Bet lots of you have a book token or two or tucked away somewhere since Christmas so before they get lost here are a few suggestions for cookery books that have caught my fancy in the past few months.

One of my best new finds is Five Fat Hens the Chicken and Egg cookbook. It’s engagingly written by an author I have never even heard of before – Tim Halket.

“A love of eating and good ingredients led Tim to build a hen house in the corner of his garden for a daily harvest of fresh eggs. His take on the role of keeping chickens is amusing and insightful but this book is more than just a DIY guide to keeping a few free range birds, or a new slant on a chicken themed cookbook. It takes the reader through an entire year, month by month, skilfully combining the author’s passion for cooking in diary form interwoven with his recipes, his thoughts and observations and with the premise that even the smallest garden can be home to a supply of the freshest eggs imaginable. Tim is neither a trained chef nor a small-holding farmer, his recipes draw on his real experience in the kitchen and he reproduces food that he enjoys cooking on a daily basis for his family and friends. He ranges from the highly original such as Duelos y Quebrantos and Persian Chicken Supper through variations on everyday Italian or French classics to simple comforting nursery food.”

Another really exciting book for me, The Best of Elizabeth David – South Wind Through the Kitchen, is a collection compiled by one of the editors I most admire, Jill Norman. I have all of Elizabeth David’s books, some both in hard and paper back but I love this collection and bought several copies to give to friends. Before Elizabeth David died in 1992 she and her editor Jill Norman began work on a volume of ‘The Best of’ but then her health deteriorated and the project was shelved. The idea was revived in 1996 when chefs and writers and Elizabeth’s many friends, were invited to select their favourite articles and recipes. Some sent notes explaining their choice, others provided an anecdote or a recollection about her and others sent lists of recipes they had been using for years.

South Wind Through the Kitchen is the fruit of that harvest of recommendations, and the names of the contributors – who number among them some of our finest food writers such as Simon Hopkinson, Alice Waters, Sally Clarke, Richard Olney, Paul Levy and Anne Willan – appear after their pieces they had chosen along with their notes.

The extracts and recipes which make up South Wind Through the Kitchen are drawn from all Elizabeth David’s books, including A Book of Mediterranean Food, Summer Cooking, French Provincial Cooking, An Omelette and Glass of Wine, and Harvest of the Cold Months.

Another of my favourite books Rosemary Barron’s Flavours of Greece has been republished by Grub Street Press, beautifully researched and well tested recipes – a must for those of you who love Greece. I’m also enjoying The Perfectly Roasted Chicken by Minty Fox published by Kyle Cathie, another little gem which includes 20 mouth-watering ways to roast a chicken.

Two others that are worth trading in your book tokens for are Green and Blacks Ultimate Chocolate Recipes and Italian Comfort Food by Julia Della Croce both published by Kyle Cathie.

Finally two Irish publications slipped onto the shelves before Christmas and have become firm favourites.  Ireland for Food Lovers by Georgina Campbell and A Passion for Food – Superquin Cookbook. These are some of the recipes for February.

 

 

Easy Chicken with Lemon – Taken from Five Fat Hens by Tim Halket

This is brilliant. An easy option, a concept really (not that I’m suggesting it’s concept food), for making a quick dinner in about thirty or forty minutes. No fuss, very little trouble.

A whole chicken jointed into eight pieces, or sufficient pieces to feed four

One lemon

Olive oil

A handful of herbs of your choice, see note below

Take the chicken pieces and place them in a roasting tray. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice all over the chicken. Add the exhausted lemon halves to the pan. Dribble a little olive oil over the whole lot – just enough to coat everything. Add some seasoning. Rub everything together to make sure all the flavourings are evenly distributed. Place in the preheated oven, at 200C/400F/gas 6, and roast for twenty-five minutes. Remove and add the herbs. Return to the oven for a further ten minutes.

The chicken is ready when it is well browned, and the sauce (such as it is) is a sticky, unctuous mess underneath the chicken – add a splash of water if it’s too dry. Use a skewer to check the legs are done if you are at all nervous or unsure.

Herbs: the above recipe is perfect for summer’s delicately leaved herbs, such as basil or tarragon. The more wintry herbs such sage, thyme and rosemary can all be added at the beginning. Use basil, tarragon or thyme separately. Use sage and rosemary either alone, or combine the two together. Fresh bay is a good lonesome choice too. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, don’t use dried. Sparingly add a few fennel seeds and flaked dried chillies. For a south side of the Med feel, try a little ground cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey at the end.

 

Port And Spinach Terrine – Taken from The Best of Elizabeth David – South Wind Through the Kitchen

 

Pates and terrines have become, during the past decade, so very much a part of the English restaurant menu as well as of home entertaining that a variation of formula would sometimes be welcome.

At Orange, that splendid town they call the gateway to Provence, I once tasted a pate which was more fresh green herbs than meat. I was told that this was made according to a venerable country recipe of Upper Provence.

The pate was interesting but rather heavy. I have tried to make it a little less filling. Her is the result of my experiments:

1lb (450g) uncooked spinach, spinach beet or chard,

1lb (450g) freshly-minced fat pork,

seasonings of salt, freshly milled pepper, mixed spices.

Wash, cook and drain the spinach. When cool, squeeze it as dry as you can. There is only one way to do this – with your hands. Chop it roughly.

Season the meat with about 3 teaspoons of salt, a generous amount of freshly-milled black pepper, and about ¼ teaspoon of mixed ground spices (mace, allspice, cloves).

Mix meat and spinach together. Turn into a pint-sized (550ml) earthenware terrine or loaf tin. On top put a piece of buttered paper. Stand the terrine or tin in a baking dish half filled with water.

Cook in a very moderate over (170°C/ 330°F/ Gas Mark 3) for 45 minutes to an hour. Do not let it get overcooked or it will be dry.

This pate can be eaten hot as a main course, but I prefer it cold, as a first dish, and with bread or toast just as a pate is always served in France.

The interesting points about this dish are its appearance, its fresh, uncloying flavour and its comparative lightness, which should appeal to those who find the better-known type of pork pate rather heavy. You could, for example, serve a quite rich or creamy dish after this without overloading anybody’s stomach.

 

Winter Roast Chicken Salad With Fennel, Blood Orange And Pistachio

Taken from The Perfectly Roasted Chicken by Mindy Fox

 

This salad is evidence that beauty and simplicity can come together on a plate in a matter of minutes. This dish is best with a tart-sweet citrus; if blood oranges aren’t available, try red naval oranges or pink grapefruit instead.

Serves 4

3 blood oranges

2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and fronds reserved

225g medium shreds roast chicken

31/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

flaky coarse sea salt

3 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

Using a sharp paring knife, trim off the tops and bottoms of the oranges. Stand one orange on end and carefully cut the peel and pith from the flesh, following the curve of the fruit from the top to the bottom. Cut each section away from the membranes and place in a large bowl. Squeeze any juice from the membranes into the bowl. Repeat with the remaining orange.

Cut the fennel bulbs in half lengthways and very thinly slice. Add the fennel, chicken, vinegar and oil to the bowl with the orange sections, then gently toss the mixture together.

Coarsely chop some of the fennel fronds. Arrange the salad on a platter.

 

Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

Taken from Green & Black’s Ultimate edited by Micah Carr-Hill

Makes 24

300g unsalted butter

300g dark (70% cocoa solids) chocolate, broken into pieces

5 large free-range eggs

450g granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

200g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

An Ultimate Chocolate Recipes book would not be complete without an Ultimate Chocolate Brownie recipe.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. Line the baking tin 30 x 24 x 6cm with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a bowl until the mixture is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon. Once the butter and the chocolate have melted, remove from the heat and beat in the egg mixture. Sift the flour and salt together, then add them to the mixture, and continue to beat until smooth.

Pour into the baking tin, ensuring the mixture is evenly distributed in the tin. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the whole of the top has formed a light brown crust that has started to crack. This giant brownie should not wobble, but should remain gooey on the inside.

Leave it to cool for about 20 minutes before cutting into large squares while still in the tin. The greaseproof paper or baking parchment should peel off easily.

Tips

~ Add a handful of your favourite nuts or dried fruits to the mixture before you transfer it to the baking tin. You can cut them up or leave them whole, as you prefer.

~ Always taste the mixture raw to check for your preferred vanilla and salt levels, ensuring you leave some of the mixture to bake, of course.

Fool Proof Food

Elizabeth David’s Maionese Tonnata

(Tunny Fish Mayonnaise) –

 

Make a stiff mayonnaise with 2 yolks of eggs, a little salt, 4 fl oz (120ml) olive oil, and a very little lemon juice.

Pound or put through a sieve about 2 oz (60g) tinned tunny fish in oil. Incorporate the puree gradually into the mayonnaise. Excellent for al kinds of cold dishes, particularly chicken or hard boiled eggs, for sandwiches, or for filling raw tomatoes for an hor-d’oeuvre.

Hottips

 

Two 4^th Year Mini Company projects that caught our attention – The Chuck Chucks of Schull Community College – Ciara Sheehan, Sean O’Donovan, Sean O’Driscoll, Jamie O’Driscoll produced – The Essential Guide to Growing Green 2011 Calendar with month by month advice and tips on gardening with lovely photos to match each season – available in Centra in Schull or telephone 028 35509.

Seaweed Sensations from The Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty have produced a little booklet called ‘Sea the Benefits a Nutritional Information-Beauty-Cookbook.’ Lots of healthy recipes including Seaweed Pizza a section on the six most common types of seaweed and their benefits and some homemade beauty treatments. Booklets can be ordered by emailing seaweedsensations@gmail.com

The future is unquestionably rosy for Irish farmers and food producers. As we hear more about the challenges of sustainable food production and the need for food security, we begin to realise the fantastic opportunities we have in this country.

As the recent Harvard Report ‘Pathways for Growth’ for Bord Bia reminded us. “Ireland has an enviable agricultural situation that almost every other country would kill for. It has abundant fertile land, lots of water, and miles of coastline all situated in close proximity to a collection of 400 million affluent people. It is one of Europe’s largest dairy and beef exporters, and home to several world-class firms and hundreds of food artisans. All this comes at a time when the global demand for food is projected to increase by 70% over the next 40 years. The affluent world is demanding locally grown, non-polluting, traceable, transparent food. It rebels against “multinationals” who they think are adulterating the food we eat. Yet, of course, it wants that food at an affordable price.”

Thus recognising the opportunities for Ireland Inc., we need to encourage the brightest and best to pursue a career in all aspects of food production, distribution and marketing to drive the Irish food industry into the future.

Many would argue that there is a serious skills deficit in the food business at present. A mind set still prevails in education that a career in food production or the restaurant business is somehow of lesser value than an academic career. This attitude dates right back to the late fifties and early sixties when I was at school. The valiant nuns who educated me did their best to encourage ‘us girls’ to have a proper career – study law, medicine, architecture, the sciences… I sensed that my preference for cooking or horticulture was definitely a secondary career. The subliminal message was ‘why would you want to learn how to cook, sure you’re never really need that.” Furthermore, in the mid 60s, long before the era of celebrity chefs, cooks and chefs had little status. How things have changed and now many people who concentrated solely on a set of academic skills find themselves in changed circumstance and realise that they can’t even scramble a couple of eggs.

Shame on the Mammies of Ireland for letting so many of our little dotes out of our houses, helpless, without basic life skills. It was all grand and dandy during the decadent decade but now it’s all about austerity and thrift. However it’s difficult to be thrifty if one has no DIY skills.

In this weeks column I’ll concentrate on a few very basic skills but first you’ll need to buy a few bits of ‘kitchen kit.’

A couple of sharp knives and a sharpening steel. A box grater, a Microplane or a Cuisine Pro, a vegetable peeler, a nice big timber chopping board, a couple of heavy bottomed saucepans (good ones are definitely not cheap but will last a lifetime) a cast iron frying pan, a blender mixer or if your budget can reach on it a food mixer with a blender and spice grinding attachment. If you’d like to make the Lemon Drizzle Squares you will also need a Swiss roll tin but it can also double up as a small roasting tin or oven tray.

You can access the full list of Essential Kitchen Kit on the Ballymaloe Cookery School Website www.cookingisfun.ie/vpages/pages/kitchen/basic_kitchen_kit.html

Mornay Sauce or Cheddar Cheese Sauce

 

This cheese sauce is a brilliant basic, add some cooked pasta or macaroni and you have a macaroni cheese. It’s also good to spoon over cooked cauliflower, broccoli, leeks or chicory. It’s also an essential part of a good lasagne and if you omit the cheese and add lots of chopped parsley – hey presto you have delicious parsley sauce to serve with ham or bacon.

Makes 600ml (1 pint)

600ml (1 pint) milk

a few slices of carrot and onion

3 or 4 peppercorns

a sprig of thyme and parsley

50g (2oz) approx. Roux, (see recipe)

50g (2oz) grated Gruyere and 15g (½oz) grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon mustard preferably Dijon mustard but English mustard is also terrific

salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the cold milk into a saucepan with a few slices of carrot and onion, 3 or 4 peppercorns and a sprig of thyme and parsley. Bring to the boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes if you have enough time.

Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken by whisking in the roux to a light coating consistency. Add the grated cheese and mustard. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Substitute 110g (4oz) mature Cheddar cheese for Gruyere and Parmesan in the recipe above.

 

Roux

 

A brilliant stand by to have in your fridge – use it to thicken a sauce or gravy, can be fish meat or vegetable. It will keep in a covered box in the fridge for a month or more. The liquid must be boiling when the roux is added otherwise the roux will not thicken the liquid.

110 g (4 ozs) butter

110 g (4 ozs) flour

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

 

A Basic French Dressing

All you need for a good salad dressing is really good extra virgin oil and really good wine vinegar. Just whisk them together with a little seasoning and use it to drizzle over a salad or a mixture of leaves. If you want to add extra flavourings, a little mustard, some honey, maybe a few fresh herbs and a judicious amount of crushed garlic will add extra oomph – see below.

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk all ingredients together just before the salad is to be eaten.

Ballymaloe French Dressing

 

2 fl ozs (55ml) Wine vinegar

6 fl ozs (150ml) olive oil or a mixture of olive and other oils. eg. sunflower and arachide

1 level teaspoon mustard (Dijon or English)

1 large clove of garlic

1 scallion or small spring onion

Sprig of parsley

Sprig of watercress

1 level teaspoon

Few grinds of pepper

Put all the ingredients into a blender and run at medium speed for 1 minutes approx. or mix oil and vinegar in a bowl, add mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and mashed garlic. Chop the parsley, spring onion and watercress finely and add in. Whisk before serving.

Basic Vegetable Soup Technique

 

Well over half the soups we make at Ballymaloe are made on this simple formula. 1.1.3.5. Doesn’t matter what you use to measure as long as you use the same for each ingredient – a cup or mug would be fine.

Serves 6

1 part onion

1 part potato

3 parts any vegetable of your choice, or a mixture

5 parts stock or stock and milk mixed

seasoning

Water, chicken or vegetable stock may be used. Season simply with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Complementary fresh herbs or spices may also be added.

So one can make a myriad of different soups depending on what’s fresh, in season and available.

If potatoes and onions are the only option, it’s still possible to make two delicious soups by increasing one or the other and then adding one or several herbs.  We have even used broad bean tops, radish leaves and nettles in season.

Example:

50g (2ozs) butter

1 cup or 150g (5oz) chopped potatoes, one-third inch dice

1 cup or 110g (4oz) peeled diced onions, one-third inch dice

3 cups or 340g (12oz) chopped vegetables of your choice, one-third inch dice

5 cups or 1.2L (2 pints) homemade chicken stock or 1L stock and 150ml (1/4 pint) creamy milk

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add potatoes and onions and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and stock, bring back to the boil and continue to cook until soft, liquidise, sieve or put through a mouli. Do not overcook or the vegetables will lose their flavour. Adjust seasoning. Couldn’t be simpler.

Ballymaloe Beef Stew

 

A good gutsy stew which can be made in large quantities – it reheats and freezes brilliantly.

Serves 6-8

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.35kg (3 lb) well hung stewing beef or lean flank

2 large carrots cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) slices

285g (10 ozs) sliced onions

1 heaped tablespoon flour

150ml (5fl oz) red wine

150ml (5fl oz) brown beef stock

250ml (8fl oz) homemade Tomato Purée, otherwise use best quality tinned tomato -pureed and sieved

175g (6 oz) sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper

Trim the meat of any excess fat, then prepare the vegetables. Cut the meat into 4cm

(1 1/2 inch) cubes. Heat the olive oil in a casserole; sweat the sliced onions and carrots on a gentle heat with a lid on for 10 minutes. Heat a little more olive oil in a frying pan until almost smoking.  Sear the pieces of meat on all sides, reduce the heat, stir in flour, cook for 1 minutes, mix the wine, stock and tomato puree together and add gradually to the casserole. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook gently. Cook gently for 2 1/2-3 hours in a low oven, depending on the cut of meat, 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Meanwhile sauté the mushrooms and add with the parsley to the casserole, 30 minutes approx. before the end of cooking.  Serve with Polenta, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad.

Lemon Drizzle Squares

 

Everybody loves these, they are great with a cup of coffee or as a dessert with berries or bananas in lime syrup, see recipe.

Makes 24

 

6 ozs (175g) soft butter

6 ozs (175g) castor sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

6 ozs (175g) self-raising flour

Icing

freshly grated rind of 1 lemon

freshly squeezed juice of 1-2 lemons

4 ozs (110g) castor sugar

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

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

Put the butter, castor sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Or cream them altogether by hand with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Spread evenly in the well buttered tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen. Meanwhile mix the ingredients for the glaze. As soon as the cake mixture is cooked, pour the glaze over the top, leave to cool. Cut into squares.

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

 

Fool Proof Food

 

Bananas in Lime Syrup

 

Serves 4

3 bananas

2 ozs (50g) sugar

4 fl ozs (110ml) water

1 lime

Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, allow to cool.

Peel the mango and slice quite thinly down to the stone. Peel the banana into cut rounds.  Put the slices into a bowl and cover with cold syrup.

Meanwhile remove the zest from the lime either with a zester or a fine stainless steel grater and add to the syrup with the juice of the lime.  Leave to macerate for at least an hour. Serve chilled.

Hottips

Join Debbie Shaw and Linn Thorstennson, qualified nutritionists and a Ballymaloe Chef for their 5 week Wellness Programme at the Fermoy Youth Centre, Tuesday nights, 7.30pm starting February 22^nd, 2011. The course includes: healthy eating for permanent weight loss, spring detox, self motivation and relaxation and simple healthy recipes with yummy tastings. €80 handouts, recipes and tastings included. Booking essential

086-785 58 68 or email: linntwellness@gmail.com.

Penfold’s Winemaker visits Dublin & Cork

Tom Portet the Winemaker with Australian winery Penfolds will visit Ireland to host two wine dinners in Dublin and Cork. The venues are The Restaurant at Donnybrook Fair on Wednesday 23rd February at 7.45pm – €60 per person / €100 per couple. To book…01 6144849 restaurant@donnybrookfair.ie and Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork on Thursday 24th February at 8pm – €75 per person. To book 021 4652531 res@ballymaloe.ie   

Spring Planting and Cooking Class Saturday March 5th – 10am to 3pm

Karen Austin and Joy Larkom – author of Creative Vegetable Gardening and Grow Your own Vegetables are teaching this one day course that begins in the garden with information to inspire you to plant your own seeds and how to nurture the seedlings. The class will continue in the kitchen, cooking the spring vegetables that are beginning to appear. Lunch is included in the course price of €95.00. Phone 023 8836938 or 0238846251 to book www.lettercollum.ie.

I have just read something totally shocking; a recent study conducted at the Wayne State University in Detroit found that 32% of 9 month old babies are already obese or overweight. According to the survey many babies are being fed too much formula to induce them to sleep for longer and or being weaned too early onto a diet of fatty sugary food, pureed chips or the remains of a Chinese takeaway – almost beyond belief but sadly true and there’s no point in us feel smug – similar findings are emerging elsewhere.

Obesity is unquestionably the greatest public health challenge facing the affluent world – a time bomb ticking away – and an increasing strain on every Health Service. Current figures in Ireland reveal that there are 327,000 over weight children with numbers predicted to grow by 11,000 every year. Diabetes and heart disease are on the rise dramatically. An Irish study by Dr Aileen McGloin in 2007 came up with yet another shocking statistic; 52% of Irish mothers of obese children and 86% of mothers of over weight children thought their weight was totally normal for their age.

Blaming parents is far too simplistic; there are a multitude of reasons why we have arrived at this situation. Much of the food available fills rather than nourishes – many children are allowed to nibble from morning to night, unlike the strict no food between meals policy of earlier years. Portion sizes continue to increase as we embrace the ‘grab, gobble and go,’ culture of the US. Many parents have no basic cooking skills so are incapable of anything more challenging than reheating chips or popping a pizza or a burger into the microwave. They simply don’t have the skills to cook a fresh vegetable or roast a chicken and make a nourishing stew. But most seriously of all the food industry is allowed to go virtually unchecked as they target young people through every clever method at their disposal. So it becomes a Catch 22 situation. A myriad of studies have been conducted so now there is ample evidence and a ton of statistics. We don’t need any more research we need action. At government level there has been unforgivable apathy. The National Task on Obesity published in 2005 made 93 recommendations and despite the fact that no-one in the Government Department of Health or the food industry can argue that we don’t know the risks little more than 20% have been implemented. There appears to be no real urgency or commitment to tackle the vested interest in the multinational food industry. We don’t need more studies we need action now the food industry must only produce food that nourished rather than food that just fills their pockets. Perhaps the incoming government will be more visionary in their approach. A virtuous triangle of cooperation between the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Department of Education working together in a preventative way for our children’s future.

In Australia, they are taking drastic measures to shock the public and the powers that be into action. In a TV advert a mother walks into a kitchen with a brown bag under her arm, ties a tourniquet around her child’s arm and tucks a napkin under his chin. She takes out a syringe and carefully unfolds some heroin from a strip of silver foil. Suddenly the scene changes to a child sitting at a table eating a hamburger – the following question appears on the screen… ‘You wouldn’t inject your child with junk – so why are you feeding it to them?” It caused uproar but certainly got people thinking – after all every culture in the world has a saying ‘we are what we eat’.

Meanwhile a few simple foods to wean your baby onto so no-one needs to resort to pureed chips.

Having said that, a liquidiser or a little ‘Mouli Legume’ is a terrific help for those of you who are determined to make homemade food for their. Be guided by your health nurse for when to introduce solid food.

Potato Soup

Serves 6

Most people would have potatoes and onions in the house even if the cupboard was otherwise bare so one could make this simply delicious soup at a moment’s notice. It’s perfect for babies but is equally delicious for the rest of the family, enough for 6 portions but can also be frozen in little pots as a standby. Go easy on the seasoning for babies.

50g (2oz) butter or extra virgin olive oil

550g (20oz) peeled diced potatoes, one-third inch dice

110g (4oz) diced onions, one-third inch dice

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 litre (2 pints) homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock

100ml (4fl oz) creamy milk

For grownups serve freshly chopped herbs and herb flowers, optional

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper or paper lid and the lid of the saucepan. Sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes approx. Meanwhile bring the stock to the boil, when the vegetables are soft but not coloured add stock and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning. Thin with creamy milk to the required consistency.

Serve sprinkled with a few freshly-chopped herbs and herb flowers if available.

Carrageen Moss Pudding

Magic food – all our babies were weaned onto Carrageen mosses. The dried Carrageen moss can be found easily in health food shops and keeps almost indefinitely in its dried form.

Serves 4-6

1 semi-closed fistful (1/4 oz /8g) cleaned, well dried Carrageen Moss

1 1/2 pints (900ml) milk

1 tablespoon castor sugar

1 egg, preferably free range

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or a vanilla pod

Soak the carrageen in tepid water for 10 minutes. Strain off the water and put the carrageen into a saucepan with milk and vanilla pod if used. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently with the lid on for 20 minutes. At that point and not before separate the egg, put the yolk into a bowl, add the sugar and vanilla essence and whisk together for a few seconds, then pour the milk and carrageen moss through a strainer onto the egg yolk mixture whisking all the time. The carrageen will now be swollen and exuding jelly. Rub all this jelly through the strainer and whisk this also into the milk with the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract if used. Test for a set in a saucer as one would with gelatine. Whisk the egg white stiffly and fold or fluff it in gently. It will rise to make a fluffy top. Serve chilled with soft brown sugar and cream and or with a fruit compote eg. poached rhubarb.

Mashed Potato

Cooking the potatoes in their jackets keeps in the flavours.  They are also easier and less wasteful to peel. This makes lots, again a terrific standby for babies either alone or mixed with a little chicken, beef or lamb gravy. Or a little cooked fish, mashed or pureed carrot.

Serves 4

2 lbs (900g) unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks

1/2 pint (300ml) creamy milk

1-2 ozs (25-50g) butter

Scrub the potatoes well. Put them into a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt (optional) and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked, 15 minutes approx. for ‘old’ potatoes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put on to a gentle heat and allow the potatoes to steam until they are cooked. Peel immediately by just pulling off the skins, so you have as little waste as possible, mash while hot. (If you have a large quantity, put the potatoes into the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the spade).

While the potatoes are being peeled, bring about 1/2 pint (300ml) of milk to the boil.  (Use a two pronged carving fork so they don’t break and gently pull off the skin so there is minimum waste – we feed the skins to the hens). Add enough boiling creamy milk to mix to a soft light consistency suitable for piping, then beat in the butter, the amount depending on how rich you like your potatoes. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bramley Apple Sauce

Brilliant on its own or with a little natural yoghurt. It’s also a good standby to have in the fridge or freezer.

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

1-2 dessertspoons water

2 ozs (50g) sugar approx. depending on tartness of the apples

Peel, quarter and core the apples, cut pieces in two and put in a small stainless steel or cast iron saucepan, with the sugar and water, cover and put over a low heat, as soon as the apple has broken down, stir and taste for sweetness. Puree for babies.  Serve warm or cold.

Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

Another favourite for children. A creamy rice pudding is one of the greatest treats on a cold winter’s day. You need to use short-grain rice, which plumps up as it cooks. This is definitely an almost forgotten pudding loved by children of all ages. Puree for babies.

Serves 6–8

100g (31⁄2oz) pearl rice (short-grain rice)

50g (2oz) sugar

small knob of butter

1. 2 litres (2 pints) milk

1 x 1. 2 litre (2 pint) capacity pie dish

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

Put the rice, sugar and butter into a pie dish. Bring the milk to the boil and pour over. Bake for 1–1 1⁄2 hours. The skin should be golden; the rice underneath should be cooked through and have soaked up the milk, but still be soft and creamy. Time it so that it’s ready just in time for pudding. If it has to wait in the oven for ages it will be dry and dull and you’ll wonder why you bothered.

Easy Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yoghurt is easy to make and much more delicious than much of what is available to buy.

2 litres (3 1⁄2 pints) full-cream milk

50g (2oz) skim-milk powder

2 teaspoons very fresh, live natural yogurt

Heat the milk in a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan. When it is lukewarm, stir in the skim-milk powder. Continue to heat until the milk begins to froth, at about 90ºC (194ºF).

Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes, by which time the mixture should have cooled to about 40–42ºC (104–108ºF). Having a dairy thermometer takes the guesswork out of this, but alternatively you can test it in the time-honoured way, by inserting a clean finger into the milk. You should be able to leave your finger for a count of 10 without it getting too hot. At this point, stir in the live yogurt and then transfer the mixture into a heavy earthenware bowl.

Wrap the entire bowl in a towel and keep it in a warm place until the milk coagulates a minimum of 5 hours or, better still, overnight.

One way or another, you need to keep the bowl warm. The optimum temperature should be around 40ºC (104ºF), but if it’s a bit cooler than that it doesn’t matter; it will just take longer to coagulate. The longer the mixture is kept warm, the better the flavour.

When the yogurt is set, transfer to the fridge and use as required.

Fool Proof Food

Three Bears Porridge

Pinhead oatmeal make the yummiest porridge, a big bowl kept the three bears and goldilocks happy all morning and their tummies didn’t rumble again until noon.  If you would like to eat a bowl of porridge in a few minutes buy some speedicook oatmeal instead.  Bring the water to the boil, sprinkle in the oatmeal, stirring all the time.  Cook for 4 – 5 minutes on a medium heat, add salt the taste.  Pour into a bowl and eat as above. Porridge is brilliant food for toddlers and young children and everyone. Puree for babies. Our grandchildren enjoy and enjoyed a little porridge from six months onwards.

Serves 8

310g (11oz) pinhead oatmeal

950ml (32fl oz) water

1/2 teaspoon salt (or less for babies)

If you think of it the night before, soak the oatmeal in 225ml (8fl oz) cold water in a saucepan.

On the day, bring 725ml (24fl oz) water to the boil and add to the oatmeal. Put on a low heat and stir until the water comes back to the boil.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the salt. Cover again and leave aside overnight, the oatmeal will absorb all the water.

Next day, reheat adding a little more water if necessary; serve with milk and soft brown sugar.

Hottips

Louise O’Brien past student of Ballymaloe has opened The Tea Room at Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, Bury Quay, Co Offaly and is doing gorgeous food – the Red Pepper Goats’ Cheese and Spinach Roulade is delicious. The Tea Room is situated a tiny way off the main street but well worth meandering there for the freshly baked cookies and cakes – contact Louise on +353 (0) 86 2079654.

Alice’s Cookbook – I love this little cook-book, one of the New Voices in Food Series published by Quadrille in 2010. It’s packed with super little recipes from a confident creative chef still only in her 20s. As well as being a chef Alice Hart was the youngest ever food editor of Waitrose Food Illustrated and has run a pop-up restaurant ‘The Hart and Fuggle’ in London and a Vietnamese restaurant is underway. Watch out, this girl is definitely a rising star.

Marmalade Time Again.

The Malaga oranges have just arrived in the shops, I know there are millions of people out there who reckon life is far too short to make marmalade but believe it or not I can’t wait to get started.

I love making marmalade. I love the smell that permeates through the whole house, the way it steams up the kitchen windows and the smug feeling of delicious satisfaction when you survey the result of your hard work – jars and jars with thick peel glistening through the glass. I even love the chopping and slicing that many find ridiculously labourious, for me it’s therapeutic, a ‘high stool’ job where I can just effortlessly slice and dream for as long as it takes to do the job. A sharp knife is definitely a bonus otherwise it does become tedious.

One could and many do just chuck the peel into a food processor and press the pulse button – it’s faster of course but I’m not keen on the sludgy texture that method produces.

Marmalade aficionados take all this very seriously after all it can ruin your day if the morning toast and marmalade are not just right, so I know it will resonate with lots of people.

Favourite recipes have been passed down in families for generations, some of us love dark bitter marmalade, others prefer a fresher fruitier preserve, I came across this recipe for Kumquat marmalade in Sydney. Kumquats are far less expensive in Australia but it is so worth making at least one batch. Of course its gorgeous on hot buttered toast but it’s also terrific with goat cheese and rocket on crostini as a little nibble or a starter add a couple of tablespoons into a duck gravy with a squeeze or two of lemon juice to make a cheats orange sauce.

Some people like to add a little fresh ginger or whiskey to their marmalade and very good it is too. It also has an extra cachet if you want to sell some at your local farmers market.

For those who enjoy more of a ‘little chip’ marmalade simply slice the peel into the finest julienne you can manage.

 

Seville Whole Orange Marmalade 

Most recipes require you to slice the orange peel first, but with this one you boil the oranges whole and then slice the cooked peel later. With any marmalade it is vital that the original liquid has reduced by half or, better still, two-thirds before the sugar is added; otherwise it takes ages to reach a set and both the flavour and colour will be spoiled. A wide, low-sided stainless-steel saucepan is best for this recipe, about 35.5cm (14 inches) deep and 40.5cm (16 inches) in diameter. If you don’t have one that big, then cook the marmalade in two batches.

Makes about 5.8–6.75kg (13–15lb)

2.25kg (4 1⁄2lb) Seville or Malaga oranges (organic if possible)

4kg (9lb) sugar, warmed

Wash the oranges and put them in a stainless-steel saucepan with 5.2 litres (9 pints) of water. Put a plate on top of the oranges to keep them under the surface of the water. Cover the saucepan, then simmer gently until the oranges are soft, about 2 hours. Cool and drain, reserving the water. (If more convenient, leave overnight and continue next day.)

Put a chopping board onto a large baking tray with sides so you won’t lose any juice. Then cut the oranges in half and scoop out the soft centre. Slice the peel finely and put the pips into a muslin bag.

Put the escaped juice, sliced oranges and the muslin bag of pips into a large, wide stainless-steel saucepan with the reserved cooking liquid. Bring to the boil, reduce by half or, better still, two-thirds. Add the warmed sugar and stir over a brisk heat until dissolved. Boil fast until setting point is reached. Pot in sterilised jars and cover immediately. Store in a dark, airy cupboard.

Kumquat Marmalade

Kumquats are expensive and fiddly to slice, but this is so worth making. I was given this recipe by an Australian friend called Kate Engel.

Makes 3 x 370g (13oz) pots

1kg (2 1⁄4lb) kumquats

1.8kg (4lb) sugar, warmed

Slice the kumquats thinly crossways. Put the seeds into a small bowl with

225ml (8fl oz) of water and leave overnight. Put the kumquats in a larger bowl with 1.5 litres (2.5 pints) of water, cover and also leave overnight. Next day, strain the seeds and reserve the liquid (this now contains the precious pectin, which contributes to the setting of the jam). Discard the seeds. Put the kumquat mixture into a large saucepan with the reserved liquid from the seeds. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the kumquats are very tender.  Remove the lid and reduce to about half the original volume.

Add the warmed sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved. Bring the mixture back to the boil and cook rapidly with the lid off for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the

heat while testing for a set by putting a teaspoon of the mixture on a cold saucer (it should barely wrinkle when pressed with a finger) 

Pour into sterilized jars. Cover, seal and store in a cool, dry place

Helen Morgan’s Lime Marmalade

Makes 10 x 200ml (7fl oz) jars

juice and coarsely grated zest of

8 organic limes

2kg (4lb 8oz) sugar, warmed

Put the lime zest and juice into a stainless-steel saucepan. Tie everything that remains into a muslin bag and add to the saucepan with 3 litres (51⁄4 pints) of water. Bring to the boil and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, take the muslin bag out.

Place the remaining mixture in a food-processor and whizz until smooth. Add back to the saucepan, bring to the boil and add the warmed sugar. Stir to dissolve. Bring back to the boil and cook until set, about 10–15 minutes. Pour into sterilised jars and seal immediately. Store in a cool, dry place.

How to Heat the Sugar

Heat the sugar in a stainless-steel bowl in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes. It should feel hot to the touch. Be careful not to leave it in too long or the sugar will begin to melt around the edges of the bowl and will eventually caramelize.

Why heat the sugar?

The faster jam is made, the fresher and more delicious it tastes. If you add cold sugar to jam, it will take longer to return to the boil and will taste less fresh

Seville Orange Marmalade Ice Cream

Here is a great way to show off your homemade marmalade. Remove this ice cream from the freezer at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 12–16

Ballymaloe Vanilla Ice Cream

zest of 2 organic oranges

4 tablespoons Seville Whole Orange Marmalade

For the Sauce

half a pot (185g/61⁄4oz) Seville Whole Orange Marmalade

juice of 1 orange

Make the Ballymaloe vanilla ice cream, adding in the orange zest to the mousse, and then folding the softly whipped cream into it. Pour into a bowl, cover and freeze.

When the ice cream is semi-frozen, remove it from the freezer. Chop the marmalade peel into 5mm (1⁄4in) pieces and fold with the rest of the marmalade into the ice cream. Cover and freeze.Serve with a little sauce made by thinning the marmalade with orange juice.

Almond Meringues with Kumquat Marmalade and Cream

Serves 6 – 8

Almond meringues

1 1/2 ozs (45g) almonds

2 egg whites

4 1/2 ozs (125g) icing sugar

Filling

kumquat marmalade 3/4 of a 370g (13oz) pot

whipped cream or crème fraiche

First make the meringue.

Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free of grease. Blanch and skin the almonds. Grind or chop them up. They should not be ground to a fine powder but should be left slightly coarse and gritty. Mark two 7 1/2 inch (19cm) circles or heart shapes on silicone paper or a prepared baking sheet. Mix all the sugar with the egg whites at once and beat until the mixture forms stiff dry peaks. Fold in the almonds. Divide the mixture between the 2 circles or heart shapes and spread evenly with a palette knife. Bake immediately in a cool oven, 150°C/300°F/regulo 2 for 45 minutes or until crisp they should peel off the paper easily, turn off the oven and allow to cool.

To finish

Put one of the discs of meringue onto a lovely serving plate, spread with a layer of softly whipped cream, top with an even amount of kumquat marmalade. Top with the other disc of meringue. Decorate the top with a few rosettes of cream, kumquats and maybe a few fresh mint leaves.

Marmalade Bread and Butter Pudding

Serves 6-8

This is a variation on basic bread and butter pudding.   If you like, leave out the marmalade and serve plain, or add chopped rhubarb, chopped chocolate, grated lemon or orange zest, raisins, sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg etc.  This is a great way to use up stale bread, and in fact is better if the bread is stale.

12 slices of good –quality white bread, crusts removed

50g (2 ozs) soft butter

3-4 tablespoons marmalade

450ml (16fl.ozs) cream

225ml (8fl.oz) milk

4 eggs

150g (5 1/2 oz) caster sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

To Serve

softly whipped cream

marmalade sauce

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.  Butter the bread and spread marmalade on each slice.  Arrange the bread butter side down in the gratin dish or in individual cups or bowls (cut the slices if you need to).  I like to have overlapping triangles of bread on the top layer.

Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to just under the boil.  While it’s heating up, in a separate bowl whisk the eggs and the caster sugar, then pour the hot milk and cream in with the eggs and whisk to combine.  Pour this custard over the bread and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the granulated sugar on top. Place in a bain marie (water bath) and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour.  The top should be golden and the centre should be just set.  Serve with softly whipped cream and marmalade sauce (see below).

Note: If you want to make this a day ahead of time, don’t heat up the milk and cream, just pour it cold over the bread.

Marmalade Sauce

1 jar (400-450g/14ozs – 1lb) 3 fruit or homemade marmalade

60ml (2 1/2 fl ozs) water

juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon

Put the marmalade into a saucepan.  Add the water and the juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon to taste.  Heat all the ingredients gently.  Place in a jug and serve with the bread and butter pudding.

FoolProof Food

French Toast Fingers with Citrus Marmalade Butter

Serves 4-6

4 eggs free-range and organic if possible

225 ml (8fl oz) full cream milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 slices, best quality white yeast bread, ¾ inch thick

Sunflower oil or clarified butter

Marmalade butter

110g (4oz) butter softened slightly

2-3 tablespoons citrus marmalade, chopped

Icing sugar in a dredger

First make the Marmalade butter.

Cream the butter and beat in the chopped marmalade. Transfer to a serving bowl. Whisk the eggs well in a bowl with the milk, sugar and vanilla.  Cut the bread into rectangular pieces and soak the bread fingers in batches until they are well saturated but not falling apart. 

Heat a large, preferably non-stick pan over medium heat, add a little oil or clarified butter. Cook the soaked bread fingers, turning, until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.  Serve immediately, or keep warm in the oven.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Transfer the French toast to a hot plate, dredge over a little icing sugar and serve with Marmalade butter.

Hottips

Catex Catering Exhibition is on again at the RDS in Dublin from Tuesday 8th – Thursday 10th February this year. Over 200 exhibitors of equipment, food and beverages disposables, and services. To see the full schedule of events check out www.catexexhibition.com

Congratulations to Michael Quinn – past Ballymaloe Cookery School student who is now Head chef of Waterford Castle –who won Just Ask Restaurant of Month Award in December 2010. Michael is well renowned for using local produce on his menu and he was delighted with the recognition, “The award is about the fantastic artisan producers I work with at the castle. Without these people, chefs like me would find it difficult to succeed. Now is the time to support our own local producers instead of sending our money abroad. We need to think and buy local.” Waterford Castle Phone: +353 51 878 203

How to Keep a few Chickens in the Garden – What could be nicer than a ready supply of beautiful, fresh, free range, organic eggs, or a delicious, plump, succulent free range, organic chicken for the pot? Darina Allen will show you how at Ballymaloe Cookery School Saturday 5^th March 9:30am to 5:00pm. To book www.cookingisfun.ie 021 4646785

Ballymaloe Vanilla Ice Cream

zest of 2 organic oranges

4 tablespoons Seville Whole Orange Marmalade

For the Sauce

half a pot (185g/61⁄4oz) Seville Whole Orange Marmalade

juice of 1 orange

Make the Ballymaloe vanilla ice cream, adding in the orange zest to the mousse, and then folding the softly whipped cream into it. Pour into a bowl, cover and freeze.

When the ice cream is semi-frozen, remove it from the freezer. Chop the marmalade peel into 5mm (1⁄4in) pieces and fold with the rest of the marmalade into the ice cream. Cover and freeze.Serve with a little sauce made by thinning the marmalade with orange juice.

 

Almond Meringues with Kumquat Marmalade and Cream

 

Serves 6 – 8

 

Almond meringues

 

1 1/2 ozs (45g) almonds

2 egg whites

4 1/2 ozs (125g) icing sugar

 

Filling

 

kumquat marmalade 3/4 of a 370g (13oz) pot

whipped cream or crème fraiche

First make the meringue.

Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free of grease. Blanch and skin the almonds. Grind or chop them up. They should not be ground to a fine powder but should be left slightly coarse and gritty. Mark two 7 1/2 inch (19cm) circles or heart shapes on silicone paper or a prepared baking sheet. Mix all the sugar with the egg whites at once and beat until the mixture forms stiff dry peaks. Fold in the almonds. Divide the mixture between the 2 circles or heart shapes and spread evenly with a palette knife. Bake immediately in a cool oven, 150°C/300°F/regulo 2 for 45 minutes or until crisp they should peel off the paper easily, turn off the oven and allow to cool.

To finish

Put one of the discs of meringue onto a lovely serving plate, spread with a layer of softly whipped cream, top with an even amount of kumquat marmalade. Top with the other disc of meringue. Decorate the top with a few rosettes of cream, kumquats and maybe a few fresh mint leaves.

Marmalade Bread and Butter Pudding

 

Serves 6-8

 

This is a variation on basic bread and butter pudding.   If you like, leave out the marmalade and serve plain, or add chopped rhubarb, chopped chocolate, grated lemon or orange zest, raisins, sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg etc.  This is a great way to use up stale bread, and in fact is better if the bread is stale.

12 slices of good –quality white bread, crusts removed

50g (2 ozs) soft butter

3-4 tablespoons marmalade

450ml (16fl.ozs) cream

225ml (8fl.oz) milk

4 eggs

150g (5 1/2 oz) caster sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

To Serve

softly whipped cream

marmalade sauce

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.  Butter the bread and spread marmalade on each slice.  Arrange the bread butter side down in the gratin dish or in individual cups or bowls (cut the slices if you need to).  I like to have overlapping triangles of bread on the top layer.

Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to just under the boil.  While it’s heating up, in a separate bowl whisk the eggs and the caster sugar, then pour the hot milk and cream in with the eggs and whisk to combine.  Pour this custard over the bread and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the granulated sugar on top. Place in a bain marie (water bath) and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour.  The top should be golden and the centre should be just set.  Serve with softly whipped cream and marmalade sauce (see below).

Note: If you want to make this a day ahead of time, don’t heat up the milk and cream, just pour it cold over the bread.

Marmalade Sauce

 

1 jar (400-450g/14ozs – 1lb) 3 fruit or homemade marmalade

60ml (2 1/2 fl ozs) water

juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon

Put the marmalade into a saucepan.  Add the water and the juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon to taste.  Heat all the ingredients gently.  Place in a jug and serve with the bread and butter pudding.

 

FoolProof Food

French Toast Fingers with Citrus Marmalade Butter

 

Serves 4-6

4 eggs free-range and organic if possible

225 ml (8fl oz) full cream milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 slices, best quality white yeast bread, ¾ inch thick

Sunflower oil or clarified butter

Marmalade butter

110g (4oz) butter softened slightly

2-3 tablespoons citrus marmalade, chopped

Icing sugar in a dredger

First make the Marmalade butter.

Cream the butter and beat in the chopped marmalade. Transfer to a serving bowl. Whisk the eggs well in a bowl with the milk, sugar and vanilla.  Cut the bread into rectangular pieces and soak the bread fingers in batches until they are well saturated but not falling apart. 

Heat a large, preferably non-stick pan over medium heat, add a little oil or clarified butter. Cook the soaked bread fingers, turning, until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.  Serve immediately, or keep warm in the oven.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Transfer the French toast to a hot plate, dredge over a little icing sugar and serve with Marmalade butter.

Hottips

 

Catex Catering Exhibition is on again at the RDS in Dublin from Tuesday 8th – Thursday 10th February this year. Over 200 exhibitors of equipment, food and beverages disposables, and services. To see the full schedule of events check out www.catexexhibition.com

Congratulations to Michael Quinn – past Ballymaloe Cookery School student who is now Head chef of Waterford Castle –who won Just Ask Restaurant of Month Award in December 2010. Michael is well renowned for using local produce on his menu and he was delighted with the recognition, “The award is about the fantastic artisan producers I work with at the castle. Without these people, chefs like me would find it difficult to succeed. Now is the time to support our own local producers instead of sending our money abroad. We need to think and buy local.” Waterford Castle Phone: +353 51 878 203

How to Keep a few Chickens in the Garden – What could be nicer than a ready supply of beautiful, fresh, free range, organic eggs, or a delicious, plump, succulent free range, organic chicken for the pot? Darina Allen will show you how at Ballymaloe Cookery School Saturday 5^th March 9:30am to 5:00pm. To book www.cookingisfun.ie 021 4646785

A new batch of students have just arrived from far and wide to start the January 12 Week Cooking Course. There are 8 nationalities, lots of Irish and British of course but also American, Dutch, Swedish, German, and two girls from India. On the first morning we walk through the farm and sleepy winter gardens and I introduce them to our gardeners and farm manager and remind them that these are the real food heroes who labour day in day out to produce the wonderful indregients they will be fortunate enough to cook with over the next three months. Then we show them how to sow a seed and give each one of the students a seedling which they plant into the soil in the greenhouse. This time it was coriander, which should be ready to use in about six weeks. I know no better way to give students a respect for food and those who produce it than to show them how to sow a seed. As they watch it grow the excitement and anticipation mounts so they are much more likely to respect it when it gets into the kitchen. In an era when the cheapness of food is a major issue and farmers and food producers are being squeezed more and more, I thought Cork vegetable grower Trevor Martin son of Declan Martin of Waterfall Farm in Cork answer to Ella McSweeney on Ear to the Ground on RTE1 recently hit the nail on the head. When asked by Ella ‘what would you say to those who think vegetables could be cheaper?’ he replied ‘People don’t realise there is a lot of expenditure and work that goes on behind the scenes, they should try growing some vegetables themselves and see’

Fortunately more and more people are discovering the reality of what’s involved but also the thrill of growing your own even if it’s only a fresh few herbs or salad leaves.

More and more chefs too are getting in on the act; they too know how vital really good produce is when trying to create the ‘wow factor’ on the plate. Here in Ireland chefs like Paul Flynn of the Tannery in Dungarvan are leading the way and of course Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House has incorporated produce from the walled garden and greenhouses into the menu ever since it opened 46 years ago.

On a recent trip to New Zealand. I discovered that the big buzz down under is about the new breed of gardener-chefs who have discovered that a kitchen garden makes sound sense for a restaurant both financially and aesthetically. Some like Adam Newell of Zibibbo in Wellington got started because he was frustrated by not being able to source the quality and variety of fresh herbs over the winter period and the sheer cost. He understandably wondered “how hard can it be to grow your own?” so he and his co-owner Anthony Shore invested in a few packets of seeds and now have a ready supply from their own garden and now no longer buy in herbs.

When guests come to Riverstone Kitchen in Oamaru – on the South Island – they can get a preview of the seasonal produce that will feature on the menu as they stroll around the 300 square metre garden before dinner.

Charismatic chef, Jonny Schwass of Restaurant Schwass in Christchurch on the South Island is one of the leaders of the movement. When guests ask where the vegetables come from he can truthfully reply from ‘My Garden’ his wittily named vegetable patch at West Malton where his two business partners spend over 30 hours a week cultivating 150 different varieties of herbs and vegetables. The result was reflected on the plate – and in the attitude of the staff who were just as excited as Jonny about the project – our dinner was vibrant and delicious.  Both waiters and chefs are involved and visit the garden and help with the harvesting twice a week. Jonny reckons that restaurants in general “take more than they give” so this is his way of reconnecting with the earth. Most of the new gardener-chefs like Jonny are growing organically but can’t be bothered with certification –

Also in the Christchurch area, the luxury Otahuna Lodge is a beacon. A century ago it was a grand, virtually self sufficient country estate with its own dairy orchards and kitchen garden. Since becoming a luxury lodge in Tai Tapu – just twenty minutes drive from Christchurch city – it has had a new lease of life and has been taken to even greater heights – a potting shed has been converted into a mushroom house, a paddock is now a fertile kitchen garden, pineapples grow in a hothouse, olive trees have been planted and apples, quince and medlars still come from the original orchard. Pork and beef comes from the estate and home cured prosciutto, bresaola and jars of preserved home grown lemons fill the pantry. It was closed during our visit for post earthquake restoration but should reopen soon.

Two other restaurants on the South Island really impressed me, we loved Jason Innes food so much at Amisfield Winery – 15 minutes drive from central Queenstown, on the way to Arrowtown and Wanaka – that we returned twice. He too has a little fresh herb patch beside the restaurant kitchen and goes to considerable lengths to source terrific produce. Our waitress was a delightful ex Anglo banker from Tipperary!

New Zealand has great fish. Our best fish meal was at the buzzy restaurant Fishbone in Queenstown. Owners – Mark Godden, front of house and Darren Lovell, head chef – have also caught the gardening bug. They have a vegetable patch not far from the restaurant and grow beautiful salad leaves, herbs and some vegetables to compliment their spanking fresh fish and shellfish – there are many others– more and more diners appreciate knowing where their produce comes from and a walk through the garden seems to really whet their appetites.

www.tannery.ie

www.ballymaloe.ie

www.zibibbo.co.nz

www.restaurantschwass.com

www.otahuna.co.nz

www.amisfield.co.nz

www.soulbar.co.nz

 

Monkfish Goujons with Harissa and Coriander Mayonnaise

This is my interpretation of a very moreish snack I tasted in Soul a restaurant on the waterfront in Auckland – they used snapper but monkfish works brilliantly here. Great for a starter or finger food. The beer batter produces a crisp coating for fish sometimes I dispense with the water and just use beer.

Serves 6 to 8

450g (1lb)  trimmed monkfish

Beer Batter

250g (9oz) self raising flour

good pinch of salt

4 fl ozs (110ml) beer

6 – 8 fl ozs (175 – 225ml) cold water

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl.  Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in the beer and water until the batter is a light coating consistency.

Mayonnaise

1 – 2 tablespoons Harissa

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves

 

 

First make the mayonnaise, add the Harissa and coarsely chopped coriander. Taste and correct seasoning.

Cut the monkfish into fingers, no larger than 1cm (1/3in) square and 7 ½ cm (3in) long. To serve: heat the oil in a deep fry to 180°C. Dip the Goujons one at a time into the batter, shake off excess batter, and cook just a few at a time (test one first to check the seasoning)

Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve immediately in a basket or on a plate with a bowl of Harissa mayonnaise.

Harissa

Makes 100g (3 1/2oz)

10 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes

5 fresh red chillies

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Deseed and roughly chop the dried and fresh chillies.  Put in a food processor with the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and olive oil.  Whizz until smooth. 

Store in a jar with a layer of olive oil over the top.  It will keep for 3 months.

 

Spiced Cauliflower Florets with Aoili

 

Lots of cauliflower in restaurants in different guises – this little recipe is cheap, cheerful, utterly delicious, filling and seasonal. Here you can omit the cumin entirely if you prefer, the cauliflower fritters will still be delicious.

 

Serves 8 approximately

1 medium cauliflower divided into florets

2 free range eggs

200g (7oz) white flour

125g (4 ½ oz) Parmesan, Desmond, Gabriel or Coolea

125g (4 ½ oz) fine bread crumbs

salt and freshly ground pepper and freshly ground cumin

Aioli (garlic mayonnaise)

Trim the cauliflower leaves and stalks, save and use for cauliflower cheese. Divide cauliflower florets into nice size pieces to pick up.

Bring 1.2 litres (2 pints) water to the boil, add 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the cauliflower florets (do in batches if necessary). Bring back to the boil, cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and refresh under cold water, drain very well.

Make the Aoili and add a teaspoon of freshly ground cumin. Taste, correct seasoning. To serve, heat oil in a deep fry or in a frying pan with 2.5cm (1 in) oil over a medium heat. Dip the florets in flour well seasoned with salt and freshly gound pepper and a little freshly roasted ground cumin. Dip in well beaten egg and first finely grated Parmesan or better still Desmond, Gabriel or mature Coolea – our beautiful Irish cheese. Fry the cauliflower fritters a few at a time in the hot oil, drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with a bowl of Aoili to dip.

 

Pork Belly with Green and Black Olive Tapenade

Inspired by a dish I ate at Amisfield Winery near Queenstown on the South Island of New Zealand.

Serves 6 – 8

1 x 2.2kg (5lb) pork belly with crackling

rocket leaves

green and black olive Tapenade (see recipe)

flakes of sea salt

Score the pork at 5mm (¼in) intervals. Sprinkle both the rind and flesh side with salt and allow to season for 2 – 3 hours. Wash and dry well. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350ºF/gas mark 4.  Put the pork, skin side up on a chopping board, season with Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper.  Pour 1cm (1/2 inch) water into a roasting tin and roast the joint on a wire rack in the roasting tin.  Allow 25-28 minutes per 450g (1lb). Baste with the rendered pork fat every now and then.

Meanwhile make the Green and Black Tapenade.

 

Green and Black Olive Tapenade

75g (3oz) black olives, stoned Kalamata

75g (3oz) green olives, Picholine

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 anchovies

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put the olives, garlic, anchovies and olive oil into a food processor and whizz for a few seconds – just long enough to chop the olives fairly coarsely: it shouldn’t be a puree.

Cut a slice of belly 5cm (2in) thick. Choose a rectangular plate if possible. Scatter a few rocket leaves along the plate and lay the piece of pork on top. Drizzle some Tapenade along the plate. Sprinkle the pork with a few flakes of sea salt and serve.

 

Affrogata

Jason Innes from Amisfield Winery served a do-it-yourself Affrogata on a round plate in a cappuccino cup and saucer, a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a shot of espresso on the side. The diner pours the steaming coffee over the ice cream and tucks in – simple and sublime.

 

Homemade Vanilla Ice-cream

Serves 6-8

This ice-cream is very rich and very delicious, made on an egg mousse base with softly-whipped cream and flavourings added. Ice-creams made in this way have a smooth texture and do not need further whisking during the freezing period. They should not be served frozen hard. Remove from the freezer at least 10 minutes before serving.

50g (2oz) sugar

100ml (4fl oz) water

2 egg yolks, preferably free-range and organic

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

600ml (1pint) softly whipped cream

Put the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy (keep the whites for meringues). Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir over heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove the spoon and boil the syrup until it reaches the ‘thread’ stage, 106-113°C (236°F). It will look thick and syrupy; when a metal spoon is dipped in, the last drops of syrup will form thin threads. Pour this boiling syrup in a steady stream onto the egg yolks, whisking all the time. Add vanilla extract and continue to whisk until it becomes a thick creamy white mousse. Fold the softly-whipped cream into the mousse, pour into a bowl, cover and freeze.

 

Hottips

 

These dark evenings are just perfect to rummage through seed catalogues, and plan your raised bed or vegetable plot, however small. The GIY (Grow it Yourself) Ireland website is also a great resource www.giyireland.com tons of great advice and tips from both experienced growers and bewildered beginners. Michael Kelly founder of the GIY (Grow it Yourself) movement in Ireland will speak at Cork Free Choice Consumer Group monthly event on self sufficiency, sustainability and how to get good food from the back garden. Crawford Gallery Café Thursday 27^th January 7:30pm. The entrance of €6.00 includes tea/coffee.

Food Writing Course with Ross Golden Bannon (editor Food and Wine Magazine)- Saturday 19th February 2011 – 9:30am to 5:00pm learn all about the many different styles of food writing (both contemporary and historical) and lots of practical tips including how to best get your work published. www.cookingisfun.ie 021 4646785

New Zealand could teach us a thing or two in a number of food related areas, they are obsessive about keeping plant animal and insect diseases out of the country. So woe betide anyone who tries to smuggle anything in or forgets they have a piece of fruit in the bottom of their bag. There are plenty of warnings at the points of entry, fines for the heedless are substantial and rightly so. Agriculture is a huge part of GNP. Fonterra is the biggest dairy company in the world and is responsible for more than a third of all international dairy trade and 25% of New Zealand’s export earnings. Kiwi dairy farmers are doing well at present.

As in Ireland, New Zealand can grow brilliant grass yet New Zealand butter didn’t seem to be so highly regarded in some foodie circles. Twice when I enquired about the best butter, I was surprised when it was suggested that I buy Lurpak.

In New Zealand, as in this part of the world artisan producers are growing in numbers and their produce despite recession is gaining popularity. Cuisine Wine Country magazine lists not only the top wine makers but the Farmer’s Markets and Artisan Producers and of course câfes and restaurants on both North and South Islands.

Farmers Markets are a good place to get a real insight into what local people are eating. I visited several during the course of a couple of weeks. The Hawkes Bay Farmer’s Market in Hastings is the original and many would say still the best in New Zealand. It’s held every Sunday and is run by a voluntary committee. It’s mid Summer down under now so the stalls were over flowing with fruit and vegetables. The asparagus season was just over but there was a abundance of gorgeous cherries, stone fruit and berries. The New Zealanders have always been great picklers so there were lots of creative combinations made with both exotic garden and wild fruits.

I particularly loved Gernots preserves at the Hawkes Bay Farmers Market – sublime jams and jellies – all made from fruit grown in the local area – Crab apple and saffron Jelly, Apricot and Gin Jam, Tangelo and Cointreau Marmalade…

Another company make a range of delicious products from St Andrews Limes including a superb lime and passion fruit curd, Feijoa and Black Pepper Jelly and a Lime and Fig Marmalade – divine.

The Damson Company in Havelock North had a fantastically good damson paste, damson vinaigrette, damson chocolates and damson liqueur which is just like our damson gin. They have already been a recipient of the Cuisine Artisan Food Awards.

The North Island of New Zealand particularly is blessed with a Mediterranean climate hence the thriving wine and a growing olive oil industry. On the North Island we also made it our business to be in Matakana for the Saturday Farmer’s Market one of the most stylish markets I’ve been to in any country.

We visited various farmers and cheese makers and a Omaha Blueberry farm where Robert and Shannon Auton grow 40 acres of organic blueberries close to the beach. Again they are highly innovative and even though they sell huge quantities of fresh blueberries, they encourage people to come onto the farm to eat their homemade blueberry ice cream, sorbets, yogurt and smoothies. I also visited Heilala Vanilla Company. The vanilla grows on the Pacific Island of Tonga and is processed in Tauranga on the North Island. In just a few short years Heilala Vanilla has swept the boards and beat all comers in blind tastings. They can scarcely keep up the demand for their vanilla extract, concentrated vanilla syrup and of course plump vanilla pods. The enterprise has saved an entire community in Tonga and they plan to market over this side of the world before too long.

The farmhouse cheese industry is also growing, we visited several dairies including Over the Moon in Putaruru on the road between Hamilton and Rotorua. They make a variety of cow, goat and sheepsmilk cheese and have recently set up a highly acclaimed cheese making school. Whangaripo Buffalo Cheese Company was equally fascinating. One normally associates buffalo milk with mozzarella but at present Phil Armstrong nicknamed Buffalo Phil and his lovely wife Annie make a fantastic creamy blue cheese called Marin Blue, a Pecorino type called St Malo, and produce thick unctuous yoghurt. We visited them on their lovely farm in Whangaripo valley and had a little feast of farmhouse cheese and cured sausage and fresh berries on a long table under a canopy in the field below their Summer bach.

They are just a few of the spirited innovative artisan producers we met who are creatively adding value to their produce. Many like Phil and Annie start by doing market research and selling their produce at the Famers Markets and to local chefs but soon are wooed by delis and in some cases supermarkets who are anxious to supply their customers with local food they increasingly demand.

Check out the following websites for more information and inspiration.

www.thedamsoncollection.co.nz

www.overthemoondairy.co.nz/index.php

www.gernotsgold.co.nz

www.oob.co.nz

http://standrewslimes.yolasite.com

Pavlova with Kiwi Fruit or Passion Fruit

Pavlova is the quintessential Kiwi dessert, smothered with cream and seasonal fruit; it’s still a huge favourite.

Serves 6 – 8

4 egg whites

4 ozs (110g/1 cup) castor sugar

2 teasp. cornflour

1 teasp. pure vanilla extract

2 teasp. white malt vinegar

Filling

½ pint (300ml) cream

4-5 kiwi fruit or the pulp of several ripe passion fruit

Garnish: fresh mint or lemon balm, sweet geranium

Preheat the oven to 150C\275F\regulo 1.

Line a baking tray with silicone paper (Bakewell). Check that your bowl and whisk are dry and free of grease. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add the castor sugar, little by little at a time. Fold in the cornflour, vanilla extract and vinegar.

Spread the meringue mixture onto a 9 inch (23cm) round or oval on the silicone paper. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then turn off the oven and leave for a further hourto dry out and crisp. Cool on a wire rack and peel off the paper. Remove from the oven and peel off the paper. Cool on a wire rack. Allow to get quite cold.

To Serve:

Put the pavlova onto a serving plate. Whip the cream softly, smother the pavlova with cream and decorate the top with peeled and sliced kiwi fruit o drizzle with passion fruit puree generously. Garnish with mint or lemon balm leaves

Pikelets

Easy and gorgeous – these little drop scones can be made in minutes, perfect for children to help with also.

　

Makes 30 approximately

　

2 free range eggs

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

275g (10oz) plain white flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

60g (2 ¼ oz) melted butter

350ml (2fl oz) milk

Whisk the eggs and sugar together. Sieve dry ingredients together and fold gently into the base. Gradually whisk in the milk and finally the melted butter.

Heat the cast iron pan on a medium heat. Brush with a very little oil, put tablespoons of the batter well apart on the pan. Cook on one side until the bubbles burst, about 2 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook on the other side until golden. Eat warm with butter and caster sugar.

Passion Fruit Melting Moments

Makes 24

　

250g (9oz) butter

60g (2½ oz) icing sugar

210g (7 ½ oz) plain white flour

50g (2oz) cornflour

Filling

50 g (2oz) butter

60g (2½ oz) icing sugar

sieved pulp of one ripe passion fruit

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

Cream, the butter and icing sugar and beat until fluffy. Stir in the sieved flours. The mixture should be stiff but crumbly. Pipe into rosettes or form little balls and flatten with a fork in a criss cross pattern. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile make the filling, cream the butter, add the icing sugar and the sieved pulp of ripe passion fruit, beat until light and creamy Sandwich the melting moments together with a little of the passion fruit filling. Dredge with icing sugar and serve.

　

Rocky Road

Scary stuff but addictive, so antipodean – another great favourite down under.

Makes 10 x 10cm (4 x 4 in)

450g (1lb) chocolate dark (62% cocoa solids)

450g (1lb) marshmallows

175g (6oz) toasted hazelnuts

175g (6oz) almonds, toasted

175g (6oz) jelly beans

50g (2oz) cherries

20.5cm (8in) square tin lined with silicone paper

Melt the chocolate gently in a Pyrex bowl tepid water, allow to cool but while still liquid stir in the marshmallow, nuts, jelly beans and cherries. Toss gently to coat in the chocolate. Pour evenly into a lined tin and allow to set. Cut into 5cm (2in)

Slices.

　

Rocky Road Ice Cream

Serves 20 approximately

450g (Ilb) Rocky Road

1.65 litres (2 ¼ pints) Vanilla Ice Cream

Cut rocky road into pieces, fold into ice cream, freeze and enjoy.

Jeff’s Redcurrant Tart

Serves 10 approximately

 

Jeff Bryant made this delicious tart especially for us with fresh red currants from his garden in Queenstown.

 

½ cup chopped walnuts (or hazelnuts/almonds) toasted

1 tbsp white or Demerara sugar

150g (5oz) butter

225g (8oz) sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

165g (6oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

450g (1lb) of fruit (most other fruit could be substituted for the red currants)

Mix chopped, toasted nuts with first quantity of sugar and nonchalantly put aside.

Melt the butter in microwave bowl or in pot until just soft/liquid.　 Add the cup of sugar, the eggs and vanilla and beat recklessly until blended.　 Shake in the flour and bp and mix in with half the nut and sugar mix.

Spread the cake batter evenly in a buttered or sprayed 23-25 cm round (loose bottomed) cake tin.　 Mixture raises as it cooks.

Place fruit (peeled/stoned/hulled whatever) over the mixture, press some in lightly into the base first, and then sprinkle over the rest of the sugar and nut mix with indifference.

Bake at 180°C/350°F/Mark 4 for about 40 minutes until cake has risen around the fruit and browned lightly.

Serve warm (if as a dessert) with an air of insouciance and a dollop of cream!

　

Hottips

Farmers Markets

Mahon Point Farmers Market re-opens on Thursday 13^{th January and Midleton and Douglas Farmers Markets re-open on Saturday 15th January, 2011.www.cookingisfun.ie for more information. Bursaries available.www.organicrepublic.ie organicrepublic@gmail.com 0863623918.}

Learn how to grow vegetables, herbs, fruit and cut flowers.

Earn your living from your gardening skills – The Ballymaloe Cookery School inaugural Diploma in Practical Horticulture begins Monday 28th February 2011. See

In season… Marmalade oranges are in the shops now; organic Seville oranges are available from Catriona Daunt from Organic Republic who also deliver seasonal organic (certified) fruit and vegetable boxes in Cork city and suburbs. Order a box every two weeks or weekly, minimum box price €20.00

People just love to bake. The smell of a freshly baked cake or a tray of biscuits coming out of the oven always brings a smile and a feeling of comfort and warmth.

This week a few of my favourite things to bake and share or sell for that matter. Tiny scones are made in minutes; instead of traditional butter and jam or cream why not try a dab of orange or coffee butter cream. The sour cherry Amaretti are relatively new to our repertoire – a delicious recipe given to me by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi when they taught here last year. A tin of bakewell slices with toasted almonds on top can be served with a cup of coffee or as a pudding with a jug of custard or a bowl of softly whipped cream. Brownies are a perennial favourite, these have some banana added and are a terrific way to using up a couple of ripe bananas. Almond macaroons are gluten free. Chocolate chip cookies are also a brilliant standby, you can make a batch, and then shape it into rolls, some can be frozen and some just popped into the oven immediately. I have several recipes for what are called refrigerator cookies – they must have an American origin but they are terrific to know about and are the best standby to have – just slice a few rounds, pop them into the oven and by the time the tea is made they’ll be ready to enjoy.

In general, I find a conventional oven best for baking, a fan assisted oven is a more drying heat perfect for meringues but cakes and biscuits cooked in this type of oven seem to stale faster. But this is not a problem if they are delicious – they won’t be around long enough for it to matter.

 

Yotam’s Sour Cherry Amaretti

A totally delicious biscuit and with the added bonus of being gluten free.

Makes about 20

180g (6 1/4 ozs) ground almonds

120g (4 1/4 ozs) caster sugar

grated zest of 1 lemon

3 drops of natural almond extract

a pinch of salt

60g (2 1/2 ozs) dried sour cherries, roughly chopped

2 free-range egg whites

2 teaspoons honey

plenty of icing sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.

Put the ground almonds, sugar, lemon zest, almond extract and salt in a large bowl and rub with your fingertips to disperse the zest and essence evenly. Add the cherries and set aside.

Using a manual or electric whisk beat the egg whites and honey until they reach a soft meringue consistency. Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture. At this stage you should have a soft, malleable paste.

With your hands, form the mixture into 20 irregular shapes. Roll them in plenty of icing sugar, and then arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. The biscuits should have taken on some colour but remain relatively pale and chewy in the centre. Leave to cool completely before indulging, or storing them in a sealed jar.

 

Rachel’s Bakewell Bars

Makes 12 Bars

75g (3oz) butter, softened

25g (1oz) caster sugar

1 egg yolk

175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

200g (7oz) raspberry jam (see recipe)

Topping

100g (3 1/2oz) butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs, beaten

a few drops of almond essence

100g (3 1/2oz) ground almonds

100g (3 1/2oz) semolina

100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar

flaked almonds for sprinkling

20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inch) square cake tin

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

Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

First, make the biscuit base.  Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft.  Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolk and mix well, then sift in the flour and mix together to form a dough.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to the right size to fit the base of the tin and then press into the prepared tin.  Spread the raspberry jam over the top then allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.

Place the melted butter in a bowl, add the beaten eggs and almond essence and mix well.  Stir in the ground almonds, semolina and caster sugar.

Take the tin out of the fridge and spread the almond dough over the jam, being careful not to mess up the jam too much.  (I usually place the almond dough in dots over the jam, then join it all together using the back of a spoon).

Sprinkle the top with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and set in the centre.  Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into fingers.

 

Banana Nut Brownies

 

Moist, rich and delicious.  Can be an irresistible nibble or a gorgeous pud with a blob of crème fraiche.

 

Makes 24 medium or 18 large squares

175g (6oz) butter, cut into dice

300g (10oz) light muscovado sugar (5ozs caster sugar and 5ozs soft brown sugar)

175g (6oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces

100g (4oz) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

100g (4oz) walnuts and hazelnuts chopped

3 organic eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4

20cm x 30cm (8 x 12 inch) swiss roll tin (deep tin)

Line the swiss roll tin with silicone paper.  Put the butter, sugar and chocolate in a saucepan on a gentle heat stirring until it’s smooth and melted.  Remove the pan from the heat, cool a little

Sieve the flour and the baking powder, add the chopped nuts.  Beat the eggs and add to the chocolate.  Add the mashed banana to the chocolate mixture.  Finally add the chocolate mixture into the flour, mix well and pour into the prepared tin.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until almost firm in the centre.  Cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into squares.

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

 

Makes about 36-40, depending on size

225g (8ozs) butter

200g (7oz) brown sugar

165g (6oz) castor sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

350g (12 oz) plain white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

150g (5oz) chocolate chips

100g (3 1/2 ozs) chopped nuts – hazelnuts

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

Cream the butter add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg bit by bit, then the vanilla extract.

Mix the dry ingredients together and fold them in.  Lastly, add the chocolate chips and the chopped nuts.

Divide the mixture into 7g (1/4 oz) pieces, for teeny weeny pieces, or 25g (1oz) for medium sized or 50g (2oz) for American style cookies onto baking sheets. Remember to allow lots of room for spreading.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Cool for a few minutes on the tray and then transfer to wire racks.  Store in an airtight container.

 

Coffee and Walnut Scones

 

In the US scones are rarely eaten with butter or cream so be generous with the icing. I came across this version in a tea-shop in Manhattan.

Makes 18-20 scones using a 7½cm (3inch) cutter, or twice as many if you use a smaller cutter. Without the icing they freeze brilliantly.

900 g (2lb) flour

pinch of salt

50g (2oz) castor sugar

170g (6oz) butter

3 heaped teaspoons baking powder

3 free range eggs

2-3 tablespoons coffee essence

425ml (15floz) approx. milk to mix

140g (5oz) walnuts, chopped coarsely

Coffee Icing

 

450g (1lb) icing sugar

scant 2 tablespoons Irel coffee essence

4 tablespoons boiling water approx.

First preheat the oven to 250C/475F/gas mark 9.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together. Rub in the butter and add the chopped walnuts.  Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs and coffee essence with the milk, add to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board.  Knead lightly, just enough to shape into a round.  Roll out to about 2½cm (1inch) thick and stamp into scones.  Put onto a baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile make the coffee icing: Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl.  Add coffee essence and enough boiling water to make it the consistency of thick cream.

Spread each scone generously with coffee icing.  Allow to set.

Almond and Orange Florentines

 

One of my all time favourite restaurants in London is Ottolenghi. This recipe comes from Ottolenghi The Cookbook – published by Ebury Press.

Makes about 20

vegetable oil for brushing

2 organic egg whites

100g (3 1/2oz) icing sugar

260g (9 1/2oz) flaked almonds

grated zest of 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas Mark 2.

Line a heavy baking tray with greaseproof paper and lightly brush with vegetable oil. Next to you have a small bowl with some cold water.

In a mixing bowl place together the whites, sugar, almonds and zest. Mix them gently until blended. Dip your hand in the bowl of water and pick up portions of the mix to make little mounds on the lined tray, well spaced apart.

Dip a fork in the water and flatten each biscuit very thinly. You want to make the biscuits as thin as possible without creating many gaps between the almond flakes.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake approximately 12 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown. Check underneath one biscuit to make sure they are cooked through.

Allow to cool down well. Gently, using a palette knife, remove the biscuits from the baking sheet and into a sealed jar.

Refrigerator Cookies

 

Such a terrific recipe to have up your sleeve. The dough can also be flavoured with chopped walnuts and hazelnuts, orange or lemon zest, ground ginger or almonds.

 

Makes 50 approximately

225g (8oz) butter

225g (8oz) caster sugar

1 organic egg

1 tablespoon double cream

300g (10oz) plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

pure vanilla extract (or lemon juice or ground ginger)

Castor sugar

Cream the butter and caster sugar in a bowl, then stir in the beaten egg, cream, flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla extract.  Shape the dough into a long roll or rolls, about 5cm (2 inches or smaller if you prefer) in diameter, and wrap in silicone paper or foil.  Chill in the fridge until the next day. 

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas Mark 5.

Cut the dough into thin rounds, no more than ¼ inch rounds. Arrange well apart on 1 baking tray.  Sprinkle them with castor sugar and cook for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven until they are a pale golden colour.  Transfer to a wire rack.  There is no need to bake the dough all at once; cut off what you need and put the rest back in the fridge until you fancy another bikki.

If you would like different flavours, divide the dough into three, and flavour each mixture differently. 

 

Ginger Nuts

 

Irish people have loved ginger ever since it started coming to these islands, and ginger nuts still account for a good chunk of Irish biscuit sales.  These homemade ones make an excellent substitute!  They’ll keep for ages in a tin if you can hide them away.

Makes 58

350g (12oz) white flour

150g (5oz) sugar

2 level teaspoons ginger, ground

2 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

175ml (6fl oz) golden syrup (290g/8 1/2oz in weight)

150g (5oz) butter

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

Sieve the dry ingredients together into a bowl.  Meanwhile, warm the syrup gently.  Rub the butter into the dry ingredients.  Add the warm syrup and mix well.  Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls and arrange well apart on a baking tray lined with silicone paper. Bake in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.  Leave on the tray for 2-3 minutes, then lift off with an egg slice and cool on a wire rack.

Snow Balls

 

Makes about 35

These delicious biscuits keep for ages in a tin, but they are so irresistible that they are seldom around for very long!

110g (4 oz) butter

2 tablespoons castor sugar

3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

140g (5 oz) pecans

140g (5 ozs) plain white flour

icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 300F/150C/regulo 2.

Cream the butter, add the castor sugar and beat until soft and light. Grind the nuts finely in a food processor, mix with the butter and sugar, add the sieved flour and vanilla extract. Pinch off teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls. Place well apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes or until pale and golden. 

Remove from the oven and roll quickly in icing sugar. Handle the pecan puffs very carefully as they will be fragile, brittle and extremely hot!  Return to the oven and bake for 1 minute, to set the sugar. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin. Dust each layer with icing sugar. Separate each layer with greaseproof paper.

Fool Proof Food

 

Almond Macaroons

 

Makes 12-16

These are so simple to make and can easily keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

4ozs (110g) desiccated coconut or ground almonds

3ozs (75g) caster sugar

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.  Put the desiccated coconut or ground almonds, caster sugar and the egg white into a bowl and stir to combine.  It should be firm, but slightly sticky.  Roll small dessertspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.  Flatten slightly with a wet fork.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until pale golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

Note: These are also good with the grated zest of 1 lemon or orange mixed in with the coconut/almonds and sugar.

 

Hottips

 

The Soil Association Annual Conference – always an inspiration – will be held in Manchester Town Hall 9^th and 10^th February, 2011 – a two day public debate on Food and Farming. Tickets are available at www.soilassociation.org/shop

 

Irish Maol Cattle

Kerry beef farmer Patrick O’Sullivan from Ardfort who rears rare Irish Maol cattle has a number of animals for sale at present. This traditional Irish breed is a hardy dual purpose animal which produces both high quality beef and milk.  The name Moile is derived from the Gaelic language and relates to the distinctive dome or mound on top of the head. In the 20^th Century the breed declined in numbers as it was superseded by new more specialised breeds. The handsome hornless cattle can thrive and develop their unique flavour on rough terrain and deserve to be better known and appreciated. Interested chefs and butchers should contact Patrick on 0876472683 or contact the Irish Moile Society – 048-2588030 www.irishmoiledcattlesociety.com

The best chocolate biscuit recipe I have tasted for ages can be found on Rory O’Connell’s new food blog www.roryoconnell.blogspot.com

Nowadays more than ever before we need comfort food! So I’m going to devote my first column of the year to simple homely dishes guaranteed to warm and cheer the family when they traipse in tired and hungry from school or after a long days work. Hearty wholesome dishes that will fill the kitchen with the smell of delicious home cooking. The sort of food that everyone will want to tuck into around the kitchen table.

A few weekends ago, when I was down in Kerry at the Listowel Food Fair, I popped into see Mary Keane in JB Keane’s pub in Church Street.  Mary is a hugely entertaining woman with a lyrical Kerry lilt and a no nonsense approach to life – she loves her food and brought me into her own kitchen to teach me how to make proper Listowel Pies some time ago. When we were chatting away about food, Mary reminded us that ‘the kitchen table is a fierce important thing in every home’ – how right she is and how quickly many of us have abandoned it for the sofa in front of the telly. So perhaps this is the time for a New Year resolution to ban the ‘damn telly’ out of the kitchen or at least have an unbreakable rule that it doesn’t get switched on during meal times. Even if people are arguing it keeps the lines of communication open!

Better still, cook together – peeling and chopping really can be fun when everyone is chatting, squabbling and having a laugh. It helps to share the workload and best of all it passes on the cooking skills in an effortless easy way. While times were good many didn’t reckon it was worth bothering to learn how to cook but boy, have we had a wake up ‘call’. In changed circumstances we now realise the value of being able to scramble a few eggs or whip up a spontaneous pasta. So how about a delicious bubbly cauliflower cheese, spaghetti and meat balls, chicken and broccoli gratin or a strata, the latter is the savoury version of bread and butter pudding. My current favourite is Butternut Squash and Sage Strata from Alice’s Cookbook – published by Quadrille – by Alice Hart, a name to watch.  Alice serves it with garlic toast but on New Years day it would be good with a big green salad of Winter leaves with a new seasons olive oil dressing.

Follow it up with a steamed pudding, apple fritters, or an old fashioned rice pudding with a golden skin on top – perfect for a chilly January day.

 

Meatballs with Spaghetti and Fresh Tomato Sauce

 

If you’d prefer the, the minced beef mixture can be shaped into a burger, fried and tucked into a soft bun.

 

Serves 6

Meatballs

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

900g (2lbs) freshly minced beef

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as marjoram, or a mixture of parsley, chives and thyme leaves

1 organic egg, beaten

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

225g (8oz) onion, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

900g (2lbs) ripe, peeled and chopped tomatoes or 2 x 400g (14ozs) tins chopped tomatoes (or use

salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar

To serve

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

150g (5ozs) Cheddar cheese or a mixture of Mozzarella and Parmesan, grated

450g (1lb) spaghetti

Garnish

flat parsley leaves

First make the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan over a gentle heat and add the chopped onions and garlic.  Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and slightly golden. Allow to cool.

Put the freshly minced beef into a bowl, add the cold sweated onion and garlic, add the herbs and the beaten egg.  Season the mixture to taste.  Fry a tiny bit to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Divide the mixture into about 24 round meatballs. Cover and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce.  Heat the oil in a casserole or a stainless-steel saucepan.  Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat over a gentle heat until soft.  Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, mix and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar (tinned tomatoes take more sweetening).  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until thick and unctuous. 

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat; add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes turning from time to time.  When they are cooked, transfer to an ovenproof serving dish. Add to the hot tomato sauce, turn gently to cover.  Pop into a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.  Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling water.  Drain and turn into a hot serving dish.  Spoon the meatballs and tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle with grated Cheddar or a mixture of Mozzarella and Parmesan.  Sprinkle with lots of flat parsley leaves.

Cauliflower Cheese

This recipe is also perfect for Romanesco and if you want to make it more robust one could add a little diced chorizo or crispy bacon.

Serves 6-8

1 medium sized cauliflower with green leaves

salt

Mornay Sauce

600ml (1 pint) milk with a dash of cream

a slice of onion

3-4 slices of carrot

6 peppercorns

sprig of thyme or parsley

roux

salt and freshly ground pepper

150g (5oz) grated cheese, e.g. cheddar or a mixture of Gruyére, Parmesan and Cheddar

1/2 teaspoon mustard

Garnish

Chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8.

Prepare and cook the cauliflower. Remove the outer leaves and wash both the cauliflower and the leaves well.  Put not more than 1 inch (2.5cm) water in a saucepan just large enough to take the cauliflower; add a little salt.  Chop the leaves into small pieces and cut the cauliflower in quarters or eighths; place the cauliflower on top of the green leaves in the saucepan, cover and simmer until cooked, 10-15 minutes approx. Test by piercing the stalk with a knife, there should be just a little resistance. 

Meanwhile make the Mornay Sauce. Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the onion, carrot, peppercorns and herb.  Bring to the boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes, and remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken with roux to a light coating consistency. Add most of the grated cheese (reserving enough to sprinkle over the dish) and a little mustard. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. Spoon the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with the remainder of the grated cheese. The dish may be prepared ahead to this point.

Put into the preheated oven or under the grill to brown. If the cauliflower cheese is allowed to get completely cold, it will take 20-25 minutes to reheat in a moderate oven. 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.  Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

 

Gratin of Chicken and Broccoli

 

Serves 4-6

This is one of those dishes that can be mouth-watering or a complete disaster. Its success depends on the broccoli being carefully cooked so that it is bright green and just tender.

1 x 1.5kg (3lbs 5ozs) chicken*, free range if possible

2 carrots, sliced

2 onions, sliced

sprig each of thyme and tarragon

a few peppercorns

300ml (1/2 pint) homemade chicken stock

450g (1lb) broccoli florets

110g (4ozs) mushrooms, sliced

knob of butter

175ml (6fl ozs) milk

150ml (1/4 pint) cream

2 teaspoons tarragon or annual marjoram

roux

25g (1oz) buttered crumbs (see recipe)

1-2oz (25-50g) grated mature cheddar cheese

lasagne dish (25.5 x 20.5cm) 10 x 8 inch

Put the chicken into a saucepan or casserole with the onions and carrots, add a sprig of thyme, tarragon and a few peppercorns. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours or until the chicken is tender.

Meanwhile cook the broccoli florets in boiling salted water until al dente (see recipe). Drain and refresh under cold water, keep aside. Sauté the mushrooms in the butter on a hot pan season with salt and freshly ground pepper and keep aside also.

When the chicken is cooked remove the meat from one side and carve into bite-sized pieces. Keep the rest for another recipe,* or double the rest of the ingredients.

Strain and degrease the cooking liquid, add the cream and milk, bring to the boil, add the tarragon or annual marjoram, simmer for a few minutes, thicken to a light coating consistency with roux, then add the chicken to the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Butter an ovenproof lasagne dish, put a layer of broccoli on the base, scatter the mushrooms on top and cover with the creamy chicken mixture.

Mix the Buttered Crumbs with the grated cheese and sprinkle over the surface. Reheat in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 15-20 minutes and flash under the grill until the top is crunchy and golden. Serve immediately.

Buttered Crumbs

2 ozs (50g) butter

4 ozs (110g) soft white breadcrumbs

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat immediately and allow to cool.

Roux

 

4 ozs (110 g) butter

4 ozs (110 g) flour

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

 

 

Treacle Pudding

The name is a bit misleading because we use golden syrup instead of treacle. It’s sweet and sticky and lovely.

Serves 4–6

7g (1⁄4oz) soft butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

juice of 1⁄2 lemon (about  2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons white breadcrumbs

110g (4oz) butter

110g (4oz) golden caster sugar

2 organic eggs

150g (5oz) self-raising flour

grated zest of 1 organic lemon

2 tablespoons milk

For the Sauce

3 tablespoons golden syrup

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

600ml (1 pint) pudding bowl

Brush the bottom of the bowl with soft butter. Mix the syrup with the lemon juice and breadcrumbs. Spoon around the base of the bowl. Cream the butter, add the caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the flour and grated lemon zest, add enough milk to make a softish mixture. Spoon into the bowl. Cover and steam for 11⁄4 hours. After steaming, carefully remove from the pan and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove paper. Carefully turn it upside down onto a warm serving dish (the syrup will be scalding hot). Serve with lightly whipped cream or Homemade Custard

To steam a pudding

Choose a deep saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Fill about halfway with water and bring to the boil. Lower the pudding into the saucepan. Cover and boil gently for required time. Keep checking the water level regularly – it needs to remain at least halfway up the bowl.

To cover a pudding bowl

Take two layers of silicone or greaseproof paper or tin foil and pleat in the centre to allow for expansion. Lay flat on top of the bowl – there should be enough to come down over the sides. Secure the ledge with cotton string. Make a handle for ease of lifting.

 

Apple Fritters

Funny how one sometimes forgets a recipe; we hadn’t had these for ages, but I remembered them recently and they taste just as good as ever. As children we particularly loved fritters because they used to fry into funny shapes, which caused great hilarity. These can also be shallow-fried in a pan. You can add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the sugar to toss the apples in for extra flavour. Serves 6–8

110g (4oz) plain white flour

pinch of salt

1 organic egg

150ml (5fl oz) milk

good-quality vegetable oil, for frying

450g (1lb) cooking apples (about 4), Bramley’s Seedling or Grenadier

225g (4oz) caster sugar

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and drop in the egg. Use a whisk to bring in the flour gradually from the edges, slowly adding in the milk at the same time. Leave the batter in a cool place for about 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180°C (350°F). Peel and core the apples. Cut into rings, no thicker than 1cm (1⁄4in). Dip the rings into the batter and lift out with a skewer, allowing the surplus batter to drain off, then drop into hot fat, a few at a time. Fry until golden brown, drain well on kitchen paper. Toss each fritter in caster sugar. Serve immediately on hot plates with softly whipped cream.

 

 

Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

A creamy rice pudding is one of the greatest treats on a cold winter’s day. You need to use short-grain rice, which plumps up as it cooks. This is definitely a forgotten pudding and it’s unbelievable the reaction we get to it every time we make it at the Cookery School. It’s always the absolute favourite pudding at my evening courses. Serves 6–8

100g (31⁄2oz) pearl rice (short-grain rice)

50g (2oz) sugar

small knob of butter

1. 2 litres (2 pints) milk

1 x 1. 2 litre (2 pint) capacity pie dish

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

Put the rice, sugar and butter into a pie dish. Bring the milk to the boil and pour over. Bake for 1–1 1⁄2 hours. The skin should be golden, the rice underneath should be cooked through and have soaked up the milk, but still be soft and creamy. Time it so that it’s ready just in time for pudding. If it has to wait in the oven for ages it will be dry and dull and you’ll wonder why you bothered.

Three good things to serve with rice pudding:

•           Softly whipped cream and soft brown sugar

•           Compote of apricots and cardamom

•           Compote of sweet apples and rose geranium

 

 

Hottips

 

Art student Eileen Hutton studied at the Burren School of Art. The nest she built at Ballymaloe Cookery School from hazel twigs and moss were responsibly removed from Slieve Carron Nature Reserve as part of the Burren Conservation Volunteers’ effort. The nest will be on public view from 9am to 6pm in the conservatory at Ballymaloe Cookery School until the end of January. www.eileenhutton.com

The Cook’s Book of Ingredients published by Penguin is the ultimate visual reference guide to ingredients from around the world, enabling cooks to learn how to choose top-quality produce, and get great results in the kitchen. The book features over 250 classic recipes from basil pesto to fruity jams, helping readers to get the most out of each ingredient, and create dishes they will enjoy again and again.

New Seasons Olive Oil – the first of the new seasons extra virgin olive oil is available in the Ballymaloe Cookery School Shop – a perfect present for a special foodie friend. 021 4646785.