ArchiveJuly 2015

 

A breakfast picnic on the cliffs at Ballyandreen, a feast in a wildflower  meadow, a flask of strong tea and scones with a dollop of jam and cream on the Comeragh mountains or just the smell of a couple of lamb chops sizzling over the coals on a BBQ in the garden, it’s all about the sheer giddy joy of eating outdoors.

When I go fishing, I love to bring a smoking box. Spanking fresh mackerel are irresistible to eat, just pan grilled but I also love them  ‘warm smoked’ with a dollop of dill mayo or pickled beetroot and horseradish cream.

It’s so easy to do; you don’t even need a special smoker, an old biscuit tin works fine.  You’ll need some sawdust and a rack inside so the smoke can circulate around the food. We adapt a wire cake rack and that lasts for years, we’ve just replaced a rectangular biscuit tin that we’ve been using for over 5 years.

Pollock too, is transformed in the warm smoker. We love to serve it with marsh samphire and roast sweet red peppers at this time of the year.

Most people will have a barbecue of some type or other. Nowadays the gas ones are super convenient but I still love to cook over charcoal or wood. Admittedly it takes longer and considerably more skill to get the heat right but for me the flavour is immeasurably better. I love to order a couple of 1 ½ inch thick T bone steaks of well hung, dry aged beef from Frank Murphy in Midleton. Salt it well for at least 30 minutes and then dab dry. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lots of freshly cracked pepper, then slap it on the rack over the hot coals. I sear it on both sides then barbecue for about 15 minutes and allow it to rest for a further 10 minutes or so. This resting period allow the juices to redistribute evenly through the meat. Then I cut the juicy, succulent meat off the bone and into slices across the grain. Absolutely delicious on a salad of rocket leaves with smoked potatoes or indeed wedges with Aioli or Béarnaise sauce.  Smoked tomatoes are also great and easy to do as you can see from the recipe below.

If you’d rather do mackerel on your barbecue, one of the easiest ways is to season the dry fish fillets well, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Lay them side by side on a wire cake rack, pop another on top and lay the lot on the barbeque about 4 inches from the glowing coals. Flip it over after a few minutes and just cook until the flesh is opaque. Serve immediately with a little green gooseberry sauce or a simple  harissa butter. Divine.

Or you can cheat and just simply gut and leave the fresh mackerel whole (of course you can chop off the head and tail if you’d rather). Season well, pop a sprig of dill and a blob of butter inside and wrap it well in a loose tin foil package. It will only take about 5 minutes to cook and you’ll have lots of buttery juices to mop with crusty bread or new potatoes. A simple parsley or nasturtium  butter is great with that if you can’t find green gooseberries.

 

Hot Tips

Feel Good Food: Let’s Cook; Debbie Shaw, our resident Naturopathic Nutritionist  has planned another 1½ day ‘transformative’ cookery course. You’ll also learn about raw food and fermentation, the whole idea is to equip you with the skills and delicious recipes to maximise nutrition and healthy gut flora.  Debbie’s witty practical approach demonstrates how, just a couple of simple changes to our daily routines can result in long-term health and vitality. Debbie will incorporate lots of fresh produce from the Ballymaloe Cookery School Organic Farm and Gardens – you can also expect some Middle Eastern and Asian flavours to perk up your day.

Visit www.ballymaloecookeryschool.ie for details.

 

The Mews in Baltimore – Word is spreading fast about the delicious exciting food that’s emerging from Luke Matthan’s kitchen at the Mews this summer.

He and his friends James Ellis, front of house and Robert Collender, responsible for the wine list and cool menu design have an impressive pedigree. Between them, this terrific trio have a had experience in The Harwood Arms, L’Autre Pied and Bentleys in London as well as Etto and Forest Avenue in Dublin. The no choice menu, changes daily, three starters for sharing, one main course and several desserts. We greatly enjoyed carpaccio of mackerel with roast gooseberry, warm lobster with wild garlic mayo, chicken wings with broad beans, Walsh’s succulent lamb with homeguard potatoes and Lisheen Salad and several very moreish desserts.  Simple, delicious food made from beautiful fresh local ingredients. These boys are not just ‘talking the talk’.  Between them, they are creating a memorable dining experience. Book ahead. Open Tuesday-Saturday 6pm to late. Tel: 028 20572

 

The festival season is in full swing but you might want to check out A Taste of Lough Derg, a summer-long programme of food events taking place in villages and towns on the shores of Lough Derg in Co. Clare, Galway and Tipperary. Enjoy BBQs, cookery courses, chocolate making with artisan chocolatier Patricia from Wilde Irish Chocolates, foraging, bread baking, beekeeping, tips on using and preserving your harvest, cheese-making tips and tastings too. The highlight is the Tipperary Food Producers Long Table Dinner taking place on 19 August at Cloobawn Quay where everything served comes fromTipperary.

Get http://www.discoverloughderg.ie/atasteofloughderg/

 

 

How to Smoke Mackerel, Chicken Breast or Duck Breast in a Simple Biscuit Tin Smoker

 

This is a simple Heath Robinson way to smoke small items of food. It may be frowned upon by serious smokers, but it is great for beginners because it gives such quick results. The fish, duck or chicken can be smoked without having been brined, but even a short salting or brining will improve flavour – 15–20 minutes should do it. Leave to dry for approximately 30 minutes before smoking.

 

mackerel or duck breast or organic chicken breast

sawdust

1 shallow biscuit tin with tight-fitting lid

1 wire cake rack to fit inside

pure salt or 80 per cent brine

 

Place a sheet of tin foil in the base of the biscuit tin and sprinkle 3 or 4 tablespoons of sawdust over it. Lay the fish or meat on the wire rack skin-side upwards, then cover the tin with the lid.

 

Place the tin on a gas jet or other heat source on a medium heat. The sawdust will start to smoulder and produce warm smoke that in turn both cooks and smokes the food. Reduce the heat to low. Mackerel will take about 8–10 minutes. Duck or chicken breast will take 20–30 minutes, depending on the size. Leave to rest before eating warm or at room temperature.

 

Alternatively, you could buy a simple smoking box from a fishing store or hot-smoke in a tightly covered wok over a gas jet in your own kitchen.

 

 

 

How to hot smoke fish

You don’t need any special equipment – even a biscuit tin will do.

Lay the fish fillets flesh side up on a tray, sprinkle the unskinned Pollock with salt as though you were seasoning generously.

 

Leave for at least an hour but not more than 3 hours. Dry the fillets with kitchen paper, place on a wire rack and allow to dry in a cool, airy place for 30 minutes approximately. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sawdust (we use apple wood) on the base of a rectangular biscuit tin or smoking box (www.nesbits.ie). Put a wire rack into the tin and lay the fish, flesh side up on top. Put the box on a gas jet over a high heat for a minute or so until the sawdust starts to smoulder. Cover the box. Reduce the heat and smoke for 6-7 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to sit unopened for 5 minutes.

 

Remove from the box and serve as you like.

 

Smoked Pollock with Roast Peppers and Marsh or Rock Samphire

Marsh Samphire is in season in July and early August.  Rock Samphire may be substituted in Spring and early Summer (April to July) before it flowers.  Failing that blanched and refreshed French beans or asparagus work well.

 

Serves 8 as a starter

 

1-11/2lbs (450g- 700g) warm smoked Pollock

4-5ozs (110g- 160g) marsh samphire

2 red and yellow peppers

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Roast the peppers in a hot oven, 250C/475F/Gas Mark 9.

Put the peppers on a baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes until the skin blisters and the flesh is soft.

 

Put a wire rack over a mild gas jet, roast the pepper on all sides. When they are charred, remove.  When roasted, put pepper into a bowl, cover tightly with cling film for a few minutes, this will make them much easier to peel. Peel and deseed and cut into strips.

 

Next cook the samphire.

Put the samphire into a saucepan of boiling water (not salted), bring back to the boil and simmer for about 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain off the water (refresh in cold water if serving later).Toss in extra virgin olive – no salt because samphire has a natural salty tang.

 

To Serve

Divide the smoked pollock into nice flaky pieces, arrange on a serving platter with strips of red and yellow pepper and sprigs of samphire on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground pepper and a few flakes of sea salt.

 

Barbequed Mackerel in Foil Green Gooseberry Sauce

 

Salting fish before barbequing enhances the flavour tremendously.  I like to serve mackerel with the heads on, but if you are a bit squeamish remove them before cooking.

 

4 very fresh mackerel

sea salt

olive oil

 

Gut, wash and dry the mackerel and cut about 3 slits on either side of the back with a sharp knife.  About 15 minutes before cooking sprinkle the fish lightly with sea salt inside and outside.  Put a sprig of fennel in the centre and a knob of butter if you like.  Wrap in foil and seal the edges well.*

 

Put on the barbeque and cook for 4-6 minutes on each side depending on the size.  Serve with a segment of lemon and let each person open their own package.  There will be delicious juice to mop up with crusty bread or a baked potato.

 

* The mackerel could be prepared ahead to this point and refrigerated until needed.

 

Serve with Green Gooseberry Sauce

 

Green Gooseberry Sauce

 

Use the tart hard green gooseberries on the bushes at the moment, they make a delicious sauce.

 

10 ozs (285g/2 cups) fresh green gooseberries

stock syrup to cover (see below) – 6 fl.ozs (175 ml/3/4 cup) approx.

a knob of butter (optional)

 

Top and tail the gooseberries, put into a stainless steel saucepan, barely cover with stock syrup, bring to the boil and simmer until the fruit bursts.  Taste.  Stir in a small knob of butter if you like but it is very good without it.

 

Stock Syrup

You won’t need all the syrup so save for other uses. It’ll keep for months in the fridge.

4 fl ozs (120ml/1/2 cup) water

4 ozs (110g/generous 1/2 cup) sugar

 

Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil together for 2 minutes.  Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator until needed. Stock syrup can also be used for sorbets, fruit salads or as a sweetener in homemade lemonades.

 

Barbequed Toonsbridge Haloumi

 

Large fresh vine leaves

Toonsbridge Haloumi, Goat cheese, Feta, Gruyére, Emmenthal, Cheddar, Mozzarella, cut into ¼ inch thick slices

 

Tomato and Chilli Jam or Sweet Chilli Sauce

 

Wash and refresh the vine leaves quickly and dry with kitchen paper.

 

To Assemble

Take a vine leaf, put a piece of cheese in the centre of the ‘veiney’ side.  Fold over the edges to make a parcel, put the parcel on a second vine leaf and wrap tightly with the seam underneath.  Grill over the heat until the cheese starts to melt inside, about 5 minutes on each side.  Unwrap and eat.  Serve with crusty bread and tomato and chilli jam or sweet chilli sauce.

Note: The leaves may be eaten or discarded

 

Barbequed Steak with Roast Red Peppers, Anchoide and Rocket Leaves

 

Serves 6

 

3 x 175g (6oz) t-bone steaks, 1½ inch thick

1 garlic clove

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

a little olive oil

 

3 red fleshy peppers

 

 

Anchoide

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tins good anchovies

1 egg yolk

juice ½ lemon

200 – 250ml (7-9fl ozs) extra virgin olive oil

1 – 2 tablespoons hot water

 

To Serve

Rocket leaves

 

To prepare the steaks, about 1 hour before cooking, cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it on both sides of each steak. This simple step intensifies the beefy flavour. Then grind some black pepper and lots of salt over the steaks and sprinkle on a few drops of olive oil. Turn the steaks in the oil and leave aside. Score the fat at 2.5cm (1 inch) intervals.

 

Next roast the red peppers.

Preheat the grill or better still use a charcoal grill or barbecue.  Grill the peppers on all sides, turning them when necessary – they can be quite charred.  Alternatively, preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/regulo 9.  Put the peppers on a baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes until the skin blisters and the flesh is soft.

 

Put them into a bowl and cover with cling film for a few minutes this will make them much easier to peel.

 

Pull the skin off the peppers, remove the stalks and seeds. Do not wash or you will loose the precious sweet juices.  Divide each into 2 or 3 pieces along the natural divisions.

 

Have the barbeque ready, the coals should be glowing. Season the steaks with a little salt and put them down onto the hot rack. Cook on one side for 5-6 minutes then turn over and cook to desired doneness.

When cooking a steak, also turn it over onto the fat side and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the fat crisps up nicely. Put the steaks onto an upturned plate; allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

resting on another plate and leave them for a few minutes in a warm place.

 

Meanwhile make the anchoide.  Put the garlic, anchovies, egg yolk and lemon juice into a food processor, add the oil gradually as if making a mayonnaise.  Thin to required consistency with hot water.

Transfer the steaks onto hot plates. Cut off the bone and into thick slices.

Serve on a bed of rocket leaves, roast red peppers, rocket leaves and a little drizzle of anchoide.

The National Organic Centre in Co Leitrim is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year.  The original concept was the vision of Rod Alston, one of Ireland’s organic pioneers who still lives close by.  It was he who asked me to join  the Board of the Organic Centre in 1995, which I did for a number of years and I’ve been a patron ever since.

Recently,  we packed up the van and drove north to Rossinver, passing through 10 counties on the way,  Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Leitrim, Cavan and home via Sligo. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday and yet again we were reminded of the beauty and variety of our Irish landscape.

Loveliest of all, were the buttercup meadows of Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo – a heavenly sight and  rare in our neck of the woods where fields of nitrogen boosted rye grasses are more the norm.

Over the years, The Organic Centre has gradually established itself and built up the fertility of the soil in a 19 acre block of very marginal land close to Rossinver.

There are extensive herb and vegetable gardens, as well as fruit orchards with 50 native Irish apples, pears, plums and cherries specially selected to thrive in the north east.  There’s  a brilliant Horticultural Community garden scheme where local people can use the facilities, both raised bed and tunnels and tap into the considerable expertise of the Organic Centre team to grow some of their own vegetables, fruit and fresh herbs. For every hour they spend in the garden they donate an hour’s work to the Organic centre and help to pot up and plant seedlings for sale, a brilliant and mutually beneficial concept.

They run a year long Organic Horticulture Full-time Fetac Level 5 course and regular short courses on a variety of topics from Willow Workshop,  Home Preserving, First Aid from the Garden, Fermented and Cultured Food, Grow Your Own Fruit, Building a Cob Oven,  Foraging for wild herbs and plants …. Hans’ wife Gaby also runs courses on Fermentation, Cheesemaking and Sourdough. It’s quite remote but certainly worth the detour and there’s a little café where you can get a cup of tea or coffee http://www.theorganiccentre.ie

We were close to Blacklion so we couldn’t pass up Neven Maguire’s kind invitation to dine in his restaurant.  It was packed with glamorous diners in celebratory mood. Many had booked months ahead to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary and weren’t disappointed by the highly skilled and exotic food that Neven’s chef  Glen Wheeler and his talented young team prepared for dinner.

Many were also staying overnight in one of the nineteen bedrooms in Mc Nean House and the Neven’s lovely cookery School is next door. Neven’s combined enterprises highly enhance the image and prosperity of  Blacklion whose inhabitants are understandably proud of Neven’s many achievements. http://www.nevenmaguire.com

On our way home we swung by Sligo where three of our past students have cafes, and bakeries.

Catherine Farrell & Annette Burke at Gourmet Parlour in Bridge Street are celebrating 25 years in business, this year makes me feel old…… There was a queue when we arrived. The shelves and display case were packed with delicious cakes, bread and plump sandwiches and there was a queue. The kitchen works through the night to supply the demand and a new café is planned at the Cooloney roundabout. http://www.gourmetparlour.com

David Dunne of Café Knox in O’ Connell Street also gets great reviews but doesn’t open on a Monday so we headed for Sweet Beat on the corner of Bridge Street. Carolanne Rushe and her sister Deirdre and Simon the barista, were all beavering away in the recently opened Café that’s causing quite a stir in Sligo. There are just three tables on the ground floor but many more upstairs.

The fresh plant based salads and drinks are wooing vegetarians and everyone else besides.  http://www.sweetbeat.ie

We also picked up a pot of Wildwood honey from Tir na Nóg health food shop one of the first to be established in 1980.

Sligo is a buzzy, business town with lots of small shops and I was delighted to find that Cosgrove’s grocery shop was the same as ever, packed with produce with sausages and salami  hanging enticingly from the ceiling

 

Hot Tips

In response to many requests we’ve scheduled a week long ‘total immersion’ course at Ballymaloe Cookery School from Monday July 27^th to Friday July 31^st for those who would like to explore the organic farm and gardens as well as participate in both demonstration and hands on classes. You will learn how to cook many exciting dishes for family, friends and entertaining  but also how to sow a seed, the basics of organic growing and how to make compost. How to make your own homemade butter, cheese and yoghurt from the milk of our small Jersey herd. We’ll make sourdough and several other breads, pickles, jams, preserves……

We’ll spend lots of time in the kitchen but you’ll also help to pick vegetables and forage in the early morning and weather depending we may even go fishing……check out the details on the website www.cookingisfun.ie

 

How about this for a great idea …..Book-ears is a uniquely designed range of ‘book ears’ that save you from having to fold over the corners of a page. Orla Kerr, Bobby’s sister, came up with this brilliant concept. Each little cardboard sleeve is kept in place by a magnetic strip with enough space to write recipe notes or comments. See www.book-ears.com and amazon.co.uk.

 

How to Cook Well with Rory O’ Connell

Rory O’ Connell’s TV programme created lots of excitement, so why not come and meet him in person from 29^th-31^st July.  In this 2½ day course Rory will teach you simple but essential skills to transform you into a truly good cook. At the heart of his approach are good ingredients, carefully prepared with an eye to detail that will make your dishes a success, See the website www.cookingisfun.ie for the details.

A Slow Food Pop Up Dinner at the Ballymaloe Cookery School on Sunday July 12^th. Drink Reception at 6.30, dinner at 7pm. Our current 12 Week Certificate students will cook a ‘dream feast’….. Proceeds of the evening will go towards the East Cork Slow Food Educational Project.

Tickets €45.00. Booking Essential.

Phone 021 4646785 or email sharon@cookingisfun.ie for the details.

 

Neven’s Prawn and Avocado Wrap

Serves 4

 

100 g (4oz) mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil

½ lemon, pips removed

1 large ripe Hass avocado

4 large deli wraps or soft flour tortillas

50 g (2 oz) wild rocket

200 g (7 oz) large cooked, peeled prawns

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Place the mayonnaise in a bowl and add the chilli sauce, basil and a good squeeze of the lemon juice. Season to taste and mix until well combined.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone, then cut into slices and place in a bowl. Drizzle in a squeeze of the lemon juice to prevent it from discolouring. Heat a heavy-based frying pan. Heat each deli wrap or soft flour tortilla for 30 seconds on the frying pan, turning once.

Spread the flavoured mayonnaise all over each of the heated wraps or tortillas and stack the rocket, avocado slices and prawns down the centre. Season to taste and roll up to enclose the filling.

To serve, cut each one on the diagonal and arrange on plates or wrap in greaseproof paper to pack for lunch boxes.

 

The Nation’s Favourite Food by Neven Maguire

 

 

Neven’s Chicken Tikka Masala

 

Serves 4

 

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

Knob of butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

5 cm (2 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

100 g (4 oz) tikka masala curry paste

200 g (7 oz) canned chopped tomatoes

250 ml (9 fl oz) coconut cream

150 ml (¼ pint) chicken stock or water

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into thick strips

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

200 g (7 oz) natural yoghurt, extra to garnish

Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

 

Saffron Rice

1 teaspoon saffron threads

Knob of butter

350 g (12 oz) basmati rice

6 green cardmamom pods, cracked

 

Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy based pan with a lid. Add the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the tikka masala paste and cook for 1 minute. Season to taste. Add the tomatoes, coconut cream and chicken stock or water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened.

 

Tip in the chicken strips and yoghurt and stir well to combine. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is nicely reduced and the chicken is tender.

 

To prepare the saffron rice, place the saffron threads into a small bowl and pour over a little boiling water and leave to infuse. Melt the butter in a large heavy based pan with a lid. When it’s just starting to foam, tip in the rice and cardamom. Stir the rice for 2 minutes over a medium heat and season with a little salt. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the rice by 2.5 cm (1 inch), bring to  a simmer and put on the lid. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then  pour in the saffron, including the water that it’s been soaking in. cover the pot again and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice is just cooked but retains some bite.

 

To serve, spoon the chicken tikka masala into warmed serving bowls and put the saffron rice into separate bowls. Add dollops of yoghurt into each bowl of chicken tikka masala and a good scattering of coriander leaves to garnish.

 

The Nation’s Favourite Food by Neven Maguire

 

Roast Summer Veg with Pearled Barley from the Sweet Beat Café in Sligo

 

Carol-Anne Rushe loves to serve this salad as part of our daily ‘Super Salad’ plate with our spicy hummus, onion pickle, sprouts and seeds.

It’s perfect for bbq season or feeding the family something light and healthy for a summery dinner.

 

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side dish

 

500g Pearl Barley

2 Zucchini

1 large Aubergine

2 red peppers

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

pinch black pepper

 

Dressing

 

30ml balsamic vinegar

90ml extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of black pepper

 

handful of coriander, chopped,

handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Pumpkin seeds

 

Put the barley into a saucepan, cover with three times the amount of cold water and bring to the boil. simmer for 30 minutes.

Chop the veg into bite size chunks and place in a roasting tray with a drizzle of sunflower oil, thyme, paprika, sea salt and black pepper.

Roast in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

When the barley is done, drain and rinse with cold water. Toss the dressing through and mix with the vegetables.

When it is cool, add in the chopped herbs and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Serve at room temperature.

 

Gourmet Parlor Praline Cake

 

Serves 10 approximately

 

6oz (175g/1 1/2 cups) flour

5 1/2oz (160g/scant 3/4 cup) sugar

3 eggs

5oz (150g/1 1/4 sticks) butter

1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) praline powder (see below)

 

Praline

6oz (175g/3/4 cup) sugar

6oz (175g) skinned hazelnuts or unskinned almonds

 

Praline Butter Icing

7 tablespoons (9 American tablespoons) water

8 tablespoons (10 American tablespoons) sugar

5 egg yolks

1/2 lb (225g/2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened and creamed)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

4 tablespoons (5 American tablespoons) praline powder (sieved praline)

 

2 x 7 (18cm) inch cake tins                

 

First make the praline.

Combine the sugar and nuts in a heavy saucepan. Put over a low heat until the sugar turns caramel colour. Do not stir, carefully rotate the pan until the nuts are covered with caramel. When the nuts go “pop” pour the mixture on to an oiled marble slab, cool. Crush to a coarse gritty texture.

 

Brush the cake tins with melted butter and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper. Brush the paper with melted butter also and dust the base and edges with flour.

 

Cream the sugar and butter and add in the eggs one by one.  Beat well between each addition.  Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Add two tablespoons of praline powder. Mix lightly adding milk to moisten if the mixture is a little stiff.

 

Divide equally between two prepared tins.  Bake for 25 minutes at 190°C/350°F/regulo 5. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out and cooling on a wire rack. Reinvert after a few moments so as not to mark the top of the cake.

 

Meanwhile make the butter cream. 

Bring the water and sugar to the boil stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup boil to the thread stage (115°C/238°F). Beat the yolks for one minute with an electric beater, add hot syrup very gradually. Continue beating until the syrup has all been added.  The mousse should be stiff and hold a “figure of 8”.  Let the mousse cool.

Beat the butter to a creamy consistency.  Gradually add the cooled mousse to the creamed butter and finally fold in the 4 tablespoons of powdered praline.

To Assemble

Split each cake in half. Spread with praline butter icing. Sandwich together.

Ice the top and sides with the remaining icing. Sprinkle crushed praline all over the top surface of the cake.

 

Praline Gateau

Alternatively for a wider gateau style cake, bake in a 2 x 8 inch x 2 1/2 inch deep (20.5cm x 6.5cm deep) tin.  Decorate with caramel shards or pieces of almond brittle.

 

 

Gaby Wieland’s Meadowsweet Lemonade-Champagne

 

This is a most refreshing summer drink

 

3 ½ litres of water

100g of honey

7 dessertspoons of cider vinegar

40-50 Hawthorn flower tops

(or 100 Dandelion Flowers or 8-9 Elderflower heads in full bloom, 100 red clover flowers, 9 Meadowsweet flowers)

2-3 organic or unwaxed lemons

 

1. Pour the water in a large jug or pot (ideally earthenware), add the honey and vinegar.
2. Squeeze the juice from one to one and a half lemons, cut one to one and a half lemons in pieces and add both to the mixture.
3. Then put the flowers into the jug.
4. Stir well. Cover and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
5. The lemonade is ready after 1 day. Just strain and serve ice cool.

 

Note

To make champagne, leave flowers to ferment in the liquid for another 2-3 days. Then strain and bottle in champagne bottles with secure corks or use other strong bottles. Leave for a minimum of 4 weeks. The taste even improves after a longer period of time. Best before 1-2 years. You can mix the champagne with apple juice, mineral water or add orange juice ice cubes.

 

Tip

You can reduce the amount of honey when you make red clover lemonade.  Adjust to your taste!

 

 

 

 

Just back from another action packed school tour. On every 12 Week Certificate course we take the students on a fact finding field trip to stimulate ideas on how they might use their hard earned cooking skills to earn their living in a fun and creative way. Food is the main driver of the Irish economy at present where there are a myriad of options to add value to basic raw materials.

We started shortly after 8am, everyone was in high spirits. What is it about a school excursion that makes us all revert back to our carefree childhood temperament? First we visited Shanagarry Smokehouse where Bill Casey told us about how he decided to start a smokehouse when he was made redundant in the early 80’s. His smoked salmon is sold not just in the local area but also to several top chefs around the country and occasionally overseas.

Next we visited Philip Dennhardt’s Saturday Pizza factory ingeniously converted from a disused shipping container. An inspirational project which made many students realise that thinking creatively one can get into business and comply with the regulations without huge overheads.

Then we all piled into the bus and headed for Mahon Point Farmers Markets. It was already buzzing when we arrived at 10 o’ clock, 50 plus stalls each manned by a super creative food producer, all entrepreneurs who think outside the box to identify an opportunity. Annie Murphy’s chickens were roasting to perfection on a spit, beside her Simon Mould was turning out irresistible pizza. As ever the O’ Driscoll brothers from West Cork had a long queue for their freshly caught West Cork fish.  Maurice Gilbert from Ballyhoura was doling out tastes of his apple juice combos. Close by Marcus Hodder tells me his new salted caramel affrogato ice cream is proving to be a big hit.

Silvia and Olga from La Cocina have an irresistible display of Spanish treats, the students in particular love the custard tarts and want to know if I know the secret. Chocolate Cake Pops, lollipops, goat’s milk, raw food, home baking, cured meats, free range pork, organic fruit and vegetables…….

Now, since my last visit Rachel McCormack is making a variety of beef and chicken broths, Pho and pad thai that’s really causing a stir. This market continues to surprise and delight and the originals like Arbutus breads are still innovative and tempt us with their new creations.

Then it was on to Fermoy Cheese where Frank and Gudrun Shinnick and their team of international apprentices make a whole range of delectable farmhouse cheeses from the milk of their Friesian herd.

After a picnic and cheese tasting, we headed to visit Willie Drohan, who produces Comeragh Mountain lamb on his farm not far from the spectacular Mahon Falls. He told us the story of how he and several neighbouring farmers rear this distinctive lamb now much sought after by the top chefs. They lamb graze on deer grass, wild sorrel, tormentil and on other wild herbs on the commonage.

Next destination was Nude Food in Dungarvan. Here we were met by Louise Clark and Lucy Whelan. Louise lead us through the restaurant into her garden behind where broad beans, courgettes and a myriad of fresh herbs were flourishing. Louise is a charismatic speaker who shared her story with us all.

Our last stop of a brilliantly stimulating and enjoyable day was Dungarvan Brewery. Claire Dalton and Cormac O Dwyer showed us around explained and simplified the brewing process, the ingredients needed and the bottling system. His sister, wife of  Tom Dalton the other brewer in the business organised a tasting of the Dungarvan beers, all with local names, Helvick Gold Blond ale, Copper Coast, Mine Head, and I particularly enjoyed the Black Rock stout.

Traditional bottled conditioned beers are the USP of the Dungarvan brewing company which gives the craft beer a unique flavour.

 

Hot Tips

Sushi made Simple

Join our 12 Week Certificate students and allow Shermin Mustafa to demystify this jewel of Japanese cuisine. Whilst so many of us love eating sushi, making it for the first time can be intimidating particularly as it’s common-knowledge that sushi chefs train for years to master the knife skills and presentation needed to create world-class sushi.

This course takes the mystery… and stress… out of making sushi, Shermin will start by explaining the ingredients, basic equipment and techniques required, giving you the confidence to serve it to guests at home or in a restaurant.

During this half-day course she will show you how to make at least eight different types of sushi as well as sashimi.

Students will have the opportunity to taste all the dishes prepared during the demonstration.

Wednesday July 15^th at the Ballymaloe Cookery School 9.30am-2pm

Phone 021 4646785 or www.cookingisfun.ie for more information.

 

The cake making craze continues unabated. If you are really into spectacular results Decobake has 5 shops around Ireland. They also have a wonderful website with a good delivery service.  All you need for cake baking and decorating from edible gels and paste, dust and glitter, sugar craft, novelty cake tins and much much more….

Check out the website www.decobake.com

 

Shanagarry OOOBY little summer market has started again. Every Sunday morning the group sell their seasonal produce, preserves and home baking on the wall outside Shanagarry Church. A brilliant idea that could be replicated throughout the country. Tel Mary Griffin on 0876175985 or email oldroadpainter@msn.com for the details.

 

East Cork Slow Food Event

Camilla Plum from her organic Danish Fuglebjerggaard Farm will give a short cookery demonstration at the Ballymaloe Cookery School  on ‘Danish Family Cooking’, on Wednesday July 8^th at 7pm.

Telephone 021 4646785 for the details.

http://www.fuglebjerggaard.dk/english

 

 

 

 

Fish in Beer Batter with Chips and Tartare Sauce

Dungarvan Brewery can be contacted on  058 24000

 

Serves 8

 

Fish and chips became famous because they can be utterly delicious.  The fish needs to be spanking fresh, the batter crisp, the potatoes a good variety and most importantly the oil needs to be good quality.  In Spain and Greece olive oil is frequently used, but sunflower or arachide can be excellent also.

8 very fresh fillets of Irish cod, haddock, plaice, or lemon sole

 

Beer Batter

250g (9oz) self-raising flour

good pinch of salt

110ml (4fl oz) beer

175-225ml (6 – 8fl ozs) cold water

 

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl.  Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in the beer and water.

 

Chips

8-16 well-scrubbed unpeeled potatoes

 

Garnish

1 lemon

 

Accompaniment

Tartare Sauce (see recipe)

 

First make the batter.

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl.  Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in the beer and water.

 

Cut the potatoes into chips (5mm/1/4 inch approximately – frites size), basically any size you fancy (remember the bigger they are the longer they take to cook.  Jumbo’s need to be blanched at 160°C/320°F first and finished at 190°C/375°F).

 

Heat the oil in the deep-fryer to 180°C/350°F, add in the chips. Make sure they are absolutely dry (don’t cook too many together).  Cook for a few minutes until they are just soft, drain.

 

Dip the fish fillets in batter, allow excess to drip off, lower gently into the oil, shaking the basket at the same time.  Cook until crisp and golden, drain on kitchen paper.  Increase the heat to 190°C/375°F. Put the chips back in and cook for a minute or two until really crisp.  Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt.

 

Serve the fish and chips immediately, either on a plate or in a cornet of newsprint.  Serve with Tartare Sauce.

 

 

Tartare Sauce

 

A classic Tartare Sauce, great with deep-fried fish, shellfish or fish cakes.

 

Serves 8-10

 

2 hardboiled egg yolks

2 raw egg yolks, preferably free range

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

300ml (10fl oz) of sunflower or arachide oil plus 50ml (2fl oz) olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped capers

1 teaspoon chopped gherkins

2 teaspoons chopped chives or 2 teaspoons chopped spring onions (scallions)

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

chopped white of the 2 hardboiled eggs

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Sieve the hardboiled egg yolks into a bowl, add the raw egg yolks, mustard and 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar.   Mix well and whisk in the oil drop by drop, increasing the volume as the mixture thickens.  When all the oil has been absorbed, add the other ingredients – capers, gherkins, chives or spring onions and parsley.   Then roughly chop the hardboiled egg white and fold in gently, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and add a little more vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary.

 

 

 

 

Shanagarry Smoked Wild Irish Salmon with Arjard and Pickled Red Onions

 

Wild Irish salmon is a now a rare treat, as for the last couple of years we have managed to get a small number from fishermen on the Blackwater river. We treasure each one and eat some fresh, cure and smoke some ourselves or give them to Bill Casey, our local smoker, to smoke for us. We hot- and cold-smoke the salmon and teach the students both methods of preserving. For this recipe we use cold-smoked salmon, but flakes of the hot-smoked variety would also be delicious.

 

Serves 4

 

175–225g (6–8oz) cold-smoked wild Irish salmon,

cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes

 

For the Pickled Red Onions

225ml (8fl oz) white wine vinegar

110g (4oz) granulated sugar

pinch of salt

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken

1 dried red chilli

450g (1lb) red onions, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin

 

For the Arjard (cucumber salad)

2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthways

1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced into rings

1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced into rings

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons malt vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cucumber, quartered lengthways and thinly sliced

 

To Serve

chervil sprigs and wild garlic or chive blossom in season

freshly ground black pepper

 

To make the pickled onions, put the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Put in one-third of the sliced onions and simmer for 2–3 minutes or until they turn pink and wilt. Lift out the cooked onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a 350g (12oz) sterilised jam jar with a non-reactive lid. Repeat with the rest of the onions, cooking them in two batches. Top up the jar with the hot vinegar, put on the lid and set aside to cool overnight. Once cold, store in the fridge.

 

To make the Arjard, put all the ingredients except the cucumber in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3–5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cold, pour the marinade over the slices of cucumber and set aside to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

 

To serve, arrange the cubes of salmon on a plate, add some Arjard and some pickled red onion and scatter over a few sprigs of chervil, wild garlic or chive flowers. Finish with some freshly ground black pepper over the top.

 

 

 

Comeragh Mountain Lamb with Cucumber Neopolitana

 

Martin Drohan can be contacted at tel (051) 291 533

 

1 leg of Comeragh mountain lamb

 

Gravy

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) homemade lamb or chicken stock

1-2 teaspoons freshly-chopped herbs  parsley, mint, thyme or rosemary, chives…..

a little Roux

Sea Salt

 

Garnish

Sprigs of fresh mint and parsley

 

 

If possible remove the aitch bone from the top of the leg of lamb so that it will be easier to carve later, then trim the end of the leg.  Score the fat lightly.  Sprinkle with sea salt.

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and roast for 1 1/4 hours approx. for rare, 1 1/2 hours for medium and 1 3/4 hours well done.  When the lamb is cooked to your taste, remove the joint to a carving dish.  Rest the lamb for 10 minutes before carving.

 

De-grease the juices in the roasting tin, add stock, bring to the boil and thicken with a little roux if desired.  Just before serving, whisk in some knobs of butter to enrich the gravy and add some freshly-chopped herbs.  Serve with Cucumber Neapolitana (see recipe).

.

 

 

Cucumber Neapolitana

 

A terrifically versatile vegetable dish which may be made ahead and reheats well. It is also delicious served with rice or pasta.  It makes a great stuffing for tomatoes and is particularly good with Roast lamb.

 

Serves 6 approximately

 

1 organic large cucumber

15g (1/2oz) butter

1 medium onion – 110g (4oz) approximately, sliced

4 very ripe Irish tomatoes

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

65ml (2 1/2fl oz) cream

1 dessertspoon freshly chopped mint

Roux

 

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan, when it foams add the onion. Cover and sweat for 5 minutes approximately until soft but not coloured.

 

Meanwhile, peel the cucumber, cut into 1cm (1/2inch) cubes, add to the onions, toss well and continue to cook while you scald the tomatoes with water for 10 seconds.  Peel the tomatoes and slice into the casserole, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cover the casserole and cook for a few minutes until the cucumbers are tender and the tomatoes have softened, add the cream and bring back to the boil. Add the freshly chopped mint.  If the liquid is very thin, thicken it by carefully whisking in a little roux.  Cucumber Neapolitana keeps for several days and may be reheated.

 

 

 

 

 

Roux

110g (4oz) butter

110g (4oz) 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.

 

 

 

 

Ballyhoura Apple  and Custard Tart 

 

This tart is delicious made with Ballyhoura Red of Gold apples.  Pears, gooseberries, apricots, rhubarb and plums are also good and the custard could be flavoured with a little cinnamon instead of vanilla if you want to ring the changes.

 

Serves 10-12

 

Pastry

225g (8oz) plain flour

pinch of salt

175g (6oz) butter

1 dessertspoons icing sugar – where does the icing sugar go into the recipe?

a little beaten egg or egg yolk and water to bind

 

Filling

2-3 golden delicious apples

300ml (10fl oz) cream

2 large or 3 small eggs

2 tablespoons castor sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4-6 tablespoons apricot glaze (see recipe)

 

1 x 12 inch (30.5cm) tart tin or 2 x 7 inch (18cm) tart tins

 

First make the shortcrust pastry.

Sieve the flour, salt and icing sugar into a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and then rub in with your fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt, the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop.

 

Whisk the egg or egg yolk and add some water. Using a fork to stir, add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect it into a ball with your hands, this way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper, shorter crust.

 

Flatten into a round, cover the pastry with clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

 

Line a tart tin (or tins), with a removable base and chill for 10 minutes. Line with paper and fill with dried beans and bake blind in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, paint the tart with a little egg wash and return to the oven for 3 or 4 minutes.  Allow to cool, then paint the base with apricot glaze.

 

Peel the apples, quarter, core and cut into even slices about one-eight inch thick. Arrange one at a time as you slice to form a circle inside the tart, the slices should slightly overlap on the inside, fill the centre likewise. Whisk the eggs well, with the sugar and vanilla extract, add the cream. Strain this mixture over the apples and bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4, for 35 minutes. When the custard is set and the apples are fully cooked, brush generously with apricot glaze and serve warm with a bowl of whipped cream.

 

Note

The apricot glaze here is essential for flavour not just for appearance.

 

 

Apricot Glaze

 

350g (12 oz) apricot jam

juice of 1/4 lemon

2 tablespoons water.

 

Makes 300ml (10fl oz) approximately

 

In a small stainless steel saucepan, melt the apricot jam with 1 – 2 tablespoons of juice or water. Push the hot jam through a nylon sieve and store in a sterilized airtight jar.

Melt and stir the glaze before use of necessary.