More from Ballymaloe LitFest 2013

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Last week, I promised that I would share some more of the gems cooked by the guest chefs at the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine 2013. This weekend I have chosen recipes from David Tanis, Skye Gyngel and Claire Ptak who did a cookery demonstration together. What a line up.

David Tanis worked as head chef at Chez Panisse in Berkley CA for over twenty years. He cooked for six months of the year and then had six months off, living the remainder of the time in Paris. He in tandem with all of the others is passionate about the quality of ingredients.

This was his first visit in Ireland and he is totally besotted.  He stayed on for an extra week with another friend who travelled from New York to the festival. They explored south and south west of Ireland and to visited some artisan producers, including the Ferguson family at Gubbeen.

David cooked several duck dishes with Nora Ahern’s and Robbie Fitzsimmon’s ducks.

David is the author of two modern classics A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, chosen as one of the 50 best cookbooks ever by the Guardian/Observer (U.K.), and Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys, nominated for a James Beard Award.

Skye Gyngell has written three books; A Year in my Kitchen was named the Guild of Food Writers ‘Cookery Book of the Year’ in 2007 and ‘Best Food Book’ at Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards. The sequel, My Favourite Ingredients, was published in 2008, and the third, How I Cook, was published in Autumn 2010. Skye cooked the most beautiful food at a Literary Dinner in my house, fresh from the garden and local area. Try her asparagus with Romesco sauce and crème fraiche, I loved Skye’s food at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond and can’t wait to hear news of her new restaurant – not yet confirmed.

Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes in Hackney, London, is another of my favourite cooks. Her fans traipse all across London to get some of her delectable food and her wedding cakes are a ‘must have’ at the chicest weddings. Buckwheat butter cookies with a strawberry geranium fool were a huge hit over the LitFest weekend. Claire is also a food stylist and the author of three cookbooks: Leon: Baking & Puddings; The Whoopie Pie Book; and The Home-Made Sweet Shop. All of which I have in my library also. Each one of these cooks and chefs write such beautiful prose that it’s worth buying their books even if you never picked up a whisk or a wooden spoon.

Several past students of the Ballymaloe Cookery School shone at yet another cookery demonstration – Stevie Parle of the Dock Kitchen restaurant in London shared a platform with Thomasina Miers of Oaxaca restaurant fame and Rachel Allen.

Almost every chef mentioned how much they loved cooking with our Irish butter – wasn’t that nice to hear.

Next week I’ll include some recipes from Stevie Parle, Thomasina Miers and our own Rachel Allen.

 

David Tanis’s Duck Liver Toasts

 

 

These tasty toasts – the Italians call them crostini – perfectly complement the roast duck, or they can become a first course on their own.

 

 

700g (1 1/2lbs) duck or chicken livers

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 slices pancetta, in small slivers

2 large shallots, finely diced

2 teaspoons chopped thyme

a splash of dry sherry or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 baguette, sliced and toasted

 

Trim the livers, blot on paper towels, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a medium flame.  When the oil is hot, add the pancetta and shallots and cook until the shallots are nicely browned.

 

Add the livers and turn up the flame.  Stir well and continue cooking, shaking the pan occasionally, until the livers are cooked through but still a little pink.  Slice one to check.  Add the thyme and sherry, and transfer the contents of the pan to a chopping board.  Let cool to room temperature.

 

With a large knife, chop the livers with the pancetta and shallots to a rough paste, then put the paste in a small mixing bowl.  Mash the butter into the paste with a wooden spoon.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.  Cover tightly with cling film and keep at cool room temperature until ready to serve (up to 2 hours), or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

 

Spread on toasted baguette slices.

 

 

Skye Gyngel’s Asparagus with Romesco and Crème Fraîche

 

Serves 4

 

For the Romesco Sauce

 

12 blanched almonds

12 hazelnuts

2 tomatoes, peeled and ripe

100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

1 whole red chilli (the ancho variety if you can get hold of one)

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon good-quality sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon sweet-smoked paprika (I prefer Spanish to Hungarian)

1 thick slice of chewy, peasant-style bread (such as ciabatta)

Sea salt

 

For the Asparagus

20 asparagus spears

a good pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

a few drops of lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

To Serve

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

 

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

 

Place the nuts on a baking tray and roast on the middle shelf for 3 minutes to colour them slightly, then roughly pound to a paste.

 

Next, place the tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with a dash of olive oil. Place in the oven along with the whole chilli, and roast for 10 minutes. Remove and mix with the nuts. Add the garlic, sherry vinegar and paprika, and mix. Blitz the bread in a blender until you have crumbs, lay them on a baking tray and bake until golden. Add to the nut mixture, pour in the remaining olive oil and season. Stir well to combine.

 

Place a large pot of water on to boil and season liberally with salt. While the water is coming to the boil, prepare the asparagus by snapping off their woody ends. Plunge the vegetables into the water and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife. Cooking time will largely depend on the size and thickness of the spears, but as a general rule of thumb, it should take about 1 minute. Drain and dress with the olive oil and lemon and a little sea salt and pepper.

 

Divide among 4 plates or one large plate if you prefer.

 

Divide the crème fraîche between the plates and sprinkle the Romesco sauce over the top.

 

Serve immediately.

 

 

Claire Ptak’s Strawberry-Geranium Fool with Buckwheat Butter Cookies

 

 

Makes 6 fools

 

For the compote:

3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

2 tablespoons water

4 geranium leaves, washed and dried or a drop or two of geranium essential oil

250-300g (9-10oz) ripe strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

 

For the cream mixture:

2 large egg whites (save the yolks for the buckwheat biscuits)

100g (3 1/2oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon golden syrup

pinch salt

400ml (14fl oz) double (heavy) cream, cold

100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) plus 1 heaped tbsp. plain yogurt

 

In a small but heavy pot over a medium low heat, dissolve the sugar and water without stirring. Stirring can cause the mixture to crystalize.

 

Roughly tear up the washed and dried geranium leaves and place them in the bottom of a small bowl. When the sugar syrup has completely dissolved but before it starts to get any colour, remove it from the heat and pour over the torn leaves. Set aside.

 

Hull the strawberries to remove the calyx. I use a small teaspoon rather than a knife to avoid wasting too much of the berry. Depending on the size of the berries cut into quarters or eighths for small bite-sized pieces. Cover the berries with the lemon juice.

 

Once the sugar syrup has cooled, remove the geranium leaves and discard them. Tip the berries and any juice into the syrup and stir to combine. Now make the cream mixture.

 

In a heatproof bowl, place the egg whites, 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar, golden syrup and salt. Place the bowl over a small pot of boiling water, whisking continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to become frothy and opaque. If you have a candy thermometer, use it to bring the mixture up to 75°C/167°F. Remove from the heat and use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to make stiff peaks of meringue.

 

In a large clean bowl, whip the cold double cream and yogurt to soft peaks.

 

Fold in the meringue just to combine. Fold in the 2/3 strawberries (reserving some of the juices that have formed, stirring in some). Do not over mix. The fool should be marbled and have lots of different textures.

 

Divide the fool between 6 small bowls or glasses and chill for at least one hour. Just before serving, top the fools with the remaining strawberries and drizzle with the sauce.

 

 

Claire Ptak’s Buckwheat Butter Cookies

 

These cookies are gluten-free naturally because they are made with buckwheat flour.

 

150g (5oz) whole almonds with skins on, toasted and roughly chopped

150g (5oz) buckwheat flour

200g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened

100g (3 1/2oz) palm or coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

50g (2oz) candied grapefruit or cedro peel, chopped

2 medium egg yolks

 

Makes 24 cookies

 

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped almonds, flour, and butter. Mix into a coarse meal. Add the sugar, salt and grapefruit peel. Mix well.

 

Add the egg yolks and mix just until the dough starts to come together.

 

Divide the dough into two pieces. Lay out two long pieces of cling film and shaping each ball of dough into a roughly 2.5cm (1 inch) log, lay down the middle of each piece of cling film. Roll up and shape into nice and even logs, twisting the ends to seal. Place the logs on a small cookie trays and place in the fridge for about an hour.

 

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and line two baking trays with parchment. Remove the cling film from the cookie logs and slice 5mm (1/4 inch) thick slices and place 3cm (1 1/2 inch) apart on the prepared tray.

 

Bake for 10-14 minutes until just starting to turn golden.

 

 

HotTips

 

 

Wine Tasting Event at Ballymaloe House

Wine talk and wine tasting with two passionate and experienced wine experts – Eric Narioo, of Les Caves des Pyrène and Pascal Rossignol, of Le Caveau on ‘Real Wine – Celebrating the Artisan Grower’. Sunday 26th May, 6.30pm €15 (includes wine tasting of eight different wines) at The Grain Store, Ballymaloe House. To reserve a place email colm@ballymaloe.ie or phone 021-4652531.

 

Foynes Irish Coffee Festival – 31 May to 02 June 2013 – three days of free family entertainment with floats, food & craft fair, fireworks, regatta, pet farm, bands, carnival, children’s forest party, ceili, historical walks and the Powers Irish Coffee Making Championship at Foynes, Co. Limerick – Telephone: +353 (0) 69 65416

 

If you have always wanted to grow your own fresh herbs here is your chance to learn from one of the best – Garden Workshop: Designing a Herb Garden with Susan Turner at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Half Day Course on Monday 17th June 2013 9:00am to 2:00pm – €95.00 with lunch included Phone 021 4646785 to book or online www.cookingisfun.ie

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Darina Allen
By Darina Allen

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