ArchiveFebruary 2005

International Gastronomy Summit, Madrid Fusion 2005

I’ve just spent a mind blowing three days in Spain at the third International Gastronomy Summit, Madrid Fusion 2005. The theme of this year’s event was the meeting of East and West.
What an extravaganza – the latest techniques, culinary creations and ideas were presented by inspirational avant-garde chefs from East and West, under the umbrella of culinary fusion. 

Spain is in the vanguard of a culinary revolution. This movement is spearheaded by the energetic alchemist Ferran Adria, at his legendary restaurant El Bulli on the west coast of Spain. Adria may just be to the 20th Century what Escoffier was to former generations. He is a technological innovator, a truly brilliant chef who has succeeded in applying many industrial techniques to restaurant production in a revolutionary way. Many of his creations have not immediate connection to the type of food we do, but nonetheless it was intriguing. Restaurants must continue to innovate, otherwise they stagnate and both customers and chefs get jaded and bored. 

No fear of that at the famous El Bulli, and people are flocking to worship at the shrine from all over the world. The restaurant which is open from March to October, gets hundreds of thousands of requests for a table each year, but can only accept 8,000. At Madrid Fusion Adria demonstrated some of his new cocktails- passion fruit, mint and whiskey and hot gin fizz. For some he dispensed with the glasses and served the cocktail in a little bar of ice, others were served in spoons. 

Over a three day period I watched one excellent frenzied chef after the other do wild and exotic things.

Angel Leon from Casa del Temple Restaurant in Toledo in the heart of La Mancha is intrigued by fish. He originally came from Cadiz and still catches fish for his restaurant. For the past few years he has been studying the chemical and organic composition of fish. Apparently fish eyes have an amazing flavour, he cuts fish eyes open with a surgeon’s scalpel, he told us that seven eyes yielded enough for a delicious sauce to serve with one of his fish dishes. He then went on to make a stone soup for which one needs a rock from the bottom of the sea, he was quite specific, 35-40 metres below sea level – apparently there’s no pollution at that depth.

We didn’t get to taste the soup but by all accounts it was delicious.

Daniel Garcia and Paco Roncero did magic with olive oil, Daniel uses liquid nitrogen or what we call dry ice bowl (15 degrees below). He poured olive oil onto the dry ice through a strainer, the result resembled cous cous – hey presto! He added a little sprinkle of salt – now one can eat olive oil – he chooses the variety of olive oil meticulously , this one was made from the Arbequina olives. It enhances the flavour, melts in your mouth, delicious with a little bread, and garlic flakes for breakfast.

Next came popcorn made from olive oil. Daniel sprayed the oil from a foam container into the liquid nitrogen in a polystyrene box, the result was olive oil popcorn which he served with a dice of tomato, tiny croutons and micro greens – looked and I bet tasted delicious. For his next trick he put a stainless steel dish on top of the liquid nitrogen and poured extra virgin olive oil made from Piqual olives onto the tray. It froze into a sheet and then cracked into flakes which looked like white chocolate wafers. So now we have olive oil wafers. These were served with slices of apple, lychee puree and violet flowers, anchovies on carpaccio with flakes of olive oil.

As if this wasn’t dazzling enough, he then went on to make olive oil butter and emphasised that this technique reinforces the flavour, otherwise he wouldn’t bother doing it.

Paco Roncero from El Casino in Madrid has also been experimenting with olive oil. He commenced his presentation by making a hot mayonnaise with an emulsifier called santan rubber. He then went on to make spaghetti with olive oil, through a syringe into iced water. Next came ravioli made from olive oil which doesn’t melt. He filled it with a cauliflower puree and browned it with a blow torch and served it with salmon caviar on spoons. Finally, he added honey water to the olive oil, whizzed it in the Theromix and hey presto there were gum drops which he coated with citrus zest and sugar. By now I was deeply sceptical but Paco had made one for everyone in the audience, both texture and flavour were absolutely delicious. 

Senen Gonzalez the brilliant young chef from Sideria Sagartoki in Vitoria has revolutionised miniature cuisine and has made a name for himself with his revolutionary use of the grill and hot coals.

These chefs and at least another 20 who had participated in this event are in the vanguard of an exciting new food movement. Weird and strange as it may seem now, I have a deep conviction that at least some of their experiments and techniques will become mainstream within a few years, but somehow I hope we are spared the fish eyes.

It eventually occurred to me that there was only one woman chef – Elena Arsack, daughter of the much loved Basque chef Jean Mari Arzak. It was all very macho stuff, I wondered if this type of cooking was less appealing to women. Boys with their toys – Bamix, Theromix, Pacojet, siphons, syringes, eye droppers, misters, liquid nitrogen…….Many of these chefs have followed Ferran Adria’s lead and now have a laboratory beside their kitchens where they experiment with flavour combinations and textures and special effects. They have stretched the boundaries of ‘accepted’ gastronomy, forcing us to let go of our preconceived notions. In the process they have come up with some astonishing, startling and fun result. Sweet and or savoury dishes, ice-cold on the outside, hot in the centre. Combinations of sweet and savoury flavours hitherto unheard of. 

Having watched Andreas Madrigal, a crazy young chef from Madrid, career his way through 7 or 8 revolutionary tapas in half an hour demonstration. He sweetly described the best tapa as being like a good hug. I was so excited by his food and creativity that I mitched the lunch and took a 20 minute taxi ride to Balsac in Moreto, one of two restaurants he owns in Madrid. The food was sensational, combinations I would never try – I particularly remember a delicious anchovy ice-cream, served as part of a mixed tapa, also an unctuous sherry vinegar ice-cream. For interested food lovers, Spain is definitely where its at at present.

Olla Valenciana – (Cocido Mediterraneo) Valencian Stew

This delicious dish would be excellent for a large party.
Serves 10-12

500g (18oz) chick peas 
500g (18oz) chicken or turkey
500g (18oz) black pudding
250g (9oz) fatty bacon – unsmoked streaky
250g (9oz) lean pork
4 leeks
4 carrots
4 potatoes
4 white turnips
4 pears
½ white cabbage
4 sweet potatoes, optional

For the meatballs:
1 chicken liver
100g (3½oz) ground almonds
100g (3½ oz) lean pork, minced
white breadcrumbs
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
pine kernels, toasted and chopped
cinnamon 
1 clove
pepper
nutmeg
salt

Soak the chickpeas overnight in boiling water. (Always use boiling water for chickpeas.)

The following day strain the water off the peas. Fill a large pan with plenty of fresh water and bring to the boil. Put the chickpeas into a bag, add to the pot when the water boils. The chickpeas must not be taken from the heat before they are cooked, nor must the temperature of the liquid drop, otherwise the chickpeas will be hard. If more liquid is needed, ensure it is boiling. After a while, add the meats and bacon, followed by the vegetables. Cook the cabbage separately in some of the liquid from the chickpeas. (it is important to cook the cabbage separately to keep the flavours separate.)

To make the meatballs:
Mince the chicken livers finely. Remove a chunk of bacon from the pot, chop it up and mix it thoroughly with the liver. Soak the bread in the chickpea stock, drain it and add to the mixture. Grind the pine kernels in the mortar along with the lemon zest, spices and salt. Mix with the other ingredients and the ground almonds. Mince the pork and mix in along with the egg. Mix everything together thoroughly, then wrap the mixture in a single large cabbage leaf to form a parcel, or in smaller leaves to form little balls. Add to the stew.

To serve:
Group the ingredients on the plate in the following way: meats, vegetables, balls and chickpeas together at one end of the plate. If one large ball or parcel has been made, cut into 1cm slices.

Use the stock to make a soup by adding some noodles. Serve everything at the same time.

Ajoblanco with Apple – Ajoblanca de Almendras con Manzana

Also called Gazpacho Blanco
Many people are familiar with the tomato version of Gazpacho but this white version comes from Cordoba and is very nutritious.
Serves 4-6

250g (9oz) blanched, peeled almonds
4 tablesp. extra virgin olive oil
4 slices of stale bread with the crusts removed
2 cloves of garlic
salt
2-3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 apples (or 1 bunch white grapes, or 2 slices of melon)

Mash the garlic and salt in a mortar, gradually adding the almonds until a smooth paste is attained. This can be done much more easily in a food processor. Soak the bread in water and mix into the paste along with the oil and vinegar.

Mix everything thoroughly, then add four cups of cold water. The soup should have a thick, smooth consistency. Add ice cubes if desired. The fruit should be added just before serving. Apple or melon should be diced and grapes should be whole.

The proportions of garlic, olive oil and vinegar are entirely a matter of taste. This will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Carne con Salsa de Pinones Y Aceitunas

Beef with Pine Kernel and Olive Sauce
Serves 4

500g (18oz) beef, cut into 4-5cm chunks
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
50g (2oz) pine kernels, toasted and chopped
4 sprigs of parsley
100ml (3½ fl.ozs) olive oil
1 hard boiled egg
400ml (14 fl.oz) water or stock
1 teasp. sweet Spanish paprika
100g (3½ oz) pitted green olives 

Heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the beef until it starts to brown, then remove from the pan to put to one side.

Using the same oil, lightly fry the chopped onion, then add the paprika, followed by the water, fried beef, olives and some salt. 

Cover the pan and cook over a low heat until the meat is tender (45mins-1 hour in a casserole, 30 mins in a pressure cooker).

Meanwhile heat the tomatoes and garlic, unpeeled, in a non-stick pan, turning them frequently, until the tomatoes are softish and the garlic slightly roasted. When they are ready, peel the cloves of garlic, and peel and remove the seeds from the tomatoes. In a mortar, mash the pine kernels, parsley, garlic and tomato flesh, then add the mixture to the meat when it is cooked.

Lastly, finely chop the hard boiled egg and sprinkle it over the other ingredients. Boil for five minutes and serve.

Tortada de Almendras – Almond Meringue

500g (18oz) peeled, toasted almonds
12 eggs
575g (1lb 5oz) castor sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
150g (5oz) white flour

Decoration:
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
50g (2oz) icing sugar

Finely grind the almonds in a mixer or food processor and set aside.

Beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon until everything is thoroughly mixed. Beat the egg whites until stiff and then add the almonds as slowly as possible. Then add the flour and stir very lightly, otherwise the egg whites will fall. Finally add the eggs and sugar. Beat everything together very quickly.

Take a circular mould with quite high sides and grease with butter, then sprinkle with sugar to prevent sticking. Put the mixture into the mould and bake in an oven, preheated to 225C/425F/gas 7, for about 15 minutes until golden.

Leave to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar and cinnamon together and then sprinkle over the cake using a shaker, or cut a pattern out of a piece of paper, place over the cake, then shake the cinnamon and sugar over it separately to create a two colour effect.

Foolproof food

Fresh Lemon Ice Cream

This is a fresh tangy light ice cream, easy peasy to make and a delight to eat at the end of any meal winter or summer.
Serves 4

1 free range egg
250ml (9 fl oz) milk
130g (5oz) castor sugar
Zest and juice of 1 good lemon

Garnish
Fresh Mint leaves and Borage flowers

Separate the egg, whisk the yolk with the milk and keep the white aside. Gradually mix in the sugar. Carefully grate the zest from the lemon on the finest part of a stainless steel grater. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and add with the zest to the liquid. Whisk the egg white until quite stiff and fold into the other ingredients. Freeze in a sorbetiere according to the manufacturer’s instructions or put in a freezer in a covered plastic container. 

When the mixture starts to freeze, remove from the freezer and whisk again, or break up in a food processor. Then put it back in the freezer until it is frozen completely. Meanwhile, chill the serving plates.

To Serve
Scoop the ice cream into curls, arrange on chilled plates or in pretty frosted glass dishes. Decorate with borage flowers and fresh mint leaves if you have them.

Hot Tips

This afternoon at 2pm at Ballymaloe Cookery School - Fingal Ferguson of Gubbeen Smokehouse will do a pork workshop at Ballymaloe Cookery School – curing ham and bacon, air drying, making sausages, salami, chorizo, pates, terrines – using the pig from snout to tail! 2.00-4.30pm €50 tel. 021-4646785 to book.

Diploma in Speciality Food Production – this is a new course commencing in University College, Cork - 11 April – 19 May. 
This course is intended for those who are interested in the prospect of developing speciality foods as a commercial venture or as a way of adding value to agricultural commodities. Would suit those currently in the speciality food sector as well as suppliers, buyers and retailers. For details contact Mary McCarthy-Buckley or Michele Daly, Food Industry Training Unit, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University College, Cork. Tel -021-4903178 fitu@ucc.ie 
Congratulations to UCC for taking the initiative in this area. 

Second National Food Fair 2005 – 8,9,10th April, Main Hall, RDS
This exhibition will be a showcase for food producers in Ireland and abroad with Food Village, Wine Depot, Super Theatre and Cookery Demonstrations with some of Ireland’s top chefs. To book a space – contact S&L Promotions – Tel 01-6761811 email@premierslp@iol.ie  

Before Christmas there were two wonderful Farmers Markets and Craft Fairs in Athy, Co Kildare. The success of these has prompted a new weekly Sunday market 10am - 3pm in Emily Square, Athy, Co. Kildare - right by the Heritage Centre in the centre of town. Contact: Bernadette McHugh, 086 9191680 

Molly Malones Fresh Fish Market seafood stall, much loved by patrons of Carlow Market, can now be found in Tullamore square outside Bank of Ireland, Thurles Parnell St Car Park on Thursday, Port Laoise Leicester Square outside AIB Bank, and Market Square Tipperary and Clonmel on Friday. Also Bagnelstown Thursday morning and Bunclody Thursday afternoon. More details of other venues and freezer delivery call 053 42592, 087 4128046 or 087 2314752 (mention Ireland Markets please!)

We watched an old chap panning for gold

On a whistlestop tour of New Zealand we travelled over three and a half thousand kilometres in less than three weeks, searching out artisan food producers, funky restaurants and wine, on both the North and South Islands.
From the tourist’s viewpoint, New Zealand is a stunningly beautiful country with a fascinating indigenous culture, diverse environments and ecological integrity.
The South Island possibly has the edge on the North as far as breathtaking scenery is concerned. The wine industry is exploding, with large acreage of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rheisling, Pinot Noir and the Bordeaux blends being grown. Many of the top wines have screw tops and apart from Europe, Australia and the US, there is a fast growing market in China for New Zealand’s burgeoning wine production.
New Zealand is about twice the land mass of Ireland with the same population. There are no agricultural subsidies, when they were withdrawn there was a painful period of adjustment, which has since resulted in a highly efficient dairy, meat and fruit industry.

All over the countryside there are farm shops and farm stands where farmers and food producers sell directly to the public. Farmers Markets are gathering momentum.
The specialist artisan food production section is also gathering momentum – there are an estimated 2000 in New Zealand as opposed to 280 over here. It was difficult to get exact figures and to ascertain what the definition of a small producer was. 

We flew into Christchurch on the South Island and our first stop was at Dunsandal Store, 45 minutes south of Christchurch. Annabel Graham and her husband decided to transform their excess dessert apples into small varietal juices after a downturn in the apple export market. The apples are handpicked and crushed within 24 hours. They are pressed in the traditional way using acacia wood boards and cloths to form ‘cheese’. The juice is pasteurised to prolong shelf life – presently there are seven varieties in the Camla Farm range. Annabel converted a local dairy into a must-stop café, it is on the road between Christchurch and Dunedin a charming conglomerate – a shop which serves as a local store and post office, a great deli counter with delicious local produce and home baking and a well-chosen selection of top quality dry goods. The café was packed with locals when we called, and to our delight we discovered Sinead Doran cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Sinead had cooked in the kitchen at Ballymaloe House a few years ago. Below are recipes for some of the good things she and Annabel cooked.

We travelled with Margaret Brooker’s Good Food Guide to New Zealand tucked into the glove compartment in the same way as we do with John and Sally McKenna’s terrific Bridgestone Guides over here.

This meant that as we travelled down the coast towards Dunedin, we could find all the best eateries and artisan producers. We were shown around the cheese making plant in Omaru. The owner went into cheese making in 1987 when farming became difficult, and now after much trial and error, he and his 5 cheese makers make 16 different cheeses, including Brie and Camembert types, a feta and a stunningly good Winter Blue (remember Winter is Summer in New Zealand!). There was a terrific little café beside the ‘cheesery’ where people could taste their cheeses and dishes incorporating the cheese.

We continued our drive down past the Boulders, through stunning scenery, lots of memorial halls and monuments to World War 1 & 2 veterans.

Fantastic drive inland – huge landscapes, wonderful ancient trees, New Zealand beech, willow, pines, tree ferns, rolling hills, fantastic cacti, bleached fences, foxgloves, genista and wild lupins all along roadside. Lots of beehives, snow on the mountain tops, sparsely populated and virtually no traffic. Lots and lots of elderflower in bloom – so strange at Christmas. On and on through the chatto creek, past cherry and apricot orchards in the valley, acres of wild roses on the hillside. Eventually we came to the wine area. 

We stayed in Arrowtown, we watched an old chap panning for gold down by the river in the middle of blue and purple lupins, below what must be one of the most charming towns in the south island. We ate a memorable meal in a chic galvanised restaurant called Saffron – the Cappucino Crème Brulee comes from there.
In Nelson we visited the Farmers Market and picked up some great bread, fantastically good local bratwurst, Westphalian ham and beer sticks, boysenberries and rhubarb.
The Museum of Wearable Art and the vintage car museum beside it are not to be missed.

We gathered mussels, oysters and pipi on the little beaches along Queen Charlotte Sound, scarcely another soul in sight, even though it was over the holiday period.

Fortunately we had booked the ferry to the North Island, its certainly risky to leave that to chance. In lovely weather this is a spectacular trip up through the sound, on the grey and misty day we crossed over we opted to watch Bridget Jones instead and then raced into windy Wellington to The Tasting Place to get a table before closing time – a really happening spot but not terrific food. The L’Affarre coffee shop on College Street and the Moore Wilson Market opposite are definitely worth checking out.

The red Pohu Tuk Wa Christmas trees were just bursting into a mass of bloom. We made a detour to visit Graham Harris of Wellington University who has amassed an impressive collection of Maori potatoes about which I will write more in another piece. Meanwhile, here are recipes for some of the delicious things we ate at Dunsandel Store, with special thanks to Sinead Doran for sending along the recipes to us.

Dunsandel Spiced Pumpkin Salad

Sinead says this is the most popular salad at the store, she can’t keep up with demand when the pumpkins are in season.
Large pumpkin, peeled and cubed
2 cups red pepper, finely sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
1 cup sweetcorn
lots of chopped parsley
salt, pepper
1 red chilli, chopped
olive oil

Roast pumpkin in lots of olive oil, don’t let it get mushy. 
While still warm add rest of ingredients. Taste and correct seasoning.

Dunsandel Pasties

Makes 8 pasties
500g (18oz) pork mince
125g (4½ oz) bacon, diced
1 cup (2oz/50g) breadcrumbs
1 large apple, diced
1 medium onion, diced
200g (7oz) boiled potatoes, diced (if the potatoes are new, leave the skins on)
1 egg
2 spring onions
salt and pepper
quatre epices (pinch)

Shortcrust pastry made with 1lb (450g) flour (you may have a little spare).

Sweat the onions in a little butter until soft but not coloured. Cool.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Fry a little piece of mixture to taste.
Correct seasoning if needed.
Roll pastry into circles 20cm (7½ inch) diameter, 5mm(¼ inch) thick.
Put 150g (5oz) of mixture in the centre of circle.
Egg wash the edges, bring together on top of mix. Seal, crimp edges, put 4 holes in pastry, egg wash. Repeat with rest of mix. Cook for 20-30 minutes at 180C/350F/gas 4.

Ginger Crunch

210g (7½ oz) butter, melted
210g (7½ oz) brown sugar
½ teasp. ground ginger
pinch salt
410g (14½ oz) flour
½ teasp. baking powder

Topping:

120g (4½oz) butter
1 cup (120g/4½ oz) icing sugar
4 tablesp.golden syrup
2 teasp. ground ginger

Mix dry ingredients. Add in melted butter. Press firmly into baking tray. 
Bake for 15 minutes at 160C/325F/gas 3.
For topping – melt butter and sugar together. Add icing sugar and ginger and stir well.
Pour over base while biscuit is still warm, and spread evenly.
Portion while still warm.

Passion Fruit Slice

180g (6½ oz) butter
¾ cup (175g/6oz) sugar
2 eggs
1 teasp. vanilla essence
½ cup (2½ oz/75g) plain flour
1 cup (5oz/150g) self raising flour
½ cup (4fl.oz/125ml) passion fruit pulp

Icing:

80g (3oz/75g) butter
1 cup (4½ oz/125g) icing sugar
¼ cup (2 fl.oz/50ml) passion fruit pulp

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs gradually with essence.
Fold in sifted flours and passion fruit pulp. Put into greaseproof lined trays, spread evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes at 180C/350F.gas 4 or until cooked. Cool before icing.
To make the icing – soften butter, beat in sugar and passion fruit.

Saffron Crème Brulee

350ml (12 fl.oz) cream
125ml (4 fl. oz) milk
75ml (3 fl.oz) coffee
75g (3oz) sugar
6 eggs
2 tablesp. Kalua

Whisk the eggs and sugar together. Bring cream, milk and sugar to the boil, allow to cool to10 degrees.
Add coffee and pour onto sugar and eggs and whisk.
Pour through a sieve into ramekins and cook in a bain-marie for 45-60 minutes at 160C/325F/gas 3.
Sprinkle a layer of castor sugar on top and caramelise with a blow torch.

Caramel Walnut Slice
200g (7oz) butter

225g (8oz) sugar
1 teasp. vanilla essence
350g (12oz) flour
1 teasp. baking powder

Topping:

100g (3½ oz) butter
2 tablesp. golden syrup
1 can condensed milk
walnuts for sprinkling on top

Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy
Add vanilla essence
Fold in flour (sieved) and baking powder. Put in tray, keeping back 2 tablesp. of mix.

Topping:

Melt butter and sugar, mix in the condensed milk. Pour over base. Sprinkle with walnuts and rest of base mix.
Bake for 35 minutes at 170C/325F/gas 3

Chocolate Crunch

210g (7½ oz) butter, melted
175g (6oz) sugar
2 tablesp. cocoa
260g (9½ oz) flour
1 teasp. baking powder
6 Weetabix, crushed

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Add melted butter and mix well. Press firmly into baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes at 160C.

Chocolate Icing:

1½ cups (6¾ oz/195g) icing sugar 
1 tablesp. cocoa
enough butter melted to bring icing together.
Desiccated coconut for sprinkling

To make icing – sieve icing sugar and cocoa together, add enough melted butter to bring together.
Ice tray bake while it is still warm and sprinkle with coconut. 
Portion while still warm.

Foolproof Food

Country Rhubarb Cake

The first lovely pink spears of new season’s rhubarb are in the shops now.
This delicious juicy Rhubarb Cake based on an enriched bread dough was made all over the country. Originally it would have been baked in the bastible or baker beside an open fire. My mother, who taught me this recipe varied the filling with the seasons – gooseberries, apples, plums …
Serves 8

12 ozs (340g) flour
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar
a pinch of salt
½ teaspoon breadsoda
3 ozs (85g) butter
1 egg (preferably-free range) 
egg wash
5½ fl ozs (165ml) milk, buttermilk or sour milk
1½ lbs (675g) rhubarb, finely chopped
6-8 ozs (170-225g) granulated sugar
castor sugar for sprinkling

1 x 10 inch (25.5cm) enamel or Pyrex plate
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4

Sieve the flour, salt, breadsoda and castor sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter. Whisk the egg and mix with the buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in most of the liquid and mix to soft dough; add the remainder of the liquid if necessary.

Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, turn out the dough and pat gently into a round. Divide into two pieces: one should be slightly larger than the other; keep the larger one for the lid. Meanwhile dip your fingers in flour. Spread the smaller piece onto the plate. Scatter the finely chopped rhubarb all over the base, egg-wash the edges and sprinkle the rhubarb with sugar. Roll out the other piece of dough until it is exactly the size to cover the plate, lift it on and press gently to seal the edges. Make a hole in the centre for the steam to escape, egg-wash and sprinkle with a very small amount of sugar.

Bake in a moderate oven, 180C/350F/regulo 4, for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the rhubarb is soft and the crust is golden. Leave it to sit for 15-20 minutes so that the juice can soak into the crust. Sprinkle with castor sugar. Serve still warm with a bowl of softly whipped cream and some moist, brown sugar.

Hot Tips 

Congratulations to Sean and Dorothy Walsh and all the team at the Village Greengrocer in Castlemartyr on winning the Bord Bia Best National Green Grocer Award in Dublin - all their customers who enjoy and appreciate the excellent service and produce from the shop are delighted they have received this well deserved recognition, and wish them continued success in the future.

Pink Lady apples with their crunchy flesh and sweet taste make the ideal dessert ingredient during the romantic month of February – but of course may be enjoyed all year round – look out for their heart-shaped logo and enjoy – for recipe ideas visit www.pinklady-europe.com 

ICA/SLOW FOOD EVENT WITH DARINA ALLEN
Friday 4th March – 7-10pm at Schull Community College, Colla Rd. Schull.
Meet the local producers – have tastings – bring your shopping bag as you will be able to buy from the stalls. Meet local well known chefs. Darina will talk about the opportunities available in producing local food – this may be your opportunity to hear how you, or a family member or a neighbour, could turn a hobby into a lucrative small business.
Admission €12 by ticket only – contact 028-28433, 028-28227, 028-28231

Kuala Lumpur, the sophisticated capital of Malaysia

Doesn’t matter how much you psyche yourself up for a long haul flight to Australia or New Zealand, it really plays havoc with your equilibrium. One has to break the journey somewhere. I’ve had pleasurable pit stops in Hong Kong and did my bit to liven up my wardrobe at Shanghai Tang. Singapore, the Garden City also has its charms but last time I embarked on that journey I chose to stop off in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur, the sophisticated capital of Malaysia, affectionately referred to as KL by the locals, offers much more that diversion and respite from long haul languor. In most senses it is a thoroughly modern multi-cultural city dominated by the Petronas twin towers, until recently the tallest buildings in the world (Taiwan’s Tapei 101 now holds the title), but it hasn’t yet been subjected to the kind of homogenisation that has robbed Singapore of much of its overt charm.

After the gruelling flight you may want to crash out for a few hours at the Pan Pacific Hotel which is part of the airport complex. Rooms can be hired by the hour – a godsend for weary travellers. If time is limited you could have a relaxing chair massage, practise your putting technique or simply meditate or shop till you drop.

I had a 12 hour transfer so I was determined to ignore the jet lag and explore.

The brilliant new non-stop Kliaekspres train takes just 28 minutes to whiz you past the palms and banana groves into the city centre, so its perfectly possible to zip into K L for even a few hours.

From a cook’s point of view, K L is a glorious melting pot. Hawker food is central to the experience of eating in Malaysia. It is sold from food carts that each specialise in one type of food. Originally the hawker stands were to be found in alleyways and around street corners but now many have been moved into hawker centres and food courts, although these have little of the charm of the originals, the food is still varied and delicious and for the most part very cheap.

There are lots of centres to chose from, I made for Suria Klec, the mall nestled at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers which also includes one of the best food halls in the country, I couldn’t wait to have a comforting plate of chicken rice and a bowl of broth, plus some nasi lemak and a martabak and laksa and a satay. Its agonisingly difficult to know when to stop when faced with so many temptations side by side.

A restorative glass of carrot juice with condensed milk provided the energy to make my way by underground to Chinatown in Jalan Petaling market. Before I explored the wet market I was anxious to visit the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu temple near the junction of Jalan Tun H shee (open 8-6 daily).

The tiered gateway to the temple is ornate, it seems incongruous in this Chinese setting. Outside, stalls sell fragrant garlands of jasmine and orchid flowers, buy one and drape it around your neck, the heady fragrance will revitalise you and banish any weariness. If you decide to enter the temple don’t forget to remove your footwear and give a little offering as you retrieve them later.

Further down along the road there is the Persatuan Kwong Siew Chinese Temple (7am-5pm) – truly beautiful, I spent a wonderful interlude discreetly watching the devotees reverently make incense offerings as they moved from one incense shrine to the next one and carefully assemble brightly coloured prayer sheet bundles to intercede with their Gods for many intentions. Here also it is much appreciated if you leave a small offering. The kaleidoscopic nature of Kuala Lumpur Society has resulted in a variety of social and religious mores. This multicultural city are Malays with smaller groups of Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Portuguese and many of mixed race. All these groups are centred around certain neighbourhoods.

Chinatown is concentrated in Jalan Petaling, the character changes through the day. In the early morning people arrive in hordes and throng the dim sum restaurant for breakfast. The wet market bustles through the morning as housewives pick up their fresh produce. Freshness is incredibly important to the Chinese. Fish is often filleted live by women fish mongers, meat is butchered very fresh and all kinds of unmentionable bits are offered for sale and relished. An intriguing variety of chicken awaited their fate in cages. I watched an old Chinese lady carefully chose a plump chicken. Its neck was pulled on the spot, then dipped into a bath of boiling water, plucked, gutted and chopped into pieces to her instructions. Other stalls sold vegetables, chillies, noodles, these were interspersed with stalls selling medicinal dried herbs and roots and other less identifiable products. There were fortune tellers, palm readers, tea shops, coffin makers, pet shops, flower sellers, cooking utensils, cheap clothing, knick knacks. This is a living bustling market, fascinating for the cook or tourist, but so frustrating if you are just in transit and be warned, don’t under any circumstance try to bring any food or plant into Australia or New Zealand. Both countries quite rightly have very stringent rules to protect their countries from plant and animal diseases. If you’re feeling peckish order a bowl of soupy rice noodles or some pan – Chinese dumplings, or bak-cut-the, a fragrant pork and herb stew.

In the afternoon there’s a slight lull in Chinatown but in the evening everything springs to life once more with numerous stalls catering for after office hour crowds. Some stalls even stay open to cater for bleary eyed clubbers – I couldn’t wait to see the action ‘cos I had to make my way back to the airport in time to catch a quick massage before hopping on board Air Malaysia for another 11 hours to Auckland.

Apparently the Malay and Indian neighbourhoods are also a feast for the senses, but that will have to wait for another time.

Malaysian Fragrant Prawns/Shrimp -Udang Wangi

Madhur Jaffrey demonstrated this delicious recipe when she demonstrated at the Ballymaloe Cookery School a few years ago.
Serves 4

2 tbsp/30ml dried prawns
3 tbsp/45ml vegetable oil
2oz/60g 6-8 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (use onion as a substitute)
1 inch/2½cm cube of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
6-8 whole “birds’ eye” chillies or else fresh, hot green chillies
1 tbsp/15ml yellow bean sauce, finely chopped
1 tsp/5ml curry powder
leaves from 2 full stalks of fresh curry leaves (15 dried curry leaves may be substituted)
1 lb (450g) prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp/5ml oyster sauce
1 tsp/5ml Chinese dark soy sauce
½ tsp/2½ml sugar
2 tsp/10ml chinese rice wine (use dry sherry as a substitute)
a little salt, if needed

Wash the dried prawns and soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Lift them out of the water and either pound them in a mortar or else whiz them in a blender for a few seconds or until they are powdery.

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the shallots, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute. Put in the whole chillies and dried shrimp. Stir once. Put in the yellow bean paste. Stir once. Put in the curry powder and stir once. Throw in the curry leaves and prawns/shrimp. Stir once. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and 4 tablespoons water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns/shrimp are just cooked through. Uncover and put in the sugar and wine. Turn heat to high and stir for a few seconds. Taste, adding a little salt only if needed. Serve with plain rice or Jasmine rice and assorted salads or vegetables.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

From Makah-lah! - The true taste of Malaysia – by Carol Selva Rajah.
This is an entire meal in itself – the rice is cooked in chicken fat then boiled in chicken stock, while the soup made from the stock is served with chicken pieces and chilli sauce.

Although the preparation is lengthy, the result is worth the effort. 

300g (10½ oz) long-grained rice
1½kg (3lb) chicken with skin
2 teasp. sesame oil
2 star anise
3cm (1in) length ginger, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1.25l (40fl.oz) chicken stock
3 stalks spring onions (scallions) chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 teasp. salted turnip (tung chye) or pickled radish (tangchai)
1 teasp. sesame oil 
1 tablesp.dark soy sauce
salt, extra to taste
2 tablesp. salted turnip (tung chye), extra or 2 tablesp. sliced tomatoes
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
spring onions (scallions)

Sauce:
125ml (4 fl.oz) chilli garlic sauce or 50ml (2fl.oz) sambal oelek
2 tablesp. vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2cm (¾) length ginger

Wash the rice in water until the water runs clear. Spread the rice on a tea towel (dish towel) in the sun and leave to dry.

Clean the chicken by removing the fat from under the skin and around the back. (You need about 50g/2oz) of chicken fat). Dice the fat and render (melt) in a wok on high heat until the oil is released.

Drain the fat into the dry rice. Heat the sesame oil on medium-high in a wok and fry the rice and fat until aromatic, about 4 minutes.

Blend the star anise, ginger and garlic together in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Rub the chicken inside and out with this mixture.

Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chicken to the saucepan with the spring onions (scallions), salt and pepper and salted turnip. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked, but not overcooked, approximately 3-4 minutes. The chicken meat should run red if pierced with a metal skewer. If preferred, the chicken can be coated with 2-3 tablesp. of soy sauce and lightly grilled on medium heat for 15 minutes until the skin turns dark and aromatic.

Remove the chicken from the stock. Skim off some of the ‘scum’ that will have formed on the stock – this is used for the sauce, to give a chicken aroma. Reserve the stock for soup and for cooking the rice.

Rub the extra sesame oil and dark soy sauce over the chicken and cool on a rack. Cut the warm chicken into serving-sized pieces just prior to serving.

Rice:
Cook the rice in a saucepan or rice cooker with 3 cups of the stock and salt to taste. The liquid should be about 3.5centimetres (1¼ in) above the rice. Cook until the rice has absorbed all of the water, approx. 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and fork through any remaining sesame oil. Cover and keep the rice hot.

Soup:
Reboil the remaining soup with the extra salted turnip. Serve in small bowls with the rice.

Sauce:
Mix the chilli garlic sauce with the vinegar. Pound the garlic and ginger together. Gradually add to the soup scum. Place in bowls to be served on the side.

To serve:
Serve the pieces of chicken on the rice with the bowls of sauce and soup. Garnish with sliced cucumber and shredded spring onions (scallions).

Naranjan’s Lemongrass and Palm Sugar Cake
Naranjan Kaur McCormack comes from Malaysia and fell in love with an Irishman, hence the surname. She now lives in Fermoy, Co Cork and delights our students with tastes of her native food, this is her recipe.
Although lemongrass is not as yet usually associated with sweets and desserts, it is actually fairly widely used in sweet and savoury dishes in the East! This is a recipe that I have adapted from a Malay version that my friend Aminah binte Ismail used to make when we used to have tea together on my visits home. 

Serve it at teatime with a lemon water icing, or make a lemongrass syrup, pour it over the cake while it is still hot and cut it up into diamonds or squares and pour condensed milk over each slice just before serving it as a pudding.

Serves 8-10

12 ozs (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
12 ozs (340 g) palm sugar
5-6 eggs, separated
6 ozs ( 170 g) self raising flour
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 ozs ( 220 g) desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3-4 stalks fresh lemongrass – cut up very finely so that the pieces resemble grains of sugar

Grease a 15 cm/6 inch round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Sieve together the self-raising flour, salt, baking powder and the desiccated coconut. 
Cream the butter and the palm sugar together in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then fold in the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold into the cake mixture, together with the lemon juice and the finely chopped lemongrass. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in a preheated oven at 170C/325F/regulo 3 for about 1½ hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before removing it. 

Foolproof Food


February Citrus fruit Salad

In the winter when many fruits have abysmal flavour the citrus fruit are at their best, this delicious fresh tasting salad uses a wide variety of that ever expanding family. Its particularly good with blood oranges which appear in the shops for only a few weeks, so make the most of them. Ugli fruit, Pomelo, Tangelos, Sweeties or any other members of the citrus family may be used in season.
Serves 6 approx.

½lb (225g) Kumquats
12 fl ozs (350ml) water
7 ozs (200g) sugar
1 lime
½ lb (225g) Clementines
¼-½ lb (110g-225g) Tangerines or Mandarins
2 blood oranges
1 pink grapefruit
lemon juice to taste if necessary

Slice the kumquats into ¼ inch (5mm) rounds, remove pips. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, add the sliced kumquats. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Remove the zest from the lime with a zester and add with the juice to the kumquats. Meanwhile peel the tangerines and clementines and remove as much of the white pith and strings as possible. Slice into rounds of ¼ inch (5mm) thickness, add to the syrup. Segment the pink grapefruit and blood oranges and add to the syrup also. Leave to macerate for at least an hour. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary. Serve chilled. 

Top Tips

Brown Envelope Seeds
Madeleine McKeever is growing a variety of seeds for sale, many are heirloom varieties, others more modern. All certified organic and registered with Dept. of Agriculture. List available from Madeleine McKeever, Ardagh, Church Cross, Skibbereen, Co Cork Tel 028-38184 madsmckeever@eircom.net

Growing Awareness is holding a 'Seasonal Vegetable Garden Course' at 
Glebe Gardens, Baltimore on Sunday February 6th. 11am - 4-30pm. Cost €25 
Contact Jean Perry on 028 20232 or email to glebegardens@eircom.net 

Café Glucksman – the newest café to light up Cork’s Culinary Scene
Set inside the old gates of UCC in the modern surroundings of the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Contemporary Irish cuisine with a twist – simple dishes bursting with flavour.
Run by Pamela Black- formerly of Ballymaloe Cookery School. 
Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10-4 Thursday 10-8 Sunday 12-4
Tel 021-4901848 cafeglucksman@ucc.ie 

The Good Things Café Cookery School – Spring Programme 2005 by Carmel Somers - Cookery Courses starting first week in February – Ring Carmel at 027-61426, email:info@thegoodthingscafe.com  www.thegoodthingscafe.com

Kuala Lumpur, the sophisticated capital of Malaysia

Letters of 2005
Letter Archive

This weeks recipes
Malaysian Fragrant Prawns/Shrimp -Udang Wangi
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Naranjan’s Lemongrass and Palm Sugar Cake

Darina’s foolproof recipe

February Citrus fruit Salad
Darina’s Top Tips
Brown Envelope Seeds
Growing Awareness
Café Glucksman
The Good Things Café Cookery School

Selling crispy Duck in kuala lumpurDoesn’t matter how much you psyche yourself up for a long haul flight to Australia or New Zealand, it really plays havoc with your equilibrium. One has to break the journey somewhere. I’ve had pleasurable pit stops in Hong Kong and did my bit to liven up my wardrobe at Shanghai Tang. Singapore, the Garden City also has its charms but last time I embarked on that journey I chose to stop off in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur, the sophisticated capital of Malaysia, affectionately referred to as KL by the locals, offers much more that diversion and respite from long haul languor. In most senses it is a thoroughly modern multi-cultural city dominated by the Petronas twin towers, until recently the tallest buildings in the world (Taiwan’s Tapei 101 now holds the title), but it hasn’t yet been subjected to the kind of homogenisation that has robbed Singapore of much of its overt charm.

After the gruelling flight you may want to crash out for a few hours at the Pan Pacific Hotel which is part of the airport complex. Rooms can be hired by the hour – a godsend for weary travellers. If time is limited you could have a relaxing chair massage, practise your putting technique or simply meditate or shop till you drop.

I had a 12 hour transfer so I was determined to ignore the jet lag and explore.

The brilliant new non-stop Kliaekspres train takes just 28 minutes to whiz you past the palms and banana groves into the city centre, so its perfectly possible to zip into K L for even a few hours.

From a cook’s point of view, K L is a glorious melting pot. Hawker food is central to the experience of eating in Malaysia. It is sold from food carts that each specialise in one type of food. Originally the hawker stands were to be found in alleyways and around street corners but now many have been moved into hawker centres and food courts, although these have little of the charm of the originals, the food is still varied and delicious and for the most part very cheap.

There are lots of centres to chose from, I made for Suria Klec, the mall nestled at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers which also includes one of the best food halls in the country, I couldn’t wait to have a comforting plate of chicken rice and a bowl of broth, plus some nasi lemak and a martabak and laksa and a satay. Its agonisingly difficult to know when to stop when faced with so many temptations side by side.

A restorative glass of carrot juice with condensed milk provided the energy to make my way by underground to Chinatown in Jalan Petaling market. Before I explored the wet market I was anxious to visit the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu temple near the junction of Jalan Tun H shee (open 8-6 daily).

The tiered gateway to the temple is ornate, it seems incongruous in this Chinese setting. Outside, stalls sell fragrant garlands of jasmine and orchid flowers, buy one and drape it around your neck, the heady fragrance will revitalise you and banish any weariness. If you decide to enter the temple don’t forget to remove your footwear and give a little offering as you retrieve them later.

Further down along the road there is the Persatuan Kwong Siew Chinese Temple (7am-5pm) – truly beautiful, I spent a wonderful interlude discreetly watching the devotees reverently make incense offerings as they moved from one incense shrine to the next one and carefully assemble brightly coloured prayer sheet bundles to intercede with their Gods for many intentions. Here also it is much appreciated if you leave a small offering. The kaleidoscopic nature of Kuala Lumpur Society has resulted in a variety of social and religious mores. This multicultural city are Malays with smaller groups of Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Portuguese and many of mixed race. All these groups are centred around certain neighbourhoods.

Chinatown is concentrated in Jalan Petaling, the character changes through the day. In the early morning people arrive in hordes and throng the dim sum restaurant for breakfast. The wet market bustles through the morning as housewives pick up their fresh produce. Freshness is incredibly important to the Chinese. Fish is often filleted live by women fish mongers, meat is butchered very fresh and all kinds of unmentionable bits are offered for sale and relished. An intriguing variety of chicken awaited their fate in cages. I watched an old Chinese lady carefully chose a plump chicken. Its neck was pulled on the spot, then dipped into a bath of boiling water, plucked, gutted and chopped into pieces to her instructions. Other stalls sold vegetables, chillies, noodles, these were interspersed with stalls selling medicinal dried herbs and roots and other less identifiable products. There were fortune tellers, palm readers, tea shops, coffin makers, pet shops, flower sellers, cooking utensils, cheap clothing, knick knacks. This is a living bustling market, fascinating for the cook or tourist, but so frustrating if you are just in transit and be warned, don’t under any circumstance try to bring any food or plant into Australia or New Zealand. Both countries quite rightly have very stringent rules to protect their countries from plant and animal diseases. If you’re feeling peckish order a bowl of soupy rice noodles or some pan – Chinese dumplings, or bak-cut-the, a fragrant pork and herb stew.

In the afternoon there’s a slight lull in Chinatown but in the evening everything springs to life once more with numerous stalls catering for after office hour crowds. Some stalls even stay open to cater for bleary eyed clubbers – I couldn’t wait to see the action ‘cos I had to make my way back to the airport in time to catch a quick massage before hopping on board Air Malaysia for another 11 hours to Auckland.

Apparently the Malay and Indian neighbourhoods are also a feast for the senses, but that will have to wait for another time.
Back to Top
Malaysian Fragrant Prawns/Shrimp -Udang Wangi
Madhur Jaffrey demonstrated this delicious recipe when she demonstrated at the Ballymaloe Cookery School a few years ago.
Serves 4

2 tbsp/30ml dried prawns
3 tbsp/45ml vegetable oil
2oz/60g 6-8 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (use onion as a substitute)
1 inch/2½cm cube of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
6-8 whole “birds’ eye” chillies or else fresh, hot green chillies
1 tbsp/15ml yellow bean sauce, finely chopped
1 tsp/5ml curry powder
leaves from 2 full stalks of fresh curry leaves (15 dried curry leaves may be substituted)
1 lb (450g) prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp/5ml oyster sauce
1 tsp/5ml Chinese dark soy sauce
½ tsp/2½ml sugar
2 tsp/10ml chinese rice wine (use dry sherry as a substitute)
a little salt, if needed

Wash the dried prawns and soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Lift them out of the water and either pound them in a mortar or else whiz them in a blender for a few seconds or until they are powdery.

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the shallots, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute. Put in the whole chillies and dried shrimp. Stir once. Put in the yellow bean paste. Stir once. Put in the curry powder and stir once. Throw in the curry leaves and prawns/shrimp. Stir once. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and 4 tablespoons water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns/shrimp are just cooked through. Uncover and put in the sugar and wine. Turn heat to high and stir for a few seconds. Taste, adding a little salt only if needed. Serve with plain rice or Jasmine rice and assorted salads or vegetables.
Madhur Jaffrey demonstrated this delicious recipe when she demonstrated at the Ballymaloe Cookery School a few years ago.Serves 42 tbsp/30ml dried prawns3 tbsp/45ml vegetable oil2oz/60g 6-8 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (use onion as a substitute)1 inch/2½cm cube of ginger, peeled and finely chopped4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped6-8 whole “birds’ eye” chillies or else fresh, hot green chillies1 tbsp/15ml yellow bean sauce, finely chopped1 tsp/5ml curry powderleaves from 2 full stalks of fresh curry leaves (15 dried curry leaves may be substituted)1 lb (450g) prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined1 tsp/5ml oyster sauce1 tsp/5ml Chinese dark soy sauce½ tsp/2½ml sugar2 tsp/10ml chinese rice wine (use dry sherry as a substitute)a little salt, if neededWash the dried prawns and soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Lift them out of the water and either pound them in a mortar or else whiz them in a blender for a few seconds or until they are powdery.Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the shallots, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute. Put in the whole chillies and dried shrimp. Stir once. Put in the yellow bean paste. Stir once. Put in the curry powder and stir once. Throw in the curry leaves and prawns/shrimp. Stir once. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and 4 tablespoons water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns/shrimp are just cooked through. Uncover and put in the sugar and wine. Turn heat to high and stir for a few seconds. Taste, adding a little salt only if needed. Serve with plain rice or Jasmine rice and assorted salads or vegetables.
Madhur Jaffrey demonstrated this delicious recipe when she demonstrated at the Ballymaloe Cookery School a few years ago.Serves 42 tbsp/30ml dried prawns3 tbsp/45ml vegetable oil2oz/60g 6-8 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (use onion as a substitute)1 inch/2½cm cube of ginger, peeled and finely chopped4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped6-8 whole “birds’ eye” chillies or else fresh, hot green chillies1 tbsp/15ml yellow bean sauce, finely chopped1 tsp/5ml curry powderleaves from 2 full stalks of fresh curry leaves (15 dried curry leaves may be substituted)1 lb (450g) prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined1 tsp/5ml oyster sauce1 tsp/5ml Chinese dark soy sauce½ tsp/2½ml sugar2 tsp/10ml chinese rice wine (use dry sherry as a substitute)a little salt, if neededWash the dried prawns and soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Lift them out of the water and either pound them in a mortar or else whiz them in a blender for a few seconds or until they are powdery.Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the shallots, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute. Put in the whole chillies and dried shrimp. Stir once. Put in the yellow bean paste. Stir once. Put in the curry powder and stir once. Throw in the curry leaves and prawns/shrimp. Stir once. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and 4 tablespoons water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns/shrimp are just cooked through. Uncover and put in the sugar and wine. Turn heat to high and stir for a few seconds. Taste, adding a little salt only if needed. Serve with plain rice or Jasmine rice and assorted salads or vegetables.Back to Top
Hainanese Chicken Rice
From Makah-lah! – The true taste of Malaysia – by Carol Selva Rajah.

This is an entire meal in itself – the rice is cooked in chicken fat then boiled in chicken stock, while the soup made from the stock is served with chicken pieces and chilli sauce.

Although the preparation is lengthy, the result is worth the effort.

300g (10½ oz) long-grained rice
1½kg (3lb) chicken with skin
2 teasp. sesame oil
2 star anise
3cm (1in) length ginger, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1.25l (40fl.oz) chicken stock
3 stalks spring onions (scallions) chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 teasp. salted turnip (tung chye) or pickled radish (tangchai)
1 teasp. sesame oil
1 tablesp.dark soy sauce
salt, extra to taste
2 tablesp. salted turnip (tung chye), extra or 2 tablesp. sliced tomatoes
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
spring onions (scallions)

Sauce:
125ml (4 fl.oz) chilli garlic sauce or 50ml (2fl.oz) sambal oelek
2 tablesp. vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2cm (¾) length ginger

Wash the rice in water until the water runs clear. Spread the rice on a tea towel (dish towel) in the sun and leave to dry.

Clean the chicken by removing the fat from under the skin and around the back. (You need about 50g/2oz) of chicken fat). Dice the fat and render (melt) in a wok on high heat until the oil is released.

Drain the fat into the dry rice. Heat the sesame oil on medium-high in a wok and fry the rice and fat until aromatic, about 4 minutes.

Blend the star anise, ginger and garlic together in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Rub the chicken inside and out with this mixture.

Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chicken to the saucepan with the spring onions (scallions), salt and pepper and salted turnip. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked, but not overcooked, approximately 3-4 minutes. The chicken meat should run red if pierced with a metal skewer. If preferred, the chicken can be coated with 2-3 tablesp. of soy sauce and lightly grilled on medium heat for 15 minutes until the skin turns dark and aromatic.

Remove the chicken from the stock. Skim off some of the ‘scum’ that will have formed on the stock – this is used for the sauce, to give a chicken aroma. Reserve the stock for soup and for cooking the rice.

Rub the extra sesame oil and dark soy sauce over the chicken and cool on a rack. Cut the warm chicken into serving-sized pieces just prior to serving.

Rice:
Cook the rice in a saucepan or rice cooker with 3 cups of the stock and salt to taste. The liquid should be about 3.5centimetres (1¼ in) above the rice. Cook until the rice has absorbed all of the water, approx. 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and fork through any remaining sesame oil. Cover and keep the rice hot.

Soup:
Reboil the remaining soup with the extra salted turnip. Serve in small bowls with the rice.

Sauce:
Mix the chilli garlic sauce with the vinegar. Pound the garlic and ginger together. Gradually add to the soup scum. Place in bowls to be served on the side.

To serve:
Serve the pieces of chicken on the rice with the bowls of sauce and soup. Garnish with sliced cucumber and shredded spring onions (scallions).

Naranjan’s Lemongrass and Palm Sugar Cake
Naranjan Kaur McCormack comes from Malaysia and fell in love with an Irishman, hence the surname. She now lives in Fermoy, Co Cork and delights our students with tastes of her native food, this is her recipe.

Although lemongrass is not as yet usually associated with sweets and desserts, it is actually fairly widely used in sweet and savoury dishes in the East! This is a recipe that I have adapted from a Malay version that my friend Aminah binte Ismail used to make when we used to have tea together on my visits home.

Serve it at teatime with a lemon water icing, or make a lemongrass syrup, pour it over the cake while it is still hot and cut it up into diamonds or squares and pour condensed milk over each slice just before serving it as a pudding.

Serves 8-10

12 ozs (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
12 ozs (340 g) palm sugar
5-6 eggs, separated
6 ozs ( 170 g) self raising flour
A pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 ozs ( 220 g) desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3-4 stalks fresh lemongrass – cut up very finely so that the pieces resemble grains of sugar

Grease a 15 cm/6 inch round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Sieve together the self-raising flour, salt, baking powder and the desiccated coconut.
Cream the butter and the palm sugar together in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then fold in the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold into the cake mixture, together with the lemon juice and the finely chopped lemongrass. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in a preheated oven at 170C/325F/regulo 3 for about 1½ hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before removing it.
From Makah-lah! – The true taste of Malaysia – by Carol Selva Rajah.This is an entire meal in itself – the rice is cooked in chicken fat then boiled in chicken stock, while the soup made from the stock is served with chicken pieces and chilli sauce.Although the preparation is lengthy, the result is worth the effort. 300g (10½ oz) long-grained rice1½kg (3lb) chicken with skin2 teasp. sesame oil2 star anise3cm (1in) length ginger, chopped6 cloves garlic1.25l (40fl.oz) chicken stock3 stalks spring onions (scallions) choppedsalt and pepper to taste2 teasp. salted turnip (tung chye) or pickled radish (tangchai)1 teasp. sesame oil 1 tablesp.dark soy saucesalt, extra to taste2 tablesp. salted turnip (tung chye), extra or 2 tablesp. sliced tomatoes1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removedspring onions (scallions)125ml (4 fl.oz) chilli garlic sauce or 50ml (2fl.oz) sambal oelek2 tablesp. vinegar2 cloves garlic2cm (¾) length gingerWash the rice in water until the water runs clear. Spread the rice on a tea towel (dish towel) in the sun and leave to dry.Clean the chicken by removing the fat from under the skin and around the back. (You need about 50g/2oz) of chicken fat). Dice the fat and render (melt) in a wok on high heat until the oil is released.Drain the fat into the dry rice. Heat the sesame oil on medium-high in a wok and fry the rice and fat until aromatic, about 4 minutes.Blend the star anise, ginger and garlic together in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Rub the chicken inside and out with this mixture.Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chicken to the saucepan with the spring onions (scallions), salt and pepper and salted turnip. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked, but not overcooked, approximately 3-4 minutes. The chicken meat should run red if pierced with a metal skewer. If preferred, the chicken can be coated with 2-3 tablesp. of soy sauce and lightly grilled on medium heat for 15 minutes until the skin turns dark and aromatic.Remove the chicken from the stock. Skim off some of the ‘scum’ that will have formed on the stock – this is used for the sauce, to give a chicken aroma. Reserve the stock for soup and for cooking the rice.Rub the extra sesame oil and dark soy sauce over the chicken and cool on a rack. Cut the warm chicken into serving-sized pieces just prior to serving.Cook the rice in a saucepan or rice cooker with 3 cups of the stock and salt to taste. The liquid should be about 3.5centimetres (1¼ in) above the rice. Cook until the rice has absorbed all of the water, approx. 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and fork through any remaining sesame oil. Cover and keep the rice hot.Reboil the remaining soup with the extra salted turnip. Serve in small bowls with the rice.Mix the chilli garlic sauce with the vinegar. Pound the garlic and ginger together. Gradually add to the soup scum. Place in bowls to be served on the side.Serve the pieces of chicken on the rice with the bowls of sauce and soup. Garnish with sliced cucumber and shredded spring onions (scallions).Naranjan Kaur McCormack comes from Malaysia and fell in love with an Irishman, hence the surname. She now lives in Fermoy, Co Cork and delights our students with tastes of her native food, this is her recipe.Although lemongrass is not as yet usually associated with sweets and desserts, it is actually fairly widely used in sweet and savoury dishes in the East! This is a recipe that I have adapted from a Malay version that my friend Aminah binte Ismail used to make when we used to have tea together on my visits home. Serve it at teatime with a lemon water icing, or make a lemongrass syrup, pour it over the cake while it is still hot and cut it up into diamonds or squares and pour condensed milk over each slice just before serving it as a pudding.Serves 8-1012 ozs (340 g) unsalted butter, softened12 ozs (340 g) palm sugar5-6 eggs, separated6 ozs ( 170 g) self raising flourA pinch of salt2 teaspoons baking powder8 ozs ( 220 g) desiccated coconut2 teaspoons lemon juice3-4 stalks fresh lemongrass – cut up very finely so that the pieces resemble grains of sugarGrease a 15 cm/6 inch round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Sieve together the self-raising flour, salt, baking powder and the desiccated coconut. Cream the butter and the palm sugar together in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then fold in the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold into the cake mixture, together with the lemon juice and the finely chopped lemongrass. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in a preheated oven at 170C/325F/regulo 3 for about 1½ hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before removing it.
From Makah-lah! – The true taste of Malaysia – by Carol Selva Rajah.This is an entire meal in itself – the rice is cooked in chicken fat then boiled in chicken stock, while the soup made from the stock is served with chicken pieces and chilli sauce.Although the preparation is lengthy, the result is worth the effort. 300g (10½ oz) long-grained rice1½kg (3lb) chicken with skin2 teasp. sesame oil2 star anise3cm (1in) length ginger, chopped6 cloves garlic1.25l (40fl.oz) chicken stock3 stalks spring onions (scallions) choppedsalt and pepper to taste2 teasp. salted turnip (tung chye) or pickled radish (tangchai)1 teasp. sesame oil 1 tablesp.dark soy saucesalt, extra to taste2 tablesp. salted turnip (tung chye), extra or 2 tablesp. sliced tomatoes1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removedspring onions (scallions)125ml (4 fl.oz) chilli garlic sauce or 50ml (2fl.oz) sambal oelek2 tablesp. vinegar2 cloves garlic2cm (¾) length gingerWash the rice in water until the water runs clear. Spread the rice on a tea towel (dish towel) in the sun and leave to dry.Clean the chicken by removing the fat from under the skin and around the back. (You need about 50g/2oz) of chicken fat). Dice the fat and render (melt) in a wok on high heat until the oil is released.Drain the fat into the dry rice. Heat the sesame oil on medium-high in a wok and fry the rice and fat until aromatic, about 4 minutes.Blend the star anise, ginger and garlic together in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Rub the chicken inside and out with this mixture.Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chicken to the saucepan with the spring onions (scallions), salt and pepper and salted turnip. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked, but not overcooked, approximately 3-4 minutes. The chicken meat should run red if pierced with a metal skewer. If preferred, the chicken can be coated with 2-3 tablesp. of soy sauce and lightly grilled on medium heat for 15 minutes until the skin turns dark and aromatic.Remove the chicken from the stock. Skim off some of the ‘scum’ that will have formed on the stock – this is used for the sauce, to give a chicken aroma. Reserve the stock for soup and for cooking the rice.Rub the extra sesame oil and dark soy sauce over the chicken and cool on a rack. Cut the warm chicken into serving-sized pieces just prior to serving.Cook the rice in a saucepan or rice cooker with 3 cups of the stock and salt to taste. The liquid should be about 3.5centimetres (1¼ in) above the rice. Cook until the rice has absorbed all of the water, approx. 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and fork through any remaining sesame oil. Cover and keep the rice hot.Reboil the remaining soup with the extra salted turnip. Serve in small bowls with the rice.Mix the chilli garlic sauce with the vinegar. Pound the garlic and ginger together. Gradually add to the soup scum. Place in bowls to be served on the side.Serve the pieces of chicken on the rice with the bowls of sauce and soup. Garnish with sliced cucumber and shredded spring onions (scallions).Naranjan Kaur McCormack comes from Malaysia and fell in love with an Irishm
an, hence the surname. She now lives in Fermoy, Co Cork and delights our students with tastes of her native food, this is her recipe.Although lemongrass is not as yet usually associated with sweets and desserts, it is actually fairly widely used in sweet and savoury dishes in the East! This is a recipe that I have adapted from a Malay version that my friend Aminah binte Ismail used to make when we used to have tea together on my visits home. Serve it at teatime with a lemon water icing, or make a lemongrass syrup, pour it over the cake while it is still hot and cut it up into diamonds or squares and pour condensed milk over each slice just before serving it as a pudding.Serves 8-1012 ozs (340 g) unsalted butter, softened12 ozs (340 g) palm sugar5-6 eggs, separated6 ozs ( 170 g) self raising flourA pinch of salt2 teaspoons baking powder8 ozs ( 220 g) desiccated coconut2 teaspoons lemon juice3-4 stalks fresh lemongrass – cut up very finely so that the pieces resemble grains of sugarGrease a 15 cm/6 inch round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Sieve together the self-raising flour, salt, baking powder and the desiccated coconut. Cream the butter and the palm sugar together in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then fold in the dry ingredients. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold into the cake mixture, together with the lemon juice and the finely chopped lemongrass. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in a preheated oven at 170C/325F/regulo 3 for about 1½ hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before removing it. Back to Top
Foolproof Food

February Citrus fruit Salad
In the winter when many fruits have abysmal flavour the citrus fruit are at their best, this delicious fresh tasting salad uses a wide variety of that ever expanding family. Its particularly good with blood oranges which appear in the shops for only a few weeks, so make the most of them. Ugli fruit, Pomelo, Tangelos, Sweeties or any other members of the citrus family may be used in season.
Serves 6 approx.

½lb (225g) Kumquats
12 fl ozs (350ml) water
7 ozs (200g) sugar
1 lime
½ lb (225g) Clementines
¼-½ lb (110g-225g) Tangerines or Mandarins
2 blood oranges
1 pink grapefruit
lemon juice to taste if necessary

Slice the kumquats into ¼ inch (5mm) rounds, remove pips. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, add the sliced kumquats. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Remove the zest from the lime with a zester and add with the juice to the kumquats. Meanwhile peel the tangerines and clementines and remove as much of the white pith and strings as possible. Slice into rounds of ¼ inch (5mm) thickness, add to the syrup. Segment the pink grapefruit and blood oranges and add to the syrup also. Leave to macerate for at least an hour. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary. Serve chilled.

Top Tips

Brown Envelope Seeds
Madeleine McKeever is growing a variety of seeds for sale, many are heirloom varieties, others more modern. All certified organic and registered with Dept. of Agriculture. List available from Madeleine McKeever, Ardagh, Church Cross, Skibbereen, Co Cork Tel 028-38184 madsmckeever@eircom.net

Growing Awareness is holding a ‘Seasonal Vegetable Garden Course’ at
Glebe Gardens, Baltimore on Sunday February 6th. 11am – 4-30pm. Cost €25
Contact Jean Perry on 028 20232 or email to In the winter when many fruits have abysmal flavour the citrus fruit are at their best, this delicious fresh tasting salad uses a wide variety of that ever expanding family. Its particularly good with blood oranges which appear in the shops for only a few weeks, so make the most of them. Ugli fruit, Pomelo, Tangelos, Sweeties or any other members of the citrus family may be used in season.Serves 6 approx.½lb (225g) Kumquats12 fl ozs (350ml) water7 ozs (200g) sugar1 lime½ lb (225g) Clementines¼-½ lb (110g-225g) Tangerines or Mandarins2 blood oranges1 pink grapefruitlemon juice to taste if necessarySlice the kumquats into ¼ inch (5mm) rounds, remove pips. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, add the sliced kumquats. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Remove the zest from the lime with a zester and add with the juice to the kumquats. Meanwhile peel the tangerines and clementines and remove as much of the white pith and strings as possible. Slice into rounds of ¼ inch (5mm) thickness, add to the syrup. Segment the pink grapefruit and blood oranges and add to the syrup also. Leave to macerate for at least an hour. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary. Serve chilled. Madeleine McKeever is growing a variety of seeds for sale, many are heirloom varieties, others more modern. All certified organic and registered with Dept. of Agriculture. List available from Madeleine McKeever, Ardagh, Church Cross, Skibbereen, Co Cork Tel 028-38184 madsmckeever@eircom.net is holding a ‘Seasonal Vegetable Garden Course’ at Glebe Gardens, Baltimore on Sunday February 6th. 11am – 4-30pm. Cost €25 Contact Jean Perry on 028 20232 or email to
In the winter when many fruits have abysmal flavour the citrus fruit are at their best, this delicious fresh tasting salad uses a wide variety of that ever expanding family. Its particularly good with blood oranges which appear in the shops for only a few weeks, so make the most of them. Ugli fruit, Pomelo, Tangelos, Sweeties or any other members of the citrus family may be used in season.Serves 6 approx.½lb (225g) Kumquats12 fl ozs (350ml) water7 ozs (200g) sugar1 lime½ lb (225g) Clementines¼-½ lb (110g-225g) Tangerines or Mandarins2 blood oranges1 pink grapefruitlemon juice to taste if necessarySlice the kumquats into ¼ inch (5mm) rounds, remove pips. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, add the sliced kumquats. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool. Remove the zest from the lime with a zester and add with the juice to the kumquats. Meanwhile peel the tangerines and clementines and remove as much of the white pith and strings as possible. Slice into rounds of ¼ inch (5mm) thickness, add to the syrup. Segment the pink grapefruit and blood oranges and add to the syrup also. Leave to macerate for at least an hour. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary. Serve chilled. Madeleine McKeever is growing a variety of seeds for sale, many are heirloom varieties, others more modern. All certified organic and registered with Dept. of Agriculture. List available from Madeleine McKeever, Ardagh, Church Cross, Skibbereen, Co Cork Tel 028-38184 madsmckeever@eircom.net is holding a ‘Seasonal Vegetable Garden Course’ at Glebe Gardens, Baltimore on Sunday February 6th. 11am – 4-30pm. Cost €25 Contact Jean Perry on 028 20232 or email to glebegardens@eircom.net

Café Glucksman – the newest café to light up Cork’s Culinary Scene
Set inside the old gates of UCC in the modern surroundings of the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Contemporary Irish cuisine with a twist – simple dishes bursting with flavour.
Run by Pamela Black- formerly of Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10-4 Thursday 10-8 Sunday 12-4
Tel 021-4901848 – the newest café to light up Cork’s Culinary SceneSet inside the old gates of UCC in the modern surroundings of the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Contemporary Irish cuisine with a twist – simple dishes bursting with flavour.Run by Pamela Black- formerly of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10-4 Thursday 10-8 Sunday 12-4Tel 021-4901848
– the newest café to light up Cork’s Culinary SceneSet inside the old gates of UCC in the modern surroundings of the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Contemporary Irish cuisine with a twist – simple dishes bursting with flavour.Run by Pamela Black- formerly of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10-4 Thursday 10-8 Sunday 12-4Tel 021-4901848 cafeglucksman@ucc.ie

The Good Things Café Cookery School – Spring Programme 2005 by Carmel Somers – Cookery Courses starting first week in February – Ring Carmel at 027-61426, – Spring Programme 2005 by Carmel Somers – Cookery Courses starting first week in February – Ring Carmel at 027-61426, – Spring Programme 2005 by Carmel Somers – Cookery Courses starting first week in February – Ring Carmel at 027-61426, email:info@thegoodthingscafe.com www.thegoodthingscafe.com

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