve with Cranberry Sauce and Bread Sauce

 

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce is also delicious served with roast turkey, game and some rough pâtés and terrines. We enjoy this simple Cranberry Sauce best.  It will keep in your fridge for several weeks.  It is also great with white chocolate mousse, as a filling for a meringue roulade.

Serves 6 approximately

 

175g (6oz) fresh or frozen cranberries

4 tablespoons (60 ml) water

75g (3oz) granulated sugar

 

Put the fresh cranberries in a heavy-based stainless steel or cast-iron saucepan with the water – don’t add the sugar yet as it tends to toughen the skins.  Bring them to the boil, cover and simmer until the cranberries pop and soften, about 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved.

Serve warm or cold.

 

Note: Fresh cranberries keep for weeks on end but also freeze perfectly.

Note:  It should be soft and juicy, add a little warm water if it has accidently over cooked.

 

Bread Sauce

I love Bread Sauce but if I hadn’t been reared on it I might never have tried it – the recipe sounds so dull!  Serve with roast chicken, turkey and guinea fowl.

 

Serves

 

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) whole milk

75-110g (3 – 4oz) soft white breadcrumbs

2 medium onions, each stuck with 6 cloves

35 – 50g (1 1/2 – 2oz) butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

75-110ml (3-4 fl oz/scant 1/2 cup – 1/2 cup) thick cream

2 good pinches of ground cloves or quatre epices

 

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

Bring to the boil in a small, deep saucepan all the ingredients except the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the onion and add the cream just before serving. Correct the seasoning and add a little more milk if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.

Note: The bread sauce will keep in the fridge for several days – the remainder can be reheated gently – you may need to use a little more milk.

Quatre Epices is a French spice product made of equal amounts of ground white pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.

 

Traditional Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing and Bramley Apple Sauce

 

Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing is almost my favourite winter meal.  However, a word of warning.  A goose looks enormous because it has a large carcass.  Many people have been caught out by imagining that it will serve more people than it does.  Allow 450g (1 lb) in cooked weight per person.  This stuffing is also delicious with duck but use one quarter of the quantity given below.

Serves 8-10

 

4.5g (1 x 10 lbs) approx. goose

 

Stock

Neck, giblets and wishbone of goose

1 sliced onion

1 sliced carrot

 

Bouquet Garni

a sprig of thyme

3 or 4 parsley stalks

a stick of celery

6 or 7 peppercorns

cold water to cover

 

Potato Stuffing

30g (1 oz/1/4 stick) butter

450g (1 lb/4 cups) chopped onions

450g (1 lb) cooking apples e.g. Brambley Seedling, peeled and chopped

1 fl oz (25ml/1/8 cup) fresh orange juice

900g (2 lbs) potatoes

1 teaspoon each thyme and lemon balm

3 teaspoons finely grated orange rind

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

To make the stuffing: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.  Add the onions, cover and sweat on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes; add the apples, herbs and orange juice.  Cook covered until the apples are soft and fluffy.  Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in their jackets until cooked, peel, mash and add to the fruit and onion mixture.  Add the orange rind and seasoning.  Allow it to get quite cold before stuffing the goose.

 

To prepare the goose: Gut the goose and singe off the pin feathers and down if necessary.  Remove the wishbone from the neck end.  Combine the stock ingredients in a saucepan, cover with cold water and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.  Season the cavity of the goose with salt and freshly ground pepper; rub a little salt into the skin also.  Stuff the goose loosely and roast for 2 hours approx. in a preheated moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/regulo 4.

Prick the thigh at the thickest part; the juices which run out should be clear.  If they are still pink, the goose needs a little longer.  When cooked, remove the goose to a serving dish and put it in a very low oven while you make the gravy.

To make the gravy: Spoon off the surplus fat from the roasting tin (save for sauteeing or roasting potatoes – it keeps for months in a fridge).  Add about 1 pint (600ml/2 1/2 cups) of the strained giblet stock to the roasting tin and bring to the boil.  Using a small whisk, scrape the tin well to dissolve the meaty deposits which are full of flavour.  Taste for seasoning and thicken with a little roux if you like a thickened gravy.  If the gravy is weak, boil it for a few minutes to concentrate the flavour; if it’s too strong, add a little water or stock.  Strain and serve in a hot gravy boat.

Carve the goose and serve the Bramley Apple Sauce and Gravy separately.

 

Rose Geranium and Bramley Apple Sauce

1lb (450g) cooking apples, (Brambley Seedling)

1-2 dessertsp. (2-4 American teasp) water

2oz (55g/â…“ cup) sugar approx. depending on tartness of the apples

2-4 rose geranium leaves

Peel, quarter and core the apples, cut pieces in two and put in a stainless steel or cast iron saucepan with the sugar, water and rose geranium leaves.  Cover and put over a low heat.  As soon as the apple has broken down, stir and taste for sweetness.  Serve warm with the duck, goose or roast pork.

 

Turkey, Orzo, Pea and Spring Onion Broth

This broth can be the basis of a flavoursome light soup to use up delicious morsels of cooked poultry.

Serves 6

 

1 litre (1 ¾ pints)well-flavoured turkey, chicken or pheasant stock

pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

50g (2oz) orzo pasta

2 tender stalks celery, finely sliced at an angle

150 – 175g (5 – 6 oz) shredded cooked turkey, chicken or pheasant

110g (4oz) frozen peas

4 – 6 spring onions, sliced at an angle

lots of fresh coriander and/or fresh mint

 

Bring the stock to the boil; add the orzo, celery and chilli flakes. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the pasta is just cooked, add the peas and shredded turkey. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, correct the seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with lots of spring onion and fresh coriander and/or mint.

 

St Stephen’s or Boxing Day Pie 

Try to keep some left-over turkey and ham for this delicious pie – it’s the most scrumptious way to use up left-overs and can be topped with fluffy mashed potatoes or a puff pastry lid.

Serves 12

 

900 g (2lbs) cooked organic or free-range turkey, white and brown meat and crispy skin

450 g (1lb) cooked ham or bacon

30 g (1oz) butter

1-2 teasp. grated fresh ginger (optional)

340 g (12oz) chopped onion

225 g (8oz) flat mushrooms or button if flats are not available

1 clove of garlic – crushed

900 ml (30 fl.oz) well flavoured turkey stock or 568ml (20 fl oz) stock and 300 ml/10 fl.oz) turkey gravy

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 teaspoons fresh marjoram or tarragon if available

150 ml (¼ pint) cream

450 g (1lb) puff or flaky pastry or 900g (2lb) Duchesse or mashed Potato

2 x 1.1 L/2 pint) capacity pie dishes with a lip.

 

Cut the turkey and ham into 1 inch (2.5 cm) approx. pieces and shred the crispy skin.  Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the chopped onions and ginger if using, cover and sweat for about 10 minutes until they are soft but not coloured.  Meanwhile wash and slice the mushrooms.  When the onions are soft, stir in the garlic and remove to a plate.  Increase the heat and cook the sliced mushrooms, a few at a time.  Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper and add to the onions and garlic.  Toss the cold turkey and ham in the hot saucepan, using a little extra butter if necessary; add to the mushrooms and onion.  De-glaze the saucepan with the turkey stock.  Add the cream and chopped herbs.  Bring it to the boil, thicken with roux, add the meat, mushrooms and onions and simmer for 5 minutes.  Taste and correct the seasoning.

Fill into the pie dishes, and pipe rosettes of potato all over the top.  Bake in a moderate oven, 190C/375F/regulo 5, for 15-20 minutes or until the potato is golden and the pie is bubbling.

Alternatively, if you would like to have a pastry crust, allow the filling to get quite cold.  Roll out the pastry to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness, then cut a strip from around the edge the same width as the lip of the pie dish.  Brush the edge of the dish with water and press the strip of pastry firmly down onto it; wet the top of the strip again.  Cut the pastry into an oval just slightly larger than the pie dish.  Press this down onto the wet border, flute the edges of the pastry with a knife and then scallop them at 1 inch (2.5 cm) approx. intervals.  Roll out the trimmings and cut into leaves to decorate the top.  Make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape while cooking.

Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven, 250C/475F/regulo 9, for 10 minutes; then turn the heat down to moderate, 180C/350F/regulo 4, for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and the pie is bubbling.

Serve with a good green salad.

Turkey and Ham Frittata

Serves 6-8

My eternal standby.

A frittata is an Italian omelette.  Unlike its soft and creamy French cousin, a frittata is cooked slowly over a very low heat during which time you can be whipping up a delicious salad to accompany it!  It is cooked on both sides and cut into wedges like a piece of cake.  This basic recipe, flavoured with grated cheese and a generous sprinkling of herbs.  Like the omelette, though, you may add almost anything that takes your fancy.  One could substitute grated mature cheddar but Gruyére and Parmesan give you more ‘bang for your buck’ and all sorts of tasty bits from the fridge, smoked salmon, mackerel, chorizo, bacon or ham……..

 

10 large eggs, preferably free range organic

1 teaspoon salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper

75g (3ozs) Gruyére cheese, grated

25g (1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

25g (1oz/1/4 stick) butter

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) basil or marjoram chopped

 

To Serve

Rocket leaves

Tomato and Coriander Salsa (see recipe)

 

Non-stick pan – 22.5cm (10inch) frying pan

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, diced ham and grated cheese into the eggs.  Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the eggs.  Turn down the heat, as low as it will go.  Leave the eggs to cook gently for 12 minutes on a heat diffuser mat, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny.

Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set but not brown the surface.  Alternatively after an initial 3 or 4 minutes on the stove one can transfer the pan to a preheated oven 170ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3 until just set 15-20 minutes.

Slide a palette knife under the frittata to free it from the pan. Slide onto a warm plate.

Serve cut in wedges, arrange some rocket leaves on top of the frittata and top with a blob of tomato and coriander salsa or alternatively you can serve with a good green salad and perhaps a tomato salad.

 

Ham & Cheese Frittata

Add 225g (8oz) diced cooked ham or bacon or a mixture of cold turkey and ham to the frittata and cook as above.

 

Mum’s Traditional Irish Sherry Trifle

Trifle was a Christmas tradition at our house and was served in a special “cut glass” bowl kept especially for the purpose.  Our mother Elizabeth O’Connell’s trifle was legendary, she made huge bowls of trifle at Christmas, with trifle sponges, (later she used sponge cakes when they were unavailable), home-made raspberry jam and custard, and lots and lots of good sweet sherry.   She had to become more and more inventive about hiding places, because the boys would search high and low to find it when they arrived in from a night out on the town.  Eventually she hid it in her wardrobe to keep it intact for Christmas Day.

This is now a favourite item on my brother Tom O’Connell’s dessert menu at O’Connell’s in Donnybrook.

 

Serves 8-10

 

450g (1lb) approx. homemade sponge cake or trifle sponges (see recipe)

(trifle sponges are lighter so you will need less)

225g (8oz) homemade raspberry jam

600ml (1 pint) custard made with:

5 eggs, organic and free-range if possible

1 1/4 tablespoons castor sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

750ml (1¼ pint) rich milk

150-175ml 5-6 fl.oz) best quality sweet or medium sherry

– don’t spare the sherry and don’t waste your time with cooking sherry.

 

Garnish

600ml (1 pint) whipped cream

8 cherries or crystallised violets

8 diamonds of angelica

a few toasted flaked almonds

 

1 x 1.7 litre (3 pint) capacity glass bowl

Sandwich the rounds of sponge cake together with homemade raspberry jam. If you use trifle sponges, sandwich them in pairs.

 

Next make the egg custard.

Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract.  Heat the milk to the ‘shivery’ stage and add it to the egg mixture whisking all the time.   Put into a heavy saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the custard coats the back of the wooden spoon lightly. Don’t let it boil or it will curdle.

Cut the sponge into 2cm (3/4 inch) slices and use these to line the bottom of a 1.7 litre (3 pint) glass bowl, sprinkling generously with sherry as you go along.   Pour in some homemade egg custard and then add another layer of sponge.  Sprinkle with the remainder of the sherry.  Spread the rest of the custard over the top.  Cover and leave for 5 or 6 hours, or preferably overnight in a cold larder or fridge to mature.

Before serving, spread softly whipped cream over the top, pipe rosettes if you like and decorate with cherries or crystallised violets and large diamonds of angelica.  Scatter with a few toasted flaked almonds.

Note

For a posher version, line the glass bowl with slices of swiss roll.

 

Great Grandmother’s Butter Sponge

A buttery sponge cake was standard fare to serve with afternoon tea at my Grandmother’s house in Donoghmore, Co. Kilkenny and a great many other Irish houses also. When it was taken out of the oven of the Aga it was cooled on a wire rack by the window in the back kitchen. Thick yellow cream spooned off the top of the milk in the dairy was whipped and as soon as the cake was cool it was sandwiched together with homemade jam made from the raspberries picked at the top of the haggard.  This is the best sponge cake you’ll ever taste.

 

175g (6oz) flour

175g (6oz) castor sugar

3 eggs, organic and free-range

125g (4½ oz) butter

1 tablespoon milk

5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder

 

Filling

110g (4oz) homemade raspberry jam

300ml (10 fl.oz) whipped cream

castor sugar to sprinkle

2 x 18cm (7 inch) sponge cake tins

 

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.

Grease the tine with melted butter, dust with flour and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper. Cream the butter and gradually add the castor sugar, beat until soft and light and quite pale in colour. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition. (If the butter and sugar are not creamed properly and if you add the eggs too fast, the mixture will curdle, resulting in a cake with a heavier texture). Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Mix all together lightly and add 1 tablespoon of milk to moisten.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked – the cake will shrink-in slightly from the edge of the tin when it is cooked, the centre should feel exactly the same texture as the edge.  Alternatively a skewer should come out clean when put into the centre of the cake. Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.

Sandwich the two bases together with homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. Sprinkle with sieved castor sugar. Serve on an old fashioned plate with a doyley.

 

Raspberry Jam

Makes 3 x 450g (1lb) pots

Raspberry jam is the easiest and quickest of all jams to make, and one of the most delicious.  Loganberries, Boysenberries or Tayberries may also be used in this recipe.

 

900g (2lb) fresh raspberries

900g (2lb) white sugar (use 110g/4oz) less if fruit is very sweet)

 

Wash, dry and sterilise the jars in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/regulo 4, for 15 minutes. Heat the sugar in a moderate oven for 5-10 minutes.

Put the raspberries into a wide stainless steel saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the juice begins to run, then add the hot sugar and stir over a gentle heat until fully dissolved. Increase the heat and boil steadily for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Test for a set by putting about a teaspoon of jam on a cold plate, leaving it for a few minutes in a cool place. It should wrinkle when pressed with a finger. Remove from the heat immediately. Skim and pour into sterilised jam jars. Cover immediately.

Hide the jam in a cool place or else put on a shelf in your kitchen so you can feel great every time you look at it! Anyway, it will be so delicious it won’t last long

 

Turkey, Ham and Mushroom Popovers

This is little gem of a recipe is an excellent standby, it can be made in seconds, the ingredients are inexpensive, sweet or savoury fillings work.

 

For 14 popovers

 

4 ozs (110g/1 cup) flour

2 eggs

10 fl ozs (1/2 pint/300ml/1 1/4 cups) milk

1/2 ozs (15g/1/8 stick) butter, melted

 

Filling

See Boxing Day Pie recipe

Parsley sprigs

 

Sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre of the flour, drop in eggs.  Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, stir continuously, gradually drawing in flour from the sides and, add the milk in a steady stream at the same time.  When all the flour has been mixed in, whisk in the remainder of the milk and cool melted butter.  Allow to stand for one hour.  Grease Hot Deep Patty Tins with pure beef dripping or oil and fill half full.  Bake in a hot oven 230°C/450°F/regulo 8, for 20 minutes approx.

Remove from the tins.  Cool, fill with hot turkey, ham and mushroom filling. Pop a sprig of flat parsley on top of each one and serve ASAP.

Cheese Popovers: Add 2 ozs (50g) grated Cheddar cheese and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and a good pinch of salt to the mixture, season well and proceed as above

Can you imagine I got my first Christmas card on the third of November, that has to be a record….Christmas is creeping up on us, not slowly but with great speed and even though we may long to opt out of the whole palaver or hide away until all the frenzy is over. It’s simply not an option, so once again, we’ll enter into the spirit of the season wholeheartedly. If you’re thinking of serving a fine free range turkey or goose for Christmas dinner, put in your order right away. Beautifully reared organic and free range birds are difficult to source for various reasons not least the lack of slaughtering facilities and support for artisan poultry producers – can you imagine that  we don’t have one single poultry instructor in Ireland at present despite the craving for a product we can trust with a memorable flavour. Order a fine fat ham too from a free range heritage pig producer, this kind of food costs much more that the food of the same  name on the supermarket counter shelf. Often twice the price but it does take much longer to rear with much more expensive GM free and organic feed.

When those orders are in, you may want to make a plump juicy Christmas cake and a couple of gorgeous crumbly plum puddings. Despite the mystique neither are difficult to make. So allocate an afternoon. Buy top quality dried fruit, real crystallized cherries (those bright red ones are fake, most were never near a cherry in real life) and candied peel. We make our own which may seem to be a step too far – I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but a lot of the chopped candied peel is also fake, made from a gelatinous product rather than citrus peel.

So here’s the recipe, you can make it slowly over several days, it’s a brilliant way to use up left over orange,  lemon and lime peel and of course it makes a lovely present for foodie friends who can use it in cakes or puddings or simply dipped in chocolate as a petit four or sweetmeat.

Even though a lovely moist Christmas cake is a great stand by, not everyone wants a big cake. My favourite Christmas cake can be made in a 9 inch round or 2 x 7 inch tins. The second one will make a welcome present for busy friends.. We also make some ‘little dotes”, 4 inch cakes as presents for older friends who love a little cake but don’t want anything too large which lingers on after Christmas making them feel a tad guilty.

Stir about Sunday is on the last Sunday before Advent, Sunday November 22^nd, but even if we have missed that why not gather up some of your kids and their friends and create an exciting party atmosphere around the making of the Christmas cake and pudding. Everyone can help, lining the tin, make a wish as they stir the pudding and cake and best of all you’ll be passing on the cooking skills to another generation. For the many who feel making a Christmas cake, a pudding, mincemeat is beyond them believe me the pudding and mincemeat are simply a matter of mixing ingredients in a bowl, hardly ‘rocket science’ for even the least undomesticated goddess.

 

Hot Tips

Nash 19 are now taking orders for their Christmas Hampers. Don’t forget their plum pudding packed with delicious fruit and whole cherries. Claire Nash will be in Terroirs on Morehampton Road in Dublin on Saturday 5^th December from 12 noon with her plum puddings, call in to taste a juicy morsel. Contact Claire or Mairead on 021 4270880 or email info@nash19.com

Country Choice in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, huge stocks of ingredients for Christmas baking have arrived.  Peter Ward sources supberb  quality dried fruit, nuts and real cherries. He also has a stall at the Milk Market in Limerick every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Phone 067 32596 or www.countrychoice.ie

Looking for a special Christmas present, don’t forget Ballymaloe Cookery School vouchers can be tailored in a variety of ways to create the perfect gift for the food lover or garden enthusiast in your life! Cooking is one of the most important skills a person can learn and the best bit is the Cookery School vouchers last indefinitely.

www.cookingisfun.ie

Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale is hosting a series of Pop Up lunches over the coming months. Noel McMeel of Lough Erne Resort will create a special 5 course lunch on Wednesday 9^th December. Tickets are €50 and can be booked www.fishyfishy.ie or 021 4700415

Just discovered a brilliant new source of free range duck. Jacqui Mason who comes from Heredforshire in the UK, found it difficult to find good duck when she came over to Ireland so she decided to rear some duck herself and  now rears 75 free range Alysbury ducks every week and sells them to local restaurants and butchers (quite different from ‘farm fresh’) including Jack McCarthy Butchers, Kanturk, O’ Sullivans Poultry at the English Market

www.carrigcleen farm.com

087 22 33113

 

Candied Peel 

The fruit used in this recipe should be organic if possible; otherwise scrub the peel very well. Use just one citrus fruit, or a mixture of all three.

5 organic unwaxed oranges

5 organic unwaxed lemons

5 organic unwaxed grapefruit

1 teaspoon salt

1.3kg (3lb) sugar

 

Cut the fruits in half and squeeze out the juice. Reserve the juice for another use, such as homemade lemonade. Put the halves of fruit into a large bowl (not aluminium), add the salt and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours.

Next day, discard the soaking water, put the fruit in a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently until the peel is soft, about 3 hours. Remove the fruit and discard the water. Scrape out any remaining flesh and membranes from inside the cut fruit, leaving the white pith and rind intact. Slice the peel into long strips or leave whole if you prefer.

Dissolve the sugar in 700ml (11⁄4 pints) of water, bring to the boil, add the peel and simmer gently for about 30–60 minutes, until it looks translucent and the syrup forms a thread when the last drop falls off a metal spoon. Remove the candied peel with a slotted spoon and fill into sterilised glass jars. Pour the syrup over the peel, cover and store in a cold place or in a fridge. It should keep for 6–8 weeks, or longer under refrigeration.

 

Variations

In Caster Sugar

Spread the peel on a baking tray  and leave to sit for 30–60 minutes to cool and dry out. Then toss the peel in caster sugar and store in covered glass jars until needed.

 

To Nibble

Cut the candied peel into 5mm–1cm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) slices, roll in caster sugar and serve with coffee.

 

Chocolate Candied Orange

Dip the strips of candied orange peel into melted dark chocolate. Arrange individually on a sheet of silicone paper and leave to set.

 

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

This is still my favourite mincemeat recipe.

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

 

2 cooking apples, eg. Bramley Seedling

2 organic lemons

450g (1lb) beef suet, (see below)

pinch of salt

110g (4oz) mixed peel (preferably homemade)

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) Seville orange marmalade

225g (8oz) currants

450g (1lb) sultanas

790g (1lb 12oz) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)

62ml (2 1/2fl oz/generous 1/4 cup) Irish whiskey

 

Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, for 30 minutes approx. Allow to cool.  When they are soft, remove the skin and mash the flesh into pulp.  Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice and stir into the pulp.  Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly.  Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using.  This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.

 

How to make  Beef Suet

Suet comes from the fat that protects the beef kidney. Suet and tallow (the rendered suet) had fallen out of favour, but chips fried in suet and potatoes roasted in it are lovely. The flavour is much better and, incidentally, beef tallow has more vitamin B and despite its reputation is considerably better for you than cheap, trans-fat ridden cooking oils. People now make plum puddings with butter because they’re so paranoid of eating the wrong kinds of fat, but I’m still a great fan of the traditional plum puddings made in the classic way with suet, as they have a better flavour and texture. Serve these on hot plates, though, because if suet congeals it’s distinctly unappetising. Many sweet puddings can be made with suet, such as Plum Pudding (see recipe).

One can buy suet ready-prepared in packets but it’s very easy to do it yourself at home. Your butcher will probably give you the suet for free because there is so little demand.  Coeliacs need to be aware that ready-prepared suet usually contains white flour.

Strictly speaking, beef dripping is the fat and the meat juices that render out of a joint of roast beef while it’s cooking, whereas suet or tallow is fat just rendered from fat surrounding the beef kidney. However, nowadays the term ‘dripping’ is colloquially used to refer to all of these.

 

Suet – How to Prepare

To prepare suet, start by asking your butcher for the fat that surrounds beef kidneys.

Remove and discard the papery membrane and any red veins or fragments of meat. If you’re not meticulous about this, these bits will deteriorate and the suet won’t keep properly. The fat will separate into natural divisions. Chop it coarsely and either mince or whizz it in a food-processor for a minute or two until it’s evenly grainy (years ago, people used to grate suet on a simple box grater). Refrigerate and use within a couple of days, but if it has been properly trimmed it will keep for weeks in a fridge.

 

Mummy’s Plum Pudding with Mrs. Hanrahan’s Sauce

It has always been the tradition in our house to eat the first plum pudding on the evening it is made.   The grandchildren can hardly contain themselves with excitement – somehow that plum pudding seems the most delicious, it’s our first taste of Christmas.   The plum pudding can be made from about mid-November onwards. Everyone in the family helps to stir so we can all make a wish.

Its fun to put silver plum pudding charms in the pudding destined to be eaten on Christmas Day.  Wrap them individually in silicone paper so they are bulky and clearly visible.

This recipe makes 2 large or 3 medium puddings.  The large size will serve 10-12 people, the medium 6-8 but I also like to make teeny weeny ones.

 

12oz (350g/2 cups) raisins

12oz (350g/2 cups) sultanas

12oz (350g/2 cups) currants

10oz (300g/1cups) brown sugar

12oz (350g/6 cups) white breadcrumbs (non GM)

12oz (350g/3 cups) finely-chopped beef suet

4oz (110g/ cup) diced candied peel (preferably home-made)

2 Bramley cooking apples, coarsely grated

4oz (110g/3/4 cup) chopped almonds

rind of 1 lemon

3 pounded cloves (1/2 teaspoon)

a pinch of salt

6 eggs

2 1/2 fl oz (62ml/generous 1/4 cup) Jamaica Rum

 

Mix all the ingredients together very thoroughly and leave overnight; don’t forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish!  Next day stir again for good measure.  Fill into pudding bowls; cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle also for ease of lifting.

Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for 6 hours.  The water should come half way up the side of the bowl.  Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.  After 5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours depending on the size, remove the pudding.   Allow to get cold and re-cover with fresh greaseproof paper.  Store in a cool dry place until required.

On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the plum pudding, steam for a further 2 hours.  Turn the plum pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite.  Serve immediately on very hot plates with Brandy Butter.

You might like to decorate the plum pudding with a sprig of holly; but take care not to set the holly on fire – as well as the pudding!

 

Mrs. Hanrahan’s Sauce

This recipe is so delicious that people ask to have more Plum Pudding just so that they can have an excuse to eat lots of sauce.  This makes a large quantity but the base will keep for several weeks in the fridge, so you can use a little at a time, adding whipped cream to taste.

 

4oz (110g/1 stick) butter

7oz (200g/scant 1 cup) Barbados sugar  (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)

1 organic free-range egg

2 1/2 fl oz (62ml/generous 1/4 cup) medium sherry

2 1/2 fl oz (62ml/generous 1/4 cup) port

2 1/4-2 1/2 pints (1.3-1.4L/5 5/8-6 1/4 cups) lightly whipped cream

 

Melt the butter, stir in the sugar and allow to cool slightly.  Whisk the egg and add to the butter and sugar with the sherry and port.  Refrigerate.

When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.

This sauce is also very good with mince pies and other tarts.

 

Darina Allen’s Iced Christmas Cake

This makes a moist cake which keeps very well. It can either be made months ahead or, if you are frenetically busy then it will still be delish even if made just a few days before Christmas – believe me I know!.

Serves about 40

 

110g (4oz) real glacé cherries

50g (2oz) whole almonds

350g (12oz) best-quality sultanas

350g (12oz) best-quality currants

350g (12oz) best-quality raisins

110g (4oz) homemade candied peel (see recipe)

50g (2oz) ground almonds

zest of 1 organic unwaxed lemon

zest of 1 organic unwaxed orange

60ml (21⁄2 fl oz/generous 1/4 cup) Irish whiskey

225g (8oz/2 sticks) butter

225g (8oz/1 cup) pale, soft-brown sugar or golden caster sugar

6 organic eggs

275g (10oz) flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 large or 2 small Bramley seedling apples, grated

 

Line the base and sides of a 23cm (9 inch) round, or 20cm (8 inch) square tin with a double thickness of silicone paper. Then tie a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin. Have a sheet of brown or silicone paper to lay on top of the tin during cooking.

Wash the cherries and dry them gently. Cut in two or four as desired. Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then rub off the skins and chop them finely. Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and grated orange and lemon zest. Add about half of the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

 

Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/gas mark 3.

Cream the butter until very soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and add in bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle. Mix the mixed spice with the flour and stir gently into the butter mixture. Add the grated cooking apple to the plumped up fruit and stir into the butter mixture gently but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake).

Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake – this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked.

Now lay a double sheet of brown paper on top of the cake to protect the surface from the direct heat. Bake for 1 hour. Then reduce the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 21⁄2 hours, until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out completely clean. Pour the remainder of the whiskey over the cake and leave it to cool in the tin.

Next day, remove the cake from the tin. Do not remove the lining paper but wrap the cake in some extra greaseproof paper and tin foil until required.

Store in a cool, dry place; the longer the cake is stored the more mature it will be.

 

Almond Paste and Cake Icing

I ice the Christmas cake above with almond icing and decorate it with heart shapes made from the almond paste. Then I brush it with whisked egg yolk and pop it in the oven – simply delicious!.

 

Serves about 40

 

450g (1lb/2 cups) golden caster sugar

450g (1lb) ground almonds

2 small organic eggs

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) Irish whiskey

a drop of pure almond extract

 

For Brushing on the Cake

1 organic egg white, lightly whisked, or sieved apricot jam

 

For the Fondant Icing

1 packet fondant (450g/1lb)

 

Sieve the caster sugar and mix with the ground almonds. Whisk the eggs, add the whiskey and 1 drop of almond extract, then add to the other ingredients and mix to a stiff paste. (You may not need all of the egg).

Sprinkle the worktop with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and work lightly until smooth.

Remove the paper from the cake. To make life easier for yourself, put a sheet of greaseproof paper onto the worktop and dust with some icing sugar. Take about half the almond paste and roll it out on the paper: it should be a little less than 1cm (1⁄2 inch) thick.

Paint the top of the cake with the egg white or apricot jam and put the cake, sticky-side down, onto the almond paste. Give the cake a thump to ensure it sticks and then cut around the edge. If the cake is a little round-shouldered, cut the almond paste a little larger; pull away the extra bits and keep for later to make hearts or holly leaves. Use a palette knife to press the extra almond paste in against the top of the cake and fill any gaps. Then slide a knife underneath the cake or, better still, underneath the paper and turn the cake the right way up. Peel off the greaseproof paper.

Then roll out 2 long strips of almond paste: trim an edge to the height of the cake with a palette knife. Paint both the cake and the almond paste lightly with egg white or apricot jam. Then press the strip against the sides of the cake: do not overlap or there will be a bulge with the uneven edge upwards. Trim the excess almond paste with a long-bladed knife and keep for decoration and to make almond biscuits. Use a straight-sided water glass to even the edges and smooth the join. Then rub the cake well with your hand to ensure a nice flat surface.

Leave in a cool, dry place for a few days to allow the almond paste to dry out; otherwise the oil in the almonds will seep through the fondant icing.

 

To fondant ice.

Sprinkle a little icing sugar onto the worktop.

Roll out the sheet of fondant to a thickness of a scant 5mm (1⁄4 inch).

Paint the cake with egg white or apricot jam, then gently lift the sheet of icing and lay it over the top of the cake so it drapes evenly over the sides.

Press out any air bubbles with your hands, then trim the base. Decorate as you wish. We use a little posy of winter leaves and berries including crab apples, elderberries, rosemary, old man’s beard and viburnum.

That’s just one option. You could also add simple shapes stamped out of the remaining fondant icing – stars, holly leaves, Santa’s – to produce an impressive result. If you are really creative, the fondant may be coloured using edible food colouring and then you and all the family can really have fun!

 

Variation

Toasted Almond Christmas Cake

If you’d rather not have fondant icing, the almond paste can be toasted and will keep just as well and be irresistible to nibble. Roll out the remainder of the almond paste to about 5mm (1⁄4in) thick. Stamp out star shapes, paint the whole surface of the cake with whisked egg yolk and stick the star shapes at intervals around the sides of the cake and on top. Brush these with egg yolk also.

 

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

Carefully lift the cake onto a baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes or until just slightly toasted. Remove from the oven, leave to cool and then transfer onto a cake board.

Decorate with sprigs of holly and a dusting of icing sugar, though you may feel that holly leaves and berries made of almond paste would be more appropriate for Christmas!

 

‘Little Dote’ Christmas Cakes

Makes 8 little cakes

 

225g (8oz) butter

225g (8oz) pale soft brown sugar

6 eggs

285g (10z) flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

35ml (2½ fl.oz) Irish whiskey

340g (12oz) best-quality sultanas

340g (12oz) best-quality currants

340g (12oz) best-quality raisins

110g (4oz) cherries

110g (4oz) homemade candied peel

55g (2oz) ground almonds

55g (2oz) whole almonds

Rind of 1 lemon

Rind of 1 orange

1 large or 2 small Bramley Seedling apples, grated

 

Grease and line 8 tins 4 inch (10cm) diameter x 1½ inch (4cm) deep.  (We used springform tins from the Ballymaloe Shop)

Wash the cherries and dry them.   Cut in two or four as desired.   Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, rub off the skins and chop them finely.  Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and grated orange and lemon rind.  Add about half the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas 3.

Cream the butter until very soft, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Whisk the eggs and add in bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle.  Mix the spice with the flour and stir in gently.  Add the grated apple to the fruit and mix in gently but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake.)

Divide the mixture between the 8 prepared tins.  Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of each cake: this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked.  Put into the preheated oven, bake at 160C/325F/gas 3, for 1½ hours – until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out clean.  Pour the rest of the whiskey over the cakes and leave to cool in the tins.

Next day remove from the tins.  Do not remove the lining paper but wrap in some extra greaseproof paper and tin foil until required.

 

To ice the cakes –

To brush on the cake:

1 egg white, lightly beaten

 

Almond Paste – to ice the tops of the cakes

8oz (225g) ground almonds

8oz (225g) castor sugar

1 small egg

A tiny drop of pure almond essence

1 tablesp Irish whiskey

 

Sieve the castor sugar and mix with the ground almonds.  Beat the egg, add the whiskey and 1 tiny drop of pure almond essence, then add to the other ingredients and mix to a stiff paste.  (You may not need all the egg.) Sprinkle the worktop with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and work lightly until smooth.

Remove the paper from the cakes.

Put a sheet of greaseproof paper onto the worktop, dust with some icing sugar.  Roll the almond paste out on the paper; it should be a little less than ½ inch (1cm) thick.  Paint the top of each cake with the lightly beaten egg white and put the cake, sticky side down onto the almond paste.  Make sure the almond paste sticks to the cake and then cut around the edge and tidy and smooth the almond paste.   For the ‘little dotes’ we just iced the top of the cakes.

Leave to dry overnight before applying Royal or Fondant Icing.

 

Royal Icing

1lb (450g) icing sugar

2 egg whites

2 teasp. Strained lemon juice

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl just until they begin to froth; then add the sieved icing sugar by the tablespoonful, beating well between each addition.  If you are making the icing in a electric mixer, use the lowest speed. When all the icing sugar has been incorporated, add the lemon juice, and if you would like a slightly soft icing, add a few drops of glycerine.   Beat until the icing reaches stiff peaks; scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Cover the bowl with a damp cloth for 1 hour or until you are ready to use the icing.

With a flexible palette knife, smear the icing over the top of each cake.   To achieve a snow-scene effect dab the palette knife onto the cake at irregular intervals so the icing comes up in little peaks.  While the icing is still wet, stick on some Christmas Cake decorations, eg Santas, Christmas trees and robins or if you prefer use some frosted fruits or flowers.

If you like you could tie a ribbon or cake frill around the edges of the cakes.

 

I’ve recently been given a copy of Counter Culture, the Sheridan’s Guide to Cheese. I simply can’t put it down. What a gorgeous book, for me a romp down memory lane.  A long overdue overview of the Irish farmhouse cheese industry, an appreciation of the charismatic, passionate and often deliciously eccentric people who has devoted their lives to producing beautiful cheeses from the milk of their dairy herds. Cow, goat and sheep’s milk cheese of many types that have helped in no small way to change the image of Irish food both at home and abroad. One after another they have won top prizes in cheese awards not just in these islands but also in the World Cheese Awards.

Is it any wonder that our cheeses are so good when we can grow grass here in Ireland like nowhere else in the world, consequently  many of our very best foods come from our rich lush pastures and summer milk. And who better to write this book but the Sheridan brothers, Kevin and Seamus Sheridan who established Sheridan’s Cheesemongers in 1995 with a cheese stall at the Galway Saturday Market. Their enthusiasm and deep knowledge charmed even the most reluctant passer-by to taste their latest find and gradually they converted the ardent Calvita eaters into farmhouse cheese lovers. Since then, the business has expanded to include four shops, a wine bar with a carefully choosen list to complement their wide range of Irish, British and European cheese. There’s a thriving wholesale and export business. The brothers’ food and business ethos is still firmly rooted in the simplicity of their first market stall. Their passion for food and respect for those who produce it has led them to be at the forefront of an exciting revival in Ireland’s culinary heritage. Seamus and Kevin are tireless advocates for sustainable food and farming. They are both devotees of the Slow Food Movement. I always remember my first meeting with Seamus at Slow Food Terra Madre in Turin in the 1980’s. He bounced up to me all tousled hair and big grin with a distinctively cheesey smell emanating from his rucksack. He proudly showed me the deliciously ripe Cashel Blue cheese he’d brought all the way from Tipperary to share proudly with Carlo Petrini and entice him and many other cheese makers to come to Ireland to taste the growing number of farmhouse cheeses and artisan products.

This book written in collaboration with Catherine Cleary of Irish Times tells the lovely story of the boy’s childhood, their inspirational parents and the experiences that shaped them, holidays spent milking cows, turning hay, digging turf, chewing dillisk, experiences which gave them a deep appreciation of real food.

And it’s not just about Irish farmhouse cheese. The chapters on the Origins of our Dairy Culture and the Science of Cheese are fascinating and you’ll soon be an expert on the differences between fresh cheeses, blooming rinds, washed rind, pressed uncooked cheeses and the pressed blues cooked cheeses.

There are some great photos and recipes for Kevin, Seamus and Catherine’s favourite ways to showcase the beautiful cheeses.

 

Hot Tips

Book of the Week – vegan was a word scarcely understood by the general public a decade or so ago but now regularly discussed in the media as more and more people stop eating animal products for ethical and health reasons.

A vegan diet is not just vegetarian but also excludes all dairy products, eggs and anything derived from animals or insects including honey. Many have espoused this way of eating in recent years including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, actress Natalie Portman say how much better and more energetic they feel.

The Vegan Bible by Marie Laforêt, published by Grub St,  has over 500 tempting recipes which illustrates the richness and diversity of vegan gastronomy.

 

Handmade imported ceramics – Jenny Rose of The Sandwich Stall in the English Market has started to sell pottery wholesale….beautiful handcrafted Puglian, Spanish and Tunisian pieces…..food looks great.

Jenny-Rose, The Old Creamery, Toons Bridge, Macroo, Co Cork

jenny@therealoliveco.com

 

Martry Mill is located on the River Blackwater near Kells, Co Meath and is a traditional watermill run by the Tallon family producing stoneground wholemeal flour of exceptional quality and flavour.

Contact James Tallon 086 817 3205 or www.martrymill.ie for list of stockists.

 

Past students Paul McVeigh and Jamie O’Toole are gathering rave reviews with their delicious food but in particular their signature dish the featherblade steak at Featherblade on Dawson Street, Dublin. Try the crispy confit chicken with hot Korean sauce, garlic and chilli prawns on toasted sourdough…. http://www.featherblade.ie/

 

Baked Camembert with Apple Crisps and Calvados Syrup

As the nights get chillier there’s nothing better than bringing a whole baked Camembert in its box to the table, oozing creamy warmth. This recipe also celebrates the sweetness of the apple season to set us up for winter.

Serves 4 as a meal or 6 as an after dinner alternative to a cheeseboard

 

For the apple crisps

3 medium-sized apples, peeled and cored

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

a pinch of salt flakes

 

For the cheese

1 whole Camembert in its box

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced into thin slivers

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

olive oil for drizzling

30ml maple syrup

2 tablespoons Calvados

 

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

Cut the apples into thin, round slices as finely as you can (a mandolin works brilliantly). Place some parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay the slices on top – be careful that they don’t overlap (you may need several baking sheets).

Mix the sunflower oil, maple syrup and salt together in a bowl and drizzle this over the apple slices.

Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until the edges are brown and crimped. Remove from the oven – they will crisp up as they cool.

While the crisps are baking, unwrap the Camembert and slice off the top rind. You can discard this or eat it on a cracker if you like, as a cook’s perk. Place the cheese back in its box and press the garlic slivers, fennel seeds and rosemary sprigs into it. Finally, drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

While the apple crisps cool, bake the cheese in its box on a baking tray in the oven for up to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the maple syrup and Calvados together in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring them to the boil. Boil gently for two minutes, stirring.

Arrange the apple crisps around the baked Camembert and drizzle the Calvados syrup over the hot cheese to serve.

 

Taleggio Tartiflette

It’s no coincidence that tartiflette is a classic après-ski dish. It’s a rib-sticking, cockle-warming lump of a meal, best used as a reward after strenuous activity. But it’s so delicious you can simply take a smaller helping if your step count doesn’t warrant a heftier one.

Serves 4

 

1kg (2¼ lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

rapeseed oil

2 thick rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into 4cm dice

1 large onion, peeled and diced

½ glass Eight Degrees Brewing Barefoot Bohemian Pilsner Lager

350g (12 oz) Taleggio,

diced 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6

Boil the potatoes for 3–5 minutes until just tender and then drain them and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a good splash of rapeseed oil in a large, heavy pan over a gentle heat. Fry the potatoes for a minute or two and then add the diced bacon and onion. Cook until the bacon has begun to crisp.

Pour in the Pilsner, stir and then add the cubed cheese. (You could also add some spinach, chard or kale at this stage.)

Remove the pan from the heat. Prepare an ovenproof earthenware dish by rubbing it well with the halves of garlic and greasing with rapeseed oil. Empty the contents of the pan into the dish and bake for 20–30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and begun to crisp.

 

Durrus and Potato Pizza

This lets the rind sing! Potatoes on pizza might sound a bit much but they’re surprisingly good. The trick is to slice them very thinly and only use a single layer so they don’t make everything too claggy and thick.

 

Serves 6

 

375ml (13 fl oz) warm water

1 teaspoon dried yeast

110ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

600g (1¼ lb) 00 flour

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

6 cloves garlic

2 medium Rooster potatoes, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled

250g (9 oz) crème fraîche

360g (12½ oz) Durrus, sliced

 

To make the dough, pour the water into a jug and mix in the yeast, smoothing it against the sides to ensure it’s dissolved. Add 50ml of the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt to the liquid. Pour into a bowl with the flour and mix to form a dough. Leave for 10 minutes. Turn the dough on to an oiled surface and knead lightly until it comes together. Put it back in the bowl, cover and leave for 90 minutes to prove.

Meanwhile, remove the leaves from the rosemary sprigs and combine in a mortar and pestle with the garlic and a pinch of salt. Bash this into a paste and then add the remaining olive oil. Transfer the entire mixture to a saucepan and heat the oil gently for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the oil to infuse with the garlic and rosemary flavours.

Roll out the dough and dimple it with your fingers.

Fold it over like a sheet on itself and dimple again before rolling and repeating this a second and third time. Return the dough to the bowl to rest for a further 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into three and roll into rounds or rectangles, whichever you prefer. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425°F/gas mark 7 – or as high as it will go!

Finely slice the potatoes and sweet potato into paper thin rounds and arrange them on the pizza bases in a single layer. Dot the potatoes and sweet potato with blobs of crème fraîche and place the slices of Durrus in between the blobs.

Finally, drizzle the pizzas with the garlic and rosemary oil and give them a good sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.

You can strain out the rosemary shards or leave them in, whichever you prefer. Bake the pizzas for 10 minutes and serve immediately.

 

Salad of Mozzarella, Poached Pears, Air-dried Lamb and Hazelnut

A beautiful salad that bridges the gap between summer and winter. The secret to this recipe is a good balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella. We are lucky to have buffalo mozzarella from Toby Simmonds’s Toons Bridge Dairy in Co. Cork delivered fresh to our shops.

 

Serves 6

 

2 or 3 pears, peeled, halved and cored

750ml (25½ fl oz) water

½ vanilla pod

100g (3½ oz) sugar

½ cinnamon stick

1 large buffalo mozzarella, torn into shreds or chopped

150g (5 oz) Connemara air-dried lamb, thinly sliced and cut into small shreds (if you can’t find air-dried lamb you could use a good prosciutto)

100g (3½ oz)  mixed leaf salad

50g (2 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

 

For the vinaigrette

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon mustard

 

Place the pears in a large saucepan with the water, the seeds from the vanilla pod, the sugar and the cinnamon. Poach the pears over a medium heat until soft. Leave to cool in the syrup. Once cooled, slice the pears and combine on a large serving plate with the mozzarella, lamb and leaves.

Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in small bowl and, just before serving, drizzle over the salad and then sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts.

 

 

 

 

Just back from a hectic few days in Capetown, whizzing from one speaking engagement to the next. The food scene has changed out of all knowing in the past decade. Luke Dale-Roberts Test Kitchen, beside the Old Biscuit Mill in shabby chic Woodstock, has a Michelin star and is racked 28^th in the world on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Guests book up to 6 months ahead to savour Luke’s super slick, multi element, small plates. Across the road The Pot Luck Club is headed up by Wesley Randles and his bright young team. This more casual eatery was jam packed too and turning the tables several times over even on a Monday night.

La Colombe out in the Silvermist Wine estate gets similar rave reviews and once again tables are full of guests from all over the world who have booked their tables months in advance for this ultra ‘fine-dining’ restaurant.

I was fortunate indeed that a dear friend Alicia Wilkinson of Silwood Cookery School whose brilliantly trained students work in all these kitchens managed to secure a table in each of the restaurants so I had the opportunity to sample some of the most talked about places first hand but I have to tell you I wouldn’t have a notion how to reproduce much of the highly acclaimed food we ate. More accessible for me was the food at the Chefs Warehouse Canteen on 92 Bree Street, the place to go in Capetown for tapas for two. You can’t book but punters are totally happy to queue for Irish/Aussie chef Liam Tomlin’s delicious Asian inspired tapas in this relaxed canteen style restaurant with a kitchenware and bookshop tucked onto side and a street food take away outlet on the other. The walls in the canteen are lined with narrow shelves, teaming with irresistible exotic deli ingredients, I had to buy some Khoisan organic sea salt, Rio Grande olive oil, Richard Von Geusau chocolates, Korean red pepper….

The menu changes every day and sometimes several times a day. Beautiful fresh ingredients with multi ethnic flavours served on wooden boards in a variety of mini copper bowls, clay pots, rustic pottery dishes, steaming baskets, clay plates Spanking fresh fish and shellfish, slow cooked meats, shoots and roots, seaweeds and ferments, salad leaves and foraged greens, all delectably balanced, irresistible to look at but not over worked. Menus are written on rice paper, clipped onto sushi mats.

The food was super delicious. I particularly loved a calamari, roast corn and curry mayo dish with tiny strips of dry chilli and fresh coriander leaves and a pea and mint risotto. Bree St was not an area on many people’s radar up to a year or so but jot it down on your Capetown list if you reckon you’ll be going that way, then seek out Jason’s bakery. It’s open from 7am-3pm. Don’t miss the bacon croissants. Up the street there are three little gems side by side, The Culture Club, a super little cheese shop and café painted buttercup yellow. Next door at Bacon on Bree, Richard Brosnan cures proper bacon from Duroc and large white pigs and again sells all things bacon in shop and little café including bacon ice cream.

One door more and it’s Mothers Ruin – brothers Mark and Rob Hêre offer over 40 gins, many artisan made gins from micro distillers, so much excitement on the drinks scene.  The Orphanage Cocktail Emporium is one of the originals in Bree Street, a hipster cocktail joint which also sells a couple of small plates like Truffle Chips with Wasabi Aioli and pizza. (not listed on the menu’s website).

The weather of course was beautiful. I also popped into the newly restored Company Garden and met manager Rory Phelan from Inistymon in Cork. These were the gardens of the Dutch East India Company who first started the garden in 1652 for the victualing of their ships that plied the spice trade route between Europe and the East Indies, via The Cape of Good Hope.

 

Hot Tips

The newly founded Slow Food North West Convivium are hosting their inaugural event on Sunday 22^nd November at the Irish Organic Centre, outside Rossinver, in County Leitrim, 12 to 5pm.  Talks on sea salt harvesting, a beer tasting and Glen Wheeler from McNean House will give cookery demo. Don’t miss the tour of the Organic Centre tunnels…..Contact Aisling Stone for further details slowfoodnorthwest@gmail.com or http://www.theorganiccentre.ie/

Have you discovered Wilton Farmers Market yet? Every Tuesday from 10.00am-2.30pm.  It’s just across the road from CUH. There’s a wide range of fresh produce from local farmers, cheese makers, spanking fresh fish and shellfish, fermented and raw foods and delicious food to enjoy right there -  don’t miss Lolo’s fresh steak sandwiches and French crêpes. Ballycotton Mackerel with hollandaise, chantrelle mushrooms with wild sorrel…..Exciting and nourishing local food for local people. http://www.wiltonmarketcork.com/main

Jerusalem Artichokes are back in season. They look like knobbly potatoes and are packed with natural inulin. One of the very best foods to enhance our gut flora and so delicious. Kids love them roasted and we find new ways to enjoy them all the time including sunchoke ice cream. Find them at Midleton, Mahon Point and Wilton Farmer’s Markets

Wild Food of the Week – Winter Cress or Bittercress (cardamine hirsute) is lush and beautiful right now, it grows in little bunches in soil and gravelly patches. As with all cress, the top leaf is always the largest and the leaves get smaller down along the stem. Delicious in salads or as a garnish for an appetizer

The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland are very excited to welcome James Wong of BBC Gardeners World. He will give a talk ‘Grow for Flavour’ on Wednesday 25^th November, 8pm at the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin  Tickets €25, www.rhsi.ie/events for more information

 

Correction

The Apple Brack recipe that appeared on Saturday 31^st October had an error. The recipe called for soaking the fruit in 1 pint of hot tea for 1½-2 hours. There is no tea required in the apple brack recipe

 

Potted Shrimp

 

Potted shrimp, crayfish and crab are always on our deli menu at Canteen and often appear on the tapas board.

It is a nice way to serve shellfish bound in flavoured butter that melts once spread over warm toast. The butter can be flavoured to suit your taste with chilli and cayenne pepper if you prefer the shrimps with a bit of heat or something more delicate such as tarragon and chervil.

Serves 4

 

400 g (14 oz) shrimp meat

grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely sliced

300 g (11 oz) unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 sprigs fresh thyme

 

Combine the shrimp meat, lemon zest and juice, spring onion and parsley together and season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne pepper.

Pack the shrimp between 8 small ramekins or glasses.

Place the butter, garlic and thyme in a heavy-based saucepan and melt over a low heat. Remove from the heat and allow the garlic and thyme to infuse the butter. Strain the butter through a fine sieve and discard the garlic and thyme.

Pour the melted butter over the shrimp to cover the entire surface of the shrimp. Refrigerate the shrimp until the butter solidifies.

When ready to serve remove the shrimp from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve with hot toast and a small green salad.

 

 

Prawn in Potato Waistcoasts with Curry Salt

Serves 4

 

vegetable oil for deep-frying

12 slices of large potatoes, sliced lengthways

12 prawns, peeled and deveined with tail on

salt and freshly ground pepper

corn flour, mixed to a thick paste with cold water

10 g (½ oz) curry powder

4 lemon wedges

 

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat to 110 °C. Add the potato slices and cook without colour until they are almost cooked. Remove the potato slices from the oil with a slotted spoon taking care not to break them. Lay the slices out on a tray lined with greaseproof paper with a space between each one so that they do not touch each other. Set aside until ready to use.

Lightly season the prawns with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lay a potato slice on a clean work surface and brush the edges with the corn flour paste. Place a prawn tail at one end of the potato and roll the potato tightly around it.

Repeat with a second slice of potato so that the whole prawn is covered with potato, leaving the tail exposed. Secure the potato with a small cocktail stick. Prepare the remaining prawns in the same way. Refrigerate until ready to cook

 

 

Beetroot Cured Salmon

 

Serves 8

 

240 g (9 ozs) demerara sugar

15 g (3/4 oz) crushed black peppercorns

35 g (1½ oz) crushed juniper berries

80 ml dark rum

50 g (2 oz) dill with stalks, roughly chopped

zest of 3 lemons

1 kg (2¼ lb) raw beetroot, peeled and grated

1 kg (2¼ lb) piece of fresh salmon, pin boned and trimmed with skin on

 

Horseradish Cream

50 g (2 oz) freshly grated horseradish

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

pinch of sugar

100 ml (3½ fl oz) whipping cream

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Fennel and Lemon Salad

2 small heads of fennel with fronds removed and chopped

15 ml extra virgin olive oil

freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Place the sugar, peppercorns, juniper berries, rum, dill, lemon zest and beetroot in a stainless steel bowl and mix together. Spread a large piece of cling film out on a clean work surface and place the salmon flesh-side up in the centre of the cling film. Spread the marinade evenly over the surface of the salmon and enclose in the cling film. Wrap the salmon in a sheet of aluminium foil to prevent seepage and place in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days, depending on the thickness of the salmon.

Drain-off any excess liquid from the salmon daily and rewrap tightly. When ready, using the back of a knife scrape the marinade off the salmon and gently wipe the surface with a clean, damp kitchen cloth.

To carve the cured salmon, using a sharp, thin-blade knife, make an incision through the flesh at the narrowest end of the salmon. Hold the skin tightly in your hand and work the knife from side to side between the flesh and skin, working the knife towards the opposite end, at the same time pulling the skin with the other hand. With the tip of a knife remove the dark blood line from each slice before serving. Cut the salmon into cubes to expose the salmon flesh.

If you cannot find fresh horseradish buy a good quality horseradish sauce. To two parts horseradish sauce add 1 part whipped cream for a mild flavoured sauce. To make the horseradish cream, place the ingredients into a chilled, stainless-steel bowl and whisk to ribbon stage. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the fennel salad, slice the fennel as thinly as possible, preferably on a mandolin. Place in a bowl and dress with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add the chopped fennel frond and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Arrange the fennel between 8 chilled plates. Place the salmon on top of the fennel and spoon a little of the dressing over the salmon. Make a quenelle of horseradish cream

 

Pulled Pork and Pomelo Salad

 

Serves 4

 

2½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

pinch of sea salt

1 kg (2¼ lb ) roast pork belly (see below) shredded with your fingers into thin strips

1 head of frisée, picked and washed

1 small punnet bean sprouts

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 spring onions, finely sliced

6 water chestnuts, sliced thinly

4 pomelos, peeled and segmented

50 g (2 oz) peanuts, roasted and roughly chopped

1 small bunch mint, picked

1 small bunch coriander, picked

1 small bunch basil, picked deep-fried shallots to garnish

 

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar, chilli, garlic and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the pulled pork, frisée, bean sprouts, basil, red onion, spring onion, water chestnuts, pomelo segments, chopped roasted peanuts, mint and coriander. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the deep fried shallots.

 

Pork belly is a great cut of meat for either roasting or to confit. We sell both confit pork belly and pork belly rillettes in our deli, which are both made from the same cut of meat. When we have cooked the confit belly we gently lift it out of the fat and place it between two greaseproof paper-lined trays and press it with an even weight and refrigerate it overnight so it can firm up before we cut it into even-sized blocks, making it easier to pan-fry and carve. The trimmings from the confit belly get shredded and turned into rillette and are packed into sterilised jars and then covered with a thin layer of the cooking fat to help preserve them and give them a longer shelf life. The roast, confit and rillette are always on the tapas menu in either a broth, salad or as a filling for a won ton or spring roll.

Slow roast belly pork improves by brining it first for anything from 24 hours to 3 days giving the meat a finer texture. To brine a pork belly, place the pork in a tight fitting container and cover with cold water. Pour off the water and measure it. For every litre of water add 180 g salt.

Place the salted water into a heavy-based saucepan and place over a medium heat until the salt has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Pour the brine over the pork belly and refrigerate for 24 hours to 3 days. 12 hours before cooking drain and dry the meat. Soak overnight in fresh water.

 

Serves 4

 

2 kg (4½ lb) pork belly

2 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp peanut oil

200 ml (7 fl oz) soy sauce

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks, broken up

3 cm ginger piece, peeled, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 spring onion, sliced

 

Preheat the oven to 240 °C/450°F/gas  mark 8. . Score the pork rind at 1 cm intervals. Place the pork in a deep, heavy-based roasting tray. Rub half of the salt and the ground pepper into the rind. Sprinkle the remaining salt over the pork. Roast for 20 – 30 minutes or until the skin has crackled. Remove the pork from the oven and add the soy sauce, 200 ml (7 fl oz) cold water, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, garlic and spring onion to the tray. Reduce the temperature to 180 °C/350°F/gas mark 4 and cook for a further 70 – 80 minutes until the meat is tender. Carve the meat and serve with garnish of your cho

 

 

Doughnuts with Lemon Syrup

 

Serves 6

 

Doughnuts

250 g (9 oz)  plain flour, sieved

1 tsp salt

25 g (1 oz) castor sugar

15 g fresh yeast

40 ml whole milk

1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten

40 g (1¾ oz) soft, unsalted butter, diced

extra flour for dusting

canola oil for deep frying

 

Lemon Syrup

300 g (11 oz) castor sugar

100 ml (3½ fl oz) water

40 ml lemon juice

20 g (¾ oz) glucose

1 vanilla pod, split and scraped

 

Combine all of the lemon syrup ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and place over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.

To make the doughnuts: place the flour, salt and sugar in an electric mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix slowly until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Crumble the yeast into the milk and crush it with the back of a spoon to dissolve.

Pour the yeast into the bowl and continue to mix. Add the egg and increase the speed of the mixing bowl and continue to mix until the dough comes together in a ball and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the butter piece by piece until fully incorporated. Check the consistency of the dough; if it seems too wet, add a little more flour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and place in the fridge to prove overnight or leave to stand at room temperature for 1 ½ – 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based pan to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

Remove the dough from the bowl. Knock back and knead the dough for 4 – 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into quenelles using two teaspoons, or spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a wide, plain nozzle and hold it above the hot oil. Squeeze gently, snipping the dough with scissors into small, even, rounded pieces as it drops into the oil.

Deep-fry the doughnuts, turning them with a slotted spoon until they are evenly golden brown in colour (approximately

1 minute on each side). Remove the doughnuts from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them into the lemon syrup and leave for a few minutes to soak up the syrup.