Christmas this year is for many people something to be dreaded rather than looked forward to with the usual joy and anticipation.

Everywhere one turns, there are a myriad of reminders of out of reach temptations.

The Christmas lights have been twinkling for several weeks now and this year I saw the first Christmas tree already bedecked with baubles and bows in mid November. There’s an understandable desperation in the retail world as they try to tempt us all to buy but if the money isn’t there, Christmas with all the glamour and glitz turns to torment.

A cook will always welcome a rosemary bush, plant it for remembrance. The aromatic spears can be plucked in every season to flavour lamb, chicken, pork, roast vegetables and jellies and sorbets. Choose a favourite farmhouse cheese and arrange for one to be sent by mail or courier once every 2-3 months. Alternatively choose a little hamper of Irish Farmhouse Cheese from Iago or On the Pig’s Back in the English Market in Cork, Sheridans in Galway or Dublin, or Peter Ward from Country Choice in Nenagh.

A gift token for the Midleton Farmers Market or tempting food and wine shops like Urru in Bandon or The Butlers Pantry inDublin, or one of the Avoca Shops is bound to be a hit.

However, there are many alternative ways to give a present, pledges on homemade little ‘gift vouchers’ cost nothing and give double pleasure, a gift of babysitting, cook dinner for the family, wash the car, walk the dog, Hoover the house…

Gifts that involve your time seem to have a different dimension and meaning plus an extra feel good factor.

Edible presents are also doubly welcome so this week and next, I’ll suggest lots of easy and delicious homemade gifts to charm your family and friends – not just fancy bottles that can sometimes sit on a kitchen shelf for years.  A few cartons of frozen homemade soup, a tagine or a gorgeous pot of comforting stew will be welcomed with open arms and greatly enjoyed at a later stage. So it doesn’t have to be fancy just delicious and after all the way to everyone’s heart is through their tummy at Christmas and throughout the year.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup

A mixture of carrot and parsnip would also make a delicious soup if you can’t find celeriac andJerusalemartichokes. Easy, cool and fill into the carton, cover and freeze and label.

Serves 12 approx.

 

125g/ 4½oz celeriac

250g/9oz parsnips

250g/9ozJerusalemartichokes

or whatever combination of vegetables you fancy or have to hand.

1.1kg (2 1/2lb) carrots, preferably organic, chopped

90g (3oz) butter

225g (8oz) onion, chopped

275g (10oz) potatoes, chopped

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

sprig of spearmint

2.4L (4 pints) homemade light chicken or vegetable stock

124ml (5 fl ozs) creamy milk, (optional)

6 teaspoons freshly chopped spearmint

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

Garnish

a little lightly whipped cream or crème frâiche

parsley springs

Melt the butter and when it foams add the peeled and chopped vegetables, season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add thyme leaves, cover with a butter paper (to retain the steam) and a place with a tight fitting lid. Leave to sweat gently on a low heat for about 10 minutes approx. Remove the lid, add the boiling stock and cook until the vegetables are soft, alternatively add 3 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Alternatively, puree the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a little creamy milk if necessary.

If serving immediately, garnish with a swirl of lightly whipped cream or crème frâiche and some parsley sprigs.

Tagine of Lamb with Preserved Lemon

Any tagine, stew or casserole can be make in large quantities and gifted in portions for 1 to 2 people – easily defrosted and enjoyed. Don’t forget to add reheating and serving instructions to your label.

Serves 6

1.35kg (3 lbs) boned shoulder of lamb

scant 1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

generous pinch saffron

50g (2ozs) unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

salt

175g (6ozs) raisins, soaked in water and drained

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 tablespoon oil

50g (2ozs) flaked almonds

1 preserved lemon (half if large) optional

fresh coriander leaves

natural yoghurt

Trim the lamb, discarding excess fat. Cut into 1 1/2 inch (4cm) cubes. Mix cinnamon, ginger, pepper and saffron with 4 tablespoons water. Toss the lamb in this mixture. If you have time, leave to marinade for up to 24 hours.

Melt the butter in a wide pan. Add the lamb, onions, garlic, salt and enough water to come half way up the meat. Bring up to the boil, cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about an hour, turning the lamb occasionally until the meat is meltingly tender. Add the drained raisins, honey and half the coriander. Continue simmering for a further 30 minutes or so, uncovered until the sauce is thick and unctuous. Taste and adjust seasoning.

While the tagine is cooking, scoop out the flesh out of a preserved lemon, chop up the peel.  Fry the almonds in the oil until almost golden brown. Then add the diced lemon and toss 2 or 3 times. Drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle preserved lemon, almonds and remaining coriander over the lamb just before serving. Natural yoghurt makes a delicious accompaniment.

Note: No need to serve any vegetable, but a green salad would be a delicious

Beetroot and Ginger Relish

This sweet sour relish is particularly good with cold meats and coarse country terrines and keeps for ages, pretty labels and ribbons and maybe a sprig of holly will make it all the more festive.

1 1/2 ozs (45g) butter

8 ozs (225g) onion, chopped

3 tablespoons sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb (450g) raw beetroot, peeled and grated

1 fl oz (25ml) sherry vinegar

4 fl ozs (120ml) red wine

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Sweat the onions slowly in butter, they should be very soft, add sugar and seasoning and allow to brown slightly.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook gently for 30 minutes.  Serve cold.

This relish keeps for ages.

Janie’s Green Tomato Jam

If you or some of your friends still have some green tomatoes, this is a completely delicious jam which can be used for sweet or savoury dishes. Delicious with cold meats and pâte.  We use the green fruit for chutneys for predictable things like fried green tomatoes and chutneys.

Makes 2 small jars

500g (18oz) green tomatoes

450ml (16fl oz) water

300g (11oz) granulated sugar

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Wash and slice the tomatoes (no need to peel), and place in a large pan with the water. Bring to the boil then simmer covered for 50-60 minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Boil rapidly for 10 –12 minutes or until setting point is reached.

Blood Plum and Apple Chutney

Particularly delicious with cold ham, pot in small jars.

 

Makes 7 x 200ml (7fl oz) small jars

110ml (4 fl ozs) cider or wine vinegar

175g (6ozs) caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger

900g (2lb) blood red plums, stoned and chopped

900g (2lb) Bramley apples, peeled and chopped

Put the vinegar and sugar in a stainless steel saucepan with the cinnamon, star anise and ginger.  Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add the chopped plums and apples, simmer gently for about 40 minutes until the plums and apples are tender and the liquid is thick.  Pour into jars.  Cover and keep in the fridge.

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

This mincemeat is the most delicious I know, add a few recipe suggestions to the basket, it’s great in pies, tarts, ice-cream…

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

2 cooking apples, eg. Bramley Seedling

2 organic lemons

450g (1lb) beef suet

pinch of salt

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

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

225g (8oz) currants

450g (1lb) sultanas

900g (2lbs)Barbadossugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)

62ml (2 1/2fl oz) 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.

 

 

Hot Tips

 

Free Range Turkeys and Geese for Christmas

If you haven’t already ordered your turkey or goose…

East Ferry Free Range deliver fresh, oven ready White and Bronze Turkeys and Geese all over Ireland. Robbie Fitzsimmons can do last minute deliveries too 0862056020 or email info@eastferryfreerange.com

Philip Monks from Monksfarm,  Ballyvaughan, Co Clare delivers fresh free-range Bronze turkeys and Legarth geese (traditional white geese)  to the Dublin, Limerick and Galway areas, he’ll also take orders right up to the last minute… Order online www.monksfarm.wordpress.com or phone Philip direct 086-8735565

Seek out Riverlane Panforte – a small Italian cake with an intense flavour made from Irish honey, home-made candied peel, Bandon Creamery butter and nuts -  available in Urru Bandon, the ABC stall (Alternative Bread Company) in the English Market and Riverlane Café in Ballineen, Co Cork – Susan Fehily – 0238847173 – fehilyrobbins@eircom.net. Perfect when you feel like a slice of something.

 

I’ve just discovered Highbank Organic Orchard Syrup “Irelands answer to maple syrup” it’s a sweet and delicious, pouring syrup, the first of its kind. The organic apples are grown and produced by Highbank Orchards in Kilkenny – no pesticides, no artificial fertilisers or preservatives. The syrup keeps for ages and is delicious drizzled over goat cheese, ice-cream, coarse pate, ham, pork, yoghurt..Available at Ballymaloe Cookery School Farm Shop – 021 4646785 – www.highbankorchards.com

I’ve just had an ‘oh my god’ moment where the penny has dropped that Christmas day is a mere 28 days away. It’s seems to have crept up on me and I haven’t cooked a single thing yet. In this column I will give a variety of Christmas cake and some pudding recipes. The richest can be made this weekend while the others can be whipped up closer to the time or even the day before.

This year I have decided to bake two layers of almond paste into my rich fruit cake. I adore almond paste, it’s really easy to make and adds moistness and richness to the cake. As ever fantastic ingredients make a fantastic cake, use fine Irish butter, really good eggs organic
or least free range and best quality plump dried fruit. If you are going to make a cake it might as well be delicious!

A rich fruit cake keeps brilliantly for months. I love a finger of cake with a cup of tea or strong coffee but not everyone wants to have the remains of the Christmas cake – no matter how delicious – in a tin for months on end. So, why not consider making three smaller cakes
from once the recipe this year – keep one for yourself and wrap the others in lots of tinsel and tissue – perfect presents for busy friends. The same can apply to plum puddings, a little slice is the quintessential taste of Christmas but no-one wants to have cold plum pudding hanging around for weeks after the festive season.

Once the recipe here makes 12 x ½ pint puddings each of which serves two greedy people or four who would enjoy just a few juicy morsels of plum pud.

So this weekend gather up the ingredients, root out the wooden spoon, pudding bowls and cake tins, gather the children around and have a fun baking session and pass on the skills at the same time – remember how much we all loved licking the wooden spoon!

Christmas Cake with Glazed Fruit and Nuts

This makes a moist cake which keeps very well.  It can either be made months ahead or if you are frenetically busy it will still be delish even if made just a few days before Christmas – believe me I know! If the children help to chop the cherries and prepare the ingredients it will take the mystery out of ‘making the cake’ and pudding, so you’ll have given them a skill for life.

225g (8 ozs) butter

225 g (8 ozs) pale, soft-brown sugar or golden castor sugar

6 organic free-range eggs

285g  (10 ozs) plain white flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

65 ml (2 1/2  fl ozs) Irish whiskey

340 g (12 ozs) best-quality sultanas

340 g (12 ozs) best- quality currants

340 g (12 ozs) best-quality raisins

110 g (4ozs) real glacé cherries

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

55 g (2 ozs) ground almonds

55 g (2 ozs) whole almonds

rind of 1 organic unwaxed lemon

rind of 1 organic unwaxed orange

1 large or 2 small Bramley Seedling apples, grated no need to peel

Almond Paste

450 g (1 lb) ground almonds

450 g (1 lb) golden castor sugar

2 small organic or free-range eggs

a drop of pure almond essence

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Angelica, dried apricots, pecans, glacé cherries, peeled whole almonds,

 

To Brush on the Cake

Apricot Glaze – 12 ozs approx

1 x 9 inch round tin or 3 x 7 inch round tins.

Line the base and sides of the tin/s with a double thickness of parchment paper. Tie a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin / tins.  Have a sheet of parchment or brown paper to lay on top of each 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, rub off the skins and chop them finely.  Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and grated orange and lemon rind.  Add about half of the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

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

Preheat the oven to 150°C/315°F/gas mark 2 1/2.

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 cooking 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 into three equal parts, put one part into the prepared cake tin.  Divide the almond paste into two; roll each into a round slightly smaller than the tin. Lay one on top of the cake mixture, cover with another third of the mixture. Lay another round of almond paste and the remainder of the cake mixture.

If using smaller tins, divide each third of the mixture into 3 and the almond paste into six pieces and follow the method as above.

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.  

Lay a double sheet of brown paper on top of the cake to protect the surface from the direct heat.  Put into the preheated oven. After one hour reduce the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. 

Bake until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out completely clean after a further 3 hours approx, in total.

Pour the rest of the whiskey over the cake and leave to cool in the tin. 

Next day remove from the tin.  Do not remove the lining paper but wrap 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 becomes.

A couple of days before Christmas remove the paper from the cake. Brush with apricot glaze, arrange nuts and dried fruit in a circular pattern on top. Brush more apricot glaze over the nuts and fruit. Wrap a ribbon around the edge and tie a bow. Place on a plate, admire your handy work and enjoy!

 

Children’s Christmas Cake

I found this recipe while researching for the revised edition of my Traditional Food Book. Nancy Elliott lived in Clones, Co Monaghan. She married in 1865 and had eleven children.  She was a keen baker and had a large collection of cake recipes including this which she made especially for her children.

Serves 8

75g (3oz) soft butter

100g (3 ½ oz) castor sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoonful milk

1 tablespoonful of cream

juice of a lemon

110g (4oz) sultanas

1 teaspoonful baking powder

225g (8oz) cream flour – add as much flour as will make a stiff dough 

Tin Size: 18 cm (7 inch) round tin line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Mark 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light. Add the eggs one by one. Beating well after each addition. Stir in the milk, cream, lemon juice and sultanas. Sieve the flour and baking powder together, fold into the mixture. Place in the prepared tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 – 1 ¼  hours.

Decorate it with red and white sugar.  Do not cut till 2 days old.

Mummy’s Plum Pudding

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.

12 ozs (350g) raisins

12 ozs (350g) sultanas

12 ozs (350g) currants

12 ozs (350g) brown sugar

12 ozs (350g) white breadcrumbs (non GM)

12 ozs (350g) finely-chopped beef suet

4 ozs (110g) diced candied peel (preferably home-made)

2 Bramley cooking apples, coarsely grated

4 ozs (110g) chopped almonds

rind of 1 lemon

3 pounded cloves (1/2 teaspoon)

a pinch of salt

6 eggs

2 1/2 fl ozs (62ml)JamaicaRum

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!

Raisin Cake from the Blaskets

According to Máire Ní Ghuithín – who wrote Bean An Oileáin – Raisin Cake was the Christmas treat. On the Blaskets there was no need for a scales – the bag of raisins would be weighed in the shop. 

Every house had large mugs for tea hanging on the dresser in the kitchen; they would hold 175g (6oz) of flour.

The ingredients were as follows. 

3 mugfuls of white flour – 500g (1lb 2oz)

One rounded teaspoonful of baking-soda 

One rounded teaspoonful of salt

A small knob of butter 25g (1oz)

One egg beaten

Half a cupful of sugar 110g (4oz) Demerara

Half a pound of big raisins (with seeds removed) – muscatels (we used Lexia raisins)

Sour milk – we used 425ml (15fl) buttermilk

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

Line the base and sides of a 20cm (8inch) round tin with greaseproof or parchment paper.

All the ingredients, except the sour milk or yeast liquid were mixed together.  The mixture was then moistened with the sour milk.  Maire doesn’t say how long it took to bake the cake.  Sean Pheats Tom O Cearnaigh, also mentions in his 1992 book ‘Fiolar An Eireabaill Bhain’ that milk or cream, and ‘yeast flour’ were used to make a raisin cake, and that it was baked for an hour.

How we did it –

Sieve flour and bread soda into a bowl.  Add salt and sugar, rub in the butter.  Add the raisins and mix well.  Make a well in the centre, add the egg and sour milk and mix to a softish dough. Transfer into the lined tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour approx.

Cut in wedges and serve buttered.  This cake keeps well for a few days.

 

Mary Jo’s Stollen

Stollen is a favourite German Christmas Cake with a layer of almond paste baked into the centre.

Makes 2 700g (1 1/2lb) cakes

Brandied Fruit:

150g (5oz) mixed sultanas and currants

75g (3oz) diced candied cherries and citrus peel

1 1/2 tablespoons brandy

20g (3/4oz) fresh yeast (or 1 sachet dry yeast)

150ml (5fl oz) lukewarm milk

175g (6oz) strong white flour

75g (3oz) castor sugar

Grated rind 1/2 lemon

110g (4oz) softened butter

2 eggs

1 level teaspoon salt

275g (10oz) strong white flour

Marzipan:

75g (3oz) ground almonds

60g (2 1/2oz) castor sugar

1 tablespoon egg white

Drop of almond essence

Melted butter

Icing sugar

Mix fruits, stir in brandy, cover with cling film and macerate overnight. 

To mix yeast sponge, crumble fresh yeast into warm milk in a Pyrex bowl.  Allow yeast to soften.  Mix in 175g (6oz) flour and beat well with a wooden spoon.  Cover with Clingfilm and allow to rest for 30-45 minutes.

Place 75g (3oz) castor sugar in a mixer bowl, grate in lemon rind and rub into sugar with your fingertips.  Add butter and beat until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time; add the salt and scrape down the bowl to make a soft creamed mixture.

When sponge is light and well risen, add to creamed mixture along with 275g (10oz) flour.  Scrape off K beater and replace with dough hook.  Knead on moderate speed for 10 minutes until is silky and soft.  The dough should not stick to your fingers.

Remove hook, cover bowl with Clingfilm and allow dough to rise until doubled in size.

Knock back dough and scrape out onto a flour-dusted clean surface.  Flatten to 1cm (1/2 inch) and sprinkle brandied fruit on top.  Roll up like a Swiss roll and knead fruit through dough.  The dough may grow sticky, but avoid adding more flour.  Scrape fruited dough into a bowl, cover with Clingfilm and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the marzipan by mixing sugar, ground almonds and egg white.  Flavour with almond essence if desired.  Knead to a lump, divide in half and roll each half into a log.

Next day, remove dough from the fridge.  Scrape out of bowl onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half.  Shape each half into an oval and roll out to 2cm (3/4 inch) thickness.  Make an indentation lengthways along the centre and place in long sausage shape piece of marzipan.  Fold the oval in half with long sides meeting.  Press together and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for 1-2 hours in a warm place until light.

Bake at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 30 minutes or until deeply golden and tests done.

While still hot, brush with melted butter and sift icing sugar thickly over the top.

Cool well before slicing.  Will keep wrapped for 4-5 days and may be frozen.

Hot Tips

Cork City Slow Food Event – Garden Talk with Kitty Scully – Kitty Scully of the RTE show ‘How to create a Garden’ is the guest speaker on Tuesday, 29th November at 7:30pm in the Blarney Garden Centre. Kitty will share her passion for all things gardening and growing, and will show how to prepare, design and care for a garden the organic way. To book email corkcity@slowfoodireland.com. Price: €10 – includes tea/coffee, home baked scones, 10% discount in garden centre, printed information material.

Mary Dowey’s Weekend Wine Course at Ballymaloe House – Friday 2^nd to Sunday 4^th March 2012 – the perfect gift for a wine-lover – the course has become a firm fixture on the spring calendar at Ballymaloe House. Learn the essentials of wine appreciation while enjoying superb food, great wines and good company in one of Ireland’s loveliest country houses. To purchase a gift voucher or to book Tel: 00 353 (0)21 4652531 res@ballymaloe.ie  www.ballymaloe.ie

Two Christmas Cookery Courses at Ballymaloe Cookery School – an early Christmas present to bring good cheer and lift the spirits!  One day Christmas Cooking Part 3 Monday 12^th December 9.30am to 5.00pm and Rachel Allen’s Festive Entertaining Part 2, two and half day practical hands on course Tuesday 13^th to Thursday 15^th December. To book 021 4646785 or online www.cookingisfun.ie

Meat Free Monday – The whole idea continues to garner approval – there’s a million good reasons why this is a brilliantly good idea. Between 1961 and 2007 the world population increased by a factor of 2.2. In the same period total meat production quadrupled and poultry consumption increased 10-fold. Consequently the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimate that livestock production is responsible for up to 18 % of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although some estimates putting the figure as high as 50 %.

The main ‘baddies’ are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Methane is caused by ‘enteric fermentation’ – which in plain English means the burping and farting – by cows, sheep and goats. Nitrous oxide rises off slurry (manure) pits (primarily on pig farms) or is the by-product of the production of fertilisers. Carbon dioxide is produced when rainforests are cut down to make way for grazing cattle, or for growing crops to feed farmed animals. Carbon dioxide may get most of the publicity, but the other two are, if anything more serious, methane is 21 times more powerful than carbon dioxide and remains in the atmosphere for 9 – 14 years. Nitrous oxide is 310 times more powerful that carbon dioxide and hangs around for up to 114 years. What this means is that gases that are being released today will continue to degrade the climate for eons to come.

As if that’s not enough, global meat production uses massive amounts of water, we may not have to worry about it in this country but the estimated 634 gallons of fresh water required to produce one 5.2 ounce (147g) beef burger would be enough for a 4 hour-shower. Like fossil fuels, fresh water supplies are running out in many parts of the world. The glaciers that are the source of many of the great rivers are melting due to climate change and the Ganges, the Niger and Yellow Rivers are drying up. As they disappear, so does the world’s available water.

Nutritionists and doctors remind us that there are definite health benefits to reducing our consumption of meat. According to the World Health Organisation we eat considerably more protein than is considered necessary or optimal for good health. A meat-and-dairy-heavy diet is now being linked to some of the world’s biggest killer diseases, cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Animal welfare issues involved with some intensive methods of food production continue to cause concern and then there are the fish: it has been estimated that if current fishing trends continue, there will be no fish left by 2048. Industrialised fishing vessels with their football-pitch sized nets or lines of hooks a mile long devastate coral reefs and ocean beds, kill and injure marine wildlife including dolphins, turtles and sea birds, and are pushing the oceans to the brink of environmental collapse.

In the current economic climate there are many other compelling reasons to remind ourselves that vegetables are by far the most important food group and to support The Meat Free Monday campaign – which was started by the McCartney family in St John’s Park in London in June 2009. Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney have now come together to write the foreword for Meat Free Monday Cookbook published by Kyle Books and packed with many delicious recipes where you won’t miss the meat.

　

BREAKFAST GRANOLA

Makes 12 servings.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Roughly chop 200g (7oz) mixed nuts such as almonds, pecan and hazelnuts and tip into a large bowl. Add 450g (1lb) rolled oats, 50g (2oz) sunflower seeds, 50g (2oz) pumpkin seeds, 50g (2oz) linseeds and 50g (2oz) desiccated coconut and mix well. Add 125ml (4fl oz) sunflower oil and 100ml (3½fl oz) runny honey and mix thoroughly to combine. Pour the mixture into a large roasting tin and spread into an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp, stirring frequently so that the mixture toasts evenly. Remove from the oven and add 100g (4oz) roughly chopped dried cherries, cranberries or blueberries. Leave to cool before scooping into storage jars. Serve with fresh berries, organic milk or natural yogurt.

　

Potatoes With Hazelnuts and Rosemary

Simon Rogan

Serves 4

Take about 20g (3/4 oz) tiny rosemary needles from the bunch and set aside. Boil 450g pink fir potatoes with 25g (1oz) sprig of rosemary leaves. Meanwhile simmer 25g (1oz) hazelnuts in water for 4 minutes, drain, peel and pat dry. Gently fry the hazelnuts in a little hazelnut oil until golden brown, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cool down and crush into smaller pieces. When the potatoes are cooked, peel, slice and fry in a generous amount of hazelnut oil until they are golden brown. Remove and drain onto kitchen paper, wipe clean the pan and place into it another 2 tablespoons of hazelnut oil with 100ml (3½fl oz) crème fraîche. Reduce until the sauce is the right consistency, add the rosemary needles and return the golden potato slices. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, place into a bowl and scatter over the fried hazelnut pieces.

　

CHEESY KALE GRATIN

Serves 4–6

Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Remove the stalks from 250g kale and shred finely. Plunge into boiling water for 30–60 seconds, then refresh under cold water. Set aside. Melt 25g (1oz) butter in a saucepan, stir in 25g (1oz) plain flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually blend in 450ml (16fl oz) full fat organic milk, stirring well. Place back on the heat and bring gently to the boil, stirring continuously until thickened and smooth. Crumble in 125g (4 ½ oz) goat’s cheese. Add 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder and salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix well. Place the kale in an ovenproof dish, then spoon over the sauce. Combine 75g (3oz) breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, and then spread evenly over the surface. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Onion Bhajis with Tomato and Chilli Sauce

Serves 4

Onion bhajis are very popular in Britain but shop-bought ones can be greasy and tired. These ones are anything but. They are served with a feisty sauce that transforms what is usually thought of as a snack into a satisfying meal.

25g (1oz) green chillies, deseeded and chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut in 5mm dice

1/2 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon soft brown sugar

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

salt and freshly ground pepper

110g (4oz) plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon chilli powder

2 organic eggs, beaten

150ml (5fl oz / ¼ pint) water

4 onions, thinly sliced in rings

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

sunflower oil

　

First make the sauce. Put the chillies, pepper, tomatoes and garlic into a stainless steel saucepan with the sugars, vinegar and water. Season and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by half.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and chilli powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs, gradually add in the water, mix to make a smooth batter. Stir in the thinly sliced onions and chives. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Just before serving heat the oil to 170°C /gas mark 3 1/2 approximately. Fry teaspoons of the batter in the sunflower oil for about 5 minutes on each side until crisp and golden, drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot or cold with the tomato and chilli sauce.

LENTIL, CHICKPEA, CHEDDAR AND ONION BURGERS

SERVES 4

Guilt-free fast food! Perfect in a toasted bun, these deliciously spicy burgers will become firm family favourites and are guaranteed to convert even the most committed of carnivores.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

400g can lentils, drained and rinsed

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon tahini paste

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

1 large organic egg, beaten

100g (3 ½ oz) fresh breadcrumbs

100g (3 ½ oz) grated Gruyère

100g (3 ½ oz) feta, crumbled

plain flour, for dusting

salt and freshly ground black pepper

to serve

burger buns

shredded lettuce

sliced tomatoes

sliced red onions

sliced avocados

soured cream

tomato ketchup

mayonnaise

pickles and relishes

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and cook over a medium heat until tender but not coloured. Add the garlic, ground cumin and cayenne and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

Tip the lentils and chickpeas into the bowl of a food-processor and blend until coarsely chopped. Add the onion mixture, tahini paste and parsley, and blend again until combined and nearly smooth. Tip into a large bowl and add the beaten egg, breadcrumbs and both of the cheeses. Mix together using your hands and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shape the mixture into patties and lightly dust in plain flour. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan, slide the burgers into the pan and cook until golden on both sides.

Serve in toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocados and a dollop of soured cream, ketchup or mayonnaise and pickles of your choice.

CAPPUCCINO CUPCAKES

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. In a large mixing bowl, cream 75g unsalted butter and 150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar together until pale and creamy. Add 2 organic eggs 1 at a time, mixing all the time. The mixture might look split at this stage but, don’t worry, that’s normal. Sift 85g (3 ½ oz) plain flour and 85g (3 ½ oz) self-raising flour together into a bowl. Mix 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder and 90ml organic milk together in a separate bowl. Fold in one third of the flour mixture and beat well then half of the coffee mixture and beat well again. Repeat the process, beating well between each addition. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases until two thirds full. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. For the topping, whisk 300ml (10fl oz /½ pint) whipping cream and 25g (2oz) icing sugar together to soft peaks. Spoon the cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe swirls over the cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with a chocolate-covered espresso bean and dust with drinking chocolate powder.

　

CHOCOLATE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

Serves 4–6

Preheat the oven to 190°C /gas mark 5. You will need an ovenproof dish 18cm long and 4cm deep. In a medium size saucepan bring 600ml organic milk and 284ml double cream to the boil over a moderate heat. Meanwhile mix together in a bowl 4 organic egg yolks and 125g (4 1/2oz) caster sugar. Pour over the organic milk and cream mixture, stir well to combine, then strain into a jug, adding a few drops of vanilla extract. Layer 1/4 sliced baguette in the bottom of the ovenproof dish, and scatter over 50g (4oz) sultanas and 50g (4oz) roughly chopped plain chocolate. Dip 1/4 sliced baguette in 50g (4oz) melted butter and lay the sliced on top of the sultanas. Pour over the custard mixture and leave to soak for 30 minutes, pushing the bread beneath the surface of the custard. Place the dish in a bain-marie (a roasting tin containing boiling hot water to reach to halfway up the sides of the ovenproof dish). Bake the pudding for 1 hour until golden brown. In a small saucepan heat together 4 tablespoons apricot jam and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Brush liberally over the bread and butter pudding and serve immediately.

Hot Tips

Ed Hick’s Bacon Jam – it’s a relish – savoury, tangy, delicious, great on toast with a fried egg on top or a burger relish or just simply spread on crusty bread with a slice of apple. It’s an easy and really yummy pasta dressing or for true addicts, just eat it by the spoon – it’s the porkiest, piquantest, sweet/sour chutney www.hicks.ie

Simplee Salt was created by Edel at her home and garden in East Cork – she grew more herbs in her garden that she knew what to do with so she started creating flavoured sea salts and which is now stocked in shops all over Ireland – look out for Simplee Salt – Fresh Herb, Chili and Whole Black Peppercorn Sea Salts in shops all over Ireland. See the website for a list of stockists… www.simplee.ie

 Planting an Orchard – Ballymaloe’s former head gardener Susan Turner has agreed to teach a half day workshop for anyone interested in creating a fruit orchard. The course is ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike who want to choose and establish varieties for a fruit orchard. Susan will talk through pruning of both newly planted trees and the cropping tree and also how to rejuvenate an old orchard. Susan is a gardener with an international reputation and clientele and is an inspirational teacher. The course starts at 9.00am on Monday 21^{st November and finishes at 2.00pm. It includes a delicious light lunch using ingredients from the farm. The cost is just €95.00. To book a place (a few still remaining) please call 021 4646785 or online at www.cookingisfun.ie}

Cork Free Choice Consumer Group presents – ‘Wines for Christmas’ – Choosing wines to suit Christmas fare, the best wines to buy this year and serving and storing wine with Colm McCan award winning sommelier from Ballymaloe House and Peter Corr experienced importer and distributor in the Cork area. Crawford Art Gallery Café, Cork – Thursday 24th Nov at 7.30pm – entrance 6 euro including tea & coffee

Every year the Georgina Campbell Awards are eagerly awaited by the restaurant industry. Awards are always fun, they lift the spirits and generate extra buzz at any time but most particularly at present when so many businesses are being put to the pin of their collar even to survive. Georgina’s highly respected guide has been in operation since 1997, she continues to think outside the box. Innovation is the name of the game at the moment, everyone is trying desperately to find new ways to attract business, so this year she added four new awards and four new criteria awards to highlight establishments who are excelling in unexpected areas and targeting a particular clientele.

The Pet Friendly Hotel of the Year took my fancy, Derek Davis who presented the awards at Bord Bia in Dublin, quipped that “many people would rather leave their husband behind than the dog!.” and so were missing an opportunity… not so the Dunloe Castle Hotel in Killarney who, for a nominal charge per night, has created a pet-friendly environment with luxurious kennels or a dog friendly guest room with pet beds and pet treats – the only trouble is likely to be persuading them to hop in the car when it’s time to leave.

The Green Hospitality Award went to Cooperhill House Riverstown, Co Sligo, where the 500 acre estate of woodland and pasture supplies much of their food. They compost vegetable waste and use sustainably produced firewood. Georgina reminded us “that they were environmental centuries before it became fashionable” Café of the Year Award went to Builín Blasta Café in Spiddal, Co Galway. Where there was much praise for this little café owned by New Zealander J-me Peaker – “where tea is made with real leaf tea and baking is a genuine forte.” Sunday Lunch of Year was won by VW Restaurant Viewmount House, Co Longford. “Sunday lunch is back with a vengeance for family get-togethers – a real treat.”

The Casual Dining Award which acknowledges and highlights the quality of smaller establishments, especially those serving all day food, went to the Salty Dog Hotel and Bistro in Co Down as did the Hotel Breakfast of the Year Award. Outstanding Service Award went to the outstanding Chapter One Restaurant owned by Ross Lewis in Dublin. The Ethnic Restaurant of the Year Award went to Cava – Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway for its all day Tapas menu and for having brought “a true taste of the Iberian Peninsula to Galway City.”

Peter and Mary Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh, Co Tipperary scooped the first The Natural Food Award “who better to begin than with an establishment – coffee shop, retailer and artisan producer – that celebrates the simple good foods of the locality in simple words, meats, milk, cream, eggs, butter and flour: The economy of Tipperary is agricultural and we intend to demonstrate this with a finished product of tantalising smells and tastes.”

Cork picked up several other awards The Just Ask Restaurant of the Year went to the Farmgate Restaurant in the English Market, Pub of the Year 2012 award went to Mary Ann’s Bar and Restaurant Castletownsend and Ballymaloe House were very proud to win three awards – Good Cooking Award, Good Housekeeping Award and Best Breakfast Award 2012.

For a full list of award winners visit www.georginacampbell.com or better still buy the Georgina Campbell Guide 2012 and keep it in the glove compartment of your car.

Apple Muesli

Serves 2

This recipe can be made in a few minutes and is so full of vitamins you’ll be jumping out of your skin all day!

4 tablespoons rolled oats (the speedicook type)

3 tablespoons water

2 large dessert apples eg. Golden Delicious or Worcester Permain

4 apples eg. Cox’s Orange Pippin

1 teaspoon honey approx.

To Serve Soft brown sugar and maybe a little runny cream

Equipment 1 grater

Measure out the water into a bowl and sprinkle three tablespoons of oatmeal on top. Let the oatmeal soak up the water while you grate the apple. A stainless steel grater is best for this job, use the largest side and grate the apple coarsely, skin and all. I grate through the core, but watch your fingers when you are coming close to the end, pick out the pips and discard. Stir a tea spoonful of honey into the oatmeal and then stir in the grated apple, taste, if it needs a little more honey add it, this will depend on how much you heaped up the spoon earlier on. Divide it between two bowls. Have one yourself and give the other to your favourite person that morning. It should taste delicious just like that but will taste even scrummier if you sprinkle over a little soft brown Barbados sugar and a very little runny cream.

Peter Ward’s Pint Glass Soda Bread

This is one Peter’s signature recipes at Country Choice. It was put together in response to his sons request for nice bread when he was starting collage. He was a bit lazy and hated measurements etc. So Peter came up with this recipe as every student has a pint glass. He uses Macroom flour but any good wholemeal would do.

pint glass coarse flour

 pint glass white flour

 three quarters of a pint buttermilk

enough salt to coat the bottom of a pint glass

enough soda to coat the bottom of a pint glass

tablespoon butter

Mix dry. Add wet, shape and bake. We make a flat cake about 1 ½ inches high with a cross on it and bake it on the floor of the hot oven of the Aga. Alternatively, bake in an preheated oven – 230°C/450°F/Mark 8 – for 15 minutes then at 200°C/400°F/Mark 6 for a further 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Builín Blasta Café Organic Irish Salmon Fishcake

Makes 6  

500g (18oz) plain dry mashed potatoes

500g (18oz) organic salmon pieces (skin off & bone out) 

100mls (3½fl oz) white wine

1tbsp Dijon mustard

1tbsp tomato ketchup

1tbsp anchovy – chopped

salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Mark 4. Firstly poach the salmon in a small oven proof dish with the wine plus just enough water to cover. Bake with a lid on for approximately 15 minutes. Drain and flake into the mashed potatoes. Add the mustard, tomato ketchup and chopped anchovy, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and combine with a fork, taste and correct seasoning. Cool and store in the fridge for hour.  Divide into 6 and shape the fishcakes. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, fry the fishcakes for about 2 minutes and then transfer to the oven for 10-15 minutes. (Alternatively finish on the pan) J-Me likes to serve these with steamed green vegetables like kale or spinach and a sweet chilli sauce.  

Farmgate Restaurant’s Poached Leg of Mutton with Caper Sauce

The Just Ask Restaurant of the Year Award went to the Farmgate Restaurant in the English Market in Cork. Since opening in 1994 – well before most restaurateurs in Ireland thought it might be popular or profitable to focus on local produce and traditional dishes – Kay Harte’s café above the English Market in Cork has epitomised everything that is best about simple, wholesome, fresh Irish food that has travelled as short a distance as possible to reach the plates of their happy customers.

Serves 6/8

1 leg of mutton – around 2 ½ kg (5lbs 18oz)

300 ml (10fl oz /½ pint) of chicken stock (use low- salt bouillon if necessary),

enough water to cover mutton in the pot

bay leaves, onions, carrots and leeks (2 of each should do) (vegetables are used for flavouring the stock- discard after cooking)

Put all of the ingredients for the mutton into a large enough pot and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 1 ½ – 1 ¼ hours. While the mutton is cooking you can get on with making the caper sauce – which can be kept warm until serving.

Caper Sauce

50g (2oz) butter

50g (2oz) plain flour

parsley

capers to taste (Kay Harte uses lots) optional:

a teaspoon of English mustard or a little anchovy is lovely.

Melt the butter (over a medium heat), then add the flour (classic Roux base). Stirring continuously, add 300ml (10floz / ½ pint) of heated milk and 300ml (10floz / ½ pint) of stock from the mutton pot. When bubbling, add in good quality roughly chopped capers and chopped parsley. Add in a drop of cream (mustard or anchovy if using), and season to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm until serving. Slice the mutton – and serve with caper sauce and steamed golden wonder potatoes in their jackets. Some fresh parsley looks lovely to finish.

Builín Blasta Café Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie

The beetroot can be added raw, all you need to do is peel and grate it but J-Me Peaker finds the outcome nicer if the fresh beetroot is cooked and grated. “The texture is soft and the flavour is fantastic.”

Makes 12  

185g (6 ½ oz) dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids

185g (6 ½ oz) butter

3 free-range eggs

440g (15 ½ oz) sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

155g (5 ¼ oz) white flour 300g (10 ½ oz) raw beetroot finely grated

8 inch round oven dish lined with greaseproof paper

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Mark 3. Melt the chocolate & butter in a Pyrex bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract – not too much, just give them a little beat to combine. Pour this into the melted chocolate and fold.  Add the flour and then the beetroot.  Pour in the brownie batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 45 minutes, cool, then cut into 10-12 pieces. Serve with lightly whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Hottips

Midleton Farmer’s Market – Don’t miss the great new ‘Ms. Hederman’s’ stall piled high with irrisistible sweet puddings, pastries and petit fours…Try her chocolate and chestnut rum pots or the lemon creams, yummy. Every Saturday 9.30am to 2pm. Facebook: The Ms Hederman’s – 0868213984

Time to order your turkey or goose for Christmas – I’ll be looking for a bronze turkey this year. The Good Food Ireland website has a list of suppliers http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/MemberCategory33/Poultry.html  You can also order Christmas geese and turkeys from Nora Aherne 021 4632354.

Darina Allen’s Cookbook of the Week – Tapas by Elisabeth Luard – A brilliant little book on Tapas by one of my favourite cookery writers of all time Elisabeth Luard. Elisabeth has been living in Spain for fifteen years and her seemingly effortless style of writing and understanding of the way in which ordinary people’s cooking reflects their history, culture and everyday life, makes her one of the most individual and distinctive food writers of all time. Tapas are the wonderfully tempting little dishes of food that are traditionally served with sherry in southern Spain. Beautifully simple, tantalisingly delicious and easy to prepare, they are perfect for all kinds of occasions. Perfect to nibble with drinks or a little selection makes an irresistible starter. Tapas are about brilliant ingredients; Elisabeth gives suggestions for tapas for different seasons and occasions. Published by Grub Street Press.

The whole artisan beer scene is going into orbit in Ireland. At present there are 14 or 15 craft brewers and the public, bored with the usual offerings, can’t get enough of it. These beers are incredibly diverse, some with citrus notes, others with a distinct hint of chocolate or bitter caramel. Just like the farmhouse cheeses, I always imagine that they reflect the personality of the brewers, eclectic feisty hand made beers with real character and flavour.

With an alcohol content of between 4 and 6 percent many are best drunk with food or enjoyed leisurely as you read the daily newspapers.

At one time in Ireland we had a vibrant regional beer industry with each town or country proud to drink their own beer. Our local brew, Perrys Ale was made in Rathdowney in Co Laois. Strangman’s Brewery in Waterford made a light beer with was enjoyed by the pupils at Newtown School in Waterford until it became quite the wrong thing for Quakers to have anything to do with beer! The tradition died out in the 20^{th Century as the larger brewers grew at expense of the independent brewers.}

This week as part of the 12 week Certificate Course students school tour we visited the 8 Degree Brewery in Mitchelstown. There we found ‘two cocky foreign guys’ as Cameron Wallace from Australia and Scott Baigent from New Zealand describe themselves, having lots of fun making beer and jolly good it is too.

They were both lured to Ireland by their Irish wives. Scott, an ex-engineer is married to a past Ballymaloe Cookery School student and well known blogger, Caroline Hennessy – see ^{www.Bibliocook.com}

Cameron Wallace is an ex accountant, both were perplexed at the lack of choice on the beer scene in Ireland. As they travelled they did lots of research and eventually decided that brewing appealed to both of them, lots of piping and some paperwork – perfect!

They made a plan, did lots of home brewing, headed off to Germany to The Brewing Institute in Berlin, found a great warehouse outside Mitchelstown and started to brew. They managed to buy some great kit from the well established Carlow Brewery who was up scaling. All they needed was good malting barley, some hop pellets and a spirit of adventure and fun which they have in spades.

Last Easter they launched at the Franciscan Brewery in Cork and have already developed a cult following and are now available in 65 outlets.

So far there are three – Howling Gale, Knockmealdown Porter and Sunburnt Irish Red created for the Red Head Festival at Cronins in Crosshaven.

At a recent Slow Food feast in O’Briens Chop House in Lismore, 8 Degree beer was served side by side with Dungarvan beers made by Cormac O’Dwyer and Tom Dalton with their partners Jen and Claire. We drank little shots of their Blackrock Stout with chef Robbie Krawczyk’s Native oysters and Smoked Blackwater Salmon, a delicious combination.

We also enjoyed crispy pigs tails with sauce Gribiche. And breast of wild wood pigeon on smoked potato purée. Beef ribs from local butcher Michael McGrath were also fantastic and there was bone marrow and tongue fritters for the adventurous – all delicious.

Dan Hegarty who makes that really good cloth bound Hegarty’s cheddar on the family farm in Whitechurch was also with us, to share and regale us with stories of his cheese-making adventure.

Cheese and the artisan beer was a terrific pairing and those who still had a little space tucked into large helpings of Justin’s sloe gin trifle, it’s a wonder we went home at all!

Scampi or Deep-Fried Prawns with Tartare Sauce

Scampi was the ‘must have’ starter of the 60’s and 70’s, utterly delicious when made with fresh prawns, sadly nowadays it is more often a travesty made with inferior soggy frozen prawns.

very fresh Dublin Bay prawns, peeled

beer batter, see below

tartare sauce (see recipe)

Preheat the oil to 180°C/350°F in a deep fry.

　

Beer Batter

I sometimes dispense with the water and just use beer.

Produces a crisp coating for fish

250g (9 oz/) self raising flour

good pinch of salt

4 fl ozs (110ml) beer Howling Gale or Helvick Gold Blonde Ale

6 – 8 fl ozs (175 – 225ml) cold water

First make the batter; sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in the beer and water.

 

Just before serving dip the very fresh prawns individually in the batter and deep fry in hot oil until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with a little bowl of tartare sauce and a segment of lemon.

　

Tartare Sauce

This classic is great with deep-fried fish, shellfish or fish cakes. Tartare sauce will keep for 5–6 days in a fridge, but omit the parsley and chives if you want to keep it for more than a day or two. A quick tartare sauce can be made by adding the extra ingredients into a homemade mayonnaise at the end.

Serves 8–10

2 organic egg yolks, hardboiled

2 organic egg yolks, raw

1⁄4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

225ml (8fl oz) extra virgin olive oil and 125ml (4fl oz) sunflower oil, mixed together

1 teaspoon capers, chopped

1 teaspoon gherkins, chopped

2 teaspoons chives, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

lemon juice, optional

Take the hardboiled eggs and remove the yolks from the whites. Sieve the hardboiled egg yolks into a bowl and add the raw egg yolks, Dijon mustard and vinegar. Mix well and whisk in the oil drop by drop, increasing the volume as the mixture thickens. When all the oil has been absorbed, add the capers, gherkins, chives and parsley. Roughly chop the hardboiled egg white and fold it gently into the base with salt, freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary.

Irish Beef and Dungarvan Blackrock Stout Stew

 

Serves 6-8

 

In season:

 

This kind of recipe belongs to the newer tradition of Irish cooking, using some of our best ingredients. It makes a wonderful gutsy stew which tastes even better a day or two later.

 

900g (2 lbs (900g) lean Irish stewing beef

3 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons flour

salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne.

2 large onions (10oz/285g) approx.

1 large clove garlic, crushed optional

2 tablespoons tomato puree dissolved in 4 tablespoons water

1 bottle Dungarvan Blackrock Stout (300ml)

lb (225g) carrots cut into chunks

 

Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into 2 inch (5cm) cubes, toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season the flour with salt freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of cayenne, toss the meat in this mixture.

Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat; brown the meat on all sides. Add the coarsely chopped onion, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the pan, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, deglaze the frying pan with some of the stout, bring to the boil and stir to dissolve the caramelised meat juices on the pan, add to the meat with the remaining stout, add the carrots cut into chunks. Stir, taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Cover with the lid of the casserole, simmer very gently until the meat is tender – 2-3 hours.

The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven 150C/300F/regulo 2. Taste and correct the seasoning. This stew can of course be eaten the moment it is cooked but tastes even better if cooked a day or two ahead. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley and serve with Champ, Colcannon or plain boiled potatoes.

 

　

Oyster and Stout Beef Pie

　

Oysters have an affinity with many Irish ingredients, of which Irish beef is one.

Serves 4

12 oysters, shells removed, juices strained and reserved

2 tablespoons plain flour

salt, freshly ground black pepper

700g/1½lb stewing beef, in 1in cubes

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1-2 onions, finely chopped

225g/8oz mushrooms, sliced

425ml/15fl.oz Stout – Dungarvan Blackrock or Knockmealdown Porter

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

200g/7oz puff pastry

Green salad

Pie Dish

First open the oysters and shake off the excess. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the beef in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the beef to the pan a little at a time and seal. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan as this will only create a stewing process.) Remove the beef from the pan.

Fry the onions and mushrooms until soft and then return the meat to the pan. Add the Dungarvan Blackrock Stout or Knockmealdown Porter, Worcestershire sauce and the oyster juices. Season with salt and pepper. Mix gently, cover and simmer until the meat is tender (about 1½ hours). Remove from the heat, add the oysters, stir gently and allow to cool completely. Preheat the oven to 230ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.

Grease a deep pie dish. Pour the cold mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the pastry lid, leave a slight overhang around the edge of the dish. Crimp the edges and cut an air vent in the centre of the pastry and decorate with pastry leaves.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4. Bake for a further 30 minutes until the meat is heated through and pastry cooked.

Serve with a green salad.

　

Knockmealdown Porter Cake

The porter, be it Guinness or Murphy, plumps up the fruit and gives it a very distinctive taste. If you can manage to hide it away, this cake keeps really well. Serves about 20

225g (8oz) butter

225g (8oz) golden caster sugar

300ml (1⁄2 pint) Knockmealdown Porter

zest of 1 orange

225g (8oz) sultanas

225g (8oz) raisins

110g (4oz) mixed peel

450g (1lb) white flour

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons mixed spice

110g (4oz) cherries, halved

3 organic eggs

23cm (9in) round tin, lined with silicone paper

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

Melt the butter, caster sugar and stout in a saucepan. Add the orange zest and the fruit and peel (except the cherries). Bring the mixture to the boil for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and leave to cool until it is lukewarm.

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice into a mixing bowl. Add the fruit mixture to the flour and add the cherries. Whisk the eggs; add them gradually, mixing evenly through the mixture.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. If you wish, when the cake is cooked, you can pour 4 tablespoons of stout over it. Keep for 2–3 days before cutting.

　

Hottips

Slow Food East Cork event – Spectacular Cakes for Christmas

with Pamela Black at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Wednesday November 16th at 7.00pm. Lots of special techniques and decorating tips. Slow Food Members　€35.00 – Non Slow Food Members €40.00 Proceeds to the East Cork Slow Food Educational Project. Booking Essential on　021 4646785　or email^{slowfoodeastcork@gmail.com}

The Ballymaloe International Poetry Prize

^{in conjunction with the Moth Magazine – entries close on 31st December 2011 so stir up those creative juices to pen a winning poem – the first prize is €2,000.00…}

The competition is open to everyone, and will be judged by Matthew Sweeney, whose most recent collection was shortlisted for The Irish Times/Poetry Now Award　and the T. S. Eliot Prize. Go to

^{www.themothmagazine.com for details on how to enter.
　}

Farmhouse Cheeses of Ireland – A Celebration by Glynn Anderson and John McLaughlin

^{– Ireland Farmhouse Cheeses win top prizes in cheese shows all over the world yet many of us are hard pressed to name more than 4 or 5. There are over 60 to choose from – cow, goat, sheep and buffalo milk cheeses from all four corners of the island – at last a book to catalogue and celebrate the achievement of Farmhouse Cheese- makers who have helped to change and enhance the image of Irish Food both at home and abroad. Published by The Collins Press}

　

My daughter-in-law Rachel knows more than most what is like to try and juggle work, family and friends. I don’t know how she does it but she is certainly not alone, all over the country there are mums and dads who dash home from work often stopping off to collect the kids from the crèche on the way. There may be time to shop on the way home but often you just need to get dinner on the table fast with whatever you have in the cupboard.

Other times you just want to throw it all in one pot and let it bubble away while you get on with other things and sometimes you don’t want to turn the oven on at all.

A well stocked fridge, freezer and store cupboard makes it all possible and even fun. A few jars of fresh spices, a couple of chilli and a few pots of fresh herbs close to the kitchen door can tart up even the simplest omelette, salad, pasta or potato dish.

I’ve been leafing through Rachel’s latest book ‘ Easy Meals’ which she wrote to share her great standbys for those hectic days when you want to cook a great meal with no fuss.

Rachel has several recipes for hearty one pot dishes that are comforting and filling. I loved the sound of lamb and chicken tagine, sausage and lentil stew, the Spanish pork stew and the beef pie but in this piece I’ve chosen recipes that can be put together really quickly – Carrot and Coconut Soup, Tagliatelle with Bacon, Peas and Mint, Stir Fried Steak with Kale, Hot Buttered Plum Pudding,

I had a really difficult time trying to choose between 6 or 8 really quick and yummy desserts.

Banoffi Pancakes look completely irresistible as are Quick Blueberry Trifles, Quick Fruit Brûlée and Coconut Macaroon Meringue. In the end I settled for Chocolate Marscapone Mousse which takes only 5 minutes cooking time.

There are tons of great ideas in this book which I plan to steal from my lovely daughter-in-law.

Carrot, Ginger and Coconut Soup

Serves 8

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15–20 minutes

3 tbsp sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

800g (1¾lb) carrots, peeled and grated

2 tbsp peeled and finely chopped root ginger

(1 pint 9fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp chopped coriander, to serve

* Pour the sunflower oil into a large saucepan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the onions and garlic. Cover with a lid and sweat for 6–8 minutes or until softened but not browned.

* Stir in the grated carrots with the ginger, then cover again with the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

* Pour in the stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes.

* Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup in a blender, or use a hand-held blender, then place back on the hob and heat through again. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

Tagliatelle with Bacon, Peas and Mint

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 10–12 minutes

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

350g (12oz) dried tagliatelle or other pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine

2 tbsp olive oil

200g (7oz) streaky bacon (about 8 rashers), rind removed and cut into 2cm (¾in) dice

300ml (½ pint) single or regular cream

200g (7oz) frozen peas

2 tbsp chopped mint

50g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

* Fill a large saucepan with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook for 10–12 minutes or according to the instructions on the

packet, until al dente.

* While the pasta is cooking, pour the olive oil into a large saucepan on a medium–high heat and, when hot, add the bacon. (The pan should be large enough to hold the tagliatelle when it is cooked.) Fry for about 5 minutes or until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy.

* Stir in the cream and allow to bubble for a couple of minutes, then stir in the peas and keep cooking for a minute or two more or until they are just tender. Remove

from the heat, then drain the tagliatelle and add to the sauce, stirring it in along with the chopped mint.

* Taste for seasoning and serve with the Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Stir-fried Steak with Kale

Serves 2–3

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

1 tbsp cornflour

3 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

500g (1lb 2oz) trimmed rump steak, cut into thin strips

2 tbsp groundnut oil

150ml (5fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock

100g (3½oz) (prepared weight) kale leaves, stalks and centre ribs, removed and leaves shredded

6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced at an angle

25g (1oz) salted peanuts, roughly chopped, to serve

* In a bowl, mix together the cornflour with 2 tablespoons each of the oyster and soy sauces, then stir in the steak.

* Pour the groundnut oil into a wok or frying pan on a high heat and allow it to get very hot. Tip in the beef slices and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

* Pour in the stock, then bring to the boil and stir in the kale. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until the kale is tender, then stir in the cooked beef and the spring onions. Season with the remaining oyster and soy sauces to taste, then serve with boiled rice and a scattering of the peanuts

Hot Buttered Plum Pudding

4 slices of white bread

50g (2oz) butter, softened

4 plums, stones removed and flesh cut into 5mm (¼in) thick slices

75g (3oz) caster sugar

* Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7.

* Remove the crusts from the bread and butter generously on one side. Place, butter side down, in an ovenproof dish in which all the bread will fit in one layer. Use the

remaining butter to spread over the bread, then cover with the plum slices and sprinkle with the sugar.

* Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the plums are cooked and slightly caramelised at the edges. Serve immediately with cream or ice cream, if you wish.

Banoffee Pancakes

It is possible to buy ready-boiled condensed milk, which is sold in jars as Dulce de leche. If you want to make your own, boil unopened tins of condensed milk for 2 hours – I like to prepare a few tins at a time and then keep them in the cupboard where they’ll store for months.

Makes about 10 pancakes

Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 15 minutes

150g (5oz) self-raising flour

1–2 tbsp caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

150ml (5fl oz) milk

15g (½oz) butter

To serve

3 bananas, peeled and sliced

Ice cream or whipped cream

200ml (7fl oz) toffee sauce or dulce de leche (or boiled condensed milk) – see recipe introduction

* Sift the flour into a bowl, add the sugar and mix together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, then make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid and mix until just combined. (Be careful not to over-stir or the finished pancakes will taste tough.)

* Melt about a third of the butter (if using) in a small frying pan on a medium–low heat and when the butter starts to foam add generous tablespoons of the batter to the

pan to form 3–4 pancakes. (If you’re using a non-stick pan, then it isn’t necessary to include butter.) Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, by which time they should be golden brown underneath.

* Turn the pancakes over and cook until they feel set in the centre and both sides are golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, adding more butter as necessary.

Transfer the finished pancakes to a warmed plate, cover with an upturned bowl or some foil and keep warm in a low oven.

* Serve the pancakes scattered with slices of banana, a few blobs of ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzling of warm toffee sauce or dulce de leche.

Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse

Serves 4–6

Preparation time 10 minutes – Cooking time 5 minutes

100g (3½oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces, or dark chocolate drops

75g (3oz) caster sugar

2–3 tbsp brandy

2 eggs

250g (9oz) mascarpone

4–6 glasses, cups or bowls

* Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt, then remove from the heat.

* Add the sugar, brandy and eggs and, using a hand-held electric beater, whisk for 5 minutes or until the outside of the bowl has cooled down to tepid.

* Whisk in the mascarpone for a few seconds, just until combined. (The mousse will thicken once the mascarpone has been mixed in.) Divide between the glasses, cups or bowls and serve straightaway or chill to use later.

Hottips

Today at Midleton Farmers Market – Irish Farmhouse Cheese and Craft Beer Festival –

don’t miss the beer and cheese tastings and a ginger beer making demonstration. 10am to 2pm – 021 4631096 for details.

Self Sufficiency – now is the moment to order fruit trees to plant in a couple of weeks time; apples, pears, plums, blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries…plant something for everyone, the children will love them too.

Richy’s Restaurant in Clonakilty have launched two new ‘sub’ food businesses to beat the recession and have created 26 new jobs in the process. Their new outside catering business, Richy’s at Home offers restaurant quality food at affordable prices, for private events. They have also opened the daytime R Café – The Staunton’s Pork Belly Bagette with Apple and Star Anise Puree sounds really delicious. www.richysbarandbistro.com– 023 8821852

　

Darina Allen’s Cookery Book of the Week – Macarons – Pierre Hermé

Macarons are definitely the ‘new cupcake’ brightly coloured mini meringues sandwiched together with gooey fillings. Famous Patissier – Pierre Hermé’s recipes have at last been published in English and it would be difficult for any book on macarons to surpass this one – the French edition has been one of the most sought after books in recent years, chocolate, praline, coffee, pistachio, fruit, but lots of others, lychee, rose and raspberry, mandarin and pink pepper, balsamic vinegar…Published by Grub Street Press – 2011.

There’s a frenzy of preserving going on here these days, despite the weather we still have lots of ripe tomato, beets, marrows and over grown courgettes… in the garden plus we are surrounded by wild food. Most of the blackberries have ripened at last, we’ve had a ton of damsons and sloes and there are still lots of elderberries and crab-apples to be gathered for free.

Last week, with my Euro Toques chefs hat on I spoke to students at Cork Institute of Technology about wild and free foods and how to forage for them.

Many of the students, particularly the younger ones were astonished by the wealth of beautiful produce that is there for gathering around the campus, in the park and along the country lanes, in suburbs of the city and along the coast. I spoke about the delights of preserving but one student wondered why one needed to preserve food when the shelves in the supermarkets were laden with produce – a fair comment from a generation who have never known a world when food was scarce or rationed, I can understand how the whole idea seems preposterous.

However these beautiful young people are likely to hear much more about food security and even experience food scarcity in their lifetime so, I urged them to learn the skill of foraging so they can incorporate a least some of the delicious and nutritious foods into their diet and on the menus of the restaurants which many will own in years to come.

Many of their parents will remember collecting wild mushrooms in the fields in Autumn, or gathering hazel nuts, crab-apples and damsons. Some may even have tasted sloe and damson gin made by their grandparents – so I urged them to glean the knowledge and forgotten skills from them while they can.

I brought over 25 plants, berries, nuts, mushrooms, seaweeds and shellfish with me, all of which had been gathered in a couple of hours within a mile of the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry.

Plants

Watercress, sorrel, chickweed, sweet woodruff, tansy, goosefoot, salad burnet, comfrey, samphire (marsh and rock)

Fruit and Berries

Crab-apples, blackberries, elderberries, sloes, damsons, hazelnuts, chestnuts, Spanish (edible), horse chestnut (not edible.)

Seaweeds

Carrageen moss, alaria, bladder wrack, slocan or nori, kelp, dilisk or dulse…

Wild Mushrooms

Chantrelles, yellow legs, girolles, field mushrooms.

Shellfish

Periwinkles, limpets, mussels, cockles, razor clams.

I suggested lots of ways to use each food and also made several recipes. Crab apple jelly is a brilliant recipe to make on its own or a catch all to add all manner of wild fruit and berries to – sloes, damsons, elderberries, haws, rowanberries…The name can be changed depending on the content and a mixed jelly with all or some of the above additions can be called Hedgerow Jelly and very good it is too – better still it can be used as a sweet or savoury condiment and is equally good with scones or roast pork or game. We just had a few wild mushrooms, they are great on buttered toast but they can add excitement to many other dishes. We decided to add them to a frittata, a simple filling recipe that students could easily make on one gas ring. It would serve 6 hungry or 4 ravenous students, also great in a lunchtime sandwich the next day.

I added some chopped tansy to an omelette – the quintessential fast food, normally a French omelette takes 30 seconds to make and maybe forty five seconds of one wants to add a filling. However, mine took about 20 seconds to make such was the intensity of the heat on the state of the art Halygon hob. Needless to say it causes much hilarity and consternation and a red face (mine) when I managed to set off the smoke alarm in the super duper new demonstration area. Anyway despite all that I’m hoping that I managed to whet the audiences’ appetite for foraging and preserving.

Watercress Soup

 

Wild watercress has more depth of flavour than farmed versions, so see if you can find some. This soup has been a favourite on the menu of Ballymaloe House since it opened in 1963.

 

Serves 6-8

 

45g (1 1/2 ozs) butter

150g (5ozs) peeled and chopped potatoes

110g (4ozs) peeled and chopped onion

salt and freshly ground pepper

600ml (1 pint) water or homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock

600ml (1 pint) creamy milk

225g (8ozs) chopped watercress (remove the coarse stalks first)

 

Melt the butter in heavy bottomed saucepan, when it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the watercress. When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured add the hot stock and boiling milk. Bring back to the boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the watercress and boil with the lid off for 4-5 minutes approx. until the watercress is just cooked. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Puree the soup in a liquidiser. Taste and correct seasoning.

Salmon Cooked with Sorrel Sauce

A brilliant little recipe cooked in minutes, given to us by Jonathan Jones of the Anchor and Hope restaurant in London. The sorrel cuts the richness of the sauce on a particularly appealing way.

Serves 8-10

a side of wild or organic salmon – pin-boned and well-trimmed

a little melted butter

salt

freshly ground black pepper

300ml (10fl oz) double cream

dry white wine (optional)

70g (2 3/4oz) sorrel – shredded

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.

Paint a main course plate per person with melted butter, slice the salmon fairly thinly at an angle, as you might for smoked salmon. Cover the base of the plate with one layer of just overlapping salmon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bring the cream to boil, season and take off heat. Paint the salmon with melted butter (and drizzle a little white wine over if you like). Place in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes.

Immediately, stir the shredded sorrel into the cream. Remove the plate from the oven, the salmon should be slightly under-cooked. Spoon a little sorrel cream over the top and enjoy immediately.

 

Tansy Omelette

A little bit of tansy really wakes up an omelette and might be just the thing to cure a Sunday morning hangover!

Serves 1

2 eggs, preferably free range organic

1 dessertspoon water or milk

1 teaspoon tansy, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 dessertspoon clarified butter or olive oil

omelette pan, preferably non-stick, 23cm (9-inch) diameter

Heat the omelette pan over a high heat.

Warm a plate in a low oven. Whisk the eggs with the water or milk in a bowl with a fork or whisk, until thoroughly mixed but not too fluffy. Add the finely chopped tansy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put the warm plate beside the cooker. Have the filling also to hand, hot if necessary with a spoon at the ready.

Add the clarified butter to the hot pan, it should sizzle immediately. Pour in the egg mixture. It will start to cook instantly so quickly pull the edges of the omelette towards the centre with an egg slice or plastic spatula, tilting the pan so that the uncooked egg runs to the sides 4 maybe 5 times. Continue until most of the egg is set and will not run any more, the centre will still be soft and uncooked at this point but will continue to cook on the plate. If you are using a filling, spoon the hot mixture in a line across the centre at this point.

To fold the omelette.

Flip the edge just below the handle of the pan into the centre; change your grip on the handle so you can hold the pan almost perpendicular over the plate so that the omelette will flip over again. Finally, half roll, half slide the omelette onto the plate so that it lands folded in three. (It should not take more than 30 seconds in all to make the omelette, perhaps 45 if you are adding a filling). Serve immediately.

　

Chocolate and Hazelnut Treats

 

A terrifically easy cake/biscuit – wild hazelnuts are in season at present so head off with your baskets and have fun gathering nuts.

　

Makes 24

6 ozs (175g) soft butter

6 ozs (175g) castor sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

5ozs (150g) self-raising flour

1oz (25g) cocoa

4ozs (110g) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Chocolate Icing

5ozs (150g) icing sugar

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

2 teaspoons Cocoa

 

11 1/2 x 8 inch (29 x 20cm) swiss roll tin, well-greased

 

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

 

Line the base of the tin with parchment paper.

Put the butter, castor sugar, eggs and self-raising flour and cocoa into a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Spread evenly in the lined tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen. Allow to cool. Meanwhile mix the ingredients for the icing. As soon as the cake is cooled, spread the icing over the top, sprinkle with toasted chopped hazelnuts. Cut into squares.

 

Remove the biscuits from the tin if keeping for a few days unless the tin is coated with teflon.

Sloe or Damson Gin

It’s great fun to organise a few pals to pick sloes and have a sloe gin-making party. Sloes make a terrific beverage for Christmas presents. Either enjoy it neat or put a measure of damson or sloe gin in a glass, add ice, a slice of lemon and top it up with tonic.

700g (11⁄2lb) sloes or damsons

350g (12oz) granulated sugar

1.2 litres (2 pints) gin

Wash and dry the fruit and prick it in several places (we use a sterilised darning needle). Put the fruit into a sterilised glass Kilner jar and cover with the sugar and gin. Seal tightly.

Shake the jar every couple of days to start with and then every now and then for 3–4 months, by which time it will be ready to strain and bottle. It will improve on keeping so try to resist drinking it for another few months.

Variation

Sloe or Damson Vodka

This slips down easily but has quite a kick! Simply substitute vodka for the gin in the recipe above.

Hottips

‘Fish!’

In July Peter Shanahan opened an excellent little fish shop and deli

– ‘Fish!’- next to Ryans Service Station at the Ownahincha Cross. Peter sells fish fresh from Union Hall and Baltimore as well as Rosscarbery black and white pudding, Glenilen country butter; Union Hall smoked salmon and mackerel… Contact 0871215248 / fishrosscarbery@gmail.com / www.freshfishrosscarbery.com

Local, clean, authentic fresh produce

– that’s what the new Urru Greengrocer in Bandon promises their customers. It’s just a short hop and a skip from the Ruth Healy Urru Culinary Store overlooking the Bandon River.

Run by local food writer Diane Curtin, it provides a platform for local artisan foods I found four old superb varieties of apple, grown by Patrick Murphy from Macroom. Red Windsor, Topaz, Rubenola and Rubenstep and some delicious conference pears from Con Trass in Cahir, Co Tipperary. I was also tempted by beautiful Swiss Chard from Radical Roots in Bandon

A brave move in these recessionary times which deserves to be supported www.urru.ie www.facebook.com/urruculinarystore

The Rural Food Skillnet

has a number of courses scheduled for the remainder of the year. Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th Butchery and Small Scale Meat Production with Teagasc in Ashtown and on the Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th of November Farmhouse Cheese Production course in Moorepark. Contact John Moriarty, Project Manager, Rural Food Skillnet. Tel: 068 23429 / 087 2055676 ruralfood@eircom.net

http://nekd.ie/index.php/skillnet

At the National Irish Food Awards

this year, Una’s Pies won all three prizes in the Pies and Quiches category, she was also honoured with the title of ‘Best Artisan Producer’ – a much sought after award. Una’s Roasted Veg with Ardsallagh Goat’s Cheese Pie won gold, her Chicken with Gubbeen Chorizo and Red Pepper Pie won silver her Chicken and Asparagus Pie won bronze. You can find Una at Mahon Point Farmers Market every Thursday from 10am to 3.00pm – contact 087 2859957.

I’ve had Barrafina Tapas Bar on my London list for ages, but somehow didn’t manage to make it until recently. Everyone I know tells me it’s possibly the best in London – Giles Coran, not given to unbridled praise, wrote in The Times ‘Barrafina is a tapas bar and the best of its kind, the food is fantastic. When they opened in Soho four years ago Sam and Eddie could scarcely have predicted how successful their no-reservations tapas bar and restaurant would be – it’s packed and buzzing all the time, always stylish and lively.’

Having failed to get in a couple of times, I arrived at noon and just managed to ‘bag’ two stools at the bar counter with a perfect view of the busy ‘scene’  and the tiny kitchen at the end.

Basque born Nieves Barragan Mohacho is the head chef of both Barrafina and Fino (another gem just off Charlotte Street in the West End of London) She and her team work magic in this tiny space, this is not complicated restaurant food its gutsy fresh, sometimes delicate, sometimes hearty food that comforts and appeals – I loved it. All round me were regulars some of whom had been eating at Barrafina a couple of times a week for several years – everyone was eager to suggest their favourite menu item that I shouldn’t miss.

First there’s food to eat with your fingers, pimentos de Padron, salt cod fritters delicas, the Spanish equivalent of Devils on Horseback and croquettes.

Then there’s cold meats, fish and shellfish – if you’re lucky there might even be my favourite, razor clams and I had an exquisite sea-bream carpaccio with rosemary oil – a ‘don’t miss’ tip from’ my new best friend’ on my left. The problem is choice, of course there are tortillas, cocos, (little Spanish pizza with spinach, pine kernels and raisins) but then there could be suckling pig or rabbit, a roast cumin rubbed pork with quince. Go with several people so you can share tastes and then you might even have room for pudding – maybe a pot of their classic crema catalona.

I so love living in the country but I found myself envying the guys at either side of me who worked in the high rise offices close by who could look forward to popping in every couple of days – I’ve decided I’m going to try and lure Nieves over to teach a Tapas class at the Ballymaloe Cookery School next year.

Meanwhile Sam and Eddie have decided to share some of their secrets in Barrafina – A Spanish Cookbook published by Fig Tree. Here are some of my favourites.

Delicias

Delicias by name, delicious by nature! These are the Spanish equivalent of the 1970s English classic ‘Devils on Horseback’, and traditionally come from the town of Elche, inland from Alicante. They differ from their British cousins in being stuffed with almonds and fried until crisp. At Barrafina they serve them with a little watercress salad.

Serves 4 as a tapa

12 Marcona almonds

12 large pitted dates

6 thin slices of smoked pancetta

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Moscatel vinegar

a bunch of watercress

Maldon salt

Stuff an almond into the centre of each date. Cut each slice of pancetta in half, then wrap each date with a piece of pancetta and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the rest of the dates. In a bowl whisk together the chopped shallot, olive oil and vinegar. Add the watercress, season with salt and mix well. Heat about 1cm of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and fry the dates on all sides, until the pancetta is brown and crisp. Alternatively you can heat oil to 180°C in a deep-fryer and deep-fry the dates for 30 seconds.

Serve at once, with the watercress salad.

Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce

At Barrafina they use deepwater mussels from theDorset coast. Lightly cooked in this piquant sauce they make a delicious starter, or, with lots of good bread and a little salad, a more substantial meal.

Serves 4 as a tapa

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

500ml tomate frito or passata

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

600g mussels, cleaned

4 tablespoons manzanilla sherry

4 tablespoons chopped fresh

flat-leaf parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small, heavy bottomed frying pan. Add the onions and thyme and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Put the tomate frito into a medium pan and heat gently until it comes to the boil. Add the cayenne pepper and paprika, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan until it is smoking. Throw in the mussels, discarding any that are not tightly shut or that refuse to close when you tap them. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the sherry, cover the pan, and cook until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain shut. Add the tomato sauce and cook over a high heat for another minute to thicken the sauce.  Put the mussels and sauce into a serving dish, spoon over the onions and the chopped parsley and serve with good bread.

Chicken with Romesco Sauce

Barrafina’s most regular customer, Mike ‘Mustachio’ Goldman, has eaten there over 500 times over the last three years. He often requests that they feature this dish as one of their specials, as it is a particular favourite of his. Needless to say they often oblige.

Serves 4 as a main

4 x 150g chicken drumsticks

4 x 160g chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½  recipe quantity of Romesco Sauce (see recipe)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Put the chicken into a roasting tray. Drizzle it with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for 30–40 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.

Gently warm the romesco sauce in a small pan and serve with the chicken.

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is extremely versatile and can accompany fish, meat and vegetable dishes. It comes from Catalunia, and there are many different recipes and variations. Romesco keeps well in the fridge.

Makes enough for 6-8 generous portions

(about 650g)

1 dried red chilli, soaked in

warm water for 2 hours

4 dried choricero peppers (see page 000),

soaked in warm water for 2 hours

5 plum tomatoes

100ml olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 whole head of garlic, halved horizontally

100g blanched almonds

1 slice of good-quality

white bread, about 2cm thick

50ml sherry vinegar

Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Drain the soaked chilli and choricero peppers, then remove the seeds and set aside. Put the tomatoes into a roasting dish. Drizzle them with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the two halves of garlic in foil and add to the roasting dish. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. When cool enough, pop the garlic cloves out of their skins and set aside. Meanwhile, in a separate smaller roasting dish, toast the almonds in the same oven for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Be careful – they burn fast! Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan and fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Put the chillies, choriceros, roasted tomatoes, garlic, almonds, bread and vinegar into a blender or food processor. Add 100ml of olive oil and blitz until smooth. Season with plenty of salt and pepper and keep in the fridge until needed.

Chorizo, Potato and Watercress Salad

Chorizo is one of those things that while very delicious by itself is best appreciated when combined with something else. This recipe has been on the menu at Barrafina ever since it opened. Indeed, a small riot might ensue on Frith Street if they ever left it out!

Serves 4 as a light main

5 tablespoons olive oil

400g new potatoes, cooked

and halved lengthways

salt and freshly ground black pepper

240g small cooking chorizos

40g butter

4 tablespoons chopped shallots

4 tablespoons chopped fresh

flat-leaf parsley

60g watercress

Heat an overhead grill to medium high. In a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil until beginning to smoke. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook until nicely golden brown. While the potatoes are browning, split the chorizos in half lengthways and score the cut side with a crosshatch about 1mm deep. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Add the butter and shallots to the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat. Drizzle the watercress with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve with the potatoes and the grilled chorizo. You can spoon a little of the oil from the chorizo on to the potatoes for a little extra oomph if you like.

Recipes extracted fromThe Barrafina Cookbook, Published by Fig Tree

Hottips

Pop-up Tapas. Contact Sinead at Stephen Pearce Pottery in Shanagarry, East Cork to find out when the next Tapas night is scheduled – great vibe and delicious little bites – €2 – €3 each. Bring your own wine – telephone:  021 4646807 – facebook: Sineads at Stephen Pearce.

Exciting workshops and Courses at Seedsavers in Scarif, Co Clare

Sunday 9^th October – Fruit Trees – How to Plant and Maintain – half day course

Sunday 16^th October – Vegetarian Cookery Soups and Stews

Saturday 22^nd October – Cider Making

Saturday 29^th October – Full day cheese-making course

Phone: +353 61 921866   Email: info@irishseedsavers.ie  /  www.irishseedsavers.ie

Cork Free Choice Consumer Group Event – ‘The Global Food System’ – Modern food production and trade and its consequences for health and the environment with Dr Colin Sage, Department of Geography, UCC. Crawford Art Gallery Café on Thursday 27th Oct at 7.30pm. Entrance 6 euro including tea/coffee.

Butchery & Small Scale Meat Production Workshop – Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, in association with the Rural Food Skillnet is offering a two day course demonstrating the butchering of a side of beef, a lamb and a pig into retail cuts for people who are already selling or considering processing and / or selling meat from their own herd. Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th October 2011 at Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15. Phone 01 8059592 – 087 2243712 www.teagasc.ie

Congratulations to Ballymaloe House who have won a number of Georgina Campbell Awards for 2012.

• Good Housekeeping Award.
• Good Cooking Award
• Country House Breakfast Award
• Irish Breakfast Award

We had another terrific guest chef at the cookery school recently, Sunil Ghai is a tall handsome chef from Gwalior but he is firmly established on the Irish Restaurant scene. He was chosen as Chef of the Year in Ireland in August 2009 by Food and Wine Magazine– no easy task at the best of times but even more difficult for a non-Irish chef. It was a very popular choice, he is widely respected and admired by his fellow chefs for his knowledge, affable personality and the food served in the Indian restaurants he is associated with in Dublin.  Some may have seen him on Masterchef Ireland last week.
As you all know I have a deep affection for Indian food, in all its extraordinary diversity, I enjoyed the food at Ananda so much that I invited Sunil to come and teach at the cookery school.
His food is simple and delicious, the recipes work and we can now easily source the Asian ingredients and the fresh spices, tamarind, Kashmiri chilli powder, kolonji seeds, chatt masala and ghee are available in most supermarkets and the growing number of Asian shops.
In Cork city it’s still so worth a visit to Mr Bell in the English market from whom I’ve been buying ‘ethnic’ ingredients for over 30 years.
For fresh spices, it’s difficult to beat Green Saffron for freshness – Arun Kapil now has a mail order list, check out www.greensaffron.com  or seek him out at Mahon Point, Midleton or Douglas Farmers Markets. We all loved the dishes that Sunil cooked for us and I’ve done several since. Aloo Tikka are delicious little potato cakes with a secret filling of peas, fresh ginger and spices, we love them as a starter or they could be a vegetarian main course. Sunil’s version of the classic Rogan Josh is particularly delicious and we absolutely loved the easy peasy Lahsooni Patta spinach with cherry tomatoes and spices and the rice pudding is like none other you’ll ever taste but definitely exotic enough to serve for a dinner party.
Here are some for you to try and if you want to taste the original check out Ananda Restaurant http://anandarestaurant.ie/

Sunil Ghai’s Aloo Tikka with Spiced Peas and Sweet and Sour Yoghurt

Serves 4-6

2-3 large potatoes, boiled in their skins
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
1 tablespoon gram flour (optional)

Stuffing
2 tablespoons of oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 green chilli, chopped
110g (4 ozs) green peas, cooked or frozen peas defrosted
20g (3/4oz) chopped raisins (golden)
1/4 teaspoon salt
red chilli powder, to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground dry-roasted cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ghee (or oil),  for pan-frying.

To Serve
250g (9oz) yoghurt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt

Peel the potatoes and once they are cool enough to handle, grate them very finely. Add salt and ghee and knead until properly mixed, add 1 tablespoon of gram flour if too soft and starchy.  Divide it into 12 equal portions and roll each into a small ball.

To make the stuffing.
Heat the pan and add the oil, then add ginger and green chilli and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the green peas and raisins and all the spices and check the seasoning.

Taking one at a time, gently flatten each ball into a round patty of about 1cm (1/2 inch) thick and place a portion of stuffing in the centre. Fold the edges together very carefully so that mixture does not come out.

Now very gently flatten it into a 5cm (2 inch) patty. Repeat the procedure for all potato balls.

To make the stirred yoghurt.
Heat a pan over a medium heat.  Roast the cumin until really quite dark, grind in a pestle and mortar.  Add 1 teaspoon to the yoghurt with the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat the ghee or oil in a non-stick pan over a low heat. Slip in the patties, not too many at a time, into the pan. Fry on both sides until crisp and golden brown, over a low heat, adding ghee if required.

Serve aloo tikka hot with stirred yoghurt.

Sunil Ghai’s Kashmiri Lamb Curry
Rogan Josh
There are various stories attached to this controversial recipe –
Roganjosh is a classical preparation traditionally with lamb but it has versions into chicken, seafood and even vegetables!!   There are various stories about the name of Roganjosh.   Some claim “Rogan” is the red colored chilli oil that floats on the curry gives the name, some has it that violet bark of a Kashmiri tree called “Ratanjog” should be boiled in oil to prepare “Rogan” and then lamb curry made with this oil is called Roganjosh.   Recently, I met up with my Kashmiri friends, I went to school with – there version was – Cocks comb flower (Marwal ka Phool) extract should be used to give characteristic color to this classic preparation.   So, there are numerous stories – to keep it simple, I use a recipe and extract the colour from red chillies & tomato paste to get the right looks for this preparation.

Serves 4

Soak 2 almonds over night

1 kg 2¼ lb) leg of lamb
150 g (5 oz) natural yoghurt – tenderises, gives a sourness
½ g saffron
30 g (1½ oz) almonds, peeled and crushed
100 ml (3½ fl oz) sunflower oil
Whole garam masala
1½ tsp cumin seeds
6 green cardamom
2 black cardamom
1 inch (2.5 cm) cinnamon
8 cloves
1 star anise
2 blades mace
1 tsp black pepper
350 g (12 ozs) onions
50 g (2 ozs) ginger-garlic paste – (2 ½ teaspoons)
10 g (½ oz) red chilli powder – Kashmiri chilli powder
10 g (½ oz) coriander
3 g garam masala
5 g turmeric
Salt
60 g (2½ oz) tomato paste
1 bunch coriander leaves
10 g (½ oz) ginger – peeled and cut into fine julienne

Trim the fat from the lamb, remove the bones and cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes.   Whisk the yogurt, add almonds, saffron, salt & half the ginger garlic paste, add the lamb, toss and marinade for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Meanwhile pound the whole spices roughly in a mortar and pestle. Peel and slice the onions thinly. Wash & finely chop the coriander leaves, peel the ginger and cut into fine julienne.
Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the pounded spices, and stir while the  spices start to crackle. Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the sliced onions, add 2½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste, stir and cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown .  Add the lamb and all the marinade. Stir and cook on a high heat until the oil separates and the meat is browned & 3/4 cooked. Add the dry spices and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato paste.  Add ½ pint water and salt, bring back to the boil and simmer covered until the lamb is cooked.

* When the lamb is added, lamb will shed the excess of moisture and will cook in its own stock, if there isn’t much liquid in the pan, some water or lamb stock may be added.   Once the meat is browned, it will tend to get stuck at the bottom, one has to keep stirring and scrape the bottom. This is important for the characteristic development of the flavors.
Serve in a warm bowl, garnished with coriander & ginger julienne.
Roganjosh can be served with saffron rice or an Indian bread

Sunil Ghai’s Tadka Dal

Home style lentil preparation
(North India)

Serves 3

This lentil preparation is famous for its unique spicing.   It is highly seasoned perked up with chilli and garlic.   A really easy preparation that needs no forward planning.

300 g (11 ozs) yellow pea split peas or toor / chana lentils
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Seasoning
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 medium tomatoes, chopped but not peeled
Coriander leaves

In a heavy bottomed pan, cook the lentils with salt, turmeric and 1litre (1¾ pints) of water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are soft and cooked.
In a sauté pan, heat the oil and stir fry the garlic to light brown colour, add red chilli powder, sauté for a minute.   Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes and add cooked lentils.   Simmer the lentils for 10-15 minutes and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Lahsooni Patta – Baby Spinach Tossed with Tomatoes, Garlic and Fennel.

Serves 4

2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon freshly ground fennel powder
salt to taste
400g (14ozs) baby spinach or destalked spinach leaves
1 teaspoon butter

Heat the oil in the wok over a medium heat.  Add the chopped garlic, sauté for 1 minute, add the tomato halves, then freshly ground fennel, butter and salt. Add the baby spinach leaves and toss quickly for a minute or two – just until they wilt. Serve hot.

Saffron Pear with Saffron Jelly

Serves 10

2 litres (3½ pints/8½ cups) water
750 ml (27 fl oz) sugar
6 green cardamom
1 bay leaf
2 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
10 g (½ oz) fennel seeds
10 pears
Thinly pared rind of 1 orange
4 g (¼ oz) saffron

Boil the water, sugar and thinly pared rind of 1 orange, add the spices and saffron and boil for at least 20 minutes to get the spice flavour in the syrup. Peel the pears, remove the seeds. Add the pear to the syrup and let it boil until the pear gets the saffron coating and the pear is cooked in they syrup but still holds its shape.
Saffron Jelly
1 cooked pear
4 g (¼ oz/1½ leaves) gelatine
150 g (5 oz) pear syrup

Soak 1½ leaves of gelatine in a bowl of cold water.  Use the pear syrup, strain it and puree one cooked pear and add to the syrup bring it to the boil and add the gelatine and set aside for 3 hours until it forms a jelly.

Sunil Ghai’s Marwadi Kheer

Serves 4

Cooking time: 1 hour – this dessert can be made ahead and served warm or cold

50 g (2 ozs) basmati rice, soaked for an hour and drained
1.5 litres (2½ pints) milk
3 tbs whole peeled almonds ground to a paste
2 tablespoons water
100 g (3½ ozs) sugar
50 g (2 ozs) fresh coconut, grated
25 g (1 oz) raisins
50 g (2 ozs) Chironji nuts (optional)
50 g (2 ozs) pistachio nuts cut into slivers
50 g (2 ozs) blanched almonds cut in to slivers
½ tsp ground green cardamom seeds
2 tsp Kewra essence – keeps indefinitely, use Rosewater instead
Ghee
To decorate:  silver or gold leaf.

Heat the ghee in a pan  Add the soaked rice and cook, stirring all the time for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the milk and cook over a low heat for an hour until the rice absorbs the milk and the kheer thickens
Stir in the almond paste, sugar, coconut, raisins, chironji, pistachios and almond slivers.  Cook for a final couple of minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the ground cardamom and kewra essence.  Cool and chill.
Serve in individual dishes.
Rice Brulee: Put the rice into ramekins, sprinkle about a generous tablespoon of demerara sugar on top, caramelize with a blow torch.

Hottips
Piemontese cattle are from the mountainous region of Piedmont in Italy and have less fat, cholesterol and calories than chicken. For those who like really lean meat you can now order Irish Purebred Piemontese Beef from Michael and Mary Fennelly’s farm in Stradbally Co Laois, they will courier it to you. www.irishpiemontesebeef.ie for an order form.

Home Butchery, Charcuterie and Sausage Making. There’s a growing interest among chefs and enthusiastic amateurs for home-curing and sausage making if you’d like to try your hand Philip Dennhardt will take the mystery out of it when he teaches a one day course at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Saturday 15th October, Phone 021 4646785 or book online www.cookingisfun.ie

Irish Farmhouse Cheese maker wins Supreme Champion at UK Cheese Awards
Kilree goat’s cheese made by Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese was crowned Supreme Champion at this year’s British Cheese Awards.  A record total of 905 cheeses were entered so Ireland has much to celebrate – a further 30 additional Irish cheeses enjoyed success at what is commonly known as the “Oscars” of the dairy world Irish farmhouse cheese plays a fundamental role in the growth and development of Ireland’s artisan dairy sector.  From its beginnings, only 30 years ago, the sector has grown to encompass 47 producers and over 127 individual cheese types.  The sheer breadth of cheese produced reflects the innovation and ingenuity these entrepreneurs offer. www.foodmatters.co.uk

On a recent visit to Dublin I ate at a gastro pub in Stoneybatter called L Mulligan’s Grocer. Kish Fish text them every day to tell them what is fresh and all beef on the menu is grass fed and Irish, their sausages are from TJ Crowe in Tipperary and Jack McCarthy in Cork. Their pork, eggs and chickens are free-range and Irish. They set up a tasting panel of their best customers to decide on the ultimate Irish coffee they plumbed for Bailies Roastery in Belfast and Kilbeggan whiskey from Cooley distillery. They also serve a selection of Irish craft beers and cider. See the menu on their website www.lmulligangrocer.com.