We’ve had such blissful summer weather, who would want to be anywhere else but in Ireland when the sun really shines and warm breezes freshen the air.

I particularly adore the balmy evenings eating outside and being able to stay outdoors until the stars start to twinkle in the night sky. This is not the weather to spend in the kitchen frying over a hot stove, any sizzling should be coming from the ‘barbie’ – simple and delicious – this week some new ideas to add to the thrill of the grill.

Remember that people’s appetites increase when they eat outdoors, and of course all those lovely aromas of cooking food will make them hungrier still. Keep your guests’ hunger at bay with some fingerfood – particularly if you get your timing wrong and the cooking takes longer than expected!

Try to have some extra standby food on hand, such as extra sausages (which can be frozen later if they’re not used) and bananas or tomatoes which can be wrapped in streaky bacon.

Before you start barbecuing make sure that you’re organised – with your tongs, seasoning and dishes ready. Even though barbecues are laidback affairs, they will only seem effortless if you’ve organised yourself a little first.

The fundamental principle of barbecuing is controlling the heat. On a barbecue, you do this by raising or lowering the grill. Because they cook more slowly, the larger the pieces of meat, the further from the heat source they need to be. So for thick steaks, chicken legs and larger cuts of meat, you are better off searing over a high heat for a few minutes before transferring the meat to the edges of the grill, where the heat is lower. Searing will seal the meat, so that the juices remain inside during further cooking on a low heat. Smaller pieces of food (eg chicken paillarde or lamb chops) can be within 10-12.5cm (4-5 inches) of the coals. 

The appropriate time to test the temperature of a fire is when the flames have died down. The coals should be glowing red and covered with a light dusting of fine grey ash.

For an approximate guide, hold the palm of your hand flat about 12.5cm/5 in above the coals and count in seconds.

If you can only keep your hand there for:

1-2 seconds – the coals are hot 
3-4 seconds – the coals are medium hot 
5-6 seconds – the coals are medium 
6-7 seconds – the coals are medium low 
8-9 seconds – the coals are low 


If the fire burns too low, boost the heat by pushing the coals closer together and adding more charcoal to the outer edges of the fire.

For a two-level fire with hotter and cooler areas, spread some of the hot coals out in a single layer, to create an are of slightly lower heat to one side of the barbecue. Use the hand test (as above) to check the difference in heat intensity. You can then grill ingredients requiring different cooking temperatures simultaneously.

Be aware of hygiene and safety, keep all food refrigerated (or cool) until its needed. Keep cooked and uncooked meat separate and use different implements and serving dishes to avoid cross-contamination. Wash your hands after touching uncooked meat.

Never leave a barbecue unattended, always keep a fire extinguisher at hand and always damp down the barbecue completely before you empty out the ashes, and allow it to cool before moving it.

Happy cooking!

Wire Rack Salmon with Dill Butter and Roast Tomatoes

Fish works brilliantly on the barbecue provided you put it in a ‘fish cage’ for ease of turning. However you can do a perfectly good job with a ‘Heath Robinson’ type solution using 2 wire cake racks.

Serves 10-20

1 or 2 unskinned sides of wild fresh salmon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Dill Butter
110-225g (4-8oz) butter
4-8 tablespoons of freshly chopped dill
10-20 cherry tomatoes on the vine

Sprinkle the salmon generously with sea salt up to an hour before cooking. 

Light the grill or barbecue. Just before serving, lay the salmon fillets skin side down on the wire rack. Brush the flesh with oil or melted butter and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Put the other wire rack on top. Lay on the grid of the barbecue, 15-20cm (6-8 inches) from the heat, cook for 10-15 minutes on the skin side. Turn the entire cage over and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes or until just cooked through. – Time will depend on the thickness of the fish.

Meanwhile melt the butter and stir in the freshly chopped dill, spoon a little dill butter over the salmon and serve with roast cherry tomatoes on the vine.

Roast Cherry Tomatoes

Drizzle the tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast on the BBQ for 5 or 6 minutes until they are warm through and just beginning to burst.

Balsamic Peppered Pork Chops

Adapted from Eric Treuille and Birgit Erath’s recipe in Barbecues.

Serves 8

8 pork free range organic pork chops, 2.5cm (1inch) thick
4 garlic cloves
2 tablesp. whole black peppercorns
1 tablesp. thyme leaves or 
1 teasp. rosemary
¼-½ teasp. crushed chilli flakes
1 tablesp. balsamic vinegar
3 tablesp. extra virgin olive oil

Trim the excess fat from the chops. Cut snips through remaining fat with a scissors at 4cm (1½ in) intervals, this keeps the chops flat and prevents them from curling and shrinking during cooking. They will also cook more evenly.

Put the garlic, peppercorns, thyme, chilli flakes, vinegar and oil in a food processor or blender; whizz to a coarse paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the chops. You can do this up to 2 hours in advance, then cover and keep in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

Grill over medium hot coals, basting with extra balsamic vinegar, for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through to the bone, there should be no trace of pink but don’t overcook as they will become tough.

You could also cook them indoors on a preheated ridged cast iron grill pan over high heat for the same length of time. 

Chilli Chicken and Ginger Paillarde

Chicken paillarde is an excellent way to prepare a chicken for the barbecue – they cook faster and more evenly. It is essential that chicken is cooked through properly, in order to safeguard against salmonella or campylobacter poisoning.

Serves 8

8 organic chicken breasts, skinless
Chilli and Ginger Marinade:
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tablesp. grated fresh ginger
6 tablesp. runny honey
3 tablesp soy sauce
6 tablesp lime juice

Accompaniment:
8 tiny spring onions
8 tomato slices
½ cucumber cut into long thick batons
fresh mint leaves
fresh coriander leaves

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, keeping them attached at one side. Combine chilli, garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce and lime juice. Dip the chicken in the mixture and toss to coat evenly. Put on a plate, cover and refrigerate until cooking.

Grill the chicken over medium hot coals, turning every 2 minutes, until cooked through, 4-5 minutes depending on thickness.
Serve hot with a selection of salads.

Chilli Chicken and Ginger Wraps

8 flour tortillas

8 lettuce leaves

Wraps with sweet chilli chicken, tomato, spring onion, cucumber and lettuce make great barbecue food – guests can have fun assembling the wraps themselves if all the components are laid out in bowls. This idea could also be used for other fillings of your choice.

Chargrilled Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa, Feta or Mozzarella and Guacamole

Mightn’t occur to one but quesadillas can also be done on the barbecue.

If you have a surplus of squash or zucchini blossoms they make a delicious addition to the quesadillas – use 3 or 4 squash or 1-2 of the larger zucchini blossoms for each quesadilla.
Serves 4

8 x 20cm (8 inch) flour tortillas
100g (3½oz) Gruyere cheese, grated
200g (7oz) feta cheese, crumbled or Mozzarella
Squash blossoms – optional

Tomato salsa – see recipe

4 Spring onions, chopped

Guacamole – see recipe

Spread the tortilla with a quarter of the Gruyere cheese. Put a layer of tomato salsa on top and sprinkle with some chopped spring onion. Sprinkle with a quarter of the Feta or Mozzarella. Add the squash blossoms if using. Lightly place a second tortilla on top. Assemble the remaining tortillas in the same way. (This could be done up to 4 hours beforehand – cover with cling film and keep at room temperature).

Grill over medium-hot coals until lightly browned and the Gruyere is melted, this should take about 2 minutes on each side. 

Cut into wedges with a sharp serrated knife. Serve hot with tomato salsa and guacamole.

Tomato and Coriander Salsa

Salsas of all kinds both fresh and cooked have now become a favourite accompaniment to everything from pan-grilled meat to a piece of sizzling fish.

Serves 4-6

4 very ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½-1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander 
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

Mix all the ingredients together. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Guacamole

One of my most treasured possessions is a dark green pottery bowl with a coarse textured interior, it was specially made in a village in the Oaxacan valley in Mexico to make Guacamole. I carried it and the lava rock pestle the whole way home and have enormously enjoyed using it ever since.

Serves 2-4

1 ripe avocado, preferably Mexican 
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (as a last resort)
1 tablespoon 
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper .

Scoop out the flesh from the avocado. Mash with a fork or in a pestle and mortar with the garlic, add the freshly squeezed lime juice, a little olive oil, chopped coriander, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. 

Rosemary Lamb Chops with Mustard Mint Dressing

From : Barbecue, Where there’s Smoke there’s Flavour

By Eric Treuille and Birgit Erath
Serves 4

8-10cm (4in) woody rosemary sprigs
8 lamb loin chops, boned – see directions
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teasp. black pepper
1 tablesp. balsamic vinegar
1 tablesp. olive oil
salt

Dijon mustard dressing:

1 tablesp. Dijon mustard
2 tablesp. finely chopped mint
3 tablesp.freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablesp. olive oil
salt, black pepper

For skewers, strip the leaves from the rosemary stalks, leaving a few leaves at one end of each stalk. Sharpen the other end to a point with a knife. Use sprigs to skewer the lamb.

Boning and herb-skewering the chops.

Trim off excess fat from cutlets. Cut around the bone to release the meat.

Pull the flap around each chop to make a round shape. With a small, sharp knife make a slit through the chop, passing first through the flap. Push the sharp end of the rosemary sprig through the slit to secure.

Combine garlic, pepper, vinegar and oil. Rub on to both sides of lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For dressing, combine mustard, mint and lemon juice. Gradually whisk oil to make a thick dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grill skewered lamb according to instructions below. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon over dressing.

To barbecue outdoors:
Grill over hot coals for 3 minutes per side for medium rare, 5 minutes per side for well done.
To barbecue indoors: Preheat a ridged cast iron grill pan over high heat. Grill for 3 minutes per side for medium rare, 5 minutes per side for well done.

Think ahead:
Skewer and rub lamb up to 1 day in advance. Cover tightly with cling film and refrigerate. Make dressing up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and store at room temperature

Eric’s Chicken Baguette

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts, butterflied (see directions) and marinated.
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablesp. fresh marjoram
2 tablesp. extra virgin olive oil
1 teasp. black pepper
1 baguette – preferably Declan Ryan’s Arbutus bread or other good artisan bread
salt
2 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
1 handful crisp salad leaves
garlic aioli or mayonnaise

First butterfly the chicken breasts, they cook more easily and evenly on the barbecue.

Remove the fillet from each chicken breast and save for another dish. Slice each chicken breast from top to bottom, so that you can open it out like a book. Flatten with the palm of your hand to ensure a good, flat shape.

Toss the chicken breasts with lemon, garlic, marjoram, oil and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (You could do this up to 2 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate, turn in the marinade every 15-20 minutes). Cut baguette into 4 equal-sized pieces. Split and toast baguette on the cut side until just crisp, 1 minute. 

Grill chicken – if cooking outdoors grill over a medium heat until chicken is opaque, with no trace of pink, 3 minutes per side. If cooking indoors, preheat an overhead grill and cook in the same manner. 

Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Fill the baguette with tomatoes, salad, chicken and aioli.

Barbecued Flat Mushrooms

Large flat mushrooms

olive oil
chopped fresh herbs, eg. chives, thyme, parsley and marjoram
salt and freshly ground pepper

Arrange the mushrooms on a flat dish, sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Leave for ½ - 1 hour approx. Cook on the barbecue, sprinkle with sea salt as they cook. Serve as they are or with garlic or herb butter.

Barbecued New Potatoes
Serves 6 - make a bigger quantity by doubling up recipe.

900g (2lb) new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
4 tablesp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender – 10-15 minutes depending on size.(You could do this the day before if you like). If the potatoes are large cut them in half, but if small leave whole, toss in the olive oil, salt and black pepper. 

Thread onto skewers. Grill over medium coals, turning regularly for about 8-10 minutes depending on size.

Cut Apple Kebabs
Dessert apples cut into large chunks, or quarters, sprinkled with lemon juice
Just before cooking toss in or paint the apples with melted butter, sprinkle with caster sugar and thread onto skewers. Grill for 5-8 minutes or until golden and caramelized.

You could also cook the fruit in tin foil papillotes on the barbecue – use a mixture of peaches, nectarines, cherries, strawberries as desired.

Foolproof food

Roast Bananas with Chocolate and Roasted Hazelnuts

Serves 6

6 ripe organic Fairtrade bananas
75-110g (3-4 oz) Green & Black chocolate, chopped
50g (2 oz) chopped roasted hazelnuts or walnuts 
crème fraîche or softly whipped cream

Cook the bananas on the barbecue until they are black on all sides. Put onto a serving plate. Split the skin on one side. Sprinkle some chopped chocolate and roasted hazelnuts over the hot bananas. Serve immediately with a blob of crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.

Other good things to serve with Roast bananas:
Cinnamon sugar (Combine 110g (4oz) castor sugar and 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon)
A mixture of rum soaked raisins and chopped walnuts
Toffee sauce and chopped pecans

Hot Tips 

Books on Barbecuing

Barbecue – Where there’s Smoke there’s Flavour – by Eric Treuille and Birgit Erath, published by Dorling Kindersley

Barbecues and other Outdoor Feasts by Hugo Arnold – published by Kyle Cathie.

Food Magazines generally do barbecue features at this time of year – eg Food and Wine, BBC Good Food, Olive, Delicious …..with lots of new ideas.

Growing Awareness - Farm Walk on Sunday 31st July at Parkmore, Templemartin, Bandon, Co Cork on Farm of Caroline and Eddie Robinson. Tel 021-7330178-
The Robinson family live on a 30 acre organic farm keeping cattle, pigs and geese. They grow 8 acres of vegetables including 4 large polytunnels. All produce is sold directly to customers at street markets. www.growingawareness.com  

Euro-toques Annual Food Forum and Fair, Brooklodge Hotel, Macreddin, Co Wicklow Sunday 4th September.
This year’s Food Forum will centre on ‘Children and Food’; addressing the need to educate children about food, change eating habits and bring children back to real food. 
To book a place at Food Forum and Wild Food Barbecue lunch or to book at stall at the Food Fair, contact info@eurotoquesirl.org  www.eurotoquesirl.org  Tel Ruth or Abigail on 01-6779995 immediately. 

My mother is a feisty septuagenarian. As mother of nine children, of whom I am the eldest, she has a decidedly pragmatic outlook on life. She comes from a generation who ‘got up and got on with it’, so she has little patience with people whingeing about everyday challenges.

Recently she was irritated by the endless complaints about the price of food – “Why don’t people stop whingeing and go back to being self-sufficient – grow a few vegetables, plant an apple tree, keep a few hens” – How right she is, yet several times recently I’ve been reminded that the old-fashioned attitude of ‘yerra ‘tis how the neighbours will reckon we can’t afford to buy it’ still prevails – well now isn’t it about time to let that one go and to rediscover the joys of planting a seed and watching it grow. The delight of growing your own was clearly demonstrated recently when one of our teachers Shermin came bouncing in to work scarcely able to contain herself with excitement , she was now harvesting strawberries, beetroot, broad beans, sugar snaps, onions, garlic and also has potatoes and leeks

She was almost overwhelmed by the thrill of having grown all of this herself in a little patch of ground. Then I discovered that Sue was also hooked, she has been growing lettuce, spring onions, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, runner and broad beans and herbs. Emer is in her third year of growing raspberries, black gooseberries, courgettes, lettuce and spring onions. Rosalie had the first green gooseberries and also grows raspberries, tayberries and blackcurrants as well as lettuce, cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Not to be outdone, Gail has cherry tomatoes growing in a window box

Toby and Penny have also started a vegetable garden and were beside themselves with excitement when they dug their first potatoes. We were so touched when they gave us a present of some of their precious first harvest.

Little Willow, our grand-daughter aged 3½ has already become hooked on planting seeds – she’s the ‘radish queen’ and regularly presents us with a bunch of her ‘spicy radishes’.

Penny also has a few hens which eat the scraps from the house and lay delicious eggs. I’m absolutely thrilled that so many young people have discovered how much fun it is to ‘grow your own’ and to be able to cook the results of your labours. By the way, there is an unprecedented demand for allotments in the UK. Apart from the satisfaction of actually growing some of your own vegetables and fruit there’s the rediscovery of the importance of freshness. This extra dimension comes as a big surprise when one is used to buying vegetables and fruit which are understandably days and sometimes weeks old before they reach the shelves. Many have travelled half way around the world causing unnecessary pollution .

Freshly harvested vegetables and fruit are often on the table within hours of being picked and are picked with vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Is it my imagination, or do really fresh organic vegetables also cook faster? – I’d love to hear of readers’ observations.

Frittata with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Summer Herbs

Unlike their soft and creamy French cousin, these omelettes are cooked slowly over a very low heat – while you can be whipping up a delicious salad to accompany it! A frittata is cooked gently on both sides and served in wedges like a cake. Omit the tomato and you can have the basic recipe, flavoured with cheese and a generous sprinkling of herbs. As with an omelette, you will occasionally want to add some tasty morsels to ring the changes – perhaps spinach, ruby chard, calabrese, asparagus or smoked mackerel. The list is endless but be careful not to use the frittata as a dustbin – think about the combination of flavours before you empty your refrigerator!

Serves 4-6

450 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs, preferably free-range
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil or marjoram
125 g (4½ oz) Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
40 g (1½ oz) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
25 g (1 oz) butter
Extra virgin olive oil

You will need:
Non-stick frying pan – 7 ½ inch (19cm) bottom, a 9 inch (23cm) top rim

Accompaniment:
Green salad leaves
Olives

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

Halve the tomatoes around the equator and season with salt and a little pepper. Arrange in a single layer in a non-stick roasting tin and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until almost soft and slightly crinkly. Allow to cool.

Preheat the grill.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, herbs, tomatoes and cheese to the eggs. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the egg mixture. Lower the heat to its minimum. Use a heat-diffuser mat and gently cook the eggs for 15 minutes, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny. Pop the pan under the preheated grill, about 4 inches (10 cm) below the element, for 1 minute to set and barely brown the surface. Use a palette knife under the frittata to free it from the pan. Slide it on to a warm plate. Serve wedges with a green salad and a few olives, sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with the olive oil.

Risotto with Broad Beans, Peas, Green Asparagus and Sugar Snaps

Serves 8

225g (½ lb) broad beans
225g (½ lb) peas
115g (¼ lb) sugar snaps 
6 stalks green asparagus 
40g (1½ oz) butter
110g (4oz) onions chopped 
400g (14oz) Carnaroli, Vilano, Nano or Arboria rice 
1.7-2L (3-3½ pints) Homemade chicken stock 
80ml (3 fl oz) white wine 
25g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano
salt and freshly ground pepper 

Bring 600ml (1 pint) water to the boil, add salt, the broad beans and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until almost tender, drain and refresh in cold water. Slip the beans out of their shells. Meanwhile cook the sugar snaps again in boiling salted water until al dente, then cook the asparagus for just 4 or 5 minutes and finally the peas for 3 or 4 minutes. Do this while cooking the risotto if you can keep your eye on several pots at the same time.

To start the risotto, bring the chicken stock to the boil at the back of the cooker and keep at a low simmer. Melt 25g (1oz) of butter in a saucepan, add the finely chopped onion and cook over a medium heat until soft but not coloured, add the rice and a generous pinch of salt. Stir the rice over the heat for 2-3 minutes or until it turns translucent, then increase the heat and add the dry white wine. When the wine has evaporated, add a couple of ladles full of stock, stir and reduce the heat to medium, keep stirring and as soon as the liquid has been almost absorb, add another ladle full and so on, stirring all the time. After about 10 minutes, add the beans, peas, sugar snaps and continue to ladle in more stock as it is absorb. After about 5 minutes, taste the rice, it should be just cooked, stir in the remainder of the butter, freshly grated Parmesan and the asparagus sliced into 1¼ inch pieces at an angle. Add a little more stock if necessary, the risotto should be soft and loose. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve immediately in hot bowls with more Parmesan to sprinkle over the top.

Cherry Tomatoes, Bocconini and Basil
Simple and delicious – great for a picnic.
Serves 4-6

450g (1lb) sweet ripe cherry tomatoes
225g (1/2lb) Bocconini or Buffalo mozzarella cut in quarters
Lots of fresh basil leaves
Maldon sea salt or Halen Mon and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Combine the cherry tomatoes, Bocconini or Buffalo mozzarella in a bowl. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Season with Halen Mon or Maldon sea salt, add lots of fresh basil leaves.

Zucchini fritters with yoghurt sauce

– from Bill’s Food by Bill Granger

Makes 18

500g (18oz) zucchini (courgettes), grated
½ teaspoon sea salt 
8 spring onions (scallions), chopped
125g (4½oz) feta, crumbled
35g (1¼oz) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
15g (¾oz) chopped fresh mint
2 eggs, lightly beaten
60g (2½oz) plain flour
sea salt, extra to taste
freshly ground black pepper
60ml(2¼floz) olive oil, for shallow frying

To serve

Yoghurt sauce – see below
Lime wedges

Put the zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with the sea salt, toss lightly and set aside for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water from the zucchini and pat dry with paper towels.

Put the zucchini, spring onion, feta, parsley, mint and eggs in a bowl and stir lightly to combine. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Drop tablespoons of batter into the hot oil, flattening gently with the back of a spoon. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with yoghurt sauce and lime wedges. These fritters are also delicious with a Greek salad.

Yoghurt Sauce

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
125g (4fl.oz) plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Blackcurrant Fool
Serves 6 approx.

350g (12oz) fresh blackcurrants, frozen blackcurrants may be used
Stock syrup (see recipe)
Whipped cream

Cover the blackcurrants with stock syrup. Bring to the boil and cook until the fruit bursts about 4-5 minutes. Liquidize and sieve or puree the fruit and syrup and measure. When the puree has cooled, add up to equal quantity of softly whipped cream, according to taste. Serve with light shortbread biscuits.

Note: A little stiffly beaten egg white may be added to lighten the fool. The fool should not be very stiff, more like the texture of softly whipped cream. If it is too stiff stir in a little milk rather than more cream.

Alternative presentation, chose tall sundae glasses. Put 2 floz of blackcurrant puree into the base of the glass, top with a layer of softly whipped cream, another layer of blackcurrant puree and finally a little more cream. Drizzle a little thin puree over the top, serve chilled with shortbread biscuits.

Blackcurrant Ice Cream

Left over blackcurrant fool may be frozen – it makes a delicious ice cream. Serve with blackcurrant coulis made by thinning the blackcurrant puree with a little more water or stock syrup.

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.
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Frosted Blackcurrant Parfait with Blackcurrant Coulis
Serves 10 approx

Pour the blackcurrant fool into a loaf tin lined with pure cling film. Cover and freeze. Serve cut in slices with blackcurrant coulis drizzled over the top.

Blackcurrant Coulis

8 ozs (225g) blackcurrants

1 cup stock syrup (see recipe above)
4-5 fl ozs (120-150ml) water* see below 

Pour the syrup over the blackcurrants and bring to the boil, cook for 3-5 minutes until the blackcurrants burst. Liquidise and sieve through a nylon sieve. * Allow to cool. Add 4-5 fl ozs (120-150ml) water.

Raspberry and Roseblossom Water Fool

Serves 8

Strawberries can also be substituted here.

1lb (450g) fresh raspberries
castor sugar
½ pint (300ml) softly whipped cream
¼ pint (150ml) natural yoghurt
1 -2 teaspoons rose blossom water
a few extra raspberries
Rose petals (organic)
Lady Finger (boudoir) biscuits, optional

Whizz the raspberries in a food processor with the sugar and rose blossom water. Sieve if the pips bother you – I usually do.

Fold in most of the cream and yoghurt. Taste and add a little more sugar, and cream or yoghurt if necessary. The texture should be soft, like barely whipped cream.

Serve in chilled glasses with a few fresh raspberries and rose petals scattered over the top with lady fingers (boudoir biscuits) – optional.

Strawberries with Lemon Sugar and Lavender Syrup

This recipe was given to me by one of my past pupils Doug Jeffords who made it at a cookery demonstration he did for the Herb Society of Santa Fe.

Serves 8

60g (2½oz) castor sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel (use a micro-plane or grater, not a zester)
110g (4oz) castor sugar
125ml(4fl.oz) water
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms
900g (2lb) strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters vertically

Crème fraiche or Mascarpone

Using a pestle, mash lemon peel into the 60g (2½oz) castor sugar until well blended. The lemon sugar is best made 1-3 days ahead. Store at room temperature in an air tight container.

Bring 110g(4oz) castor sugar and water to the boil in a heavy saucepan over medium to high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat, add lavender and simmer until lavender flavour is developed, about 5 minutes, strain syrup into small glass bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature.

Place berries in a large glass bowl, pour syrup over berries and stir gently to coat.

Spoon berries and syrup into individual bowls. Add a dollop of mascarpone or crème fraiche, and sprinkle with lemon sugar.

Garnish with lemon balm or lemon verbena. 
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Hot Tips

Two new 2 recipe booklets to encourage use of Irish Speciality and Artisan Foods have recently been published by Estragon Press and supported by Bord Bia –

Irish Food Slow and Traditional by John & Sally McKenna and Irish Food Fast and Modern by Paul Flynn and Sally McKenna – both titles in The Irish Cookery Library are on sale in speciality food outlets, local delicatessens and wine shops nationwide at a cost of €3 each. 

Congratulations to our past pupil Thomasina Miers who won the BBC Masterchef 
Thomasina attended the 3 month Certificate Cookery Course in January 2002 – we are so proud of her.

The Midleton Food and Drink Festival returns on 3 & 4th September 2005 – with a mouth-watering line up of food exhibitors, sampling, tasting, food culture and entertainment - over 60 stalls of fresh food and drink, food demonstrations in the Park Hotel and on the street – ‘Feast of the East’ – a fusion of food, flavour and fun.

Foolproof food

Willow’s Spicy Radishes with Butter, Crusty Bread and Sea Salt

This is how I enjoy Willow’s spicy radishes – what could be simpler and more delicious!

Fresh Radishes complete with leaves
Butter pats 
Sea salt ( We use Maldon flakes) 

Crusty bread

Gently wash the radishes, trim the tail and the top of the leaves if they are large. Cut a chunk of butter into ½ inch cubes. If you have butter pats, soak them in cold water and then roll each cube into a butter ball, drop into a bowl of iced water. 

To serve. 

Put 7 or 8 chilled radishes on each plate, add 2 or 3 butter balls and a little mound of sea salt. 

Serve fresh crusty bread as an accompaniment.

The growth of the Farmers Market Movement within that period has been nothing short of phenomenal. There are now well over 100 Farmers Markets in Ireland and others are opening at the rate of one a week at present. Their success illustrates a deep craving at grass roots level for a different type of shopping experience. Customers want to be able to source fresh naturally produced local food in season.
Many people are desperate to find forgotten flavours – duck eggs, green gooseberries, carrageen moss …… Others want real artisan food from small producers and really fresh
vegetables grown slowly in someone’s garden or farm.

After initial misgivings, many businesses in market towns have realised that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’. 

Saturday used to be the quietest day of the week in Midleton, people traditionally went to Cork to do their shopping, now it is the reverse, Saturday is the busiest day. Eager shoppers crowd into the Farmers Market from outlying areas and they continue their purchases in the town. Supermarkets in the US and UK particularly have been aware of this fact for some time now and many have encouraged Farmers Markets to set up in their car parks, realising that this arrangement will be mutually beneficial. 

The management of the new Mahon Point shopping complex in the suburbs of Cork City also had the vision to see the potential of a Farmers Market and invited local artisan and specialist food producers to set up outside their main entrance on Thursday morning. The first market started on 16th June.

We had a very busy morning here at the cookery school but I was determined to go along, lured by the promise that there would be 40 stall-holders.

The early morning was miserable – misty and blowing a gale, I thought of the stall holders loading their produce and umbrellas into their vans, the new recruits like Rikki McCowen, Rory O’Connell, Pippa Wood and Arun Kappil, excited and apprehensive as they head off in the drizzle complete with stall and produce. It hadn’t occurred to them that it would be a wet day.

By 6am Patrick Whelan was already on his way from Kilmore Quay with a van load of fresh fish. Peter and Olga Ireson from Knockatee organic dairy in South Kerry had also arrived with their organic cheese, butter and yogurt. By the time I arrived at around 11am the market was in full swing, the clouds had given way to clear skies and Yom and Lorcan were playing a rousing air in the centre of the plaza, creating a carefree holiday atmosphere.

Customers were wandering from stall to stall exploring, tasting, seemingly mesmerized by the variety of produce. Everyone seemed thrilled to discover that it wasn’t a once off and that there would be a Farmers’ Market in Mahon Point every Thursday.

There were nearly 40 stalls including several seasoned Farmers’ Marketeers from Midleton and other markets – Frank Hederman from Belvelly Smokehouse was doing a brisk trade with his smoked wild salmon, eel, mussels, mackerel and pates, local organic farmer Dan Ahern has also developed a loyal customer base for his beef and free-range chickens. Siobhan and David Barry from Ballintubber farm also sell at the Midleton Farmers Market on Saturday. They had a fantastic supply of new season vegetables, the first white turnips, caulis, chard, beetroot, green gooseberries and elderflower… Siobhan and David also do their best to encourage people to grow their own by selling little vegetable plants in peat moss plugs. Jan and Claire de Neubourg from Co Kerry had home baking and organic fruit, vegetables and herbs from their all organic Wishbone Farm. The Organic Garden and Ballycotton Organics all had stalls piled high with organic produce, including their wonderful mixed leaf salads. Deirdre Hilliard called her company Just Food, she does a range of organic soups, salads, dips, biscuits and ready meals and has already built up a loyal following at Midleton Market.

Rikki and Arun, former Ballymaloe Cookery School students were on their maiden voyage, Rikki made a selection of sandwiches using Arbutus bread and produce from the other stalls, Pippa was selling a selection of her mum’s Thursday Cottage homemade jams. Arun had spent several days weighing up whole spices which he imports directly fresh from the spice gardens of Kerala in South India.

Rory O’Connell, former head chef at Ballymaloe House was busy cooking sizzling steak sandwiches and also offered a range of seasonal desserts. Frank Krawczyk the father of the Irish artisan cured meat industry was there with a tantalizing selection of his cured meats and salami, as well as delicious kassler, brawn and pastrami. His prize pupil Fingal Ferguson of Gubbeen Smokehouse who has also built up a cult following, was delighted with his new toy – a state of the art refrigerated trailer unit which had just arrived from France to house his growing selection of cured meats, olives and Gubbeen cheese. There are no less than three farmhouse cheese stalls, all with beautifully matured gems from Fiona Burke, the Happy Cheese Salesman and local Ardsallagh goat cheese and yogurt. Ollie and Sean O’Driscoll were there with their famous €5 bags of fish straight from their boat in Schull.

Old Mill bank Smokehouse are there with more great smoked fish, Inner Pickle Jamaican style pickles and condiments are worth looking up. Don’t miss Mella’s fudge either and look out for Joup foods scones, soups, juices and summer salads.

Declan Ryan will be there with his much loved Arbutus breads, and O’Flynn’s Butchers with their famous sausages and speciality meats. Riccardo McSweeney has his Baile Bella range of traditional Italian dishes to go and gourmet Italian coffees to refresh the shoppers. Roisin McAlpine of Juicy also provides delicious refreshment by producing her delicious freshly prepared fruit juices and smoothies on the spot.

Keane’s Garden Centre have a tempting array of plants and if you feel like a little bubbly look out for champagne occasions who import direct both champagne, wine and oils from the vineyards.

Sugar and Spice

Korma (mild)

Serves 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:

1 lb onions, peeled, sliced
2 oz butter, clarified butter or 3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 oz garlic, crushed
1 oz ginger, grated
1 packet of “‘Sugar and Spices’” Korma Mix
1 tin coconut milk
1 tin tomatoes, chopped
1 tblsp sugar
2 lb stewing lamb, cut into cubes 
½ pt (or 2 small pots) natural, plain yoghurt

How to make your meal:

Sweat the onions in the butter (or clarified butter, oil) in a large casserole dish or saucepan 
Turn the heat up to medium, add the garlic and ginger and stir for a couple of minutes. 
Next, add the packet of Korma Mix and stir for a minute or so 
Turn the heat up slightly, add the tomatoes and sugar, stir and reduce the mixture for approx. 5 minutes 
Add the coconut milk and stir thoroughly 
Add the meat, the yoghurt and cook until tender (approx. 2hr)…simple! 

Serving suggestion:

- sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander and serve with Indian Basmati rice

Alternative suggestions:

- Try replacing the lamb with 2 lbs of chicken breast cut into mouth-size pieces, but remember to only cook it for about 30 minutes otherwise the chicken will be really tough.

- Fish could also be used instead of lamb. Monkfish is recommended as it has a firmer texture. Again, remember to only just cook the fish. This could take as little as 15 to 20 minutes.

Rogan Josh (medium)

Serves 4 - 6 people – another one pot wonder

Ingredients:

1 lb onions, peeled, sliced
2 oz butter, clarified butter or 3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 packet of “Sugar and Spices’” Rogan Josh Mix
1 oz garlic, finely chopped
2 oz ginger, grated
2 lb stewing lamb, cut into cubes
1 pt (or 4 small pots) natural, plain yoghurt
1 tin tomatoes, whizzed smooth
1 tblsp sugar
1 pt lamb stock (or water)

How to make your meal:

Heat the butter (or clarified butter, oil) in a large casserole dish or saucepan on medium 
Next, add the packet of Rogan Josh Mix and fry until you hear crackling, then add the sliced onions and fry until golden 
Stir in the garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes 
Add the lamb cubes and fry for a further 15 minutes 
Add the yoghurt, tomatoes, sugar and cover. Simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes
Finally, increase the heat and stir. Then add in the stock and cook until the lamb is tender (approx. 2hr) …simple! 

Serving suggestion:

- sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander and serve with Indian Basmati rice

Alternative suggestions:

- Try replacing the lamb with 2 lbs of chicken breast cut into mouth-size pieces, but cook the sauce for about one and a half hours then add the chicken and cook for about a further 30 minutes otherwise the chicken will be really tough.

Remember:

- It really doesn’t matter if you don’t stick to the exact measurements. So long as you end up with a tasty meal – who cares?!! And with the Sugar and Spice Mixes, you can’t go wrong!! – so says Arun!

Cucumber and Coriander Riata – side dish

Serves 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:

1 pt (or 4 small pots) natural, plain yoghurt
1 tblsp of “Sugar and Spices’” Garam Masala Mix
2 tblsp freshly chopped coriander
½ cucumber, thinly sliced or diced
Juice of half a lime
pinch of salt and pepper

How to make the riata:

Combine the above ingredients…simple!

Serving suggestion:

– use as an accompaniment to the “Sugar and Spice”, One Pot Wonder curries
Foolproof Food

Cruditees with Garlic Mayonnaise

Get yourself a selection of delicious fresh summer vegetables at the Farmers Market and make some cruditees.

Cruditees with Aoili is one of my favourite starters. It fulfills all my criteria for a first course: small helpings of very crisp vegetables with a good garlicky home-made Mayonnaise. The plates of Cruditees look tempting, taste delicious and, provided you keep the helpings small, are not too filling. Better still, it’s actually good for you – so you can feel very virtuous instead of feeling pangs of guilt!

Another great plus for this recipe I’ve discovered is that children love Cruditees. They even love Aoili provided they don’t hear some grown up saying how much they dislike garlic, and you can feel happy to see your children polishing off plates of raw vegetables for their supper, really quick to prepare and full of wonderful vitamins and minerals.

Cruditees are a perfect first course for Winter or Summer, but to be really delicious one must choose very crisp and fresh vegetables. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized bits so they can be picked up easily. You don’t need knives and forks because they are usually eaten with fingers.

Use as many of the following vegetables as are in season:

Very fresh button mushrooms, quartered
Tomatoes quartered, or let whole with the calyx on if they are freshly picked
Purple sprouting broccoli, broken (not cut) into florettes
Calabrese (green sprouting broccoli), broken into florettes
Cauliflower, broken into florettes
French beans or mange tout
Baby carrots, or larger carrots cut into sticks 5 cm/2 inches long, approx.
Cucumber, cut into sticks 5 cm/2 inches long approx.
Tiny spring onions, trimmed
Red cabbage, cut into strips
Celery, cut into sticks 5 cm/2 inches long approx.
Chicory, in leaves
Red, green or yellow pepper, cut into strips 5 cm/2 inches long approx., seeds removed
Very fresh Brussels sprouts, cut into halves or quarters
Whole radishes, with green tops left on
Parsley, finely chopped
Thyme, finely chopped
Chives, finely chopped
Sprigs of watercress

A typical plate of Cruditees might include the following: 4 sticks of carrot, 2 or 3 sticks of red and green pepper, 2 or 3 sticks of celery, 2 or 3 sticks of cucumber, 1 mushroom cut in quarters, 1 whole radish with a little green leaf left on, 1 tiny tomato or 2 quarters, 1 Brussels sprout cut in quarters, and a little pile of chopped fresh herbs.

Wash and prepare the vegetables. Arrange on individual white side plates in contrasting colours, with a little bowl of aoili in the centre. Alternatively, do a large dish or basket for the centre of the table. Arrange little heaps of each vegetable in contrasting colours. Put a bowl of aoili in the centre and then guests can help themselves.

Instead of serving the aoili in a bowl one could make an edible container by cutting a slice off the top of a tomato and hollowing out the seeds. Alternatively, cut a 4 cm/1½ inch round of cucumber and hollow out the centre with a melon baller or a teaspoon. Then fill or pipe the aoili into the tomato or cucumber. Arrange the centre of the plate of Cruditees.

Note: All vegetables must be raw.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is what we call a ‘mother sauce’ in culinary jargon. In fact it is the ‘mother’ of all the cold emulsion sauces, so once you can make a Mayonnaise you can make any of the daughter sauces by just adding some extra ingredients.

I know it is very tempting to reach for the jar of 'well known brand' but most people don't seem to be aware that Mayonnaise can be made even with a hand whisk, in under five minutes, and if you use a food processor the technique is still the same but it is made in just a couple of minutes. The great secret is to have all your ingredients at room temperature and to drip the oil very slowly into the egg yolks at the beginning. The quality of your Mayonnaise will depend totally on the quality of your egg yolks, oil and vinegar and it's perfectly possible to make a bland Mayonnaise if you use poor quality ingredients.

2 egg yolks, preferably free range
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of English mustard or ¼ teaspoon French mustard
15 ml/1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar
8 fl ozs (250ml) oil (sunflower, arachide or olive oil or a mixture) - We use 6 fl ozs (175ml) arachide oil and 2 fl ozs (50ml) olive oil, alternatively use 7 fl oz (200 ml) arachide to 1 fl oz (25 ml) olive oil.

Serve with cold cooked meats, fowl, fish, eggs and vegetables.

Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil into a measure. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil onto the egg yolks, drop by drop whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but don't get too cheeky or it will suddenly curdle because the egg yolks can only absorb the oil at a certain pace. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.

If the Mayonnaise curdles it will suddenly become quite thin, and if left sitting the oil will start to float to the top of the sauce. If this happens you can quite easily rectify the situation by putting another egg yolk or 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water into a clean bowl, then whisk in the curdled Mayonnaise, a half teaspoon at a time until it emulsifies again.

Aoili

ingredients as above

1-4 clove of garlic, depending on size
1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Crush the garlic and add to the egg yolks just as you start to make the Mayonnaise. Finally add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.

Note: Here is a tip for crushing garlic. Put the whole clove of garlic on a board, preferably one that is reserved for garlic and onions. Tap the clove with a flat blade of a chopping knife, to break the skin. Remove the skin and discard. Then sprinkle a few grains of salt onto the clove. Again using the flat blade of the knife, keep pressing the tip of the knife down onto the garlic to form a paste. The salt provides friction and ensures the clove won't shoot off the board!

Arun Kapil of Sugar and Spice kindly shared some of his recipes with us.

Arun suggests using the spice mixes which he freshly grinds and packages for his stall to make these ‘one pot wonders’ – he will be delighted to offer other suggestions to customers.



Hot Tips

Mahon Point Farmers Market – Thursdays 10-2 plaza in front of main West entrance. 

More One Pot Wonders at Ballymaloe Cookery School on 18th July – Tel 021-4646785

Tipp FM Food Fair - 12-6 on Sunday 3rd July at Thurles Greyhound Track. Booklet called ‘Savour Tipperary’ detailing the artisan food producers/processors in Tipperary will be launched on the day by Mr Alan Dukes TD. Mr Dukes chaired the Agri-Vision 2015 Task Force. 

Artisan Foods of Meath – The Artisan Food Producers of Meath have produced a tempting booklet telling the story of eleven food producers in the area, the group is a voluntary membership group composed of like minded people from very different backgrounds, while the range of food they make extends from chutneys to chocolates, bread to cheesecakes and soups to sausages, they share the ethos of producing locally to the highest standards of quality. Meath LEADER shares in the group’s objectives and fully supports their efforts to promote and aid the development of artisan food enterprises in Co Meath. info@meathleader.ie  Tel 046-9249338 - Michelle O’Brien is the Food Specialist with Meath Leader. www.meathleader.ie 

Artisan Food Producers of Meath c/o Ger O’Sullivan, tel 01-8257761 wellfieldfoods@eircom.net

Theres fashion in food just like everything else. Foodies are always intrigued by the latest trends on the gastronomic circuit, so every year we offer a New Trends Course for those who like to keep up to date with the culinary scene. How does one get the inside track on the hottest food trends from all over the world.

Well, I keep my ear to the ground when I travel and of course I eat in a variety of restaurants. I’m also a member of the IACP, the International Association of Culinary Professionals so I’m fortunate to have a network of people around the world from Sydney to LA and from Mexico to Capetown to tap into when I need to find out what’s happening. Spain is leading the avant garde food movement with Ferran Adria of El Bulli and his acolytes pushing the culinary boundaries. His influence is growing among chefs like Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in Bray in the UK.

What was interesting this year was the similarity – the words organic, local and sustainable kept coming up. The Slow Food Movement continues to gather momentum worldwide. Retro food is back so we’re seeing favourites from the seventies on many trendy restaurant menus – Prawn cocktail, Chicken Maryland, Scampi, Steak with Bearnaise, even Trifle, but usually with a twist.

As ever the top innovative chefs are creating food their own style, from the elaborate and intricate multi-course tasting menus of Thomas Keller in the French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per se in New York, to the exquisitely simple fresh seasonal menus created by Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Both have their devotees – the former is an eating experience, the latter type of food is definitely a trend. Belly of Pork and offal are everywhere, I ate beef cheek and meltingly tender belly of pork at the ultra hip Gray Café in the Time Warner building in New York. It was fatter than anything even I would dare serve over here and was completely delicious. This new restaurant is much talked about not only for its food but because the kitchen has the best view in New York – some guests were peeved that the chefs have a better view than them.

Cherry Ripe from Melbourne tells me that that Wagyu beef is on every menu in Australia. Translated literally, “Wa” means Japanese, and “gyu” means cattle. The meat is deliciously marbled with fat. Wagyu is not one breed but actually four: Black, Brown, Shorthorn and polled. For a breed of cattle that didn’t exist twenty years ago, it’s becoming ubiquitous – muscling its way on to upmarket menus all over Australia. It costs 150 Australian dollars a kilo as opposed to 35 for purebred Angus. After a decade of being encouraged to think ‘lean’, chefs are in revolt. Better still, research is on their side. It now appears that while external meat fat is largely saturated, research is now showing that the internal, intramuscular fat is proportionately much more mono-unsaturated, a beneficial fat. Fifty per cent of the marbling in Wagyu beef is comprised of oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat. This helps explain the meat’s perceived greater “juiciness”. Wagyu are normally killed around 24-26 months (although some are kept up to 32-34 months), resulting in a ‘beefier’ taste.

Retro is also all the rage in Australia, Brunswick Street is famous for their veteran retro food, they serve 2,200 of their ‘retro brekkies’ a week at present – Bacon, Mushrooms, Tomato and Poached egg on toast with Hollandaise Sauce. Australia is also the home of Asian fusion.

Duck in any guise is very popular – braised, or with lentils….and slow roasted pork belly is also all the rage.

Zanne Stewart Food Editor of Gourmet Magazine in New York, said that when they asked about two dozen chefs around the US to send them their favourite recipes, the majority sent recipes for seafood. This would not have happened even 5 years ago, she feels its another facet of people wanting to cook things quickly. Street foods are cropping up in restaurants – sates, dosas, grilled panini sandwiches. Spanish food continues to grow in popularity – especially bocadillos and tapas, New Yorkers like small bites.

Cheese, particularly farmhouse cheese, which most Americans would scarcely let past their lips a few years ago, is now a cult food. Picholine Restaurant, Rob Kaufelt at Murray’s Cheese Shop and Steve Jenkins at Fairway are leading the way, Tom Colicchio at Craft and Craftwich has been serving family style food to packed houses for some time now.

Earlier this year April Bloomfield, formerly of the River Café, opened New York’s first gastro pub in the Village – a huge hit. New York chefs and foodies are also talking about Fergus Henderson, whose London restaurant St John, serves everything from the nose to the tail to committed foodies – this is a fascinating turn around for a country like the US, where it is rare for people eat ‘variety meats’. Maria Battali and his team continue to expand their empire of neighbourhood restaurants, Babbo, Lupa, Ino, Inoteca……Simple gutsy food, great ingredients – they have been leading the way curing their own meat, salami, prosciutto, sopressatta etc.

California used to set the food trends in the US, but according to Mary Risley of Tante Marie’s cooking school in San Francisco, after the dot.com bust and 9/11, neither the money nor the will was there any longer, people now want to go to neighbourhood restaurants or local French brasseries where they can walk to eat. Steak with bearnaise, simple pangrilled fish with lemon or beurre blanc and more recently marrow bones with parsley salad, a definite Fergus Henderson influence. Mary Risley also stressed that simplicity is the new buzzword, chefs have to be more conscious of where food is coming from and where its grown – they are increasingly linking directly with farmers and artisan producers. So chefs are talking about sustainability and Fair Trade, middle class are talking about foam.

Serious food issues are being discussed in the papers every day in the US, how pigs and chickens are being reared, conditions in the feed lots, wild salmon versus farmed salmon- this is definitely a new development, influenced no doubt by books and films such as Fast Food Nation and Super Size Me. Grass fed beef is a must – grain fed gets the thumbs down from serious chefs and foodies.

Bonnie Stern, Cooking School owner and food writer from Toronto says that big chefs are opening tapis style restaurants featuring small plates, Japanese pub style restaurants- no sushi, people want casual restaurants, more organic foods and better quality ingredients.

Alicia Wilkinson of Silwood Kitchen Cooking School in Capetown again reiterated that simplicity and organic are buzz words in South Africa’s emerging cuisine.

London is really on the cutting edge of the global food scene, some of the very best food is in gastro pubs like the Eagle and Anchor and Hope, and Borough Market is a mecca for foodies.

Other Trends –

Tea is the new coffee.

Cocktails – a huge revival

Hippest cooking method –braising meat, anything slow cooked sells – daube of beef is a best seller.

Food issues are the topic being discussed at trendy dinner parties – obesity, seed saving and loss of bio-diversity, children’s food.

Craving for forgotten flavours and skills – keeping a few chickens in your garden is the fastest growing hobby in the UK. Big demand for courses on keeping chickens, pigs and how to make your own bacon, sausage etc.

Chefs on this side of the world are following the example of their US colleagues and are employing foragers on their team so they can incorporate wild foods into their menus.

Roast Chinese Belly of Pork with Five Spice Powder and Chinese Greens

Serves 6-8

3lbs/1.3kg belly of free-range pork with rind attached
1 tbsp Szechwan peppercorns
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp Maldon or Halen Mon sea salt
2 tsp five spice powder
2 tsp castor sugar

Chinese Greens, Broccoli or Pak Choi with Oyster Sauce
1½lbs/700g sprouting broccoli, small Pak Choi or Chinese greens
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce

The day before cooking, bring a kettle of water to the boil, meanwhile pierce the skin with a skewer all over the surface, try not to penetrate the flesh. Put the pork on a wire rack on the draining board, pour the boiling water over the skin side, allow to drain, dry well.

Put the Szechwan and black peppercorns into a hot frying pan, stir around for a minute or two until they begin to smell aromatic.

Pour into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, cool for a few minutes then grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl, add the salt, five spice powder and sugar. Put onto a small tray. Rub the spice mixture well into the flesh of the pork and keep refrigerated over-night.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Mark 6.

Put a wire rack on top of a roasting tin. Half fill with water. Lay the pork skin side up on top of the wire rack. Cook for 20 minutes, lower the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Mark 4 and continue to roast for 1½ to 2 hours. When cooked through, increase the heat to 230°C/450°/Mark 8 for 15 minutes. The rind will bubble and crisp.

Remove to a warm serving plate. Meanwhile cook the vegetable. Boil or steam the sprouting broccoli, Calabreze or Pak Choi (use 3 tbsp salt to every 2 pints water) for 4-5 minutes depending on size. Mix the oils, oyster sauce and soy sauce together in a little saucepan, warm gently.
Meanwhile, slice the pork into 1½ inch square chunks, you’ll need a serrated knife. Drizzle the well-drained vegetable with the dressing. Taste, correct the seasoning. Serve the pork in deep Asian bowls with rice and vegetables.

Goat’s Cheese in Olive Oil (Queso de Cabra en Aceite)

Shepherds have traditionally made delicious mild and cured cheeses from goat’s milk. The wild herbs which the animals feed on as they ramble over the mountainside during the seasonal migrations give the cheese a slightly spicy flavour, which is accentuated by the olive oil, also seasoned with herbs. The oil keeps these small cheeses fresh and can afterward be filtered and used as a dressing or eaten with bread.

8 small goat’s cheese, with a diameter of about 2 inches (5cm)
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
1tbsp fennel seeds
1tbsp black peppercorns
16fl oz (500ml) olive oil

Put the goat’s cheese in a sterilised, sealable glass jar with the herbs and peppercorns in between. Add enough oil to cover completely. Seal and leave for 1 month before eating. The oil can be used afterward to dress salads.

Spatchcock Chicken

Serves 6-8

1 free-range organic chicken
Extra virgin olive oil or butter
Chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A few cloves of garlic

Insert a heavy chopping knife into the centre of the chicken from the back end to the neck. Press down sharply to cut through the backbone. Alternatively place the chicken breast side down on the chopping board, using a poultry shears cut along the outer length of the backbone as close to the centre as possible. Open the bird out as much as possible. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, sprinkle with chopped rosemary or thyme and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tin. Turn skin side upwards and tuck the whole garlic cloves underneath. Roast in a preheated oven 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 40 minutes approximately.

Note: cook the chicken on a wire rack over a roasting tin of roast potatoes or vegetables. Carve and serve hot with a good salad of organic leaves.

Olive Oil Ice Cream

Jeannie Chesterton gave me this interesting recipe when we spent a few blissful days at her tiny guest house in the middle of the chestnut forest near Aracena in Andalucia.

7oz (200g) castor sugar
4fl oz (125ml) water
4 eggs free-range and organic if possible 
1 glass of pale extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt
8fl ozs (225ml) of milk
7oz (200g) blood orange segments
Maldon Sea Salt

Put the sugar and the water into a saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar before the water comes to the boil. Continues to boil for about 5 minutes or until the syrup reaches the thread stage. Whisk the eggs in a Magimix, add the oil gradually while still running. Add the cool syrup next in a very thin stream. Finally add the salt and the milk. It’s best frozen in a sorbetiere otherwise just freeze in a covered plastic box.

Serve with blood orange segments and a few flakes of Maldon sea salt.

Foolproof food
Fruit Kebabs 

Next time you have the barbecue out try these with whatever fruit you have to hand.

Makes 16 kebabs approx.

8 Peaches or Nectarines
4 Bananas (sprinkled with fresh lemon juice)
8 Apricots
24 Cherries
16 Strawberries
Orange liqueur, Cointreau or Grand Marnier
6 - 8 ozs (170-225g) castor sugar
Whipping cream.

Cut the peaches or nectarines and apricots in halves, keep 

strawberries whole. Peel the bananas and cut into large chunks, cut each chunk into about 3 pieces and sprinkle with a little lemon juice. Mix the fruit in a bowl, sprinkle with orange liqueur, macerate for about 15 minutes. Thread the fruit on to skewers. Roll in castor sugar and barbecue for 5 - 8 minutes or until they start to caramelize. Serve immediately with a little softly whipped cream. For real excitement pour some of the liqueur over each set it alight and serve immediately. Otherwise just drink the marinade with the kebabs later on!

Variations
Cut Apple kebabs
Dessert apples cut into large chunks, or quarters 
sprinkle with lemon juice 

Just before cooking toss in or paint with melted butter sprinkle with castor sugar and thread on skewers and grill for 5 - 8 minutes or until golden and caramelized.

Note: The fruit can also be cooked in tin foil parcels over the barbecue if you wish.

Hot Tips

The spirit of innovation and diversity is alive and well in the craft butcher sector.
The annual competition to find Ireland’s best butchers’ sausages got underway in recent weeks with regional competitions in Mallow, Nenagh, Carrick-on-Suir and Kill, Co Kildare – there was a wide range of innovative speciality sausages, traditional ‘breakfast sausages’, black and white puddings and drisheen –judging by members of the Irish Guild of Foodwriters - full results on www.craftbutchers.ie ACBI Chief Executive Pat Brady said that entries in the competition were up this year reflecting recognition of increased demand by consumers for something ‘that little bit different’.

National Finals will be held at the Retail Foodshow (incorporating Butchershow) at City West Hotel on 6th November – 

Growing Awareness – Sunday 3rd July – Manch Demesne, Dunmanway, Co Cork
At Manch The Irish Natural Forestry Foundation has established, in conjunction with the owner, a centre of excellence to demonstrate and promote Irish natural forestry that is economically as well as socially and environmentally beneficial. Manch Demesne lies three miles east of Dunmanway on the R586 road. Watch for INFF signs on the left when you reach the wooded tunnel. From Bandon, the Demesne lies half a mile beyond the Carbery milk factory on the right in the wood tunnel. Contact Ian Wright on 028-21889

Vermilion, an Indian-Fusion restaurant in the heart of Terenure Village in Dublin launched the annual Vermilion Indian Summer Festival on Mid-Summer’s Day. The festival takes place every Tuesday and Wednesday until 14th September. A new menu is introduced every four weeks in which Vermilion samples the diverse dishes from India’s five regions each week. At €38 for four courses and a half bottle of wine, this is expected to be popular with fusion fans this summer – to reserve a table call 01-499 1400 or email:
mail@vermilion.ie  www.vermilion.ie  

Union Hall Vintage Festival, West Cork, 7th August
On Sunday August 7th Union Hall will have a Vintage Day with music and stalls selling various products including food. Any small food producer interested in setting up a stand should contact Con Hurley at 028 34820/33088 cohurley@eircom.net

I have just eaten a wonderful bowl of lightly mashed new season strawberries sprinkled liberally with castor sugar and anointed with cream.
So what’s remarkable about that?
Well, for a start I ‘don’t do strawberries’! I’m thoroughly bored of huge tasteless berries from January to December, so I manage to avoid them virtually the whole year, apart from a few weeks in summer. Even then they are rarely worth getting excited about, unless one can find some of the older varieties that haven’t been irrigated on a daily basis, they are scarcely worth bothering about.

Problem is, I can vividly remember what strawberries used to taste like. I remember the agonising wait for them to ripen in the little strawberry patch in our garden. There were never enough to have even a little feast. I remember my friend Bernie and I desperately trying to work out some diversionary tactics to distract Mrs Cody in Tubberloe so she wouldn’t spot us through the back kitchen window as we tried to sneak into her vegetable garden. Of course she caught us and ‘put the run on us’ as the expression went.

Other wonderful memories of summer holidays come flooding back, on my great uncle’s farm in Tipperary Aunt Lil would send us off up the bog lane with little tin ‘ponnies’ to collect wild strawberries to sprinkle over a sheet of tender sponge. The intense flavour of those tiny berries still lingers in my taste memory.

The strawberries I have just eaten were unusually flavoursome, I bought them in Lynda O’Neill’s shop in Leap. There they were sitting beside the till so I succumbed to temptation. They were local strawberries grown commercially by David Busby at Inchinatin near Rosscarbery. 

The strawberries themselves were good but it was the cream that really turned them into a feast, gorgeous thick rich Glenilen cream. This is cream like it used to taste, luxurious artisan double cream produced by Alan and Valerie Kingston on their family farm in Drimoleague. I was blown away by the flavour and texture – this is cream like I remember, rich cream that would whip up in seconds, but so thick that I usually prefer to serve it in a little jug so I can pour it slowly over my berries, rice pudding or pinhead oatmeal porridge.

This is quality cream that has now almost become a forgotten flavour – shame on us in a country that has the capacity to produce the very best dairy products in the world from our lush green grass, yet so often by the time the cream gets on the shelves of our shops its thin and flavourless.

I feel deeply grateful to the Kingstons for giving us an alternative, it costs more because it is better – real food with a story.

Aunt Lil’s Wild Strawberry Sponge
Serves 8

5 eggs, preferably free range
5 ozs (140g) castor sugar
5 ozs (140g) plain white flour
12 fl ozs (350ml) cream
¾ -1 lb (350-450g) wild strawberries or Fraises du Bois
castor sugar

1 Swiss roll tin 9 inches x 12 inches (23cm x 30.5cm)

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/regulo 5.

Line the bottom and sides of the Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper. Brush the paper with melted butter, dust with a little extra flour and castor sugar.

Sieve the flour. Put the eggs and castor sugar into a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Take it off the heat and continue to whisk until the mixture is cool again. (If using an electric mixer, no heat is required). Sieve in about one-third of the flour at a time and fold it into the mixture using a large spatula or metal spoon.

Pour the mixture gently into the tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. It is cooked when it feels firm to the touch in the centre. The edges will have shrunk in slightly from the sides of the tin. Lay a piece of greaseproof paper on the work top and sprinkle it evenly with castor sugar. Turn the sponge onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Remove the tin and greaseproof paper from the bottom of the cake, allow to cool. 

Meanwhile whisk the cold cream until softly whipped. When the cake is cold, spread whipped cream over the top, cover with wild strawberries, sprinkle with castor sugar and serve.

Coeur a la Creme with Summer Fruits

A most exquisite summer pudding. You may use one large mould or individual moulds. In France they are traditionally heart-shaped. The moulds must be well perforated to allow the cheese to drain. Also delicious with a Compote of Blackcurrants or Green Gooseberry and Elderflower Compote.

Serves 4

225g (8oz) unsalted cream cheese or home made cottage cheese
300ml (½pint) softly whipped thick double cream
2 tablespoons castor sugar
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Accompaniment
Summer berries, frais du bois, strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, blackberries, redcurrants, blueberries……

300ml (½pint) cream, softly whipped
castor sugar

Garnish
mint leaves

Press the cheese through a fine meshed nylon sieve and blend it gently with the double cream. Stir in the sugar and lightly but thoroughly fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn the mixture into muslin lined heart shaped moulds. Stand them on a wide plate, cover with a large plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator overnight to drain. 

Just before serving, turn the moulded cheese hearts out on to white plates. Scatter a selection of summer fruits around the cheese hearts.

Serve with a Strawberry, Raspberry or Blackcurrant Coulis, (see Foolproof Food) softly whipped cream and castor sugar.

Note: If you have not got the traditional heart shaped moulds, one can make Coeur a la Creme in a muslin lined bread basket or even a sieve.

Poached Blackcurrants with Icy Cold Cream

12oz ( 340g) blackcurrants, strings removed

Stock Syrup
2oz (55g) sugar
2floz (55 ml) water

Icy cold cream

To make the stock syrup: dissolve the sugar in the water over a gentle heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes and allow to cool. May be stored in the fridge until needed.

Cover the blackcurrants with stock syrup. Bring to the boil and cook until the fruit bursts - this will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with warm shortbread biscuits and icy cold cream.

Shortbread Biscuits

Just three ingredients – 2-4-6, sugar, butter and flour, but so versatile. Serve with fruit fools, compotes and ice creams. Or use to make an instead of pudding by sandwiching together with fruit or berries and sweetened cream. Strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, boysenberries, peaches, nectarines or kiwi. Even bananas would be delicious drizzled with Toffee Sauce.

Makes 25

6 ozs (170g) white flour
4 ozs (110g) butter
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar

Put the flour and sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter as for shortcrust pastry. Gather the mixture together and knead lightly. Roll out to ¼ inch (7mm) thick. Cut into rounds with a 2½ inch (6cm) cutter or into heart shapes. Bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 to pale brown, 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the biscuits. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Note: Watch these biscuits really carefully in the oven. Because of the high sugar content they burn easily. They should be a pale golden colour - darker will be more bitter.

Strawberry Shortbreads
Makes 8-10

Ingredients as above
1lb (450g) fresh strawberries
whipped cream, sweetened

Stamp the shortbread dough into 2½ inch (6cm) rounds or heart-shapes.
Bake as above

When cool, sandwich two biscuits together with sliced strawberries and sweetened cream.
Dust with icing sugar and decorate with whole strawberries and a sprig of sweet cicely.
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Raspberry, Nectarine and Melon Salad
Serves 6

2 ripe nectarines or peaches
4-6 oz (110-170 g) fresh raspberries
½ Ogen melon or 2 bananas
Castor sugar
Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Slice the peaches into ¼ inch (5 mm) thick slices (peel the peaches first if using). Put into a bowl with the raspberries. Scoop the melon flesh into balls or ½ inch (1 cm) dice and add a good sprinkling of castor sugar and the juice of 1 or 2 lemons. If using bananas slice and add to the salad just before serving. A little freshly chopped mint would be delicious too.

Variations:
Raspberry, Nectarine, Melon and Blueberry Salad
Add 4ozs of fresh blueberries to the above recipe

Raspberry, Nectarine and Blueberry Salad
Omit melon and add 8ozs of blueberries instead

Summer Fruit Jelly with Sweet Geranium Cream

Makes 9-10 ramekins

450g (1lb) summer fruit eg.
225g (2lb) fresh raspberries
110g (3lb) fraises du bois or tiny strawberries
110g (3lb) blueberries or blackcurrants 

Syrup
225ml (8fl oz) water
225g (8oz) sugar
4 sweet geranium leaves (Pelargonium Graveolens)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 rounded teaspoons gelatine
3 tablespoons water

Sweet Geranium Cream

4-5 sweet geranium leaves approx.

1 tablespoon lemon juice
150ml (6fl oz) cream
sugar to taste, optional

ramekins, 255-285ml (9-10fl oz) capacity

Put the cold water, sugar and sweet geranium leaves into a stainless steel saucepan, bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes, allow to cool, add freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Brush the moulds lightly with non-scented vegetable oil. Alternatively line the moulds with cling film. Sponge the gelatine in two tablespoons of water, then place the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Remove the sweet geranium leaves from the syrup, pour the syrup onto the gelatine and then add the fruit, stir gently. Fill into the lined moulds. Put into the fridge and leave to set for 3-4 hours.

Meanwhile make the sweet geranium cream.

Crush the leaves in a pestle and mortar with the lemon juice, add the cream and stir, (the lemon juice will thicken the cream, if the cream becomes too thick add a little water.)

Taste, if too bitter add a little sugar, remember the sauce should be tart.

To assemble:

Spread a little sweet geranium cream onto a white plate, turn out a jelly and place in the centre. Place 3-5 tiny sweet geranium leaves on the cream. Decorate with a few perfect raspberries, serve chilled.

Raspberry Jelly with Mint
Substitute raspberries for the mixture of summer fruit, add a teaspoon of framboises liqueur to the syrup if available. Substitute mint for sweet geranium in both the syrup and cream.

Loganberreis are exquisite used in the same way.

Strawberry and redcurrant tart

Serves 6

Shortcrust pastry:

4 ozs (110g) flour
3 ozs (85g) butter
1 dessertsp. icing sugar
pinch of salt
1 small egg, preferably free range, beaten

7 inch (18cm) flan ring or tart tin with removable base

Filling

12-15 ozs (340-450g) Strawberries,(eg. El Santa), (Raspberries, Loganberries, Blueberries, Blackberries or a mixture could also be used.)

4-6 tablesp. redcurrant jelly

Decoration:

3 pint (150ml) cream, whipped
fresh mint or lemon balm leaves

Make the shortcrust pastry. Line the flan ring and decorate the edges. Line the pastry with kitchen paper and fill with dried beans. Bake blind in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 for 20-25 minutes.

Remove paper and beans, paint the base of the tart with a little beaten egg and replace in the oven until completely cooked - 5-8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

To finish: Warm the redcurrant jelly. Paint the base of the tart with the jelly and arrange the strawberries on top, either whole or in slices. Paint the fruit so that it all looks beautifully shiny. The jelly not only glazes the fruit but also adds a delicious bitter-sweet flavour.

Decorate with tiny rosettes of cream and mint or lemon balm leaves.

Note: This tart shell can be used for many other types of fruit, eg. kiwi fruit, peeled and pipped grapes, bananas, plums, peaches or nectarines. Brush with apricot glaze if yellow or green fruit is used.

Raspberry and Rose Blossom Fool

Serves 8

Strawberries can also be substituted here.

1lb (450g) fresh raspberries
castor sugar
½ pint (300ml) softly whipped cream
¼ pint (150ml) natural yoghurt
1 -2 teaspoons rose blossom water
a few extra raspberries
Lady Finger (Boudoir) biscuits, optional

Whizz the raspberries in a food processor with the sugar and rose blossom water. Sieve if the pips bother you – I usually do.

Fold in most of the cream and yoghurt. Taste and add a little more sugar, and cream or yoghurt if necessary. The texture should be soft, like barely whipped cream.

Serve in chilled glasses with a few fresh raspberries and rose petals scattered over the top.

Foolproof Food

Fruit Coulis

Delicious with ice-cream

Raspberry Coulis

8 ozs (225 g) Raspberries

3-6 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons water
Lemon juice - optional

Make a syrup with sugar and water, cool and add to the raspberries. Liquidise and sieve, taste, sharpen with lemon juice if necessary. Store in a fridge.

Strawberry Coulis

Serves 8

14 ozs (400 g) Strawberries
2 ozs (55 g) icing sugar
Lemon juice

Clean and hull the strawberries, add to the blender with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice if necessary. Store in a fridge.
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Hot Tips

Glenilen make double cream, clotted cream, country butter, cheesecake, yogurt with fruit compote in a glass, all from the milk of their own Friesian dairy herd, they are also introducing some Jersey cows to the herd to increase the butter fat. Valerie says the name comes from the River Ilen which runs through the farm, they started making these delicious value-added products to enable them to stay farming viably on their own land. 

Glenilen products are available from the following outlets in the Cork area – O’Herlihy’s on Wellington Road, Food Fair in Douglas, O’Donovans in Wilton, O’Driscolls in Ballinglough and Super-Valu in Carrigaline and Midleton. www.glenilen.com  Tel. 028-31179

Summer Fruit - Raspberries, boysenberries, loganberries, tayberries are now coming into season also so plan to enjoy them as often as possible during the true berry season.

David Busby, Rosscarbery 023-38140. John Howard, Sunnyside Fruit Farm, Rathcormac, 025-36253

Cork Summer Show – June 18/19 Cork Showgrounds, Ballintemple
Farmers Market, Traditional Crafts Hall and much, much more….

Pasture to Plate – The Art of Cheesemaking – Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont, USA 5-7 September.
For budding cheese makers, enthusiasts and food lovers – an in depth introduction to the world of artisan cheese – 3 day course – for details contact Hilary Sunderland or Caitlin Fay at 00 82 985 8498

100% Health Weekend with Patrick Holford June 25 & 26, 9.30-5.30
Transform your diet, your health, your life! At the Cultivate Sustainable Living Centre, 15-19 Essex St West, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Details from 01-6745773 or john@sustainable.ie

The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004 was an unprecedented, global, catastrophe, the largest natural disaster to which the United Nations has had to respond in 60 years.

It affected millions of people in 12 countries, spanning two continents and tens of thousands of visitors from forty nations around the world.

We will never know the exact magnitude of how many men, women and children perished on 26 December, but the figure is likely to exceed two hundred and twenty thousand.

As time passes, it is easy to forget that millions in Asia, Africa, and India, are still suffering unimaginable trauma and psychological wounds. Families have been torn apart. Whole communities have disappeared. Places of worship have been wiped out. People’s anchors and values have been swept away – so many people are still desperate for help.

Last week I was reminded of this when I was present at the launch of a celebrity charity cookbook East Meets West, compiled by two remarkable women, Barbara Jayson and Jenny de Montfort. 

Barbara trained as a nurse at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. She lived for many years in South East Asia and whilst living in Indonesia started a charity: ‘The Foundation for Mother and Child Health’. Her long term ambition is to grow the Foundation into a sustainable network using the same transparent and measurable business model that proved so successful in Indonesia. Barbara was awarded an MBE for her work in Indonesia in 2004.

Jenny’s family come from Guernsey, but she was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Nigeria and Cameroon. After university she worked in the wine trade in Bordeaux and London. She married her husband Roger in 1992 and after starting a family spent a happy year marketing fine chocolate, to taste in the same way as a fine wine.

Her husband’s job then took the family to South Africa, Indonesia, Singapore and now back to London. Whilst in Indonesia she and a friend compiled a successful cookbook for charity which inspired this book.

All the profits from the sale of the book will go to charities in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, the two countries most affected by the tsunami of 26 December 2004, and with which the producers of the book, Barbara Jayson and Jenny de Montfort, have close personal links.

As Jenny had experience of the wine and food trade in the UK, Barbara suggested that they should team up to produce a book using recipes from a wide range of leading Asian and Western cooks and chefs.

The first person Barbara called was Nigella Lawson, and, though she does not know it, Nigella became the lynch pin of the whole project. Using her contacts in the wine trade Jenny got in touch with a number of leading wine writers and again the response was positive. In addition, photographers, agents, PA’s and publishers all donated freely of their time, material and knowledge. In the end well over a hundred people from around the UK, France, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Australia worked together to produce the book in record time.

East meets West – Celebrity charity cookbook, compiled by Barbara Jayson and Jenny de Montfort, published by Accent Press Ltd. 2005.

www.tsunami-charitybook.com  www.motherandchildhealth.org  

Grapefruit and Prawn Salad – Bill Granger – from East Meets West

Serves 4

2 ruby grapefruit or 2 grapefruit and 1 pomelo
40g (¼ cup) cashews
20 cooked prawns, peeled and deveined
20g (1 cup) mint leaves
1 small butter lettuce, washed and dried
dressing – see below

To serve – steamed rice

Peel the grapefruit by slicing off both ends. Stand the end of the fruit on a board, and following the curves of the grapefruit, slice off all the peel with a sharp knife. Make sure the pith is also removed. Set aside. Place a frying pan over a high heat and when hot, add the cashews. Cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly roasted. Remove from the heat and roughly chop. Set aside.

Place the grapefruit, prawns and mint in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving plate, or divide between four plates. Top with the salad and sprinkle with the roasted cashews. Serve with steamed rice.

Dressing
60ml (¼ cup) fish sauce
60ml (¼ cup) lime juice
2 tbsp. brown sugar
3 red Asian shallots, or ½ rd onion, finely sliced
2 small red chillies, finely chopped

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Take from Bill’s Open Kitchen published by Murdoch Books 2003.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

– Caroline Waldegrave

We made this soup today with some aged butternut squash and it was still absolutely delicious.

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
500ml/17½ fl.oz good quality chicken stock
1 x 400ml/14 fl.oz can coconut milk
2 tbsp. Thai basil, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish
Crème fraîche
Chopped fried pancetta

Sweat the onion slowly in the oil for 10 minutes.
Add the Thai curry paste and continue to cook over a low heat for 2 minutes.
Add the butternut squash, chicken stock and coconut milk, bring up to the boil, season with salt and pepper and simmer until the squash is soft. This may well take up to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whiz in batches, and return to the rinsed out saucepan. Taste and season as required.
Reheat the soup and add the basil just before serving.
Pour into warmed soup bowls and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche and the chopped pancetta.

Thai-style Chicken and Mango Salad

- Diana Henry

To be strictly Thai you can leave out the watercress and increase the quantity of herbs. If you can’t find green mangoes, or prefer to eat ripe ones, you can use 1 ripe mango and 1 tart green apple (core removed). As well as sourness the green mangoes provide crunch so an apple is a fine substitute
Serves 4

4 chicken fillets (skinned)
salt and pepper
groundnut oil
6 spring onions, sliced
8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
2 medium-sized unripe mangoes
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp castor sugar
juice of 1½ limes
3 long red chillies
50g fresh coriander
40g fresh mint leaves
50g watercress leaves
1½ tbsp roughly chopped roasted peanuts

Lightly season the chicken breasts and saute them in 2 tbsp groundnut oil until cooked through. Leave to cool.

Saute the spring onions, using a little more oil if you need to, in the same pan and put them in a broad flat bowl. Quickly fry the slices of garlic until golden – be really careful not to burn them. Add these to the bowl as well.

Cut the flesh from the mangoes – there is no need to peel it – and cut into lengths about the thickness of two matchsticks. Put these in the bowl along with the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Halve and deseed the chillies and slice them finely. Add to the bowl.

Finally cut the chicken into strips and add to the bowl with the herbs, watercress and 3½ tbsp of groundnut oil. Mix everything together. Scatter the roasted peanuts over the top and serve.

Green Thai Fish Curry

– Sonia Stevenson

Thai curries are incredibly easy to make, very quick to cook and totally delicious. The secret is in the mixture of spices and the freshness of the pastes which are traditionally made with a pestle and mortar. Alternatively make the paste in a food processor using ground spices.
Serves 4

Spice Paste

1 onion sliced
3 garlic cloves cut up
6 small hot green chilli deseeded and sliced
5cm fresh ginger scraped and sliced
1 tsp white pepper ground
1 tsp coriander ground
½ tsp cumin ground
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 stalk of lemon grass peeled and sliced thinly
750g fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, John Dory or other firm fish
1 tbsp of peanut oil
400ml coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

To serve

Sprigs of Thai basil
2 limes, quartered
fragrant Thai rice or noodles

Place all the spice paste ingredients in the food processor and work them into a fine puree. Set aside.

Put the oil into a wok and heat well. Add the spice paste and stir fry for a few seconds to release the aromas. Add the thick portion from the top of the coconut milk, stir well and boil to thicken a little.

Add the fish and turn the pieces over in the sauce until they are well coated. Reheat to simmering point and cook until they start to become opaque. About two minutes.

Add the remaining coconut milk and chopped coriander and continue cooking until the fish is ready. Serve topped with Thai basil plus the halved limes and fragrant Thai rice or noodles.

Taken from ‘Casseroles’ published by Ryland Peters and Small 2001

Chilli Jam Beef Stir-fry

– Donna Hay

Serves 4

6 large mild red chillies, seeds removed
1 tbsp roughly chopped ginger
1 onion, quartered
3 tsp shrimp paste
â…“ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
650g (21oz) beef strips
4 green onions (scallions), sliced
200g (7oz) green beans, trimmed

Place the chillies, ginger, onion, shrimp paste, sugar and oil in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and add the chilli paste. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is thick and fragrant. Add the beef to the pan and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the green onions and beans, cover and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Taken from The Instant Cook published by Harper Collins 2004

Oriental Style Sticky Lamb Chops

– Gary Rhodes

Serves 4

8 chump lamb chops
320g (11oz) jar plum sauce
4 tsp clear honey
4 tsp dark soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2.5cm (1 inch) ginger, chopped
2 spring onions, cut into 2.5cm long pieces
2 red chillies, finely chopped
250g (9oz) packet egg noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 spring onions for curling
227g (8oz) can water chestnuts , drained and roughly chopped
227g (8oz) can bamboo shoots, drained
1 red chilli, finely sliced

Pre heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7
Mix half the plum sauce with the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, spring onions and half the chopped chillies.

Place the chops in a roasting tin and coat with the sauce. Marinate for 3-4 minutes.
Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, turning once.

Drop the noodles into boiling water and cook until tender. Then toss them in sesame oil with spring onion curls, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.
Serve the lamb on the noodles with the sauce spooned over the top. 
Garnish with chilli slices.

Note: to make spring onion curls, soak shredded spring onions in iced water
Taken from Great Fast Food published by Ebury Press 2000

Winter Charlotte with Rhubarb and Raspberries

– Rose Prince

Serves 6

about 8 slices of day-old white bread, crusts removed (save them for breadcrumbs)
softened unsalted butter
ground cinnamon
700g/1½ lb forced rhubarb, cut into 2cm/¾ inch lengths
400g/14oz frozen raspberries
golden caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6. 

Butter the bread slices and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Cut each slice into quarters, then into 8 small triangles.

Put the rhubarb and raspberries into a pan, cover and cook over a low heat until the rhubarb is just soft. Add enough sugar to sweeten to your taste, then pour into a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the triangles of bread on top, buttered side up, working in a fish scale pattern. Bake the charlotte for about half an hour until the surface of the bread is golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle caster sugar on top. Serve with fresh custard or thick double cream.
© Rose Prince 2005

Warm Banana Tarte Tatin

– James Martin

Serves 6-8

500g (1lb 2oz) bought puff pastry, thawed if frozen
250g (9oz) caster sugar
25g (1oz) butter, softened
leaves stripped from 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
8 ripe bananas

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into a 25cm (10 inch) round. Prick all over with a fork, then leave to rest in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and melt slowly over a very low heat until it turns a mid-caramel colour. You might like to add 1 tbsp. of water to help it on its way, but most chefs don’t. It is vital not to allow the syrup to bubble even around the edge until all the sugar grains have dissolved, otherwise the mixture will become grainy.

It can help to brush the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, to prevent any stray sugar grains from causing the syrup to crystallize.

As soon as the sugar turns a mid-caramel colour, plunge the pan base into a sink of cold water to halt the browning. It will spit alarmingly, so make sure that your arm is well covered. Beat in the butter until the mixture turns to a buttery caramel. Pour the caramel into an oven-proof frying pan, or 23cm (9inch) shallow cake tin, turn and evenly coat the bottom and sides with the caramel.

Heat the oven to 190C (375F) gas mark 5.

Sprinkle the chopped rosemary over the surface of the caramel, then slice the bananas on top. Finally, place the pastry round over the sliced bananas, pressing the edges down the sides of the filling all the way round.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove carefully from the oven to prevent spilling the hot caramel.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before carefully inverting on to a serving plate.
Cut into wedges to serve.

Foolproof Food

Spring Cabbage Soup

Its worth taking care to preserve the bright green colour of green soups like this. First, remember not to overcook the green vegetables, many greens – lettuce, kale, cabbage, spinach, watercress for instance, cook very quickly, so they should not be added until the base vegetables are fully cooked in the stock. The boil the soup rapidly without the lid on for only a few minutes until the greens are just cooked. Whizz in a blender and serve immediately or cook quickly and reheat just before serving. Green soups lose their fresh colour if they are kept hot indefinitely.
Serves 6 

55g (2ozs) butter
115g (4ozs) onions, chopped 
130g (5ozs) chopped potatoes
250g (9ozs ) chopped spring cabbage leaves (stalks removed)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
900 ml (1½ pints) light chicken stock
50-125ml (2-4 fl ozs) cream or creamy milk

First prepare all the vegetables, then melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and turn them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add the stock (heat it if you want to speed things up) and boil until the potatoes are soft. Add the cabbage and cook with the lid off until the cabbage is just cooked - a matter of 4 or 5 minutes. Keep the lid off to retain the green colour. Do not overcook or the vegetables will lose both their fresh flavour and colour. Puree the soup in a liquidiser or blender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the cream or creamy milk before serving. 

If this soup is to be reheated, just bring it to the boil and serve. Prolonged boiling will spoil the colour and flavour.
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Hot Tips 

Silke Cropp who makes the sublime Corleggy Cheese in Belturbet, Co Cavan, introduced us to the new farmhouse cheese Wicklow Blue, made by John Hempenstall in Curranstown, near Arklow. 

It’s a soft blue Brie cheese with a downy rind, made with vegetarian rennet from pasteurised milk from his own Friesian herd. John has 55 cows and milks all year round so has a continuous supply of cheese. Great to have a new farmhouse cheese to enjoy at a time when Bord Bia are also crying out for new specialist products to fill the demand for artisan foods. Available from Sheridans, Horgans, Urru in Bandon, Classical Taste in Carrigaline. John also supplies some of Ireland’s top restaurants. Tel. 0402-91713

Grow your own Vegetables – well known gardening writer Joy Larkcom will teach a course on Creative Vegetable Gardening at the Ballymaloe Cookery School on Saturday 25th June – 9.30-5pm Tel 021-4646785

Growing Awareness – walk on Sam Sweetnam’s farm at Clohane Skibbereen on Sunday 19th June at 3pm. 
Extensive areas of ancient oak and beech woodland on a dairy farm and productive orchard , with a range of apple varieties. The walk includes the neighbouring woodland, 9 year old broadleaf plantation and vegetable garden. Contact Paul McCormick at 028 23742. www.growingawareness.org 

Hope you’ve been enjoying the feature on healthy food in the Examiner this week – lots of thought provoking articles which make us further realise the crisis that’s looming as a result of the deterioration of our national diet.
The statistics on obesity, diabetes and other diet related diseases are there for all of us to see – now its time for action. Time for all of us to rattle the pots and pans and make a difference in our own homes. A growing body of research is linking an impoverished diet with behavioural problems, unruly children, uncontrollable and aggressive teenagers, and indeed adults. It sounds simplistic to suggest that changing one’s diet can have such a dramatic effect – well why not try it.

Let’s throw out all the junk - packets, cans, processed food and sugary breakfast cereals and start from scratch.

Porridge is unquestionably the best and most nutritious breakfast cereal, I regularly tuck into a large bowl with dark brown sugar and Jersey milk, it’s a brilliant Glycaemic Index food which keeps you buzzing along until lunch time. If porridge seems a little heavy in May, why not start the day with a bowl of nut and grain muesli or crunchy granola topped with slices of organic banana – there’s even a better feel good factor if its also ‘fair trade’. 

How about getting a discussion going at home about the whole obesity issue and how much depends on the food we eat, get the whole family involved, let’s have some suggestions – do we need to review our eating habits, do we even want to bother? Is it worth the effort, are we piling on the pounds, feeling ratty, constipated, suffering from indigestion, low sex drive, low energy. Do we have unexplained lumps, bumps or rashes, regular headaches, heartburn…. Could it be that we need to review that diet after all. Problem is – we’re all too busy. Rush out to work, grab a breakfast at the nearest petrol station, maybe a Danish and a can of diet soda to give us our sugar fix. Several snacks and cups coffee between there and lunch, which will often be a sandwich made with sliced bread, heavily processed meat and cheese, maybe some coleslaw where the cabbage and carrots have been sterilised in Milton before being combined in the salad.

In the evening, we’re whacked after a hard day’s work with the minimum of nutrients to sustain the body, so we plump for the easy option – grab a burger, pizza, or tuck into a feed of steak and chips. Maybe stick a TV dinner into the microwave. A few glasses of wine or a beer to help us to relax – no energy to go for a walk, not to speak of a run, so we flop into bed and the vicious circle continues. If this sounds a teensy bit familiar, its definitely time for reappraisal but hang on, who is going to do all the work?. Many mums have full time jobs as well as their other full time job as mum, so despite the talent of keeping a million balls in the air, help is needed and corny as it may sound, cooking is actually fun. In fact it can be terrifically relaxing and rewarding if everyone, children included, gets involved in planning the menus, sharing the shopping and peeling, chopping, mixing, baking and then most importantly of all, sitting down together around the kitchen table to enjoy the fruits of your labour – that’s what memories are made of. Most importantly, if you have been able to get involved in the shopping and preparation, and you are fortunate enough to come home to a delicious meal, don’t forget to hug the cook and offer help with the washing-up. For far too many it’s a thankless task – so no wonder they opt for a ready meal. Remember, cooking yummy food is fun, try it, you’ll be blown away!

Vegetable Stir-Fry with Cashew Nuts

Olive Oil

Garlic crushed or chopped
Ginger, shredded
Spring Onions, cut at an angle
Chillies, sliced
A selection of 5 or 6 of the following:

Bean sprouts
Tomatoes, cut into quarters
Mange Tout, whole or cut in two at an angle
Spring Cabbage, shredded
French Beans, cut in ½ or sliced at an angle
Celery, sliced at an angle
Red/Green/Yellow Peppers, cut into strips at an angle
Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
Celeriac, cut into julienne strips
Broccoli, small florets
Leeks, cut at an angle
Carrots, cut in ½ inch and sliced at an angle
Cauliflower, florets
Peas
Sugar Peas or Snaps, whole or cut in half at an angle
Asparagus, cut at an angle
Baby Sprouts, quartered
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Toasted sesame oil or oyster sauce
Freshly chopped herbs
Cashew nuts

Heat the wok, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, when almost smoking add in the crushed or chopped garlic, spring onion, chilli and ginger, toss for a few seconds, then add the vegetables, salt and freshly ground pepper and continue to toss for a minute or two. Sprinkle with sesame oil or oyster sauce. Taste and correct seasoning. Scatter with lots of freshly chopped herbs.
Turn into a hot dish and serve immediately.

Basic Frittata

Serves 2-4

In season: all year 

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.

8 large eggs, preferably free range organic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
85g (3oz) Gruyére cheese, grated
30g (1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
30g (1oz) butter
1 dessertspoon basil or marjoram

Non stick pan - 19cm (72inch) bottom, 23cm (9inch) top rim

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, grated cheese into the eggs. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the eggs. Turn down the heat, as low as it will go. Leave the eggs to cook gently for 12 minutes on a heat diffuser mat, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny.
Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set but not brown the surface. 
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.

Mushroom Frittata

Serves 6-8

In season: all year 

Frittata is an Italian omelette. Kuku and Tortilla all sound much more exciting than a flat omelette although that’s basically what they are. Unlike their soft and creamy French cousin, these omelettes are cooked slowly over a very low heat during which time you can be whipping up a delicious salad to accompany it! A frittata is cooked gently on both sides and cut into wedges like a piece of cake. Omit the tomato and you have a basic recipe, flavoured with grated cheese and a generous sprinkling of herbs. Like the omelette, though, you’ll occasionally want to add some tasty morsels, to ring the changes perhaps some Spinach, Ruby Chard, Calabreze, Asparagus, Smoked Mackerel etc... the list is endless but be careful don’t use it as a dust bin - think about the combination of flavours before you empty your fridge.

450g (1lb) flat mushrooms - washed and sliced
8 large eggs, preferably free range organic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g (4½oz) Gruyére cheese, freshly grated
40g (1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
25g (1oz) butter
1 tablespoon basil or marjoram

non stick pan - 19cm (7½ inch) bottom, 23cm (9 inch) top rim
a heat diffuser mat, optional

Heat some olive oil in a hot pan, add the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and cook over a high heat until just wilted, cool.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped herbs, mushrooms and grated cheese into the egg mixture. 
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the egg mixture. Turn down the heat as low as it will go, use a heat diffuser mat if necessary. Leave the eggs to cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny. Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set and barely brown the surface.
Alternatively after an initial 4 or 5 minutes on the stove one can transfer the pan to a preheated oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 until just set 15-20 minutes.
Slide a palette knife under the frittata to free it from the pan. Slide onto a warm plate. 
Serve cut in wedges with a good green salad and perhaps a vine-ripened Tomato Salad (see page 00) and a few olives. 

Tip: Slice the mushroom stalk into thin rounds up to the cap, then lay the 
mushroom-gills down on the chopping board and slice. Use both stalk and caps for extra flavour and less waste. Alternatively put the stalks into a vegetable stock.

Gratin of Haddock with Imokilly Cheddar and Mustard with Piquant Beetroot

This is one of the simplest and most delicious fish dishes we know. If haddock is unavailable, cod, hake or grey sea mullet are also great. We use Imokilly mature Cheddar from our local creamery at Mogeely.

Serves 6 as a main course

175g (6 x 6oz) pieces of haddock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
225g (8ozs/2 cups) Irish mature Cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) Dijon mustard
4 tablespoon (5 American tablespoon approx.) cream

Piquant Beetroot

1½ lbs/675 g beetroot cooked

½ oz15 g/¼-½ stick butter 
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
A sprinkling of sugar (if necessary)
5-6 fl ozs/140-175ml/generous : cup cream 
1-2 tsp finely chopped chives.

Peel the beetroot, use rubber gloves for this operation if you are vain!. Chop the beetroot flesh into cubes. Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the beetroot toss, add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and cream, allow to bubble for a few minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sugar. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if necessary. Serve immediately. 

Ovenproof dish 8½ x 10 inches (21.5 x 25.5cm)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground pepper. Arrange the fillets in a single layer in an ovenproof dish (it should be posh enough to bring to the table.) Mix the grated cheese with the mustard and cream and spread carefully over the fish. It can be prepared ahead and refrigerated at this point. Cook in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the top is golden and bubbly. Flash under the grill if necessary. Serve with hot Piquant Beetroot. 

Pangrilled Fish with Flavoured Butters

Pangrilling is one of my favourite ways to cook fish, meat and vegetables. Square or oblong cast-iron pangrills can be bought in virtually all good kitchen shops and are a ‘must have’ as far as I am concerned. In this recipe you can use almost any fish - mackerel, grey sea mullet, cod, sea bass, haddock - provided it is very fresh.

8 x 6 ozs (170 g) of very fresh fish fillets
Seasoned flour
Small knob of butter

Garnish
Segment of lemon
Sprigs of Parsley

Accompaniment
Flavoured butter (see below) or Tomato Fondue (see recipe) 

Heat the pan grill. Dip the fish fillets in flour which has been well seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper. Shake off the excess flour and then spread a little butter with a knife on the flesh side, as though you were buttering a slice of bread rather meanly. When the grill is quite hot but not smoking, place the fish fillets butter side down on the grill; the fish should sizzle as soon as they touch the pan. Turn down the heat slightly and let them cook for 4 or 5 minutes (time depends on the thickness of the fish). Turn over and cook on the other side until crisp and golden. Serve on a hot plate with a segment of lemon and some slices of flavoured butter or a Salsa. 

Some good things to serve with pan-grilled fish

Parsley or Herb Butter 
4ozs (110 g/1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or a mixture of chopped fresh herbs - parsley, chives, thyme, fennel, lemon balm
A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cream the butter and add in the parsley or mixed herbs and a few drops of lemon juice. Roll into butter pats or form into a roll and wrap in greaseproof paper or tinfoil, screwing each end so that it looks like a cracker. Refrigerate to harden.

Watercress Butter
Substitute fresh watercress leaves for parsley in the recipe above. Delicious served with salmon or john dory.

Dill or Fennel Butter
Substitute dill or fennel for parsley in the recipe above. Also delicious served with pan-grilled fish.

Mint or Rosemary Butter
Substitute 2 tablespoons of finely chopped mint or 1-2 tablespoons of rosemary for the parsley in the recipe above.

Wild Garlic Butter
Substitute wild garlic leaves for parsley in the recipe above. Garnish the fish with wild garlic leaves and flowers.

Nasturtium Butter
Substitute 3 tablespoons of chopped nasturtium flowers (red, yellow and orange) for the parsley in the recipe above.

Garlic Butter
Add 3-5 crushed garlic cloves to the parsley butter.

Grainy Mustard Butter 
This is particularly good with mackerel or herring

4ozs (110g/1 stick) butter
1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons approx. grainy mustard
Cream the butter, add the mustards, put into a bowl and cover or form into a roll and refrigerate until needed.

Olive and Anchovy butter 
4 ozs (110g/1 stick) butter
1-2 anchovies
4 black olives, stoned
2 teaspoons approx. freshly chopped parsley

Whizz all the ingredients together in a food processor or chop ingredients finely and mix with the butter. Put in a bowl and cover or form into a roll and refrigerate until needed.

Chilli and Coriander Butter 
4 ozs (110 g/1 stick) butter
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) chopped fresh coriander or marjoram
Freshly ground pepper
A few drops of lime or lemon juice

Cream the butter, then add the chilli and fresh herbs. Season with freshly ground pepper and lime or lemon juice. Put in a bowl and cover or form into a roll and refrigerate until needed.

Poached Whole Salmon or Sea Trout to be served Cold

1 whole salmon or sea trout

Water 
Salt 

Garnish 
Crisp lettuce leaves
Sprigs of watercress, lemon balm, fennel and fennel flowers if available 
A segment of lemon for each person 
Home-made Mayonnaise 

Special Equipment 
Fish Kettle 

Clean and gut the salmon carefully; do not remove the head, tail or scales. Carefully measure the water and half fill the fish kettle, adding 1 rounded tablespoon of salt to every 40 fl ozs/2 imperial pints. Cover the fish kettle and bring the water to the boil. Add the salmon or sea trout and allow the water to come back to the boil. Simmer for just 2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and allow the fish to cool completely in the water (the fish should be just barely covered in the water). 
To serve: When the fish is barely cold, remove from the fish kettle and drain for a few minutes. Line a large board or serving dish with fresh crisp lettuce leaves, top with sprigs of watercress, lemon balm and fennel and fennel flowers if available. Carefully slide the salmon onto the board. Just before serving, peel off the top skin, leave the tail and head intact. (We don’t scrape off the brown flesh in the centre because it tastes good.) Pipe a line of home-make Mayonnaise along the centre of the salmon lengthways, garnish with tiny sprigs of fennel and fennel flowers or very thin twists of cucumber. Put some segments of lemons around the dish between the lettuces and herbs. Resist the temptation to use any tomato or - horror of horrors - to put a slice of stuffed olive over the eye! The pale pink of the salmon flesh with the crisp lettuces and fresh herbs seems just perfect. Serve with a bowl of good home-make Mayonnaise. 

Whole Salmon or Sea Trout cooked in Foil

1 salmon or sea trout, 3.4-4kg/8-9lbs approx.

Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
110g/4ozs/1 stick butter approx. 
Sprig of fennel 
Garnish 
Segments of lemon and sprigs of parsley or fennel 
A large sheet of good quality tin foil 

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

Clean and gut the fish if necessary, dry carefully. Put the sheet of tin foil on a large baking sheet, preferably with edges. Place the salmon in the centre of the sheet of tin foil. Smear butter on both sides and put a few lumps in the centre. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper and put a sprig of fennel in the centre if you have it. Be generous with the butter, it will mix with the juices to make a delicious sauce to spoon over your cooked fish. Bring the tin foil together loosely and seal the edges well. 
Bake for 90 minutes approx. (allow 10 minutes per 450g/1lb). Open the package, be careful of the steam. Test by lifting the flesh off the backbone just at the thickest point where the flesh meets the head. The fish should lift off the bone easily and there should be no trace of blood; if there is, seal again and pop back in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes, but be careful not to overcook it. 
Serve hot or cold. If you are serving it hot, spoon the juices over each helping, or use the butter and juice to make a Hollandaise-type sauce by whisking the hot melted butter and salmon juice gradually into 2 cold, serve with some freshly-made salads and a bowl of home-made mayonnaise. Garnish with parsley and fennel.

Poached Whole Salmon or Sea Trout to be served Hot or Cold 

A whole poached salmon served hot or cold is always a dish for a very special occasion. Long gone are the days when the servants in great houses complained bitterly if they had to eat salmon more than twice a week! 
If you want to poach a salmon or sea trout whole with the head and tail on, then you really need to have access to a ‘fish kettle’. This is a long narrow saucepan which will hold a fish of 3.9-4kg/8½-9lbs weight. Most people would not have a fish kettle 

in their houses, so if you want to keep the fish whole then the best solution would be to bake it in the oven wrapped in tin-foil.
Alternatively, you could cut the salmon into three pieces, and cook them separately in the way I describe for cooking a piece of salmon. Later, you could arrange the salmon on a board or serving dish, skin it and do a cosmetic job with rosettes of mayonnaise and lots of fresh herbs. 
A 3.4kg/8lbs salmon will feed 16 people very generously and it could quite easily be enough for 20. 125-140g/4½-5ozs cooked salmon is generally plenty to allow per person as salmon is very rich. Use any left-over bits for salmon Mousse or Salmon Rillettes. 

Ballymaloe Poached Whole Salmon or Sea Trout to be served Hot

1 whole salmon or sea trout

Water 
Salt 
Garnish 
Sprigs of fresh parsley, lemon balm and fennel 
Hollandaise Sauce
A segment of lemon for each person 
Special Equipment 
Fish kettle 

Clean and gut the salmon carefully; do not remove the head, tail or scales. Carefully measure the water and half fill the fish kettle, add 1 rounded tablespoon of salt to every 40 fl ozs/2 imperial pints. Cover the fish kettle and bring the water to the boil. Add the salmon or sea trout and allow the water to come back to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave the salmon in the water for a few minutes (4-5) to settle. Then remove from water. It will keep hot for 20-30 minutes. 
To serve: Carefully lift the whole fish out of the fish kettle and leave to drain on the rack for a few minutes. Then slide onto a large hot serving dish, preferably a beautiful long white china dish, but failing that, whatever it will fit on! Garnish with lots of parsley, lemon balm and fennel and 10-12 segments of lemon. I don’t remove the skin until I am serving it at the table, then I peel it back gradually as I serve; however, if you prefer, remove the skin just at the last second before bringing it to the table. When you have served all the fish from the top, remove the bone as delicately as possible, put it aside and continue as before. Serve with Hollandaise Sauce. 

Hot Tips

Garryvoe Hotel have recently opened their very stylish new extension – reception area, bar and restaurant – wishing them continued success.

Farming, food and health – an indivisible chain – Soil Association Scotland Conference, Battleby, Perthshire, Scotland – Wednesday 25th May.

A 1-day Conference presented by the Soil Association Scotland, Scottish Agricultural College and Scottish Natural Heritage. For further information tel 0044 117 314 5000 www.soilassociation.org  

Ballymaloe House has just won the Restaurant of the Year Award, sponsored by Bushmills – congratulations to all concerned.

Fabulous Food Fair in Co Tipperary Sunday 3rd July 12-6– Tipp FM is delighted to offer all quality food providers a unique forum in which to display and sell their quality food. To book a stand contact Noreen Condon 087-2795900 or Geraldine Henchion 087-2523215.

Watercress is the ‘new rocket’. After decades of being pushed to the edge of the plate as nothing more than a decorative garnish, watercress is suddenly the hippest ‘new’ ingredient, enjoying a huge renaissance as diners discover its not ‘just a bit on the side’. Chefs can’t get enough of it and they are using their creativity to use the peppery little salad leaf in a myriad of ways.

Watercress is bursting with goodness, its health benefits have been known since ancient times. Greek general Xenophon insisted that his soldiers ate it as a tonic and Hippocrates, the father of medicine, chose the location of his first hospital because of its proximity to a stream so he could use only the freshest watercress to treat his patients.

Gram for gram, watercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium magnesium manganese and zinc than apples, tomatoes and cooked broccoli. Its got more iron than spinach and more Vitamin C than oranges and more calcium than whole milk.

Its also a brilliant detox ingredient, the peppery mustard oils boost and regulate the activity of the liver’s enzymes. Watercress is packed with beta-carotene and Vitamin A equivalents, which are great for healthy skin and eyes. It provides iodine and most B vitamins, including folic acid which is important for a healthy pregnancy. 

Watercress is naturally low in calories and fat. Apparently, Liz Hurley drinks up to six cups of watercress soup a day when she’s on one of her famous diets, so how about that for a recommendation!.

The reality is I don’t need any convincing, ever since I was a child I’ve loved the delicious peppery flavour of watercress. Every Spring we used to pick it from the stream in the chapel meadows on the outskirts of the little village of Cullohill in Co Laois.

We ate it in sandwiches and salads with tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, scallions and lots of Chef salad cream.

Old people always spoke about watercress in the same reverential tone that they used for nettles, the other wild green which ‘purifies the blood and keeps away the rheumatics for a year’ according to ancient lore. What makes watercress unique is its high levels of a compound called phenylethl isothiocyanate, or PEITC. This gives the plant its unique peppery flavour and in scientific studies has been shown to increase the body’s potential to resist certain carcinogenic (cancer causing agents.)

The UK National Watercress week runs from 15-21 May with a myriad of events.

The week kicks off on Sunday 15 May with a Watercress Festival in the beautiful Georgian town of Alresford in Hampshire, the UK’s capital of watercress farming. Cookery demos from celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson, street theatre, music, children’s cookery classes, a watercress healthy quiz and a watercress food market selling a delicious range of watercress fare from smoked Hampshire trout, watercress and horseradish soup, watercress crêpes, watercress sausages, watercress scones, watercress ice cream, watercress chocolates and even watercress beer. Alresford has some great pubs and restaurants and their chefs plan to offer on an amazing range of watercress dishes to compete for the prize of Best Watercress Restaurant and Pub menu. For those who have a budding Nigella or Jamie in the family, there will be kids’ watercress Cookery workshops.

The watercress farmers will be out in force so people can find out the fascinating story behind watercress production . Seventy eight year old Bill Jesty, whose family has grown watercress in Hampshire and Dorset for six generations, has built a model watercress farm to show how gravity and a series of valves are used to channel spring water through the watercress beds, handling up to an incredible 5,000 gallons of water per acre per hour.

The Watercress Line heritage railway, so named because of the vast quantities of watercress it used to transport up to Covent Garden Market, will also be in operation.

Watercress is a classic ingredient in salads and sandwiches and of course it makes a delicious soup, but here are 12 suggestions for terrific ways to use this classic little salad leaf.

1. Make a delicious watercress pesto.

2. Stir chopped watercress into hot pasta with plenty of grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

3. Use it to fill a classic omelette with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese or stir into softly scrambled eggs just before serving.

4. To make a delicious simple salad, drain a can of cannellini beans and tuna, chop up half a cucumber and three tomatoes and mix together. Drizzle over some good vinaigrette and then toss with a bag of watercress.

5. If you are fed up with plain old mashed potato, for an extra injection of flavour, add a few peeled cloves of garlic to the potatoes whilst they boil. Drain and mash with a knob of butter and a tablespoonful or two of wholegrain mustard, then stir through a bag of roughly chopped watercress. Season with plenty of ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Great with sausages or most meat dishes.

6. Fold chopped watercress into cottage cheese or ricotta and use as a filling for baked potatoes.

7. For a tasty lunch, cut a small ciabatta loaf lengthways. Pile with creamy Cashel Blue, Crozier Blue or Gorgonzola and slices of pear and grill until just bubbling. Scatter with a large handful of watercress and sprinkle with black pepper.

8. Watercress perks up any sandwich, adding flavour and crunch. A favourite combination with marmite, or try smoked salmon topped with a mixture of crème fraiche and horseradish.

9. Watercress is a staple food among the Chinese, who believe it brings the body back into balance, both nutritionally and holistically. It’s a particular favourite in stir fries, thrown in at the last minute and cooked until just wilted.

10. Watercress mayonnaise is delicious served cold with poached salmon., asparagus or simply as a dip.

11. For a variation on salsa verde, blitz a bag of watercress, a handful of basil leaves, 1 clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a food processor until just smooth. Season and serve – tastes great with chargrilled tuna.

12. Finally, one of my favourite ways to eat watercress and so simple. Serve a roast on a bed of watercress on the serving dish. It is completely delicious combined with the meat juices and some crusty roast potatoes.

Pickled Beetroot

Leave 2 inch (5cm) of leaf stalks on top and the whole root on the beet. Hold it under a running tap and wash off the mud with the palms of your hands, so that you don't damage the skin; otherwise the beetroot will bleed during cooking. Cover with cold water and add a little salt and sugar. Cover the pot bring to the boil and simmer on top, or in an oven, for 1-2 hours depending on size. Beetroot are usually cooked easily and if they dent when pressed with a finger. If in doubt test with a skewer or the tip of a knife.

Watercress Soup

There are references to watercress in many early Irish manuscripts. It formed part of the diet of hermits and holy men who valued its special properties. Legend has it that it was watercress that enabled St. Brendan to live to the ripe old age of 180! In Birr Castle in Co. Offaly, Lord and Lady Rosse still serve soup of watercress gathered from around St. Brendan's well, just below the castle walls.

Serves 6-8

12 ozs (45g) butter
5 ozs (140g) peeled and chopped potatoes
4 ozs (110g) peeled and chopped onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint (600ml) water or home-made chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 pint (600ml) creamy milk
8 ozs (225g) chopped watercress (remove the coarse stalks first)

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

Watercress Pesto

Serves 4

Bag of watercress
Handful of basil leaves
1 clove of garlic
handful of toasted pine nuts
5 tablesp olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
generous shavings of Parmesan
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Put all the ingredients into a blender, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Whizz everything together, then stir into a bowl of pasta.

Here are some of the recipes prepared specially by Antony Worrall Thompson for Watercress Week.

WATERCRESS AND MUSHROOM PANCAKES

Prep: 25mins

Cook: 10 mins
Serves 6

For the pancakes:

15ml/1tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
25g/1oz mushrooms, sliced
1 egg
100ml/4 fl oz milk
25g/1oz watercress leaves
25g/1oz plain flour
pinch of salt and a little freshly ground black pepper
pinch of ground allspice

For the filling:

225g/8 oz soured cream, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon lemon juice
85g/3 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 roasted peppers, peeled and diced * 
55g/2 oz watercress leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the pancake batter: Heat the oil in a small pan, add the shallot and mushrooms and sauté for 2 mins until golden. Cool slightly. Place the egg, milk, watercress, flour, salt and pepper and allspice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a jug and leave to stand for 10 minutes. 
To cook the pancakes, line a plate with two sheets of kitchen paper and set it aside. Lightly brush a small frying pan with a little of the oil. Then place the pan on a medium heat until hot. Remove the pan from the heat and pour about 45ml/3 tbsp of the batter into the centre of the pan. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to evenly coat the base of the pan. Cook over a medium heat for 1-2 mins or until the base is golden. Flip onto the other side and continue to cook until golden. Flip out onto kitchen paper. Cover with another kitchen paper. Repeat to make about 6 pancakes in total. 
To make the filling, beat the sour cream with the lemon juice until light. Add the mushrooms, peppers and watercress and lightly mix. Season to taste. Lay the cooked pancakes out on the work surface. Divide the filling between the pancakes, spooning it down the centre of each. Roll up and place in a lightly buttered shallow dish. 
Before serving bake the crepes in preheated oven 190C/Gas mark 5 for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with watercress salad. 

* Roasted peppers are available in cans or jars from supermarkets. They have all the skin and seeds removed, ready for us

GRILLED BUTTERY CHICKEN ON A BED OF WATERCRESS MASH

Prep: 10mins

Cook: 30-35mins
Serves 4 

675g/11/2 lb old potatoes, peeled
2 (85g) bags watercress, roughly chopped
90ml/6tbsp 0% fat Greek Yoghurt or milk
25g/1 oz unsalted butter, diced
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
75g/3oz watercress butter (see recipe below)
4 x 175g/6oz chicken breast fillets
15ml/1tbsp olive oil

For the watercress butter* : - 

1 (85g) bag watercress, finely chopped 
75g/ 3oz unsalted butter, softened 
1 shallot, very finely chopped
5ml/1tsp English mustard

To prepare the watercress butter: in a bowl, mix the watercress, butter, shallot and mustard together with a fork, season well with freshly ground black pepper. Keep in the fridge. 
Cut the potatoes into large chunks, place in a large pan, cover with cold water and season with salt. Cover and bring to the boil, simmer for 10-15 mins or until tender. Drain, return to the pan, tip in the chopped watercress and re-cover. Leave to stand for 1-2 mins or until the watercress has wilted. 
Mash the potatoes and watercress then add the yoghurt or milk and butter. Fluff up with a fork, add the nutmeg and season to taste with ground black pepper. Keep warm. 
Meanwhile, gently push a little of the watercress butter under the skin of the chicken breast fillets. Preheat a non-stick frying pan. When hot, add the oil, then place the chicken breasts skin-side down and cook for 10-15 mins, turning once until the chicken is golden brown on both sides and cooked through. 
To serve, heap the watercress mash in the centre of four warmed plates and top with the chicken. Spoon the pan juices around the chicken and serve, garnished with a sprig of watercress and a wedge of lemon. 

* Watercress butter – you do not need to use all of this – you could dab a little on fish or a steak or baked potatoes. It will keep in the fridge

WATERCRESS, BACON AND EGG WRAP

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: none
Serves 2

2 x 23cm/9in soft flour tortillas

For the watercress butter* : - 

See previous recipe
For the filling: 
4 hardboiled free-range eggs, roughly chopped 
1 gherkin, chopped 
100g/2oz ready-made potato salad
2 rashers of crispy bacon, crumbled 
50g/2 oz watercress
freshly ground black pepper

1. To prepare the watercress butter: in a bowl, mix the watercress, butter, shallot and mustard together with a fork, season well with freshly ground black pepper. Keep at room temperature.

2. To make the filling: in a bowl mix the eggs together with the potato salad, gherkin and bacon.

3. Lay the two tortillas out on the work surface and dab with a little watercress butter. Top with the filling, leaving 2.5 cm/1 inch border at the two side. Top the mix with watercress.

4. Roll up the tortillas, folding over the borders as you do so; either cut in half or leave whole. Wrap tightly in cling-film ready for the lunchbox.

Foolproof Food

Traditional salad with watercress and Shanagarry Cream Dressing

This simple old fashioned salad can be quite delicious when it's made with a crisp lettuce, good home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers, free-range eggs and home preserved beetroot. If on the other hand you make it with pale battery eggs, watery tomatoes, tired lettuce and cucumber - and worst of all- vinegary beetroot from a jar, you'll wonder why you bothered.

We serve this traditional salad in Ballymaloe as a starter, with an old-fashioned salad dressing which would have been popular before the days of mayonnaise. Our recipe came from Lydia Strangman, the last occupant of our house.

Serves 4

Fresh watercress or butterhead lettuce
2 hard-boiled eggs, preferably free-range, quartered
2-4 tomatoes, quartered
16 slices of cucumber
4 slices of home-made pickled beetroot (see below)
4 tiny scallions or spring onions
2-4 sliced radishes
Chopped parsley

Shanagarry Cream Dressing

2 hard-boiled eggs
1 level teasp. dry mustard
Pinch of salt
1 tablesp.(15g) dark soft brown sugar
1 tablesp. (15ml) brown malt vinegar
2-4 fl.ozs. (56-130ml) cream
Garnish 
Spring Onion
Watercress
Chopped parsley

Hard-boil the eggs for the salad and the dressing: bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, gently slide in the eggs, boil for 10 minutes (12 if they are very fresh), strain off the hot water and cover with cold water. Peel when cold.

Wash and dry the lettuce and scallions.

Next make the Dressing. Cut 2 eggs in half, sieve the yolks into a bowl, add the sugar, a pinch of salt and the mustard. Blend in the vinegar and cream. Chop the egg whites and add some to the sauce. Keep the rest to scatter over the salad. Cover the dressing until needed.

To assemble the salads: Arrange a few lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Scatter a few quartered tomatoes and 2 hard-boiled egg quarters, a few slices of cucumber and 1 radish or 2 slices of beetroot on each plate. Garnish with spring onion and watercress, scatter the remaining egg white (from the dressing) over the salad and some chopped parsley.

Put a tiny bowl of Shanagarry Cream Dressing in the centre of each plate and serve immediately while the salad is crisp and before the beetroot starts to run. Alternatively, the dressing may be served from one large bowl.

Hot Tips 

Food Active Summer Camp – attention all 11-17 year olds
Food active summer camp returns this June for the third year to run one and two week camps at St Conleth’s College, Ballsbridge, Dublin. With healthy eating for children now gaining increased recognition as an issue, FoodActive Summer Camp offers a practical and fun environment in which to discover food and be active.
info@foodactive.ie  www.foodactive.ie  Tel Eve Rowan 086 806 6111

Growing Awareness - the Skibbereen based food and farming group
Sunday 5th June, visit Andy Ra’s beautiful example of living using local resources: local timber frame eco-house, organic vegetables, chickens, milking goats – by living as close as possible to the eco-system and using local resources, Andy has minimal impact on the earth. Contact Andy Ra 027-66436 Latest details and news -www.growingawareness.org     email: walks@growingawareness.org  

Pig Party at Otto’s Restaurant, Dunworley, Butlerstown, Bandon, Co Cork
On 26th June – Buffet and Barbecue from 14.00- 18.00
Laoise O’Brien and friends will entertain with Renaissance music,
€50 per person, children half price, Slow Food Members €40. Book before 16th June with cheque made out to OCC, name and phone number. Tel 023-40461, email:ottokunze@eircom.net  www.ottoscreativecatering.com