Students come from all over the world to the Ballymaloe Cookery School. It’s a lovely mixture of ages, nationalities and backgrounds – this term eight countries are represented. It’s always interesting to meet the new batch. Last term we had the usual cosmopolitan mix, some had never cooked before, others had dabbled in the kitchen, one or two were chefs who had missed some of the basics and wanted to hone their skills.

They got started and settled in and I gradually became familiar with everyone’s names – one of the young lads was called Sam Stern – why did that ring a bell? Wasn’t sure         until I picked up a cook-book at Heathrow airport and there was Sam smiling from the cover. He had been with us for five or six weeks by then and never breathed a word that not only had written four best selling cook books but also did a TV series with a big fan base check out www.samstern.co.uk

 

He wrote his first book in 2004 at the age of thirteen with the support and encouragement of his mum, Susan Stern – a writer, teacher and voice coach to the stars.

Sam’s books are written for young lads and ladettes like himself who love to cook or would love to be able to rustle up a spontaneous pasta or delicious thrifty nosh with the occasional treat for themselves and their mates.

His latest book ‘Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook’ is a little gem which should not be reserved for students alone – the first few pages are full of thrifty tips and brilliant nutritional advice. Keeping fit is a great motivation. If you’re into sport, training, or just want to feel good about the way you look, cooking’s key to sorting energy and performance. Tailor your menu to your physical needs and you can trust that what you’re eating is fit for purpose – e.g. carbs for energy (eat pasta), protein for muscle (get pork or tofu). Same goes for exams, work etc. Eating the right stuff (iron, protein, omega 3s, and vitamins) gives you the focus you need but hey, do it in style with some great home-cooked tastes and maximise the pleasure. There are lots of savvy and smart shopping tips, advice on planning ahead, a basic store cupboard, how to source free food, energy and cash saving ideas, making the most of your food and basic techniques. The first few pages are worth the price of the book alone. But there are over 200 cracking recipes which are categorised into:

£ Skint/ saving, ££ Average, £££ Flush / celebration. Veggie options and fast to cook are also highlighted.

A little gem, not only as a present for young people but for all the rest of us as well.

 

Bacon, Cheese and Potato Tartiflette

 

All your favourite basics on meltingly hot and softly gorgeous form. An easy one-pan classic. There’s one rule – don’t rush it.

 

Feeds 2 – 3 – £

 

olive oil

4 rashers good bacon, chopped

bit of butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

450g (1lb) potatoes, waxy style are best (Charlotte, Wilja) peeled weight

fresh or dried thyme

110g (4oz) Gruyere/Cheddar

 

 

Heat oil in large frying or sauté pan. Fry bacon ‘til just crispy. Remove. Add butter, Fry onion, garlic gently for 10 till softened and just colouring.
Meantime, slice potatoes very thinly for speedy, even cooking. Add to pan with the bacon, onion, garlic. Sprinkle thyme. Cover.
Leave pan on low heat for 15 – 20 minutes or till spuds or ‘til spuds are soft. A knife should pass through easily. Grate/slice cheese over top.
Replace lid. Cook for a few minutes more till cheese has melted. Scrummy, good with a sharp salad.
 

 

My All-Time Favourite Char Sui Pork

 

Pork fillet’s a great lean meat for soaking up sweet Chinese flavours. Marinate overnight or do it in the moment. Veggies: try this marinade with tofu (pan fry it).

 

Feeds – 4 – ££

 

2 x 450g/1lb pieces pork fillet

 

Marinade

 

2 tbsps runny honey

2 tbsps soy sauce

2 tbsps hoisin sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

pinch of five-spice powder

 

eat with: stir fry, rice, noodles

 

 

Stick the pork fillets into the mixed marinade. Turn. Leave for as long as you have. Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Lay foil in roasting tin. Sit grill rack on top.
Roast meat on rack for 20 minutes or ‘til cooked through. Brush with marinade occasionally. Remove. Rest it in a warm place for 5 minutes.
 

You can

Eat cold in a lunch box to go with noodle salad
Slice up Chinese pancakes with hoisin sauce, cucumber sticks, spring onion
 

Skint Lentils, Rice and Lovely Sticky Onions

 

So simple – caramelised onions lift earthy tasting lentils and rice to a different level, surprisingly gorgeous. A top skint number. You can top with a sliced hard-boiled egg and yogurt. Great with a tomato and onion salad.

 

Feeds 3 – 4 – £

 

1 very large peeled onion, very thinly sliced

1-2 tbsps olive oil

1.2 litres/2 pints water

225g/8oz brown lentils

50g/2oz basmati/long-grain rice

salt and black pepper

 

 

Fry onion very gently in olive oil over low heat ‘til it caramelises (don’t let it burn). This could take 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile boil water in a pan. Add lentils. Cook for 20-25 minutes or ‘til almost tender. Add washed rice.
Cook rice and lentils for another 10 minutes or ‘til tender and water is absorbed. Drain is a colander if this doesn’t happen.
Leave covered with a tea towel for 5 minutes. Tip on a plate Stir in most of the onions leaving a good few on top. Season.
 

You can: use green lentils: add rice sooner as green lentils cook faster.

 

Hot Sticky Chicken Rice

 

Teriyaki your chicken. It makes great sticky finger food. Get your chopsticks into the rice bowl. Also great cold on noodle or rice salad.

 

Feeds 3-4 – ££

 

Teriyaki Sauce

 

4 tbsps soy sauce

1 ½ tbsps Chinese rice wine

2 tbsbs rice vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

¾ in piece fresh ginger, grated or chopped

few drops sesame oil

OR

Kikkoman’s Teriyaki Marinade

 

8 chicken thighs

225g/8oz basmati or long grain rice

pinch salt

 

Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Mix teriyaki sauce ingredients.
Simmer gently 5-1 minutes in a small pan. Remove. Top two thirds into a bowl for the marinade. Save the rest to drizzle at end.
Prep chicken: pull skin off. Leave the bone in (holds together better and tastes sweeter)
Spread foil on baking tray/shallow roasting tin (stops sauce baking on.) Brush meat with marinade. Sit on foil in single layer. Slap in oven.
Brush with marinade every 5 minutes for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove.
Meantime, cook washed rice as basic (for brown start earlier)
Preheat medium grill. Grill chicken 5 minutes ‘til sticky brown but white inside. Leave it to relax. Drain rice. Cover with a cloth for 3 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Pile rice into bowls. Top with chicken. Drizzle with saved one-third of marinade.
 

You can: Marinate chopped chicken breast in teriyaki for 30 minutes. Thread on skewers. Grill turning and brushing, for 5 – 7 minutes or ‘til cooked white through. Sit it on rice. Gorgeous.

 

Spanish Style Chorizo and Potato Complete Meal Deal

 

 

Don’t be thinking soup can’t fill you up. This bad-boy bowlful’s a complete meal deal. Spicy chorizo gets it hot and kicking. Potato and veg sort out layers of flavour…

 

Feeds 3-4 – ££

 

110g/4oz chorizo sausage, skinned, sliced

drizzle of olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large floury old potatoes, peeled cut into large bite size bits

water

4 -5 cabbage leaves, finely shredded

1 x 400g/14oz can plum tomatoes, drained

salt and black pepper

 

Gently fry the chorizo in a bit of oil in a medium saucepan for 2–3 minutes. Remove the chorizo and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic and salt to the same pan. Cook gently for 5-10 minutes ‘til soft not coloured. Add the potatoes with enough water to cover without swamping. Increase the heat. Boil for 30 seconds.
Reduce heat. Simmer everything very gently for 10 minutes.
Slap in cabbage, chorizo, drained tomatoes with just enough extra water to cover everything. Simmer very gently on low heat for 15 minutes, ‘til potatoes are well soft and broth fully flavoured.
Add a bit of water if needed. Taste. Adjust seasoning.
 

You can: add a few cannellini beans, chick peas, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, add a pinch of smoked paprika and chopped parsley.

 

 

Onion Bhajis with Raita

 

Bhajis

 

Makes 12 – £

 

450g/1lb onions, halved very thinly sliced, crescent moon style

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

2 green chillies, de seeded, very finely chopped

fresh coriander, chopped

60g/2 ½ oz gram flour (from Indian/health food stores)

½ tsp baking powder

sunflower/groundnut oil

 

Raita

Few tbsps plain yogurt

length of cucumber peeled, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

 

1 serving

 

1 mango peeled, diced

bit of red onion, diced

½ small red chilli, de seeded, chopped

1 tbsp lime juice

½ tsp caster sugar

fresh coriander

salt and pepper

 

Sprinkle onion slices with salt in colander or sieve. Leave 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
Rinse under running water. Squeeze. Dry very well in tea towel. Transfer to bowl.
Separately, mix cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chillies, fresh coriander, gram flour, baking powder. Mix in with onions. 
Shape into bhajis. Squeeze well into 12 spiky balls.
Heat 8cm/3in oil in wok, deep saucepan or frying pan. When hot enough to crisp a breadcrumb, fry 4 bhajis at a time, carefully turning ‘til cooked, browned and golden. Drain a kitchen roll.
To make raita, tip yogurt into a bowl and mis with cucumber and garlic.
 

Mango Chutney

 

Chuck the lot into a bowl. Taste for seasoning.
Leave for one hour or eat now.
 

You can: team this with griddled fresh tuna. Cheat, use Sharwoods.

 

Fridge-Bake Tiffin

 

Don’t have an oven or saving on the bills? Make this one…

 

Makes 12 – ££

 

200g/7oz chocolate digestive biscuits

50g/2oz digestive biscuits

110g/4oz raisins

110g/4oz glace cherries

110g/4oz butter

10g/1/2 oz sugar

4 tbsps golden syrup

3 tbsps cocoa powder

 

Bash biscuits into varied-size crumbs/bits. Add raisins, cherries.
Melt butter, sugar, syrup, cocoa over a low heat
Stir into biscuit/fruit mix. Tip into 18×30.5cm/7x11in tin. Press mix down as evenly as you can.
Set in fridge. Mark into 12. Prise out with a spatula.
 

You can: add seeds, nuts etc.

 

HotTip

 

East Cork Slow Food up Coming Events

 

Saturday 17th January, Slow Food East Cork is hosting a Celebration of Irish Pork. Learn about how the pigs at Ballymaloe Cookery School range freely, foraging for food. Watch a demonstration on how to make and link several types of homemade sausages with the opportunity to try it ourselves. Enjoy a sandwich from the pig spit roast too – €30.00 members and €40.00 non-members. 021 4646 785

The Four Rivers Convivium event promoting local pig farmers, will be held in the Arlington Lodge Hotel on the week-end of the 17th of January…€30 for Slow Food members €35 for non members.

For more details on these and other events www.slowfoodireland.com
Thrifty Tip
Don’t shop when you are hungry – you will spend more…

If possible shop at the end of the day when supermarkets reduce some prices. Ask yourself, do you really need it – Mexican blackberries, American raspberries, and Chilean asparagus. Local stuff may be cheaper and uses less air miles.

 

For the past decade virtually every cook book, food magazine and cookery article I picked up was concentrating on meals in minutes and assuring us that we could whip up delicious food in a flash. Well it is indeed possible provided you maintain a well stocked larder if one maintains a well stocked larder and concentrate on prime cuts of meat and spanking fresh fish. A beautiful piece of fresh catch or a prime steak will be off the pan grill in a matter of minutes. Sizzling herb butter or a little salsa and a green salad is all that’s needed to create a feast. Mind you most Irish people would be looking for a spud in come shape or form to complete the meal. The net result of the emphasis on fast food is many people have forgotten about the virtues of slow cooking. The word slow is quite enough for most peoples eyes to glaze over but don’t be put off, slow cooking takes time but not your time. In these challenging times it is well worth relearning the skills not least because when there’s a wintery feel to the air a slow cooked stew is one of the few foods that really hit the spot. One can transform cheap cuts of meat into something fit for a king.
Root vegetables are at their best right now but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s better to buy them washed. They have immeasurably more flavour and will keep longer if you buy them still covered with clay at your local shop or Farmers market. Start the stew or casserole with nice big chunks of fat streaky bacon, the fatter it is the less expensive it will be and the better the flavour. When the bacon crisps and the fat renders out keep it aside while the chunks of onions are cooked slowly at a low temperature until they turn pale amber and the kitchen fills with the scent of warm sugar, the other vegetables can then be added. The chunks of meat also need to be browned gently on all sides on a separate pan and added to the pot or casserole. Don’t forget to deglaze the pan with a little stock or a dash of wine to dissolve the caramelised meat juices. It’s all about building up layers of flavour. Dried wild mushrooms also add a delicious woodsy flavour to the stew or casserole. Root vegetables are the cheapest way to introduce an earthy sweetness and of course lots of bulk.
The other brilliant bonus of mastering the slow cooking technique is that it can be fitted into your work schedule, a big pot of shin of beef or shoulder of venison will cook gently in the coolest oven. If you pop it in as you leave for work in the morning, it will be meltingly tender on your return in the evening.
Here are a few of my favourite slow cooked meals. Serve them with a great big bowl of fluffy mash, scallion champ or colcannon.

Venison Stew

Shoulder of  venison is best for slow cooking, allow time for marinating, and remember that some item like fat salt pork or fat green bacon is essential either for cooking in with the meat (stew) or for larding (roasting or braising), unless the meat has been well hung.

Serves 8

3 lbs (1.3kg) shoulder of venison, trimmed and diced – 1½ inches/4cm

Marinade

10-12 fl ozs (300-350ml) red wine
1 medium onion, sliced
3 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, lightly crushed black pepper
bouquet garni
seasoned flour

Sauce

8 ozs (225g) fat salt pork or green streaky bacon, diced
2 tablespoons) olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
¾ pint (450ml) beef or venison stock
bouquet garni
24 small mushrooms, preferably wild ones
extra butter
lemon juice or red currant jelly
salt, pepper sugar

Season the venison well and soak in the marinade ingredients for 24-48 hours. Drain the meat well, pat it dry on kitchen paper and turn in seasoned flour.
Meanwhile, brown the pork or bacon in olive oil in a frying pan cooking it slowly at first to persuade the fat to run, then raising the heat. Transfer to a casserole.
In the fat, brown the venison and then the onion, carrot and garlic, do all this in batches, transferring each one to the casserole. Do not overheat or the fat will burn. Pour off any surplus fat, deglaze the pan with the strained marinade and pour over the venison. Heat up enough stock to cover the items in the casserole and pour it over them. Put in the bouquet garni, bring to a gentle simmer, either on top of the stove or in the oven, preheated to 150ºC/300ºF/regulo 2 cover closely and leave until the venison is tender.
Test after 1½  hours, but allow 2½ hours cooking time. For best results, it is wise to cook this kind of dish one day and then reheat the next; this improves the flavour and gives you a chance to make sure that the venison is tender.
Saute the sliced mushrooms in butter. Season with salt and pepper and add to the stew.
Finally taste the venison sauce, it will need seasoning and perhaps a little sharpening, use a spot of raspberry vinegar or lemon juice. It also sometimes benefits from a pinch of sugar or some redcurrant jelly (be careful not to use too much.)
Serve with baked potatoes and perhaps a green vegetable: eg. brussels sprouts, calabrese or cabbage.
Shin of Beef and Oxtail Stew

Serves 6

In season: all year, but best in Autumn and Winter
Oxtail makes an extraordinary rich and flavoursome winter stew, considering how cheap it is. This is another humble dish, which has recently been resurrected by trendy chefs who are capitalizing on their customer’s nostalgic craving for their Gran’s cooking.

2 whole oxtails
450g(1lb) shin of beef or stewing beef (cut into 1 1/2 inch (4cm) cubes)                                                                110g (4oz) streaky bacon
30g (1oz) beef dripping or 2 tablespoons olive oil
225g (8oz) finely chopped onion
225g (8oz) carrots, cut into 2cm (3/4 inch/2cm) cubes
55g (2oz) chopped celery
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme and parsley stalks
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml (1/4 pint) red wine
450ml (3/4 pint) homemade beef stock or 

600ml (1 pint) all beef stock                                                                                       

170g (6oz) mushrooms (sliced)                                                                                    

15g (1/2oz) roux (see recipe)                                                                                           

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

First cut the oxtail into pieces through the natural joints – the joints are made of cartilage so you won’t need a saw.  If this seems like too much of a challenge, ask your butcher to disjoint the oxtail for you.

Cut the bacon into 1 inch (2.5cm) cube.      
 
Heat the dripping or olive oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and sauté for 1-2 minutes, add the vegetables, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer into a casserole. Add the beef and oxtail pieces to the pan, a few at a time and continue to cook until the meat is beginning to brown.  Add to the casserole. Add the wine and a 1/4 pint (1/2 cup) of stock to the pan.  Bring to the boil and use a whisk to dissolve the caramelised meat juices form the pan, bring to the boil.  Add to the casserole with the herbs, stock and tomato puree. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook either on top of the stove or in a preheated oven 160°C/325°F/regulo3 very gently for 2-3 hours, or until the oxtail and vegetables are very tender.

Meanwhile cook the sliced mushrooms in a hot frying pan in a little butter for 2-3 minutes. Stir into the oxtail stew and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef and oxtail to a hot serving dish and keep warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves, thyme and parsley stalks.

 Bring the liquid back the boil, whisk in a little roux and cook until slightly thickened. Add back in the meat and chopped parsley.  Bring to the boil, taste and correct the seasoning.  Serve in the hot serving dish with lots of champ or colcannon.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Haricot Beans, Tomato and lots of fresh Herbs

Lamb shanks can be from the back leg or the shoulder.  Choose one or the other so they cook evenly, the latter takes much longer to cook.  Gutsy herbs like rosemary or thyme are a brilliant accompaniment as are beans, lentils or a robust mash with added root vegetables or kale.

Serves 8

8 lamb shanks
8 small sprigs of rosemary
8 slivers garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
25g (1 oz) goose fat, duck fat or olive oil
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, bruised
150ml (5fl oz) good red wine
150ml (5fl oz) chicken or lamb stock
1 sprig of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 strips of dried orange peel

Haricot Beans and Tomatoes

225g (8oz) streaky bacon, cut into lardons and blanched
Tomato Fondue
2 x 400g (14oz) tin haricot beans, drained or cannellini beans

Garnish

Lots of flat parsley, coriander, mint and chives.

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2.

Make an incision in each lamb shank and insert a sprig of rosemary or thyme and a sliver of garlic. Season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauté pan or casserole and sauté the meat in it until well browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan. Add the carrots, celery, leek, onion and garlic and cook over a high heat until it starts to brown. Add the red wine to the pan and bring to the boil and bubble for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock, herbs and orange peel to the pan, then arrange the lamb shanks on top, bones pointing upwards. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours depending on size.  The meat should be almost falling off the bones.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and brown the bacon in it until golden and fully cooked, add the tomato fondue and the haricot beans.  Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

When the lamb has finished cooking, remove the lamb shanks to a deep wide serving dish.  Strain the liquid and press to extract all the delicious juices.  Discard the vegetables which have by now contributed their flavour.  Return the juices to the pan and cook to reduce and concentrate.  Meanwhile, reheat the beans.  Add the concentrated juices.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Spoon the beans over the lamb shanks and scatter with a fistful of roughly chopped herbs.
Tomato Fondue

Tomato fondue is one of our great convertibles, it has a number of uses, we serve it as a vegetable or a sauce for pasta, filling for omelettes, topping for pizza.

Serves 6 approximately

230g (8ozs) sliced onions
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1.8 kg (4lbs) very ripe tomatoes in Summer, or 4 1/2 tins (x 28oz) of tomatoes in Winter, but peel before using
salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste
2 tablespoons of any of the following;
 freshly chopped mint, thyme, parsley, lemon balm, marjoram or torn basil

Heat the oil in a non-reactive saucepan.  Add the sliced onions and garlic toss until coated, cover and sweat on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured. It is vital for the success of this dish that the onions are completely soft before the tomatoes are added.  Slice the fresh tomatoes or tinned and add with all the juice to the onions.  Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar (tinned tomatoes need lots of sugar because of their high acidity).  Add a generous sprinkling of herbs. Cook uncovered for just 10-20 minutes more, or until the tomato softens.  Cook fresh tomatoes for a shorter time to preserve the lively fresh flavour.  Tinned tomatoes need to be cooked for longer depending on whether one wants to use the fondue as a vegetable, sauce or filling. Note: A few drops of Balsamic vinegar at the end of cooking greatly enhances the flavour.
Slow-Roasted Shoulder of Pork with Fennel Seeds

Serves 8 – 10

Shoulder of pork is best for this long slow cooking method, as the meat is layered with fat which slowly melts away, try to find a traditional breed, e.g. Gloucester Old Spot, Saddleback, Black Berkshire or Middle White.  We also slow roast shoulder of lamb which is succulent and juicy.

1 whole shoulder of free-range pork, with skin, about 2.75-3.25 kg (7-8 lb) in weight
8 garlic cloves, peeled
30 g (1 oz) fennel seeds
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450ºF/Gas 8.

 Using a small sharp knife, score the rind of the shoulder with deep cuts about 5 mm (1/4’’) wide.

Peel and crush the garlic with the fennel seeds, then mix with salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste.  Push this mixture into the cuts, over the rind and on the surface of the meat.  Place the shoulder on a rack in a roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes or until the skin begins to blister and brown.  Reduce the oven temperature to 150ºC/325ºF/Gas 3, and leave the meat to roast for 5-6 hours or more until
it is completely soft under the crisp skin.  The meat will give way and will almost fall off the bone.  Serve each person some crisp skin and some chunks of meat cut from different parts of the shoulder.  

Loin and streaky pork is also delicious cooked in this way but it will take a shorter cooking time.

Fool Proof Food

Scallion Champ

Serves 4-6

A bowl of mashed potatoes flecked with green scallions and a blob of butter melting in the centre is ‘comfort’ food at its best.

1.5kg (3lb) 6-8 unpeeled ‘old’ potatoes e.g. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
110g (4oz) chopped scallions or spring onions (use the bulb and green stem) or 45g
chopped chives
350ml (10-12fl oz) milk
50-110g (2-4oz) butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Scrub the potatoes and boil them in their jackets.

Chop finely the scallions or spring onions or chopped chives.  Cover with cold milk and bring slowly to the boil.  Simmer for about 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and leave to infuse.  Peel and mash the freshly boiled potatoes and while hot, mix with the boiling milk and onions, beat in the butter.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve in 1 large or 6 individual bowls with a knob of butter melting in the centre.  Scallion mash may be put aside and reheated later in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/regulo 4.  Cover with tin foil while it reheats so that it doesn’t get a skin.

Thrifty Tip

Look for a slow cooker in the New Year sales. They are an excellent investment with a brilliant safety record. You can make foolproof stews and ragus. Put the ingredients into the pot first thing in the morning and when you get home from work just lift the lid, inhale the aroma and enjoy the meltingly tender feast.

Hot Tips

Tannery Cookery School
Fans of Paul Flynn of the Tannery restaurant in Dungarvan (of which I certainly am one) will be delighted to hear that his long awaited Tannery Cookery School is now open. For details www.tannery.ie or tel 058 45420 / email: info@tannery.ie

 

Good Things Café and Cookery School

The Good Things Café and Cookery School in Durrus, west Cork has also published its enticing list of courses for 2009. www.thegoodthingscafe.com 027 61426

Slow Food

The Slow Food Movement is a global eco-gastronomy organisation whose philosophy is influencing government food policy in 153 countries world wide. A gift membership is a perfect present for anyone interested in good food and food production issues www.slowfoodireland.com  or tel 021 4646 785

After all the excitement of Christmas I’ve got lots of delicious bits to be eaten up. I am always full of good intentions to buy just what I need but despite my calculations all-be –it on the back of an envelope, I have a fridge and pantry full of miscellaneous bits, some will last but others need to be used up in the next few days. Provided they are not grey and overcooked, Brussels sprouts can be chopped and used in turkey and ham pies or fricassees, but I include an easier way to use them up deliciously. Try the bubble and squeak recipe and serve it on thinly sliced spiced beef or ham, if you’re only got a few morsels of the spiced beef add them to the mixture and you’ll have a whole meal in one. A dollop of grainy mustard mayo with each bit adds extra oomph.

Leftover ham is rarely a problem; it’s so easy to use in sandwiches or salads. When it comes to the end of the joint, there are just little scrappy bits left on the bone. None the less every last morsel can be used up in pasta sauces or added to soups, frittata or macaroni cheese (how comforting is a big dish of bubbling golden macaroni after Christmas)
Macaroni is a terrific basis for all sorts of tasty bits; its mild flavour is the perfect foil for a dice of smoked fish – smoked salmon, mackerel or eel.
Left over cranberries keep for weeks in the fridge and freeze perfectly. A few added to muffins give an appealing tartness and of course they can also be added to many salads including winter red and white cabbage coleslaw. The bitter sweet flavour of cranberry sauce also makes a delicious filling for a meringue roulade or a Christmas sponge.
Stale bread can be used up in a myriad of ways. Eggy bread, made in minutes can be sweet or savoury and will be gobbled up by hungry kids and peckish grownups alike.
Bread and butter pudding is another goodie, a terrific way to use stale bread and if you have half a pot of Christmas mincemeat still hanging around, slather it over the bread instead of butter and dried fruit. Serve it on hot plates with a dollop of softly whipped cream.
Slices of left over plum pudding are divine fried gently in a little sizzling butter on the pan. Left over brandy butter keeps for ages but why keep it, melt in over the plum pudding or spread it on toast.
A happy, healthy and delicious New Year to all our readers.

Bubble and Squeak

A little finely chopped left over ham is delicious added to the potato and sprout mixture.

left over mashed potato
cooked Brussels sprouts chopped
lots of chopped parsley
extra virgin olive oil
white flour with lots of salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg

Mix all together in a bowl. Shape in 2 ½ – 3 inch rounds about ¾ inch deep. Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Coat the bubble and squeak with seasoned flour. Fry until golden on both sides, serve hot with cold ham or bacon or a few crispy rashers.

Pannetone Bread and Butter Pudding

Bread and Butter Pudding is a most irresistible way of using up leftover white bread – this is a particularly delicious recipe. Here I use the Italian Pannetone but if you don’t have that use good quality white bread instead.

Serves 6-8

12 slices pannetone or good-quality white bread, crusts removed
2 ozs (55g) butter, preferably unsalted
½ teasp freshly-grated nutmeg or cinnamon
7 ozs (200g) Lexia raisins or plump sultanas
16 fl ozs (475ml) cream
8 fl ozs (225ml) milk
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teasp. pure vanilla extract or a dash of Eau de Vie or brandy
6 ozs (170g) sugar
1 tablesp sugar for sprinkling on top of the pudding

Garnish

Softly-whipped cream
1 x 8 inches (20.5cm) square pottery or china dish

Butter the pannetone or bread and arrange 4 slices, buttered side down, in one layer in a dish.  Sprinkle with half the nutmeg or cinnamon and half the raisins, arrange another layer of bread, buttered side down, over the raisins, and sprinkle the remaining spice and fruit on top.  Cover the raisins with the remaining pannetone or bread, buttered side down.
In a bowl whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, eau de vie or brandy if using and sugar.  Pour the mixture through a sieve over the pudding.  Sprinkle the sugar over the top and let the mixture stand, covered loosely, at room temperature for at least 1 hour or chill overnight.
Bake in a bain-marie – the water should be half way up the sides of the baking dish.  Bake in the middle of a preheated oven, 180C/350F/regulo 4, for 1 hour approx. or until the top is crisp and golden.  Serve the pudding warm with some softly-whipped cream.

Goose, Pomegranate and Pecan Salad

You can also use up left over morsels of turkey or duck in this delicious way.

Serves 8

1 1/2-2 lbs(700-900g) freshly cooked goose, duck or turkey

a selection of salad leaves including watercress, frisée and rocket leaves
1-2 pomegranates depending on size

3-4oz (75/110g) fresh pecans or walnuts

Dressing

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
2 tablespoons best quality wine vinegar
1-2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
If the goose has been refrigerated, bring back to room temperature.  Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together. Cut the pomegranate in half and flick the seeds into a bowl – careful not to include any of the astringent pith.

Roast or toast the walnuts or pecans briefly, chop coarsely.  Just before serving, sprinkle a little of the dressing over the salad leaves in a deep bowl.  Toss gently.  There should be just enough dressing to make the leaves glisten. (Save the rest for later)  Taste.  Add a little dressing to the pomegranate seeds, toss and taste, correct seasoning if necessary.  Slice the goose into chunky pieces.  Sprinkle a little dressing over and toss gently.  Combine the three ingredients.  Divide pleasingly between 8 large white plates.  Sprinkle with roughly chopped pecans or walnuts and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Turkey and Stuffing Wraps

Serves 6

6 flour tortillas
12 – 16oz left over turkey cut into strips, try to include some crispy skin and stuffing
6 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise mixed
3 tablespoons of Ballymaloe Country Relish
2 avocados peeled and sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper
12 cherry tomatoes sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper
salad leaves and fresh coriander leaves

Warm the tortillas and mix the cooked leftover turkey meat and some stuffing if available with the mayonnaise and some relish. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide between the tortillas. Add some sliced avocado and tomato to each. Top with salad leaves and coriander and tuck into the ends and roll into a wrap. Enjoy.

Frittata with Ham and Cheese

Serves 6-8

A frittata is an Italian omelette.  Unlike its soft and creamy French cousin, a frittata is cooked slowly over a very low heat during which time you can be whipping up a delicious salad to accompany it!  It is cooked on both sides and cut into wedges like a piece of cake.  This basic recipe, flavoured with grated cheese and a generous sprinkling of herbs.  Like the omelette, though, you may add almost anything that takes your fancy.

10 large eggs, preferably free range organic
1 teaspoon salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
75g (3ozs) Gruyére cheese, grated
25g (1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
25g (1oz) butter
2 tablespoons basil or marjoram chopped
225g (8oz) diced cooked ham

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

Whisk the eggs in a bowl; add the salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, and grated cheese into the eggs.  Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the eggs.  Turn down the heat, as low as it will go.  Leave the eggs to cook gently for 12 minutes on a heat diffuser mat, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny. Alternatively put it into a preheated oven at 160ºC (320°F) gas mark 3, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set but not brown the surface. 

Slide a palette knife under the frittata to free it from the pan. Slide onto a warm plate.
Serve cut in wedges with a good green salad and perhaps a tomato salad.
Cranberry Muffins

A delicious way to use up left over cranberries.

Makes 8

225g (8oz) white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 level tablespoon baking powder
140g (5oz) caster sugar
75g (3oz) butter
1 organic free range egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
170ml (6floz) milk
110g (4oz) cranberries, blueberries or raspberries

1 muffin tray lined with muffin papers

Preheat the oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 4-5. Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder in a bowl. Stir in the sugar. Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Combine the beaten egg, vanilla extract and milk and add to the dry mixture. Combine with a fork to give a wet consistency. Fold in the cranberries gently. Spoon into the muffin cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes until well-risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar.
Mincemeat Pear Tart

This is certainly one of the most impressive of the French tarts, it is wonderful served warm but is also very good cold and it keeps for several days. Splash in a little kirsch.

Serves 8-10

4-5 ripe pears, poached

Shortcrust Pastry

200g (7oz) flour
110g (4oz) cold butter
1 egg yolk, preferably free range and organic
pinch of salt
3-4 tablespoons cold water

3 tablespoons of homemade mincemeat
Frangipane

100g (3 1/2oz) butter
100g (3 1/2oz) castor sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk, preferably free range
2 tablespoons kirsch
110g (4oz) ground almonds

25g (1oz) flour

To Finish
150ml (1/4 pint) approx. apricot glaze

Equipment

23cm (9inch) diameter flan ring or tart tin with a removable base

First make the Shortcrust pastry

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with the fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Whisk the egg yolk and add the water.

Take a fork or knife (whichever you feel most comfortable with) and add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although slightly damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper shorter crust.

Cover the pastry with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes or better still 30 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

Next poach the pears and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.  Roll out the pastry, line the tart tin with it, prick lightly with a fork, flute the edges and chill again until firm. Bake blind for 15-20 minutes.

Next make the frangipane. Cream the butter gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and soft. Gradually add the egg and egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the ground almonds and flour and then add the kirsch or calvados. Pour the frangipane into the pastry case spreading it evenly. Drain the pears well and when they are cold cut them crosswise into very thin slices, then lift the sliced pears intact and arrange them around the tart on the frangipane pointed ends towards the centre. Arrange a final half pear in the centre.

Turn the oven up to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Bake the tart for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is beginning to brown. Turn down the oven heat to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the frangipane is set in the centre and nicely golden.

Meanwhile make the apricot glaze. When the tart is fully cooked, paint generously with apricot glaze, remove from the tin and serve warm or cold with a bowl of softly whipped cream.

Spiced Beef with Guacamole and Rocket leaves

Serves 8 to 10

8 – 10 oz  cooked spiced beef

Guacamole
1 ripe avocado
1-2 tablesp. freshly squeezed lime
1 tablesp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tablesp. freshly chopped coriander or flat parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
wild rocket leaves

24 crostini

First make the guacamole, scoop out the flesh from the avocado.  Mash with a fork or in a pestle and mortar, add lime juice, olive oil, chopped coriander, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.  Otherwise, cover the surface of the guacamole with a sheet of plastic to exclude the air.  Cover and keep cool until needed.
 A little finely diced chilli or tomato may be added to the guacamole.
To serve put a blob of guacamole on each warn crostini, top with a little spiced beef and sprig of wild rocket, serve as finger food with drinks or three as a starter.
Fool Proof Food

Eggy Bread

Eggy Bread or French toast is so good that you forget how economical it is The French don’t call this French toast.  They call it pain perdu or “lost bread”, because it is a way to use up leftover bread you would otherwise lose – the only bread you’ve got on the baker’s day off.  French toast is actually better if the bread is a little old or sliced and dried out overnight, so perhaps for using up stale bread after Christmas.

Serves 4

3 free range eggs
175ml (6 flozs) whole milk
tiny pinch of salt
6 slices white or light wholemeal bread
4 tablespoons clarified butter

Whisk the eggs, milk and salt together until well blended.  Strain the mixture into a shallow bowl in which you can easily soak the bread.  Dip both sides of each slice of bread in the batter. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan.  Fry the bread over a medium heat until very lightly browned, turning once.  Serve warm sprinkled with cinnamon or caster sugar and alternatively, serve with crispy streaky rashers and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. 

Serve with bananas and butterscotch sauce.

Thrifty Tip

Resolve to grow some of your own herbs, salad leaves and vegetables this spring. Pore through the gardening catalogues as sit by the fire. A great beginner’s book is ‘Going Organic’ by Bob Flowerdew, published by Kyle Kathie.
Hot Tips

Seville Oranges

Seville Oranges are now in the shops so pick some up. These bitter sweet oranges produce marmalade with a unique flavour. If you are making 2 or 3 batches you might like to add some freshly grated ginger to one and some Irish whiskey to another.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Give a foodie friend a New Years gift of a bottle of really good extra virgin olive oil to drizzle over salads, bruschetta and just about everything.
Mani from Greece, Colonna from Italy and from Spain Laudemnio and Marques de Valdueza. Morgenster from South Africa and Dundargan from Australia are all exceptionally delicious. Available at the Ballymaloe Cookery School shop, Urru in Bandon 023 54731 and other good delis.

Irish Panforte

One of my best finds this Christmas was a delicious Irish Panforte made by Richard Graham-Lee of Patisserie Regale in Dunmanway. For my taste it beats vitually all the mass produced Italian Paneforte hands down. Try to find one to enjoy over the festive season, it’s packed with candied peel, nuts and fruit, a tiny slice with a cup of coffee satisfies the urge for a little something sweet – – sublime. Tel. 023 55344

I’ve chosen some suggestions for a Christmas Eve supper menu from several new cookbooks which have been released for the festive season. The first is from Sarah Raven, a gardener/cook who has a cult following. She makes regular appearances on BBC Gardeners World where she shares her expertise on how to grow the beautiful vegetables, fruit and herbs that abound in her garden at Perch Hill in East Sussex. Somehow in the midst of all the sowing and planting she managed to write another cook book ‘Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas Food and Flowers’. Inside the glitzy red and silver cover she guides us through the Christmas build-up, suggesting puddings, sauces and edible presents to prepare before everything becomes too hectic. She then offers maximum impact, minimum-fuss flowers and decorations, stylish party nibbles and a host of Yuletide meals for every palate, including a last minute recipe for the all important Christmas pudding. Finally, she sees us safely through Christmas, St Stephen’s day and beyond with fantastic ideas for the inevitable mountain of leftovers.
Simon Hopkinson has always been one of my favourite chefs – his first book Roast Chicken and Other Stories has become a modern classic. I only recenly came across ‘Second Helpings of Roast Chicken’ even though it was published in 2006. It’s a ‘must-give’ pressie for your foodie friends this Christmas. I’ve chosen two delicious soups from his book so take your pick; both would be delicious before Sarah Raven’s bagna cauda. This recipe which Sarah got from Antonia Carluccia has to be the most perfect and easy Christmas Eve supper, a selection of raw crunchy vegetables to dip into a delicious anchovy and garlic sauce. It won’t be too filling and will mean you and your guests will have room for pudding. If you’d like something more substantial with an extra feel good factor, choose a gorgeous piece of juicy free range pork. If you know a local organic farmer who rears heritage breeds, it’ll be even more succulent and delicious. The pig farmers and the entire industry have been through a very traumatic period so let’s all take every opportunity to support them in the real spirit of Christmas.
If life is not too hectic why not gather a few kids around, and have fun making Festive Jam Cookie Sandwiches from Rachel Allen’s new book Bake.
For pudding I have chosen Simon Hopkinson’s Swirly Mincemeat Suet Pudding with Brandy Sauce. Simon is a big fan of suet pudding, as am I – just the thing served on hotplates on a frosty night.
If that seems too much of a challenge or if you’d rather keep it simple and leave space for the Christmas feast, why not pick up a gorgeous gooey Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese and some Gubbeen crackers. There’s a wealth of Irish farmhouse cheese to choose from also. Or why not cut the Christmas cake (see recipe in Examiner Saturday 8th November, 2008) or a tuck into a wedge of Pannetone with a cup of espresso. A very happy and delicious Christmas to all our readers and many blessings for 2009.

Simon Hopkinson’s Almost Instant Creamed Bean Soup with Rosemary and Anchovy Butter

This soup can also be made with haricot, cannellini or pale green flageolet beans – or even chickpeas, I guess.

Serves 4

75 g (3oz) butter
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
3 sticks celery, chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 x 400g tins of butter beans (Spanish ones are particularly good)
750ml (25 ½ fl oz) chicken stock
salt and pepper
150ml whipping cream

For the rosemary and anchovy butter

120g unsalted butter, softened
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
50g (2oz) tin anchovies
juice of ½ a small lemon

Serve with Croutons

In a roomy pan, melt the butter and fry the onions and celery until lightly coloured. Add the rosemary, stir around and allow their aroma to lift. Tip in the beans, juice and all, add the stock and bring to the boil. Remove any scum that forms and then allow to gently simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the beans are all but falling apart. Add plenty of pepper and check for salt – but don’t add too much, as the butter will be fairly salty from the anchovies.
Meanwhile, make the rosemary and anchovy butter by combining all the ingredients together in a food processor until very smooth. Pass through a small sieve to remove any spiky rosemary bits. Tip into a small bowl and leave at room temperature until the soup is to be served. Lift out the rosemary sprigs and then put the beans, vegetables and liquor into a liquidiser and process until very smooth. Pour through a sieve into a clean pan, stir in the cream and gently reheat without boiling. The consistency should not be too thick; if it is, add a little water or maybe some milk. To serve, pour into  large soups plates or bowls, drop a spoonful of the rosemary and anchovy butter into each and serve with croutons.

Simon Hopkinson’s Black Bean Soup

This soup was first cooked for me several years ago by my sous-chef at the time Henry Harris. He adapted it from a Jeremiah Tower recipe, added a few of his own ideas and we put it on the menu. If is now called Henry’s Black Bean Soup forever more and is delicious. The recipe that follows is a mixture of his and the original. Please buy fresh spices before you make this soup as it makes all the difference. Tired old spices at the back of the cupboard will not do it justice.

Serves 6 – 8

500g (18oz) dried black beans, soaked overnight
2 large red onions, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 sticks celery, peeled of strings and chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and bashed
2 bay leaves
225g (8oz) piece of smoked bacon (Italian flat pancetta is ideal) skin intact
1 – 1 ½ litres (2 ½ pints) of stock – ham (favourite), chicken or beef, but good flavour is paramount
1 tbsp ground cumin (made from fresh cumin seeds dry-roasted in a small frying pan until fragrant and toasted)
1 tbsp chilli powder (this is not cayenne pepper, rather it is chilli powder mix made by Schwartz spices; it has ‘Chilli Powder’ on the label and is dark red in colour)
4 tbsp sour cream, loosened with a little milk to a pouring consistency

For the salsa

6 ripe tomatoes, skinned deseeded and coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ bunch of coriander, leaves only, coarsely chopped
juice of 2 limes
2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped
¼ tsp sugar
salt

Drain the beans, rinse and put them in a large pot with the vegetables, bay leaves, bacon and enough stock to cover by 5cm or so (add more stock, or water, later on if there seems to be insufficient liquid) Simmer ever so slowly for 1 ½ hours or so, skimming off any scum that is generated and stirring from the bottom on occasion, to check that none of the beans are sticking.
Meanwhile make the salsa. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover with a plate or cling film and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. When the beans are tender, lift out the bacon and allow it to cool. You can either chop it into small pieces and add to the soup later, or you can slice it thinly and use in sandwiches for instance, spread some fiery mustard. Now put the soup through a mouli-légumes (vegetable mill) on a fine setting. Do not be tempted to liquidise as the soup can become gloopy. Stir in the cumin and chilli. Reheat the soup and add stock or water until the consistency is thin porridge. Serve in shallow soup plates dressed with swirls of sour cream and salsa.

Christmas Bagna Cauda

Sarah Raven tells us that bagna cauda is one her very favourite party dishes.
To make this more of a meal serve it with plenty of good robust bread, or better still make a bowlful of bruschetta or croutons to soak up the sauce. In case you want to make it in advance, the bagna cauda freezes perfectly.
Use any or all of the following ingredients listed below, adjusting the quantities accordingly.

Serves 8 – 10

1 Trevisco chicory, stripped into leaves
1 Belgian chicory, stripped into leaves
½ celeriac, peeled and cut into matchsticks (and then doused in lemon juice to stop them discolouring)
3 Jerusalem artichokes, sliced
½ cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 carrots cut into batons
2 Florence fennel bulbs cut into chunks
1 celery head, broken into sticks and sliced
Selection of crunchy stemmed salad leaves, such as ‘Red Giant’ mustard, rocket or mizuna
1 large bowl of baked or fresh bread bruschetta or croutons

For the bagna cauda

200g (7oz) anchovies
milk, to soak the anchovies and to cover the garlic
16 garlic cloves
100ml (3 ½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
100g (3 ½ oz) butter, cubed
60ml (2fl oz) double cream

First make the bagna cauda. Rinse the anchovies of they are in salt. Leave them soaking in a little milk for half an hour. (This recipe makes a relatively mild sauce. If you like punchy strong food, you may want to up the anchovy count a bit)
Pre-heat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2.
Put a little milk in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Peel the garlic cloves, slice them in half and put into the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Mash the garlic cloves into the milk.
Retrieve the anchovies from the milk, put them into a bain-marie over a very low heat and using the back of a wooden spoon, and mash them into a paste. Add the garlic milk to the bowl. Gradually add the oil, the cubed butter and lastly the cream. Keep stirring until it’s all smooth. Pour this onto a small dish over a nightlight, if possible and put in the centre of the table. Serve with the vegetables and the croutons or bruschetta.

Roast Loin of Pork with Plums and Rosemary

Let’s celebrate Irish Pork and tuck into a gorgeous roast with lots of crackling. I’ve stuffed this loin with plums and rosemary and serve it with a Blood plum and Bramley apple sauce.

Serves 6 – 8

3 ½ – 4lbs (6 kgs) Loin of Pork with skin attached
2 tablesp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
½ lb (225g) Bramley apples peeled and chopped
¼lb (110g) sugar
2 teasps chopped rosemary
salt
freshly ground pepper

First score the rind at ¼ cm intervals; a Stanley knife is good for this. Heat the oil in a sauté pan add the onion, toss and continue to cook on a gentle heat for 3 or 4 minutes, add the chopped apple, plums, sugar and chopped rosemary, stir. Cover and cook over a gentle heat until the apple and plums soften, taste add more sugar if necessary. Turn out onto a plate to cool.
If the belly is still attached, lay the joint of pork skin side down on a chopping board. Season the flesh side well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread a little layer of plum and apple paste on top, toll and tie with cotton string. If however the belly is not still attached make a pocket in the pork loin with a sharp knife. Spoon some of the stuffing inside, don’t be too generous or it will squish out
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF/Gas mark 4.
Place the pork in a roasting tin, rub sea salt into the rind and roast for one and half hour.
Increase the heat to 230ºC/450ºF/Gas mark 8 and continue to cook the pork for a further fifteen minutes or until the crackling becomes crisp and bubbly. Transfer to a serving dish allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Warm the remainder of the plum and apple mixture add a little water if necessary to loosen the mixture.

Simon Hopkinson’s Swirly Mincemeat Suet Pudding with Brandy Sauce

I have always had trouble with my roly-poly puddings when cooked as a long log affair; whether steamed of baked, they always seem to spread out and go all flat and dull-looking. However, prepared in this way, not only does everything behave very well indeed, restricted within the confines of a pudding basin, but it also looks very pretty indeed when turned out.

Serves 4

For the mincemeat suet pudding

250g (9oz) self raising flour
125g (4oz) suet
a pinch of salt
cold water to mix
400g jar of mincemeat, or, of course, homemade
25g softened butter
1 – 2 tbsp soft brown sugar

For the brandy sauce

350ml (12fl oz) milk
40g (1 ½ oz) butter
40g (1 ½ oz) plain flour
a tiny pinch of salt
50-75g (3oz) caster sugar to taste
2-3 tbsp cognac or rum if your prefer
50ml (2floz) single cream

Mix together the flour, suet and salt in a roomy bowl. Add just enough water to mix to a cohesive mass: not too sticky, not too dry. Knead for a few minutes until supple. Flatten a little and leave to relax for 10 minutes. On a floured surface, roll the heavy pastry out fairly thinly (abut 30cm square). Spread with the mincemeat, leaving a gap of about 2cm around the edges. Roll up neatly, but not too tightly. Generously grease the  inside of the basin with the butter. Sprinkle the sugar all over the butter, pressing the residue that falls to the bottom against the sides all the butter must be well coated with sugar. Now cut the roly-poly into sections, about 1.5 – 2cm thick. Arrange 3 in the bottom of the basin , more up the sides, pressing them well against the butter sugar mixture, and the remaining slices in the middle (these do not matter so much as they won’t show in the final assembly, but try to make the final ones lie flat). Cover with buttered grease proof paper, then foil, and tie with string around the basin. Steam for 2 – 2 ½ ) hours or as long as 3.
Meanwhile make the sauce. Put the milk into a pan and heat through until hot but not boiling. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter, but do not allow it to froth. Stir in the flour until well blended. Cook over a very gentle heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Now carefully pour in the milk, whisking all the time. Allow to come up to a gentle simmer and stir for a few minutes with a wooden spoon until smooth and lightly thickened. Add the salt, sugar and cognac or rum. Let the sauce cook very gently, ideally on one of those diffuser pads, for several minutes. Stir occasionally. Pour in the cream, gently reheat and give it a final whisk.
To serve, carefully run a knife around the edge of the pudding and turn out on to a warmed serving dish. Hand the sauce separately.

Rachel Allen’s Festive Jam Cookie Sandwiches

These gorgeous little vanilla and lemon-scented cookies sandwiched together with the jam of your choice make a great Christmas cookie – the icing looks like snow.

Makes about 35 sandwiches

425g (15oz) plain flour
75g (3oz) caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2tsp finely grated lemon zest (from one large unwaxed organic lemon)
4 egg yolks
325g (11 ½ oz) butter, softened
raspberry or strawberry jam
icing sugar for dusting

Equipment

6cm (2 ½ in) plain cutter
3cm (1 ¼ in) plain or flower-shaped cutter

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), gas mark 4. Sift the flour into a large bowl or electric food mixer and add the sugar, vanilla extract, finely grated lemon zest, egg yolks and butter. Mix until it all comes together to a dough. Remove from the bowl and flatten to a round with the palm of your hand or with a rolling pin to about 2cm (¾ in) thick and chill in fridge for about 30 minutes. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 5mm ( ¼ in ) thick, then using the 6cm (2 ½ in) plain cutter, cut the dough into discs. Take half the discs and using either the plain or flower shaped 3cm (1 ¼ in) cutter, cut holes out of the centre of each, like little round windows. Bring the discarded scraps together and make more discs and cut holes in the centre of these. You want to end up with about 35 whole discs with the centres cut out (equal amounts). Place the discs on several baking trays and bake in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes, then remove from the trays and transfer to wire racks to cool.
When the discs are cool, spread ½ – 1 teaspoon of jam on the whole discs and top with the discs with a hole in them so that you can see the jam through the little windows. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Fool Proof Food

Sarah Raven’s Bloody Mary with Horseradish

There is nothing better than a Bloody Mary when you’re feeling a bit the worse for wear. In fact, I’m almost always on for a Bloody Mary however I’m feeling, and they can practically replace a meal. The best are spiced up with fresh horseradish and sharpened with plenty of lemon juice.

For four medium glasses:

175ml (6fl oz) vodka
dash of dry sherry
500ml (18fl oz)
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon fresh grated horseradish
Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, to taste
celery salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
ice, to serve

Combine the ingredients in a shaker and pour into individual glasses. Serve with ice

Thrifty Tip

Make up your own home made mulled wine spices for Christmas gifts and parties. It’s so easy just tie the thinly-pared rind of 1 lemon, a small piece of cinnamon bark, a blade of mace and one clove into a little muslin bag with the instructions to add one bottle of good red wine and 110 grams/ 4 ounces of sugar.

Hot Tips

Organic Bronze Turkeys

Dan Ahern of Bornfree Poultry near Midleton may still have a few Organic Bronze turkeys and geese, for those who have left it to the last minute! For those who would prefer a smaller bird enquire about his delicious organic chickens and ducks. Available from Midleton and Mahon Point Farmers Markets or tel. 086 1659258
Baskets of Irish Oysters

Native Irish Oysters are my absolute favourite treat for a starter for Christmas day. I had some delicious natives recently from Dairmuid Kelly in Galway, who sells baskets of 25, packed in seaweed.  091796120.
Local Food Heroes
Midleton Farmers market calendar with photographs of the local food heroes along with recipes and what’s in season month to month, available from Midleton Farmers Market or tel. 021 4646 785

We have numerous requests for details of organic and artisan pork and cured meat producers. Here are few to choose from…

Fingal Ferguson – Gubbeen Meats – 028-27824
Frank Krawczyk – West Cork Salamis – westcorksalamis@gmail.com
Caroline Rigney – Curragh Chase Farmhouse – 087 2834754
Noreen Conroy – Woodhouse Farm – 087-2767206
Jack McCarthy Butcher – 029 -50178
Caherbeg Bacon  086-8224415
Crowes Farm Meats 062-71137

Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas Food and Flowers
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Bake with Rachel Allen
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Second Helpings of Roast Chicken – Simon Hopkinson
Hyperion

Few people can recall going into the festive season at a time of such doom and gloom. Many of us remember when little treats were much looked forward to – a tangerine, some plasticine, maybe a few balloons, colouring pencils, and doll dress up sets in our stockings. The Dandy or Beezer annual, a game of ludo or snakes and ladders – kept us amused throughout Christmas day. Many presents were home made. Mum secreted herself away in the evening for weeks before Christmas, knitting and sewing and making little felt toys. The making of the plum pudding and Christmas cake was a family affair, we all pitched in, stoning muscatel raisins, chopping candied peel, halving cherries and of course we all helped to stir and then we had a wish. We did little jobs for months before Christmas to save money for the annual Christmas shopping trip to Kilkenny, the excitement was unbearable. Sometimes Daddy would give us half a crown to supplement our savings. Out of our money we bought a present for mummy and daddy and for each other. The now endangered Woolworths were a terrific resource and the place where I bought my first plastic Cindy doll with hair, ooh the joy!
I digress this is a food column; at that time most of the food we ate came from local shops, local butchers, neighbouring farms, and our garden. It was always fresh and in season and we knew where the people who grew produced at least 50% of our food. In these credit crunch days our carbon footprint has much to recommend it. Lets try to source as much of our produce locally as possible. There are wonderful fresh red cabbage, Brussels sprouts and Bramley apples and a few pumpkins in the shops. Many local farmers have free range turkeys, geese and ducks but you’ll need to hurry if you haven’t already placed your order, despite the fact that this kind of poultry is more expensive the demand continues to escalate because of the greatly enhanced flavour of the meat.
If you are going to have a bird it might as well be delicious. The recipe for Mummy’s trifle can be made several days ahead but you’ll need to hide it! Don’t skimp on the sherry. The citrus fruit salad will be the most welcome dish of the Christmas Season, fresh tasting, light and delicious and virtually no calories enjoy!

Traditional Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing and Roast Bramley Apples

Nora Ahern rears wonderful free range ducks and geese on her farm in East Cork.
021 4632354.

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

Serves 8-10

4.5g (1 x 10 lbs) approx. goose

Stock
Neck, giblets and wishbone of goose
1 sliced onion
1 sliced carrot

Bouquet Garni

a sprig of thyme
3 or 4 parsley stalks
a stick of celery
6 or 7 peppercorns
cold water to cover

Potato Stuffing

30g (1 oz) butter
450g (1 lb) chopped onions
450g (1 lb) cooking apples e.g. Bramley Seedling, peeled and chopped
1 fl oz (25ml) fresh orange juice
900g (2 lbs) potatoes
1 teaspoon each thyme and lemon balm
3 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
salt and freshly ground pepper

Accompaniment – Irish Bramley apples (see fool proof food)

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

To prepare the goose: Gut the goose and singe off the pin feathers and down if necessary.  Remove the wishbone from the neck end.  Combine the stock ingredients in a saucepan, cover with cold water and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.  Season the cavity of the goose with salt and freshly ground pepper; rub a little salt into the skin also.  Stuff the goose loosely and roast for 2 hours approx. in a preheated moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/regulo 4.
Prick the thigh at the thickest part; the juices which run out should be clear.  If they are still pink, the goose needs a little longer.  When cooked, remove the goose to a serving dish and put it in a very low oven while you make the gravy.

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

Roast Duck with Traditional Potato Stuffing

Use 1/4 or 1/3 of the Potato Stuffing recipe depending on the size of the duck.  Serve with Brambley Apple Sauce.
Red Cabbage

This red cabbage can be made several days ahead or frozen for several weeks.

1 lb (450g) Irish red cabbage
1 lb (450g) Irish cooking apples (Bramley Seedling)
1 tablespoon approx. wine vinegar
4 fl ozs (120ml) water
1 level teaspoon salt
2 heaped tablespoons approx. sugar

Remove any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Examine and clean it if necessary. Cut in quarter, remove the core and slice the cabbage finely across the grain. Put the vinegar, water, salt and sugar into a cast iron casserole or stainless steel saucepan. Add the cabbage and bring it to the boil.

Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and cut into quarters (no smaller). Lay them on top of the cabbage, cover and continue to cook gently until the cabbage is tender, 30-50 minutes approx. Do not overcook or the colour and flavour will be ruined. Taste for seasoning and add more sugar if necessary.

Serve in a warm serving dish.

Note: Some varieties of red cabbage are quite tough and don’t seem to soften much, even with prolonged cooking. Our favourite variety is Red Drummond which gives best results.

Mummy’s Boozy Trifle

Sherry Trifle, can be a pudding to be avoided at all costs on a restaurant menu.  However when it’s made as Mummy made it, with good homemade ingredients and lots of best-quality sweet sherry it is a revelation.  Trifle was a Christmas tradition at our house and was served in a special “cut glass” bowl kept especially for the purpose with homemade custard.

Serves 8-10

1 lb (450g) approx. homemade sponge cake or trifle sponges
(trifle sponges are lighter so you will need less)
8 ozs (225g homemade raspberry jam
1 pint (600ml) custard made with:
5 eggs, organic and free-range if possible
1 1/4 tablespoons castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 pints (750ml) rich milk

5-6 fl ozs (150-175ml) best quality sweet or medium sherry
– don’t spare the sherry and don’t waste your time with cooking sherry.

Garnish

1 pint (600ml) whipped cream
8 cherries or crystallised violets
8 diamonds of angelica
a few toasted flaked almonds

1 x 3 pint (1.7 litre) capacity glass bowl

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

Next make the egg custard.

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

Cut the sponge into 3 / 4 inch (2cm) slices and use these to line the bottom of a 3 pint (1.7 litres) glass bowl, sprinkling generously with sherry as you go along.   Pour in some homemade egg custard and then add another layer of sponge.  Sprinkle with the remainder of the sherry.  Spread the rest of the custard over the top.  Cover and leave for 5 or 6 hours, or preferably overnight in a cold larder or fridge to mature.
Before serving, spread softly whipped cream over the top, pipe rosettes if you like and decorate with cherries or crystallised violets and large diamonds of angelica.  Scatter with a few toasted flaked almonds.

Smoked Mackerel Pâte

We use Frank Hederman’s locally smoked mackerel for this recipe. It’s a terrific standby to have in your fridge over Christmas. If you don’t have time to make your own Frank sells a delicious pate at the Midleton Farmers market. Delicious served with cucumber pickle and Arbutus crusty sour dough bread.

Try to snatch a few hours this week to stock up your pantry for Christmas.
Sauces, relishes and flavoured butters add magic to your cooking; they can enliven many otherwise mundane meals. Many are easy peasy to make and can be stored as a standby in a fridge or a pantry for weeks sometimes months. This week I suggested a variety of sweet and savoury sauces that you can stash away to make festive cooking less hectic. Many are also suitable for Christmas presents, pack them into little 6 fl oz (180ml) jars, make pretty or quirky labels and decorate with lots of twiddles and bows. Otherwise go for the thrifty chic look and use recycled newspaper and jute string with luggage labels. This year, ostentatious bling is definitely out. It’s all about re-making, recycling and re-gifting, always a bit dicey! Making homemade presents are no longer looked on as merely worthy at last it’s chic, so into the kitchen, we’ll all have fun.

Three good sauces to go with the turkey, goose and ham

Bramley Apple Sauce

Apple sauce can be frozen in little tubs. Serve with roast goose, duck or pork.
The trick with apple sauce is to cook it covered on a low heat with very little water.

Serves 10 approx.

450g (1 lb) cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling or Grenadier
1-2 dessertsp water
55g (2 ozs) sugar, depending on how tart the apples are

Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut the pieces into two and put in a stainless steel or cast iron saucepan with sugar and water. Cover and cook over a low heat. As soon as the apple has broken down, beat into a puree, stir and taste for sweetness.

Spiced Cranberries

Serves 10-12

450g (1lb) sugar
225ml (8fl oz) water
125ml (4fl oz) wine vinegar
½ stick cinnamon
1 star anise
6 cloves
5cm (2inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled, sliced and tied in a muslin bag
1 chilli, split and seeded
450g (1lb) cranberries

Lemon juice

Place the sugar, water, vinegar and spice bag in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cranberries and simmer very gently until the cranberries become tender. Some will burst, that’s ok, add a little juice to taste.

Cumberland Sauce

Serves 8-12 approx.

This classic sauce is great with cold ham, turkey, chicken, guinea fowl, game or rough pâtés.

1 orange
1 lemon
225g (8oz) red currant jelly
3-4 tablespns port
a pinch of cayenne pepper
a pinch of ground ginger

With a swivel-top peeler, remove the peel very thinly from the orange and half of the lemon (make sure there is no white pith). Shred into thin julienne strips, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Strain off the water and discard it, then refresh the peel under cold water. Strain and keep it aside.

Squeeze the juice from the fruit and put it into a stainless steel saucepan with the jelly and spices; allow it to melt down. Then add the peel and port to the sauce. Boil it rapidly for 5-10 minutes.

Test like jam by putting a little blob on a cold saucer. When it cools it should wrinkle slightly.

Cumberland Sauce may be served in a bowl right away or it can be potted up and kept until needed, like jam.

Three good things to go with ice-creams or crepes

Three sweet sauces
Butterscotch Sauce

This irresistible sauce is delicious served with ice-cream or with sticky toffee pudding or crêpes on its own or even better with sliced bananas. It keeps for several weeks stored in a screw top jar in the fridge.

4 ozs (110 g) butter
6 ozs (170 g) dark soft brown Barbados sugar
4 ozs (110 g) granulated sugar
10 ozs (285 g) golden syrup
8 fl ozs (225 ml) cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the butter, sugars and golden syrup into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt gently on a low heat.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cream and the vanilla extract.  Put back on the heat and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until the sauce is absolutely smooth.  Serve hot or cold.

Chocolate Sauce

Serve with ice-cream, crêpes, profiteroles or meringues

2 ozs (55g/2 squares) plain chocolate
1 oz (30g/1 square) unsweetened chocolate
6 fl ozs (175ml) syrup, approx. (see below)
½ to 1 tablespoon Rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or in a low heat oven. Gradually whisk in the syrup. Flavour with rum or vanilla essence.

Stock Syrup

Makes 28 fl ozs (825 ml)

1 lb (450 g) sugar
1 pint (600 ml) water

To make the stock syrup: Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil.  Boil for 2 minutes then allow it to cool.  Store in the fridge until needed.

Irish Coffee Sauce

Brilliant with ice-cream, crêpes or chocolate mousse.

8 oz (225 g) sugar
3 fl oz (80 ml) water
8 fl oz (240 ml) strong coffee
1 – 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Put the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; stir until the sugar dissolves and the water comes to the boil.  Remove the spoon and do not stir again until the syrup turns a rich golden caramel.  Then add the coffee and put back on the heat to dissolve.  Allow to cool and add the whiskey.

Serve immediately or store in a glass bottle in a cool place – it keeps indefinitely.

Three good things to go with plum puddings and mince pies

Brandy Butter

Serve with plum pudding and mince pies – makes 180ml (6 fl oz)

3ozs (90g) unsalted butter
3ozs (90g) icing sugar
2-6 tablesp. Brandy

Cream the butter until very light, add the icing sugar and beat again. Add the brandy, drop by drop. If you have a food processor, use it: you will get a wonderfully light and fluffy Brandy Butter.

Brandy, Rum or Muscovado butter can be made several weeks before Christmas, store in the fridge

Moscovado Butter

Substitute moscovado sugar in the brandy butter recipe.

Jamaica Rum Butter

Follow the recipe above. Replace with 3 – 4 tablespoons of Jamaica rum.

Three good things to go with cold meats

Spiced Kumquat Relish

Serve with ham, duck, goose or pork.

Makes 1-2 jars, depending on size

340g (12oz) kumquats
300g (10oz) sugar
250ml (8fl oz) white wine vinegar
5cm (2inch) piece of cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
2 blades of mace

Rinse the kumquats. Slice the kumquats into a stainless steel saucepan.  Cover generously with cold water. Dissolve the sugar in the white wine vinegar in a stainless steel saucepan, add the cinnamon, cloves and mace, and stir until it comes to the boil. Add the sliced kumquats into the vinegar syrup. Simmer until the kumquats look transparent and slightly candied, 10 minutes approx.
Put the fruit in a wide-mouthed sterilized glass jar, pour the boiling syrup over and cover tightly (not with a tin lid).  Label and leave to mature for 3-4 weeks before use.

Rory O’Connell’s Spiced Plums

Delicious served with goose, duck, ham or Pâte de Campagne.

Serves 8 – 10

10 blood plums quartered
450ml (1lb) white sugar
125ml (4 fl oz) white wine vinegar
225ml (8 fl oz) water
1 split chili
1 stick of cinnamon
2.5cm (1 inch) of ginger
4-6 cloves

Put all the ingredients except the plums into a stainless steel saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Cut the plums into quarters and then cut each piece across into two.  Add to the saucepan and simmer very gently until tender, about 15 minutes.
Stored in a kilner jar or a covered bowl, the cooked plums will keep for several weeks in the fridge.

Three good relishes

Mango and Red Pepper Relish

Great with ham, bacon or vegetable pakoras.

50ml (2 fl ozs) medium sherry
50ml (2 fl ozs) water
50ml (2 fl ozs) white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
½  cinnamon stick
1 star anise
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of ground mace
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put the sherry, water, vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, salt and mace into a small, heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the mango, pepper, and lemon juice, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Spoon into a screw top glass jar and refrigerate until required. Keeps for weeks.

Tomato and Chilli Sauce

Makes 2 to 3 small jars

2 oz (25g) green chillies, deseeded and chopped, or 2-3 depending on size
2 red peppers deseeded and cut in 1/4 inch (2cm) dice.
2 x 14 oz (400g) tin of tomatoes chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
1 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons water

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

Tomato and Chilli Jam

Makes: 1 large pot or 2 small pots

In season:

This zingy jam is great with everything from fried eggs to cold meat.  Terrific on a piece of chicken breast or fish or spread on bruschetta with goat’s cheese and rocket leaves.

500g (1lb 2oz) very ripe tomatoes
2-4 red chillies
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
about 2.5cm (1inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
25ml (1 fl oz) fish sauce (Nam Pla)
300g (11 ozs) golden castor sugar
100ml (3 ½ fl oz) red wine vinegar

Peel the tomatoes and chop into 1cm (1/2 inch) dice. Purée the chillies, garlic, ginger and fish sauce in a blender.  Put the purée, sugar and vinegar into a stainless steel saucepan, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil slowly, stirring occasionally.  Cook gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent sticking.

When cooked pour into warmed, sterilized glass jars.  Allow to cool and store in the fridge.

Fool Proof Food

This simple sauce is a terrific standby to have in your store cupboard because it keeps for months and is delicious with ice cream and mousses.

Caramel  Sauce

225g (8oz) sugar
85ml (3fl oz) cold water
225ml (8fl oz) hot water

Dissolve the sugar in the cold water over a gentle heat.  Stir until all the sugar has dissolved, then remove the spoon and continue to simmer until the syrup caramelises to a chestnut colour.  If sugar crystals form during cooking, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet brush, but do not stir.  Remove from the heat, pour in the hot water and continue to cook until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is quite smooth.  Allow to get cold.

Hot Tips

Special Christmas Markets
Midleton Farmers Market on Saturday 20th December and Tuesday 23rd December, 2008.
Re-opens on Saturday 10th January 2009.
Mahon Point Farmers Market on Thursday 18th December and Monday 22nd December from 10am to 4pm.
Re-opens Thursday 15th January 2009.
South Aran House
Maria and Enda Conneely run Organic and Wild Café at Fisherman’s Cottage on the Aran Island, Inishere. Their menu incorporates organically produced foods as well as locally caught wild fish. They recently opeAned a guesthouse alongside and are offering some great Christmas breaks that include three traditional dinners in their Organic and Wild Café.

www.southaran.com
Wisteria Restaurant
This week’s restaurant gem is Wisteria.  In the little village of Cloyne, Colm Falvey always incorporates locally produced food into his menu. Don’t miss the grilled fillet of cod with West Cork Scollops. Better still, come early and stock up with home baked goods from the girls in Cuddigan’s shop around the corner.
Wisteria – 021 465 1444.  Cuddigan’s – 021 4652762
Thrifty Tip

Recycle your used plastic 1 litre milk bottles and get triple the value. Fill the empty bottle to freeze soups and stocks; don’t fill completely to allow for expansion. Cut the top off the bottle ¾ ways up and use as a handy funnel. You can then use the base as a container that is easily stackable.

Fionnuala Quinlan of the Weekend Examiner telephoned a few weeks ago with a challenge. Could we teach a busy hack how to cook a traditional Christmas dinner in just a few hours? Pól O’Conghaile had dabbled a bit in the kitchen but never cooked a turkey or made a pudding before. This year, he had promised his girlfriend who had recently been diagnosed as a Coeliac that he would produce the festive feast.

He wanted to be able to cook the bird and all the trimmings so we ordered a fine free range turkey – sourcing a really good turkey is crucial to produce a delicious roast turkey – so we ordered a fine bird from a local farmer Nora Ahern, who has been supplying Ballymaloe House with fine poultry reared on her farm in Edmonstown in Midleton, for the past 30 years.

Pól brought his own gluten free bread, so we showed him how to make bread crumbs in a matter of seconds in a food processor. Gluten free bread crumbs appear to be less absorbent than ordinary crumbs so reduce the butter by one ounce. Same in the plum pudding and bread sauce. We spent quite a bit of time showing Pól basic knife techniques which are so crucial to enjoying cooking in the kitchen. So many people don’t allow themselves the luxury of a couple of decent steel knives. Every chore is a struggle when the knife is blunt whereas when you master a couple of basic knife techniques, one can chop slice in a rhythmic way and suddenly it all becomes great fun. We showed Pól how to chop and slice and how to hold a knife for maximum flexibility.
Pól was surprised how simple it was to make the Cranberry sauce. We used organic Irish cranberries grown by Ciara Morris in Co Offaly. Pól always hated Brussels sprouts but wanted to learn how to cook them. The sprouts had been picked in the walled garden in Ballymaloe House just a few hours earlier. They were fine big sprouts so we cleaned them and cut them into quarters so they cooked quickly. We showed him how to blanch them in well salted boiling water and refresh them in ice cold water to stop the cooking and set the colour. This means they can be cooked ahead and heated up just minutes before they are to be served. However it was the crusty roast potatoes which he seemed to favour most. Delicious floury Golden Wonders, par cooked for just a few minutes and then tossed into smoking hot duck fat and roasted until they were crisp on the outside and soft in the centre.
Pól was also amazed how easy it was to make plum pudding, again to make a gluten free version. We used Myrtle Allen’s recipe as a base. The secret is to buy really plump delicious fruit and proper fresh suet. Make no mistake the best plum puds are made from beef suet but remember to serve the pudding on really hot plates. The boozy sauce base can be made weeks in advance again. Just add whipped cream to taste.
The proof in the pudding is in the eating so are looking forward to hearing how it all turns out on the day.
Traditional Roast Turkey with Fresh Herb Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce and Classic Bread Sauce

Serves 10-12
This is my favourite roast stuffed turkey recipe. You may think the stuffing seems dull because it doesn’t include exotic-sounding ingredients like chestnuts and spiced sausage meat, but in fact it is moist and full of the flavour of fresh herbs and the turkey juices.  Cook a chicken in exactly the same way but use one-quarter of the stuffing quantity given.

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

Fresh Herb Stuffing

175g (6ozs) butter
350g (12oz) chopped onions
400-500g (14-16ozs) approx. soft breadcrumbs (check that the bread is non GM)
50g (2oz) freshly chopped herbs eg. parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, savoury, lemon balm
salt and freshly ground pepper

Stock
neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone and wingtips of turkey
2 sliced carrots
2 sliced onions
1 stick celery
Bouquet garni
3 or 4 peppercorns

For basting the turkey

225g (8ozs) butter
large square of muslin (optional)

Cranberry sauce (see recipe)
Classic Bread sauce (see recipe)

Garnish
large sprigs of fresh parsley or watercress

Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the turkey, for ease of carving later. Make a turkey stock by covering with cold water the neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone, wingtips, vegetables and bouquet garni. (Keep the liver for smooth turkey liver pate).  Bring to the boil and simmer while the turkey is being prepared and cooked, 3 hours approx.
To make the fresh herb stuffing: Sweat the onions gently in the butter until soft, for 10 minutes approx., then stir in the crumbs, herbs and a little salt and pepper to taste.  Allow it to get quite cold.  If necessary wash and dry the cavity of the bird, then season and half-fill with cold stuffing.  Put the remainder of the stuffing into the crop at the neck end. 

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

The turkey is cooked when the juices run clear.

To test, prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices: they should be clear.  Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.   Cover loosely with greaseproof paper and roast in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/350°F/regulo 4 for 1-1 1/2 hours.

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

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

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

Serve with Cranberry Sauce and Classic Bread Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

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

Serves 6 approx.

170 g (6ozs) fresh or frozen cranberries
4 tablespoons (60 ml) water
85 g (3ozs) granulated sugar

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

Serve warm or cold.

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

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

Serves 6

600ml (1 pint) whole milk
85-100g (3 – 4 ozs) soft white breadcrumbs (use 6oz of gluten free bread crumbs and increase seasoning)
2 medium onions, each stuck with 6 cloves
35 – 55g (1 1/2 – 2 ozs) butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
75-100ml (3-4 fl ozs) thick cream
2 good pinches of ground cloves or quatre epices

Bring to the boil in a small, deep saucepan all the ingredients except the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and simmer gently on a very low heat (use a heat diffuser mat if possible) or cook in a low oven 160°C/325°F/regulo 3, for 30 minutes. Remove the onion and add the cream just before serving. Correct the seasoning and add a little more milk if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.

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

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

Serves 4 – 6

1 head of celery
salt and freshly ground pepper
roux (see recipe)
4-6 fl ozs (120-175ml) cream or creamy milk

Garnish
chopped parsley

Pull the stalks off the head of celery. If the outer stalks seems a bit tough, peel the strings off with a swivel top peeler or else use these tougher stalks in the stockpot. Cut the stalks into 1/2 inch (1cm) chunks.

Bring 3 pint of water to the boil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the chopped celery, cook for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until a knife will go through with ease. Remove celery to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Thicken the remaining liquid with the roux; add the enough cream to make sufficient sauce to coat the celery. Allow to bubble for a few minutes, pour over celery, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Note:  Can be reheated successfully
Roux

110 g (4 ozs) butter
110 g (4 ozs) flour

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

Gluten-free Roux

Roux is used as a thickener in flour-based sauces and occasionally in gravies.  Gluten-free Roux works just as effectively as regular flour based roux and it is great to have some in the fridge, where it will keep for up to a fortnight.  Make it in small or large quantities for future use or it can be made up on the spot if you prefer. 

110g (4oz) butter
50g (2oz) cornflour
50g (2oz) rice flour

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the cornflour and rice flour.  Combine the mixture with a wooden spoon and cook for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

 

How to cook Brussels Sprouts

Not surprisingly many people hate Brussels sprouts because invariably they are over cooked.
The traditional way to cook sprouts was to cut a cross in the stalk so that they would, hopefully, cook more evenly. Fortunately I discovered quite by accident when I was in a mad rush one day, that if you cut the sprouts in half lengthways they cook much faster and taste infinitely more delicious so with this recipe I’ve managed to convert many ardent Brussels sprout haters!

Serves 4-6

1 lb (450g) Brussels sprouts, (cut lengthways top to bottom or cut into quarters)
1 pint (600ml) water 
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1-2 ozs (25-50g) butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Choose even medium sized sprouts. Trim the outer leaves if necessary and cut them in half lengthways. Salt the water and bring to a fast rolling boil. Toss in the sprouts, cover the saucepan just for a minute until the water returns to the boil, then uncover and remain for 5 or 6 minutes or until the sprouts are cooked through but still have a slight bite. Drain very well.

Melt a little butter in a saucepan; roll the sprouts gently in the butter, season with lots of freshly ground pepper and salt. Taste and serve immediately in a hot serving dish.

Note * If the sprouts are not to be served immediately, refresh them under cold water just as soon as they are cooked. Just before serving, drop them into boiling salted water for a few seconds to heat through. Drain and toss in the butter, season and serve. This way they will taste almost as good as if they were freshly cooked: certainly much more delicious than sprouts kept warm for half an hour in an oven or a hostess trolley.

Crusty Roast Potatoes

8 potatoes, unwashed Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks

Choose medium to large potatoes of even size. Scrub and peel. Put into a saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil. Drain thoroughly. Lightly scratch the surface with a fork and season with salt.
Put the potatoes into smoking hot fat or olive oil. Baste occasionally. Cook until soft in a hot oven 230C/450F/regulo 8 for 30-45 minutes depending on the size. Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve immediately.

Alternatively, put the potatoes into smoking hot fat in the same tin as the meat, 40-45 minutes before the meat is fully cooked and baste well. Cook until soft. (Baste the potatoes when you baste the meat and turn them over after 25 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

Myrtle Allen’s Plum Pudding with Brandy Butter

Serves 8-10

Making the Christmas Puddings (from The Ballymaloe Cook Book by Myrtle Allen)

The tradition that every member of the household could have a wish which was likely (note, never a firm promise) to come true, was, of course, a ruse to get all the children to help with heavy work of stirring the pudding.  I only discovered this after I was married and had to do job myself.  This recipe, multiplied many times, was made all at once.  In a machineless age, mixing all those expensive ingredients properly was a formidable task.  Our puddings were mixed in an enormous china crock which held the bread for the house hold for the rest of the year.  My mother, nanny and the cook took it in turns to stir, falling back with much panting and laughing after a few minutes’ work.  I don’t think I was really much help to them. 
Christmas puddings should be given at least 6 weeks to mature.  They will keep for a year.  They become richer and firmer with age, but one loses the lightness of the fruit flavour.  We always eat our last plum pudding at Easter.
If possible, prepare your own fresh beef suet – it is better than the pre-packed product. 

6ozs (175g) shredded beef suet
6 ozs (175g) sugar
7ozs (200g) soft breadcrumbs
8ozs (225g) currants
8 ozs (225g) raisins
4 ozs (110g) candied peel
1-2 teaspoons mixed spice
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 fl ozs (50ml) flesh of a baked apple
3 eggs
2 fl ozs (50ml) Irish whiskey

1 x 3 pints (1.75 L) capacity pudding bowl

Mix the ingredients thoroughly.  Whisk the eggs and add them, with the apple and whiskey.  Stir very well indeed.  Fill into the greased pudding bowl.  Cover with a round of greaseproof paper or a butter-wrapped pressed down on top of the pudding.  Put a large round of greaseproof or brown paper over the top of the bowl, tying it firmly under the rim. 

Place in a saucepan one-third full of boiling water and simmer for 10 hours.  Do not allow the after to boil over the top and do not let it boil dry either.  Store in a cool place until needed.

Boil for 1 1/2 – 2 hours before serving.  Left-over pudding may be fried in butter.

Serve with Whiskey Cream or Brandy butter.
Brandy Butter
(Gluten free also)

3ozs (75g) butter
3ozs (75g) icing sugar
2-6 tablespoons brandy

Cream the butter until very light, add the icing sugar and beat again.  Then beat in the brandy, drop by drop.  If you have a food processor, use it: you will get a wonderfully light and fluffy Brandy Butter. Store covered in a glass jar.  It will keep for several weeks.
Thrifty Tip

Save slices of stale white bread to make bread crumbs. Simply trim off the crusts (or leave them on if you don’t mind the flecks of crust) and pop in a food processor or liquidiser, cover and whizz for few seconds until the bread has been reduced to crumbs.
Freeze and use as required for stuffings, crumbles, coatings or buttered crumbs.

Hot Tips

Slow Food Celebration of Winter

Dublin’s Slow Food convivium will be hosting the second of its Seasonal Celebrations – A Celebration of Winter – on December 14th at Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square.
Go along to celebrate the new season’s bounty with our city’s small producers, artisans and community gardens. There will be tasting stalls and music.
All proceeds will go to help encourage edible schoolyards in all Irish schools
01-677 2255
Truffles for Irish Gardeners
Johnstown GAarden Centre offers the unique opportunity to Irish gardeners of growing their own natural summer truffles. Johnstown have teamed up with global truffle expert Dr Paul Thomas to develop young hazel trees impregnated with the truffle fungus that should be ready to harvest up to four years after planting with an expected yield of about 1kg at maturity. This wet summer has been particularly good for truffle finds. www.johnstowngardencentre.ie
Cork on Ice
Bill Cremin has opened a 700 square meter ice rink under a marquee in Little Island Cork over the Christmas and New Year period. Alongside the marquee is an artisan food tent where you can buy Green Saffron curries, steaming mugs of hot chocolate from O’Conaill’s chocolates and sausages from the Gourmet Sausage Company.
The ice rink will be open until January.  086 2145525 www.greensaffron.com

The Listowel Food Fair, now in its 14th year, is still buzzing.  Jimmy Deenihan and his team were one of the very first to organise a Food Fair to highlight local produce and to celebrate the food traditions of the area.  I arrived early on Friday morning; the Listowel Farmers Market was already underway.  It was an atrocious day; the wind buffeted both the stalls and the stallholders. I know exactly how they felt in that icy cold rain, yet each and everyone was cheery and upbeat. Frenchman Olivier Beaujoran had come from Castlegregory to sell his pates, terrines, Boudin noir, marinated organic salmon and his wife Maya Binder’s Dillisk and Kilcummin farmhouse cheese. I bought some of Olivier’s charcuterie and a cheese studded with black peppercorns.
Just beside his stall Lucy Trant, Owen Carthy and Joe Mannix were selling a selection of herbs, fruit trees and flowers grown by the Kerry Parents and Friends – a very worthwhile project which deserve tremendous support from the community.
Ella O’Sullivan from Listowel was just one of five or six home bakers with a delicious selection of bread, tarts and buns.  Steven Neiling’s Pióg pies with their delicious buttery pastry have also got people queuing and discussing which their favourite is – Beef and Guinness, Kerry Lamb pie, Seafood Pie, Vegetable Pie, Shepherds Pie… The meat all comes from Ashe’s, the local butcher, and the seafood from Paddy Malone in Dingle. That’s what we like to hear – a real taste of Kerry. Sean Daly’s stall was piled high with vegetables including some fine local spuds, carrots, turnips and cabbages.
Sebastian Ridoux, who hails from north of Paris sells crepes at the market.  He came to Kerry to learn English seven years ago and hasn’t been able to tear himself away from there since. It was a struggle to keep his stove alight on that blustery morning but he still managed to cook fresh crepes with a variety of tempting sweet and savoury fillings.
I bought half a dozen duck eggs from Phil Vevsey and was also tempted by the free range chicken wings for €2.00. Phil rears his own Cobb birds for the table and also has a few ducks.
Along the other side of the square in the shadow of St John’s beautiful church, Conor Breheny’s stall was piled high with gorgeous sounding soups, relish, pesto, salad dressings and home made stuffing. I needn’t have cooked for a week. I couldn’t resist a pot of Wild Beara honey, even though I had already bought three other types of local honey.
Stephen and Linda Baker also lost their hearts to Kerry and have lived in Ardfert for over 20 years. They specialise in gluten free produce. Their trifle, ginger cake, Moroccan orange cake all looked enticing.
Bob Summerhayes was out of action with a gammy leg but his stall was looked after by his friends in the generous spirit of the Farmers Market.
Olga Demery had yet more home baking and salads. Close to the perimeter was one of my heroes, pig farmer Caroline Rigney with a selection of products from her own free-range Tamworth pigs, delicious rashers with a decent bit of fat on them, bacon, ribs, white pudding, juicy sausages and beautiful white lard – the very best thing for cooking roast potatoes and adding shortness to pastry. The crubeens and pigs tails were sold out but she promised to get me some.

I met the enthusiastic gang from the Drumcollagher Organic Project with a variety of lovely vegetables and plants. The weather was so appalling that I just hope they managed to sell their produce.

Finally Kerry shellfish producers brought in a delicious selection of mussels, cockles and manila clams for my cookery demonstration.  Local dairy farmer Kate Carmody organised a terrific Slow Food dinner at Listowel Arms on Saturday night.  It was packed to capacity with people from as far away as Dublin coming to taste local food.  One of the big challenges is to get restaurants and hotels to incorporate local food into their menus.  It’s difficult for chefs to resist the temptation to buy everything from one or two catering suppliers – which is so easy and convenient but supporting local producers can make a significant difference to local farmers and fishermen’s livelihood and add extra interest to the menu.  Young chef Noel Keane of Tralee and his team rose to the occasion admirably and even incorporated his grandfather’s apples into the menu.

Eighty four year old Sue McKenna dropped off her bread at the Listowel Arms on Friday morning. She had been up since the crack of dawn, she was entering the Home Baker of the Year Award, and there were over 40 entries. This was just one of the four competitions at the Listowel Food Fair this year. The Irish Food Book of Year Award was won by vegetarian restaurant Cornucopia in Dublin, titled Cornucopia at Home.
http://www.cornucopia.ie

Eddie O’Neill from Teagasc in Moorepark, Sara McSweeny technical advisor to the Farm House Cheese Industry, Sarah Bates and I tasted our way through 50 farm house cheeses.  We awarded some gold, silver and bronze medals but the overall winner was a gorgeous aged Coolea Gouda type cheese made by second generation farm house cheese maker Dicky Willems from Coolea near Macroom in West Cork.  HYPERLINK “http://www.cooleacheese.com” www.cooleacheese.com
Slow Food is all about supporting local food producers, encouraging biodiversity and paying a fair price for the product.  There are 15 chapters in Ireland.  If you would like to know more HYPERLINK “http://www.slowfoodireland.com” www.slowfoodireland.com.  A gift of Slow Food membership makes a perfect Christmas present.

Clams and Mussels with Lemongrass and Coconut

Noel Keane the head chef at the Listowel Arms hotel shared this delicious recipe with me for my cookery demonstration on Friday night. So easy and tasty, he used local mussels, clams and cockles.

Serves four as a main course

2lbs (900g) mussels
1lb (450g) clams
2 lemon grass stalks, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 glass white wine
1 tin coconut milk
sea salt and cracked black pepper
chopped coriander

Melt 1oz of butter in a wide sauté pan add the shallots, garlic and lemongrass and sweat for 3 – minutes Add the wine and reduce.
Whisk in the coconut milk and lime juice, season with salt and pepper. Reduce by half.
Meanwhile check that the shellfish are tightly shut, wash well in several changes of cold water. Add the mussels and clams to the base with lots of coriander leaves.

Serve either as a starter or with some homemade bread or salad as a light main course.

Warm Salad of Rigneys Bacon with Poached Egg and Beal Farmhouse Cheese

Caroline Rigney rears free range Tamworth, Saddleback and Gloucester Old Spot pigs in Kilcornan, Co Limerick. Their bacon is sweet and delicious. The beautiful Beal Farmhouse organic cheese is made by Kate Carmody, the Chair Person of the Board of Directors for Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association (IOFGA)
Serves 4

A gorgeous little salad which totally depends on good ingredients. Make it with battery produced eggs and indifferent bacon and you’ll wonder why you bothered.

a mixture of organic salad leaves
175g (6oz) smoked Rigney’s streaky bacon, cut into ¼ inch lardons
4 eggs free-range organic
Caesar Salad dressing (see recipe)
25g (1oz) freshly grated Beal cheese

freshly chopped parsley
First make the Caesar dressing – you will have more than you need for this recipe but it keeps for several weeks so save it in the refrigerator for another time.
Fill a small saucepan with cold water, add a little salt.  When the water is boiling, reduce the heat, crack the egg and allow it to drop gently into the water. Cook in the barely simmering water for 4 to 5 minutes or until the white is set and the yolk is still soft. You may cook the eggs separately or together depending on the size of your saucepan.

Meanwhile heat a frying pan, add a little olive or sunflower oil.  Cook the lardons of bacon until crispy and golden.

To assemble the salad

Put a little Caesar dressing on the plate.  Quickly arrange a selection of lettuce and salad leaves on top.  We also add a little freshly cooked asparagus or chicory in season or some chard or beet greens.  Sprinkle the hot sizzling bacon over the salad, top with a poached egg. Drizzle some Caesar dressing over the poached egg and salad leaves.

Sprinkle with freshly grated cheese (use a microplane or a fine grater) and a little chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Caesar Dressing

2 egg yolks, preferably free-range and organic
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 x 2oz (50g) tin anchovies
1 clove garlic, crushed
a generous pinch of English mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1/2-1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
6fl oz (175ml) sunflower oil
2fl oz (50ml) extra virgin olive oil
50ml (2fl oz) cold water

We make this dressing in a food processor but it can also be made very quickly by hand. Drain the anchovies and crush lightly with a fork. Put into a bowl with the egg yolks; add the garlic, lemon juice, mustard powder, salt, Worcester and Tabasco sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together.  As you whisk, add the oils slowly at first, then a little faster as the emulsion forms. Finally whisk in the water. Taste and correct the seasoning: this dressing should be highly flavoured.

Pig’s Tails with Swede Turnips

Paddy McDonnell’s stall in the Cork market is just one of several which sells pigs tails, skirts and kidneys and bodices. He tells me that he still sells about 200 a week, but he is concerned because they are becoming more difficult to find nowadays. Most pigs reared in an intensive way have their tails docked.
Pigs tails are rather irreverently known in Cork as ‘slash farts’ or ‘pigs mud-guards’!
Only last year I inquired from a customer at one of the stalls what she was going to do with the bag of pigs tails she had just purchased, she replied without a trace of embarrassment or hesitation,  ‘I’ve got ten in family,  I’ll split them in half and boil them up with turnips and then they’ll go further! – the group of Americans I was showing around the market couldn’t believe their ears!

Serves 6

6 pigs tails
1 swede turnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes
butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cover the pig’s tails with cold water, bring to the boil, and then discard the water. Cover with fresh water and bring to the boil again.
Add the turnip to the pot, cover and continue to cook until the pigs tails are soft and tender and the turnip fully cooked.
Remove the tails and keep aside. Mash the turnip with a generous lump of butter. Season. Put in a hot bowl and serve the pig’s tails on top.

Kerry Apple Cake with Cinnamon Sugar

2 large eggs preferably free range and organic
225g ( 8 ozs) castor sugar
110g ( 4 ozs )butter
150ml (¼ pint) creamy milk
185g (6½ ozs) plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3-4 Bramley cooking apples
30g (1 oz) sugar

Cinnamon sugar
25g (1oz) castor sugar
¼ teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.
Grease and flour a 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 inch) roasting tin or lasagne dish. Whisk the eggs and the castor sugar in a bowl until the mixture is really thick and fluffy. Bring the butter and milk to the boil in saucepan, and stir, still boiling, into the eggs and sugar. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and fold carefully into the batter so that there are no lumps of flour. Pour the mixture into the prepared roasting tin. Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices, arrange them overlapping on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4, for a further 20-25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cut into slices. Serve with softly whipped cream

Fool Proof Food

Lemon Drizzle Squares

Makes 24

6 ozs (170g) soft butter
6 ozs (170g) castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free range
6 ozs (170g) self-raising flour

Icing

freshly grated rind of 1 organic unwaxed lemon
freshly squeezed juice of 1-2 organic lemons
4 ozs (110g) castor sugar

10 x 7 inch (25.5 x 18 cm) Swiss roll tin, well greased

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/regulo 4. Put the butter, castor sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Spread evenly in the well buttered tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen. Meanwhile mix the ingredients for the glaze. As soon as the cake is cooked, pour the glaze over the top, leave to cool. Cut into squares.

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

O’Connell’s of Ballsbridge
Devoted fans of Tom O’Connell, whose restaurant O’Connell’s in Bewleys of Ballsbridge, (now Morans Hotel) had a national following will be glad to hear that O’Connell’s is now back in operation in the Ballsbridge Court Hotel in Pembroke Road, Dublin 4 Tel:
01 665 5940. www.oconnellsballsbridge.com

Belvelly Smoke House Shop
Caroline Hederman has opened a tiny shop by the Belvelly Smoke House near Cobh Co Cork, crammed with delicious artisan goodies. You will find the Belvelly Smoke House range of smoked salmon, mackerel, mussels, and baked salmon as well as a variety of hand made relishes, chutneys, mayonnaise and a tempting range of homemade sweets, fudge and peanut brittle…
www.frankhederman.com 086 8213984

The Nautilis Restaurant
There’s a little gem of a restaurant called Nautilus overlooking the harbour and lighthouse in Ballycotton called The Nautilis, French chef Lionel Babin is doing delicious food at very fair prices.  Don’t miss his Fondue Savoyarde.  Sunday lunch is unmissable.  After you’ve tucked in, enjoy a walk along the beautiful East Cork coastline all the way to Ballytrasna.
021 4646 768.

Thrifty Tip:
Left over citrus peel make brilliant firelighters when dried.  We just throw them into the cool oven of the Aga and allow them to dry out – a day or two.  Alternatively, dry on top of a radiator or in some warm dry spot – they smell delicious as they burn.

Terra Madre – Mother Earth

I’m just back from the Terra Madre conference in Italy. This Slow Food event, held in Italy every two years is quite simply a life changing experience. There is nothing else like it in the world. This year over 7000 people participated in the Terra Madre from 153 countries, over a three day period from 23rd – 27th October. 4073 farmers, breeders, fishermen and artisan producers, 727 cooks, 299 university professors and food scientists and researchers, over 1000 students and 213 musicians gathered together.
It runs in conjunction with Salone del Gusto the biggest artisan and specialist food fair in the world.
There was over 80 delegates representing Ireland, including our Minister for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sergent and Aidan Cotter the CEO of Bord Bia. The Irish Ambassador to Italy Sean O hUiginn came from Rome to attend the Terra Madre (meaning Mother Earth) events. www.slowfood.com 

This year the Slow Food network was greatly enhanced by the involvement of over 1200 young people from the Slow Food Youth Movement. I was blown away by these young food activists from all over the world who are involved in hundreds of inspirational projects in their own communities. From Slow Food on Campus programs to seed saving, School Gardens Networks to healthy canteens. In Germany they have a Slow Food Mobile which travels from school to school teaching children the important life skills of how to cook and grow vegetables.

Improving the quality of food in schools, hospitals and company canteens was a key issue at both Terra Madre and Salon del Gusto meetings this year.
The importance of healing with food was highlighted in examples provided by the Alice Hospital in Darmstadt in Germany and the Asti Hospital in Italy.
Canadian High School teacher Paul Finkelstein told us about the unique project at his school which now has two canteens. Students work with Paul to prepare up to 300 meals a day based on fresh seasonal locally sourced ingredients. www.gremolata.com/Articles/87-Paul-Finkelstein-Saves-the-School-Lunch.aspx
 
“This is a generational tool of change, by students learning to cook, we hope their parents will also be connected with good food and that grandparents will be motivated to bring back tradition.”

The Slow Presedia products from around the world were a revelation.  These traditional and artisan products from countries all over the globe were endangered for a variety of reasons, some economic, others relate to stringent hygiene regulations that fail to appreciate the value of traditional production systems where food has been produced in a time honoured way for centuries.

In an era of increasing homogenisation these foods are doubly welcome. Old varieties of seeds, nuts, berries, rare breeds of animal and fowl… Siwa dates from western Egyptian desert. Speckled black and white Chaam chickens with huge red cock’s combs from Northern France and Germany, exquisite hand-picked Jiloca saffron from the Teruel Province in Spain. People queued to taste de Branza de Burduf – pink bark wrapped sheep cheese from Transylvania. Cheese in a sheepskin sack from Herzegovina also drew a crowd; it was tangy, crumbly and delicious.

The farmers of Napo Province in Ecuador brought their cocoa beans and told us their story as did the indigenous tribe who grow Brazil nuts on their Tando Plateau in Bolivia. I spoke to one friendly smiling farmer and fisherman after the other, so grateful to Slow Food and Terra Madre for highlighting their product and creating the Terra Madre network where they can meet and share and learn how to overcome challenges and find new markets. There was much much more it was truly a life changing experience.
Taglierini al Profumo di Limone
Fresh Noodles with Lemon

Serves 6

This recipe was given to me by Mimmo Baldi, the chef owner of Il Vescovino in Panzano. His restaurant overlooking many of the best vine-yards in Chianti serves some of the most inspired food I have tasted in Italy – certainly worth the detour.

7ozs (200g) fresh or dried taglierini (thin noodles)
5fl ozs (150ml) very fresh cream
2 fresh lemons
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
a knob of butter

Scrub the lemons gently to remove any wax, then grate the lemon zest on the finest part of the stainless steel grater, add it to the cream, cover the bowl and leave to infuse in the fridge for 5 – 6 hours.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, drain well and put into a hot pasta dish, adding the cream and lemon mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add a knob of butter and toss well. Serve instantly. This sauce should not be thick.

Risotto with Marcella Hazan’s Ragu

Serves 6

1.1 litre (2 pints) chicken or vegetable stock

25g (1oz) butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot or little onion finely chopped
400g (14oz) Arborio, Carnaroli or Vilano Nano rice
200ml (7fl oz) dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
100g (3 1/2oz) butter cut in cubes
50g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiana Reggiano plus more for sprinkling at table

First make the Ragu (see recipe below)

First bring the stock to the boil, then keep at a gentle simmer on the side of the stove or on a medium heat.  Meanwhile melt 25g (1oz) butter in a sauté pan with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, add the finely chopped shallot or onion, stir and sweat for 3-4 minutes.  In another saucepan, bring the chicken stock to the boil and then adjust the heat so it stays at a gentle simmer.  Add the rice to the onions, stir for a minute or two, then add the dry white wine and continue to cook until the wine is almost fully absorbed.  Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. 
Then begin to add ladlefuls of simmering stock, stirring all the time and making sure that the last addition has been almost absorbed before adding the next. 
After about 12 minutes when the rice is beginning to soften, add any desired additions and cook for a few minutes more.  See below for Good Things to Add to a Risotto.  When you are happy that it is just right, soft and wavy, stir in the remaining butter and Parmesan.  Taste – it should be exquisite.  Correct the seasoning if necessary.  Serve immediately in warm bowls with a dollop of ragu on top an extra sprinkling of Parmesan.

Marcella Hazan’s Ragu

I’ve been told that if you want to make your way to an Italian man’s heart it is essential to be able to make a good ragu.
It is a wonderfully versatile sauce – the classic bolognese sauce for Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, indispensable for lasagne, and also delicious with polenta and gnocchi.  I have been making Marcella Hazan’s version for many years from her Classic Italian Cookbook (a book you would do well to seek out).  It is the most delicious and concentrated one I know.  Marcella says it should be cooked for several hours at the merest simmer but I find you get a very good result with 1-1 1/2 hours cooking on a diffuser mat.  Ragu can be made ahead and freezes very well.

Serves 6

1 1/2 ozs (45g) butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped carrot
12 ozs minced lean beef, preferably chuck or neck
salt
1/2 pint (300ml) dry white wine
4 fl ozs (120ml) milk
one-eight teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 x 14 oz (400g) tin Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped with their own juice.
Small casserole

In Italy they sometimes use an earthenware pot for making ragu, but I find that a heavy enamelled cast-iron casserole with high sides works very well. Heat the butter with the oil and sauté the onion briefly over medium heat until just translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook gently for 2 minutes. Next add the minced beef, crumbling it in the pot with a fork. Add salt to taste, stir, and cook only until the meat has lost its raw red colour (Marcella says that if it browns it will lose its delicacy.
Add the wine; turn the heat up to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the wine has evaporated.  Turn the heat down to medium, add in the milk and the freshly grated nutmeg, and cook until the milk has evaporated, stirring every now and then. Next add the chopped tomatoes and stir well. When the tomatoes have started to bubble, turn the heat down to the very lowest so that the sauce cooks at the gentlest simmer – just an occasional bubble. I use a heat diffuser mat for this.
Cook uncovered for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours (better still 2 or even 3), depending on how concentrated you like it, stirring occasionally. If it reduces too much add a little water and continue to cook. When it is finally cooked, taste and correct seasoning. Because of the length of time involved in cooking this, I feel it would be worthwhile to make at least twice the recipe.

Tuscan Plum Tart

Serves 10 – 12
We ate this gorgeous tart in a little restaurant, near Castellini in Chianti. I managed to extract the recipe by a mixture of much sincere flattery and gentle persuasion, a wow for an autumn party and so easy to make.

225g (8oz) sugar
150ml (5fl ozs) water

450g (1lb) plums

5 1/2oz (150g) soft butter
6oz (175g) sugar
3 eggs, free-range and organic
7oz (200g) self-raising flour

1 x 25.5cm (10 inch) sauté pan or a cast iron frying pan

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

Put the sugar and water into the pan.  Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring until the sugar caramelises to a rich golden brown.

Meanwhile halve and stone the plums, arrange cut side down in a single layer over the caramel.

Put the butter, sugar and flour into the bowl of a food processor.   Whizz for a second or two, add the eggs and stop as soon as the mixture comes together.   Spoon over the plums and spread gently in as even a layer as possible.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately one hour.   The centre should be firm to the touch and the edges slightly shrunk from the sides of the pan.   Allow to rest in the pan for 4-5 minutes before turning out.   Serve with crème fraiche or softly whipped cream.
Fool Proof Food

The area of Piedmont and Turin in Italy is famous for its chocolate and hazelnuts. I always look forward to having a Bicerim when I arrive but this year I discovered Coffee Sabaudo a new treat at Gertosio one of the legendary cafes in Via Lagrange.

Spread some chocolate around the inside of a tall wide glass; add a shot of double espresso. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle generously with chopped toasted hazelnuts. So divine, you can’t imagine – worth flying to Turin especially to taste despite what it did to my waistline!

Thrifty Tip

June Bennett gave me this tip for saving left over lemon segments or slices. Just pop them into a plastic bag or chill box.
Freeze and use to both chill and flavour gin and tonic or other aperitifs.

Hot Tips

County Choice Fruit Clinic

Every Saturday during November there is a ‘Fruit Clinic’ from 11.00am to 4.00pm at the Country Choice Shop on where you can go and discuss anything under the sun about raisins, sultanas and currants. For people baking their first Christmas cake take your list for the best guidance and advice about exact quantities of fruit to make the perfect cake. Country choice has the widest selection of dried and glace fruits in Ireland. www.countrychoice.ie

Irish Food Company Scoops International Award

Innovative Irish food company, Cully & Sully, has become the first Irish company ever to win the overall award at the prestigious Sial d’Or world finals in Paris.

Cully & Sully not only won the chilled non-dairy category for their soup range at these finals, and are the first Irish company to do this, but in addition they were presented with the overall global Sial D’Or award, beating off competition from over 30 countries around the world. www.cullyandsully.com 

 

Minister Sargent To Officially Open Howth Castle Cookery School

The Kitchen in the Castle Cookery School is opening to the public on November 22, 2008. The cookery school is situated in the recently renovated Georgian kitchen in Howth Castle, the family home of the St. Lawrence family for over eight hundred years. Christine and Edwina St Lawrence, co-founders of the school, both hold a lifelong passion for food. Edwina St Lawrence gained her formal food training at the famous Le Cordon Bleu School in London. www.thekitceninthecastle.com

Christmas Baking

The recent snap of cold air has jerked me out of my complacency and reminded me how close we are to Christmas, time to get started on Christmas baking and store cupboard goodies for edible presents.
Despite the uncertain times many people welcome the fact that the festive season is less likely to be as flamboyant and excessive as it has become in recent years. In just a few short weeks frugality has become cool – it’s all about competitive thrift. People are vying with each other to come up with ideas and schemes to save energy, money and food. My friends in California are all into bartering with food and services – “I’ll babysit for you in exchange for some of your surplus heirloom apples or whatever”
Back to Christmas baking – it’s all about getting really good quality dried fruit, fat Lexia raisins, plump golden sultanas and moist crinkly currants.
The quality of the candied peel really matters too. It may seem like a step too far to suggest making homemade candied peel but you might want to give it a little consideration because it is so worth it terms of flavour and texture. Plus there’s also the feel good factor – instead of chucking them into the bin – you put your citrus peel to good use rather than paying the corporation to take them to land fill
When I was a child growing up in a tiny village in Co Laois, our family ‘owned’ the local post office, I remember the excitement when eagerly anticipated parcels arrived from the yanks in America for local families; they often contained the makings of the cake! For many, at that time, dried fruit was a luxury. Baking the Christmas cake was a very serious business. How the cake turned out was the subject of much discussion after Mass on Sundays. Much was at stake, the precious expensive ingredients mustn’t be wasted yet one only got one chance in the year to practice and it was another whole year before one could correct a mistake. Lastly everyone in the neighbourhood would know how your cake turned out!
The Ballymaloe mincemeat recipe is gluten free so is suitable for coeliacs and those on a wheat free diet also. This recipe makes juicy and delicious mincemeat which keeps for over a year. Pot it up in pretty jars with labels and then you’ll have a handy source of Christmas pressies.
Limóncello is also worth making, when chilled it makes a deliciously refreshing aperitif and a much sought after pressie. (Fool Proof Food). Have fun.

Darina Allen’s Christmas Cake with Toasted Almond Paste

This makes a moist cake which keeps very well.  I have a passion for almond icing so I ‘ice’ the cake with almond icing and decorate it with heart shapes made from the Almond Paste.  Then I brush it with beaten egg yolk and toast it in the oven – simply delicious!

225g (8 ozs) butter
225 g (8 ozs) pale, soft-brown sugar or golden castor sugar
6 organic free-range eggs
285g  (10 ozs) 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
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

Line the base and sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) round, or an 8 inch (20.5 cm) square tin with brown paper and greaseproof paper.
Wash the cherries and dry them out.  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.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4 and cover with a sheet of brown paper.
 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 a pinch of salt and stir in gently.  Add the grated apple to the fruit and mix in gently but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake).
Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin.  Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake: this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked. Lay a sheet of brown paper over the top. Put into the preheated oven; reduce the heat to 160C/325F/regulo 3 after 1 hour.  Bake until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out completely clean, 3-3½ hours 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. Almond paste or ice closer to Christmas.

Almond Paste
450 g ground almonds
450 g castor sugar
2 small organic free range eggs
A drop of pure almond essence
50 ml Irish whiskey

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.

To Brush on the Cake
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Glaze
2 egg yolks

 Remove the paper from the cake.  To make life easier for you, put a sheet of greaseproof paper onto the worktop; dust with some icing sugar.  Take about half the almond paste and roll it out on the paper: it should be a little less than 2 inch (1 cm) thick.  Paint the top of the cake with the lightly-beaten egg white and put the cake, sticky side down, onto the almond paste. Give the cake a ‘thump’ to make sure it sticks and then cut around the edge.  If the cake is a little ‘round shouldered’, cut the almond paste a little larger; pull away the extra bits and keep for later to make hearts or holly leaves.   With a palette knife press the extra almond paste in against the top of the cake to fill any gaps.  Then slide a knife underneath the cake or, better still, underneath the paper and turn the cake right way up.  Peel off the greaseproof paper.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/regulo 7.
Next, measure the circumference of the cake with a piece of string.  Roll out 2 long strips of almond paste: trim both edges to the height of the cake with a palette knife.  Paint both the cake and the almond paste lightly with egg white.  Press the strip against the sides of the cake: do not overlap or there will be a bulge.  Use a straight-sided water glass to even the edges and smooth the join.  Rub the cake well with your hand to ensure a nice flat surface.  Roll out the remainder of the almond paste approx. 3 inch (5 mm) thick.  Cut out the heart shapes, paint the whole surface of the cake with some beaten egg yolk, and stick the heart shapes at intervals around the sides of the cake and on the top.  Brush these with egg yolk also.
Carefully lift the cake onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until just slightly toasted.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then transfer onto a cake board.
Note: As I’m an incurable romantic, my Christmas cake is always decorated with hearts, but you may feel that holly leaves and berries made of almond paste would be more appropriate for Christmas!  Basically, you can of course decorate it any way that takes your fancy.

Mummy’s Plum Pudding with Boozy Christmas Sauce

It has always been the tradition in our house to eat the first plum pudding on the evening it is made.   As children we could hardly contain ourselves with excitement – somehow that plum pudding seemed all the more delicious because it was our first taste of Christmas.   The plum pudding was usually made about mid-November and everyone in the family had to stir so we could make a wish – I now know that it helped to mix it properly.
Its fun to put silver plum pudding charms in the pudding destined to be eaten on Christmas Day.
This recipe makes 2 large or 3 medium puddings.  The large size will serve 10-12 people, the medium 6-8.

12 ozs (340g) raisins
12 ozs (340g) sultanas
12 ozs (340g) currants
12 ozs (340g) brown sugar
12 ozs (340g) white breadcrumbs (non GM)
12 ozs (340g) finely-chopped suet
4 ozs (110g) candied peel (preferably home-made)
2 cooking apples, diced or grated
rind of 1 organic unwaxed lemon
3 pounded cloves (2 teaspoon)
a pinch of salt
6 organic free range eggs
2 1/2 fl ozs (62ml) Jamaica Rum
4 ozs (110g) chopped almonds

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 6 hours, 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; however take care, because the last time I did that I provided much merriment by setting the holly and my fringe on fire – as well as the pudding!

Boozy Christmas Sauce

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

8 ozs (225g) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)
2 ½ fl ozs (62ml) port
2 ½ fl ozs (62ml) medium sherry
2 ¼-2 ½ pints lightly whipped cream
4 ozs (110g) butter
1 organic free range egg

Melt the butter, stir in the sugar and allow to cool slightly.  Whisk the egg and add to the butter and sugar with the sherry and port.  Refrigerate.
When needed, add the lightly whipped cream to taste.
This sauce is also very good with mince pies and other tarts.

Ballymaloe Mincemeat – Gluten Free

Makes 3.2 kilos approx.

2 Bramley apples
2 organic or organic unwaxed lemons
450g (1lb) beef suet minced (see Thrifty Tip)
pinch of salt
110g (4oz) homemade candied peel (see recipe)
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
225g (8oz) currants
450g (1lb) sultanas
900g (2lbs) Barbados sugar (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 45 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 jars, cover with jam covers and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using.  This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.

Homemade Candied Peel

Fruit should be organic if possible, otherwise scrub the peel well.

5 organic unwaxed oranges
5 organic unwaxed lemons
5 organic unwaxed grapefruit   (or all of one fruit)
water
1 teasp. salt
3 lbs (1.35kg) sugar

Cut the fruit in half and squeeze out the juice. Reserve the juice for another use, perhaps homemade lemonade. Put the peel into a large bowl (not aluminium), add salt and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours. Next day throw away the soaking water, put the peel in a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil cover and simmer very gently until the peel is soft, 3 hours approx. Remove the peel and discard the water. Scrape out any remaining flesh and membranes from inside the cut fruit, leaving the white pith and rind intact. (You could do the next step next day if that was more convenient).
Slice the peel into nice long strips.

Dissolve the sugar in 1 1/2 pints (900ml/3 3/4 cups) water, bring it to the boil, add the peel and simmer gently until it looks translucent, 30 – 60 minutes and the syrup forms a thread when the last drop falls off a metal spoon. Remove the peel with a slotted spoon, fill the candied peel into sterilised glass jars and pour the syrup over, cover and store in a cold place or in a fridge. It should keep for 6-8 weeks or longer under refrigeration.

Alternatively spread on a baking tray or trays and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to cool. Toss in castor sugar and store in covered glass jars until needed.
Fool Proof Food

Limoncello

Makes about 3 ½ pints (2 litres)

25 organic lemons, washed and dried
1 ¾ pints (1 litre) of vodka
1 ½ lb (700g) sugar
1 ½ pints (850ml) water

Use a swivel top peeler to pare the rind off the lemons in strips, just remove the zest not the pith.  (Use the lemon juice for homemade lemonade or freeze it in ice cube trays for another use.)

Put the zest into a sterilized glass jar, cover with vodka, the zest should be submerged, cover the jar tightly, (we use a Kilner jar), and put into a cool dark cupboard for 48 hours.

Meanwhile, put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a high heat.   Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to the boil for two minutes to stabilize.  Cool and store.  Two days later strain the zest from the spirit through a fine nylon sieve.  Combine with the syrup and stir well.

The Limoncello can be used immediately or can be bottled and stored lightly sealed in a cool place.  For optimum flavour use within 2-3 months.  Serve chilled.
Hot Tips

Local Free Range Pork

Noreen and Martin Conroy from Woodside Farm, have a small free range herd of pure bred Saddle Back and Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs – both rare breeds – on their family farm in East Cork.
 
They produce a delicious range of pork products, joints of pork and bacon, sausages, including gluten free varieties, rashers including dry cure. And one of their best sellers, pork and apple burgers
 .
Noreen and Martin have a stall at Douglas Farmers Market every Saturday morning.
087- 2767206 macconraoi@hotmail.com

Outdoor Oven Workshop Nohoval

German born Ovencraftsman, Hendrik Lepel, is running a two day workshop at his home in Nohoval near Kinsale on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of November, 2008. Learn how to build your own low cost earth oven and develop a good understanding on to apply your knowledge to any natural building project

Cost of the course is €150.00, this includes lunch and course book by Kiko Denzer, Build an Earth Oven.
086- 883 8400  kirdnehl@hotmail.com

Slow Food Christmas Cooking Demonstation

Slow Food East Cork is holding a Christmas Cooking Demonstration. Darina and Rachel Allen will be cooking some traditional Christmas favourites on Thursday 20th November 2008 at 7:30pm at Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co Cork (021) 4646785.
€60.00 for non-members and €45.00 for Slow Food members. Proceeds raised from this event will go to the East Cork Slow Food Educational Fund, which links with schools to educate children about how their food is produced and where it comes from.
Thrifty Tip.

Ask your local butcher and ask for some beef suet to use for plum puds and mincemeat. It will cost very little or may even come free. Trim the meat of all the bloody bits. It will break apart naturally, remove the membrane and either chop finely, mince or whizz in a food processor. Fresh suet makes the best plum pudding and mincemeat.